Many, if not most, Christians say their faith consists of believing that Jesus is the son of God and that He died for their sins and rose for their justification. Once that faith is "in place", then it is time to just get to work being "good" Christians, showing Him how thankful we are for His dying for us.
Now in Ephesians, God has told us specifically that the shield of faith shall quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. If this faith we just discussed is all that God asks us to believe, then the question we each need to answer would be--
Do I find that the promise God made to me of having every arrow of satan quenched is working? Have I found safety from the arrows of satan, free from his accusations and the condemnation he brings, impervious to the temptations he throws in my way? Am I walking in liberty or as a captive? Am I walking in the rest of God, having ceased from my own labors, or am I weary in my attempts to avoid condemnation by my own efforts?
If God's clear promise to us is not working, who is at fault, God or us? Could it be possible there is much more that our faith is to grasp for than just forgiveness? Could it be that our faith is not to reach a stopping point but that we are to believe all the amazing words of our God, even.....no, especially the ones that seem impossible?
Satan has succeeded in getting this battlefield switched over from a spiritual battle to a battle in the flesh, where our strength, our resolve, our self-control is our shield, as he knows that once faith is taken out of the equation, our defeat is sealed and even if by chance he cannot rob us of our salvation, the battle for our overcoming in this life is all but lost and at best we will be ineffective witnesses for the power of God to set others free. At worst, many will simply become the ground where the seed rooted for a while, but the cares of this life, or the persecution for the sake of the good seed came and the word died, and the end was worse than the beginning.
How we need to understand the importance of believing the words of our God, that in the end, that is all we will have, and yet, it is all that we will need.
We are in a time of peace, and yet how many are being defeated daily in their attempts to walk in victory over the lower nature. Defeat is so common among us that we have lowered the standard of God for us, that we can do all things through Him that loves us, to a walk where defeat is not ideal, but acceptable because, after all, we are only human and God understands and forgives, right? Instead of letting the word examine us, judge us, convict us, change us, we have simply altered the standard to make the ground we walk on a safe zone.
Listen, all who desire heaven as their home. Give ear to how God has ordained that we please Him. Trust in every word that proceeds out of His mouth, in the amazing promises of God, is what brings glory to Him. Faith! Is this not the lesson God has for us from the start to the finish in His word? Is this not how we become overcomers? By faith? Is this not how we endure to the end? By faith? Is this not the secret to our victory, to our walking in the rest of God, by faith?
Yet, where do we find the bride as the final days approach? Readying herself through the promises of her God to meet her Beloved, or going through half-hearted religious motions, with our hearts intertwined with the world that He came to free us from, acting as if we do not have a care in the world, with sin still a part, an accepted part of our daily routine?
Let us not be fooled anymore by the enemy of our souls who would sooth us with smooth words that we have nothing to worry about, that all is well, even though we are still captives, still bound to our lower nature and to the gratifying the lusts of our flesh that we are told our glorious God has set us free from.
In this time of peace and prosperity, if we cannot walk by faith, overcome by that faith, and find the victory, what makes us think that somehow, as the enemy comes in like a flood, we will simply rise to the occasion and defeat the enemy of our souls when in his great anger, he comes at us with everything he has?
"If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, what will you do when the horsemen get here?"
Jeremiah 12:5
Lord, may you awaken your bride to the need for our shield of faith to be up, and for us to be found pressing into ther kingdom when you come.
May you breathe on our faith so that we might see the exceeding greatness of your power that you give to those who would but believe your words. May those who have up till now walked in defeat and been found content there be filled with the desire to bring glory to you by believing your exceeding great and precious promises, and may they find the glorious libery of the children of go that you have for every sngler one of your children. May your body become fully armed asnd equipped for the war that is even now raging for our very souls and learn how to fight, not only for ourselves but for the souls of our friends, our neighbors, our children, our parents, our world. Amen.
Blessings,
Bruce
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
UNDERSTANDING THE OLD TESTAMENT IN SEVEN WORDS...
Why do we see such a different picture of God in the old Testament, a compassionless, demanding God, a cold, oftentimes unfeeling God? How many there are who do not see the one main lesson that the Old Testament was to teach us.
And what is the lesson? The God we serve hates sin. HATES! He is Holy. How we do not understand that concept. We cannot comprehend perfect purity. The entire purpose of the old covenant was to makes us realize how much God hates sin, the evil that has infected and corrupted every living soul of His creation. The entire old testament was a lesson for our benefit and was written to be our schoolmaster to bring us to the feet of God, broken, contrite, aware with God's awareness of the depth of the evil inside us so that our sin becomes exceedlingly sinful to us. Why was the law so hard, so demanding that one error tainted all? Because evil cannot enter His presence, not one shred.
Sadly, how often it has not taught us the very thing it was meant to accomplish, and many of His children still cling to the ministration of death as if it were life giving. It is called the ministry of condemnation and it is well named. Here is the summation of the old testament (the old covenant) in seven words...seven.
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die."
Yet, even now, many Christians walk with sin in their lives, and worse, far worse, they are content to have it there, and protect themselves from ever fleeing it by believing that since it is impossible for a man to do good all the time, for we are only human, why really get bent out of shape about it? God forgives us anyway, doesn't He? Do we have any earthly idea how we are fulfilling the verse in Romans that says "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?"
But what did Jesus say?
"If your eye offend you, pluck it out, for it is better to go into eternity blind than with two eyes be cast into hell. If your right hand offend you, amputate it, for it is better to go into eternity with but one hand, than with two enter hell."
Do we hear him with ears that take Him seriously? He was not lying. He spoke truth and we water away its meaning so as to placate the conviction in our hearts and lives. Do we not comprehend how incredibly important it is to figure out how to get sin out of our lives, that the soul infected by it cannot please God and will not see His face? How comfortable we have gotten with poison running in our veins. How the lies of our enemy have taken their toll.
Do we even comprehend what God had to do that was against His very nature in order to convince us of His hatred of sin? Jesus said, "If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more your Father in Heaven....", remember that story?
Now, if the actions of killing children and striking down a man who simply touched the ark of the covenant or slaying entire societies, men, women and children is repulsive to us, and we are evil, how much more repulsive and horrible is it to a loving God to have to act in a manner that is not one of love, just to convince us of His hatred of evil, and to make us comprehend the seriousness of the problem, to finally make us see that evil cannot enter His presence, and thus if it is still in us, we cannot come home to Him?
This is how much He loves us. He did the most evil act of all, to send his own perfect, loving, unblemished son to die a horrible death to pay the debt He did not owe, so that we infected, miserable souls with destruction as our only future might be offered life instead. He not only forgave us of sins past, but also offers us new natures uninfected by the power of sin so that we might spend eternity with Him.
There are but two types of peoples in the world- two. Those that are infected with darkness, who are aware of it, and weep for it, struggling to get free because they love the light and those that are infected that do not mind being infected. This truth is found in every nation, every society, every culture, and yes, even in God's church.
Ultimately this will be the tipping point, the cutting edge of seperating wheat from tares... do we hate the sin inside us and long to be free of it or are we content to just have our ticket to heaven punched yet very mich strill in love with our sin and our rebellion to His lordship over us? Have we learned the one lesson the old covenant was to teach us?
Has sin in us been made to us "exceedingly sinful"?
It is these and these alone who will find relief for their weary sin-sick souls. It is these who will finally see and receive the gift of a pure heart by the same faith that obtained for us the gift of forgiveness. Nothing else will profit us but a new creature, a new heart, a new man and this is done by faith alone in the promises of our God.
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart."
Psalm 24:3-4
It is only when we who have seen the depth of our sinfulness through God's eyes that we will be desperate enough to do something so foolish as to believe that just as we have been liberated from the penalty of sins past by His death, in the same way we are cleansed of our fallen nature by His resurrection life. It is God's good pleasure to give us the kingdom. Will we believe and receive? It is our only hope to see Him.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Blessings,
Bruce
Why do we see such a different picture of God in the old Testament, a compassionless, demanding God, a cold, oftentimes unfeeling God? How many there are who do not see the one main lesson that the Old Testament was to teach us.
