“…in [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. … Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” (Col 2:2,6 NASB)
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Journal
Our salvation begins the moment we truly believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him as our Lord and Savior. It is in this moment that the Holy Spirit enters our heart with God’s eternal seal of redemption. Every true believer is sealed for eternity.
From this moment on the Spirit of the Lord is in our lives to help process life according to the will and purpose of God. Listen carefully to the apostle:
“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Php 2:12-13 NASB)
Far too often the afore statement is cut off in mid stream with the words, ‘work our your salvation with fear and trembling.’ This is a grave mistake. The focus is not on ‘fear and trembling.’ Rather the emphasis is on ‘God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.’
Keep in mind that the Greek word for salvation carries into English in the sense of preservation and deliverance. Thus the Holy Spirit is always at work in our life with deliverances and preservations. (Sometimes we need to be preserved from ourselves.)
It can be said that the Lord saved us, is saving us, and will save us. (Positionally our salvation has already been secured eternally in Christ.)
So then, what is our need? Our need is to learn to trust the Lord in all the affairs of life. Walking according to the spirit is a trust issue. We must learn to trust the Lord in all circumstances of life and not simply lean on our own understanding. (This is one of those ‘relax and let go’ things.)
The apostle said,
“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Th5:18)
Trusting in the Lord requires that we humble our own hearts and recognize our special need for spiritual guidance. This is where the idea of ‘fear and trembling’ come in. These two words have to do with deep respect and awe for the Lord and for His Word. Jesus told the apostles, “Without Me, you can do nothing.”
Listen to what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
“Thus says the LORD, ‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,’ declares the LORD.
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“‘But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.’“ (Isa 66:1-2 NASB)
If you wish to know how to pray a prayer that deals with this aspect of walking with the Lord, pray what David prayed:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” (Psalm 139:23,23– It would do you well to meditate on the whole of Psalm 139.
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A walk in reality
Another issue of living from the Spirit is to understand that ‘walking in the Spirit’ means to walk in the very reality of the living God.
Jesus explains it this way:
“But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and disclose it to you.”(John 16:13,14)
True believers know the reality of God in their lives. The word ‘truth’ (aletheia) addresses what is true in itself, in opposition to either an error or a falsehood, or even a misguided perception about a thing.
Jesus shared with the disciples how a walk of truth and of salvation would play itself out in the lives of believers. Follow this incident:
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’
Let me touch briefly on a belief held by the Jews. The Jews believed in what is called ‘the transmigration of the soul.’ They believed that the soul of a person could transmigrate forward in time and become the soul in a person in the future. Similar in many respects to reincarnation. This is why the people identified Jesus with one of the prophets.
“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’
Here it begins to get very interesting. Something was going to happen that would show how the Holy Spirit would work in the new covenant.
Notice what Peter says:
“Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’
Why did Peter say this and not speak to the transmigration idea? The answer is given. Listen carefully and you will see it:
“And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’
Did you catch it? The reality of who Jesus really is came as a revelation from the heavenly Father. Peter did not come to this conclusion on his own. Thus you have how the Spirit of revelation works in the life of every true believer. It all has to do with the opening of the eyes.
Jesus continues,
“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.’
So many get confused over this statement. Jesus was not calling Peter ‘the rock’ upon which He would build His church. The rock was Jesus and the church would be built upon the revelation of who Jesus really is.
“’I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.’” (Mat 16:13-19 NASB)
The short side of this is that the keys would be the revealing of Jesus through the preaching of the gospel. The door to heaven is Jesus Himself. (There is more to be said about apostolic authority but you get the idea.)
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Learn to live by the instructions…
This is also where the Bible itself plays an important role in our learning to walk in the Spirit. There is no book on this planet like our Bible. It carries in it the very presence of the Lord. It carries between its covers the very voice of God.
Look at your Bible as a garden of delights. Don’t read it like a newspaper. Read it like you are looking into the eyes of God. Read it for the pure joy of discovering the things of the Lord. Read it for the joy of hearing.
David gave some insight into this when he said,
“Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.” (Psa 119:18 NASB)
When David spoke of God’s law, he is not limiting this to the letter of the law of Moses. The term translated Law in Hebrew, Torah, simply means ‘instruction.’ When David said ‘Wonderful things’, you can be sure He included God’s Messiah. But he was also asking for spiritual instructions from God.
David was a man after God’s heart, and the heart of God is His Son. The faith we live by originates in and is written in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. A true new covenant spiritual faith walk wraps itself around the Lord speaking into our hearts.
Thus we hear the Lord say,
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”(John 10:27)
Here is where we need to see the very heart of the new covenant. The prophet Jeremiah had this to say about God’s new covenant in Christ:
“‘This is the covenant I will make with them after those days,’ says, the Lord; ‘I will put My laws [instructions] upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them.’ He then says, ‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.'”(Heb 10:16-17 NASB)
Isn’t the new covenant wonderful! God writes both His love and his life instructions in our own hearts and minds.
While you think on these things, here is a song. Perhaps the Lord would like to speak something into your heart.
“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2Co 12:9-10 NASB)
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Journal,
It is fairly common for people to ask me how I am doing. The word was out some time back that I had cancer. But the word had not gotten out to everyone that I had received a healing from the Lord. It was an unusual healing. So once again the story needs to be told. Let me reach back to eight years ago…
Expect the Unexpected
It was August 6, 2007. I had been in cancer treatment for awhile. The findings were not good. Lymphoma had spread throughout my chest area and was now into my bone marrow. Our local hospital could do no more for me. They were sending me to M. D. Anderson in Houston. It pointed to a bone marrow transplant. (Pretty invasive procedure.)
But everything was alright between me and the Lord. I had told the church that it was a win-win situation. The only concern I had involved which kind of bone marrow transplant would I have to go through.
Back to the story – That day I am having my morning devotion on a hill behind the church. While reading In the book of Isaiah, the Lord speaks to my heart and says, ‘Expect the unexpected.’
When I looked up at the high wire directly over my head there sat a beautiful dove. I sat there just looking at her. The dove would look at me. She remained there until I stood up to walk home. Then she flew ahead of me towards the house.
It has always amazed me how of the Lord will speak to my heart while I am reading the Scriptures. That morning I was taking my devotion from the New Living Translation. Here is the portion where the Lord spoke to me:
“Oh, that You would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in Your presence! As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil,
“Your coming would make the nations tremble. Then Your enemies would learn the reason for Your fame!
“When You came down long ago, You did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked!”(Isa 64:1-3 NLT)
The Lord had spoken into my life. His promise of ‘expect the unexpected’ made residence in my heart. (That is the way a promise from God works.)
I shared with the church what the Lord had said. But I yet didn’t know what ‘expect the unexpected’ meant. I thought perhaps I would receive the less of the two invasive stem cell transplant procedures. After all that was the purpose of sending me to Houston.
At M. D. Anderson I was put through a battery of tests. They gave me a thorough work through. Then it came time to evaluate where I stood. Betty and Nathan were with me.
Here is what happened. When we met with my primary physician, he went down the line on each test that M.D. Anderson had made. With each test he said, ‘No cancer.’ (Something along that line.)
At some point between Pineville, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, the Lord had granted me a sovereign miracle of grace. It’s been three years now. Every checkup I’ve gone to since shows me clear of cancer.
