There is such disunity among Christians today and many wonder why that is. Everyone has a different idea of how Christianity or Church is done and so what we have is so much confusion that unbelievers are turned off and many believers are wandering in the wilderness alone because they cannot stand the turmoil and hypocrisy.
Apostle John wrote in 1 John1:4 And these things I write to you that your joy may be full.
What things was he talking about? Surely joy is one of many things that is missing in the body of Christ for instead of joy there is either just deadpan expressions or frustration or depression, things that we actually want to avoid if we want to have joy within ourselves.
Lets continue our reading of 1 John1 beginning with vs.5-7
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Sometimes I think that the most obvious is the most often overlooked when it comes to scripture.
Where are the teachers who understand the Word of God? The answers are there, why is nobody teaching it?
First to be understood is about light: A course in physics would reveal that light cannot be seen, only what light illuminates can be seen. God Himself is the source of all light and God cannot be seen and only what God reveals can be seen, therefore it takes a vibrant connection to the light source if we are ever to see anything. Know what is the greatest hindrance to that connection?
"Individuality" What is individuality? My right to myself. Do not confuse individuality with personality for the one is good and the other is opposed to God. Personality is what sets you apart from every other person on earth and makes you completely unique and is a gift from God but individuality will cause you to reject God's will for your life and must be subdued.
You cannot have fellowship with God and retain your individuality or your right to yourself for He said " you are not your own for you were bought with a price". When a man and a woman fall in love they give up their individuality for each other because something greater is obtained in exchange. No wonder we have so much divorce today because that has changed and now we have women who insist on keeping their maiden name and we have prenuptial agreements that say we will agree until we disagree and then that's it and everything I had before we got together is still mine. There's no surrender of the individuality for the oneness that is greater therefore they never become as one. Interesting how closely the marriage relationship mirrors our relationship with the Savior. As the boundary lines have been eroded in marriage so have they in Christianity until we no longer have lasting relationships with God or man.
Here is an indisputable fact; no one can give what they have not first received. If we have not received life from God then we do not have any life to give anyone else. If we have not received wisdom from God then we have no Godly wisdom to give anyone else. If we have not received the Holy Spirit who sheds His love abroad in our hearts then we do not have any love to give to anyone, especially the unlovely. If we have not received patience through trials he gives then we have no patience to extend to those who might try our patience. Do we not understand that the "fruit of the Spirit" that is spoken of in Galations 5:22-23 is not a wish list of good characteristics that we strive to obtain but is actually proof of the life of One Who is greater living within us and manifesting Himself through us?
So again I ask, what is this light that Jesus is in that we are commanded to also walk in?
It is Jesus oneness with God through surrender of His individuality, remember that means my right to myself, Php.2:5-85 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
This is what it takes to receive God's light in order to walk in it. And NO it is not a one time thing but we must begin with a willing surrender of everything we hold dear as well as to all sin and rebellion in our life to begin a journey that will last a lifetime. Over the course of time many opportunities will come to surrender something else that we did not know about before but has just been revealed to us. Our lives may be compared to an island in the ocean that may be but the tip of a great under sea mountain. Only God knows what is deep inside of us but He is faithful and will root it out if we will permit. In John 16:12 Jesus said I have many more things to say to you but you cannot bear them now. If it was given us all at once none of us would decide to take the trip but He promised that His Holy Spirit would guide us into all truth and as we are built up in Him we can then endure the dealings of the Lord leading to purification.
I want to return to the topic of unity among believers and as I said in the beginning the secret is found in "walking in the light as He is in the light" we must follow Christ's example and surrender our individuality in exchange for our membership in the body of Christ and we will receive through the Holy Spirit everything we need for life and godliness 2 Peter2:3. Unity does not come through the efforts of man but by being joined together through the Holy Spirit and our lives being directed by Him in all we do. Consider this example, A bee hive or an ant colony, have you ever seen bee's fighting? how about ant's? Instead they may be observed working together for a common goal and their accomplishments are considerable. I have never observed either species arguing about who is to do a certain task or who is greatest. I realize this may be an over simplification but consider why the above is true, "they get orders from the very one who created them". Well you say we are not animals nor insects but were given freewill and the ability to make choices for ourselves and you are correct. However it is to the one who "Overcomes" is given the crown of life. Overcome what you ask? Your freewill. lay down your freewill and discover the light that will flood your soul and the very one who created you will guide you into all truth and help you walk in the light just as He is in the light because it is His light that is now driving out all the darkness in you and I guarantee you will have true fellowship with everyone else who is also walking in the same light. Remember there is only one true light
and that light does not give out conflicting orders. This is why the ant has such unity because all of them get their instructions from the same source. Where are you getting yours?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Rags, New Wine and Old Wine-Skins
Jesus said that you don't stitch a new piece of un-shrunk fabric in into an old garment because the new piece will shrink up and make the tear even worse. The truths of the kingdom that Jesus taught is the new fabric that He was speaking of and He said that all of our righteousness is as filthy rags. This means that if the kingdom principles and truths are added to our unredeemed life that we will get worse rather than better. I am sure that many will disagree with me because they observe with natural eyes but from a true scriptural perspective it is true because the person is trying to please God in the flesh and that is not possible. An unredeemed person who tries to follow the teachings of Jesus may actually have some success but instead of making him a better person pride will set in because of what they feel they have accomplished or they may develop a martyr complex because of sacrifices they have to make.
Jesus also said that you do not put new wine into old wine-skins because the new wine will burst the old skins. This too is representative of applying the teaching of Jesus to an unregenerate life. Bursting the old skin represents the application of the new teaching to an old life and the result is a pseudo christian bursting with pride which is a stench in the nostrils of God.
God will not give His spiritual treasures to a person who is still cloaked in their own goodness.
Jesus also said that new wine is not preferred over the old and the reason is that new wine has a sharp edge to it. Old wine and old ways are more comfortable and mellow and the flesh want to retain it. Only a brand new born again spirit welcomes the new wine because it is proper food especially designed to nourish new life.
Many people think that the Christian life is attained simply by deciding that they agree with the teaching that Jesus died to save them and then they just need to keep a few simple rules like going to church and giving in the offering plate and being a little more loving. They are not being taught that a death needs to occur before a new life can begin. There is more to the gospel than Jesus going to the cross. The truth is that Jesus death and resurrection made possible what formerly was impossible. All man's efforts could never result in his salvation, now through total submission to Jesus our efforts have much value, except that our efforts must be directed by Him to have spiritual value.