And what is the lesson? The God we serve hates sin. HATES! He is Holy. How we do not understand that concept. We cannot comprehend perfect purity. The entire purpose of the old covenant was to makes us realize how much God hates sin, the evil that has infected and corrupted every living soul of His creation. The entire old testament was a lesson for our benefit and was written to be our schoolmaster to bring us to the feet of God, broken, contrite, aware with God's awareness of the depth of the evil inside us so that our sin becomes exceedlingly sinful to us. Why was the law so hard, so demanding that one error tainted all? Because evil cannot enter His presence, not one shred.
Sadly, how often it has not taught us the very thing it was meant to accomplish, and many of His children still cling to the ministration of death as if it were life giving. It is called the ministry of condemnation and it is well named. Here is the summation of the old testament (the old covenant) in seven words...seven.
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die."
Yet, even now, many Christians walk with sin in their lives, and worse, far worse, they are content to have it there, and protect themselves from ever fleeing it by believing that since it is impossible for a man to do good all the time, for we are only human, why really get bent out of shape about it? God forgives us anyway, doesn't He? Do we have any earthly idea how we are fulfilling the verse in Romans that says "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?"
But what did Jesus say?
"If your eye offend you, pluck it out, for it is better to go into eternity blind than with two eyes be cast into hell. If your right hand offend you, amputate it, for it is better to go into eternity with but one hand, than with two enter hell."
Do we hear him with ears that take Him seriously? He was not lying. He spoke truth and we water away its meaning so as to placate the conviction in our hearts and lives. Do we not comprehend how incredibly important it is to figure out how to get sin out of our lives, that the soul infected by it cannot please God and will not see His face? How comfortable we have gotten with poison running in our veins. How the lies of our enemy have taken their toll.
Do we even comprehend what God had to do that was against His very nature in order to convince us of His hatred of sin? Jesus said, "If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more your Father in Heaven....", remember that story?
Now, if the actions of killing children and striking down a man who simply touched the ark of the covenant or slaying entire societies, men, women and children is repulsive to us, and we are evil, how much more repulsive and horrible is it to a loving God to have to act in a manner that is not one of love, just to convince us of His hatred of evil, and to make us comprehend the seriousness of the problem, to finally make us see that evil cannot enter His presence, and thus if it is still in us, we cannot come home to Him?
This is how much He loves us. He did the most evil act of all, to send his own perfect, loving, unblemished son to die a horrible death to pay the debt He did not owe, so that we infected, miserable souls with destruction as our only future might be offered life instead. He not only forgave us of sins past, but also offers us new natures uninfected by the power of sin so that we might spend eternity with Him.
There are but two types of peoples in the world- two. Those that are infected with darkness, who are aware of it, and weep for it, struggling to get free because they love the light and those that are infected that do not mind being infected. This truth is found in every nation, every society, every culture, and yes, even in God's church.
Ultimately this will be the tipping point, the cutting edge of seperating wheat from tares... do we hate the sin inside us and long to be free of it or are we content to just have our ticket to heaven punched yet very mich strill in love with our sin and our rebellion to His lordship over us? Have we learned the one lesson the old covenant was to teach us?
Has sin in us been made to us "exceedingly sinful"?
It is these and these alone who will find relief for their weary sin-sick souls. It is these who will finally see and receive the gift of a pure heart by the same faith that obtained for us the gift of forgiveness. Nothing else will profit us but a new creature, a new heart, a new man and this is done by faith alone in the promises of our God.
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart."
Psalm 24:3-4
It is only when we who have seen the depth of our sinfulness through God's eyes that we will be desperate enough to do something so foolish as to believe that just as we have been liberated from the penalty of sins past by His death, in the same way we are cleansed of our fallen nature by His resurrection life. It is God's good pleasure to give us the kingdom. Will we believe and receive? It is our only hope to see Him.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Blessings,
Bruce
Thursday, March 25, 2010
And my people love to have it so....
The church of God has become like Jerusalem in the days of Nehemiah, with the walls of protection torn down, and every evil beast can walk in and take His people captive and no one even raises their voice. Because sin still has place in a man's heart, he says "Who am I to judge truth" and lets mens souls be taken captive right in front of him and yet he utters not a word.
Why are none crying out to God for holy hearts as He promised us? Give us gold dust! Give us miracles! Give us prosperity!" the cries ascend up to Heaven as a stench in God's nostrils. Why do none cry out as the man in the temple "God be merciful to me a sinner!" Sadly we have grown quite content with a Christianity stripped of its power to save us from our enemy rather than come back to Him, broken and contrite for our foolishness and hardened hearts at the feet of Jesus, crying out for deliverance from our own sin-filled and selfish hearts.
Listen to the words of Jeremiah in chapter 5. They were written for our benefit:
"Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them:
Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
This people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich."
But the saddest part? God's own people are the ones clamoring to run into the snares of these wicked men! And the wicked men gladly oblige. And it is not hidden from God's eyes.
"The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so."
But now the question of questions needs to be answered.
"and what will ye do in the end thereof?"
-God
It is not too late. God is slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. Shall we not humble ourselves and cry out to him for real deliverance, real victory, real holiness? He has a walk for each of us that will astound us, a walk of real victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. A life of His love being poured out through us onto others. He asks but two things of us. Yield to His hand fully. Believe Him fully. Then simply watch Him work in your life miracles that if your own eyes did not see, you would not believe.
The church of God has become like Jerusalem in the days of Nehemiah, with the walls of protection torn down, and every evil beast can walk in and take His people captive and no one even raises their voice. Because sin still has place in a man's heart, he says "Who am I to judge truth" and lets mens souls be taken captive right in front of him and yet he utters not a word.
Why are none crying out to God for holy hearts as He promised us? Give us gold dust! Give us miracles! Give us prosperity!" the cries ascend up to Heaven as a stench in God's nostrils. Why do none cry out as the man in the temple "God be merciful to me a sinner!" Sadly we have grown quite content with a Christianity stripped of its power to save us from our enemy rather than come back to Him, broken and contrite for our foolishness and hardened hearts at the feet of Jesus, crying out for deliverance from our own sin-filled and selfish hearts.
Listen to the words of Jeremiah in chapter 5. They were written for our benefit:
"Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them:
Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
This people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich."
But the saddest part? God's own people are the ones clamoring to run into the snares of these wicked men! And the wicked men gladly oblige. And it is not hidden from God's eyes.
"The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so."
But now the question of questions needs to be answered.
"and what will ye do in the end thereof?"
-God
It is not too late. God is slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. Shall we not humble ourselves and cry out to him for real deliverance, real victory, real holiness? He has a walk for each of us that will astound us, a walk of real victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. A life of His love being poured out through us onto others. He asks but two things of us. Yield to His hand fully. Believe Him fully. Then simply watch Him work in your life miracles that if your own eyes did not see, you would not believe.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Dead, dying or not even trying?
How common today is the misunderstanding, or sadly, in some cases, outright unbelief, in the fact that when we died with Christ, "our old man was crucified with Him, and likewise, as Christ was raised to newness of life, so were we."
It is, without a doubt, the major cause of the decline of the church into a religious instiutution rather than the power packed church that spread the gospel over the entire known world in one generation. Unbelief is not a weakness, but a sin and God calls it "an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."
How satan has subtly thrown us back on our own efforts to "die to self". What a huge difference there is between "keeping our body under" by faith in His promises and trying to make our body go under by our efforts, our strength, our self control, especially if, in our hearts, we believe it is not even possible!
This error is no small thing and inevitably puts us back under the law, which depended on self effort to become holy. The result is death, not life. It ends not in the faith filled confession of Paul that says "I can do all things thru Christ that strengthens me" , but the sad confession of unbelief, cloaked in a false robe of humility, that we are "only human" and "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven". How "holy" and logical that mantra sounds, but it drips with the venom of the enemy.
How we need to re-read the story of Abraham. What shall we learn as part of His seed and why he was chosen to be the father of many nations,m and why he was considered one of the main heroes of faith:
"He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."
Romans 4:20-22
Have we forgotten that this is the only way to please God? The only way to truly glorify God? Faith in his incredible promises to us!
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
2 Peter 1:4
Are we found staring at the impotence we find in ourselves to free us from the grip of sin, or are our eyes firmly fixed on the God who can "save us to the uttermost" and bring us by His efforts, not ours, into "the glorious liberty of the children of God".
