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Good day. Today's video Forgive and Forget is on the topic of: Forgiveness and forgetfulness. When we sincerely seek forgiveness for sin through our Lord Jesus Christ, our heavenly Father is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from unrighteousness, as well as forget the sin ever happened (Isaiah 43:25). We have a forgetful Father; it is Satan who reminds us of our sin, which we too have to learn to forgive and forget as well. This is the blessing of the forgiveness of God. However, without the shedding of blood (cutting off of the flesh, the old nature, dieing to sin), there is no remission (forgiveness). You cannot be saved and continue in sin, you have to overcome sin by the leading and guiding of the Spirit of Christ within you, otherwise the consequence will be the Lord saying, "I never knew you, depart from me you worker of iniquity." When you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior your name was written in the book of life, and if you keep his sayings and overcome the world within you, you will never see death (be subject to the second death Revelation 20:12-15). You have to begin in the Spirit and endure unto the end in the Spirit. However, if you do not keep his sayings and do not continue to live a godly life apart from the world and its ways, you may find out that you have been forgotten, your name blotted out of the book of life, because of the sin of unbelief in keeping, guarding, partaking, of his words of spirit and life unto the end. You cannot be blotted out of something if you were not already written there in the first place. Church, you may have walked into the kingdom of God, and no man can pluck you out of God's hand, but guess what, you can certainly walk out on your own as well; God does not violate our free will. It is your choice to continue in the forgiveness and forgetfulness of God, but you also have a choice to be forgotten if you continue in sin. Choose you this day whom you will serve; the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, or the god of your fathers. God bless and keep the faith. Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (KJV) You can view all previous videos by going to our YouTube channel Doctrine of Christ Ministry or by clicking on our archive page link above - Doctrine of Christ Ministry Archive. Have a blessed and prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Good morning. Today's video Defile Not is on the topic of not defiling the temple of the living God, which temple you are. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (KJV) Defile means to corrupt or destroy. You are the temple of the living God; you have the Spirit of God dwelling within you. You are not your own, and this includes all mankind, for all souls are God’s (Ezekiel 18:4); and whether we live or die we are His. Corruption cannot inherit incorruption, so do not think you can live whatever life or lifestyle you want without consequences. You cannot partake of the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. Friendship with the world is enmity with God; because evil communications corrupt good morals; a little leaven allowed in will leaven the whole lump. You cannot defile yourself with mankind, whether it be physically or spiritually, and expect God to be pleased with you. So if you are not being led by the Spirit of God, then you will be cast out and will not have access to the tree of life any longer and will not inherit eternal life. If you destroy the temple of God, this includes suicide and murder, God will destroy you; not because I say so, but because God has said so. If you abort God, he will abort you. There are no gray areas with God; His word is simple, but man (the carnal mind) corrupts the simplicity of it. Genesis 3:22-24 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from where he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. (KJV) Drove out means to cast out, divorce, drive away, expel, surely put away, or thrust out. In the beginning sin separated mankind from God. And God drove out Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden and shut up the way to the tree of life, guarding it so that corruption could not inherit eternal life. But God so loved us that he made a way of escape from this corruptible life through the sacrifice and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ. In this selfless act of love on a daily basis, even unto death on the cross, you were bought with a price. Now through Jesus Christ we have the forgiveness of sins. That doesn’t mean that once you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior that you can do what you want without consequences; to him that knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin; and sin brings forth death, separation from God. James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (KJV) But thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, his unspeakable gift of grace. We have been given this treasure, Christ in us the hope of glory, in whom we have access to all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Unlimited power and wisdom of God which is able to keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Now we have the power and wisdom of God to keep our hearts and minds; the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; and the helmet of salvation, the mind of Christ to keep the way of salvation, to keep the tree of life within us protected from any ungodly thing which tries to enter in and corrupt the good word and work of God which he has begun within us. We have the mind of Christ, the sword of the Spirit to keep the way of life and we have a responsibility to use them to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ so that when our obedience is fulfilled, disobedience is punished. We are to take heed (give attention) to what we hear, see, and do; rightly dividing the word of truth so that doubt is unable to enter in and lead us to sin, which is unbelief (letting man, the corrupt nature, be true and God the liar). Don’t let doubt enter into your temple, not even for a moment (a thought), but cast is out and place it into captivity so that it does not lead you down the path of imaginations which could lead to sin if acted upon and then death, spiritual separation (divorce) from God our Father. Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (KJV) Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Whatever you allow into your heart will eventually come out. Whether it is unto life or unto death. Matthew 15:18-20 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man. (KJV) So dearly loved of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and us; be not as the many which corrupt the word of God in which they began, having allowed the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things to enter into their hearts and choke the word, and it has become unfruitful (you will know them by their fruit); but be as the few who continue to hear the word of God and keep (guard, obey) it in sincerity and in truth within their hearts, for you will also know them by their fruit, that it is good fruit and of the tree of life, for they walk in the righteousness of God and give God through his Son Christ Jesus the praise, honor and the glory forever and ever, Amen. Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (KJV) You can view all previous videos by going to our YouTube channel Doctrine of Christ Ministry. Have a blessed and prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Good morning. Today's video Short Work is on the topic of The last days; the Lord said he would do a short work. Romans 9:27-29 Isaiah also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Isaiah said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrah. (KJV) Brethren the time is short; we are in the last times and have been since the Lord left this earth being raised up to sit on the right hand of God. The Lord said he would do a short work upon the earth to give us a way of escape from destruction, spirit, soul, and body. He left us a seed, and that seed is Christ in us the hope of glory so that we too can overcome the wicked one that is in this world through the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit into all truth in the knowledge of God our Father and His Son Christ Jesus our Lord; and of all that our Father has given us we should lose nothing, except the son of perdition which is our old nature, that Christ may raise us up holy and unblameable before God. 2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. (KJV) Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (KJV) There are many deceivers and antichrist’s out there in the world today seeking to deceive you out of your crown which is laid up for you in heaven. Not only those whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things; but also the false prophets who stand in the pulpits or on the street corners to be seen of men who promise you liberty, but they themselves are the servants of corruption. The time will come when many will not endure sound doctrine but will heap to themselves, teachers having itching ears; that time is now. You can see what is happening in the religious organizations which claim to be of God but in works deny him; they are more interested in fitting into the world and its ways, as well as preaching for filthy lucre sake to fill their own pockets, robbing the church blind (spirit, soul, and body), than to hold fast the profession of faith without wavering and to teach others to do the same. Scofield note: Message to Laodicea: the church in the final state of apostasy. Revelation 3:14-19 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (KJV) Dearly loved brethren; today if you will hear the Lord’s voice harden not your hearts in the day of temptation as others who were overthrown in the wilderness, knowing that your salvation draws near; today is the day of salvation; now is the accepted time. Watch and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that are to come upon the proud and disobedient. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. God bless. Revelation 3:20-22 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (KJV) You can view all previous videos by going to our YouTube channel Doctrine of Christ Ministry. Have a blessed and prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Good morning. Today's video The Son - Part13 is on the topic of who the Son of God is; the body is of Christ. Dearly loved of God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, and of us; we have been baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit. We were grafted into the true vine, which is Christ, by our Father in Heaven who is the husbandman who sets every branch in the vine. You can be grafted in when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior; and you can be cutoff due to unbelief just as the natural branches were. So don’t take for granted your place in the vine and boast against the other branches. Now as Christ is that true vine, He is the head of the body; the body of Christ of which we are all members one of another, and should have the same care one of another. God has placed each member in the body where He sees fit and it is up to each of us to find out what our place is and how to operate where He has placed us to the edification of the rest of the body. Ephesians 4:11-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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: 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; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (KJV) Now that doesn’t mean that when God placed us in the body in the beginning that, that is where He would have us to remain. As we grow up into Christ, and remain faithful in all our house (spirit, soul, and body) He may move us to another part of the body to fill up that which may be lacking so that the body can remain fitly joined together, compacted by that which every joint supplies, as working effectually in the measure of faith, that the body may increase (that He may increase, and we, our old nature may decrease) unto the edifying of itself in love. The more we allow Christ to remain our Head, the more the body becomes likeminded; serving one another in love; and to love is to lay down our lives for the body (dying to self). 1 John 3:16-18 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. (KJV) The rest of our time on this earth, abiding in Christ in the Spirit, is no longer about us, but about the Head, Christ, and His body of believers. Do you want to be an effective member of the body? Then begin with getting to know who your Head is; take up your cross, crucifying your old nature, and follow Him growing in grace and in the knowledge of who He is and where He would have you to operate each day in the body to the edification of the body. That when He presents His Church, His body, unto God you will be a part of it, Holy and un-blamable in God’s sight. Our ministry is of Christ, as the body is of Christ. Remember, a body without a head is dead; and so will we be if we do not keep Christ as the Head of our body remaining grafted in the true vine; we will be as the branches cut off and cast forth unto men and burned. God bless and remain in the body which is of Christ. You can view all previous videos by going to our YouTube channel Doctrine of Christ Ministry. Have a blessed and prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Williams New Testament translation of Romans 7:1-6