Some folks still keep the old mosaic laws and when they are shown that the law was nailed the cross according to Colossians 2:14 These folks argue that this scripture does not apply to the ten commandments because we are still not supposed to kill or steal or commit adultery but at the same time they ignore the fact that Jesus gave us a higher law by saying that we must love each other the same as He loved us which means that we not only should not kill but must be ready to give our life for the very one that in the flesh we would like to harm or kill. Not only are we not to steal but if someone should steal from us our coat we are to offer him our shirt also
No natural person can do these things except the one who surrenders himself entirely to Christ, forsaking everything and becoming an empty vessel so that Christ may give him His sinless life in exchange. Christ will come to him by His Holy Spirit and take up residence in him and live His life through him. In this manner it is not possible for the person to take credit for doing good or keeping God's righteous requirements because he knows it is not himself doing it but Christ living in Him bringing glory to Himself. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:18 to be filled with the Spirit but some Christians (I use the term loosely) are so full of themselves that they are an offense to God.
Being born again is to receive brand new DNA. It is the holy DNA of Christ being implanted in them which cannot and will not happen unless there is a complete forsaking of everything worldly in a persons life. What about the flesh or carnal nature you ask? That is your old DNA and it will immediately come into conflict with the new and must be treated as you would treat a deadly disease. When a doctor tells his patient that he has cancer the patient does not usually ask "will it hurt me if I do nothing about it"? Of course not, the patient will seek every means to get rid of the cancer even to the point of having some of his body parts cut away if necessary. It is just as serious when dealing with the old nature because it will hinder the growth of the New Life within us.
The wages of sin (living according to the old carnal nature) is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Holy spirit will do the work in us but He cannot surrender for us, we must make that decision for ourselves.
Be Blessed and if you are helped by this teaching please pass it on.
Comments may be sent to acts2216@eoni.com
Jesus also said that you do not put new wine into old wine-skins because the new wine will burst the old skins. This too is representative of applying the teaching of Jesus to an unregenerate life. Bursting the old skin represents the application of the new teaching to an old life and the result is a pseudo christian bursting with pride which is a stench in the nostrils of God.
God will not give His spiritual treasures to a person who is still cloaked in their own goodness.
Jesus also said that new wine is not preferred over the old and the reason is that new wine has a sharp edge to it. Old wine and old ways are more comfortable and mellow and the flesh want to retain it. Only a brand new born again spirit welcomes the new wine because it is proper food especially designed to nourish new life.
Many people think that the Christian life is attained simply by deciding that they agree with the teaching that Jesus died to save them and then they just need to keep a few simple rules like going to church and giving in the offering plate and being a little more loving. They are not being taught that a death needs to occur before a new life can begin. There is more to the gospel than Jesus going to the cross. The truth is that Jesus death and resurrection made possible what formerly was impossible. All man's efforts could never result in his salvation, now through total submission to Jesus our efforts have much value, except that our efforts must be directed by Him to have spiritual value.
Some folks still keep the old mosaic laws and when they are shown that the law was nailed the cross according to Colossians 2:14 These folks argue that this scripture does not apply to the ten commandments because we are still not supposed to kill or steal or commit adultery but at the same time they ignore the fact that Jesus gave us a higher law by saying that we must love each other the same as He loved us which means that we not only should not kill but must be ready to give our life for the very one that in the flesh we would like to harm or kill. Not only are we not to steal but if someone should steal from us our coat we are to offer him our shirt also
No natural person can do these things except the one who surrenders himself entirely to Christ, forsaking everything and becoming an empty vessel so that Christ may give him His sinless life in exchange. Christ will come to him by His Holy Spirit and take up residence in him and live His life through him. In this manner it is not possible for the person to take credit for doing good or keeping God's righteous requirements because he knows it is not himself doing it but Christ living in Him bringing glory to Himself. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:18 to be filled with the Spirit but some Christians (I use the term loosely) are so full of themselves that they are an offense to God.
Being born again is to receive brand new DNA. It is the holy DNA of Christ being implanted in them which cannot and will not happen unless there is a complete forsaking of everything worldly in a persons life. What about the flesh or carnal nature you ask? That is your old DNA and it will immediately come into conflict with the new and must be treated as you would treat a deadly disease. When a doctor tells his patient that he has cancer the patient does not usually ask "will it hurt me if I do nothing about it"? Of course not, the patient will seek every means to get rid of the cancer even to the point of having some of his body parts cut away if necessary. It is just as serious when dealing with the old nature because it will hinder the growth of the New Life within us.
The wages of sin (living according to the old carnal nature) is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Holy spirit will do the work in us but He cannot surrender for us, we must make that decision for ourselves.
Be Blessed and if you are helped by this teaching please pass it on.
Comments may be sent to acts2216@eoni.com
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Lesson of the Mustard Seed
Everything Jesus taught is part of the Gospel, that is why the first four books of the New Testament are called the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. Therefore everything contained therein is part of what Jesus was trying to convey to show us what it means to come to Him and live a vibrant life under the New Covenant that was established in His blood.
As I read and pray I'm always looking for ways to make plain those truths that have been diluted or lost in hopes that at least a few might understand and apply them to their lives and become fruitful in God's kingdom. To that end is this article concerning the mustard seed. May the Lord bless the reader and give understanding.
Matthew 17:20So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Luke 13:17-19 (New King James Version)
17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. 18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
This is probably one of the least understood parables that Jesus gave us and it is sad because it gives us key insight into why we fall so short of God’s ideal and purpose for our lives.
First of all it needs to be understood that Jesus chose to use the mustard seed in His illustration only because of it’s very small size rather than it’s uniqueness. He wanted to point out that any person no matter how insignificant they may seem has great potential in Him. He could have used any seed in His illustration because all seeds bear the same basic characteristics. Can a cherry seed when planted in the ground produce anything but a cherry tree? Can a carrot seed when planted in the soil produce a stalk of celery? Of course not neither can a mustard seed produce anything at all except a mustard bush. So then is the mystery of the mustard seed. Indeed if the mustard seed had a brain and could think it would think “if only someone would put me in some soil and water me and the sun would shine on me then I could be all that God has designed me to be and I would grow up to be a mighty mustard plant and provide shade for God’s creatures and I could bear more seed to produce after my own kind and fulfill the purpose for which I was created.