God has said clearly that He came to set us free from sin's grip, not just its guilt. (John 8). Are we pressing toward this goal, believing God that we are His workmanship so that nothing is impossible to us, or have we sat down in unbelief, content to be forgiven and not even caring that we are not yet victorious over the lusts that come with our old nature? If so, it is a dangerous place to be found.
Lest we forget:
"They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and the lusts thereof."
Galatians 5:24
The question before each of us remains:
"Believeth thou that I can do this?"
Or perhaps more appropriately, "Do you believe that I have done this?
Blessings, Bruce
How common today is the misunderstanding, or sadly, in some cases, outright unbelief, in the fact that when we died with Christ, "our old man was crucified with Him, and likewise, as Christ was raised to newness of life, so were we."
It is, without a doubt, the major cause of the decline of the church into a religious instiutution rather than the power packed church that spread the gospel over the entire known world in one generation. Unbelief is not a weakness, but a sin and God calls it "an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God."
How satan has subtly thrown us back on our own efforts to "die to self". What a huge difference there is between "keeping our body under" by faith in His promises and trying to make our body go under by our efforts, our strength, our self control, especially if, in our hearts, we believe it is not even possible!
This error is no small thing and inevitably puts us back under the law, which depended on self effort to become holy. The result is death, not life. It ends not in the faith filled confession of Paul that says "I can do all things thru Christ that strengthens me" , but the sad confession of unbelief, cloaked in a false robe of humility, that we are "only human" and "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven". How "holy" and logical that mantra sounds, but it drips with the venom of the enemy.
How we need to re-read the story of Abraham. What shall we learn as part of His seed and why he was chosen to be the father of many nations,m and why he was considered one of the main heroes of faith:
"He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."
Romans 4:20-22
Have we forgotten that this is the only way to please God? The only way to truly glorify God? Faith in his incredible promises to us!
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
2 Peter 1:4
Are we found staring at the impotence we find in ourselves to free us from the grip of sin, or are our eyes firmly fixed on the God who can "save us to the uttermost" and bring us by His efforts, not ours, into "the glorious liberty of the children of God".
God has said clearly that He came to set us free from sin's grip, not just its guilt. (John 8). Are we pressing toward this goal, believing God that we are His workmanship so that nothing is impossible to us, or have we sat down in unbelief, content to be forgiven and not even caring that we are not yet victorious over the lusts that come with our old nature? If so, it is a dangerous place to be found.
Lest we forget:
"They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and the lusts thereof."
Galatians 5:24
The question before each of us remains:
"Believeth thou that I can do this?"
Or perhaps more appropriately, "Do you believe that I have done this?
Blessings, Bruce
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The Walk of Victory- Hype or Reality?
What I am about to share with you sadly is not what the vast majority of the church believes. I believe all this is going to soon change as the last days approach. The sleeping virgins are beginning ot be awakened. If at first you do not agree, all I ask is for you to bring it before God in prayer and ask your heart what it hungers for, rather than what your head can accept.
What I have to share comes from my own personal struggle with sin in my life, specifically pornography. I am not talking about an occasional slip, but a deep seeded habit that was as addictive as any drug. Maybe some here can relate. Even as a Christian, I still could not find the key to victory and I searched for decades, hating my sin, yet I could not let it go. It had me by the throat.
So please understand, what I share with you is a great treasure to me, because two years ago I broke before the Lord, exhausted, out of new options, out of hope. I very seriously took the words Jesus spoke that "Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord" and finally concluded that if I was to die, I would not see my Lord. I knew my heart was corrupted, that sin was my master.
That night, I broke before God with a wail of desperation and many tears. I was fully the "O wretched man that I am" of Romans 7. The things I did not want to do, I did, and the things I so wanted to do, I could not find the strength to do. Perhaps this has been your experience, yet something inside you tells you that there is a victorious walk Christ has for you.
When I did, deeply broken and ashamed, seeking God with all that I had, suddenly the light of His manifest presence was there, a supernatural visitation is all I am permitted to say, and these were His words- "For this my son I am well pleased with you." I fell on my face in awe and yet total confusion. Why would He be pleased with me?
Over the next hour or so, I received wisdom directly from the hand of God. I did not deserve it, I still do not today. But what He shared with me changed my walk from night to day, from darkness to light and the sins that had kept me captive for 37 years fell away from me completely through no effort of my own. God did it and still keeps me in His victory today. So the truths I share with you have passed a huge test. They worked in me..chief of sinners! It was like the lock on the door of my understanding was unlocked by God and I saw plainly how we are all to walk free indeed.
He first led me to Romans 6:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:1-11
The Lord asked me if I had ever obeyed this exhortation that Paul gave us....not just in a "positional sense" but in a very real one. I had not. But I saw in an instant the secret to the walk of victory and the reason why I had walked in defeat. When I had come to the Lord those many years before, I came by faith alone, with no confidence that I could save myself, but there my faith ended.
If we only understood, God is not looking for strong men and women of God who will do exploits. God is searching for those where He can show Himself strong.! My problem, I thought, was that I had always been too weak. The Lord explained to me clearly that my failure had been because I had always been too strong, and this was why He was pleased with me, for I had come to Him as one who had no strength, and thus, He was freed to be strong in me, and my faith could be exercised because faith is inherantly an act of total dependence.
How many of us have not yet seen the depth of the truth that "In me, dwettheth no good thing." How many have not yet let the law do its assigned task to break them of all confidance in their fleshly efforts to become holy and to realize that the entire salvation process is by faith alone, believing in the strength of the indwelling God to do it for us.
How easily we forget that it is "to those that have no might that He increases strength" !
Faith in the promises that God has made to us is the key to our victory, but a man who believes even a shred in his own strength and resolve cannot depend 100% on God alone. True faith becomes impossible until we see how truly desperate our plight is to get victory over the sins that plague us. Until we see the depth of the corruption of our old nature, that it cannot be "transformed" into a new man, but must be put off by faith, we cannot again by faith put on the new man which has on obedient heart!
"And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
1 John 5:4
I had never taken my position in Christ as someone who was dead to sin and alive to God. Yet that is exactly how we are told to "yield ourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead", not still trying to die.
The walk of victory is clearly promised in scriptures. The promises of God are everywhere yet how few walk in them! How few even hunger after a walk of victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. For many, we have become content to have sin in our lives as a pesky but necessary nuisance. Is this the full salvation Christ promised? Is this the easy yoke, where we find rest for our weary souls? Is this the "free indeed" He spoke of in John 8? No, it is not.
Sadly, we believe we must still have sin as our master as long as we are in this body and will fight any who even suggest that God meant what He said when He promised that sin shall not have dominion over us.
Most contend that we are "just sinners, saved by grace", thinking this is humility, when actually it is unbelief masked in a cloak of religion, and dishonoring to God. Please understand, I do not say this to offend any but we must understand, our entire salvvation is to be built around this amazing thing called faith, total trust that our God cannot lie. Our unbelief has opened the door for satan to deceive us mightily, and brought the church into the sad, divided and worldly state it is today. But listen to Paul in His exhortation to the church at Corinth:
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
1 Corinthians 6:9,11
Why did Paul write so adamantly to the Romans when he said:
"Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" Because he had taught them the great truth that old old nature has been put to death so that henceforth, sin no longer has a grip on us. Therefore he firmly answers "God forbid! How can we that arer dead to sin live any longer therein?"
What does God speaks of us? He tells us that now we are light in the Lord, that we are more than overcomers and it is faith in these truth that allows us to actually walk as children of light, with our shield of faith quenching ALL the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Does He not say that with every temptation He will make a way of escape that we might be able ot bear it? Does He not say He will keep us from falling? Does He not say we can do all things thru Him that loved us? Does He not say that sin shall NOT have dominion over us? He does indeed and many many more wonderful promises. The question is...who will believe His report?
Listen, saints! The promises of God, promises we have ignored all our lives, are the key to our victory, the key to being changed into the image of His Son! Of course our brains struggle with believing that the overcoming life is possible! If they did not, salvation would not be a miracle at all, but simply a decision to do good and not do bad. Our hearts must become so hungry that we launch out to believe the impossible, for what is impossible with man is indeed possible with our God!