1. Do you not know, brothers -- for I speak to those who are acquainted with the law -- that the law can press its claim over a man only so long as he lives? 2. For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies, she is freed from the marriage bond. 3. So if she marries another man while her husband is living, she is called an adulteress, but if he dies, she is free from that marriage bond, so that she will not be an adulteress though later married to another man. 4. So, my brothers, you too in the body of Christ have ended your relation to the law, so that you may be married to another husband, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5. For when we were living in accordance with our lower nature, the sinful passions that were aroused by the law were operating in the parts of our bodies to make us bear fruit that leads to death. 6. But now we have been freed from our relation to the law; we have ended our relation to that by which we once were held in bonds, so that we may serve in a new spiritual way and not in the old literalistic way. A cease and desist order has been issued from heaven so all of God’s people could walk in a newness of life and not according to the old literal, unrealistic way man thinks they can please God. Now the question is, ‘how many are willing to give heed to the call of God and worship Him in spirit and in truth’? In order to move ahead in your walk you have to be facing forward, operating in the now and not in the has been. There is a new law of faith that was established and instituted on behalf of God’s people which is apart from the works of the old law. So only those that have separated themselves from these dead rituals will be able to walk in a newness of life; while others are walking blindly in the realm of the flesh seeking something alive amongst the dead. What happens when people don’t give heed to the cease and desist order our Lord gave to His people concerning the old law and the things of it? Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (KJV) When you entered the realm of the Spirit you entered a new realm of faith, and those that look back to their old thoughts or ways are basically declared unfit and not ready to serve our Lord. With all the Lord had His people write for our benefit concerning the law and the things of it, why are so many still looking behind and not pressing forward in their pursuit of the spiritual? When the Lord issued a cease and desist order concerning these dead things it was done for our benefit and liberty so that we could walk in a deeper more intimate relationship with our Lord. By adding works of the law into the mix it’s like trying to combine oil and water which just doesn’t gel together because it was never intended to. By trying to mix the old with the new you will get the same results as well. Hebrews 10:38-39 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. (39) But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (KJV) Now, right this moment, those that seek justification will only find it by faith, hearing the words of Christ that bring Spirit and life to the believer, that’s it, that simple, nothing else. A simple belief in the good work Jesus Christ has begun in you and desires to continue to do if you will only be willing and obedient to the simplicity of Christ and not some old dead complex carnal laws. Many people draw back without being aware of it by reverting back to the law and its rituals, which now adds works to the equation instead of a simple faith in Christ. It’s like mapping out a journey and driving all day only to find out you were going in circles ending up right back where you started. Hebrews 3:12-15 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (13) But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (15) While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (KJV) Take heed to what is being said, the word clearly tells us that whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Where is your confidence today, and what are you holding to? Is it the message the Lord has for you and what He has done on your behalf, or are you still holding to dead works that man thinks they still need to do? Today, will you hear the voice that is speaking to your heart, building up your confidence in the word of God, or are you leaning back to your own understanding? While many people categorize sin and put it at different levels, sin is nothing more than unbelief. Sin is sin people, no matter how it manifests, it is all a result of unbelief; for many because they don’t spend enough time with the Lord hearing His message for themselves and rightly dividing the word of truth. This same kingdom of God you walked into can certainly be walked out of as well, because many don’t hold God to be true to His word and remain confident in His realm. Will you hear His voice today? Will you put your hand to His plow and continue moving forward in the realm of the Spirit and not try to establish your own righteousness by the works of a dead law? 2 Peter 2:18-22 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. (19) While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. (20) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. (21) For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. (22) But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. (KJV) When I listen to some of these so called preachers standing in the pulpits and strutting around like some peacock it reminds me of a bunch of loud mouth drunks in a bar, the more intoxicated they become with themselves the more the exaggerations and a stretching of their versions of