By this comparison Jesus is trying to tell us that if only we would realize what we were created for and what we were redeemed for and the power He had put at our disposal through the Holy Spirit then we indeed could command the mountain to move and it would have to obey. Just as the mustard seed has a genetic code that will cause it to produce in a predetermined fashion, we too have a brand new genetic code,
Ephesians 2:10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
How do we know what these works are in order to “walk in them”?
Concentrated day to day communion with God through prayer and reading of the word and continually asking Him to deliver us from the flesh. Self is powerful and will always attempt to exalt us rather than Him.
We must come to the cross again and again to crucify self in order to walk upright and remain in His path.
In order to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives and produce as the mustard seed we must die to self, and our agenda.
John 12:24 (New King James Version) 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
A mustard seed or any other seed is useless as long as it is stored in a plastic bag and kept in a safe place. To produce it must be exposed to certain elements that only God can provide, namely soil, warmth, moisture and light. The same applies to the Christian whether he be leader or layman. To grow and produce according to God’s plan and purpose he must expose himself to “the water of the word, and to prayer and the light of God’s love and be planted in good soil which I believe is the physical place where God plants us in order to not only be nurtured and grow but to give out of our growth because if something flows in it must also flow out or it will become stagnant.
I believe that as a group seeking God’s perfect will we must decide whether we really want only His will or if we want Him to endorse our plans and desires.
Any group of people who work together in unity can build something awesome but it may not even represent God. Many a mega church has been built because enough people got together and formed a vision and put their resources and energy into it but do not represent the heart of God nor the truth of the Gospel. Just because something is big and impressive does not mean God is in it.
Genesis 11:6And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
Men always seem to get sidetracked into building a kingdom for themselves rather than God’s kingdom. Very few churches can be said to represent the kingdom of God because Jesus said:
Luke 17:19-21 (New King James Version)
20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there! For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Every new convert who becomes obedient to the word becomes a vital part of His kingdom. Jesus uses the term “kingdom” for a very good reason and it is worth examining. In Jesus day rulers of nations were “kings” and every square inch of territory and every person in that territory was accountable to the king. The king was sovereign and could order someone’s head removed on a whim. If one wanted to experience the kings favor he would need to be humble and yield to the will of the king. Now we know that God is gracious and has given us free will and will not demand our head on a platter if we do not do things His way, however the principal is clear that if we really want God’s favor and blessing then we must determine not to desire anything but His will and way and to only build His kingdom.
I think God is waiting for a people who will not take His glory. He is a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 32:21They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.
Many a church building or group is an idol which is protected jealously by it’s founders and often by means that are very ungodly and unscriptural.
May God help us in our weakness.
Feel free to leave comments here or send to acts2216@eoni.com
As I read and pray I'm always looking for ways to make plain those truths that have been diluted or lost in hopes that at least a few might understand and apply them to their lives and become fruitful in God's kingdom. To that end is this article concerning the mustard seed. May the Lord bless the reader and give understanding.
Matthew 17:20So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Luke 13:17-19 (New King James Version)
17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. 18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
This is probably one of the least understood parables that Jesus gave us and it is sad because it gives us key insight into why we fall so short of God’s ideal and purpose for our lives.
First of all it needs to be understood that Jesus chose to use the mustard seed in His illustration only because of it’s very small size rather than it’s uniqueness. He wanted to point out that any person no matter how insignificant they may seem has great potential in Him. He could have used any seed in His illustration because all seeds bear the same basic characteristics. Can a cherry seed when planted in the ground produce anything but a cherry tree? Can a carrot seed when planted in the soil produce a stalk of celery? Of course not neither can a mustard seed produce anything at all except a mustard bush. So then is the mystery of the mustard seed. Indeed if the mustard seed had a brain and could think it would think “if only someone would put me in some soil and water me and the sun would shine on me then I could be all that God has designed me to be and I would grow up to be a mighty mustard plant and provide shade for God’s creatures and I could bear more seed to produce after my own kind and fulfill the purpose for which I was created.
By this comparison Jesus is trying to tell us that if only we would realize what we were created for and what we were redeemed for and the power He had put at our disposal through the Holy Spirit then we indeed could command the mountain to move and it would have to obey. Just as the mustard seed has a genetic code that will cause it to produce in a predetermined fashion, we too have a brand new genetic code,
Ephesians 2:10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
How do we know what these works are in order to “walk in them”?
Concentrated day to day communion with God through prayer and reading of the word and continually asking Him to deliver us from the flesh. Self is powerful and will always attempt to exalt us rather than Him.
We must come to the cross again and again to crucify self in order to walk upright and remain in His path.
In order to fulfill God’s purpose in our lives and produce as the mustard seed we must die to self, and our agenda.
John 12:24 (New King James Version) 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
A mustard seed or any other seed is useless as long as it is stored in a plastic bag and kept in a safe place. To produce it must be exposed to certain elements that only God can provide, namely soil, warmth, moisture and light. The same applies to the Christian whether he be leader or layman. To grow and produce according to God’s plan and purpose he must expose himself to “the water of the word, and to prayer and the light of God’s love and be planted in good soil which I believe is the physical place where God plants us in order to not only be nurtured and grow but to give out of our growth because if something flows in it must also flow out or it will become stagnant.
I believe that as a group seeking God’s perfect will we must decide whether we really want only His will or if we want Him to endorse our plans and desires.
Any group of people who work together in unity can build something awesome but it may not even represent God. Many a mega church has been built because enough people got together and formed a vision and put their resources and energy into it but do not represent the heart of God nor the truth of the Gospel. Just because something is big and impressive does not mean God is in it.
Genesis 11:6And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.
Men always seem to get sidetracked into building a kingdom for themselves rather than God’s kingdom. Very few churches can be said to represent the kingdom of God because Jesus said:
Luke 17:19-21 (New King James Version)
20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there! For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Every new convert who becomes obedient to the word becomes a vital part of His kingdom. Jesus uses the term “kingdom” for a very good reason and it is worth examining. In Jesus day rulers of nations were “kings” and every square inch of territory and every person in that territory was accountable to the king. The king was sovereign and could order someone’s head removed on a whim. If one wanted to experience the kings favor he would need to be humble and yield to the will of the king. Now we know that God is gracious and has given us free will and will not demand our head on a platter if we do not do things His way, however the principal is clear that if we really want God’s favor and blessing then we must determine not to desire anything but His will and way and to only build His kingdom.