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature"
2 Peter 1:4
Why do so few walk in them? Unbelief. We start out in faith, but then revert to law, where the weight of obedience falls on OUR shoulders. The result? The experience of a man in Romans 7.
Please note, Romans 7 is NOT Paul's testimony as a believer! He clearly says who he is talking about in 7:1... I write this to those that know the law, and then preceeds to describe perfectly what that man's experience will be...what mine was for 37 years. If we are walking in faith alone, faith in what God has clearly told us about who we are in His Son, our experience is to be Romans 8, no condemnation! And how to you get from Romans 7 to Romans 8? By obeying Romans 6.
I will leave you with one last amazing scripture, found in Ezekiel 36. Here God foretells the coming new covenant and what it would do for us. No more would we be ruled by external commandments to try to make our old rebellious nature obey. He would give us a new nature and write His desires on our heart. All would personally know Him, the wise and the fool alike. But listen to this astounding promise. He said " and I will cause you to walk in my statutes"
Obedience that was a requirement of the old covenant, the law of commands, was to be under the new covenant be a benefit...a gift from God! In vs. 37, He finishes his promise of this amazing agreement with this profound word: "I shall yet be inquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them."!
For 26 straight months I have found God to be faithful, that as I hold up the shield of faith that I am indeed a new man in Christ, and that old things are indeed passed away, the sins that were eating me alive are gone, not partially subdued...GONE. To this day I am still in amazement for I know it is not me.
I apologize for such a long post, and I pray you waded thru it to glean something beneficial to you. May we all finally experience what God saved us for...to save them from our sins, not in them, saving us to the uttermost!. God wants to make us holy...will we let Him? This and this alone is "the glorious liberty of the children of God".
Blessings,
Bruce
Monday, March 15, 2010
The full truth about the law we seem to so love... ouch!
How many there are in Christ's body that are weary and heavy laden. How many hunger for the rest that was promised by God for us, only to be found burdened down with a walk under the spirit of the law. As a result, they find their results are identical to the man in Romans chapter 7.
Now some believe that Romans 7 was Paul's testimony and it was...when he was Saul, and labored to please God under the old covenant. Look closely as Romans 7:1. Paul said he wrote this to them that know the law...this will be your experience. How could this possibly be Paul's experience as an Apostle, the same man who said boldly "I can do all things thru Christ that strengthens me."? There was no battle inside Paul. His battle had been won. His black dog was dead. He said he kept his body under. He said "Praise God that always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus." Not so the man in Romans 7, laboring to please God in his own strength.
Listen, saints. The point of the law was not to show us how to live. It was to hold up an ideal...no, no...not even an ideal...a shadow of the ideal, which is a life controlled by love...love for man and love for God. But listen. It provides NO power to us on the performing of the commandments. It was to say, in effect, "You can't get there from here."
Therefore a man under the law of commandments, 10 commandments included, as holy as they are, will find that the things he does not want to do, he does anyway, and the things he wants to do, he cannot do. It leaves one in a state of guilt, defeat, and no matter how much you do, you feel you need to do more.
When I struggled under the weight of the law, I could read 10 chapters of the word a night and feel like I should have read 20. I could give $100 to a just cause and then feel guilty for not giving more. Listen, I felt guilty mowing my grass! LOL. Here I was making my kingdom nice and neglecting His kingdom! If I had a victory, I only thought of the fact that I would fall sooner or later. I never felt God was pleased with me. Well did I relate to the "O wretched man that I am" scenario. The law, holy as it is, works death.
But listen! That is what it is supposed to do! If you have felt that way, you are blessed! The law is working its magic on you. And what is the law trying to teach you? That in you dwells NO GOOD THING, that you do not have the resources to do what it commands of you, that unless you get a miracle from God, your are in deep doo doo.
We Christians are funny people. We get saved, fully acknowledging that we are sinners and that our only hole is by faith in Christ's death. We see our sin as specific acts, such as shorting the IRS last year on our taxes, or lusting or enjoying a good gossip session. What we do not see is the depth of our sinfulness. Our old creation, our fallen nature, what Paul calls our "flesh" is in rebellion to God! It simply cannot do good. All of our righteousness is as filthy rags!
Under the influence of the flesh, we want to run our own lives, and think we can, we just need a little boost from God. Foolish, foolish people we are. What God desires is to fully surrender to Him as failures, weak and in need of everything, as people with NO strength.. That is a man or a woman who is about to find the strength of an indwelling God and the victory He longs to give us.
If the law is to be effective to do its job as a schoolmaster to bring us to the feet of Jesus. it must is preached as it was written. Here is what the law demands...not asks...demands.
1) Perfect 100% obedience all the time. If we disobey one commandment, we are guilty of breaking all of them. This is the curse of the law.
2) The religious pharisees actually strove to do this. They had convinced themselves they were obedient and pleasing God by obeying down to the tithing of the herbs in their gardens. Jesus however, elevated the law to its full weight. He told them that if they just lusted, they were adulterers. If they harbored hate, they were murderers. The law demands not only perfect obedience, but it demands that that obedience be done with 100% pure motives. It is this law that we are requred to serve if we choose to do so. Are we really ready for that?
Now the really bad part. Was there grace under the law? Yes, IF you broke one of the 10 commandments once in ignorance rather than willfully. Past that one free pass, the penalty was death.
After the 10 commandments were given, a man was gathering firewood to cook his family a meal on the sabbath. He was delivered to Moses for the commandment had been broken. Moses asked God and here is what God said.
"Take him out and stone him to death."
This is the law in its full "glory". Thank God Jesus became a curse for us, releasing us from the curse of these external commandments, holy as they are. They do nothing to cleanse the inside of the cup. Nothing.
And we want to serve God under this covenant?? Are we nuts?
We Christians have formed a quasi- faith, quasi-law religion, softening the law so we think we can do it, and believing only that Jesus died for us and rose again, but nothing further. But the law is chiseled in stone. It does not change, and grace has no effect on it. It demands. I call it the gospel according to Nike. JUST DO IT.
Because we have softened it, moved the line a bit, we feel we can for the most part obey it. Foolish people we are. Do we lust? Adulters still. Have we hated? Murderers. The law was given for ONE purpose, to break down our inner defenses and reduce us to a pile of unworthy goo at the feet of Jesus.
Now, with that said, here comes the new covenant. God said in Jeremish 31 that the reason we needed the new one was because we broke the old one continually and we did! Read about God's promise of this amazing agreement in Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36. What is the difference? True forgiveness? Yes, absolutely. But there is far more. Once forgiven, God said He would engrave the wishes of God on our hearts. The external commandments were over. He would put His own spirit within us and listen now....cause us to walk in obedience. He would give us new natures, a nature that did not want to sin, a nature that could love easily, a nature that could truly abide in Him all day, every day. And how will these miracles come about in us? In the same way, of course that we first began this walk with Gof, by believing Him and what He says He offers us.
I will leave it here for now, for I feel like I am writing a book. May I recommend devouring Romans 8 (life under the new covenant), Romans 7 (life under the law) and Romans 6 (directions on how to get from 7 to 8). Then read Galatians. Here Paul was protecting the Galatians from returning back under the law in just one area...circumcision. He told them if they go back in just one area, Christ will profit them nothing.
Look, the law speaks of our self confidence, our strength, our efforts to please God. Self control is an absolute necessity. But the new covenant is by faith alone. Here we are to be His workmanship, so that no one can boast. But in oder to believe, we must be brought low by the law, for it is when we are broken and weak, without strength and without hope of ever being holy by our own efforts, onlt then can we finally believe the promises of God.
"and unto them that have no strength, he increaseth might."
And what about self control? Ahhhh, read the list of the fruits of the Spirit that Christ Himself will grow us us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness, and.....self control! Praise our loving Father! He really will cause us to will and to do of his good pleasure!
Ok, one last thing. I will do anything I can to help anyone to fully understand or enter this walk of faith alone in the promises of God, getting free of our old nature to walk in the victory that Christ has bought for us, a life without condemnation, a life without willful disobedience. If you have questions, or even honest disagreements, I am willing to share openly. All I ask is that we do not lean on "well, I think"s but solely on the word of God for our answers.