truth. Any area that a man escapes from with the help of the Lord only to end up entangled and overcome by it again results in a situation where they end up in worse shape than they were in the beginning. Those that walk in the liberty in Christ are those that continue to grow strong in the Lord and the power of His might, in all things more than conquerors through Him that loved us. I can do all things through Christ and without Him we can do nothing, which when I read the above verses tells me somewhere along the line these people separated themselves from the Lord giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. Many well intended people put their hand to a spiritual plow and work the Lord’s field for a season only to look back to something in the flesh that they think will make them perfect, sometimes the deception manifests in the form of the old law and rituals. Move forward, walk in liberty, stand fast in your faith and remain rooted and grounded in the realm of the Spirit so that you don’t fall from some cheap thrill in the flesh. God bless and stay renewed. Have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Corinthians 7:15-16 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. (16) For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? (KJV)
Before packing your spiritual baggage and going on a guilt trip, stop and consider before boarding a potentially sinking ship. Make sure you know ahead of time what you are getting into before boarding a vessel that is getting ready to set sail on the dead sea with winds of doctrine predicted also. So you decided that you were the one and only that God could use to save your unbelieving husband or wife as verse 16 makes reference to? Now that they have departed you think you failed God and did something wrong? Basically what you are saying and what gets taught in many religious organizations, is that it is your duty to be the savior and make sure your significant other gets saved. I have heard the phrase spoken so often that “God hates divorce” even to the point that some make it seem like it is some unpardonable sin. The truth be known is that marriage is only temporary; in other words it is something that takes place here for our time on earth and does not carry over into the eternal realm. There is a divorce God does not look kindly on and that is when one divorces themselves from the truth of God and His plan of salvation, and falls for the lies of the devil and his cheap imitations. James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (KJV) You ever hear the term high maintenance? That is what happens when you end up with someone more concerned with earthly things than the things of God. Spiritual prostitution, selling oneself out for a thrill in the flesh; something that can be a huge distraction to a believer who desires a relationship with God. My point, having dealt with a situation like this myself, is that maybe the departure is a blessing in disguise; so before you gather your prayer groups together and pray this person back into your life, watch what you ask for. Matthew 5:31-32 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: (32) But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. (KJV) Many times these verses are looked at in the literal or physical context, and not the spiritual. As we just saw in the verses from James, many husbands and wives are cheating on the Lord with their spiritual adultery and have separated themselves from Him. Again, how can two walk together unless they be agreed? And if one or the other partner in a relationship is more concerned with the things of this dead fallen world, then the believer ends up carrying around dead weight. I can assure you that if the Lord says something is dead and needs to be discarded, and He then makes a way of escape, it would do one good to take heed before they end up dead also. Exodus 34:14-16 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: (15) Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; (16) And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. (KJV) God is a jealous God because He knows that His way and His plan for mankind is so much better than what we could ever ask or think. Just like with a parent raising a child, you envision a life for them of blessings, and how it breaks your heart to see them end up in a life of misery and despair because of bad choices and decisions. Also as a parent when you see your son or daughter has made a bad choice concerning a husband or wife, you reach out and try to stop them before they get to deeply involved in a destructive lifestyle. Ezra 10:10-12 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. (11) Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. (12) Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. (KJV) The spiritual is greater than the physical, and as we see God has dealt with situations throughout the Bible where His people are in a bad place because they are unequally yoked with someone unhealthy to their walk, and He provided a way of escape for them. Your spiritual welfare is of more concern to our Lord than your temporal marital status here on earth, and should be yours also. 1 Corinthians 10:13 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. (KJV) I have seen times where a departure of an unbeliever is actually a way of escape being provided by the Lord and not some failure on your part as the devil would like many to think. That heartache and misery you have been experiencing, the confusion and doubt that has been dogging you and sucking the life out of you was doing more harm than good. While the Lord is throwing you a lifeline so that you don’t end up drowning in frustration and despair, the devil is throwing you the line to an anchor of a sinking vessel, guilting you into thinking you must go down with the ship. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (KJV) Know this, that if an unbeliever departs, the person they departed from first was God. That person you have been married to may have once been a true believer, but like we see in the above verses has departed from the faith. Like with a bus schedule, they give you departure times as well as arrival times; in other words you can’t depart from something unless you were actually there at one time. Seducing spirits, doctrines of demons that appeal to the lower fallen nature of man, spiritual adultery, which ends up separating them from the love of God. My point today is, no you don’t take your marriage lightly or look for a way out because you want to find something better. The message God has for today is that the spiritual is so much greater than the physical realm, and if there is something or someone that is hindering your walk and needs to be let go of, then heed the way of escape and don’t be taken in by some phony guilt trip. I have seen some of these so called Christian men who treat their spouses like some robotic slave, demanding respect and obedience to them when they are nothing more than shallow flakes. If you are in a situation where you are married to someone who is more like a dictator than a loving Christian, and they are pulling you down rather than building up, be assured this is not something our Lord would want you to continue in, but will make a way of escape if you are willing. Don’t let anyone pack your bags and try to send you on some guilt trip, because when people try to make you think that by being separated or divorced is a failure, the truth be known, is that they are just telling you that they hold more to the physical than the spiritual. God is more concerned with your eternal marriage than your earthly one; so if He has made a way of escape, heed the warning and cancel the guilt trip. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. 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)
Why should you expect the best? How about the fact that you serve the best, someone who always has your best interest at heart. When mankind was in dire need of a savior God gave us His best in the form of His Son Jesus Christ to restore the fellowship between us and Him, and give us the gift of life. When the answer to your prayers manifest you know it is of God because there is not a shadow of doubt that it came from Him and was just what you needed; at times above and beyond what you could have ever thought of or asked for. We have been reborn into a new realm of the Spirit by the word of truth so that we could tap into the tree of life and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, now becoming rooted and grounded in the love of God which is shed abroad in our hearts. So when you come before the throne of God and make your requests, do you truly expect the best or are your prayers like throwing dice, hoping you will get a good roll? Romans 11:16-22 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. (17) And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; (18) Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. (19) Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. (20) Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. (22) Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (KJV) You know Church this tree you have been grafted into is not one of chance or luck, but rather a sure thing to those that partake of it. Actually you are grafted into the tree of life which is Christ so that you can now be an active participant in a new life. A branch can break off a tree because of high winds, or in the case of a believer winds of doctrine that blow through which causes one to doubt and speak words that cut them off from the source of life. What is the cause for the branch being broke off; simple unbelief. What allows you to continue to partake of the root and fatness of the tree; simple faith. The more one stays attached to this tree of life the more deeply rooted and grounded they become in it and bear the fruit of it as well. God is no respecter of persons and didn’t play favorites with His natural branches which were the Jews, and He has now allowed any and all that would call upon the name of the Lord to be saved and partake of this new life in Him. As long as you continue to remain rooted and grounded in the love of God partaking of this tree of life you to should be expecting the goodness of God in your life. Psalms 23:4-6 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (5) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (KJV) There are times that our carnal minds wander in the depths of despair, a shadow of death because we have allowed something to block the light from shining in. As a true believer in Christ one should be retraining, renewing their mind to think like our Lord, reminding ourselves that we are the head and should quit acting like the tail end. So once one is able to get their mind out of the gutter, that valley or low point in their walk, and recover themselves they are able to clearly see the answer the Lord has for them in verses 5&6. We have all experienced heartache and frustration in the past; trying to find peace in the dead realm of the flesh, exerting so much energy only to end up frustrated and defeated. Now that we are grafted into this new realm of the Spirit, a realm of victory, we need to be confident in the fact that surely, not maybe or possibly, goodness and mercy is now a part of my life and continues to follow me all, not just some of, the days of my life. God has prepared a table for you in His heavenly realm and is now seeking those that wish to be seated with Christ and partake of the meat of His word on a daily basis. The more you stay seated with Him the less you will be caught up and entangled with the things of this life, so that like with a branch, the fellowship won’t be broken again. Quite simply put, now that you are a part of the tree of life bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit you should continue to expect the best from our Lord and not expect the results you used to get from your past. 