And that is the story of my healing from the Lord
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A work of God’s love
What did I do to gain a healing from the Lord? It wasn’t about anything I did. It was the work of God. To Him belongs the glory.
I wish that all believers would come to this understanding. God doesn’t heal us or give us miracles because we deserve them, or because we have earned them, or because we become good enough. Its all a matter of God’s love and of His sovereign grace.
The love of God is a Divine outflow of His own heart. It flows from God to His children. God then wants His love to flow out from His children to those who are without Christ, and also to other struggling believers. So He gives us testimonies of His grace and of His love.
This is what my healing testimony is all about. Paul said,
“The love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” (2Co5:14,15)
But there is a problem. Before believers can effectively touch the lives of others, they need to know the love of God for themselves. This means that the believer has to get away from this, ‘I must become good enough’ before God can save me, or heal me, or bless me. Nobody gets good enough in themselves. It is a matter of understanding our relationship to God through His Son Jesus Christ.
It is only after the believer comes to know and understand the love and the grace of God for themselves, that they are able to minister positively and effectively to others.
With regard to God’s love, here is the place to begin.
All who believe the message of the cross and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior, are special to the Father’s love. He loves you just as you love your children. He wants the best for you just as you want the best for your children. (Be sure to place your cursor over each of the following Scripture references.)
This means that every true believer is…
1. …accepted in Christ. (Eph. 2:4-7)
2. …a gift to the Son. (John 6:37-40; Heb. 2:11-13)
3. …the beloved of Christ. (Eph. 5:25; John 17:24)
4. …represented by Christ in heaven. (1 John 4:17,18)
God loves you. You must learn to love yourself. But He also loves the Church, and He loves the lost man. You too are to love these things. Love is a key to reaching the person without Christ in their life. Learn to hate the sin but love the sinner. (Rom5:5-8)
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Where does sovereign grace fit the picture…
Some like to argue over the issue of free will. It is really a poor argument when you put it in its proper Biblical perspective. Think about your own family. Your children have free will but they need to learn that there is a greater will that they should look to.
Yes, we have free will. But God also has free will. He is our loving Father. He always knows what is best for us. This is what the Lord was telling Paul. Listen again:
“Concerning this [whatever Paul’s struggle was] I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’
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“Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. … For when I am weak, then I am strong.”(2Co 12:8-10 NASB)
Paul had learned a lesson. He was learning to yield Himself to the grace and to the will of the heavenly Father. God had a plan for his life, just as God has a plan for each of His children.
Hear from the prophet:
“‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'”(Jer 29:11 NASB)
Do you want God’s will in your life? There is only one issue to deal with. You must learn to trust in both the love and the grace of God. Let your heart rest in the grace of a loving Father.
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And yes, you have a dove in your life. It is the same dove of the Holy Spirit that came to rest on Jesus at the river Jordan.
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Why not take time to talk with your heavenly Father. Why not open your heart to Him and get to know Him better. Why not ask the Father speak some promises into your life. In my 50+ years in the ministry, the greatest lesson that I have learned is the lesson of trust.
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Here is your song for today. Listen carefully. The Lord has something to say to you.
— The dream remains as fresh today as when I received it those many years ago. I knew it was of the Lord. He had often spoken to me in dreams and visions, as well as by other means.
In the dream I was crossing a large open field. The field was dry and brown. The grass had withered. As I looked back across the field I saw a group of people pointing at me. Then they pointed at the ground. What are they looking at? Why are they pointing at me?
What I saw startled me. As I looked back where I had walked, I could see that each footstep I made had green grass springing up in it.
As near as I could determine, the dream was about my calling in life. I was to bring the life of the Lord wherever He sends me.
Yes, I realize that dreams are very personal. And it really isn’t my intent to draw attention to myself. There is something else I want to say.
Could the dream be about you? Could it be that God’s purpose in every believer’s journey in this world is to bring life to others? Could it be that the Lord has a dream He wants you to pursue? Think about it. —
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Journal,
It was March, 1976. I was 35 years old, Betty was 33, our three children, Nathan, Andre, and Shana, were 11, 6, and 2, respectively. We had so little money and no one to back us. I had my guitar, my Bible, a precious family, and one other thing. The Lord had given me a stewardship to raise up a ministry in Central Louisiana that would center on training disciples for the kingdom of God.
Was it a crazy idea? Some would say yes. All I can say is that if God gives you a crazy idea, go for it. This is the way the kingdom of God works. The Lord will give one believer a certain work to do. He will give another believer another certain work to do. Some of these works may seem impractical, impossible, and just plain crazy. Don’t worry about that part. If the Lord is in it, He Himself will see to it.
This is what Paul had to say about crazy works:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph 2:10 NASB)
Yes indeed, Christian Challenge was and continues to be a good work from the Lord. But it didn’t begin on March 9, 1976, when we had our first service in a broken down store building. Christian Challenge began in eternity. It would be another footprint in the sands of time. This is what Paul is telling us. God prepared our works beforehand.
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The footprints of faith…
It is important to understand that a walk of faith is highly personal. It is essentially a walk under the protective covering and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The all important work of the Holy Spirit in each believer’s life is to take the things of the Lord Jesus and share them with the believer.
Hear what Jesus said before He went to the cross:
“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
“He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” John 16:12-15
Living by faith is never a step into darkness. It is a walk governed by the light of the Lord.
Jesus said,
“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12
Paul adds,
“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 2Co4:6
With each step of faith there is something you always leave behind and there is something you always gain. You leave behind your fears. You gain a life that is filled with the richness of Jesus.
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The faithfulness of the Lord
God gives us two safe guards for our walk with Him. Every child of God is given the Holy Spirit as a testifier to truth. Every child of God is given the Scriptures by which the Holy Spirit teaches us God’s ways.
The working principle of faith begins with properly handling God’s written word. Paul said to Timothy,
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” 2Tim2:15
Faith is a spiritual reality produced in the believer by the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. Where there is no Word of the Lord, there can be no true faith walk.
Paul said it this way,
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word (voice) of Christ.” (Rom 10:17 NASB)
And Jesus said it this way:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”(Joh 10:27-28 NASB)
So, where are your footsteps taking you
Have you thought about how life is moving on? Have you made your unqualified surrender to the Lord? The unqualified surrendered is summed up in the ‘Abba! Father!’ prayer.
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The‘Abba! Father!’ is simple but it is going to cost you everything, just like it costs Jesus everything. It is a prayer where you give up all your rights to control your own life. It is a prayer of the will.
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I made my Abba! Father! prayer many long years ago and it has remained the guiding principle of my life. More than anything in this world I want to bring glory to the Lord.
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How about you? Did you know that most of our struggles in life have to do with our will.
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Are you ready for this prayer to set the tone for the rest of your life? One thing I can assure you of. If you make this prayer the faith-principle of your life, you will learn something about God’s peace that you never knew existed. Here it is. — ‘Father, not my will, but Your will be done!’
“Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds pour down righteousness; let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, and righteousness spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it.”(Isa45:8)
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Journal,
What a celebration to be remembered. Saturday was my 70th birthday. I could not have had a more wonderful day. All my family gathered, children, grandchildren, great-grand children. And of course the church had to pull a sneak attack with a surprise party. And to top everything, there was a request for the Martin family to share some gospel music.