I will say this boldly because it has turned my own walk that was formerly a flesh fest of sin and self rule to joy unspeakable. This walk, once one is established in it, will turn your entire world upside down. God has guaranteed it.
Blessings,
Bruce
Saturday, March 13, 2010
"A half-hearted Christian is worse than a backslider in the bar"- God
"11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."
Jeremiah 2:13
God told his people thru the prophet Jeremiah, "You have rejected me, the fountain of living waters (out of your belly shall flow rivers of living waters), meaning the spirit of God that is to indwell us...always fresh, always pure.
Now the sad part. Not only did gods people go back from an intimacy of walking in the spirit, they have also hewn out religious cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. There is no flow in a cistern. The water is stagnant. In a broken cistern, it is even worse, for whatever water is put in disappears for it leaks out.
Saints, have we substituted something else for the abiding spirit of Christ in us? Have we made doctrine, denominationalism, religiousity, a humanistic self-reliant approach to God our spiritual base rather than simply abiding in Jesus himself, daily dependant on Him for life, for power, for victory, for wisdom? Have we forgotten God owns us? Have we stopped full dependence on the Father to walk this life through us? Sadly, for most, the answer is yes.
Instead of fresh living water that the world looks on with envy, for many in the world are truly thirsty and looking for answers to life and what it all means, we pull out our little pail of old, stale water to woo them to truth and they look at us like "You'r kidding right?"
The world understand our poverty of spirit, (and yes, thank God there are indeed a few great exceptions!) but sadly, for most we do not yet see our water is stagnant stuff that sets none free, yet we are content because by gosh, we have WATER! (well, we did have a while ago!)
What is interesting in this discourse is that God said His people committed two seperate sins. One was to reject him and go backwards. The second was to substitute something that supposedly looked like God's hand but was not. The second sin in God's eyes is worse than the first. Hs word backs up this assertion.
In Jeremiah 3, , God says Israel backslid, and Judah turned back to him, but only feintedly, or halfheartedly. God said backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. (Jer.3:11) To walk with the Lord with our heart not in it is treachery in God's eyes, conniving, trying to get the full reward but not paying the cost, having our cake and eating it too.
In Revelation 3, God addresses theLaodecian church and says this as to their lukewarmness. "I would that you were hot or cold, just don't be lukewarm." Listen. God would rather us be back in the bars than to be halfhearted towards Him. Whatt?? Hey, I did not say it, God did.
And why is this? Because a child backslidden in a bar knows he is wrong and in danger and can do something about it. But how hard it is for a religious person to perceive or acknowledge his need! Religious pride is the hardest of all sins to repent of, for the blindness prevents ever seeing the need for repentance. Sometimes, as in the case of Saul/Paul, one have to be blinded in order to see. If that is what it takes, God blind us.
In the parable of the prodigal son, who was the fatted calf and the party given to, the "faithful" half-hearted son who stayed to make a good show to the father, or the rebel son who messed up big time but knew it and returned? We all know the answer.
God wants 100% or 0%. He deserves our all, for he gave us His.
We can put the decision off today, and if we have a tomorrow, maybe even then. But at some point, a decision will be made, and not making a decision reveals you have already made yours.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Has God given us wisdom on how to be in the center of His Will? Hmmmm..
What is the shortest chapter in the Bible? -- Psalm 117
What is the longer chapter in the Bible? -- Psalm 119
There are 1189 chapters in the Bible
What is the middle chapter in the Bible,
with 594 chapters before it and594 chapters after it? -- Psalm 118
If you add up all the number of verses in
the Bible, over 20,000 of them, what verse
is the exact middle verse in the entire Bible? -- Psalm 118:8
Is it just a coincidence that both the middle chapter, and the middle verse are located together?
What does this central verse in the central chapter of the central book of mankind have to say to us? If we really want to be in the center of God's will, could God have perhaps planned on us finding this center verse to give us true wisdom on being in the center of His will for our lives? You decide.....
"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."
Psalm 118:8
Be blessed today!
Bruce
What is the longer chapter in the Bible? -- Psalm 119
There are 1189 chapters in the Bible
What is the middle chapter in the Bible,
with 594 chapters before it and594 chapters after it? -- Psalm 118
If you add up all the number of verses in
the Bible, over 20,000 of them, what verse
is the exact middle verse in the entire Bible? -- Psalm 118:8
Is it just a coincidence that both the middle chapter, and the middle verse are located together?
What does this central verse in the central chapter of the central book of mankind have to say to us? If we really want to be in the center of God's will, could God have perhaps planned on us finding this center verse to give us true wisdom on being in the center of His will for our lives? You decide.....
"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."
Psalm 118:8
Be blessed today!
Bruce
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
If...then why?
If we are free indeed, then why do we see the multitudes still laboring in captivity?
If God promises to provide a way of escape in every temptation, then why do we see so few taking advantage of it?
If His yoke is easy and His burden is light, why do so many walk burdened and heavy laden?
If sin shall not have dominion over us, why are most still bound?
If the joy of the Lord is our strength, then why are most so joyless as His people, and thus prey for the enemy?
If we are promised to mount up with wings of an eagle, why the masses still walking as Kiwi birds, and not even attempting to flap their wings and soar?
If the strength of sin is the law, why do we insist on clinging to it?
If by the law is our schoolmaster to bring us to the feet of Christ, why do we refuse to graduate?
If we are now light in the Lord, we do we believe we are still "just sinners"?
If nothing profits but a new creature, why do we insist on trying to reform the old one?
If we are instructed to reckon ourselves dead to sin, not dying to it, why do most instead try to kill it themselves?
If we are to overcome the wicked one by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony, and we are still yet overcome, where does the problem lie?
If God promises for us to ask what we will, and it shall be done for us, if we do not doubt in our hearts, why do we see so few prayers answered?
If dying to self is to be done a little at a time, why do we see no older saints walking in victory?
If without faith it is impossible to please God, why do we insist on not believing what his word tells us about who we are in Him?
If the shield of faith quenches all the fiery darts of thw wicked one, why are most lives constantly still suffering the piercings of his arrows?
If there is therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, why is condemnation such a central part of the walk of most all saints?
If God has promised to cause us to will and to do of His good pleasure, then why are we still walking in failure?
If God promises to keep us from falling, why are so few truly kept?
If there is a balm in Gilead, what is the health of the daughter of His people healed only slightly, saying peace, peace, when there is no peace?
This is not meant to condemn or point a finger. It has one goal, and that is for those truly hungering after the glorious liberty of the children of God to find that our God does not lie. He does not over promise and under deliver. He does not exaggerate. There remains a rest for the children of God, now, in THIS life, and He has far more for us that we have ever imagined.
Listen closely to these words of our Lord:
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
John 8:31-36
In light of what we have been promised in this one scripture alone, what is the cause of the gospel not doing what it has clearly promised to achieve in our lives? Is it that we are not trying hard enough? No, that is the law speaking. And it is that very law that keeps most to this very day in bondage and the flesh very much alive. We do not have to have written commandments to be under its grip. We just have to have confidence in our flesh to be able to obey, if we just try hard enough. This is the Law and it will leave you wretched and broken, not free indeed.
There is but one way to free ourselves from the grip it has on us....agree with it, that we are guilty and and have no hope of ever fulfilling its words, because we cannot do it. Our problem is not that we are too weak. Our problem is that we have been too strong, and have not yet fallen on the stumbling stone and been broken of our self confidence. The pathway to God is one of faith alone, and it is impossible to exercise faith if our trust is not in Him 100%. He must get ALL the glory, for He alone is worthy.
The promises of God are yea and amen and we serve a God who cannot lie. The gospel is indeed the power of God unto salvation. The walk He offers all of us is still "the glorious liberty of the children of God"....now...in this life. But the law cannot inherit the promises of God....that is reserved for grace thru faith alone.
If you find you are one that is not experiencing the goodness of God and finding His clear promises are not true for your own personal walk, do not fear. Do not give up. Continue in His word. Seek Him with your whole heart. Tell Him in truth that you cannot walk pleasing to Him in your own strength. It will not shock Him nor surprise Him. In fact, it will please Him, for this is what he has waited patiently for. Like the father greeting the prodigal, our God longs to kill the fatted calf for us. But He did not do it until the son returned broken and humbled, seeking the full care of the Father. only desiring to serve Him.
