Archive for the ‘wilderness’ Category

A life Liberated from Sin Rom 6-8 (Pt 2 Rom 6)

Posted: May 12, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , ,
0

ROMANS CHAPTER SIX:

SERVANT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
by George E. (Jed) Smock

A Pharisee, who was a lawyer, tempted Jesus by asking, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:36-40).

The Pharisees were angry with Jesus because He taught the spirit (purpose) of God’s law, as well as the letter. Their anger turned to rage when Jesus made it clear that the spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law.

The Pharisees had been very clever at appealing to the letter of the law as a means of evading the spiritual requirement of the law. They neither loved God nor their neighbor but used their knowledge of the law to exalt themselves and repress their neighbor. Jesus exposed their hypocrisy, but instead of repenting, they chose to murder the Truthbearer.

The Stupid Question

Paul anticipated that, even as men used the law to promote their selfish interests, sophists would abuse his teaching with the captious objection: “If our sin afforded God the opportunity to demonstrate His grace, why not sin even more so God may demonstrate even greater grace?”

History has certainly proven Paul to be correct in his concerns that men would pervert the doctrine of the grace of God and debase it into a license to sin. Therefore, Paul opens chapter 6 of his epistle by raising the question himself in order to put to silence their caviling:

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

It is disgraceful that anyone would even entertain such thoughts. But throughout church history men have, in the name of extolling grace, actually degenerated grace into an excuse to sin. The popular C. S. Lovett makes the appalling claim: “Sin plays an important role in the believer’s life. It is the battle AGAINST sin…and our failures…that builds spiritual muscle. When we’re shaken by failure to the point of saying, ‘I’m not going to let that happen again,’ we build determination. We may not reach the place where it doesn’t happen again, but in the process…WE CHANGE. We end up hating sin more than ever, something that could never happen without failure. For that reason, GOD’S PLAN GUARANTEES WE’LL FALL AT TIMES” (Maranatha Family Mini-Magazine, November, 1999).

This is a fatal concept of spiritual growth. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). There is nowhere that the Scriptures indicate that sin builds our character or brings spiritual maturity. Instead, the Bible commands us over and over to live godly lives and avoid sin at all cost. Whereas it is true that God is able to turn our failures into victories, how much more can He turn our victories into even greater conquests? Far be it from the God of Righteousness to guarantee that we fall into sin. On the contrary, He has promised that we can live without it: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Sin was not given that we might be overcomers, but the Scriptures were given to be profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

And what say the Scriptures? They teach that obedience was not even automatic for the Son of God, but He learned obedience by the things which He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Jesus did not build strength against sin by sinning, but by suffering for righteousness. The Bible does guarantee that we will have to learn some hard lessons: All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).

The Apostle Peter reminds us, Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin (1 Peter 4:1). In a state of suffering, the mind loses its relish for sin. However, the minds of most so-called Christians are so preoccupied with the world that they loathe persecution and delight in sin.

Paul tells us we are God’s children, If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together (Romans 8:17). What sort of suffering was he talking about? The suffering that was commonplace in the first century church at Rome: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril and sword. Because of their testimony for Christ, the early Christians daily faced the possibility of martyrdom. But in all these things they were more than conquerors (Romans 8:35-37). These people were not suffering for sin’s sake, but for the sake of righteousness.

What damning evidence that the church is at ease in Zion, when a popular leader can teach that, “God has set things up so that it is guaranteed that you and I will sin.” Leaders need to be aware that their sin-excusing doctrines are turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (Jude 4).

The Obvious Answer

Paul answers all defenders of sin with a resounding denial that sin is in any way part of God’s plan under grace.

2 God forbid! How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Paul appeals to simple logic. He expects his readers to answer the question like this: “Obviously not — never! ”

One does not need a Doctor of Theology degree to answer Paul’s question. It is inconceivable for those who are dead to sin to keep living in it. Yet, instead of accepting the obvious and sensible answer, sophisticated theologians and ministers spend a lifetime figuring a way that man can be dead to sin and continue in it. One is either dead in sin or dead to sin. These are voluntary states.

Death to sin involves the demise of selfishness and the rise of perfect love to both God and man in heart and life. The one who is dead to sin has no other will but God’s will as his chief pursuit in life. Death to sin results in a life of self-denial with eternal aims. In contrast, to be dead in sin implies a life committed to self-indulgence with temporal aims.

Death to sin means a life committed to giving to others at the expense of oneself. Death in sin represents a life of taking for oneself at the expense of others. Others is the first concern of those dead to sin; self is the primary consideration of those dead in sin.

Some apologists for sin have had the audacity to appeal to Paul’s testimony to the Corinthians, I die daily, to excuse continuing in sin. But Paul was not saying that he died to sin daily. The context makes clear that his life was constantly in danger, even to the point of having to fight with beasts at Ephesus. Then after warning the brethren to avoid bad company, he cries, Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame (1 Corinthians 15:30 34).

What could be more simple? Stop sinning! What a reproach it is to Christianity that many who claim to be Christians do not even understand the basics of righteousness and abuse the doctrine of grace to excuse their lukewarmness and low living.

3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?

It is questionable whether Paul is referring to water baptism in these verses, or the spiritual baptism which occurs when one is born again. Few things in the Church have caused more controversy and division than the issue of water baptism. Should it be by immersion, or is sprinkling adequate? Must it be in Jesus’ name, or in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost? Or for that matter, is water baptism even necessary today? In all the debate, most miss the really important point: baptism is supposed to represent the fact that we have made a commitment to forsake all sin. Just as no spark of life remained in Jesus’ body after His death on the cross, no sin is to remain in our lives as a result of our faith in Christ. Sin is to have no more influence on us than a dead body has on its departed spirit. “Don’t you know this?” Paul is asking. “This is something you are supposed to know! These are the basics.”

Death and Resurrection

4 Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The evidence that our baptism is valid is not the formula, but that we are living a new life as a result of being dead to the old. Christianity is a new life. At conversion, we step out of Satan’s kingdom into God’s kingdom, out of darkness into light. Baptism is supposed to represent this great change; if we have not changed, then we are just wet sinners. If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection:

By faith we are united with Christ in His death, evidenced by His physical death and our death to sin. We have not yet obtained our resurrected bodies, so we are still subject to weaknesses and infirmities; and we have limited understanding and knowledge. However, we are not still prone to sin. Since we walk in the light that we understand, with a pure heart, we are disposed to obey God.

Paul prayed, That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:10 12). The perfection Paul had not yet acquired was his glorified body which, if he endured unto the end, he would receive after his physical death. Just after claiming he has not yet reached perfection, Paul asserts, Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded (Philippians 3:15). In the latter verse, he is claiming a moral perfection which he and others had already received. The perfection he is pursuing in the former verse is physical. This kind of perfection he hoped to obtain in the next life, when, The Lord Jesus Christ shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body (Philippians 3:21). Our present body is “vile,” not in the sense of being intrinsically evil, but it is the body of our humiliation which has been mentally and physically weakened and subject to death because of sin. After we have endured unto the end, we shall receive our glorified bodies and be like Jesus Christ physically.

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [Christ], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

If we are going to be free from sin, we need to have knowledge. Faith is based upon knowledge. Jesus said, “Know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” We need to know that they that ire Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. We are to consider the death of the flesh as an accomplished fact.

When we accept Christ as Savior, we immediately receive a new nature, the Divine nature. However, many teach that we still keep the old nature (the old man or Adamic nature) as long as we live on earth. C.S. Lovett is representative of this view: “The Christian has one nature which can ONLY SIN and another which CANNOT, he lives in the valley of decision between his two natures, he suffers those stresses which make for Christian growth. Without those two natures, there is no way for any believer to mature in the likeness of the Lord….To my mind this truth is second only to the truth of our salvation through faith in Christ” (Maranatha Family Mini Magazine, October, 1989).

Utter deception! The old man is not an actual entity lodged within the believer, struggling to take dominion once again, but merely the old way of life committed to self-indulgence. The old man refers to the body ruled by sin. We are the creators of the old man; he was conceived by our wills. We are responsible for him. The old man dies at conversion and should be buried and forgotten. Paul affirms this in 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. The old man cannot be living and dead at the same time. The new man, the Christian committed to a life of self-denial, is alive. The new man is the body ruled by righteousness. The old man can only be resurrected should we choose selfishness; in which case the new man would be dead in sin and dead unto Christ. Sin can still slay the new man and bring the old to life again.

The phrase, body of sin, is used synonymously with the old man. The body of sin denotes the body, willfully enslaved to the power and dominion of sin; but, as a result of our faith in Jesus Christ, this body has been destroyed to be replaced by a body of righteousness, devoted to the service of God and man. This is figuratively speaking. The new birth does not produce any physical change, but a moral and spiritual change. Our bodies are now employed to love our neighbor (the moral obligation) and our Creator (the spiritual obligation), as He originally intended.

Paul makes clear in another epistle that he did not consider that the old man still lived as a warring sibling with the new: Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him (Colossians 3:9 10).

Our nature is what we do naturally as a result of our choice to live either selfishly or lovingly. No one has two natures existing in him at the same time. For those living selfishly, it is natural to sin; for those living lovingly, it is natural to do what is right. They do not have to struggle to keep from sinning. Generally, it would take a great effort in order to get them to sin because they hate sin. God’s commandments are not difficult for those who love Him (I John 5:3). Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden is light.

7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Now this is not talking about physical death. Many believe that we will not be free from the power and dominion of sin as believers, until our spirits — our souls — leave this body, until we die physically and the old nature drops off. We learn from the context of verse 2 — How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? — that the reference is about death to sin, not a physical death. If it is physical death that ultimately is going to bring us victory over sin, then that makes death our savior. What? Are we to believe the penalty of sin becomes the destroyer of sin? No! Physical death is not our savior; Jesus is our Savior. It is His death, His blood, that cleanses us from all sin.

It is ironic that fundamentalists who are so quick to condemn Roman Catholics for their unscriptural doctrine of Purgatory, must themselves believe in Death Purgatory, unless they believe that there will be sin in Heaven, or unless they conclude that the body itself is sinful, which is a pagan doctrine. One wonders what these people think happens to the Christian’s sin nature at death. Does it go to Hell? Rot in the grave? Or is it finally cleansed and taken to Heaven? Actually, all sin must be purged in this life by repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ or it will never be removed.

There is nothing in our physical bodies that has ever caused us to sin. The source of sin is in our wills. Sin is not objective but subjective. It has no existence independent of our wills. Lucifer brought sin into existence when he rebelled against God. Adam chose to follow Satan into sin. And men have all chosen to follow Adam into sin. The body is morally neutral. In the unbeliever the body is the instrument of sin. In the believer it becomes an instrument of righteousness — yes, even a weapon of warfare battling to destroy sin in the world. Physical death will change nothing in our spiritual nature. We will enter eternity with the same character and personality that we had at the moment of our departure from this world: He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still (Revelation 22:11).

8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him:

“If” is the biggest little word in the English language. If we be dead with Christ, — that is dead to sin, dead to the world, dead to the lusts of the flesh — then we shall live with Him. If we are still alive to sin, the world and the flesh, then we will not live with Christ, but will die in our trespasses and sins.

9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him.

Since Christ has been once raised from the dead, He will never die again. He conquered death.

10 For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God.

Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews clarifies his meaning: But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever, sat down on the right hand of God….For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified (Hebrews 10:12-14). Under the old covenant the priests daily offered sacrifices for sin. But Jesus once, for all and forever, made an atonement for sin. He is now living in unbroken fellowship with His Father.

I Reckon So

11 Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

As Christ has dealt with sin once and for all, so through repentance and faith in the work of Christ: should we make sure that our sins are in the past. Forevermore, we need to consider ourselves dead, in practice, unto sin, not merely in theory. Anyone who is professing Christ, but is still sinning, is deceived and dead, indeed, to God.

I was preaching on campus, and a student who claimed to be a Christian asked me, “Well, aren’t you a sinner?”

I said, “No, I’m not a sinner. We Christians are saints.”

He said, “You mean to tell me that you don’t sin daily in thought, word, and deed?”

I replied, “No. Do you?”

He answered, “Yes, everybody sins daily in thought, word, and deed.”

“You mean to tell me that you can’t go a day without sinning?”

“No!”

I asked, “Well, could you go an hour without sinning.

“I don’t see how.”

I inquired, “Could you go five minutes without sinning?”

He reluctantly answered, “Oh, I suppose.”

“Well, friend, if you can go five minutes without sinning, you ought to be able to go an hour; if you can go an hour without sinning, you should be able to go a day; if a day–a week, if a week–a month, if a month–a year. And if you can go for a year without sinning, by the grace of God, you ought to be able to live above sin for the rest of your life!”