My, how the time does fly. Seems of late I find myself traveling more and more down memory land.
I’ve often thought, ‘Who am I that the Lord would grant to me such a stewardship as Christian Challenge. This is such a wonderful ministry. Seems all our members carry the heart of a disciple. We are a family.’
Its not that we are bigger or better than any other ministry. Actually we have never been very large. It certainly doesn’t have anything to do with me personally. I’ve always felt very small when it comes to kingdom work. And yet the Lord has helped us to gather much fruit for His kingdom.
The Psalmist said it best of all…
“Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.” (Psalm 115:1)
Christian Challenge began as a fledgling ministry in 1976. We had no financial backing. No denominational support. What we had was a stewardship
Through the years we’ve trained hundreds of believers for service in the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. Some have entered the mission field. Others are now pastors. But every student that has come through our School has carried something of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ from the School.
Yes, the CCI School for Christian Workers is very unique. It all relates to our ministry philosophy. We center exclusively on Biblical discipleship. The motto of Christian Challenge International is,‘How Beautiful Upon the Mountains.’The motto for the School for Christian Workers is, ‘Preparing Servants for the Nations.’
So, here we are again. For those who would like to know more about the world of a disciple, the 45th CCI School for Christian Workers is forthcoming. Pray about it.
Would you like to know how a fourteen week course can radically change a believers spiritual life view. Here is your chance. (Note: The School is nondenominational. We’ve trained believers from a number of Christian backgrounds.)
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Here is a short study on some of what we teach in our Disciple’s Heart Training Program.
Learn to Extract the Precious from the Worthless
This is what the Lord had to say to the prophet Jeremiah:
“Therefore, thus says the LORD, “If you return, then I will restore you– Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, But as for you, you must not turn to them.” (Jer15:19)
It is crucial that believers learn how to appraise spiritual things accurately. Those who are born from above have a unique ability to recognize the things that are of God. The believer’s ability to place a value on all things becomes more acute with spiritual maturity.
Paul said that a spiritual man ‘knows’ and ‘appraises’ all things.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.” (1Co2:12)
The word ‘know’ is *eido* in Greek. It means ‘to see, perceive, to turn the eyes, the mind, or the attention to anything; to get knowledge of; to be skilled in, or to know the meaning of.”
Then in verse 15, Paul says,
“But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.”
The word ‘appraises’ is *anakrino* in Greek. It means to examine, to ask questions, search, discern, and enquire into, to scrutinize, to sift. In a forensic sense it means to hold an investigation to determine the excellence or the defects of any thing.
The apostle is bringing out the strength and beauty of a believer’s spiritual life. The crown of a believer’s walk is his ability to know that which is of the Lord. It is this spiritual ability that protects a believer from error. Satan cannot successfully mislead a mature child of God.
This brings us to the importance of discernment. The ability to know if a thing is of God is important because the supernatural realm makes up more than the things of God. Satan is a spiritual being. The hallmark of Satan’s work is deception. Paul said,
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this spiritual darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph6:12)
We are especially warned that in the last days there will be a great increase of deception at work in the earth. The Lord said that this deception would be so acute that even the very elect will have to maintain a special guard. (Cf. Matt24:24; 1Tim4:1-6; 2Tim3:13.)
To take this a step further, the work of demons is closely linked to the prideful flesh of man. Demons work with fleshly people. And what the fleshly person attributes to God are ‘soulish’ powers that are in cooperation with spirits of darkness. (Cf. Gal 5:19-21)
How do we know if it is a soulish power at work in a person, or if it is truly of the Spirit? When prideful flesh is at work it glories in itself. The balance comes in where God’s people are told to keep a pilgrim attitude about life. We are to hold tightly to Jesus, and loosely to the world. Paul said,
True Biblical discipleship has a spiritual base. It is an outflow of a proper relationship with the Lord. This proper relationship has a heart attitude that is set forth in the word ‘humility.’ We are to live with humble hearts before the Lord, never striving after things of the world. The Lord Himself said that if we will seek first God’s kingdom, and His righteousness, then everything else will be provided for us.
Here are some things that can help you to maintain a proper balance in your walk with the Lord:
First – Keep in view that not all supernatural things are from God. Don’t be afraid of offending the Lord by questioning. Remember that everything the Lord has, the enemy has a substitute.
Second – Understand that anyone can be deceived, if but for a time, even the most devoted of believers, if the believer is ignorant of how Satan works. It is this knowledge that will help keep you on guard.
Third – Learn to trust your own spiritual judgment. This is what the renewing of the mind is about. As we consecrate ourselves to God’s service, we find our ability to judge becoming keener. (Cf. Rom12:1-3)
Fourth – Understand that discernment and testing aren’t necessarily the same thing. You discern by the Holy Spirit. You test by the Word of God. Therefore when you may sense a thing is wrong, don’t ignore that sensing. But the more you become acquainted with God’s Word, the more you will be able to determine why what you sense is wrong. [Be willing to test every experience; dreams, visions, etc., by the Word of God.]
Fifth – Be willing to adjust the way you do things. Even the apostles had to make changes. Peter would not go to Cornelius’ house until the Lord opened his understanding. (Cf. John7:17)
In all this, every believer must study the Scriptures to make sure they have a clear understanding of the gospel message.
The above us just a sample of what you can expect. in our School. There is so much more.
OK, let’s not leave without a song. Here is ‘Sanctuary, by Randy Rothwell…
x May the Lord richly bless you as you learn the walk of obedience,
“And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.'”
(Rev 19:16 NASB)
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Readers,
David often spoke of the Lord as his God and as his King. He also identified the coming Messiah in terms of a King, and also as Lord and God.
Consider just a few statements from David:
“Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” (Psa 2:12 NASB) — This Psalm is quoted from by the apostles in Acts 4, with regard to Jesus as the anointed King. —
“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’ The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, ‘Rule in the midst of Your enemies.'” (Psa 110:1-2 NASB) — Quoted by Peter with a view to Jesus being exalted to the Father as King —
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows.” (Psa 45:5-7 NASB)— Quoted in the book of Hebrews with regard to the exaltation of Jesus. —
“Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.”(Psa 24:8-10 NASB) — With a view to the second coming of Jesus as the King of glory —
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A King is exactly who Jesus is
While we readily acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we must always keep before us that He is a King and has a kingdom. A King is exactly what Jesus is. And in order for a king to rule, he must have a kingdom.
The term kingdom (basileia) in Greek speaks of sovereignty, or power. In an abstract sense it refers to the power exercised by a king. So the kingdom of God refers to God’s direct ruling power. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of great power.
Now we turn to Jesus. Follow carefully the conversation between Pilate and Jesus. In questioning Jesus, Pilate becomes frustrated. His wife had had a dream about Jesus and warned Pilate not to do Him any harm.
Pilate says,
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
Some think that Pilate asked this in jest. I don’t believe this is the case. Pilate is too disturbed to be joking around.
The Lord responds,
“Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?”
Pilate is confused. He responds,
“I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”
It is here that Jesus begins to explain His kingdom. Listen carefully;
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Jesus says His kingdom is not an arrangement or an adornment to be seen with the eyes. It is not a worldly kingdom.
