Saturday, June 16, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Walk Not in the Ways of this World
Psalm 1
Psalm 1:1 How blessed are those
who reject the advice of the wicked,
don’t stand on the way of sinners
or sit where scoffers sit!
who reject the advice of the wicked,
don’t stand on the way of sinners
or sit where scoffers sit!
"Don’t follow the path of the wicked
or walk on the way of evildoers."
The world has its' own wisdom, yet the worlds wisdom is not God's wisdom. The world's wisdom is this: "Doing good is all that matters. So long as you do what you feel is right, you are okay." Yet God teaches that our own righteousness is as filthy rags compared to God's righteousness.
I had a conversation with a guy at work. He follows the Sikh religion. He said that in his religion they believe that everyone has their own path, but that all paths lead to the same destination. He said that we all believe in the same God, whether it's Mohammed, or Jesus, or whoever. His belief is that as long are you do good and love one another, then you are achieving the basic principle of all religions. I told him though, that though he is partly right about loving others, the Bible says that Jesus (Yeshua HaMaschiach) is the only way to Salvation. I also told him that out of all the other religions, Jesus is the only one who was crucified and then rose again on the third day. He is the only way to salvation, and only the Bible teaches that. No other religion teaches that. So therefore, Jesus cannot be the same as Mohammed, or Brahma, or Buddha.. or whoever...
The world will follow whatever sounds appeasing to them. They will turn to other gods and worship them. They will turn to even worship themselves. This is not the way of Yah. There is only one way to salvation, and that is through Yeshua, our Lord and Savior.
Psalm 1:2 Their delight
is in Adonai’s Torah;
on his Torah they meditate
day and night.
Our delight is not in the ways of this world. We must put our hope and trust in God's Word. We must meditate on His Word, day and night.
Psalm 119:14 says
"I rejoice in the way of your instruction
more than in any kind of wealth."
We put our trust in the way of His instruction on how to live. Our trust is not in money. All things belong to Him. He gives, and He rightfully takes away. All things are under His control. Therefore, we put our trust not in the things of this world, but in Him.
Psalm 119:16 says
"I will find my delight in your regulations.
I will not forget your word."
Just as there are regulations for every household, God has set regulations for His house. In the same way that any parent would instruct his/her children, the same God instructs for us. We are expected to be obedient to His Word as long as we live in His house. God laid down the Ten Commandments, and instructed His children to obey them.
There are also rules of conduct that we are to obey. This is why God said to 'honor thy Father and thy Mother." I am sure that it would not go to well if the child back-talks his mom. Surely, it would not go to well if we talked to God the same way that many kids today talk to their parents. People are so disrespectful to their parents, especially in these days, because there is a lack of discipline in the homes. Parents will not rise up and bring discipline in their homes. I believe that is the reason why our generation has gone so far astray.
Psalm 119:35 says
"Guide me on the path of your mitzvot,
for I take pleasure in it."
"Mitzvot" is Hebrew for commandments. David's plea was that God would guide him on the path of His commandments. David sought to walk in His commandments, because He took pleasure in God's commandments. How many here can say that we have taken pleasure in obeying our own parents commandments? A child who serves his mother or father because he loves them will take pleasure in doing so. In the same way: We who are servants of the LORD will serve Him because we love Him, and we will serve Him because we take pleasure in doing so.
Psalm 1:3 They are like trees planted by streams —
they bear their fruit in season,
their leaves never wither,
everything they do succeeds.
Psalm 119:35 says
"Guide me on the path of your mitzvot,
for I take pleasure in it."
"Mitzvot" is Hebrew for commandments. David's plea was that God would guide him on the path of His commandments. David sought to walk in His commandments, because He took pleasure in God's commandments. How many here can say that we have taken pleasure in obeying our own parents commandments? A child who serves his mother or father because he loves them will take pleasure in doing so. In the same way: We who are servants of the LORD will serve Him because we love Him, and we will serve Him because we take pleasure in doing so.
Psalm 1:3 They are like trees planted by streams —
they bear their fruit in season,
their leaves never wither,
everything they do succeeds.
When we put our trust in God, He will sustain us. His Word is like the water that nourishes us. By His Word, we grow and bear fruit. By His Word, our leaves shall not wither. And by His Word, everything we do will succeed. We will not be anxious, worrying about what tomorrow will bring. For as long as we remain in His Word, we will be blessed.