Not until we clearly see that "Without Him, we can do nothing, can we truly experience the truth of "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me". He awaits our cries out of our weakness for Him to be strong IN us. Shall we wait one minute longer to fall at his feet to receive this amazing grace He has reserved for us?
If God promises to provide a way of escape in every temptation, then why do we see so few taking advantage of it?
If His yoke is easy and His burden is light, why do so many walk burdened and heavy laden?
If sin shall not have dominion over us, why are most still bound?
If the joy of the Lord is our strength, then why are most so joyless as His people, and thus prey for the enemy?
If we are promised to mount up with wings of an eagle, why the masses still walking as Kiwi birds, and not even attempting to flap their wings and soar?
If the strength of sin is the law, why do we insist on clinging to it?
If by the law is our schoolmaster to bring us to the feet of Christ, why do we refuse to graduate?
If we are now light in the Lord, we do we believe we are still "just sinners"?
If nothing profits but a new creature, why do we insist on trying to reform the old one?
If we are instructed to reckon ourselves dead to sin, not dying to it, why do most instead try to kill it themselves?
If we are to overcome the wicked one by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony, and we are still yet overcome, where does the problem lie?
If God promises for us to ask what we will, and it shall be done for us, if we do not doubt in our hearts, why do we see so few prayers answered?
If dying to self is to be done a little at a time, why do we see no older saints walking in victory?
If without faith it is impossible to please God, why do we insist on not believing what his word tells us about who we are in Him?
If the shield of faith quenches all the fiery darts of thw wicked one, why are most lives constantly still suffering the piercings of his arrows?
If there is therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, why is condemnation such a central part of the walk of most all saints?
If God has promised to cause us to will and to do of His good pleasure, then why are we still walking in failure?
If God promises to keep us from falling, why are so few truly kept?
If there is a balm in Gilead, what is the health of the daughter of His people healed only slightly, saying peace, peace, when there is no peace?
This is not meant to condemn or point a finger. It has one goal, and that is for those truly hungering after the glorious liberty of the children of God to find that our God does not lie. He does not over promise and under deliver. He does not exaggerate. There remains a rest for the children of God, now, in THIS life, and He has far more for us that we have ever imagined.
Listen closely to these words of our Lord:
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."
John 8:31-36
In light of what we have been promised in this one scripture alone, what is the cause of the gospel not doing what it has clearly promised to achieve in our lives? Is it that we are not trying hard enough? No, that is the law speaking. And it is that very law that keeps most to this very day in bondage and the flesh very much alive. We do not have to have written commandments to be under its grip. We just have to have confidence in our flesh to be able to obey, if we just try hard enough. This is the Law and it will leave you wretched and broken, not free indeed.
There is but one way to free ourselves from the grip it has on us....agree with it, that we are guilty and and have no hope of ever fulfilling its words, because we cannot do it. Our problem is not that we are too weak. Our problem is that we have been too strong, and have not yet fallen on the stumbling stone and been broken of our self confidence. The pathway to God is one of faith alone, and it is impossible to exercise faith if our trust is not in Him 100%. He must get ALL the glory, for He alone is worthy.
The promises of God are yea and amen and we serve a God who cannot lie. The gospel is indeed the power of God unto salvation. The walk He offers all of us is still "the glorious liberty of the children of God"....now...in this life. But the law cannot inherit the promises of God....that is reserved for grace thru faith alone.
If you find you are one that is not experiencing the goodness of God and finding His clear promises are not true for your own personal walk, do not fear. Do not give up. Continue in His word. Seek Him with your whole heart. Tell Him in truth that you cannot walk pleasing to Him in your own strength. It will not shock Him nor surprise Him. In fact, it will please Him, for this is what he has waited patiently for. Like the father greeting the prodigal, our God longs to kill the fatted calf for us. But He did not do it until the son returned broken and humbled, seeking the full care of the Father. only desiring to serve Him.
Not until we clearly see that "Without Him, we can do nothing, can we truly experience the truth of "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me". He awaits our cries out of our weakness for Him to be strong IN us. Shall we wait one minute longer to fall at his feet to receive this amazing grace He has reserved for us?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Are riches wrong?
Are riches wrong? Is it sinful to has a nice car, a house on a hill, travels to exotic places and closets full of clothes? Not necessary. One can indeed abound and yet not hold onto any of it, willing at a moments notice to say to God "Yes, Lord" if He tells to to sell all to follow Him. Zaccheus did it. Jospeh of Arimathea did it. But how rare it is that this can be done! How ignorant we have become in the body of Christ as to the dangers lucking in the way we live in relationship to riches and worldly possessions. How blind we have become to the truth that Jesus shared when He said "How hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven."
If only we could see that the danger in riches is not the riches themselves, but the trusting in them. Why should we seek the comfort that only God can offer us, the indwelling Spirit, if we seek with all our hearts after the creature comforts this life has to offer? How can we believe the amazing promises of God if our hearts are not willing to sell all to get the pearl of great price? This is why we are warned again and again about the deceitfulness of riches. It divides our heart and makes true faith towards God impossible.
Do not console yourself if you do not consider yourself rich. To many in the world, you arerich beyond belief. Perhaps in your mind, not so. It makes no difference. It is where your heart is towards them that is the great revealer of where your heart lies. You may be surviving on $9.00 per hour, and still find covetousness and avarice rules your thoughts. As Paul clearly says, it is also to them that would be rich, not just those that are.
"But they that would be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."
1 Timothy 6:9
It brings to mind Esau, who traded his birthright for a mess of pottage, demanding immediate gratification rather than the patience and wisdom to wait for true riches. Thank God there is also a Moses, who gave up the riches and power he had in Egypt and counted his service to God of more value. Thank God there is a Paul, who willingly threw off the esteem of man as "the pharisee of the pharisees", and set his affections solely upon Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings.
How did Paul put it? He said that the riches of man, the praise of others, are but dung, and not worthy to even be compared to the glory that Christ shall reveal IN US! Where is our treasure? Is it here? Then we best get to enjoying it for this is all we get. Or are we wise amongst fools, knowing that the treasure we seek is a heavenly one. Yet how wonderful our Lord is to give us the downpayment, the earnest of our inheritance here on earth....Christ in us, and the victory of walking free indeed in Him.
If only we could understand that Heaven is but the beginning of the unfolding of the goodness of God. Do you fear you will be bored in Heaven? Don't count on it. Listen to this promise of our Father!:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has even entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for them that love Him."
1 Corinthians 2:9
Do you see this? Let your imagination soar! Walk to the far extremes of your imagination as to how God might award us for being overcomers. It is not even close. There are ages to come...ages! Now revelations of His wonderful love for us. Shall we live as brute beasts as Esau did, and tell God "No thanks, I'll take my reward now, if you please." Shall be be like Ananias and Saphira who tried the best they could to have one foot in this world and another in the kingsom of God?
The valley of decision is now coming into view for many who have tried to experience the glorious liberty of the children of God with their feet firmlyplanted in this life. God has up till now been patient with our procrastination. But soon, tonot make a decision that we will follow our Lord no matter what the cost, is to have already made it. Thank God it is still not too late to repent and throw ourselfves upon the mercy of God to save us from the deception the enemy has thrown in our paths.
But you might argue..."Hey! If I got a lot of money, I would use it for His kingdom...for helping the poor...to relieve the struggles of brothers in the church." Perhaps, but do not be too sure of that. Have you been faithful to do this with littlet thus far in your walk? If not, then neither will you if you win the lottery or get the huge promotion.
Jesus asks each of us, "Lovest thou me more than these?" These things? These praises of men? These worldly pleasures? Do you really love me with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength? He is not talking about our church doctrine, or a memorized law. This is a real question and the Lord will one day get a real answer. For many, I fear, the answer will lead to weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, for then there will be no second chances. The time of repentance has passed away into oblivion.
All that can be shaken, will be shaken. No one will end up sitting on the fence. We cannot serve both God and mammon. CANNOT.
