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James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (18) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (KJV)
When God sends something our way it’s not only good but it is perfect, complete, supplying all our need, spirit, soul, and body. When God so loved the world seeing how mankind had fallen, He sent His Son on our behalf so that the fellowship with Him could be restored and we could be a kind of firstfruits or one of His offspring, adopted into the heavenly family in Christ. Psalms 107:20-21 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (21) Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (KJV) When you pray to your Father in heaven do you expect a complete answer and manifestation of that request you made, or do you expect bits and pieces, a partial answer to your request? In other words, with all that God has sent our way for our benefit, how much is being sent back His way in the form of praise and thanksgiving, presenting yourself to Him as a living sacrifice, thanking Him for what He has done on our behalf and not a what have you done for me lately attitude? Someday when you return to Sender and have to stand before your heavenly Father will you be able to give a complete answer to what you did with His plan of salvation, or will you be speechless and unable to give a full account of the gift of life that was given on our behalf? Ephesians 4:11-15 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (KJV) Williams New Testament translation for Ephesians 4:11-15 11. And He has given some men to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, 12. for the immediate equipment of God's people for the work of service, for the ultimate building up of the body of Christ, 13. until we all attain to unity in faith and to perfect knowledge of the Son of God, namely, to a mature manhood and to a perfect measure of Christ's moral stature; 14. so that we may not be babies any longer, or like sailors tossed about and driven around by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men through their cunning in inventing new methods of error. 15. But, on the other hand, we shall go on holding to the truth and in love growing up into perfect union with Him, that is, Christ Himself who is the Head. You know, with all that God has done and provided for us is there any excuse why there are so many that rather than grow and mature in the Lord, which is what perfecting is referring to, we still see many babies who are being spoon fed and still on the milk of the Word. Know this also, that as long as there is still a body of Christ then there are still apostles and prophets, they didn’t die out with the early Church; people, that is just childish doctrine. If you truly love the Lord and made pleasing Him a priority in your life then you would take the time to read His word and rightly divide the doctrine of Christ and not be so caught up in a bunch of man’s fairy tales and childish lies and deceptions. If you truly desire to grow up and mature in the Lord then quit emulating man and go right to the source. You know, by following some man or imitating some preacher you think is a godly man you limit and stunt your own growth because this man you are following is human and limited, whereas going to God through Christ you are able to tap into an unlimited treasure of wisdom and knowledge, having the mind of Christ yourself. Romans 6:20-23 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV) What have you done with the gift of God, and what is the first fruit you plan on bringing to His throne someday; will it be one that is spiritual, or will it be rotten fruit that you are ashamed of? If someone in your family or anyone else that was close to you saw that you were starving and your family was in need of food, only to find out later that the gift they provided to feed your family was never used but rather discarded and rotten, how would that make them feel? Or what if you gave someone close to you a gift, something that was vital, even lifesaving, only to find out it was not put to use but discarded, you probably would not be jumping for joy either. So today, have you done all to stand, standing on the foundation God has provided for you, Jesus Christ being the only foundation one can build firmly on, or have you forsaken the gift of life and exchanged it for a cheap knockoff imitation? Luke 8:14-15 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. (15) But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (KJV) With all that our heavenly Father has sent our way and desires to send for our benefit, what are you sending in return? You wouldn’t offer someone rotten fruit, or fruit that hasn’t ripened yet, but rather something that was fit and ready. The question today is, when you return to Sender will you be able to bring something to His table that is good and perfect; you know, like the same measure that was measured your way? God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Philippians 4:6-8 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (KJV)
When we see the word careful, it refers to anxious, something opposite of patience, which the Bible says we should be letting patience have its perfect work. The peace of God you are experiencing is a result of knowing that the petitions you have made to God were heard and now it is a matter of thanking Him knowing it is provided even though it hasn’t yet manifested in the outward. Knowing how and what to ask for will help you keep that peace and operate in the realm the Lord intended for you to be in. Proverbs 16:11 A just weight and balance are the LORD's: all the weights of the bag are his work. (KJV) One of the things that would be considered just, is operating and dealing with today, not letting the mind drift off into a stormy sea of doubt and fear, but staying beside the still living waters that bring life. Mankind plays on fear of tomorrow, especially in the retail world where many sales are based on bulk and not just what is needed now. So many times instead of purchasing what is needed to get by a person ends up with three times the amount they intended because that is how it is advertised. Of course it is packaged in a way that unless one buys today it will never again be at that price so that you end up making a purchase on emotions. Spiritually many Christians overlook simple areas of their walk and end up with their thoughts drifting way out to sea fueled by winds of doctrine. How much more peace would you have if you only dealt with what the Lord was asking for today and not tossed around with carnal thoughts of tomorrow or any other imaginary event? James 4:1-3 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. (3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (KJV) Do you know the difference between what is of the flesh and of the Spirit; in other words, rightly dividing the word of truth? That thing you are now entangled with, the affairs of this life which our Lord never intended for His people to be all caught up in, is drawing you away from the Lord rather than closer. Verse 2 uses the word kill; so what exactly is being killed? Well how about that new life in Christ you said was His for the taking, which is now taking a back seat to something of the world and not the word of God. You decided it was time to have something based more on lust than Spirit. So that thing you had to have, the one thing you thought would bring peace is bringing nothing less than heartache and misery where there should have been peace and joy. Give us this day our daily bread, so simple, so peaceful, and yet so complicated when we lean to our own understanding. Exodus 16:22-24 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. (23) And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. (24) And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. (KJV) As we can see there is a big difference between when the Lord is leading and when we are leaning to our own thoughts. The Lord’s way will keep us in peace and not lead to stinking thinking, which I am sure tasted much better without the worms. When we start thinking beyond where the Lord is asking us then we end up with holes in our doctrine, a place for the worms to crawl in and out of. Do you desire peace in your life? Then you need to monitor and keep a close watch on what you are thinking on as well, keeping every thought in obedience to Christ so that you can stay in that peaceful realm of the Spirit separated from this troubled world and its ways. Exodus 16:25-28 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field (26) Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. (27) And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. (28) And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? (KJV) Oh there is one in every crowd isn’t there, you know the bad apple in the bunch. You wonder why at times there is not peace in your life; maybe you or your mind is wandering off in areas the Lord is not leading. Just because the Lord had you do something one way in the past and you got results doesn’t always mean He is going to provide the same answer all the time in that way. The question now is, where is the Lord leading and how is He asking you to gather your daily bread for today? Are you open to what the Lord has for you and where He would like you to be operating today, or are you already into next week fumbling around in the dark? Or as we see in the above verses, are you trying old ways to walk in the new and then wonder why you don’t get the Lord’s results? Take the time on a daily basis so that you can hear the message being delivered by Christ and boldly gather the bread of life that is proceeding forth from the mouth of God. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
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