“The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back.” (Isa 50:4-5)
Journal,
My wife and I instituted Christian Challenge International in 1976, as a School for Christian Workers. Since that time we have been able to train several hundred believers for service in the vineyard of the Lord.
The School is non-denominational and non-sectarian in nature. It is our sole purpose to introduce believers into the world of a Biblical disciple. Every course we offer has that focus at heart.
We are not a seminary nor a Bible College. While those venues are good and necessary in many cases, our School has a different design. Each of our classes meet only once a week. But it is out of these weekly classes that the world of the disciple begins to flower.
All I can tell you is that beginning with the first class of the Disciple’s Heart Training Program, you will realize the uniqueness of the CCI School for Christian Workers. (Sorry – We do not offer on-line classes.)
The motto of the School is, ‘Preparing Servants for the Nations’. What we emphasis is what the prophet stated, “He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.”
The Disciple’s Heart Training Program I, is the mother course of our school. We have had graduates from this program tell us that they gained more of a spiritual nature from this one course than they did from their entire time at Bible college. There is a reason for that. It is found in the term, ‘Biblical-Discipleship’.
Note: The Disciple’s Heart Training Program I, is a need for anyone who wishes to serve with Christian Challenge. It is also a required course before ‘The Disciple’s Heart II’ or ‘The Shepherd’s Heart’ can be taken.
Think about it. Pray about it. Do you wish to develop your spiritual life? See if the CCI School for Christian Workers is what the Lord would have you involved with.
Here is an outline of the classes we offer.
“Jesus answered them, ‘To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.’” (Mat 13:11)
“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations [goy ‘Gentiles’.] He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street.
“A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice [Judgment of the cross]. He will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice [Judgment of the cross] in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law [Doctrines of Christ – Not the law of Moses.]
“Thus says God the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it, ‘I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You,
“’And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations [goy ‘Gentiles’], to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison.” (Isa 42:1-7)
Journal,
The new covenant is an eternal covenant made in heaven and contracted on earth. The only way a person can experience the grace and blessings of the new covenant is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ Himself is the new covenant. When you receive Christ you receive the new covenant. This is the law of the cross.
Let’s look at an incident where the Lord sets forth the new covenant in prophetic picture-language. During the feast of tabernacles as the priestly procession goes to the pool of Siloam to bring back water to pour on the altar, Jesus stops the procession.
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39)
Where Jesus speaks of the outflow of living water, He is describing the new covenant life experience. The new covenant is about life. God’s new covenant people are made alive with the life of Christ Himself.
Where it says, “the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified,” the word “given” is not in the text. What John said was, “The Spirit was not yet.” The question is, “How can this be? All the prophets had the Spirit. John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit while in his mother’s womb!”
The new covenant is unlike any covenant ever given to man. The Holy Spirit in the new covenant ministers the finished work of the cross in believers. No person before the cross could have the Holy Spirit in that sense. Why is this?
“Because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
What distinguishes the new covenant from all the former covenants is that at the moment of receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit enters the heart of the believing one as the Spirit of the resurrected, ascended, and glorified Jesus Christ. Every believer is a Christ possessed person. (Cf. Col 1:26,27)
The Divine Imprint
Paul wrote the Galatian Christians, and said,
“My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.”(Gal4:19)
Paul’s concern was for their inability to know and recognize the Lord at work in their lives. It was an issue of spiritual maturity
Because the Galatians believers were still immature in their walk with the Lord, they were being pulled back and forth. They were a young group. Paul said a similar thing to the Ephesian Christians. He said,
“We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects INTO HIM…”(Eph4:14)
It happens today. The immature believe is easily moved by his emotions. They tend to be restless and unbalanced. This is why young believers need a great deal of help in this area. They are easily misled.
Again this is one reason the Lord raises up pastors as servant-ministers. A pastor’s greatest job is to tenderly care for a flock. If a young believer is not under the kind of teaching that will lead him to believe deeply in his salvation and in God’s love, he will manifest a spiritual unrest.