Then the Lord adds,
‘My kingdom is not of this realm.’
The word ‘enteuthen’ (realm) means His kingdom is not from here, or, on this side.
Pilate responds,
“So You are a king?”
What Jesus says next puts His kingdom rule into its spiritual essence.
“You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (Cf. John 18:33-37)
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A kingdom not of this world
Now we come to the crux of the matter. If the kingdom of Jesus Christ is not of this world, then His subjects must not be of this world.
The Lord points out that only His subjects are able to hear His voice.
And the Lord says His kingdom is all about truth.
Now we have all the elements that describe the Lord’s kingdom.
(1) His kingdom is not of this world.
(2) His subjects are not of this world.
(3) Only His subjects hear His voice.
(4) His subjects do not fight. (Not in the sense of worldly kingdoms. Their weaponry is not of the flesh.)
(5) His kingdom is about Truth.
What does this tell us up front? It tells us that the kingdom of Jesus Christ cannot be put in religious terms. Religion is what man does. Relationship and reality is what God does for us in Christ.
Hence the dilemma —
If His kingdom is not of this world, and His subjects are not of this world, and only His subjects can hear His voice, and His kingdom is about Truth, and His subjects do not fight, how can we ever expect to recognize His kingdom? How can anyone find it? How can anyone enter into it?
Every born again person knows the answer to this or they would not be born again. The only way to enter into what Paul calls ‘the kingdom of His Beloved Son,’ is to have a personal invitation from the King. And the only way to be born again is to take to yourself Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior and King.
Thus we have the gospel message. Many people are not aware of just how powerful the gospel really is. The gospel is an official message from God’s heavenly kingdom and in the gospel is a personal invitation from the King to His kingdom. The gospel carries in it the voice of the King.
I Have a Message from the King
We were on our way to a village in Honduras near the border of Guatemala. As we were nearing the village, I asked the Lord what He wanted me especially say to the people. He placed on my heart to begin my message by saying, ‘I come to you as an ambassador of the kingdom of God, and I have a message for you from the King.’ That was the first thing that came out of my mouth. A stillness settled over the crowded building. I began sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then it happened – An old Indian stood up and began to make his way towards me. Once again I stood amazed at the power of the gospel. The old Indian heard the voice of the King. He was making his way to accept God’s invitation to enter the kingdom of His beloved Son. He was ready to give his heart to Jesus.
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This brings us to the blood of the King
To enter into the kingdom of the beloved Son, you must have an invitation. This is the job of the servant of God and of the Holy Spirit. The invitation is sent through God’s servants in the gospel message.
Jesus said,
“And He [the Holy Spirit], when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”(Joh 16:8 NASB)
In the gospel comes God’s invitation to the kingdom of His beloved Son. And here comes the issue of the blood. The blood speaks to the throne of God. First, as a person turns from their former master Satan, and thus receives Jesus Christ as Lord, and Savior, and King, something marvelous takes place in their heart.
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Listen very carefully to Peter:
“…according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”(1Pe 1:2-5 NASB)
Every statement that Peter makes is without measure. Let me paraphrase just a bit —
Our salvation is in accordance with God’s divine plan and foreknowledge. The Holy Spirit separates us apart to Jesus. The moment we gazed upon Jesus with our heart, the moment we hear Him calling to us, the moment we respond and acknowledge Jesus as our Lord, Savior, and King, at that very moment the Holy Spirit takes of the divine blood of Jesus, sprinkles it on our heart, and we through this sprinkling become born-from-above people who are not of this world. We become the born-of-the-blood children of God, blood bought, blood sprinkled, blood sealed, and forever under the presence of the blood of the King. This is why Peter said that we are of a royal priestly. (Kingly priests are a family of royalty.) Paul said that the one joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.
What does the blood of the King speak over us? It speaks mercy and grace. You may be concerned with the idea of the blood of Jesus speaking. Listen:
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”(Heb 12:22-24 NASB)
Abel’s blood cried our for vengeance against his brother Cain. The blood of Jesus speaks from the finished work of the cross. It speaks of mercy and truth and grace and forgiveness and love and acceptance.
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This is why we sing,
‘What can take away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.’
A invitation of life.
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The world has a standing invitation.
John says,
“He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:11,12)
The word ‘receive’ in Greek, is ‘paralambano.’ It means to take someone to yourself or to your heart. We get the idea from the wedding vow, where the minister says, “Do you, Bill, take Susan to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, etc.”
The minister is asking Bill if he will take Susan to his heart and life in holy union. This is what receiving Jesus means. It is a thing of the heart. It is a thing of union. It does require a confession of faith. It has to be stated. This is why the early Christians were known as, ‘The people of the great confession.’
It is important to understand what John says about believing. Our salvation is not based on some emotional experience. It is based on an open declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. Believing in the Bible is something you do with your heart and nut just with your mind.
John says,
“Even to those who believe in His name.”
The Greek word for believe, that is, ‘pisteuo’, means to put faith in a person, to rely on, to trust in, to adhere to. (It is the Greek word that we get our English word ‘glue’.) To believe in His name means to accept who Jesus really is, that is, to believe in the full message of the gospel, and in His authority. We actually believe into life.
What happens when a person takes to themself Jesus Christ? They are born into the kingdom of God’s Son. Paul says a kingdom transfer takes place;
“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” (Col 1:13)
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What about the truth part and the voice part?
Well, I’ve covered this quite a bit. The gospel is a message from heaven. It carries all the authority and power that is needed to cause a person to be born again. This is why Paul said,
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Word, or rhema, speaks of a living voice.)
The word ‘Truth’ in Greek, speaks of the reality that is behind an appearance. To realize truth is to become fully cognizant of the Person and Presence of Jesus Christ. Jesus said,
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.”
When a person is born from above, that birth brings a new spiritual reality into their life. The realness does not go away. It will be there from day, to day, to day.
His voice also speaks of the Lord’s Kingly ministry. The issue of Jesus being our King is very real to a believer. And hearing His voice is also very real. Jesus explained it this way;
“I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.”
And again,
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (Cf. John 10)
Where do we go from here?
How about a song. I always love to finish each of my entries with a special song.
“John testified about Him and cried out, saying, ‘This was He of whom I said, “He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.”’ For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (Joh 1:15-17 NASB)
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Readers,
One issue that continues to bother me to this day is when I see so many of God’s people trying to live new covenant Christianity on an old covenant level. This concern especially includes placing faith in so-called modern day prophets. Hopefully I can provide some insight into this issue.
Before I deal directly with the prophecy issue, let me direct attention to the one matter that is crucial to new covenant understanding. It has to do with who Jesus really is and how this applies to Gods new creation. There has never been a covenant like the new covenant. We need to know why.
Paul said that in Christ,
“All the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” (Col2:9)
This expression simply means that Jesus is fully God. The word for fullness is the Greek term ‘pleroma.’ [play’-ro- mah]. It speaks of the fullest measure. Therefore in Christ is the absolute fullest measure of all that God is. Theologians refer to this fullness as, ‘the plenitude of the divine perfections’.