His answer was, “Well, if you don’t sin a little bit every day, I don’t see how you can call yourself a Christian!” And he stomped off.

He had a problem. He did not reckon himself to be dead indeed unto sin. First, you must believe it to be so, because we cannot rise above our faith. If we are going to think of ourselves as sinners, and think of ourselves as sinning daily in thought, word and deed, then we probably will. It is very important that we have our theology straight and our doctrine correct. We must reckon ourselves dead to sin. If we are not thinking correctly, then we will probably not be acting rightly.

12 Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Paul personifies sin as a tyrant, a dictator whom we should thrust from the throne of our lives so that righteousness might rule. Clearly, Paul teaches that sin is a choice, not a causation dwelling somewhere in the depths of our person. It is our responsibility to turn sin away, whenever it should try to regain the throne of our lives. Sin can be obeyed or disobeyed.

True Christians disobey sin and obey righteousness. If we allow any form of sin to live in us, it will take dominion over us. It must be totally cast out or it will be our king. This verse refutes the erroneous view that the body of the regenerate man is the source of sin, and that the spirit is holy and cannot sin. The truth is that the inner man decides what the body will do.

Yield to the Right

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

The word “yield” shows that sin is an act of the will, not a mysterious substance behind our will causing us to sin. The exhortation to “yield” our members as instruments of righteousness reveals that righteousness is also a choice, not something that God infuses into a believer at conversion.

Believing implies yielding our wills unto God, submitting completely unto Him. This is saving faith. Paul challenges, in Romans chapter 12, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Notice, Paul does not say, “God knows that you are only human and can’t help but sin.” Instead he makes it clear that it is but our reasonable service — after all that Christ has done for us — to present our bodies as a holy sacrifice. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. What is the will of God? It is the will of God for you to be holy. This is the will of God, Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, even your sanctification. He wills that we be separated from sin, the world and the lusts of the flesh, so that we may be vessels of honor fit for the Master’s use. People are seeking the will of God about going here or there, taking this job or that job, or marrying this one or that one, or even about what ministry to enter while they are continuing to live in sin. This is nothing but hypocrisy and gross deception. God wants obedience, not sacrifice. God desires people who delight in pleasing Him with a pure life, not with sacrifices that cover their selfishness. Anyone with sin in his life cannot possibly be in the will of God.

Law or Grace

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

When Paul says that we are not under the law, in what sense are we not under the law? We are not under the curse of the law which is condemnation and death. But that doesn’t mean that we, as Christians, are free from the obligation to obey the moral law of God.

Not under the law also means that we are not under the law as our means to justification. We are justified by the grace of God, through faith in the atonement of Christ Jesus. Having transgressed the law, we cannot simply say, “Okay, God, I see that I have lived wrong. Please forgive me, from now on I’m going to obey you.” We cannot expect God to reply, “All right, I forgive you.” God must, in the interests of the common good, uphold the authority of His moral government. A just God has to condemn sinners eternally, unless an atonement be made that will as impressively uphold the authority of the law. The sufferings and death of the Son of God provided the condition, rendering it righteous for the Father to justify sinners upon the requirements of their repentance and faith in Jesus’ atonement.

We are not under the rites and rituals of the ceremonial law with all the embellishments of the rabbis. We do not have to offer animal sacrifices, nor are we obligated to keep kosher or be circumcised, etc.

Christians are not under law in the sense that they are not primarily motivated to obey out of fear of punishment for transgression, or hope of reward for obedience. Christians are under grace; that is, they are motivated to keep the law’s moral precepts by the love that extended grace to them in the first place. Those under grace are free to obey; those under the law are slaves to sin.

Usually, we hear grace defined as the undeserved, unmerited favor of God. Certainly, we have done nothing to merit salvation. All moral agents deserve Hell, since all have sinned. But the description of grace that we find in Titus chapter 2, in verses 11-14, implies much more: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. This is the grace of God that brings salvation. Salvation from what? Salvation from sin! Grace redeems us! Redeems us from what? From all iniquity, all sin!

The Angel said, And His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. Not in their sin, but He shall save His people from their sins. Grace changes and purifies men. Anyone who has not been delivered from all sin has not the grace of God. The same grace that forgives our sin, keeps us from sin. Grace is the favor of God. We cannot be under God’s favor if we are indulging in sin.

“But is there not a growth in grace?” Yes, but this does not mean that we are gradually to put off sin. Repentance and faith are conditions for being under grace. Repentance requires a complete break with all known sin. Justifying faith is a complete trust in the blood of Christ to cleanse us from all sin at the moment we acknowledge His death on our behalf.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Growing in grace implies maturing in the Lord as we better understand His character and ways and expectations for us. Holiness is walking in the light we understand with a right intention of heart. As we gain more light, through our study of His Word and communion with Him, we gain a deeper walk in the Spirit. As our knowledge of God increases, we will always be growing in grace, even in eternity.

“What if I am a Christian, and I still sin every day?” Either you were never truly converted or else you have fallen from grace. This is the only reasonable conclusion in the light of Romans 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Contrapositive logic would infer that if sin does have dominion, you are under law and not grace. Grace excludes sin. If sin still has control, then you are still under the curse and the penalty of the law. And, if you are sinning daily, then sin obviously has dominion. If you cannot get through a day without sinning then sin certainly has control over your life.

Preachers of holiness are often labeled legalists. The legalist label can do more harm to a minister’s acceptance by the church world than if he was exposed as an adulterer. For this reason pusillanimous preachers are afraid even to allude to God’s law for fear of being rejected or misunderstood.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid.

If the law forbids sin, how much more does grace? For if we sin wilfully [since all sin is wilful this would imply continuing in sin without repentance] after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29).

Many are under the impression that grace covers sin even though they continue to sin. They are insulting the Spirit of Grace. How much more does sin condemn the individual who knows that Christ died for the sins of mankind than the person who remains ignorant of this fact? Because guilt is always measured according to knowledge, the individual who has received the grace of God will be judged more severely, should he return to sin, than the person who has never come to a knowledge of Christ (Luke 12:47). There never was, nor will there ever be, a sacrifice that provides forgiveness for unrepentant sin, whether committed before or after the new birth, under either the old or new covenant.

Slaves to Habit

16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Jesus said, No man can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Now, either sin is your master, or righteousness is your master — one or the other. You cannot be serving two masters. Nevertheless, many teach that the Christian is serving two masters: sometimes he is serving righteousness, and sometimes he is serving sin. Some even declare that he is serving both at the same time. But all this is impossible. It defies simple logic. God demands entire obedience, and anything less than this is not service to Him. So you are either the servant of sin, or you are the servant of righteousness. Jesus made this clear: Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:17-20).

James also illustrates this point: Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh (James 3:11 12).

17 But God be thanked, that ye were (past tense — you were!) the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

God expects obedience from the heart. We need, not only to live righteously, we need also to love righteousness. We need to obey from the heart, that is, with the right motive. Our motive for obedience to God is our love for God and our love for our fellows. The love of God enables us to perform all that He requires. This love empowered Jesus to become obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Christ’s path in the Garden was an almost overwhelming burden to His soul. But His delight in doing His Father’s will encouraged Him to say, Not My will, but Thine be done.

Fear is not our motive — or our primary motive — as Christians. We are motivated by benevolence. Our churches are filled with people who have made professions of faith, out of the primary incentive of escaping Hell and hoping for Heaven. If that is your main reason for obedience to God, or for making a profession of faith, you have not arrived at true Christianity. You are a mere legalist.

You are like the wife who marries a man for his money. The husband discovers this and he is struck with grief. She is still his wife, but the legal relationship brings no joy. Since God knows our heart, He refuses to enter into a covenant relationship based on mere law; it must be rooted and grounded in love from both parties. God did not simply give His Son so that we could eat of the loaves and fishes and be filled. Jesus died to restore man to a loving relationship with His Maker.

We must obey out of a right heart, a right intention. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. God is looking at our hearts for a pure motive. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). Those who have selfish hearts, in fact, know not God.

18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Some wrongly assume that as a Christian you can sin and not be condemned for it. They call this freedom. But true Christian liberty is to be set free from the power and dominion of sin itself. We no longer have to sin; we owe no debt to sin — our debt is to our Savior, Who declared, 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 8:34-36). Sin enslaves; and slaves to sin will not have eternal life. But the Son sets us free from sin, so that we may serve righteousness and live with Him forever.

19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh:

You are so blinded by the infirmity of your flesh that you cannot see the obvious: you do not have to sin anymore. You have been set free. Wise up! Paul has been appealing to common sense. We do not find the meat of the Word in Romans 6. This is milk, just basic Christianity. Anyone in his right mind should understand that when we become Christians, our sinning days are over. Right-minded people are saints who refuse to sin; wrong-minded people are sinners who are bound to sin until they change their mind, that is, REPENT. To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17).

19b For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Sin demanded our all. Why should holiness require anything less? Should not our present zeal for righteousness and holiness surpass our former zeal for every possible sensuous indulgence?

In my ministry, when I preach the new birth, I am often asked, “How can you know you’re born again?”

I used to answer, “Well, if you’re born again, you’ll know it.”

I no longer think that is a very good answer; it implies that the new birth is some sort of feeling. But here is the test: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). What are the things that are passed away? Our sins! And all things are become new. For all things to become new, all the old has to go. Now we are committed unto righteousness (obedience unto the Divine will) and unto holiness (conformity to the Divine nature or character). Holiness is the principle under which we operate; righteousness is the fruit, or practice.

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

But now we are servants of righteousness, so we are free from sin.

Think about It!

21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

The shame of sin should be enough to keep any Christian far from it. Suppose a promiscuous woman is converted, marries and then returns to her former paramours. She is confronted by her husband. She explains to him, “I have this sexual nature that I can’t completely control. Surely, you don’t expect me to be totally faithful to you. I love you more than all others, but I simply can’t help going back occasionally to my former boyfriends. Only when I die and go to Heaven will I be free from lust.” Obviously, such a woman would be a shame to her husband. Likewise “Christians” who daily indulge ever-so-little in sin are a disgrace to the Spirit of Grace.

22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. His end will be everlasting destruction in Hell-fire.

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This verse has been used in evangelism as part of “the Roman road to salvation” so that most never think of applying it to the regenerate; however, Paul does. The oldest lie of the Devil is that sin is not deadly — our first parents fell for that one in the Garden. Today, multitudes of professing Christians, who are convinced that sin is deadly to the unregenerate, have believed Satan’s greater deception, that sin is not fatal to those who have once been born again. Remember, it took but one act of disobedience on the part of Adam and Eve to cast them out of the Garden. Yet so-called Christians still think that they can continue in sin and remain in the Kingdom of God. God does not have a double standard — The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). The Christian who decides to sin, by default chooses to return the gift of eternal life to God. Sin is the evidence that one has lost saving faith (Ephesians 6:16; Acts 15:9; 1 John 3:3).

Eternal life implies so much more than going to Heaven when we die. This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent (John 17:3). Eternal life is an intimate and holy relationship with the Father through His Son, so that we are able to say with our beloved brother, Paul, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me (Galatians 2:20).

There is no chapter in Scripture any clearer than Romans 6. Paul makes it plain that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ have provided total deliverance for all who believe. As we look into Romans 7, Paul shows us that this glorious freedom was never attained by those under law. Instead, all who struggle to please God in the flesh are doomed to a miserable existence. Paul makes this so vivid that no right-thinking Jew or Gentile would dare look to the Mosaic Covenant for salvation.

Be liberated from the prison of double mindedness!

Posted: May 8, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways”. (James 1:8)

As I was pondering this scripture this morning I heard the Spirit saying – “A double minded man is like he who is married and has a mistress, he torn between the two and faithful to neither”!

It really speaks to me (this verse) about not being tied to the world and attempting to serve the Lord as well – for you will be torn between the two and faithful to neither. Over the years as I look back I can see areas in my own life where this was the situation. I wanted to serve the Lord with my whole life, yet the things of this world would catch my eye and I would wonder between the two, often times with such an empty feeling in my heart.

This scripture also speaks to me about how we live our lives as Christians amongst each other. A double minded person will speak nice in the comfort of your company, then in the dark place will rip you to shreds with accusations while wadding stepping in the spiritually dark streams of gossip. Most often it is because they feel justified in doing so for they believe they have been shorted in some form or another. I find this often when people are jealous of others blessings or they see others being promoted in the church or work place before them and they feel that they should have been chosen.