I think God is waiting for a people who will not take His glory. He is a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 32:21They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.
Many a church building or group is an idol which is protected jealously by it’s founders and often by means that are very ungodly and unscriptural.
May God help us in our weakness.
Feel free to leave comments here or send to acts2216@eoni.com
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Explaining the True Gospel
In the previous three posts I have tried to describe what is wrong with the Gospel message that is being given out these days and now I feel that perhaps the better approach would be to explain the true gospel. A bank teller is taught how to recognize counterfeit currency not by handling a lot of fake money but by becoming extremely familiar with real genuine currency. I believe this same principle will be most effective in recognizing what is wrong with the present teaching surrounding the Gospel and living a victorious Christian life.
When a number of Pharisees and other religious leaders came out to John the Baptist to be baptized of him, John did not rejoice as our religious leaders today would but rather challenged them to prove they were repentant telling them to "bring forth fruits of repentance". In essence he is saying "I need to know that you are serious about this matter and are already taking steps to change the direction of your life".
Jesus said "from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force" Matthew11:12
From the beginning of John's preaching onward the kingdom and the kingdom message came under violent assault both from the devils camp and from the religious camp. Every effort and tactic was used to try to destroy what God was doing and that has not changed except now the attack is from within by erosion of the truth into what I call "greasy grace" and further corrupted by erroneous teaching that includes traditions of man and doctrines of demons.
Jesus said "the violent take it (kingdom life) by force". Other perhaps more culturally relevant words might be aggressive, determined,highly motivated. If a person is not motivated to aggressively go after the "things of God" and a new life in Christ, their chances of experiencing anything more than momentary relief followed by bitter disillusionment are nearly zero.
I lay the fault for this directly at the feet of our current pastors and teachers for they have a responsibility to not only teach the Gospel in it's fullness but to train everyone in their congregation to carry out faithfully the the sharing of the Good News accurately, for indeed they are the ministers and the pastors and teachers are given to prepare them for the "work of the ministry" Ephesians 4:12
Unfortunately the focus of the leaders has now become how large can we make the congregation, how can we keep them here and how can we motivate them to give of their finances so we can build a better and larger sanctuary. The change is from quality to quantity and the result being "watered down Christianity".
Getting saved is serious business and cannot be taken lightly for scripture declares that "now you are not your own for you were bought with a price"1 Corinthians 6:19-20 The precious blood of Jesus was the price and nothing we have or could pay is enough to purchase the right to have His blood applied to our sins except our total surrender to His will. That act is the hard part unless we are completely at the end of ourselves and have nothing further to hang onto. Sadly many have prayed the so called sinners prayer but have never even made it to first base with God because they stopped at the prayer and figure if they attend church once a week and listen to some mundane sermon and sing a few songs that they are doing all they need to do. They are bored stiff but never hearing the truth they think that's all there is. Jesus promised life and that more abundantly, what did he mean by that? Today's prosperity teacher would have us believe that means more cool stuff for our homes and garages and vacations to exotic places and more.
I like to think of the abundant life He promises as "an abundance of living". Let me explain, The pew warming Christian is usually bored and boring from a spiritual perspective, not receiving anything significant from God and having nothing significant to offer either to fellow Christians or to unbelievers. On the other hand a Christian who is walking with God (spoken of in scripture as walking in the Spirit) is receiving a daily download of blessing that can only be understood spiritually. His inner man is constantly being nurtured by the God of all creation and his heart is in a state of near constant expansion of love for his fellow man and for the God Who created him. Because of this deep love and friendship that has developed with the One who indwells him God is able to entrust him with many blessings and responsibilities He cannot place on others who are weak in their walk. Everyday holds some blessing in the form of opportunity to minister life to someone else through sharing Jesus love with them or the chance to pray for a healing and the sheer joy of experiencing the answer. It may come as we share our trust in God to supply either our need or that of another and to see their faith get a boost. The abundance of living we will experience leaves no room for boredom or dissatisfaction with what material possessions we may have or do not have. A person who is living Jesus abundant life never lacks for an inspiring testimony of the goodness and mercy of God.
I remember a brother who attended a men's breakfast with me on a regular basis. This brother was bound by a 2 pack a day smoking habit, one day as we were leaving the fellowship room where we had breakfast he lit up a cigarette as soon as we were outside. He mumbled an apology to me saying he felt guilty but just couldn't quit. I asked him if he had ever spoken to God about it but he did not answer me. We didn't meet again for about 3 weeks because he was out of town on a long trip. When we did again meet he seemed a different person and I inquired the reason to which he answered "I thought about what you said to me and decided to ask God to help me quit smoking, I haven't had a cigarette in 2 weeks and don't want one. I never knew He really was listening and just waiting for me to ask for something". That man's life was never the same from that time forward.
On this note I will end this post. I encourage my readers if they are helped to share this blog with their friends and acquaintances and don't hesitate to post comments either to this blog or to my email acts2216@eoni.com
When a number of Pharisees and other religious leaders came out to John the Baptist to be baptized of him, John did not rejoice as our religious leaders today would but rather challenged them to prove they were repentant telling them to "bring forth fruits of repentance". In essence he is saying "I need to know that you are serious about this matter and are already taking steps to change the direction of your life".
Jesus said "from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force" Matthew11:12
From the beginning of John's preaching onward the kingdom and the kingdom message came under violent assault both from the devils camp and from the religious camp. Every effort and tactic was used to try to destroy what God was doing and that has not changed except now the attack is from within by erosion of the truth into what I call "greasy grace" and further corrupted by erroneous teaching that includes traditions of man and doctrines of demons.
Jesus said "the violent take it (kingdom life) by force". Other perhaps more culturally relevant words might be aggressive, determined,highly motivated. If a person is not motivated to aggressively go after the "things of God" and a new life in Christ, their chances of experiencing anything more than momentary relief followed by bitter disillusionment are nearly zero.