Sure it is a mystery to be understood with the heart but not always fully with the mind. So, while Jesus was and is fully man, He also was and is fully God. To know what God is exactly like, we look to Jesus. Hebrews 1:3, says,
“He [Jesus] is the radiance of His [the Father’s] glory and the exact representation of His nature.”
Now let’s see how this affects new covenant believers. Listen again to John the Baptist:
“This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank that I, for He existed before me.’”
Then the apostle John adds,
“For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (Cf. Jn1:14-18.)
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Did you catch it?
The apostle said of His ‘pleroma‘ we have all received.
John is not saying that each of us is a little Jesus. Nor is he saying that we have become gods. John is saying that the full measure of Christ’s Spirit, that is, the full measure of the finished work of the cross now belongs to, and abides in every believer. It is because of this full measure of the cross that grace continues to follow grace in our lives.
The point is that no believer gets just a bit of Jesus and then goes on to another experience to receive a fuller measure. Every believer receives the full measure of the Spirit of Christ the moment of their birth from above. Failure to understand this is the platform for all kinds of ‘never-quite-arriving’ doctrines.
No believer in the new covenant is told to measure up to Christ. We have already received the full measure. We have the ‘plenitude of the divine perfections’ placed on our account. What is left is for believers is to grow up in the wisdom and knowledge Jesus Christ.
Paul said that in Christ are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this is what growing up in Christ speaks to. No believer can get more of Jesus that we already have. We have His fullness. Paul said we are to grow up in all aspects into Him. (Cf. Eph4:15)
Someone may ask, “Does this mean that we can do all the things that Jesus did?” The answer is, “Only if you learn to live the way Jesus lived.”
However, that misses the point in what I wish to get across in this journal entry. I realize how easy it would be to twist this out of shape.
So, the next question is simple…
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Do you hold the testimony of Jesus—
All of God’s children share in the same full measure of Christ in their lives. There is nothing left over that we must later receive. It is this understanding that becomes the underpinning for a fruitful new covenant walk. And it is this understanding that keeps believers from needing to find a prophet to give them a word from the Lord. (Such as was the case in the former testament.)
In the new covenant there are no prophets of the same order as of the former covenant prophets. The need for that kind of prophet no longer exists. Christ is now resident in the lives of all His people.
Today the heavenly Father speaks to each of His children in His Son. This does not mean that the Lord cannot address us through the speaking of others. He does that often. Yet all of God’s born-from-above children have the same indwelling spirit of Jesus in their hearts. This indwelling even includes a life-flow in our speaking.
There is one Scripture that expressly defines the heart or the very essence of prophecy in the new covenant. When the angel told John not to fall down before him, he told him why;
“Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Jn19:10)
The Greek for testimony is ‘marturia‘ [mar-too-ree’-ah] This word means ‘the evidence given.’ The evidence given is in the heart and in the speaking of all true believers. Paul said that the Spirit testifies to our own spirit that we are children of God. John said that we have the testimony in us. Thus when we are speaking for and about Jesus, our very speaking carries in it the spirit of prophecy.
So do you hold the testimony of Jesus? Jesus describes this idea of the flowing forth of new covenant prophecy:
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” (Or,‘From his innermost being will flow the spiritual and living testimony of Jesus Himself.’) Cf. Jn7:38,39)
The fact again is that the Holy Spirit enters the heart of the believing person as the spirit of the resurrected, ascended, and glorified Jesus. Thus the finished work of the cross becomes a present reality in our hearts. Our salvation is complete.
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Out of the shadow into the Light…
Paul says that we have already been raised up and seated together in Christ in the heavenly places. You cannot get more saved than that.
Which brings us back to the issue of new covenant prophecy — The book of Hebrews begins with,
“God, after that He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He made the world.”
Notice that the Old Testament prophetic ministry is a thing of the past. It is no longer required. We have passed out of the shadow of God into the very reality of a direct experience with the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. We can now hear Jesus for ourselves.
The redemption revelation in the Old Testament came in bits and pieces, by way of the prophets. What they had in part, we now have in fullest measure. The Father no longer speaks to us by way of the Old Testament prophet. He speaks to all His children in and through His Son. Thus we hear Jesus say to unbelievers,
“But you do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish.”(Jn10:26-28)
We need to press it a bit further. Paul said in the latter times many would depart from the faith [a full faith one-on-one relationship with Jesus], giving attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of devils. Peter adds,
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies … in their greed they will exploit you with false words…”
This begs a question —
Why would any believer need to depend on someone else for a prophetic word from the Lord, when we all know the Lord Jesus Christ in a personal way? It isn’t that God can’t speak to us through someone else. But if this is what our life is centered on, we are missing the very heart of a new covenant walk.
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They will all know Me.
Is Jesus not your personal Lord and Savior? Listen to how the prophet Jeremiah describes the new covenant that was to come. (Note the terms in bold):
“’Behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the LORD.
“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will put My law [instructions] within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
“They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, “Know the LORD,” for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’” (Jer 31:31-34 NASB)
Now hear it from Ezekiel:
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh [tenderness]. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes … so you will be My people, and I will be your God.” (Cf. Ezek36:25-28)
None of what I have shared precludes the gatherings of God’s people into flocks. The gathering of flocks is first of all a gathering to Jesus. He is always in the midst of the gatherings of His flocks. Actually the Lord has ordained the flocking of His people for the purpose of their own growth, fellowship, and protection.
God spoke through the prophet saying,
“Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.”(Jer 3:15 NASB)
This may sting a bit, but it needs to be said. Those who continually seek out a prophet to give them ‘a word from the Lord’ are still trying to live in the new covenant on an old covenant level. They continue to look for modern day prophets who can go behind the veil and bring to them a word from God. How sad. How little to they realize that they are ignoring their own spiritual heritage from God.
This in itself is not my only concern. My greater concern is with those believers who ‘love it that way.’
Jeremiah gave a warning about this:
“An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?” (Jer 5:30-31 NASB)
Does what Jeremiah warned have any relevance today? Yes. I could share a number of Scriptures. But here is a simple example —
Some time back a person shared with me what took place at an apostle-prophet meeting. The prophets made four or five lines so all the people could get their personal word from the Lord. This person made it their business to go through all five lines. As I listened, I thought, ‘When are you ever going to grow up?’ (Of course the prophecies are always generic. They only become personal when the receiver reads their own thoughts into them.)
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What about proper ministry…
Does any of this do away with offices of ministry? Not in the least. The offices of ministry are placed by God, and serve a unique purpose for God’s people. The primary duty of a God-called minister is to help equip the saints for the work of service in God’s kingdom. Paul says,
‘Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ.” (Cf. Eph4:11-13)
The unity of the faith and to a mature man in Christ relates to all believers realizing their own uniqueness in the family of God. It speaks to every believer coming to the place of being able to allow the life-flow of Jesus. The goal is for each believer to become a conduit of heaven.
But this also calls for a caution. Even when a believer feels he or she has reached a high level of spiritual maturity, no believer should take to himself the idea of being superior to other believers. Even when Paul was forced to defend his apostleship, he carefully spoke to this;
“For if I wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.”(2Co12:6)
Did you catch it? Paul knew that the Lord’s purpose for all believers was for their growth in spirituality, and that every believer was uniquely a child of God. And while he indeed had the calling and the authority of an apostle, Paul also knew that his role was not to call attention to himself, but to call attention to the Lord Jesus. It is in this sense that Paul wanted the people to see the gospel in him, but not to see him as someone special above themselves.