"He will be like a tree planted near water;
it spreads out its roots by the river;
it does not notice when heat comes;
and its foliage is luxuriant;
it is not anxious in a year of drought
but keeps on yielding fruit."
it does not notice when heat comes;
and its foliage is luxuriant;
it is not anxious in a year of drought
but keeps on yielding fruit."
Psalm 1:4 Not so the wicked,
who are like chaff driven by the wind.
who are like chaff driven by the wind.
Those who are rooted in God's Word will remain strong, unshaken by the wind. But those who have cut away from the root, which is God's Word, they will be carried away by the winds of this world. They will be driven about by the winds of doctrine, the ways of this world.
Job 21:18 says,
"to make them like straw in the wind,
like chaff carried off by a storm?"
Psalm 1:5-6 For this reason the wicked
won’t stand up to the judgment,
nor will sinners
at the gathering of the righteous.
6 For Adonai watches over
the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked
is doomed.
like chaff carried off by a storm?"
Psalm 1:5-6 For this reason the wicked
won’t stand up to the judgment,
nor will sinners
at the gathering of the righteous.
6 For Adonai watches over
the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked
is doomed.
The righteous will live by faith. Though it may seem like the wicked prosper in this life, in the next to come they will surely be doomed to perish. All things in this world will perish, so it is wise that we do not put our trust in the ways of this world. We put our trust in the Lord, for He will bless us with great inheritance that exceeds far above the gains of this world. The wicked will perish in their ways, but the righteous who put their faith in Him will prosper.
Psalm 37:18 says,
"Adonai knows what the wholehearted suffer,
but their inheritance lasts forever."
but their inheritance lasts forever."
So be of strong courage, do not lose heart, and remember His word. Keep it stored in our hearts, for if we abide in His Word, we will prosper in all things that we do. God bless and Amen.
Shalom :)
Shalom :)
Friday, June 8, 2012
He is Coming With the Clouds
Today's blog will be on Revelation 1:1-8.
I have entitled this blog: "He is Coming With the Clouds."
Now much of Revelations is a bit hard to understand, and without an intense study on this book, much of what is to be understood will be either missed or misinterpreted. I will only be giving a day's worth of study into this portion from Revelation, so my interpretation of this prophecy will only come from a direct insight based on my immediate knowledge of the Scriptures.
I have entitled this blog: "He is Coming With the Clouds."
Now much of Revelations is a bit hard to understand, and without an intense study on this book, much of what is to be understood will be either missed or misinterpreted. I will only be giving a day's worth of study into this portion from Revelation, so my interpretation of this prophecy will only come from a direct insight based on my immediate knowledge of the Scriptures.
Revelation 1:1-8
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
REV. 1:1-3 This
is the revelation which God gave to Yeshua the Messiah, so that he
could show his servants what must happen very soon. He communicated it
by sending his angel to his servant Yochanan, 2 who bore witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Yeshua the Messiah, as much as he saw. 3 Blessed
are the reader and hearers of the words of this prophecy, provided they
obey the things written in it! For the time is near!
The testimony of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) is this:
Those who accept and believe that Jesus is the Son of God. When we believe that He is the Son of God, and that God sent Him to die on the cross, then we also bear witness to His testimony. We testify to the truth that He is the Son of God who died and rose again, and that He lives! By believing in the Son we testify to this truth as witnesses, and he who believes will have eternal life.
Those who accept and believe that Jesus is the Son of God. When we believe that He is the Son of God, and that God sent Him to die on the cross, then we also bear witness to His testimony. We testify to the truth that He is the Son of God who died and rose again, and that He lives! By believing in the Son we testify to this truth as witnesses, and he who believes will have eternal life.
REV. 1:4-6 From: Yochanan
To: The seven Messianic communities in the province of Asia:Grace and shalom to you from the One who is, who was and who is coming; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth’s kings.
To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood, 6 who has caused us to be a kingdom, that is, cohanim for God, his Father — to him be the glory and the rulership forever and ever. Amen.
Yochanan (John) wrote to the seven churches in Asia the vision that God gave him. I find it interesting that he writes "Grace and shalom (peace) to you from the One who is, who was and who is coming; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth’s kings.
Now I am a firm believer that God is one, but here we see that Yochanan (John) notably speaks of God on three accounts: (1) the One who is, who was, and who is coming; (2) the sevenfold Spirit; (3) Yeshua the Messiah. Now, many people think that there are three separate beings of deity. Contrarily, I believe that He is one, just as the Bible says, and that these three accounts are aspects used to describe who God is.