I lay the fault for this directly at the feet of our current pastors and teachers for they have a responsibility to not only teach the Gospel in it's fullness but to train everyone in their congregation to carry out faithfully the the sharing of the Good News accurately, for indeed they are the ministers and the pastors and teachers are given to prepare them for the "work of the ministry" Ephesians 4:12
Unfortunately the focus of the leaders has now become how large can we make the congregation, how can we keep them here and how can we motivate them to give of their finances so we can build a better and larger sanctuary. The change is from quality to quantity and the result being "watered down Christianity".
Getting saved is serious business and cannot be taken lightly for scripture declares that "now you are not your own for you were bought with a price"1 Corinthians 6:19-20 The precious blood of Jesus was the price and nothing we have or could pay is enough to purchase the right to have His blood applied to our sins except our total surrender to His will. That act is the hard part unless we are completely at the end of ourselves and have nothing further to hang onto. Sadly many have prayed the so called sinners prayer but have never even made it to first base with God because they stopped at the prayer and figure if they attend church once a week and listen to some mundane sermon and sing a few songs that they are doing all they need to do. They are bored stiff but never hearing the truth they think that's all there is. Jesus promised life and that more abundantly, what did he mean by that? Today's prosperity teacher would have us believe that means more cool stuff for our homes and garages and vacations to exotic places and more.
I like to think of the abundant life He promises as "an abundance of living". Let me explain, The pew warming Christian is usually bored and boring from a spiritual perspective, not receiving anything significant from God and having nothing significant to offer either to fellow Christians or to unbelievers. On the other hand a Christian who is walking with God (spoken of in scripture as walking in the Spirit) is receiving a daily download of blessing that can only be understood spiritually. His inner man is constantly being nurtured by the God of all creation and his heart is in a state of near constant expansion of love for his fellow man and for the God Who created him. Because of this deep love and friendship that has developed with the One who indwells him God is able to entrust him with many blessings and responsibilities He cannot place on others who are weak in their walk. Everyday holds some blessing in the form of opportunity to minister life to someone else through sharing Jesus love with them or the chance to pray for a healing and the sheer joy of experiencing the answer. It may come as we share our trust in God to supply either our need or that of another and to see their faith get a boost. The abundance of living we will experience leaves no room for boredom or dissatisfaction with what material possessions we may have or do not have. A person who is living Jesus abundant life never lacks for an inspiring testimony of the goodness and mercy of God.
I remember a brother who attended a men's breakfast with me on a regular basis. This brother was bound by a 2 pack a day smoking habit, one day as we were leaving the fellowship room where we had breakfast he lit up a cigarette as soon as we were outside. He mumbled an apology to me saying he felt guilty but just couldn't quit. I asked him if he had ever spoken to God about it but he did not answer me. We didn't meet again for about 3 weeks because he was out of town on a long trip. When we did again meet he seemed a different person and I inquired the reason to which he answered "I thought about what you said to me and decided to ask God to help me quit smoking, I haven't had a cigarette in 2 weeks and don't want one. I never knew He really was listening and just waiting for me to ask for something". That man's life was never the same from that time forward.
On this note I will end this post. I encourage my readers if they are helped to share this blog with their friends and acquaintances and don't hesitate to post comments either to this blog or to my email acts2216@eoni.com
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Counterfeit Gospel part 3
In this section we will examine a couple of Jesus parables. He spoke in parables almost exclusively to the crowds and then usually explained their meaning to His disciples. The reason for this was that the truth would be hidden except from those whose hearts hungered for truth whereas most people are looking for something to benefit them without any cost on their part.
As it was then so it is now in our day, nothing has changed, neither has God changed who has hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to babes, Matthew 11:25
In Matthew 13:44 Jesus told of a treasure which was hidden in a field. A man found it and rather than telling anyone about it he hid it more securely, and with joy went and sold everything that he possessed,
took the money and bought the property. So often this story is ignored or offered as an extreme example of committment to a cause and it is overlooked that Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like this. I would ask my readers to consider this question, "is it possible to be a Christian but not be in Christ's kingdom"? I believe a careful search of scripture would produce a definite "NO". The entire message in this parable is that of the necessity of giving up everything we hold dear to obtain something of infinitely greater value. Also it is said that the man did it with joy which means that he understood the value of what he was doing.
So often these days it is said that someone has "accepted Jesus" this is a sharp contrast to someone who deliberately pursues in order to obtain something. The parable does not say that someone offered the man a field with buried treasure in it and he accepted it but rather that he went to great lengths to secure something that he discovered and did not want to risk losing.
Another familiar parable is that of the sower found in Matthew 13:1-23
I invite the reader to use their bible and read the entire parable but here I will only focus on the "good soil" because please note that only the good soil produces anything at all. All other types of ground that the seed fell upon failed to produce anything that lasted. What good is salvation that does not last? The good soil is soil that has been prepared properly to receive seed and to nurture that seed to maturity. Such is the true Gospel. It is carefully presented to a heart that has been prepared with knowledge and understanding so that it has a chance to take root and go deep. Anything less is not acceptable. There's also much to be said about the quality of the seed that is planted since bad seed produces bad fruit and good seed produces good fruit.
Much more will be added later but we are preparing to go to celebrate Thanksgiving with our children in another city.
Comments or questions are always welcome either on this site or by email to acts2216@eoni.com
As it was then so it is now in our day, nothing has changed, neither has God changed who has hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to babes, Matthew 11:25
In Matthew 13:44 Jesus told of a treasure which was hidden in a field. A man found it and rather than telling anyone about it he hid it more securely, and with joy went and sold everything that he possessed,
took the money and bought the property. So often this story is ignored or offered as an extreme example of committment to a cause and it is overlooked that Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like this. I would ask my readers to consider this question, "is it possible to be a Christian but not be in Christ's kingdom"? I believe a careful search of scripture would produce a definite "NO". The entire message in this parable is that of the necessity of giving up everything we hold dear to obtain something of infinitely greater value. Also it is said that the man did it with joy which means that he understood the value of what he was doing.
So often these days it is said that someone has "accepted Jesus" this is a sharp contrast to someone who deliberately pursues in order to obtain something. The parable does not say that someone offered the man a field with buried treasure in it and he accepted it but rather that he went to great lengths to secure something that he discovered and did not want to risk losing.