So keep in mind that in the new covenant we have the Holy Spirit to parent us into the processes of the covenant. And it is God’s Spirit who imprints us to the Lord. Yet the Lord does use men and women to help believers make necessary spiritual transitions.
A Personal Walk With God
What does being a Christ-possessed person mean? It means that each person born of the Spirit can now judge for himself/herself that which is of God and that which is not of God. It is this discerning and judging of all things by the Spirit that allows the believer to understand the issue of life itself. This is essentially was spiritual maturity is about.
In the old covenant if you wanted to hear from God, you went to the prophet. In the new covenant there is no need for a certain body of prophets or ‘special’ spokesmen to represent God in the earth. Yes, God does place in the body certain God-called servants, but these servants have a purpose in helping believers come to a full maturity in Christ. These servant-ministers are to ever take the place of a believers personal walk with Jesus.
John explained it this way –
“As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides (permanently indwells), and you have no need for anyone* (Greek word ’tis’ means a special single someone, or a guru) to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, YOU ABIDE IN HIM.” (1John2:24-27Please read the reference.)
Where John speaks of the believer’s ‘indwelling anointing’ he is addressing the life of Christ that abides permanently in each believer.
Paul spoke of it this way:
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal 2:20)
Does this mean we should not listen to others? Absolutely not. God can and does speak to us through others. What it means is that every believer can discern truth for himself. The term ‘truth’ in the New Testaments speaks of knowing the reality behind an appearance. (Recognizing the things of God.)
A Covenant of Eternal Life
I Love You Jesus
Jesus said that He came to give us life and life in full measure. Eternal life addresses eternity. It addresses a life that cannot be lost. But it also speaks of a spiritual quality of life that can can only be found in the Son of God.
Not only is Jesus the Son of God, Jesus is the very Life of God. I realize this concept is difficult to grasp. The apostles themselves walked with the life of God. They even touched the life of God. They listened to the life of God.
Listen to how John explains it –
“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life– and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—“ (1Jn 1:1-2)
Can you feel John’s excitement? They walked with Eternity! They walk with the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. They walked with God.
The story does not end there. John’s excitement continues to build as he writes his letters about the life of God. Listen with your heart –
“The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.
“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
“He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1Jn 5:10-13)
Only a couple of questions left –
Do you have the Son of God, or do you have religion?
What do you talk about, Jesus Christ or your religion?
Think about it.
Let this song will explain what true Christianity is all about. Lord I Lift Your Name on High.
I’ve provided 154 journal entries on my blog with 73,580 page views. Occasionally I share a list of those entries that have rendered the most readership. Here are the top ten percent beginning with the most read and on down. Check the titles for an entry(s) that you would like to preview.
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21)
Journal,
Sometimes religion can become a road block to a meaningful spiritual life. One struggle many believers have is in trying to find the perfect religion. They go from one group to another trying to find God’s blue print for life. The problem is that no institution on earth has the blueprint of God. To begin with there is no such thing as the perfect religion. And secondly, Jesus said that His kingdom was not of this world. [It can’t be found in an earthly form.]
Roman Catholics don’t have God’s blueprint. Southern Baptists, nor Pentecostals, nor Messianism have heaven’s blue print. The blueprint came to us from God and it can only be found one place. It can only be found in the heart.
Jesus is heaven’s blueprint. He said,
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)
Living life without the blueprint
Most believers today are spiritually mature enough to realize that God has people throughout the varied Christian groupings. Yet you always have those who live spiritually shallow lives because of their misconceptions about how to walk with God. Their walk is ‘religion-centered.’ Without even realizing it, they have placed their religion between themselves and God.