(1) Father, (One who is, who was, and who is coming);
(2) Holy Spirit (the sevenfold Spirit);
(3) Son, (Yeshua the Messiah).
The sevenfold Spirit is what caught my attention the most, so I began to look into this to understand what he means by "sevenfold Spirit". I found many topics on this, but I was not looking for an essay on this. I just wanted a simple explanation of what John means by this.
From what I have found, Isaiah 11:1-2 speaks of the sevenfold spirit: "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
- LORD: Spirit of divine government.
- WISDOM: Knowing the Mind of God
- UNDERSTANDING: Knowledge of the Holy
- COUNSEL: Knowing the plan and purpose of God
- MIGHT: Power, valor, or victory
- KNOWLEDGE: Divine knowledge of the Truth
- FEAR OF THE LORD: Divine Reverence
He has freed us from our sins at the cost of his own blood, and he was chosen us to be his elect. He has made us to be cohanim (priests) for Him. He has made us witnesses to His very power, that we may proclaim the glory of God! Amen.
REV. 1:7 Look! He is coming with the clouds!
Every eye will see him,
including those who pierced him;
and all the tribes of the Land will mourn him.
Every eye will see him,
including those who pierced him;
and all the tribes of the Land will mourn him.
Yes! Amen!
Yeshua (Jesus) is coming, as Daniel 7:13 says:
“I kept watching the night visions,
when I saw, coming with the clouds of heaven,
someone like a son of man.
He approached the Ancient One
and was led into his presence."
when I saw, coming with the clouds of heaven,
someone like a son of man.
He approached the Ancient One
and was led into his presence."
Jesus is coming with the clouds, and all will see Him. Everyone, even those who pierced Him will see Him, as Zechariah 12:10-14 says:
"and I will pour out on the house of David
and on those living in Yerushalayim
a spirit of grace and prayer;
and they will look to me, whom they pierced.”
and on those living in Yerushalayim
a spirit of grace and prayer;
and they will look to me, whom they pierced.”
They will mourn for him
as one mourns for an only son;
they will be in bitterness on his behalf
like the bitterness for a firstborn son.
When that day comes, there will be
great mourning in Yerushalayim,
mourning like that for Hadad-Rimmon
in the Megiddo Valley.
Then the land will mourn,
each family by itself —
the family of the house of David by itself,
and their wives by themselves;
the family of the house of Natan by itself,
and their wives by themselves;
the family of the house of Levi by itself,
and their wives by themselves;
the family of the Shim‘i by itself,
and their wives by themselves;
all the remaining families, each by itself,
and their wives by themselves."
as one mourns for an only son;
they will be in bitterness on his behalf
like the bitterness for a firstborn son.
When that day comes, there will be
great mourning in Yerushalayim,
mourning like that for Hadad-Rimmon
in the Megiddo Valley.
Then the land will mourn,
each family by itself —
the family of the house of David by itself,
and their wives by themselves;
the family of the house of Natan by itself,
and their wives by themselves;
the family of the house of Levi by itself,
and their wives by themselves;
the family of the Shim‘i by itself,
and their wives by themselves;
all the remaining families, each by itself,
and their wives by themselves."
Every eye will see Him, even those who persecuted Him 2000 years ago. Just as the rich man who was in torment looked up to see Lazarus with Abraham, so will those who persecuted Him look up to see Jesus coming with the clouds. And they will mourn, for they will know that He is Lord.
REV. 1:8 “I am the ‘A’ and the ‘Z,’” says Adonai,
God of heaven’s armies,
the One who is, who was and who is coming.
God of heaven’s armies,
the One who is, who was and who is coming.
He is the 'A' and the 'Z', the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. He is Lord, God of Heaven and all it's host, and He is the One who is, who was, and is to come.
Thursday, June 7, 2012
The Righteous Shall Live By Faith
For today's portion I will be reading from Romans 1:1-17. I have entitled this blog: "The Righteous Shall Live By Faith".
Romans 1:1-17
Rom. 2:2-5 God promised this Good News in advance through his prophets in the Tanakh. 3 It concerns his Son — he is descended from David physically; 4 he was powerfully demonstrated to be Son of God spiritually, set apart by his having been resurrected from the dead; he is Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and were given the work of being an emissary on his behalf promoting trust-grounded obedience among all the Gentiles, 6 including you, who have been called by Yeshua the Messiah.