Another familiar parable is that of the sower found in Matthew 13:1-23
I invite the reader to use their bible and read the entire parable but here I will only focus on the "good soil" because please note that only the good soil produces anything at all. All other types of ground that the seed fell upon failed to produce anything that lasted. What good is salvation that does not last? The good soil is soil that has been prepared properly to receive seed and to nurture that seed to maturity. Such is the true Gospel. It is carefully presented to a heart that has been prepared with knowledge and understanding so that it has a chance to take root and go deep. Anything less is not acceptable. There's also much to be said about the quality of the seed that is planted since bad seed produces bad fruit and good seed produces good fruit.
Much more will be added later but we are preparing to go to celebrate Thanksgiving with our children in another city.
Comments or questions are always welcome either on this site or by email to acts2216@eoni.com
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
A Counterfeit Gospel Part 2
Here is a quote from the famous evangelist Charles Finney "Some view the Gospel as a mere convenience to mankind,
where God is not as strict as He was under the law. They think that they can be as worldly as they want to be and the Gospel will come in and make up what they lack and save them. Others view the Gospel as a divine provision from God, having as it's main purpose the destruction of sin and the promotion of holiness. Therefore, far from making it acceptable for them to be less holy than they should be under the law, it's whole value consists in it's power to make them holy."
Let me repeat that; The whole value of the Gospel consists in it's power to make us holy.
Now we will look at what Jesus had to say about the Gospel, remember, everything Jesus had to say about salvation, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is part of the Gospel and must be taken into account if one is to be truly saved. Some would say "but the scripture says he who believes will be saved" and I agree but we must then examine what Jesus said about believing;
John 5:24 (New International Version)
24"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
John 8:51 (New International Version)
51; I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."
Please notice that in the first scripture Jesus says if one hears His word and believes it he has eternal life yet in the next scripture He adds the requirement of OBEDIENCE.
This is where the burden of my heart gets heavy, no one, almost no one is explaining to believers old or new, how does a person keep the requirements of a true disciple of Jesus. To this end is my labor for I believe it is quite literally a sin to point out Jesus as Savior and not provide clear understanding of all that Jesus had to say concerning this new life we are supposed to be receiving. Jesus asks nothing of us for which He will not provide the power but it seems that many even among Pastors and other leaders there is little understanding of these principles. What we wind up with is "the blind leading the blind and as Jesus said they will both end up in the ditch.
As I have previously stated the answer to all this can be summed up in two words "Total Surrender". However most people have no clue what total surrender is according to Jesus. I will explain but it is going to take some time so please be patient with me.
This concludes part 2, part 3 will follow in a couple of days.
Comments are welcome on this site or you may email me at acts2216@eoni.com
where God is not as strict as He was under the law. They think that they can be as worldly as they want to be and the Gospel will come in and make up what they lack and save them. Others view the Gospel as a divine provision from God, having as it's main purpose the destruction of sin and the promotion of holiness. Therefore, far from making it acceptable for them to be less holy than they should be under the law, it's whole value consists in it's power to make them holy."
Let me repeat that; The whole value of the Gospel consists in it's power to make us holy.
Now we will look at what Jesus had to say about the Gospel, remember, everything Jesus had to say about salvation, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is part of the Gospel and must be taken into account if one is to be truly saved. Some would say "but the scripture says he who believes will be saved" and I agree but we must then examine what Jesus said about believing;
John 5:24 (New International Version)
24"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
John 8:51 (New International Version)
51; I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."
Please notice that in the first scripture Jesus says if one hears His word and believes it he has eternal life yet in the next scripture He adds the requirement of OBEDIENCE.
This is where the burden of my heart gets heavy, no one, almost no one is explaining to believers old or new, how does a person keep the requirements of a true disciple of Jesus. To this end is my labor for I believe it is quite literally a sin to point out Jesus as Savior and not provide clear understanding of all that Jesus had to say concerning this new life we are supposed to be receiving. Jesus asks nothing of us for which He will not provide the power but it seems that many even among Pastors and other leaders there is little understanding of these principles. What we wind up with is "the blind leading the blind and as Jesus said they will both end up in the ditch.
As I have previously stated the answer to all this can be summed up in two words "Total Surrender". However most people have no clue what total surrender is according to Jesus. I will explain but it is going to take some time so please be patient with me.
This concludes part 2, part 3 will follow in a couple of days.
Comments are welcome on this site or you may email me at acts2216@eoni.com
Friday, November 6, 2009
A Counterfeit Gospel
Nothing disturbs me more than to meet someone who says he’s become a Christian and is trying to live a better life or trying to give up old habits and turn away from a life of sin. Invariably when his experience is related in this way I know that it is only a matter of time till he returns to his former life of sin.
It is heart breaking because when I discern his spiritual condition and try to speak to him about the true Gospel his eyes glaze over and his heart is closed because persons who he trusts and views as having spiritual authority have given him a false gospel.
The key to discerning his true spiritual condition is in listening to his words and observing his expressions and body language. He uses terms such as “trying to do this or that like give up sin or please God”. Artificial expressions of joy are very transparent and it is clear that he is in a tremendous struggle to overcome what he thinks to be displeasing to God or to those in the church he may be attending. He does not know or understand that what pleases God the most is our admission that we are totally corrupt and are powerless to change. It has never been explained to him that the very reason Christ came and died on the cross was because of the impossibility of man ever pleasing God through trying to keep a set of rules that no one in history had been totally successful in doing.
It was never explained to him that we must come to Christ as a helpless child totally surrendering to His love and care knowing that if we will but surrender He will do the impossible for us “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” Philippians 2:13
Can a brand new baby feed himself, change his diaper, comfort himself when his tummy hurts or put himself to bed or dress himself? Of course not, this is the job of loving parents and God is truly a loving parent and the newborn Christian is just as helpless but the one who has been given the false gospel does not know this and therefore instead of placing himself in the loving arms of our Loving Heavenly Father, he goes about trying to do all these things himself and it is only a matter of time till he discovers the power of sin is greater than his power to overcome and he gives up in discouragement.
The gospel as most perceive it is simply this statement that I found on a google search “The core message of the Gospel is simply that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again.”
While this is a true statement it is not complete. The true complete Gospel must include and embrace everything Jesus had to say concerning salvation and the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God as they are all inextricably linked as surely as God the Father, Christ the Son and God the Holy Spirit are linked.