I believe one of the reasons that I am able to discern this with people is because I once was a prisoner to double mindedness having been imprisoned in the same prideful spiritual darkened prison that they are standing in. It a punishing prison because you start to build up a false spiritual perception of how great you are to the point that you begin to become bitter, resentful and totally opposite of what the Lord has desired and purposed you to become. It will cost you friends,family, peace and joy. One must be like David and cry out to the Lord “Examine me, O God, and know my mind. Test me, and know my thoughts. See whether I am on an evil path. Then lead me on the everlasting path”. (Ps 139:23-24)

I remember when the Lord was dealing with me about this, Holy Ghost would softly speak to me the word “self-righteous judge” and then would show me where I had allowed the enemy to enter in through the door of rejection, which was held open with a spiritually door jam of pride. I would see the person or person who I had felt justified in believing that I had in some way been wronged by them and now I was passing false judgment upon them. Let me tell you what, when Holy Ghost brought that into a full revelation in my heart it was a battle in which my fleshly heart was torn to bits for the Light of truth shall always prevail over the lies of Hell. To this day I still ask Holy Ghost to search my heart and remove any wrongful thinking that has set itself up against the Word of God!

We need to be very cautious in regard to double mindedness friends – We must submit ourselves Holy Ghost and take action against every thought that enters our mind, by weighing them up against the Word of God in truth. Because if we do not we will battle with ungodly sinful, prideful, selfish and judgmental thoughts in our mind as the struggle between knowing what the Word says and what the flesh is saying will be tormenting. If we are not careful, our hearts can become hardened to the point where we no longer listen to what the Word and Holy Ghost is saying and begin to live having only the guidance of our own hearts, which we Know are deceptive and filled with darkness.

In this text I believe James is speaking of one who has his foot in two kingdoms, that of God’s and that of Satan’s –stuck between the promises of the Lord and the false promises of the world – one moment he appears to be following the Lord and in the next he appears to be following the ways of world – he at one moment believes the promises of God and the next moment being enticed by the desires of his heart chases after the false promises of the world – unstable is he for at any moment he might well place both feet in the wrong kingdom – he is as one teetering on the fence of his life’s path and we must be walking with Holy Ghost discernment being aware and on guard for such a person for in his indecision he might well reach out and grab hold of one who is yet matured and drag them along with him in his fall.

Friend, if this message is speaking to you today and you find that you two have been living a double life, with one foot in the Kingdom and one in the world – The Lord is standing at the door of your heart, desiring to come into your life with His fullness , bringing spiritual healing that you shall not be found as one being double minded in all your ways. That you not be found as one who is unjust in your judgments against your brothers and sisters in the Body. Jesus is indeed the Great Physician who will come in to do spiritual surgery in your life, you might well feel a little pain here and there, yet once it is completed you will see no scars and you will be spiritually restored!

Let us pay this prayer:

Lord let us not think so highly or ourselves. Let our spirit be humble and let us be critical of our own lives and of our own relationship with you. I ask that you help us to remove the beams from our eyes, not that we would cast bitter judgment, so we help one another remain faithful to your calling. Lord, let us not be as those who are double minded, tossed to and fro between Your righteous and Holy ways and that of the ways of this world. Father we thank you for Your Son, Holy Ghost and the cross which liberates us, destroying the very power of sin in our lives – Sent Holy Ghost today in to our hearts with the holy fire of truth that we may set free form all spiritual prisons in our lives. Refine us, mold us, break us, reform us into the image of Christ. Let our lives be lived so that others may call you faithful. Open our eyes to the pain in this world so that we can be used by you as instruments of change. In the Mighty and Powerful Name of Jesus, Amen

Friends, today the Father desires for you to walk in the purpose of your life – that you may experience everything that He has planned for you since before the world was formed. He loves you and desires only the best for you. He has never promised that we would all spend our time here on the earth resting on the mountain tops of comfort, being pain free – Yet He has promised to be a Father to us, a true King and such a King that has not left us unprotected or with out a guide – For He has sent Holy Ghost to be with us every step of the way – He has promised that He will never leave the side of His children or leave them orphaned– that He has encamped warriors about us, having sent forth His Angel’s to minister unto us.

If you have been walking in the valley of defeat, today is the day to start walking in the valley of victory – Allowing Holy Ghost to lead you through the valley of decision, where you surrender every right, action, word and thought to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, committing you whole life, every area into His hands.

Today we must be totally severed from the ways of this world, though we live in this world, our allegiance must be to the Kingdom of God – We must no longer be a bride who has a lover on the side for we can not serve two masters – being divided between to allegiances- we must allow Holy Ghost to remove all double mindedness in our lives- We must start living as true citizens of His Lordship and begin living in the Kingdom culture as Jesus taught us to live – not tossed about by the doctrines of this world and the doctrines of men – rather being fully engaged in and motivated, being led of Holy Ghost according the doctrines of our Christ, Yeshua!

For indeed we serve an Awesome God,

IHS,

Russ Welch

DOCTRINES IN LIGHT OF KINGDOM

Posted: May 6, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , ,
0

The word “doctrine” is a very religious sounding word. It sounds very important when used in relation to the church. Every religious order has its set of doctrines. There seems no end to the number of divisions caused by differences in doctrine.

No one knows the number of the multitudes of people who have been killed over religious doctrines. Conflicts and all-out wars have occurred through the centuries and continue today. Churches are split again and again; families, friends and nations are fractured by doctrinal disputes.

The word translated doctrine in the New Testament simply means “teaching.” Doctrine can be true or false teaching depending on the source. It could be a doctrine of God (Titus 2:10), or a doctrine of man (Col. 2:22), and even a doctrine of demons (1Tim. 4:1).

Most religious people and all denominations, sects, and cults are convinced that their system of theology is doctrine from God. Therefore, they see any teachings that do not align with their system of theology as doctrines of demons and/or doctrines of man.

Therefore, each group sees the other as deceived by doctrines of man or doctrines of demons; and, they see themselves as possessing doctrines of God. Doctrines tend to become sacred to the believer and, therefore, very resistant to change even when additional light comes from God. Doctrines can be passed from generation to generation for centuries without change.

In the limited light of the early reformation period of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, doctrines were developed in the church and passed down. These doctrines of then fresh light mixed with fallacious doctrines and practices of the past have been rooted into the church and are now considered precepts of truth in the church today. When a doctrine has been in place long enough, it may be considered sacred, though it may have begun as speculative. Once it is considered sacred, many people would die or kill rather than consider change.

One of the enemy’s most effective stratagems may be to pervert the truth of God by bringing forth doctrines of his own into the church. Centuries ago the powers of darkness brought doctrines into the then apostate church. Some of the doctrines of demons have become traditional, sacred doctrines carried forward into churches of today. The enemy affected the efforts of Bible translators of the early reformation period by coloring their selection of words according to some of these perverted or false doctrines.

In light of the continuing restoration of revelation, we must reexamine traditional doctrines by returning to the Greek and Hebrew text depending on the Holy Spirit to guide our pure heart toward truth. We must not defend doctrines solely because our particular branch of the church traditionally accepts them. It is not enough to believe doctrines just because we have believed them all of our lives. We must not substitute the stored data of our minds for the discernment of the Holy Spirit if we are to continue toward the powerful reality of the truth of God.

1 Tim 4:1, 6:3: Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness.
Receiving Truth Exposes Mixture

The “words of our Lord Jesus Christ may be used along with that “which accords with godliness as a measure of wholesome doctrine. Clearly, our Lord’s words in the Gospels primarily focused on the kingdom of God (the ruler-dominion of God) on earth. Godliness implies being in accord with the character and nature of God.

Therefore, any teaching, which does not appear to be in agreement with the words of Jesus Christ, nor in accord with the character and nature of God, should be reexamined. The words of Jesus are recorded in the Greek language in the New Testament. By the Word and the Spirit, we can know the words of Jesus and the character and nature of God. Any doctrine or teaching that seems to take away from the ruler-dominion (kingdom) of God on earth or in some way postpones or diminishes the victory over the powers of darkness is suspect and should be reexamined.

The false teacher and teaching can also be known by its fruit (Mat 7:15-20). In practice, any doctrine that does not seem to produce good fruit unto godliness in life should be reexamined.

Some questions we might ask regarding the fruit of a teaching are:

(1) Does the fruit of the teaching seem to allow the powers of darkness opportunity to function now?
(2) Does it in any way seem to promote ungodly behavior now?
(3) Does it provide false assurance to those who practice lawlessness?
(4) Does it create less motivation to serve God and seek His kingdom now?
(5) Does it seem to elevate anyone or anything equal to or above God?
(6) Does it cause us to despise prophecy or any other spiritual gifts?
(7) Does it tend to ascribe the works of God to the powers of darkness?
(8) Does it cause us to fear the powers of darkness?
(9) Does it cause us to not love our brothers or our enemies?
(10) Does it hinder our forgiving from the heart?

Our view of the answers to these and similar questions is not the final factor. Rather, it may be an indicator that the doctrine in question should be investigated.

The fruit of any doctrine is measured by the effect it has on those receiving the teaching. A true doctrine of God will motivate one toward godliness (alignment with the character and nature of God) and build faith, hope, and love. The teaching will promote godly behavior and activity toward profitable production of the will of God on earth. It should move the individual toward health and well being of spirit, soul, and body. A true doctrine of God will inspire a loving, respectful fear of God and a fearless disrespect for evil and the evil one. It will move the individual toward freedom from evil bondage to any person, place, or thing. A true teaching of God will move the person toward a total love for God and an allegiance to Him above anyone or anything else. It will move the individual toward alignment with God’s love and care for His creation including the earth and the fullness thereof.

1 Cor 10:26 KJV: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.
A true doctrine of God will implant God’s ways into man and the world.

The fruit of false doctrine will always tend to move toward the opposite of the true. It will tend to erode the principles and precepts of God and plant alternate ways. The doctrines of demons and/or man will allow or encourage movement away from alignment with the character and nature of God and will tend to weaken faith, hope, and love. It will tend to lessen godly behavior and activity of profitable production toward the will and purposes of God. It will tend to inspire a lack of respect for God and a fear of evil and the evil one. It will move the person toward bondage’s and addictions to a person, place or thing. Doctrines of demons and/or man will tend to create allegiances other than to God Himself. These false doctrines will cause the person to not love and care for God’s creation, especially the earth and all its fullness.

Many teachings emanated from the defeatist attitude of the oppressed, apostatized church of the Dark Ages and were carried forward into the early reformation. People had been enslaved in religious bondage’s for centuries. They had not experienced the power of God flowing through their lives. Deceived and unjust religious rulers had controlled their thoughts and beliefs by controlling the teachings of the church. The essence of the doctrines and their belief was that Christians could only expect to live in defeat, misery, poverty, and repression in this life. According to these doctrines, all potential blessing, victory, prosperity, and freedom would come to them only in heaven after they died.

The fulfillment of most of the promised blessings of God, which are for His children today, were moved forward in these teachings to heaven after death. Those promises, which directly referred to victorious living on earth and could not possibly be viewed as only for heaven, were seen as not for this time, but for after the future bodily return of Jesus to the earth.

Centuries of enslavement to fallacious doctrines have caused a slave mentality and a defeatist attitude to be formed within Christians much like the Egyptian enslavement had formed in the children of Israel. When it was time for the children of Israel to move into the Promised Land and possess it, they did not overcome their defeatist attitude caused by centuries of bondage. They did not adjust their beliefs to align with the will and plan of God.

Even the great miracles demonstrated to them in the wilderness had not repaired their slave-minded defeatist attitude. Their lack of respect for God’s power and their fear of evil made them easy prey for a false report and they did not receive the promise of God. Instead, they continued in the hardships of defeat. Only after that generation passed away and the next generation, who did not retain the old beliefs and attitudes, took over did the children of Israel enter victoriously into the promise of God.

Not until the twentieth century, the final moments of the sixth millennium, has there been an awakening, which has changed the defeatist attitude of the slave-minded church. There were great revivals and awakenings prior to the twentieth century in which many people became Christians. But, the focus of their salvation hope was heaven when they died, not the power and presence of God working in and through them to bring forth the rule of God into the world, to destroy the work of the devil, and establish the kingdom of God on earth.

Early American revivals were eventually squelched by denominational church disputes as different denomination leaders argued over the order of services and doctrinal positions.

Before the awakening of this current time, achieving holiness was often seen as striving to legalistically keep laws and rules. Though the church derived the laws and rules from the Bible, they became a bondage to the people. The people struggled with religious rules, without the teaching of the grace of God empowering the believer from within to live holy lives by faith. Some Christians are still affected by this view. This view tends to cause one to become a legalist and to seek to be holy by externally applying laws devised by the church.