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (KJV) You are a new creature, a new creation in Christ, old failures, old results, old excuses are now passed away and your life should be a totally new experience, one of confidence and peace as well as a newfound inner strength that you never knew existed before. When you pray and make your requests to God through Jesus Christ, where there was once a shadow of doubt there should now be a new expectation of confidence, boldness, and assurance that your prayers are heard and answered. What was once a life of a day late and a dollar short is now replaced by an assurance that in all things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Instead of being a loser and ending up with the short end of the stick, I can now expect my cup to be running over with living waters which flow from the heart and bring new life and shed light where there was darkness and despair. Are you living in the new today or are you still holding to the past, stuck in a valley looking for the way out? Do you really expect the best from God? Then start giving Him your best effort, because with what measure you give His way will come back your way. Sometimes the reason we don’t see our way out of a situation is because we don’t spend enough time seated in the heavenly realm to hear the message delivered by Christ and we end up stooping to the ways of the world. You need to spend enough time in the word of God renewing the mind so that you can take words like ‘I can’t’ or ‘it just isn’t possible’ out of your vocabulary and replace it with words like ‘I can do all things through Christ’ or ‘with God all things are possible’, and nothing I mean nothing is impossible to those that believe. A new creation in Christ means that what was impossible to man in his fallen realm is now possible and should be expected by those that are a part of this new realm, a new life made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord. Isaiah 42:8-9 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (9) Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. (KJV) You know, when you read the news of the world it is not really news or anything new, but rather the same negative things resulting from a fallen world. People fighting and warring trying to find peace in a realm the Lord said was dead, and there is no life. When one partakes of the word of God they are able to partake of a totally new realm, actually a realm where the victory is guaranteed before hand, with a promise of goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. If you give God your best then you can expect the best in return, letting His word be your one true source of life. Expect the best, because after all you serve the best. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. John 16:7-10 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (KJV)
Our Lord was announcing that He would be leaving this realm soon, and heading for a better one. Upon His departure He would then send the Comforter so that we could know for ourselves who God is as well as His Son. This revelation would show us personally what God considers to be sin and how to overcome the influence of the enemy who up to this point was having a field day on mankind. Luke 12:8-10 Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemes against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. (KJV) We discussed yesterday a sin which is singular, and that this sin would lead unto death. We see this illustrated above, something I have experienced personally; many will look and point out my faults and shortcomings which does aptly describe my outward or son of man part of me, however, the problem of unbelief for them comes when they come against the doctrine that the Holy Spirit has been revealing to mankind and that would be the doctrine of Christ. By not knowing and having this revelation you will not know personally who the Son of God is, which puts man in a state of denial, or should I say antichrist? Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (KJV) Now think back to our Lord’s crucifixion and how they nailed the Son of man to the cross, and the Lord offering forgiveness to them. We see in the above scriptures another crucifixion taking place, one that involves the Son of God, Christ, in which those that deny Him and His doctrine are looking at the back end of an eternal death sentence. Galatians 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (KJV) What you see above is the sin unto death, and who it involves. We also see illustrated another crucifixion of the gospel of Christ, and the life that is in this doctrine being crucified and left for dead. Verse 9 is quite clear in the fact that this teaching and lack of knowledge is a sin unto death for those that do not have the revelation of Christ. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (KJV)
Even though we titled this week’s study Revelation, we are not going to spend much time, if any, in this book. The reason this is brought up is because there is one revelation that each and every believer needs to see for themselves, and that is the revelation of Christ, the Son of the living God. Many today have a partial understanding based on Jesus of Nazareth; however, in order to get a clear and precise understanding of the Bible one needs to see beyond the veil of the flesh to see the Son of God and who He really is and what name He goes by. John 16:7-11 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (KJV) Verse 9 refers to sin as singular, and the reason this is an offence to God is because of unbelief in His Son who was sent for mankind. Actually, all sin is a result of unbelief; because in the end we allowed the enemy to convince us that something in the carnal realm would satisfy a spiritual need. However or whatever way sin manifests, it is a result of unbelief, and we will find out this week who and what unbelief involves. I John 5:16-18 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. 18 We know that whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not. (KJV) We all sin and fall short in areas that our Lord hasn’t brought our attention to, or sometimes we know better and do it anyway and then try to play dumb afterwards. There is a sin unto death, one that is unpardonable for those that have ignored God’s plan of salvation which He manifested through His Son. As we go along this week we will show through the scriptures what this sin is, and who it involves. John 1:29-30 The next day John seeing Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. (KJV) Let me give you a hint. As you see above John was making reference not to his cousin Jesus of Nazareth, a man that was born after him and not before. He was making reference to someone else, the man who was before Him, that being Christ the Son of God within Jesus. You will be considered a Son of God also when you see beyond the veil of the flesh and into the Spirit so that you can identify for yourself who this Lamb of God is and what name He goes by which will lead unto life. Dearly loved let the eyes of our understanding be enlightened this week. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
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