To those who have accepted the Messiah as Lord and Savior, we too become emissaries, just as Sha'ul was an emissary for the Lord. This means that we, as born again believers, are representatives of Christ who is the Ambassador. We must carry out this mission, as slaves to Him, to spread the Gospel (Good News) of Yeshua. If you have come to trust in the Lord, and have put your faith in Him, then you are called out for a purpose. As Christ is the Ambassador, we are to carry out His orders. Through Yeshua, we have received grace, and just as Paul states: We, as emissaries on His behalf, must carry out His message: That He is Salvation! We must, in our obedience to Him, promote to others this same faith/trust.
Romans 2:7 To: All those in Rome whom God loves, who have been called, who have been set apart for him:
Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
Sha'ul presents the Good News to Rome, as we see here. This message is not just for Rome though. The Good News is for all to hear, and to all who receive Him. We have been called, and set apart for His purpose.
A blessing Sha'ul gives to the people of Rome: "Grace to you and shalom (peace) from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah." I also pray this blessing to you all, grace and peace from God. Amen.
Romans 1:8-15 First, I thank my God through Yeshua the Messiah for all of you, because the report of your trust is spreading throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by spreading the Good News about his Son, is my witness that I regularly remember you 10 in my prayers; and I always pray that somehow, now or in the future, I might, by God’s will, succeed in coming to visit you. 11 For I long to see you, so that I might share with you some spiritual gift that can make you stronger — 12 or, to put it another way, so that by my being with you, we might, through the faith we share, encourage one another. 13 Brothers, I want you to know that although I have been prevented from visiting you until now, I have often planned to do so, in order that I might have some fruit among you, just as I have among the other Gentiles. 14 I owe a debt to both civilized Greeks and uncivilized people, to both the educated and the ignorant; 15 therefore I am eager to proclaim the Good News also to you who live in Rome.
Our own faith and trust in Yeshua will serve as a good witness to those around us. We put our trust in the Messiah when we accepted Him as our Savior. Though do not let our faith die there. Yeshua is the Author and the Finisher of our faith, and He will finish the work that He started in You. Throughout life, as a born again believer, we will be put under many trials. These trials will be the testings of our faith. How we handle these situations will make all the difference, and people will notice how we react as well. Do we crumble under pressure? Or do they see the faith that strengthens us to endure through the trials of life?
Therefore we must proclaim the Good News of Yeshua, our Lord and Savior. We must serve Him with all diligence and vivacity, to make known the good name of Yeshua (Jesus Christ). One day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, that He is Lord. The question is, will they have come to repentance before the judgment? Or were they like the rich man who was tormented in Sheol who confessed and it was too late? So we must proclaim His Name, that He is God, and that He brings Salvation to the world. Let us be servants of Christ, proclaiming the Good News of salvation! Let us proclaim His Name! Glory to God, our Rock and our Redeemer! Our trust in Him will strengthen us, that we may be able to endure through all things, and will give to others encouragement as we should be doing.
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the Good News, since it is God’s powerful means of bringing salvation to everyone who keeps on trusting, to the Jew especially, but equally to the Gentile. 17 For in it is revealed how God makes people righteous in his sight; and from beginning to end it is through trust — as the Tanakh puts it, “But the person who is righteous will live his life by trust.”
In the Tanakh (Old Testament), in Habakkuk 2:4 it reads:"Look at the proud: he is inwardly not upright;
Romans 1:1-17
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Rom. 1:1 From: Sha’ul, a slave of the Messiah Yeshua, an emissary because I was called and set apart for the Good News of God.
Sha'ul (Paul) referred to himself as a slave, or servant of the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). This means that he served the Messiah. A slave is someone who is bought with a price. Yeshua bought us with a price. He paid the price by sacrificing Himself on the cross to redeem us of our sins. He took us out of bondage (our sin) that we may no longer be slaves to sin but slaves to righteousness through Him. It was by His blood that we are bought, and if we have been washed clean by His blood, then we too are slaves of the Messiah Yeshua.
Just as Sha'ul was called and set apart for the Good News of God, we too are called and set apart for the Good News of God. The Good News is that He is Salvation. We have received salvation through Jesus Christ. So therefore we must act in servitude to Him, and do as He commands. His command is that we go unto all the world and preach the gospel. We are called to make disciples of men. We are to pronounce that the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ) is Lord, and that He came to set the captive free!
Just as Sha'ul was called and set apart for the Good News of God, we too are called and set apart for the Good News of God. The Good News is that He is Salvation. We have received salvation through Jesus Christ. So therefore we must act in servitude to Him, and do as He commands. His command is that we go unto all the world and preach the gospel. We are called to make disciples of men. We are to pronounce that the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ) is Lord, and that He came to set the captive free!