Many others believe that holiness is unattainable in the experience of life and that they must depend on the mercy of God to forgive their continued unholiness. This view tends to lessen the search for further purification and holiness in life now, and accepts positional righteousness as a ticket to heaven that cannot be cancelled.

Both of these views are powerless to produce the power of Christ, the anointed One. They do not produce His anointing within God’s people to empower them to live holy lives. The spiritual awakening of the revelation of the kingdom of God, coming forth on earth by the anointing of Jesus Christ within God’s people, by the Holy Spirit, is restoring holiness and power to the people of God.

Rom 14:17: For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

1 Cor 4:20: For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

Keep on Pursuing Love
It Will Never Fail,
Ron McGatlin
http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

KINGDOM LIGHT

Posted: May 5, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , ,
0

Christ Jesus came from heaven to earth. He was born without an earthly father by the seed of God through the Holy Spirit. Jesus was born outside the lineage of Adam and is without the curse of Adam’s sin. He matured as a natural man without a sin heritage and was filled with God by the Holy Spirit at His baptism. Without the hindrance of a damaged soul, body, and spirit, He was one with His Father in heaven. All the love, power, and wisdom of God the Father abode in the man Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

Christ Jesus did not come to establish the Christian religion nor any other religion. He did not come to give us a religious order nor provide us with a set of ritualistic rules and practices to get us to heaven when we die. He came to redeem mankind and the kingdoms of earth. He came and now abides within believers to establish a very practical kingdom of God, one in which peace and good will toward man prevails. One of the mistakes of religious-thinking people is to consider Jesus as the champion of the Christian religion and compare Him to the champions of other religions of the world.

The supreme wisdom, truth, and understandings given through Jesus Christ are not for the purpose of being catalogued, classified, and labeled as religious doctrines and practices by man. The words of Jesus are not for establishing theology, religious services, or any other religious ritual. The teachings of Jesus are to be the foundational framework for guiding and empowering the individual and every form of authority in the world. The basic kingdom principles are not just a guide for religion or church. Every ruling authority must eventually structure the base of its function by the principles of God’s kingdom given through Christ Jesus. No other form or set of principles will ever lead to peace on earth and good will toward man.

The theme of the Bible is the message of Jesus. The message of Jesus is the kingdom of God or, said another way, the rule of God from heaven on earth through redeemed man. The message of Jesus is not just how to get to heaven when we die or how to establish a set of doctrines for our denomination. As we stop looking with religious eyes and begin to ask God for practical understanding of His Word to guide and empower our lives today, we may be amazed at how simple, practical, and real His Word really is; especially the teachings of Christ Jesus in the Gospels.

In the passing church age, many Christians separated the religious from the real within their minds. They would stand outside a church building and function in the real part of their thinking discussing things that are real to them, such as their jobs or a recent sporting event. Then, they would walk inside the church building, sit down, and subconsciously shift their minds to the unreal religious portion of their minds. Everything that happened, every word heard or spoken, was then affecting only the religious portion of their soul. Little, if any, crossed over into the reality portion of their minds. This great wall of separation within the individual prevented the principles and wisdom of God from greatly affecting their life experience. It was not available in the reality portion of their lives to guide their life decisions. Decisions about education, job, business, family, entertainment and other important areas of real life were made without the benefit of the supreme wisdom of God’s kingdom principles.

Religion can become a blinding force that can rob a person of sight. One may see the words of a portion of scripture and not see the meaning and application of it for his life. One may hear the Word spoken and yet not have ears to hear the powerful truth that will affect his or her daily life. The words spoken may have doctrinal or religious meaning for the religious portion of their lives and have little or no effect on the kingdom of God ruling their entire life. The instruction and empowering principles for kingdom living will not appear to the person looking at the Bible with religious eyes and denominationally colored vision.

I have been a part of church services where the Word from God was brought with power and obviously affected the people in the congregation. Yet, I was amazed to see the people shift at the final Amen, back to their real mode and resume conversation about recent sporting events and other such things as though nothing had happened. Only the religious part of their lives was affected and little or nothing changed in their daily lives.

Christ Jesus did not come to earth to fill a portion of our lives or to become a part of our lives. Christ must fill our entire life and become our life. The will of God will be done, and the kingdom of God will come in our lives when Jesus is our life. “Christ in you the hope of glory.”

Similarly, we must not interpret nor apply the Bible from a partitioned perspective. We must seek an undivided view of spiritual interpretation of the Bible for our whole life experience. True purpose for man’s life can only come from knowing God’s purpose from His words. The words of God are a living and powerful force guiding the metamorphosis of the heavenly kingdom of God on earth. A major purpose of man is to intimately relate to God in such a way that Christ is formed within him to establish the kingdom of God and rule and reign with him on the planet.

Ruling and reigning with Him encompasses every aspect of life, not just religious matters. All governments, businesses, families, schools, churches, and other institutions in the earth are to be ruled by Christ living in man. Science, technology, arts, all disciplines of knowledge and practice, and every skill of man are to be ruled by the indwelling Christ in man.

The kingdom of God is much larger than the local church. It is given birth from the church but grows to encompass all aspects of earth. The kingdom of God is larger than redemption. It is in part the reason for redemption and the purpose of the church. The kingdom of God and His righteous ways of doing and being will rule our lives and, eventually, our world as we individually and cumulatively seek Jesus, the message of God. Jesus is the message of the kingdom of God on earth from heaven. He is the King over all other rulers and authorities in the world. He is the Lord over all other men and angels or any created thing.

The King is now present on earth to rule and reign with believers. The message of Jesus, the gospel of the kingdom of God, is coming forth on earth by the indwelling Spirit of Christ within believers. Christ in you the hope of Glory (Col 1:27). He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father (John 14:12).

The enlightenment of the kingdom of God in the beginning of the seventh millennium challenges many of our traditional interpretations of scripture. Even the translations from the original language of the Bible coming forth during the sixth millennium beg to be reevaluated. A return to the original Greek and Hebrew text of the Bible
viewed in the light of the revelation of the kingdom is needed to clean up some religious traditions interpreted into our contemporary Bibles.

When the Apostles, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned the New Testament, they were often recording events they personally witnessed or heard directly from the Lord. Paul, for example, taught the kingdom of God from the perspective of personally experiencing the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit performing miracles of healing, deliverance, and personal protection. Kingdom power was a part of their daily lives, along with persecutions from the Jewish religious leaders and resistance from a few church leaders.

Though kingdom power and authority were a part of their everyday lives, they lived two thousand years ago. There has been movement toward the fulfillment of some things since that time. Sometimes, because the Bible is so everlasting and alive, I feel that we are still living in that same time frame. Of course, most things do not change in the spiritual realm. The Word of God is forever settled in heaven; and, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Though the Word never changes, our ability to understand it does change as God gives clarification of revelation by the Holy Spirit. Some people talk about returning to first century Christianity. I believe we are entering even a greater season. Seventh millennium kingdom reality will exceed that of the first century. I believe Paul and the others would say a big Amen to that.

Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom of God. After Pentecost the disciples had clear revelation of the gospel of the kingdom and proclaimed it with great power and clarity. Paul and others of his day had clearer revelation of the kingdom than any subsequent generation throughout the fifth and sixth millennia.

Paul, toward the end of his ministry, clearly warned that apostasy would soon occur within the church. The great apostasy that began after the first century caused the revelation of the kingdom and the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to be hidden and lost to the church in general. The great revelation and power of the first century was adulterated and lost as vast darkness covered the world. The church became a religious monstrosity as man’s fallen ways replaced the pure leadership of Jesus Christ working within men through the Holy Spirit.

The apostles of the Lamb and the disciples of the first century had a clear revelation of the kingdom of God. Their original writings in the Greek language reflected the understanding of the kingdom of God. Unfortunately, the major English translations of the Bible we have today were translated fifteen hundred or more years after the first century. The great apostasy of the dark ages caused the pure word of the kingdom to be perverted, as many false doctrines of religion affected man’s understanding and clouded the great gospel of the kingdom. Paul had warned that apostasy would come after he was gone. It came and caused the pure word of the kingdom of God to be taken from the church and replaced with other doctrines and rituals.

(Acts 20:29-31 NKJV) For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

In the second and third centuries, Christians were greatly persecuted. They were tortured, beheaded, burned, and thrown to wild beasts. Christians survived in caves, wilderness areas, and undercover in cities. Despite the attempt by Roman emperors to eradicate Christianity, it continued to spread and to remain relatively pure.

In the fourth century, Constantine, a Roman emperor, was miraculously converted to Christianity and made it the state religion, bringing an end to the great persecution. The state church of the fourth and fifth centuries was very different from the pilgrim spiritual church of the first three centuries. Constantine established Sunday as a day of worship and rest. During this time the church was no longer being purified by persecution and soon experienced an inrush of pagan ideas and ways. The church’s prosperity was its greatest peril. This was the beginning of corrupt leadership and practices within the church. Instead of the church separating itself from paganism it adapted to it.

Church leaders established a hierarchy of control and power. They fought for position, bought and sold religious favors and positions, openly lived immorally, and developed doctrines to favor their positions of power. The Papal system developed with a number of locally powerful Popes. Eventually the power shifted toward Rome and a universal, all-powerful Pope. In the fifth century the Barbarians overthrew a portion of the empire and some were converted to Christianity. However, their conversions were nominal and helped introduce increased pagan practices into the church.

Though some Popes were better than others, in general, from about the fifth to the fifteenth centuries, the corruption continued. The Spiritual life of the first century church was replaced with a politically powerful, corrupt, and very ritualistic religious system. In this system, the people were required to pay for forgiveness of their sins, the church collected taxes, and leaders made themselves as gods. Indulgences were sold–the greater the sin, the greater the price. The church became very rich. Church doctrines were established by the Papal hierarchy to bring political authority under the Pope. According to their rules, salvation or forgiveness of sins could not be had outside the Roman Catholic Church. It was absolutely necessary for every human creature, in order to obtain forgiveness, to be subject to the Roman Pontiff. Any one with a different view was considered a heretic. In an attempt to rid the world of heresy, the church killed many of them.

Though the church was polluted by perverted leadership and false doctrines, I personally believe that there were real Christians with godly beliefs and practices on the fringes and hidden within the church body. It seems from scripture that there is always at least a remnant of godly people during even the darkest of times. They may not be openly visible and history may pass them by but they are there (Romans 11:3-5).

The renaissance period of learning brought a renewed interest in the Hebrew and Greek scriptures, which began to expose the unscriptural corruption of the medieval church. Early reformers met with strong and deadly resistance from the church. The church began persecuting Christians instead of the Roman government persecuting them. The Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries began the modern reformation of Christianity. Spiritual truth began to be restored, piece-by- piece, as biblical teachings were revealed to men. The restoration of revelation continues today and the church continues to attempt to free itself of the lingering doctrines and rituals of the past apostasy.

It was during the early part of the current restoration period (1611) that King James authorized the English translation of the Bible that we still use today. It was in this period of limited, spiritual light and ritualistic, religious background that the Bible began to be translated into other languages. Over twenty major editions of the English New Testament appeared before the Hampton Court Conference in which King James approved the project that produced the King James Version (KJV). Most of these, as well as the KJV, were little more than revisions of the earlier work of William Tyndale. The translation of the NKJ New Testament is estimated to be up to ninety percent of the actual wording of Tyndale’s New Testament.

With the light they had, the men sought to translate the Hebrew and Greek text into English. But, they did not have the revelation of the kingdom of God or the gospel of the kingdom that the original first century writers had. They sought to make sense of the Word in the context and framework of their revelation and understanding at the time. Many of the Hebrew and Greek words could be translated different ways. There is no exact word-for-word comparison between the languages. The translators had to rely on their understanding of the context and the speaker’s intent to determine which way to go with the translation and which English words to use.

A number of revisions of the King James Version have been produced, including the American Standard Version in 1901 and the New American Standard Version in 1959. All of the translations and revisions have borne the impression of the clarity of revelation and understanding of God from the point in time they were written. They also bear the essence of the spiritual color (area of revealed truth) of the individuals doing the translating.

God continues to reveal Himself and His ways to His people according to what they can receive and handle. The church is still very much affected by the trappings of the apostate church of past centuries. As periods of enlightenment come one after another, revelation comes forth and truth is restored to the church. It was only about four hundred years ago when salvation by grace through faith was restored to the church. From that time to the present, many powerful truths have been revealed to God’s people. With each new enlightenment we tend to think we now have it all. yet the revelation of God continues to come.