This subject is going to be rather lengthy and involved therefore I will break it up into 2 or more. Be sure to check back for part 2.
May God give you discernment as you read. Comments are welcome either in the comment section of this blog or by email to justjohn@eoni.com
It is heart breaking because when I discern his spiritual condition and try to speak to him about the true Gospel his eyes glaze over and his heart is closed because persons who he trusts and views as having spiritual authority have given him a false gospel.
The key to discerning his true spiritual condition is in listening to his words and observing his expressions and body language. He uses terms such as “trying to do this or that like give up sin or please God”. Artificial expressions of joy are very transparent and it is clear that he is in a tremendous struggle to overcome what he thinks to be displeasing to God or to those in the church he may be attending. He does not know or understand that what pleases God the most is our admission that we are totally corrupt and are powerless to change. It has never been explained to him that the very reason Christ came and died on the cross was because of the impossibility of man ever pleasing God through trying to keep a set of rules that no one in history had been totally successful in doing.
It was never explained to him that we must come to Christ as a helpless child totally surrendering to His love and care knowing that if we will but surrender He will do the impossible for us “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” Philippians 2:13
Can a brand new baby feed himself, change his diaper, comfort himself when his tummy hurts or put himself to bed or dress himself? Of course not, this is the job of loving parents and God is truly a loving parent and the newborn Christian is just as helpless but the one who has been given the false gospel does not know this and therefore instead of placing himself in the loving arms of our Loving Heavenly Father, he goes about trying to do all these things himself and it is only a matter of time till he discovers the power of sin is greater than his power to overcome and he gives up in discouragement.
The gospel as most perceive it is simply this statement that I found on a google search “The core message of the Gospel is simply that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again.”
While this is a true statement it is not complete. The true complete Gospel must include and embrace everything Jesus had to say concerning salvation and the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God as they are all inextricably linked as surely as God the Father, Christ the Son and God the Holy Spirit are linked.
This subject is going to be rather lengthy and involved therefore I will break it up into 2 or more. Be sure to check back for part 2.
May God give you discernment as you read. Comments are welcome either in the comment section of this blog or by email to justjohn@eoni.com
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Secret of the Yoke.
The secret to knowing that you are saved and doing the Lord's will is to get to know Him intimately.The scriptural way to do that is found in Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 11:28-30 (New International Version)
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Let me explain what this scripture means; first of all we are all burdened with all kinds of cares and concerns and when we get tired enough we call out to the Lord asking for help. He is there and responds and we feel relief but it may be only temporary and when the pressure is off we go back to our old ways.This is known as backsliding and eventually we are convicted and hopefully recommitt our lives to Jesus, but time is lost and we have sinned and feel regret and wish we hadn't backslidden at all.
Now as I first said, the scripture above is the antidote to backsliding. First step is to take up Jesus yoke, and that means to literally cast off all of the old and surrender to His control. Consider what a yoke is in the natural since Jesus is using a natural object to make his point. In bible times a yoke consisted of wooden collars for two oxen to put their heads in then they were pinned there and came under the control of the plow master. In spiritual terms it is Jesus yoke, He is in one side and you are in the other and because He is the stronger one you become subject to His will without question.In order to submit to His yoke you need to turn from everything in your old life that gets in the way of your life in Jesus, including turning away from friends that drag you down instead of building you up and giving up personal habits that do not reflect a life in Christ. You will find that if you will do this that He will quite literally deliver you from addiction even from drugs, alcohol and smoking or whatever else is your stumbling block. Remember that it is not your strength but His that is now in effect in your life. Next in the scripture it says "Learn from me" which is different than "learning about Him". If you will surrender to His yoke then He Himself will teach you through many amazing life experiences and as you read His word and He makes it come alive to you. As you read, pray for understanding and He will give it to you. I realize that this is a bit different than the normal teaching that you just go to church and listen to the sermons and everything will be fine. I do recommend finding a good church but ultimately Jesus, through the Holy Spirit will teach you and guide you into all truth, John 16:13
Philippians 2:12-14 (New International Version)
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
The key word for all that I have said here is "TOTAL SURRENDER"you will never regret it.
Matthew 11:28-30 (New International Version)
28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Let me explain what this scripture means; first of all we are all burdened with all kinds of cares and concerns and when we get tired enough we call out to the Lord asking for help. He is there and responds and we feel relief but it may be only temporary and when the pressure is off we go back to our old ways.This is known as backsliding and eventually we are convicted and hopefully recommitt our lives to Jesus, but time is lost and we have sinned and feel regret and wish we hadn't backslidden at all.
Now as I first said, the scripture above is the antidote to backsliding. First step is to take up Jesus yoke, and that means to literally cast off all of the old and surrender to His control. Consider what a yoke is in the natural since Jesus is using a natural object to make his point. In bible times a yoke consisted of wooden collars for two oxen to put their heads in then they were pinned there and came under the control of the plow master. In spiritual terms it is Jesus yoke, He is in one side and you are in the other and because He is the stronger one you become subject to His will without question.In order to submit to His yoke you need to turn from everything in your old life that gets in the way of your life in Jesus, including turning away from friends that drag you down instead of building you up and giving up personal habits that do not reflect a life in Christ. You will find that if you will do this that He will quite literally deliver you from addiction even from drugs, alcohol and smoking or whatever else is your stumbling block. Remember that it is not your strength but His that is now in effect in your life. Next in the scripture it says "Learn from me" which is different than "learning about Him". If you will surrender to His yoke then He Himself will teach you through many amazing life experiences and as you read His word and He makes it come alive to you. As you read, pray for understanding and He will give it to you. I realize that this is a bit different than the normal teaching that you just go to church and listen to the sermons and everything will be fine. I do recommend finding a good church but ultimately Jesus, through the Holy Spirit will teach you and guide you into all truth, John 16:13
Philippians 2:12-14 (New International Version)
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
The key word for all that I have said here is "TOTAL SURRENDER"you will never regret it.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
What is "The Kingdom of God"?
In my last article I mentioned Jesus words that it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the "kingdom of God" and I hope I made it clear that a rich man may not be the only person to encounter difficulty entering. In order to understand this more fully we need to first understand what the kingdom of God is; in short it is not a place but rather is a "state of being". Luke 17:20-21 puts it like this; 20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’[a] For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Let's look at scripture from a historical perspective. When Jesus spoke of kings and kingdoms there were indeed kings and kingdoms in a literal sense. In those days kings were kind and benovolent only to their subjects and friends, therefore according to scripture there was a time or season when kings went out to war and usually not because of some political dispute but because they intended to conquer another nation and it's king and make them their subjects.