These are the, ‘Lo, Christ is here’ people. Jesus spoke of them:
“And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him … ” (Mar 13:21-22)
So, the question remains. If the blueprint of heaven can’t be found with any religious group, where then do we find Christ? The apostle said it very well:
“… the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
“We proclaim Him [Christ], admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” (Col 1:26-28)
The Bible says that in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And God wants each believer to find their own…
Completeness in Christ
It really isn’t a matter so much of where you attend church. God does place His people into flocks. Simply be where the Lord wants you to be.
What is important is that believers understand the essence of God’s heavenly covenant. The new covenant is an eternal covenant that gives us eternal life. The people of the new covenant are a heavenly people. They are a people born of heaven. They are given a heavenly directed heart. (That is what being born again actually means.)
Jesus is the heart and soul of the new eternal covenant. His life is our life. It is His life that we live. This means that new covenant life is an under tutorship of the Spirit of Christ.
Listen very carefully once again:
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21)
Paul explains this very well when he says,
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is not longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal2:20)
Learn to believe God’s way
It takes time to learn how to live in kingdom life. A difficulty we often have is in reading our own belief system into the Scriptures. We read it that way because we want to believe it that way. This is called eisegesis, or ‘reading into.’ This form of reading can mar a person’s spiritual life. Rather than let God speak to our hearts, we rush through the Scriptures to bolster what we want to believe.
The proper way to read the Scripture is called exegesis, or ‘reading out of.’
To properly understand what a Biblical writer means when he uses a certain term, we have to understand how that term was used during his time. When John says,
“For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace,” we need to know how the term ‘fullness’ was used at that time.
The word ‘pleroma‘ means ‘that which fills,’ and it comes from ‘pleroo‘, or, ‘ to fill with a content.’
Pleroma as used by the gospel writers had a two-fold meaning. It meant that believers have been brought into a fullness in Christ’s sphere of life. In this case there is nothing we need to do to be any closer to God, than being ‘in Christ.’ This fullness of our sphere of relationship takes place in the new birth. It is not some later added spiritual experience.
This Greek word also means that believers are filled absolutely by the Person of Christ as the giver of life. No believer has more of Christ than another believer. It is here that we get the idea of Christ living out His life in us. The apostle said that the one who belongs to Christ is one spirit with HIm.
Let’s take another example. Paul said,
“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled (pleroo) the law.” (Rom13:8)
Paul is saying that the love of God that is poured out in our hearts in the new birth, is the governing principle of the new covenant, and that by walking in the Spirit of love we automatically fulfill, or reach the full goal of the intent of the Law of Moses. Paul’s point is that Christ has removed any need for performing rituals. Anyone can do a ritual, but only those truly born of God’s Spirit have the capacity to fulfill the love walk.
Made complete in Christ
There is a last sense in the word ‘pleroma‘ which has to do with completeness, or to finish up a thing. This is a very important concept. Listen carefully:
“For of His fullness (pleorma; or, ‘completeness’) we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (Joh 1:16-17)
Completeness means there is nothing you can add to make it any more complete.
At the very moment of the new birth, a believer is made complete in Christ. No one can take away from that. Nor is there anything to add to that. This is the sum and substance of the new covenant.
It is because of this sum and substance, that John said we are given “grace upon grace.” Grace upon grace means that at no time in a believer’s life will he or she be able to get beyond God’s redeeming grace.
Hear again the apostle;
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His grace, which He *lavished* on us, in all wisdom and insight.” (Eph1:7,8)
The key word is ‘lavished.’ Perisseuo means a super abundance, or be over and above anything needed or required. God can lavish grace on all His children because we have received the fullness of Christ.
Putting on Christ
This issue of Christ being our completeness was a struggle for the early believers, just as it is for many today. They had the Judaizers who said you must fulfill the law of Moses to be right with God. Then you had the Gnostics and philosophers who took to themselves as being the ‘special’ ones on the earth, that one must come to them to have fulfillment.
These kinds of religious systems have always been around.