The apostle said,
“Not that we are adequate in ourselves as to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”(2Co3:5,6)
So, dear believer, we are all to become God’s love letters to a dying world. We are not simply to preach the gospel. We are to become the gospel.
And please listen to me — Stop trying to live your Christian walk on an Old Testament level.
How about it? Take time to listen again to one of my favorite songs by my favorite group, the Isaacs, entitled, ‘Stand Still.
“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”(Mar 8:38 NASB)
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Journal,
One pastor asked if any of us had read the book, ‘The Christian Atheist.’ I thought, ‘Why would I want to read a book that contradicts what being a Christian is about?” (Something along those lines.)
Then when the brother shared the rest of the title, it did aroused my curiosity. The full title of the book is, ‘The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but living as if He doesn’t Exist’, by Craig Groeschel.
The title made more sense when you consider those who ascribe to the name Christian, yet their lives seem to reflect the world. I’ve often wondered what kind of believer these people really are. Then I have to remember what Jesus said about not judging according to appearance but to judge with righteous judgment.
Fact of the matter is that we know so little about other believers. Who knows where they are in their walk with the Lord, or what God is doing in their lives.
How about you? Are you the kind of believer who reflects the values of the world? Or are you that believer who longs to take as your creed of life what the unknown author wrote, titled, ‘The Fellowship of the Unashamed.’
Take time to read what the following anonymous believer wrote. In doing so perhaps you could supplement it with this prayer,
‘Dear Lord, with your help and by your grace it is my deepest desire to make this statement the creed of my life. Help me to hold fast to all that represents You and Your kingdom. In Jesus name. Amen’
Here is what I might call, ‘the creed of the disciple’.
The Fellowship of the Unashamed
I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made—I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees,
Colorless dreams, tame visions, worldly-talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops,
Recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and I labor with power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable,
My mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, hired away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up and stayed up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus, I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know and work till He stops me. And when He comes
To claim His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me. My banner will be clear!
–Author Unknown
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Four challenges to consider…
1. The axis of TRUTH – Don’t become doctrinally rigid in anything that pertains to the walk of truth. Leave room for spiritual growth. Absolute truth is often found in the tension of two truths that even seem pull against one another. Always ask the Lord for a better understanding of all that He would have you to understand.
“For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.“ (Pro 2:3-6 NASB)
2.The matter of LOVE – Jesus said that a disciple’s walk has to have a dual love focus. The focus is lateral, love God, and, horizontal, love others. John said that it is impossible to love God without loving others.
“’Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Mat 22:36-40 NASB)
3.Singleness of PURPOSE – God wants us to serve Him with an undivided heart. Whatever things compete with God in our lives are things that attempt to divide our heart. Having singleness of heart and vision speak of a complete loyalty to Jesus Christ in all things.
“Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever.” (Psa 86:11-12 NASB)
4. The issue of TREASURES – Our heart is always connected to our treasures. What we make time for, what we spend our money on, and what we see as priorities in life will always reflect the status of our heart far more than our words ever will do. (Mat 6:19-21)
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Mat 6:19-21 NASB)
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Let this song minister to your heart. The Lord wants to share some secret things with you.
x”When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty!” (Psa 8:3-5 nasb)
Journal,
When David says, “What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him,’ place in your thoughts that the term ‘Son of Man’ is also a unique designation for God’s Messiah, that is, the Son of God.
The statement ‘son of man’ has so many reflective truths in it. By extension it speaks of the first Adam. And by extension it also speaks of the last Adam. But it also includes God’s original design and purpose for the whole of the human family.
Oh my, how the human race has fallen. Yet, in Christ we have been redeemed and restored to our rightful place as the sons and daughters of God Most High. And in our unique spectrum of relationship to God Himself, the potential of the human spirit is now beyond measure.
Through our connect to Christ Jesus, and in our learning to live under the auspices of God’s Holy Spirit, the limit of what the children of God can accomplish for God’s kingdom cannot even be fathomed.
Paul called attention this in his letter to the Ephesians:
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21)
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Does Satan know about all this potential?
Of course Satan knows this. This is why he does all he can to tap into the unredeemed human spirit. Satan goes about to provide the world with a Hitler, and many such like, with false prophets, with false messiahs, with false religions, and finally with an antichrist. According to the Scriptures the antichrist will actually rule the world during a time until he is overthrown at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why is Satan shown with horns? Horns are a Bible symbol of power.
No Satan is not to be feared. However, neither is he to be ignored. Believers are always to be conscious of how the enemy works. And though Satan has already been judged, that full judgment has yet to be carried out. Thus Satan is still called ‘the god of this world’, and, ‘the prince of the power of the air’, and other such titles remain his during this stage of God’s redemption program.
But let’s not be so concerned with Satan in this writing that we lose the essence of what our aim is. Our aim is to talk about…
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The potential of the human spirit.
In this case I am directing attention to that child of God who will fully align his heart and life with the Son of God. This is where our potential for kingdom work can be unleashed. And this is where I cannot help but think of two very young men, with their very young wives, who some many years ago set out to become missionaries in Old Mexico. Such faith!
And now this very moment my son, Nathan and Joel Dyke are in south Mexico as speakers of a leadership conference for at least 400 ministers and untold others. Who would have thought that two green boys from small towns in Louisiana, boys who would take their young wives into Mexico many years ago to raise up churches, would be seeing the fruit of their labors to become one of the wonderful branches in God’s Vine that wraps around the world. How great their service to God’s kingdom has become.
Not only did they began new churches among the Indian tribes in South Mexico, but the last church Joel and Nathan established has now grown to great numbers, has branched out with daughter churches, is sending out their own missionaries, and all the while looks to Nathan and Joel as their spiritual fathers. Such human potential for God.
Is it any wonder that the world hates Christian missionaries? Is it any wonder that the world hates Christians? This is why Jesus instructed us not to be amazed when we find that the world hates us.
Listen:
Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, ‘What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!'” (Mar 1:23-24)
Note: Did you know that in the Bible, Christians are also called ‘holy ones of God’? What message do demons have for is? ‘Leave us alone!’ ‘Go away!’ ‘We are just doing our job of killing, stealing, and destroying.’ ‘Go to a movie. Go play some games. Don’t get involved with us. Leave these lost souls with us. We aren’t bothering you. Leave us alone! –
Don’t forget to mark these dates…
Don’t miss out on another CCI Jubilee? Jubilee is on its way.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, March 19 through 20.
The Christian Challenge International 34th Homecoming Jubilee is fast approaching. Friday evening and Saturday morning will be two session in a marriage seminar, titled, ‘Marriage Unleashed!’ Open to anyone but without children.
Sunday is Jubilee! If you have never been to a Christian Challenge Jubilee, you do not know what you are missing. Worship, special singing, testimonies, skits, Joel Dyke as our special speaker, dinner-on-the-grounds. Who knows what else.
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Last but not least.
Do you want an example of the human spirit unleashed. Take time to view this video of a five year old blind Korean girl playing the piano. She was taught by God. And listen to her sing as she speaks of God Himself. The subtitles will be in English.