Now these kings had total dictatorial power over their subjects and on a whim could order a person to made very wealthy, or to have their head removed. This is the way it was in sovereign kingdoms. This is indeed the perspective from which Jesus spoke when He spoke of the kingdom of God. The only difference is that He spent the entire 3 years of His ministry trying to show us how His kingdom was benovelant and the decision to be in His kingdom was a personal one made by the prospective subject. But what must not be overlooked is the fact that to enter the kingdom one must be willing to "surrender all and be totally subject to His will" and if we are not willing we simply may not enter.
This was the case with the wealthy young ruler who asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus first told him to keep the commandments and he replied" I have done that since my childhood, Jesus said he lacked one thing and that was to sell all he had and give it to the poor. The young man walked away downcast because his riches were worth more to him than kingdom life. Sadly I believe there are many today that have never surrendered and therefore falsly believe that they have a place in His kingdom.
That is why so many "have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof" 2Timothy 3:5
Jesus promised that He would not leave us powerless but would send the Holy Spirit to teach and empower us to do His will but He will not enter a vessel that is not willing to submit to His will.
In my next article I will try to shed some light on the yoke Jesus spoke of in Matthew 11:28-30
Let's look at scripture from a historical perspective. When Jesus spoke of kings and kingdoms there were indeed kings and kingdoms in a literal sense. In those days kings were kind and benovolent only to their subjects and friends, therefore according to scripture there was a time or season when kings went out to war and usually not because of some political dispute but because they intended to conquer another nation and it's king and make them their subjects.
Now these kings had total dictatorial power over their subjects and on a whim could order a person to made very wealthy, or to have their head removed. This is the way it was in sovereign kingdoms. This is indeed the perspective from which Jesus spoke when He spoke of the kingdom of God. The only difference is that He spent the entire 3 years of His ministry trying to show us how His kingdom was benovelant and the decision to be in His kingdom was a personal one made by the prospective subject. But what must not be overlooked is the fact that to enter the kingdom one must be willing to "surrender all and be totally subject to His will" and if we are not willing we simply may not enter.
This was the case with the wealthy young ruler who asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus first told him to keep the commandments and he replied" I have done that since my childhood, Jesus said he lacked one thing and that was to sell all he had and give it to the poor. The young man walked away downcast because his riches were worth more to him than kingdom life. Sadly I believe there are many today that have never surrendered and therefore falsly believe that they have a place in His kingdom.
That is why so many "have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof" 2Timothy 3:5
Jesus promised that He would not leave us powerless but would send the Holy Spirit to teach and empower us to do His will but He will not enter a vessel that is not willing to submit to His will.
In my next article I will try to shed some light on the yoke Jesus spoke of in Matthew 11:28-30
Friday, October 30, 2009
THE TRUE DISCIPLE
I was studying this morning and was led to consider what a disciple is. Around here it seems that many believe that there are believers who are saved and those who are disciples and they are different. They seem to think that you can be saved and not be a disciple. Seems that Jesus taught differently. He instructed His disciples to go through all the world and make "disciples" and did not indicate that there were levels of disciples or believers.
He said that we must love Him more than we love our families Luke14:26-27 vs. 28 indicates we must count the cost. A disciple is known as a learner or pupil and that's pretty basic so if it takes that much sacrifice to be a basic learner then how can one be saved and not be a disciple? A wealthy young man approached Jesus and asked what he needed to do to inherit eternal life and Jesus told him basically to keep the things in the Law of Moses to which he replied, "this I have done from my youth".
Interesting that he obviously was a believer in God as many people are but when he came in contact with the Savior he was uncertain of his standing. Jesus reply to him was "sell all you have, give to the poor and come follow me". The young man went away sad because he was very rich, Jesus did not call him back and say "let's negotiate, just give a big offering to the church and get a tax deduction and you’re in".
No He let him go away saying "it's harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle". True but here's the part that is overlooked by most teachers of scripture, and that is that the reason a rich person has difficulty is not his money but that he is used to being in control. His money gives him the ability to command his surroundings and circumstances in almost everything except his physical health. Jesus said we have to surrender to His control to enter the kingdom so it would not matter what the issue was, Jesus would have told him that he must give up whatever it was in his life that would hinder total obedience and surrender to Jesus control. Therefore none of
us are really any different than the rich young man, we all must make that choice "to take up our cross (whatever we must sacrifice) and follow Him.
There's much more to this matter which I shall add later.
I was studying this morning and was led to consider what a disciple is. Around here it seems that many believe that there are believers who are saved and those who are disciples and they are different. They seem to think that you can be saved and not be a disciple. Seems that Jesus taught differently. He instructed His disciples to go through all the world and make "disciples" and did not indicate that there were levels of disciples or believers.
He said that we must love Him more than we love our families Luke14:26-27 vs. 28 indicates we must count the cost. A disciple is known as a learner or pupil and that's pretty basic so if it takes that much sacrifice to be a basic learner then how can one be saved and not be a disciple? A wealthy young man approached Jesus and asked what he needed to do to inherit eternal life and Jesus told him basically to keep the things in the Law of Moses to which he replied, "this I have done from my youth".
Interesting that he obviously was a believer in God as many people are but when he came in contact with the Savior he was uncertain of his standing. Jesus reply to him was "sell all you have, give to the poor and come follow me". The young man went away sad because he was very rich, Jesus did not call him back and say "let's negotiate, just give a big offering to the church and get a tax deduction and you’re in".
No He let him go away saying "it's harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle". True but here's the part that is overlooked by most teachers of scripture, and that is that the reason a rich person has difficulty is not his money but that he is used to being in control. His money gives him the ability to command his surroundings and circumstances in almost everything except his physical health. Jesus said we have to surrender to His control to enter the kingdom so it would not matter what the issue was, Jesus would have told him that he must give up whatever it was in his life that would hinder total obedience and surrender to Jesus control. Therefore none of
us are really any different than the rich young man, we all must make that choice "to take up our cross (whatever we must sacrifice) and follow Him.
There's much more to this matter which I shall add later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