The original text, as it was originally written, is believed to be the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God, God-breathed and without error. The translations of the Bible are not. They are an evolved series of translations through different languages from the original.

The recent clarification of revelation of Christ in believers producing the victorious kingdom of God lifestyle with authority over the enemy and all of his works sheds bright new light on the Word of God. At this present point in time, the revelation of kingdom begs for a return to the original language texts as much as possible. The clear revelation that may be clearly seen through the Holy Spirit in the Greek and Hebrew text may be obscured in our translations. We must depend on the anointing of the Holy Spirit to open and explain the scripture to our spirit.

1 John 2:27: But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

Considering the Hebrew and Greek text in light of the kingdom of God potential now and in the future may cause passages speaking of victorious kingdom living to become brilliantly alive; and it may cause some passages to crumble, which seem to say that God’s people can only wait to die or escape.

Various doctrines and rituals of the church originated in the apostate past or in the beginning light of the reformation period. Some long-held traditional doctrines may need to be exposed to the light of the kingdom by the Holy Spirit and measured by the Hebrew and Greek scriptures.

Keep on Pursuing Love
It Will Never Fail,

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Sin no more!

Posted: May 3, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , , , ,
0

For by the death He died, He died to sin [ending His relation to it] once for all; and the life that He lives, He is living to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him]. Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.

Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions. Do not continue offering or yielding your bodily members [and [a]faculties] to sin as instruments (tools) of wickedness. But offer and yield yourselves to God as though you have been raised from the dead to [perpetual] life, and your bodily members [and [b]faculties] to God, presenting them as implements of righteousness.

For sin shall not [any longer] exert dominion over you, since now you are not under Law [as slaves], but under grace [as subjects of God’s favor and mercy]. (Rom 6:10-14 AMP)

As I woke this morning I felt in my spirit that we are in the day of urgency, when we must present our bodies before the Lord as living sacrifices and with that we must live sinless lives.

The Word is filled with powerful passages of the power of God, the power of His Christ to not only defeat sin, but to live righteous lives having had sin’s power broken in our lives. We must live in the faith of God’s Word, believing in it’s power. Does not His Word declare:

“But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life” (Rom 6:22)

Not only that if we truly believe the word of our Lord, then we can live a life without sin:

“And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11)

Are we living lives free from sin today – have we grasped His Word allowing it to live out through our lives? I look at my life and tremble for I see a past not merely as I walked as one not knowing Christ but even as one who had received the truth – I read 1 Cor 15 and Holy Spirit brings such a conviction into my life such as when I read the verse stating “Let’s eat and drink because tomorrow we’re going to die!

So what is the answer to not living so carelessly as to put the gospel message in my life to shame? We find it in verse 34 “Come back to the right point of view, and stop sinning”. And what is that right point of view? That I have been, thru the cross of Christ my Lord been set free from sin.

The Spirit has been searching my thoughts as of late and I have questioned my self as to whether I have been living the religious game – O’ how many of us think we can live as the world lives and yet have the fragrance of the Lord on our lives! We must come out from the world and all its thinking, allowing Holy Ghost to separate us unto the Lord. We must go to the alter of the Lord and having laid our lives down their, allow our lives to be put to death in the baptism of the Lord.

God call’s us (those called by His Name) to be Holy even as He is Holy. The good news is that we can not do it on our own – the best news is where we fail, God Triumphs! All of our works can not achieve it, only thru Christ can we live a righteous and holy life. We must humble ourselves, having realized that we are completely incapable of pleasing a Holy & Righteous God – Yet through His Son we can! The Word say’s say that our works are but filthy rags in His sight – think of the dirtiest rag you have ever seen, then think of what you consider the best deed you’ve ever done – Now look back at that picture of the dirty rag – there you have the view of what your great deed looks like before the Lord!

God doesn’t accept just anything. Worship is the act of offering what God asks, with a heart of affection. Both Cain and King Saul experienced God’s rejection from the altar.

Neither men met the simple criteria of true worship, and were refused for it. God reveals the worship He enjoys in scripture, particularly the sacrificial law. May it be noted, Jesus satisfied all of the law’s sacrificial requirements, freeing us to worship our Father in spirit and in truth. Still, the sacrificial law recorded in scripture offers us precious revelation on true worship.

While the Old Testament prescribes all the outward acts of worship, it doubly reveals the inward spirit Father is looking for.

The matter is clear. The closer we draw to spirit-based worship, the farther we flee from human cleverness. He’s not looking for originality or invention, but authenticity and humility. I understand that creativity and authenticity are not mutually exclusive. Still, the essence of spirit-based worship is to depart from intellectual demonstration to enter into humble observation of His magnificence. Psalm 46:10 explains, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind, requires a yielding of the intellect to matters of spirit.

Yet still, can we admit that what God wants, and what our fallen nature wants to give Him are two very different things? He doesn’t want what we want for Him. He wants what He wants. Period.

There is nothing artificial sweet about the cross of Christ, or the surrender of self-will to the sovereignty of God. The sweetness lies in the reward of sacrifice, which is the unabated fellowship of spirit to Spirit. We don’t need to sweeten the pot to gain the favor of God. Humble grains of obedience will do.

If the generation we live in is too see the beautiful reality of God’s Bride, we must come out from under religion, we must start walking in righteousness with holy lives through Christ Jesus our Lord. We must be willing to put to death every worldly desire, every worldly agenda and submit our lives to the Father in everything we do and say. For it is then that the world shall witness His Glory, shining forth through broken vessels.

Today we must live free of sin, no longer slaves to it’s power – that power which Jesus Christ broke – that power which is destroyed through the message of the cross, by the power of the Blood of the Lamb, shown forth in the testimony of our lives lived through Christ. For when we take the fullness of what our Lord did there and apply it through the revelation of Holy Ghost in Spiritual truth, it is then that it may be seen fully manifested in our lives.

Today is the day that we must surrender to the cross and sin no more!!!

For we who are called by His Name, do indeed serve an Awesome God!

IHS,
Russ Welch

UNIVERSAL RECIPROCITY

Posted: May 2, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , ,
0

UNIVERSAL RECIPROCITY

Universal reciprocity can be viewed as The Universal Bank in Heaven. It is the only completely secure bank. All other banks can fail, but our deposits are secure in God’s bank. Just as a natural bank is a place where we deposit our money or treasures until we call for them, so the bank of heaven is a depository for our treasures until we call for them. The enemy would like for us to believe that we cannot make withdrawals from the bank of heaven now, that we must wait until we die and go to heaven to have any use of our account in heaven. That same enemy desires that we believe everything about heaven pertains to only the future, and not now. This would be like a bank forbidding us the use of our checking account. Yes, we are to lay up treasures in heaven, not on earth. But where does Scripture say that we must die and go to heaven to before we can access them?

We are being used of God in the business of ruling and reigning on earth with Him. We are God’s earthly managers bringing forth His will on earth as it is in heaven. God’s universal laws govern the working arrangement between God and His earthly managers (mankind). As good managers of God’s assets we are instructed to lay up treasures in heaven by faithfully and obediently managing our lives and all He has put into our hands. We are clearly instructed not to gather treasures on earth for ourselves.

Matthew 6:19-20: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Meeting needs of mankind and the world around us makes a deposit in our account in the universal bank in heaven. We are God’s possession and all that is in our hands belongs to Him. Our personal accounts in heaven are His riches reserved for us. When we have need, God supplies all our need according to His riches in glory.

Philippians 4:17: Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.

Matthew 19:21: Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

1 Peter 1:4: …to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

Phil 4:19: And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

SOWING AND REAPING

One of the major banking laws governing business activities of the “Universal Bank in Heaven” is the universal law of sowing and reaping. In the realm of physics, this law may be expressed as the law of cause and effect. Isaac Newton said, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In the realm of finance, one might refer to it as the law of investment and return. A preacher might express it as giving and receiving. The farmer would speak of planting and harvesting. In any case, the law always involves a costly sowing process. We must take what we have and plant it. We may desire to consume it, but we know there will be no harvest if we do not plant.

Psalm 126:5-6: Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Galatians 6:7-l0: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

We will reap what we sow, if we do not lose heart. We must patiently wait and remain until harvest time. All sowing requires a period of natural growth before harvest. If we, for any reason, lose heart and leave or quit before the harvest time, we will miss the harvest. It may be wasted or another may gather the harvest we planted. Man does not decide when it is harvest time; the crop does. We must be available and ready to put in the sickle immediately when the harvest time comes.

No one can reap until someone has sown. To look for a harvest without sowing means that we are looking to receive from what someone else has sown. This is like borrowing and must be paid back. The account books will be balanced. To continue to borrow (seeking to reap without sowing) will put us further and further in debt and into the bondage of lack. It’s much the same as if we continued to borrow money from a natural bank, but made no payments. We are given an original inheritance in our account but if we never use it to do good, we make no deposits. Our inheritance will soon be gone and we will have nothing in the universal bank to draw upon.

We are to sow (doing good) to all, but especially to those of the household of faith. The more we can do to really meet the needs of God’s people and all mankind, the more we will reap. Helping to provide food for people by farming, processing, or distributing, is sowing. Using what we have to manufacture and distribute or otherwise provide clothing, clean water, adequate housing, transportation, medical services, and so on are forms of meeting needs. Mankind’s greatest need is to be rightly related to God. Preaching and teaching the Word of God, bringing forth the ministry of Jesus by the Holy Spirit to save, heal and deliver is a major area of meeting human needs. The more we do to establish systems or provide resources to accomplish these things, the more we will reap.

2 Corinthians 9:6-12: But this I say: “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: ‘He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness remains forever.’” Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God.

Hebrews 6:10: For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Becoming Better Managers

Who can meet more needs for mankind, the skilled or the unskilled, the diligent or the slothful, those with Godly wisdom or the unwise, the one who cares for others or the one who cares only for himself, the one who receives wise counsel or the one who listens only to himself, the one who labors or the one who talks idly? The one who meets more needs is making more deposits and subsequently will reap more from the Universal Bank in Heaven.

It is not necessary that men know the good we do. The return does not depend on men. It depends on God and His accounting and reward system in Heaven. We will be rewarded openly for using that which we have to meet the needs of others in secret. Prayer and fasting makes a deposit in the Bank of Heaven. Anything that meets human need, especially the needs of the brethren, makes a deposit.

Matthew 6:1-4,6,17-18: “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what you right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” “But you when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Giving to a person or an organization that is meeting human needs makes a deposit. Investing in a company that is meeting human needs makes a deposit.

The amount of return is based on the net value produced. It costs something to maintain our life and any system of endeavor. The net product is what is left of the value we added after subtracting the value that we consumed or used.

There is positive and negative sowing. If we do good to one person but take away from another, the value we added to mankind is lessened by the amount of negative we sowed. If we go out to help the world but offend our own children, we may take away as much or more than we deposited. The net value added to mankind is our deposit in the Bank of Heaven. If we have not been giving to God by adding value to mankind but have been consuming all God has placed into our hands, we have been robbing God – robbing the bank of heaven.

Malachi 3:8-9: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.”

Jesus said that when we give to the brethren, we give to Him. We give to God by giving to others. Our gift to an organization is a gift to God only if the organization is meeting people’s needs.

Malachi is a transitional book. It is the last book of the Old Testament and in part speaks into the New Testament. The tithe was God’s instruction in the old covenant law that does not transcend into the kingdom. In the new covenant we, and all that we have in our hands are God’s. We are to administer it according to His instruction. In the time of the old covenant, they did not have the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide and empower their lives. Basic laws and rules and the words of the prophets were the Israelites primary forms of direction. There was no potential for them to all become priests and kings as in the new covenant. Rather, God appointed some to be priests and sent prophets to anoint some as kings.

In the kingdom our lives are about giving and serving God by serving His people. We are to be hearing and obeying God’s desire and direction as to how and where we give or serve. In so doing, our treasures are stored in heaven to be drawn upon as needed to provide for meeting more needs in obedience to God’s direction through the Holy Spirit.

There is no room in the kingdom for greed and covetous practices such as have perverted the ways of people, including many Christians, in past centuries. Failure and depletion of available provision comes from the disobedience of keeping back for ourselves what God has given us to invest in meeting needs, which is the business of kingdom management.

Keep on Pursuing Love
It Will Never Fail,

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Teaching, Training And Disciplining in the Christian Community

Posted: May 1, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

Teaching, Training And Disciplining in the Christian Community – By Dr. David Ryser

The western model of teaching and training is based in value being placed upon the dissemination of information. Knowledge, and by implication wisdom, is defined as a collection of a body of information. Relationship between the teacher and student is considered unimportant or even irrelevant.