Understand, it is not the things themselves that are the issue. You can give it all away, and still be empty. Make God your treasure. Seek Him like you are digging for gold. He is not far off, and has promised thst we will seek Him and we will find Him, when we seek Him with our WHOLE hearts.
If you have an opinion, either agreeing or disagreeing, I welcome it here. I think it is high time we discuss this big elephant in the room that few want to admit is there.
Bruce
If only we could see that the danger in riches is not the riches themselves, but the trusting in them. Why should we seek the comfort that only God can offer us, the indwelling Spirit, if we seek with all our hearts after the creature comforts this life has to offer? How can we believe the amazing promises of God if our hearts are not willing to sell all to get the pearl of great price? This is why we are warned again and again about the deceitfulness of riches. It divides our heart and makes true faith towards God impossible.
Do not console yourself if you do not consider yourself rich. To many in the world, you arerich beyond belief. Perhaps in your mind, not so. It makes no difference. It is where your heart is towards them that is the great revealer of where your heart lies. You may be surviving on $9.00 per hour, and still find covetousness and avarice rules your thoughts. As Paul clearly says, it is also to them that would be rich, not just those that are.
"But they that would be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."
1 Timothy 6:9
It brings to mind Esau, who traded his birthright for a mess of pottage, demanding immediate gratification rather than the patience and wisdom to wait for true riches. Thank God there is also a Moses, who gave up the riches and power he had in Egypt and counted his service to God of more value. Thank God there is a Paul, who willingly threw off the esteem of man as "the pharisee of the pharisees", and set his affections solely upon Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings.
How did Paul put it? He said that the riches of man, the praise of others, are but dung, and not worthy to even be compared to the glory that Christ shall reveal IN US! Where is our treasure? Is it here? Then we best get to enjoying it for this is all we get. Or are we wise amongst fools, knowing that the treasure we seek is a heavenly one. Yet how wonderful our Lord is to give us the downpayment, the earnest of our inheritance here on earth....Christ in us, and the victory of walking free indeed in Him.
If only we could understand that Heaven is but the beginning of the unfolding of the goodness of God. Do you fear you will be bored in Heaven? Don't count on it. Listen to this promise of our Father!:
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has even entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for them that love Him."
1 Corinthians 2:9
Do you see this? Let your imagination soar! Walk to the far extremes of your imagination as to how God might award us for being overcomers. It is not even close. There are ages to come...ages! Now revelations of His wonderful love for us. Shall we live as brute beasts as Esau did, and tell God "No thanks, I'll take my reward now, if you please." Shall be be like Ananias and Saphira who tried the best they could to have one foot in this world and another in the kingsom of God?
The valley of decision is now coming into view for many who have tried to experience the glorious liberty of the children of God with their feet firmlyplanted in this life. God has up till now been patient with our procrastination. But soon, tonot make a decision that we will follow our Lord no matter what the cost, is to have already made it. Thank God it is still not too late to repent and throw ourselfves upon the mercy of God to save us from the deception the enemy has thrown in our paths.
But you might argue..."Hey! If I got a lot of money, I would use it for His kingdom...for helping the poor...to relieve the struggles of brothers in the church." Perhaps, but do not be too sure of that. Have you been faithful to do this with littlet thus far in your walk? If not, then neither will you if you win the lottery or get the huge promotion.
Jesus asks each of us, "Lovest thou me more than these?" These things? These praises of men? These worldly pleasures? Do you really love me with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength? He is not talking about our church doctrine, or a memorized law. This is a real question and the Lord will one day get a real answer. For many, I fear, the answer will lead to weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, for then there will be no second chances. The time of repentance has passed away into oblivion.
All that can be shaken, will be shaken. No one will end up sitting on the fence. We cannot serve both God and mammon. CANNOT.
Understand, it is not the things themselves that are the issue. You can give it all away, and still be empty. Make God your treasure. Seek Him like you are digging for gold. He is not far off, and has promised thst we will seek Him and we will find Him, when we seek Him with our WHOLE hearts.
If you have an opinion, either agreeing or disagreeing, I welcome it here. I think it is high time we discuss this big elephant in the room that few want to admit is there.
Bruce
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath set you free!
How well we all know that the flesh is easily enticed! Without Christ in us, we have no hope. But I have been reading Romans 6-8, Second Corinthians 5 and the entire book of Galatians and over and over God is showing that we are new creations, and the flesh no longer has a grip on our souls. Satan has succeeded in lying to us and we have bought it, hook, line and sinker. The salvation our Lord has purchased for us, the glorious liberty of the children of God, has been turned into a place of defeat and holding on, rather that one of joy unspeakable and full of glory.
But in these last days, God is revealing the truth of the new covenant that applies to all who love him in truth. No more are God’s children to labor under the bondage that the old covenant, the law, generates in our souls.
Let us finally accept the pronouncement of guilty the law has for any who breaks even one of the commandments. And what do we deserve as the penalty? Death. But listen, saints of God! When Jesus died, becoming sin for us, He paid our penalty! We died with him! And as Christ arose from the dead, we have too.
We are now new creatures, and we cannot be declared sinners any longer. Why? Because the law has no more hold on us, as it only have a hold on a man as long as he lives, and we died with Christ.
The law can no more tell us we are sinners, for it does not any longer apply to us, we who have Christ inside. Do we still have character flaws that need to be infused with the character of the one living inside us? YES! ((and some, like me, more than others!) But it is so very important that we see ourselves as Christ sees us. We are justified, thoroughly cleansed of the old nature, from where the lusts of the flesh are born.
The law has no more sway on us. We have escaped it, not by ignoring it, but by having submitted to it in Christ! We accepted its punishment- death. We that have accepted Christ were baptized into His death. Why? So that like as Christ rose to live ever more to God, so should we!
I have found it is only as I stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made me free (IT IS FINISHED!) that I find the power to defeat the flesh's wishes. I have found that what is hard now(...no...impossible!) becomes easier and easier as we walk in our new nature by faith, and the things that tripped us up before so very easily, lose their power over us.
But if I allow myself to listen to the accuser of the brethren, and agree once again that I remain a sinner with an old nature still intact, I am placing myself back under the law. I am saying to God "No, I am not clean. No, I am not justified. I am still a sinner!" and the strength of the flesh remains and thus the sins that follow it.
Oh, how I wish I could crawl into the hearts and minds of all of God's children and rip out the lie satan has had us all buy into. We were sinners. As Paul says so beautifully:
"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
1 Corinthians 6:11
For us who are in Christ, the law pronounced its sentence. We received it....death when we accepted Jesus, for His death became ours. Once dead, we are out from under the law's grip, and we can be pronounced sinners no more.
Who are we then? We are the righteousness of God in Christ! We are justified, pronounced thoroughly clean! There is therefore now no condemnation on us, if we slip as we walk towards Jesus.
And if we slip, what then? Do we run back under the law and accepts its judgement and the condemnation it brings? NO! We aerve now in a new and living way. We repent, we confess our failure and we receive cleansing...full cleansing.
What is the state of our souls? Sinners? No! Justified, thoroughly cleansed children of God! Thus we walk on again with Him, all the while understanding we have been justified, and as we are now children of God, then His blood, the blood of the new covenant, continually cleanses us. It is a fountain that never runs dry, continually keeping us pure before our God. Amazing God that we serve!
Without this shield of faith, and if we buy into the lie that we are once again just sinners saved by grace, trying the best we can to become new for Him, we inadvertently are placing ourselves back under the authority of the law, and guilt follows, as does separation from God. Understand, dear brother.Let it sink in deep, sister in the Lord, We cannot walk in grace and law at the same time. It is serving two master and it is impossible.
Why? Because in our minds and hearts, we have laid down the truth of our FULL justification and accepted as fact from the mouth of our enemy that the blood of Christ does NOT cleanse us from ALL sin and thus, the condemnation that comes with the law comes back upon us. The battle now is not between God and satan. It is the battle in our minds and hearts, and we are urged to fight the good fight of faith. Shall we not believe our God?
"for as a man thinketh in His heart, so is he."
But praise God! Why should we who are dead to sin and guilt and condemnation give place for one minute more to the devil, the ultimate liar? There is therefore now NO condemnation in God's judgement. Shall we not cling to Him with broken thankful justified hearts?