Rom. 2:2-5 God promised this Good News in advance through his prophets in the Tanakh. 3 It concerns his Son — he is descended from David physically; 4 he was powerfully demonstrated to be Son of God spiritually, set apart by his having been resurrected from the dead; he is Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and were given the work of being an emissary on his behalf promoting trust-grounded obedience among all the Gentiles, 6 including you, who have been called by Yeshua the Messiah.
To those who have accepted the Messiah as Lord and Savior, we too become emissaries, just as Sha'ul was an emissary for the Lord. This means that we, as born again believers, are representatives of Christ who is the Ambassador. We must carry out this mission, as slaves to Him, to spread the Gospel (Good News) of Yeshua. If you have come to trust in the Lord, and have put your faith in Him, then you are called out for a purpose. As Christ is the Ambassador, we are to carry out His orders. Through Yeshua, we have received grace, and just as Paul states: We, as emissaries on His behalf, must carry out His message: That He is Salvation! We must, in our obedience to Him, promote to others this same faith/trust.
Romans 2:7 To: All those in Rome whom God loves, who have been called, who have been set apart for him:
Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
Sha'ul presents the Good News to Rome, as we see here. This message is not just for Rome though. The Good News is for all to hear, and to all who receive Him. We have been called, and set apart for His purpose.
A blessing Sha'ul gives to the people of Rome: "Grace to you and shalom (peace) from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah." I also pray this blessing to you all, grace and peace from God. Amen.
Romans 1:8-15 First, I thank my God through Yeshua the Messiah for all of you, because the report of your trust is spreading throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by spreading the Good News about his Son, is my witness that I regularly remember you 10 in my prayers; and I always pray that somehow, now or in the future, I might, by God’s will, succeed in coming to visit you. 11 For I long to see you, so that I might share with you some spiritual gift that can make you stronger — 12 or, to put it another way, so that by my being with you, we might, through the faith we share, encourage one another. 13 Brothers, I want you to know that although I have been prevented from visiting you until now, I have often planned to do so, in order that I might have some fruit among you, just as I have among the other Gentiles. 14 I owe a debt to both civilized Greeks and uncivilized people, to both the educated and the ignorant; 15 therefore I am eager to proclaim the Good News also to you who live in Rome.
Our own faith and trust in Yeshua will serve as a good witness to those around us. We put our trust in the Messiah when we accepted Him as our Savior. Though do not let our faith die there. Yeshua is the Author and the Finisher of our faith, and He will finish the work that He started in You. Throughout life, as a born again believer, we will be put under many trials. These trials will be the testings of our faith. How we handle these situations will make all the difference, and people will notice how we react as well. Do we crumble under pressure? Or do they see the faith that strengthens us to endure through the trials of life?
Therefore we must proclaim the Good News of Yeshua, our Lord and Savior. We must serve Him with all diligence and vivacity, to make known the good name of Yeshua (Jesus Christ). One day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, that He is Lord. The question is, will they have come to repentance before the judgment? Or were they like the rich man who was tormented in Sheol who confessed and it was too late? So we must proclaim His Name, that He is God, and that He brings Salvation to the world. Let us be servants of Christ, proclaiming the Good News of salvation! Let us proclaim His Name! Glory to God, our Rock and our Redeemer! Our trust in Him will strengthen us, that we may be able to endure through all things, and will give to others encouragement as we should be doing.
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the Good News, since it is God’s powerful means of bringing salvation to everyone who keeps on trusting, to the Jew especially, but equally to the Gentile. 17 For in it is revealed how God makes people righteous in his sight; and from beginning to end it is through trust — as the Tanakh puts it, “But the person who is righteous will live his life by trust.”
In the Tanakh (Old Testament), in Habakkuk 2:4 it reads:"Look at the proud: he is inwardly not upright;
but the righteous will attain life through trusting faithfulness."
Those who exalt themselves with pride, who generally do so by knowledge, will be considered unrighteous. Many people think that they are justified by knowledge. They belittle others, because they are more superior in knowledge in others. But this is not the way to righteousness. Our righteousness is faith. Putting ourselves in any superiority above others is not true righteousness, but self-righteousness, and God will abase the prideful. But the one who humbles himself, and says "Lord, in You I put my faith in, and not my own...", him, will God consider righteous. It is this righteousness that we are given life. By trusting not in our own righteousness, but in God's righteousness, can we receive life.
Do you trust God? or do you rely on your own self-righteousness to be justified?