However, even those shaped by this system instinctively know its shortcoming by remembering our best (and most effective) teachers as those with whom we had the strongest/closest relationship. What we call teaching (or training or education) the culture of the Bible called reasoning (Acts 17:2; 17:17; 18:4; 19 8, 9 to reference a few instances). Teaching/training, biblically, is relational and interactive (Luke 2:46, 47) When a child comes home from school in the typical American household, he/she is asked “Did you learn anything at school today”? whereas the Jewish child is more likely to be asked “Did you ask any good questions at school today”?).

There are numerous examples in the scriptures of people being trained to carry out the call of God for their lives, and they point to the centrality of relational teaching/training. Two such examples come readily to mind. The first is the training of Joshua by Moses. Joshua was trained to take leadership of Israel for more than forty years, by being with Moses observing, assisting, and serving. The second is the relationship between Elijah and Elisha.

Elijah was commanded by God to anoint Elisha as his successor. Although no implicit command to train Elisha for his ministry is given, Elijah takes Elisha into his home for some 15 years as Elisha observes, assists, and serves Elijah as his servant. This method of training is particularly remarkable in this case because there existed, and had existed since the time of Samuel, several “schools of the prophets” (cf 2 Kings 2:1-5) throughout Israel?and Elijah?s successor came from none of these.

This relational teaching/training model continued to develop during the exile and intertestamental periods and was the basis for the rabbi-disciple relationship whereby the student would attach himself to a teacher not so much for the purpose of learning what the teacher knew as to become what the teacher was (Matthew 10:24, 25a; Luke 6:40). Jesus used this model as He chose 12 men to be with Him in ministry, intending to turn over His ministry to them upon His departure.

These were not mere followers, Jesus had over 500 of those (1 Corinthians 15:6), but men chosen to be with Him and learn by observing, assisting, and serving Him. Even within the group of 12, there were 3 whom Jesus was more intimate with and who were privileged to see and do more than the others and to relate with Jesus at a higher/deeper level.

This relational model continues through the remainder of the New Testament. Paul trains the younger members of his ministry team, Titus and Timothy being the most notable examples, though there were others as well (Colossians 4:7-14 as well as Aquila and Priscilla) – as they accompany him during the time of his ministry and observe, assist, and serve him. There are other examples; for example, Mark had two such relationships (with Barnabas and Peter) during his time of training for ministry.

And this model of teaching/training is not restricted solely to raising up ministries, but is also utilized in the raising up of disciples by more mature disciples (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16; Titus 2:3-5; Hebrews 3:13; 10:25; 1 Peter 5:5a) as the people of God speak into one another’s lives. Doing this effectively requires relationship, and the level of effectiveness is determined by the intimacy of the relationship.

To sum up, the biblical model of teaching/training can best be described by the word mentoring. This requires the mentor and those being mentored to be in relationship; which requires, among other things, those in this relationship to spend time together so as the student observes, assists, and serves the mentor, then questions and answers – and thus teaching/training takes place in context. This method should be in place at every level of Church life from Disciplining new converts to maturing believers and training leaders (even in a school of ministry) with the goal of instructing, enabling, empowering, utilizing, and releasing giftings and ministries. Just as Jesus attempted to duplicate Himself in His followers, a pattern perpetuated by His disciples, so the Church seeks to duplicate the character of Jesus (modeled by the mentor) and pass on passion for Him and a vision for establishing His kingdom to those being discipled.

OUR DISPOSITION AT THE ALTAR WILL AFFECT OUR POSITION IN THE KINGDOM

Posted: April 30, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, Prophetic, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , ,
0

OUR DISPOSITION AT THE ALTAR WILL AFFECT OUR POSITION IN THE KINGDOM

Don Atkin
http://www.DonAtkin.com

· Present your bodies a living sacrifice.
· Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Forty years ago, I knew EVERYTHING. Thirty years ago, I knew MOST things. Twenty years ago, I knew SOME things. Ten years ago, I knew VERY LITTLE. Today, I’m with Paul:

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

For me, decreasing so that Jesus might increase in me has been a lifelong challenge. Whatever the question, I was the answer (at least in my mind). I am so thankful for those dear, patient saints who put up with me during those early years.

I specifically remember * (almost thirty years ago) being part of a local group of ministers who met together for fellowship and prayer each week. I always had the answers—until, one day, when the Holy Spirit was ready to discipline me about ruling my own spirit.

He who rules his own spirit is better than he who takes a city.
I already had visions of “taking cities.” But was still very carnal—earthbound—in how that was to be accomplished. The school of the Spirit was opening (for me) for a new session. I had my first assignment: “I want you to remain silent for four of these weekly meetings, beginning today.”
Someone asked, “Where does the Bible say _______________________?” I immediately responded with book, chapter and verse. Conviction enveloped me. I was GUILTY to the max! “Oh, Father. Please forgive me! “No problem, My son. Your four weeks can begin next week.” BTW, I was wrong in the Scripture I referenced, adding to my humiliation.

It took me seven painful weeks to learn this lesson. Ruling our spirits is a primary governmental (kingdom) essential. By so doing we are able to rightly steward divine truth, the mysteries of the kingdom.

The high road that leads toward the oneness of the body of Christ is paved with sincere humility and navigated by diligence and discipline. By the grace of God, I am what I am.

Jesus—the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world–has been, is now, and will be forever, the foundation of our gospel and the Head of His body, the church. This has been, is now, and will be forever, the Seed of eternal truth. “I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”—I AM, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

JESUS, THE PRESENT PERFECT LAMB
Let’s look to Jesus in the present perfect tense. His sacrificial death was a reality in the mind of eternal God from the foundation of the world. God was not surprised by Adam’s fall or Israel’s failure.
Provision had already been written into the schematics of God’s master plan for His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

The time/space limitations of our humanity have been swallowed up into the context of God’s eternal personhood. Jesus—current fix for all generations—reaches both backward and forward from Calvary’s cross, to draw those who believe unto eternal life in Him.

The bronze altar in the Outer Court of Moses’ Tabernacle was a type and shadow of the cross/crucifixion. The cross of Calvary was Jesus’ springboard to victory, the appropriate prototype for all mankind.

Our cross is the ante-type, and our springboard to victory!

“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him.”

OUR POSTURE ON THE CROSS DETERMINES OUR POSITION IN CHRIST!

There’s a whole lot of mocking going on! There’s a whole lot of unfinished business in the church! The way to royalty is through the cross. When leaders step away from the cross to judge and criticize brethren or to quibble over paradigms, they leave their crowns on the mercy seat.

The only recourse or remedy is to return to the mercy seat through repentance, and in the hope of having the plank removed from our own eyes. This is the only way that we might be renewed in hope, and graced once again to obey the new commandment—that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

LOVE KEEPS US NEAR THE CROSS!
Above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.

First priority—above all things—most of all—be proactive in sustaining fervent love for one another. Do so as if your life depends upon it.

The resources are available (in resurrection life) for us to obey in faith and to find our delight in releasing this love among one another. Love has taken up permanent residence in us, and is always available to fill the place we give Him. We are without excuse.

Jesus will meet us at the cross, be with us in dying to self, and bring us forth into newness of life. He is the way, the truth and the life—the access to the Father. If we want to be in Him and have Him in us in resurrection power, then we must meet Him in the cross. Authentic spiritual service precludes any other options.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

TOSSED, BLOWN AND IMMATURE
The bronze altar (typifying humanity) is immediately available to us in the outer court. We leave all of our human judgments and other limitations there on the altar, by faith, and move into the Holy Place, where the Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us. It is there in the enlightened realm of the Holy Place that we find our particular identity and placement in Him, ala the golden table of shewbread.

Whenever we step out of that place (backslide) and begin again to judge others, we are no longer in the flow of the Spirit. We’ve once again put off Christ, and clothed ourselves with filthy rags. We have chosen to arm ourselves with the strength of our own flesh.

We have returned to the dung heap, forsaking gold, silver and precious stones, and are building with wood, hay and straw.

Each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it (the foundation—Christ) endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

A PLEA TO ELDERS AND EQUIPPERS, FATHERS AND MASTER BUILDERS
There is a huge weight upon us; a stricter judgment awaits us.
It is good (not) to do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Perhaps our highest service to our King, perhaps our greatest devotion to our Father, is our example to the flock of God. People need to see love in our actions and hear love in what we speak.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

Where there are brethren, fellowship them.
Where there are issues, deal with them. (Wisdom is ours for the asking.)
Where there are problems, solve them. (God has the solutions we need.)
Where there are differences, embrace them. (God is not finished with us yet.)

We need to back into our brothers’ tents with blankets, and cover their nakedness! Moreover, we should make tunics and linen trousers to cover their (our brothers’) nakedness, so that when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place, that they do not incur iniquity and die.

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Walk in the Spirit – Walk with Christ

Posted: April 29, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
0

Many believers today desire and need more of the powerful, supernatural life of Christ in their lives. In the near future we may have even greater desire and need of increased supernatural guidance of God. The “day of the Lord” is coming against all that lifts itself against God (Isa 13:6-9).

In biblical history there have been many “day of the Lord” interventions of God. The “day of the Lord” is said to come against a people, tribe or nation for purifying God’s people through their repentance and turning to Him. Cleansing of the earth takes place as God’s people and those who will turn to Him are purified. A godly remnant always remains. Also the earth is cleansed by the destruction of the wicked, ungodly people, tribes and nations who will not turn to God. In all of the “day of the Lord” events recorded in scripture cleansing is involved for His people and destruction for the ungodly people and all they have built. (For more on “the day of the Lord” see Chapter 8 of “The Seventh Millennium” free download book. For more on fiery judgments study Chapter 7)

In the coming season of worldwide turbulent conditions caused by corrective and earth-cleansing works of God, it will be important to accurately hear and obey the intimate communication of our Lord by the Spirit. The righteous will want to accurately hear and follow the leading of the Lord by His Spirit in all areas of life and business. It will be important to be in the right place at the right time both spiritually and naturally to fully receive the provisions of the Lord.

Continuous Abiding

At Jesus’ baptism the Holy Spirit descended like a dove on Him and remained. Never before had the Holy Spirit permanently and continuously abode with anyone. Before Christ, the Spirit came upon people and empowered them for special purposes for a season. God often sent angels as messengers, and with a few such as Moses, He met with them personally apart from the rest of the people. However, not since before Adam fell has God permanently dwelled with anyone until Christ Jesus.

When Christ Jesus walked upon the earth in the Spirit, a number of disciples walked with Him as He went from place to place doing the works of God by the Holy Spirit. As the disciples followed Christ Jesus on His journeys and ministries, they followed the leadership of God in Him and observed the empowerment of God flowing through Christ. They also heard His words of heavenly wisdom and supernatural knowledge and understanding as He spoke and creation obeyed. When He sent them out alone and breathed the Spirit on them, they also were empowered to do the works of God.

Walking With Jesus

Every born-again, Spirit-filled child of God has the potential to walk in the Spirit and thereby walk with Christ Jesus in this life now. Every person reading this has before them the opportunity to be truly re-birthed as a new spiritual creation to walk with Christ Jesus in the Spirit observing Him do the works of God and speak powerful creative words of heavenly wisdom into the world. The potential reality of walking in the Spirit with the abiding Spirit of Christ within us is even more intimate than the disciples walking with Christ in His earthly body. Jesus was with the disciples, but after His spiritual return in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, He was in them just as He had promised them. Yet, He was still bodily seated at the throne of God.

John 14:17-20: “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

The Spirit of the Lord dwelling in His people is the confident expectation of the glory of God on earth as it is in heaven. The kingdom of God potential is now dwelling within His people on earth. A generation is being formed that will live by the Spirit to walk in the Spirit carrying the reality of Christ in their mortal bodies to do the will and works of God on earth as it is in heaven. A generation is being transformed as we see the glory of the Lord within and manifest before us. The glory of the Lord is seen in one another as the Spirit of the Lord manifests His life among us.

2 Cor 3:18: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Gal 5:25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Christ Our Leader and King

Our lives are to be completely bowed before Him. Our independent self-life is never to arise again. It is the resurrected life of Christ Jesus that arises within us to stand strong and mighty with all love and assurance of peace and all power, humbly administrated to bring peace and goodwill toward mankind and Planet Earth. The people of God will see the glory of the Lord even as the fire of God dissolves all that lifts itself against God.

The light of God shall shine forth upon and through the mature sons of God and all who completely bow their lives to the King, even while deep darkness of cataclysmic fiery earth-cleansing judgments are upon the earth.

Isa 60:1-2: Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.