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Don’t let life pass you by!
Decide this very moment that you are going to align your heart and life with the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. Let Him know it. Tell Him, ‘Lord, I am beginning today! No more living in the mess of this world. I’m moving up on the high road of a sanctified life!’
What potential to be had between you and the Lord.
One of the most interesting books in the New Testament is the book of Acts. Acts is much more than a doctrinal book. While it certainly contains doctrine, its primary view is on the emerging Christian movement from its Jewish matrix to its becoming a movement to all the nations.
There are other issues about Acts that need to be understood. Believe it or not, the early Jewish church still had much to learn about the new covenant. And so Acts includes a progressive revelation that would eventually remove the church’s Jewish clothing, and allow it to put on the clothing of Christ.
The beauty of Acts is also found in its Hebrew thought form. This is why I’ve designed a series of studies to help believers uncover the treasures of this book. These studies were initially provided for our Hebraic-Foundations forum.
I want to encourage my readers who are interested to take the time to view these studies. The studies are not designed to be a commentary on each and every Scripture verse. The primary focus to see how the doctrines of Christ develop through time.
All I can tell you is, ‘Saddle your camel. We are going to travel with the apostles through the first thirty-five+ years of early church history.
With regard to Hebraic thought form have you heard about ‘the ancient path?’ Consider this short study.
Walking the Ancient Path
This study is based on Psalm One. Let’s read:
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither, and in whatever he does, he prospers.
“The wicked are not so, but they are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”
To appreciate the depth and beauty of this Psalm, we have to approach it from a Biblical-Hebrew perspective. To the ancients, religion was defined as an individual walking the road of life. Your relationship is with God. Torah (God’s Word) is your road map. Thus we hear David say, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
How does the ancient walk carry over into the new covenant? It is the same for we Christians. We are the recipients of the ancient faith. Jesus is the Living Torah who guides us through the written Torah. The ancient faith is fully realized in Jesus Christ. The Lord said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
When Jesus said, ”I am the way”, or made reference to, ”broad is the way,” he was drawing from a rich Hebrew heritage. These terms were familiar to the Jews of His time. The truth is that there have always been two ways. You have the way of the righteous. Or you have the way of the wicked.
And so Psalm 1, and the Sermon on the Mountain are similar. Psalm 1:1, says, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” The very first thing Jesus says on the mountain is, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
Then we have this characteristic of the righteous man and woman. The righteous person delights in truth. Psalm 1:2, says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” The righteous person loves the truth. His bend, pleasure, delight is towards Torah (God’s Word.)
When Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied,” it is very likely that His Jewish audience would think about what David said.
The thing to understand is that God’s Word is very much alive those who believe. It is full of wisdom and power. It works itself into our very nature and spreads its healing love throughout our being. This is why the apostle said, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2) Peter was speaking of our attitude towards God’s Word. An infant instinctively seeks its mother’s breast for nourishment. We are to instinctively seek the nourishment of God’s Word. Our desire is to be in the Word of the Lord.
Notice that Psalms 2:2 says, “In His law he meditates day and night.” Here we need to bring out the Hebrew. The word for meditate is ‘hagah.’ This word means to mutter, to emit a sound, to speak in undertone. To the ancient this word meant to articulate with God from the heart. A dove coos. A lion rumbles. We are to pour out our heart with talkings to the Lord throughout the day.
The characteristic of Psalm 1, for the righteous man is, “He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season.”
Three words describe the ungodly man. “Wicked.” “Sinner.” “Scoffer.” Wicked is from a root word which means to be agitated; confused; in motion; restless. The wicked are ethically loose & unstable. In another Psalm we read, “God makes a home for the lonely: He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” (Ps68:6)
Lost in the desert of life. A parched land.
Then the Psalm ends with, “For the Lord knowsthe way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” The Hebrew term for knows, ‘yada’ is a very strong word. It means to watch over; be deeply involved with.
The righteous man walks with God. This is true Biblical prosperity. The righteous shares the joy of walking with God. while the sinner is agitated and confused. The sinner has no one but himself.
There has always been but one path for the righteous. The righteous path has always been a walk with the Lord. And when Jesus came into our world, the path of the righteous is summed by Jesus; “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.
Are you walking the ancient path? Think about it.
Here is your song for this entry. It is a song based on the prayer, ‘Lord, lead me on.’
How does the ancient walk carry over into the new covenant? It is the same for we Christians. We are the recipients of the ancient faith. Jesus is the Living Torah who guides us through the written Torah. The ancient faith is fully realized in Jesus Christ. The Lord said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
When Jesus said, ”I am the way”, or made reference to, ”broad is the way,” he was drawing from a rich Hebrew heritage. These terms were familiar to the Jews of His time. The truth is that there have always been two ways. You have the way of the righteous. Or you have the way of the wicked.
And so Psalm 1, and the Sermon on the Mountain are similar. Psalm 1:1, says, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” The very first thing Jesus says on the mountain is, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
The Hebrew word for ‘blessed’ is esher. (eh-sher) It comes from the same root as Asher, who was one of Jacob’s son. Literally it means, ‘O, the happiness of.’ But this happiness has no regard to external circumstances. It is an inner contentment of knowing rightness. While many look for this blessedness in things and in relationships, actually it can only be found one place. It is found in a true personal walk with the Lord.
Another mark of the walk of righteousness is that it is not influenced by evil. This is what the term ‘holy’ speaks of. Kodesh means to be set apart, to be distinct. In the desert you could always tell who was a Hebrew by their customs, by their dress, by their diet, by their life style. And this is one reason that Satan hates believers. He cannot mold them into societies that speak of evil.
Then we have this characteristic of the righteous man and woman. The righteous person delights in truth. Psalm 1:2, says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” The righteous person loves the truth. His bend, pleasure, delight is towards Torah (God’s Word.)
The ancients had a custom which may still be practiced by some of the Jews today. When a child was born they would rub his gums with honey. The purpose was to begin very early teaching the little one that God’s Word is like honey to the soul. David said, “O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8) This statement is brought directly into the new covenant by the apostle Peter. The Psalmist adds to this in saying, “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)
When Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied,” it is very likely that His Jewish audience would think about what David said.
The thing to understand is that God’s Word is a living thing for those who believe. It is full of wisdom and power. It works itself into our very nature and spreads its healing love throughout our being. This is why the apostle said, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2) Peter was speaking of our attitude towards God’s Word. An infant instinctively seeks its mother’s breast for nourishment. We are to instinctively seek the nourishment of God’s Word. Our desire is to be in the Word of the Lord.
Notice that Psalms 2:2 says, “In His law he meditates day and night.” Here we need to bring out the Hebrew. We’ve all heard the statement, “Let us now have a moment of silent meditation.” There is no such thing in the Bible. The word for meditate is ‘hagah.’ This word means to mutter, to emit a sound, to speak in undertone. To the ancient this word meant to articulate with God from the heart. A dove coos. A lion rumbles. We are to pour out our heart with talkings to the Lord throughout the day.
The ancients were taught to process life moment by moment. Most every prayer that was prayed began with, “Blessed are You our God.” Long prayers were not the rule. Rather it was informal but reverent speakings.
Torah will take you into a life you never dreamed of. God will pull you into His turf.