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Purpose: To Know God
My purpose in life is to know God more. I want to search His Word, in and out, and know His Word like the palm of my hand. I want His Word to be the very beating of my heart. My soul longs for Him. My heart cries out to Him. I feel this growing desire to be with Him. There is nothing that I want more in life than to be in His Presence. More than the food that I eat, the water that I drink, and the air that I breathe.. My soul hungers for His Word, and thirsts for His Spirit.
Matthew 4:4 "But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’"
Psalms 84:10 says "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."
But, even a second without Him is a second that I dread. I don't wanna go one day, let alone one second without being in His will.
Paul writes in Philippians 3:10-11, words that ring so true for me. This is from the Amplified version, and I love the way the text is enriched herein:
Matthew 4:4 "But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’"
Psalms 84:10 says "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."
But, even a second without Him is a second that I dread. I don't wanna go one day, let alone one second without being in His will.
Paul writes in Philippians 3:10-11, words that ring so true for me. This is from the Amplified version, and I love the way the text is enriched herein:
10 [For
my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively
become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and
recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly
and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the
power outflowing from His resurrection [which
it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to
be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His
death, [in the hope]
11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].
Life is incomplete without God. Before I was saved, I thought that I knew a lot. But then after I got saved, and gave my life to Christ, I realized how little I really know. I want to be closer to God, and continually grow daily in Him. There are so many things I still don't understand, but I pray that God will continue to draw me closer to Him, that I may come into a fuller understanding of the things of God.
James 4:8 says "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
I also know that it is the Father who draws us to the Son. The closer we get to God, the closer He will get to us.
Also note, the second part of this verse: "Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Picture God as a Light that shines in a darkened room. Darkness hides our sins. We cannot see in a pitch-black room. The brighter the Light shines within that room, the more apparent our sins will become.
Now, back to Philippians 3:10-11. The more we understand God, the more we will come to know the power of the resurrection of Christ. In that way, we may overcome our flesh, so that we may be more equipped in the Spirit. For we must do away with our flesh because our flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, we must walk in the newness of life. We must walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-23
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
To be wholly submitted to God, living in the Spirit, we must rid ourselves of the flesh and it's desires. We have to walk in the likeness of Christ. The less we become of ourselves, the more we become in His likeness. We are to be slaves of God, and not to sin. For sin is separation from God, and the more we put our own wills above God's, the further we become from God. We have to keep our thoughts on Him, seeking His Presence daily, praying continually. We must seek to be with Him.. the more we lose focus on that.. the further we go astray from the things of God. However, God is a faithful God, and He will always leave the 99 sheep to go searching for that 1 lost sheep that went astray.
Life is incomplete without God. Before I was saved, I thought that I knew a lot. But then after I got saved, and gave my life to Christ, I realized how little I really know. I want to be closer to God, and continually grow daily in Him. There are so many things I still don't understand, but I pray that God will continue to draw me closer to Him, that I may come into a fuller understanding of the things of God.
James 4:8 says "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
I also know that it is the Father who draws us to the Son. The closer we get to God, the closer He will get to us.
Also note, the second part of this verse: "Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Picture God as a Light that shines in a darkened room. Darkness hides our sins. We cannot see in a pitch-black room. The brighter the Light shines within that room, the more apparent our sins will become.
Now, back to Philippians 3:10-11. The more we understand God, the more we will come to know the power of the resurrection of Christ. In that way, we may overcome our flesh, so that we may be more equipped in the Spirit. For we must do away with our flesh because our flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, we must walk in the newness of life. We must walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-23
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
To be wholly submitted to God, living in the Spirit, we must rid ourselves of the flesh and it's desires. We have to walk in the likeness of Christ. The less we become of ourselves, the more we become in His likeness. We are to be slaves of God, and not to sin. For sin is separation from God, and the more we put our own wills above God's, the further we become from God. We have to keep our thoughts on Him, seeking His Presence daily, praying continually. We must seek to be with Him.. the more we lose focus on that.. the further we go astray from the things of God. However, God is a faithful God, and He will always leave the 99 sheep to go searching for that 1 lost sheep that went astray.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Purpose of the Gifts ~ Prayer for Revelation
Purpose of the Gifts
Ephesians 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
Prayer for Revelation
Ephesians 1:22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
`~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~`
Ephesians 4:12-16
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till
we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness
of Christ; 14 that
we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning
craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from
whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint
supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does
its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:15-23
Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom
15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
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