No earthly man can lead us through this coming season of both worldwide turmoil and glory of God at the same time. Christ Jesus will lead us by His Spirit within and among us. True apostolic and prophetic people, gifted with a mature abundance of Christ Jesus manifesting in their lives, will help with foundational leadership. Every child of God must build upon the foundation with their lives in complete obedience to the Spirit of Christ within themselves.

Christ in us is not only the hidden mystery of the confident expectation of glory; it is also the light of the world. Follow the light of Christ within and in the God-sent apostolic and prophetic leaders. Do not follow any man or system that is not the light of Christ. We will know the difference only if our self-life is totally bowed before Christ Jesus and His resurrection life has arisen within us.

If we continue to have any amount of trust in systemized religion or secular ungodly men and their teachings, we will be not recognize the God-sent, light-bearing leaders. We will not have the clear light of the risen life of Christ within. We will be deceived and suffer swift chastening and must quickly repent and bow only to the Lord and King Christ Jesus.

God is raising up a new generation of kingdom leaders.

Keep on pursuing love. It never fails
and His kingdom never ends.

Ron McGatlin

http://www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net

Peace: Freedom from Fear, Anxiety and Worry: The Rest in Yahweh …

Posted: April 27, 2011 in disciples life, Kingdom Teaching, teaching, wilderness
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

Do we have peace in our hearts or does fear, worry and anxiety grip our heart relentlessly? Can we have wonderful peace in our hearts even during these troubled times? God in His goodness promises peace so let’s examine in more depth this awesome promise from the Bible. The fourth characteristic of the goodness of God revealed in the covenant redemptive names of Yahweh is set forth in the book of Judges.

Judges 6:11-16 (American Standard Version):

And the angel of Yahweh came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him, and said unto him, Yahweh is with thee thou mighty man of valor.

And Gideon said unto him, Oh, my lord, if Yahweh is with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not Yahweh bring us up from Egypt? but now Yahweh hath cast us off and delivered us into the hand of the Midianites.

And Yahweh looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand from the hand of the Midian: have I not sent thee?

And he said unto him, Oh, Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is the poorest in Mannaseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

And Yahweh said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

Joshua had successfully led the children of Israel into the promised land of Canaan and instructed them before His death. He advised them to love the Lord God and know in their heart and soul that not one good thing that God had spoken concerning them had failed to come to pass. He told them to cleave unto the Lord and serve Him with sincerity and truth, and warned them of the consequences of serving other gods. Joshua wrote all these words in the book of the law of God and made a covenant with Israel that they chose to serve Yahweh. He sealed this covenant with a great stone that he set under an oak tree as a witness to Israel of their promise to God. After Joshua died, it was not long before Israel forsook the Lord, forgot this convent, and began to serve Baal, Ashtaroth, and other gods of the surrounding nations. This dramatically weakened Israel spiritually as a nation, and they could no longer stand against their enemies. When Israel became greatly distressed and cried out to the Lord, He would send a judge to deliver them from the hand of their oppressors. But once the judge died, they fell back into running after false gods to serve and worship them.

In Judges chapter 6, Israel had forsaken the Lord again and pursued their evil way of life, cleaving unto the powerless gods of their enemies. This new generation of Israelites had forgotten that only the Lord was Yahweh Jireh, who provided for every one of their needs; that only the Lord was Yahweh-Rapha who healed them in every way, and that only the Lord was Yahweh-Nissi, who brought them victory and protection from their enemies. The Midianites rose up and gained a stronghold in their country and oppressed Israel for seven years. Midian and her allies, which included the Amalekites, swarmed like locusts down on Israel with great hordes of men and animals and destroyed their crops and animals, bringing great impoverishment on Israel. The Israelites were hiding in dens and caves in great fear of their lives, without food and supplies to survive. They cried out in desperation to the Lord again and in great mercy and love, He moved greatly to help His people and reveal to them another magnificent aspect of his goodness.

God sent His angel to seek out a very simple man from a poor background to deliver His people from a massive and powerful enemy who was laying waste to the promised land of Israel. At that time, Gideon was hiding in the winepress, threshing some wheat so he could eat and survive. Yet God had other plans for Gideon, as He sent his angel to announce to him the awesome things He was going to do in his life and for his country. God called Gideon “a mighty man of valor” and “a valiant warrior” as God saw Gideon for what He would become when Yahweh worked in his life. God saw Gideon’s potential as a victorious warrior, a fearless leader and a future judge of Israel. God took a man who was behind closed doors in fear and exalted him to the position of valiant warrior, giving him the privilege to lead God’s people into victory and peace.

Judges 6:22-24 (American Standard Version):

And Gideon saw that he was the angel of Yahweh; and Gideon said, Alas, O Lord Yahweh! for as much as I have seen the angel of Yahweh face to face.

And Yahweh said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. Then Gideon built and altar there unto Yahweh and called it Yahweh-Shalom: unto his day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Gideon finally accepted the call of God on his life and built an altar calling it Yahweh-Shalom, which means “the Lord our peace.” God showed him that he can have peace, even in the midst of life’s most difficult circumstances. The fourth characteristic of the goodness of God revealed in His name is peace. In Hebrew, the word for peace, shalom, means: wholeness, completeness and soundness; it’s a harmony and unity of heart and soul because of a restored relationship with God, our Father; it is an inward and outward tranquility, a quiet assurance and a complete well-being where nothing is lacking or broken.

Peace is the symphony and harmony of life, in which you enjoy all that is good because of your right relationship with God. It’s the freedom from being disturbed, agitated, stressed and troubled. It is the absence of discord, strife, and anxiety. It is to be at ease and calmly unaffected by circumstance. Peace is the highest measure of contentment, joyfulness, happiness, and satisfaction in life. There is absolute security, safety, and victory at the center of peace. It is the absence of inward conflict, condemnation, and torment, but rather a state of rest, calmness, and quiet confidence.

True peace is oneness and complete unity with Yahweh-Shalom, where there is a wonderful mutual sharing of the enjoyment of that bond and relationship. Yahweh-Shalom is the origin and source of all peace and we have and enjoy peace because of our relationship and oneness with Him. His peace is our peace. His wholeness is our wholeness. His soundness is our soundness. His completeness is our completeness. No man or woman can ever have peace without a vibrant, living fellowship and right relationship with Yahweh-Shalom.

You can’t buy peace, you can’t medicate peace, and you cannot manufacture peace. You cannot produce peace from some mental gymnastic exercise or self-help book or seminar. It is impossible to have peace apart from Yahweh-Shalom. There is and never will be true peace for the unbeliever.

Isaiah 57:19-21 (New Living Translation):

I will comfort those that mourn bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far, says the Lord, who
heals them. But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt.

There is no peace for the wicked, says my God.

Isaiah 59:8 (NIV):

The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them
will know peace.

To the unbeliever who rejects Yahweh-Shalom, his life will be like a troubled, restless sea. There is no calmness, no rest, no quietness, and no tranquility of heart and soul to those hostile toward God Almighty and His goodness. Picture in your mind a rough and raging sea, as the waves crash all around and the sea rises violently up and down, churning up all the muck and mire of its bottom. This is a vivid illustration of the heart of someone who does not know Yahweh-Shalom. His heart is a continual state of unrest and instability, tossed around by the raging waves of circumstances, troubles, and problems, contaminated by the muck and mire of sin. But when a man or woman turns to God and gives their heart and soul to Him, Yahweh-Shalom brings comfort, rest, healing, and abundant peace, as He calms the furious seas of a person’s soul.

The peace of God is where the stillness, calmness, and quietness of God reign unbroken and undisturbed. Picture a beautiful serene lake that is perfectly still with only a gentle breeze and crystal clear water. The lake is calm and tranquil, with the sun glistening off the waters. This is a vivid illustration of the heart and soul of someone who has the peace of Yahweh-Shalom in their life. Yahweh-Shalom is the way of peace, as He provides the direction and road to travel in life, in order to accomplish His purposes and have abundant, cleansing peace.

The wicked follow a crooked path that only leads to frustration, anxiety, and unrest, as it never leads to peace. God wants us to know and experience His awesome peace from the morning sunrise until the evening ends. Nothing is more refreshing, healing, and exhilarating to experience than the peace of God.

Psalm 29:11(Amplified):

The Lord will give unyielding and impenetrable strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.

Isaiah 26:12 (New Revised Standard Version):

O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 (Amplified):

For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

We, as God’s children, have the blessing of His peace, and He has ordained the path and way of peace for each believer’s life. God wants us to live and abide in His peace in everything we do. His refreshing peace should be a vital, living reality in our daily walk with Him. The peace of God should penetrate our thoughts and actions as we build our lives on the foundation of His peace.

Psalm 72:7 (God’s Word to the Nations):

May righteous people blossom in his day. May there be unlimited peace until the moon no longer shines.

Job 22:21: (New King James Version):

Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace. Thereby good will come to you.

God wants you, as His beloved son or daughter, to blossom and flourish in life like a beautiful flower, and be filled to overflowing with His unlimited peace. There is no boundary or limit to the peace of Yahweh-Shalom. God does not want a speck or a brief flurry of peace for you, but desires His boundless peace to permeate every fiber of your being. The peace of God should be our lifestyle and our way of living. We must acquaint ourselves with our Heavenly Father and build our intimate relationship with Him, in order to live and abide in His peace.

The word “acquaint” in the Hebrew means: to know intimately, to show harmony with, to cohabit with, to come home and to be familiar with. The essence of the word is to know and experience such a close and personal relationship with someone, that we cherish and treasure everything about it. God wants us to come to Him and know Him in an intimate, close, and harmonious relationship, where we feel completely at home in His presence. God wants us to cherish and love Him deeply, and as our relationship grows with Him, then our lives will be at peace and all the goodness of God will flourish in us. God’s goodness flows out of our union with Him. When we learn how to live and abide in His peace, then the goodness of God will be manifest in our thoughts and actions.

The goodness of God and the peace of God are intertwined companions and cannot be separated by any earthly circumstance or power. The peace of God rests on the foundation of His goodness.

Isaiah 26:3 (Amplified):

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.

Gibbs :

God keeps him in perfect peace whose mind is union with Him through loving trust.

When our mind is in union with God and we lean on Him, commit our way to Him, and believe confidently in Him, our lives will be in constant and perfect peace. The word “stayed” in the Hebrew means: to lay, support, lean and rest upon; to sustain and uphold.

What supports your thought life? What do you lean your mind on when times get tough? What do you rest your mind upon in your daily living? Our minds as Christians should be sustained, upheld, and supported by being intently focused on God and His Word.

The word “mind” in the Hebrew expresses the whole direction and attitude of one’s life. It is everything we fashion and form in our mind, which includes thoughts, purposes, desires, goals, ideas, considerations, and reflections. Everything we devise in our mind should rest and lean upon God. Our mind should be stayed, focused, and immersed in our loving Heavenly Father. The whole direction of our thoughts, actions, and desires should be firmly supported and established in God.

Then God will keep us in the center of His perfect peace. God guards and protects your peace when you are focused on Him, and nothing the world throws at you can rattle or disturb your peace. The words “perfect peace” are shalom, shalom and the doubling of the word emphasizes that it is an absolute truth that God has established; it is even more certain than any natural law like gravity. The word is doubled to show the abundance and completeness of his peace available to the believer who trusts and centers his mind on Him.

Romans 8:6(b) (KJV):

But to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Psalm 119:165 (Amplified):

Great peace have they who love your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble.

Psalm 4:8 (Amplified):

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust.

Life and peace abound in the life of a man or woman who has their thoughts focused on God and His Word. When we love God’s Word, meditate upon it, and hide it in our hearts, great abundant peace will flow through every part of us. Absolutely nothing in the world will cause us to stumble, for we are rooted and grounded in His peace. We have confident trust in the Lord and the complete safety and protection He provides, so every night we enjoy the sweet sleep of peace. Nothing disturbs us; nothing rattles us, and nothing agitates us, for we have His peace.

Psalm 55:18 (Amplified):

He has redeemed my life in peace from the battle that was against me [so that none came near me], for they were many who strove with me.

We can have the peace of Yahweh-Shalom overflowing in our heart in the midst of any battle we will ever face in life. No matter how difficult the circumstance or how hard the problem, we can train our mind and heart so that we live and abide in His peace. We have a quiet assurance and an inward tranquility for we rest in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father who protects, sustains, and shields from every harm, every attack, and every enemy.