I have found this in my own walk towards the glorious light of God. If I walk with a clean heart towards Him, holding fast my profession of faith in what my Lord has already accomplished, I do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. But if I allow myself to be blinded to who I am in Christ, or begin to think I can stand on my own, then I lower my shield, the accusations of the enemy find their mark once again, and I am brought back under guilt as I make myself a sinner. It is guaranteed that condemnation is sure to follow. So does more sin.
At the end of Galatians Paul says this:
"For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."
Galatians 6:5
We are new...NOW! We are not trying to become new. We are not to die to the old nature a little at a time. The old nature is a never ceasing cesspool of selfishness and lusts of the flesh. The only way to finally defeat the lusts of the flesh is to walk with our minds and hearts agreeing with God on the matter.
And what is that truth, the truth that really does set us free? Listen to God! Believe his amazing words! We are not in the flesh, we are told, but in the spirit. We are not the old man trying with all our might to be good. It is impossible! We are now new creatures in Christ. Old things are passed away...gone! The old man is dead! Long live the new man!
Therefore we do not let satan get an advantage over us any longer. If we fall, we confess to God, repent and IMMEDIATELY get up and again hold up our shield of faith, knowing this to be true, for our God hath declaried it.
I am the righteousness of God in Christ.
This is truth, and if we continue in it? The truth SHALL set us free indeed. And the sins we have found impossible to defeat will fall away from our lives like withered leaves from a tree that has had the ax laid to its roots.
How I wish that my words could open up eyes to see the truths of the full glory of our new covenant, and that the hold that the old covenant, the law, is been broken forever. The law, and the guilt it brings, is past. It has no more hold on us as children of God.
But my words cannot do the work. This is the job of the spirit inside us that must illuminate and draws all men to Him. I just pray right now that the spirit illuminate the truths of what Christ really accomplished for us on the cross. Forgiveness of old sins? Absolutely. But oh, if we could but understand and accept willingly, hungrily, the gift of the new nature He has freely given to us!
In Him we are free. Stand fast!
How well we all know that the flesh is easily enticed! Without Christ in us, we have no hope. But I have been reading Romans 6-8, Second Corinthians 5 and the entire book of Galatians and over and over God is showing that we are new creations, and the flesh no longer has a grip on our souls. Satan has succeeded in lying to us and we have bought it, hook, line and sinker. The salvation our Lord has purchased for us, the glorious liberty of the children of God, has been turned into a place of defeat and holding on, rather that one of joy unspeakable and full of glory.
But in these last days, God is revealing the truth of the new covenant that applies to all who love him in truth. No more are God’s children to labor under the bondage that the old covenant, the law, generates in our souls.
Let us finally accept the pronouncement of guilty the law has for any who breaks even one of the commandments. And what do we deserve as the penalty? Death. But listen, saints of God! When Jesus died, becoming sin for us, He paid our penalty! We died with him! And as Christ arose from the dead, we have too.
We are now new creatures, and we cannot be declared sinners any longer. Why? Because the law has no more hold on us, as it only have a hold on a man as long as he lives, and we died with Christ.
The law can no more tell us we are sinners, for it does not any longer apply to us, we who have Christ inside. Do we still have character flaws that need to be infused with the character of the one living inside us? YES! ((and some, like me, more than others!) But it is so very important that we see ourselves as Christ sees us. We are justified, thoroughly cleansed of the old nature, from where the lusts of the flesh are born.
The law has no more sway on us. We have escaped it, not by ignoring it, but by having submitted to it in Christ! We accepted its punishment- death. We that have accepted Christ were baptized into His death. Why? So that like as Christ rose to live ever more to God, so should we!
I have found it is only as I stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made me free (IT IS FINISHED!) that I find the power to defeat the flesh's wishes. I have found that what is hard now(...no...impossible!) becomes easier and easier as we walk in our new nature by faith, and the things that tripped us up before so very easily, lose their power over us.
But if I allow myself to listen to the accuser of the brethren, and agree once again that I remain a sinner with an old nature still intact, I am placing myself back under the law. I am saying to God "No, I am not clean. No, I am not justified. I am still a sinner!" and the strength of the flesh remains and thus the sins that follow it.
Oh, how I wish I could crawl into the hearts and minds of all of God's children and rip out the lie satan has had us all buy into. We were sinners. As Paul says so beautifully:
"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
1 Corinthians 6:11
For us who are in Christ, the law pronounced its sentence. We received it....death when we accepted Jesus, for His death became ours. Once dead, we are out from under the law's grip, and we can be pronounced sinners no more.
Who are we then? We are the righteousness of God in Christ! We are justified, pronounced thoroughly clean! There is therefore now no condemnation on us, if we slip as we walk towards Jesus.
And if we slip, what then? Do we run back under the law and accepts its judgement and the condemnation it brings? NO! We aerve now in a new and living way. We repent, we confess our failure and we receive cleansing...full cleansing.
What is the state of our souls? Sinners? No! Justified, thoroughly cleansed children of God! Thus we walk on again with Him, all the while understanding we have been justified, and as we are now children of God, then His blood, the blood of the new covenant, continually cleanses us. It is a fountain that never runs dry, continually keeping us pure before our God. Amazing God that we serve!
Without this shield of faith, and if we buy into the lie that we are once again just sinners saved by grace, trying the best we can to become new for Him, we inadvertently are placing ourselves back under the authority of the law, and guilt follows, as does separation from God. Understand, dear brother.Let it sink in deep, sister in the Lord, We cannot walk in grace and law at the same time. It is serving two master and it is impossible.
Why? Because in our minds and hearts, we have laid down the truth of our FULL justification and accepted as fact from the mouth of our enemy that the blood of Christ does NOT cleanse us from ALL sin and thus, the condemnation that comes with the law comes back upon us. The battle now is not between God and satan. It is the battle in our minds and hearts, and we are urged to fight the good fight of faith. Shall we not believe our God?
"for as a man thinketh in His heart, so is he."
But praise God! Why should we who are dead to sin and guilt and condemnation give place for one minute more to the devil, the ultimate liar? There is therefore now NO condemnation in God's judgement. Shall we not cling to Him with broken thankful justified hearts?
I have found this in my own walk towards the glorious light of God. If I walk with a clean heart towards Him, holding fast my profession of faith in what my Lord has already accomplished, I do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. But if I allow myself to be blinded to who I am in Christ, or begin to think I can stand on my own, then I lower my shield, the accusations of the enemy find their mark once again, and I am brought back under guilt as I make myself a sinner. It is guaranteed that condemnation is sure to follow. So does more sin.
At the end of Galatians Paul says this:
"For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."
Galatians 6:5
We are new...NOW! We are not trying to become new. We are not to die to the old nature a little at a time. The old nature is a never ceasing cesspool of selfishness and lusts of the flesh. The only way to finally defeat the lusts of the flesh is to walk with our minds and hearts agreeing with God on the matter.
And what is that truth, the truth that really does set us free? Listen to God! Believe his amazing words! We are not in the flesh, we are told, but in the spirit. We are not the old man trying with all our might to be good. It is impossible! We are now new creatures in Christ. Old things are passed away...gone! The old man is dead! Long live the new man!
Therefore we do not let satan get an advantage over us any longer. If we fall, we confess to God, repent and IMMEDIATELY get up and again hold up our shield of faith, knowing this to be true, for our God hath declaried it.
I am the righteousness of God in Christ.
This is truth, and if we continue in it? The truth SHALL set us free indeed. And the sins we have found impossible to defeat will fall away from our lives like withered leaves from a tree that has had the ax laid to its roots.
How I wish that my words could open up eyes to see the truths of the full glory of our new covenant, and that the hold that the old covenant, the law, is been broken forever. The law, and the guilt it brings, is past. It has no more hold on us as children of God.
But my words cannot do the work. This is the job of the spirit inside us that must illuminate and draws all men to Him. I just pray right now that the spirit illuminate the truths of what Christ really accomplished for us on the cross. Forgiveness of old sins? Absolutely. But oh, if we could but understand and accept willingly, hungrily, the gift of the new nature He has freely given to us!
In Him we are free. Stand fast!
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