Now hear Paul talk about this as a Hebrew man. Cf. 1Th5:16-23 Your faith will come alive.
You will be wise & discerning. When he says “Pray without ceasing,” he is speaking in a
Hebrew mind. Essence of Jewish prayer is to bless God. (Orthodox Jews: 100 times daily.)
* Final characteristic sums; “Be like a tree planted by streams..” Draws from a living stream. Season?
III – The Two Ways Contrasted (Take a short summary.)
Three words describe the ungodly man. “Wicked.” “Sinner.” “Scoffer.” Wicked is from a root
Word which means to be agitated; confused; in motion; restless. This is a character trait.
The wicked are ethically lose & unstable. Cf. Isa57:20,21. Sinner is from an archery term
Means to miss the mark. The scoffer a highbrow. Don’t spend time with these people
If you want to walk with God in faithfulness. Two places the wicked will not stand. In the
Judgment and in the assembly of the righteous. They will come under judgment.
Vs6 also a keynote: “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous.” Yada a strong word.
To watch over; be deeply involved with. The righteous man walks with God. This is
True Biblical prosperity. The righteous shares the joy of walking with God. The sinner is
Agitated and confused. Even if the righteous falls, God’s love will pick him up. The
Sinner has no one but himself. Is there a final thought to share? C. S. Lewis said;
“Decision determines destiny.” That is profoundly Hebraic. Joshua tell the people?
* “Choose you this day who you will serve. As for me and my house…”
Conc. Jesus said, “The way is broad that leads to destruction & many are those who enter through it. For the gate is small & the way is narrow that leads to life, & there are few who find it.Walking the Ancient Path.
This study is based on Psalm One. Let’s read:
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither, and in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but they are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”
To appreciate the depth and beauty of this Psalm, we have to approach it from a Biblical-Hebrew perspective. To the ancients, religion was defined as an individual walking the road of life. Your relationship is with God. Torah (God’s Word) is your road map. Thus we hear David say, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
How does the ancient walk carry over into the new covenant? It is the same for we Christians. We are the recipients of the ancient faith. Jesus is the Living Torah who guides us through the written Torah. The ancient faith is fully realized in Jesus Christ. The Lord said, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
When Jesus said, ”I am the way”, or made reference to, ”broad is the way,” he was drawing from a rich Hebrew heritage. These terms were familiar to the Jews of His time. The truth is that there have always been two ways. You have the way of the righteous. Or you have the way of the wicked.
And so Psalm 1, and the Sermon on the Mountain are similar. Psalm 1:1, says, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” The very first thing Jesus says on the mountain is, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
The Hebrew word for ‘blessed’ is esher. (eh-sher) It comes from the same root as Asher, who was one of Jacob’s son. Literally it means, ‘O, the happiness of.’ But this happiness has no regard to external circumstances. It is an inner contentment of knowing rightness. While many look for this blessedness in things and in relationships, actually it can only be found one place. It is found in a true personal walk with the Lord.
Another mark of the walk of righteousness is that it is not influenced by evil. This is what the term ‘holy’ speaks of. Kodesh means to be set apart, to be distinct. In the desert you could always tell who was a Hebrew by their customs, by their dress, by their diet, by their life style. And this is one reason that Satan hates believers. He cannot mold them into societies that speak of evil.
Then we have this characteristic of the righteous man and woman. The righteous person delights in truth. Psalm 1:2, says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” The righteous person loves the truth. His bend, pleasure, delight is towards Torah (God’s Word.)
The ancients had a custom which may still be practiced by some of the Jews today. When a child was born they would rub his gums with honey. The purpose was to begin very early teaching the little one that God’s Word is like honey to the soul. David said, “O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.” (Psalm 34:8) This statement is brought directly into the new covenant by the apostle Peter. The Psalmist adds to this in saying, “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)
When Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied,” it is very likely that His Jewish audience would think about what David said.
The thing to understand is that God’s Word is a living thing for those who believe. It is full of wisdom and power. It works itself into our very nature and spreads its healing love throughout our being. This is why the apostle said, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2) Peter was speaking of our attitude towards God’s Word. An infant instinctively seeks its mother’s breast for nourishment. We are to instinctively seek the nourishment of God’s Word. Our desire is to be in the Word of the Lord.
Notice that Psalms 2:2 says, “In His law he meditates day and night.” Here we need to bring out the Hebrew. We’ve all heard the statement, “Let us now have a moment of silent meditation.” There is no such thing in the Bible. The word for meditate is ‘hagah.’ This word means to mutter, to emit a sound, to speak in undertone. To the ancient this word meant to articulate with God from the heart. A dove coos. A lion rumbles. We are to pour out our heart with talkings to the Lord throughout the day.
The ancients were taught to process life moment by moment. Most every prayer that was prayed began with, “Blessed are You our God.” Long prayers were not the rule. Rather it was informal but reverent speakings.
Torah will take you into a life you never dreamed of. God will pull you into His turf.
Now hear Paul talk about this as a Hebrew man. Cf. 1Th5:16-23 Your faith will come alive.
You will be wise & discerning. When he says “Pray without ceasing,” he is speaking in a
Hebrew mind. Essence of Jewish prayer is to bless God. (Orthodox Jews: 100 times daily.)
* Final characteristic sums; “Be like a tree planted by streams..” Draws from a living stream. Season?
III – The Two Ways Contrasted (Take a short summary.)
Three words describe the ungodly man. “Wicked.” “Sinner.” “Scoffer.” Wicked is from a root
Word which means to be agitated; confused; in motion; restless. This is a character trait.
The wicked are ethically lose & unstable. Cf. Isa57:20,21. Sinner is from an archery term
Means to miss the mark. The scoffer a highbrow. Don’t spend time with these people
If you want to walk with God in faithfulness. Two places the wicked will not stand. In the
Judgment and in the assembly of the righteous. They will come under judgment.
Vs6 also a keynote: “For the Lord knows the way of the righteous.” Yada a strong word.
To watch over; be deeply involved with. The righteous man walks with God. This is
True Biblical prosperity. The righteous shares the joy of walking with God. The sinner is
Agitated and confused. Even if the righteous falls, God’s love will pick him up. The
Sinner has no one but himself. Is there a final thought to share? C. S. Lewis said;
“Decision determines destiny.” That is profoundly Hebraic. Joshua tell the people?
* “Choose you this day who you will serve. As for me and my house…”
Conc. Jesus said, “The way is broad that leads to destruction & many are those who enter through it. For the gate is small & the way is narrow that leads to life, & there are few who find it.”
Journal
Expect the Unexpected
The love of God is a Divine outflow of His own heart. It flows from God to His children. God then wants His love to flow out from His children to those who are without Christ, and also to other struggling believers. So He gives us testimonies of His grace and of His love.
In the dream I was crossing a large open field. The field was dry and brown. The grass had withered. As I looked back across the field I saw a group of people pointing at me. Then they pointed at the ground. What are they looking at? Why are they pointing at me? 
didn’t begin on March 9, 1976, when we had our first service in a broken down store building. Christian Challenge began in eternity. It would be another footprint in the sands of time. This is what Paul is telling us. God prepared our works beforehand.
you always gain. You leave behind your fears. You gain a life that is filled with the richness of Jesus.