Romans 5:1 (Amplified):

Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us grasp the fact
that we have (the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy) peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

No one can have the true peace of God in their life until they are reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Reconciliation produces the restoration of a relationship of peace that had been disturbed and broken in the Garden of Eden by the high treason of Adam. Reconciliation is to change a relationship of hostility, enmity, and separation to a relationship of love, acceptance, admiration, and friendship. It is a relationship of peace and favor, as we are no longer at war with God or hostile to Him. There is no rejection, no condemnation, no guilt, and no unworthiness in this close, loving relationship. This relationship of peace is more than the mere absence of enmity or hostility, but the invitation from God to come into his presence and enjoy the closeness and loving bond of a relationship with Him.

The peace of God is the legal right and possession of every born again believer. We HAVE peace with God. All the barriers have been abolished between you and God. There is no friction, no uneasiness, no conflict, and no obstruction in this new relationship of peace. It is a complete harmony and unity with Yahweh-Shalom. The word “peace” in the Greek means: to bind or join together what is broken or divided, setting the broken parts as one again. When the broken parts come together, there is nothing between them that would stop the cohesion that has taken place. Once they are joined together they are one, never to be separated again. It holds better than super glue, because they will never come apart. True peace is complete oneness and unity with God where there is a mutual enjoyment of the wonderful relationship of a Father with His children.

The Greek word also carries with it the meaning of the absence or end of strife and denotes a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. The word “with” in the Greek means: toward and is an indication of closeness or nearness and could be translated ‘facing’. We stand in God’s presence justified and freed from the penalty of sin, completely made righteous and redeemed with unlimited access to our Heavenly Father, because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. We have made lovely and acceptable in Christ Jesus and gaze face to face into the loving presence of our God, having complete peace and oneness with Him.

We are in Him, and He is in us, and in this oneness we have His peace as a permanent possession, because of who we are in Christ. His peace is a part of us, just as much as an arm or leg is part of our physical body. We don’t have to ask God for peace because we already have it. He has given to us all the peace of God to hold and enjoy every moment of our lives. We renew our minds by faith and confess this great sonship right of peace to bring it into manifestation in our lives. We do not want the peace of God to remain dormant in us, but we want to activate it by believing, so it is a living reality in every circumstance of life

What a wonderful truth and message about the peace of God, as it is so magnificent that God calls it the “gospel of peace” in Romans 10:15. The good news of peace that Jesus Christ brings should be declared from every mountain top to every valley, to every city, and to every town. We should just stand in awe of how breathtaking the goodness of God is as He has given us His peace that can never be disturbed, agitated, or broken.

Jesus Christ is the way, truth, and the life to the peace of God. It cannot be found or discovered anywhere else. It does not originate in the mind of man or in some philosophy, religion, or way of thinking. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, according to Isaiah 9:6, and the word “prince” in the Hebrew means: ruler, prince, chief, captain and leader. Jesus Christ is the captain, the chieftain, the ruler, and prince of the peace of God. If you want the peace of God to rule and reign in your life, you must come to its only Prince, the Lord Jesus Christ. The peace of God is only available in, through, and by Him.

Luke 1:78,79 (New Living Translation):

Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven (Jesus Christ) is about to break upon us. To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.

Ephesians 2:14(a) (Wuest):

For He (Jesus Christ) himself is our peace…

When you examine this verse in Ephesians in the Greek, the emphasis is on the intensive pronoun autos which means, “He and no other.” In his Word Studies of the Greek New Testament, Wuest states that there is even a deeper meaning from the Greek and that this verse suggests:

Not only “He alone” but “He in His own Person” made peace. It was not only that peace was made by Christ and ranks as His achievement, but that it is so identified with Him that were He away, it would also fail-so dependent on Him that apart from Him we cannot have it.

Without Jesus Christ, there is no peace of God available to any man, woman or child upon the earth. Jesus Christ is the light of the world that delivers us from the power of darkness and guides us to the path of peace. The peace of Yahweh-Shalom is absolutely dependent upon what Jesus Christ did at Calvary, for it required His sacrifice on the cross and God raising Him from the dead to restore the peace of God lost by Adam in the Garden of Eden. We cannot enjoy and experience this peace unless we are a new creation in Christ; otherwise peace is a fleeting illusion. The blood of Jesus Christ was shed for our peace.

Colossians 1:20 (NIV):

And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Isaiah 53:5 (English Standard Version):

But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

The punishment that Jesus endured on the cross was for our peace. He paid the penalty of our sin, and as our Savior, brought us into harmony and oneness with God, where we can rest in and enjoy the wholeness of His peace. Our peace was bought and paid for by the blood of Christ and sealed with an eternal covenant that guarantees peace as part of our eternal inheritance. You are identified and share in everything He accomplished at Calvary, for Christ is in you and you are in Christ. He is a part of you and lives and abides with you always. We can experience as a living reality the same peace Jesus had when he walked on the earth.

John 14:27 (Amplified):

Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be
agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]

John 16:33 (Amplified):

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

Jesus Christ gave us His perfect peace, and this is the same peace Jesus had in quality, richness, and measure. It is the peace Jesus had in the midst of a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of the angry crowd at the synagogue in Nazareth, in His quiet prayer times on the mountainside, and in the middle of the hurling accusations of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The heart of Jesus was absolute perfect calmness, even in the midst of the most raging circumstance or challenge. It was a place where no trouble or agitation could penetrate or disturb, and where the stillness and quietness of God reigned unbroken. It was a peace that came from the bond of unity He has with His Heavenly Father, and the harmony and intimacy of that relationship.

The word “give” in verse 27 in the Greek means: to give freely and unforced; to deliver, supply, and commit. Jesus freely and without hesitation supplied, committed, and delivered to us in love His wonderful, awesome peace. It is not a counterfeit outward peace that the world offers, which is unstable, fleeting, and temporary. It was His peace that He lived, breathed, and walked in every moment of His earthly ministry.

The world “troubled” in verse 27 in the Greek means: to stir up, to agitate as water in a pool, to disturb with various emotions, to disquiet and make restless, to cause inward commotion and to take away one’s calmness of mind. The word “be afraid” in the Greek means: to be timid, to be cowardly, and to shrink back in fear.” Both of these verbs are in the passive voice in the Greek, which means the heart is being acted upon by an outside force or power and is the receiver of the verbal action. We are to stop allowing outside influences to disturb, agitate, and trouble our heart, for we have the same peace of God that reigned in the life of Jesus. Jesus Christ never became agitated, restless, or disturbed inwardly, no matter what was happening around him. Even as he hung on the cross for hours in pain and agony, his heart was at complete peace. He did not allow circumstances, people, or relationships to steal His peace.

There will be tribulations, trials, and frustrations thrown at you while you live in the world, but it never need disturb or agitate your inner calmness and peace. In Christ we have perfect peace and confidence, for our Savior overcame every circumstance and power in the world and deprived it of its power to harm us. His complete victory at Calvary gave us his peace so that we can be more than conquerors both inwardly and outwardly in every situation. We never have to shrink back in fear from any person, influence, problem, or circumstance, for we are His and He is ours and we have the peace of God living in our hearts. It is like a ship’s chronometer, which remains perfectly motionless in the midst of the most tumultuous rocking and raging of the sea, and maintains its perfect level when the ship is plunging and careening in every direction. The peace of God in our heart is our chronometer that allows us to be perfectly calm and tranquil, even in the midst of a tempest sea of circumstance and the raging waves of the negativity and fears of this age.

Philippians 4:6,7: (Wuest):

Stop perpetually worrying about even one thing, but in everything by prayer whose essence is that of worship and devotion and by supplication which is a cry for your personal needs, with thanksgiving let your requests for the things asked for be made known in the presence of God. And the peace of God which surpasses all power of comprehension shall mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Phillips Translation:

Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer. And the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus.

We need never worry or be anxious about any circumstance or problem we face, for we have a Heavenly Father to whom we can take every need and difficulty to in prayer. In the Greek, the word “worry” describes the state of the mind of being pulled apart and divided by anxious cares and worries. It is characterized by an extreme uneasiness of the mind and a brooding fear about something, and emphasizes a fear of misfortune, failure, disappointment, and disaster. Worry denotes a lack of focus and trust in God and an endless running of the mind in all directions. God says instead of worrying or being anxious, bring the problem to Him in earnest and thankful prayer. We should worry about nothing and pray about everything. That is the lifestyle of the believer.

The word “prayer” in the Greek means: a prayer to God of worship, adoration, and devotion remembering His character, His attributes, His names, His goodness, and who He is. It is a prayer where our heart is focused on His greatness and majesty. It is a prayer where our heart remembers all the great qualities of the goodness of God and overflows with thankfulness. It is from this heart of love that we make specific detailed requests for our personal needs and the needs of others. Then God promises that His awesome, wonderful peace will mount and keep constant guard over our hearts and minds as we rest in our union in Christ Jesus. No fear, no worry, and no anxiety can penetrate and disturb our heart or mind, for the peace of God is guarding our heart.

The word “guard” in the Greek was a military term for the guarding of a city by a military garrison that kept constant watch to protect and secure the city from the hostile invasion of any enemy. This peace of God protects and guards our heart like a military garrison, keeping it calm, tranquil, and without agitation from any outside influence. When we love God with all our heart, seek Him in prayer in all of life’s situations, and walk in our sonship rights and privileges in Christ Jesus, the peace of God will overflow in our heart and act as a strong barrier against every fiery dart of the wicked one. The peace of God is the impenetrable barrier, the unbreakable wall, and the protective watchtower against every device of the devil designed to distract and divide our mind from serving the one true God. The peace of God enables us to live above the fear and anxiety of the world and enjoy our reconciliation with our Heavenly Father, even when the terror of this age rages around us.

Romans 16:20 (English Standard Version):

And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. .

Wuest:

And the God of the peace will trample Satan under your feet soon.

Yahweh-Shalom is the God of THE PEACE, and He will crush and trample Satan and all his influences under our feet, because His peace lives and reigns in our heart. The word “crush” in the Greek means: to break in pieces, to shiver, to tread down, to be perplexed and in anguish, to tear one’s body and shatter one’s strength, and to trample on as a conqueror.” When we are in harmony and fellowship with the God of peace and allowing Him to direct our lives in the center of peace, every satanic power, every satanic bondage, every satanic anxiety and every satanic fear, is utterly broken in pieces and shattered by the God of peace. There is nothing that perplexes and causes anguish to the devil more than seeing a born again believer walk and live in the peace of God. Satan cannot rattle, disturb, agitate and control a child of God, who enjoys and claims their sonship right of peace. The peace of God allows us to live with Satan utterly trampled and tread down under our feet. If you want to crush the negative influence of Satan, then you must live, move, and breathe in the peace of God.

Colossians 3:15 (Wuest):

And the peace of Christ, let it be acting as umpire in your hearts, into which also you were called into one body. And be constantly thankful persons.

The peace of Christ should be the foundation of every decision we make in life. This peace should be the umpire in our heart determining the direction in which we choose to walk. I love the game of baseball, and umpires are an important part of the game. The umpire determines whether a pitch is a ball or strike, whether a player is safe or out, and whether a ball is fair or foul. They enforce the rules and make the calls, unruffled by managers or players. The umpire settles differences when there is a conflict in thought and opinion. The outcome of the game is often determined by the call of the umpire.

When we are in harmony and fellowship with God and walking by the spirit, the wonderful peace of Christ will settle every difficulty, resolve every conflict, and enlighten every decision. The peace of Christ will show us what the will of God is in every choice we have in life. The peace of God not only guards our heart, but it guides our heart into the paths that God has chosen for us. The peace of God allows us to move into every situation with total poise and calmness, not upset or perturbed, because we know the God of peace. Every born again believer in the body of Christ has been called to peace, and the peace of Yahweh-Shalom should be a vibrant, living reality in our lives.

II Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV):

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Amplified:

Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace (the peace of His kingdom) at all times and in all ways [under all circumstances and conditions, whatever comes]. The Lord [be] with you all.

What a wonderful relationship of peace and wholeness we can enjoy with our Lord, where nothing is broken or lacking. We have the great benefit and blessing of peace, where we are in complete unity with Him and have an inner tranquility and calmness that is unaffected by circumstance. At all times and in all ways, no matter the problem, condition, or circumstance, the Lord has given us His peace to guard and guide our hearts. No trouble, no fear, and no worry can disturb the heart of peace. What an awesome characteristic of the goodness of God-His peace which He has given to every person who has been reconciled to Him through Christ. The Lord of peace lives in our heart, and nothing is more refreshing, more exciting, and more exhilarating than to experience His peace every moment of our lives.

Posted by: goodnessofgod2010

Excerpt from “The Magnificent Goodness of God and How it Will Transform Your Life” by Tim Rowe

Older Entries
Newer Entries