John disarmed both groups when he said,
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”
He then says,
“By this, love is perfected (brought to completion) with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He [Christ] is, so also are we in this world.” (1John4:15,17)
John is saying Christ perfectly represents every believer in heaven. And this is where our salvation lies. You can also refer to this as the life exchange of the cross. Christ took our life to Himself in His death on the cross, and, He, in turn, gave us His perfect life to be our standing with heaven.
Heaven’s GPS
And now for the path finder. Folk often wonder what specific role the Holy Spirit has in a believer’s life. There are many specifics to be had but the one most important to our walk of faith is how the Holy Spirit acts as our guide in our journey from earth to heaven.
Listen to these Scriptures:
“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.” (Joh 16:12-14)
The Greek term for ‘truth’ speaks of an unveiled reality or the very essence of a matter. Here the Lord is calling attention to matters of the kingdom.
Notice Jesus said, “Whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”
How real is this? Most believers are familiar with what Jesus said about His sheep –
“But you do not believe because you are not of 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; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (Joh 10:26-29)
The point is that God’s people have the capacity to hear the Spirit of Christ speaking in their own hearts, also in providence, also in ways too many to mention. But once again, here is where spiritual maturity must come into place.
The prophet described how very real God’s speaking is:
“Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” (Isa 30:20-21)
The Way of God
When Jesus said that He was ‘the Way’, this term resounded with prophetic overtones. In time the disciples saw the connection, the very connection that we need to see. This is why the earliest believers often referred to their walk as ‘the Way.’
Listen to the Psalmist as he describes both God speaking and how the Messiah sets forth the way of God:
“I will hear what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; but let them not turn back to folly.
“Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land. Lovingkindness and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.
“Indeed, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its produce. Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps into a way.” (Psa 85:8-13)
And so, we are back to where we started. Ok – One more time – Listen with your heart to our beginning Scripture portion —
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21)
Does this Scripture speak to you? Take your time. Let it sink in.
There is no truth more important to a believer than to understand the reality or truth of kingdom life. That truth is simply, “Christ in you the hope of glory.”
Here is your meditation song. ‘Thank You, Lord’ by Hillsong. (Why not relax and let Jesus minister to your heart.)
“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” (1Co 2:1-5)
Journal,
In addressing the church at Corinth, Paul said he was determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. What did the apostle mean by this?
Isn’t there anything else we need to preach other than the cross? Not really. Not if you understand the message of the cross. All the doctrines of Christ arise out of the cross.
The message of the cross is not simply about Jesus dying on a cross. It is a full message that includes who Jesus was, that He was born of a virgin, was truly a human and yet God, that He died for our sins, was buried, resurrected on the third day, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the majesty on high, will return for the saints, and is the last judge of all things.
All of eternity revolves around Jesus
The essential message of the cross is actually seven-fold. It speaks to the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Jesus Christ, His second coming, and eternity to follow. Out of this seven-fold message flows a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. This is why the apostle said that in Christ “Are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col2:3)
When Paul writes the Corinthian church, he explains that there is a wisdom which belongs only to believers, not to the world. God has done something entirely new. Paul says this ‘new covenant’ wisdom had been ‘predestined before the ages to our glory.’ (1Co2:7)
Paul carefully sets forth that the old ways of wisdom have to be abandoned. Everything in the new covenant is ‘new.’ The new covenant is not the old covenant made new. It is a heavenly covenant based on the finished work of Calvary.
The hidden wisdom of the cross
Paul connects this hidden wisdom to the cross. He says,
“For the word [full message] of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” (1Co1:18,19)
What happened at the cross?
Let’s compare just two statements the apostle makes about what happened at the cross.
In his first letter, Paul says,
“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” (1Co1:30)
In his second letter, Paul says,
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Co5:21)
The apostle is telling us why he is determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He is saying it all happened at the cross. At the cross our death sentence passed to Jesus. At the cross His resurrected life passed to us.
Why is Jesus called ‘the Wisdom of God’
Why does Paul speak of this life of God in terms of Wisdom? He is saying that those actually born from above have access to the very thoughts and feelings of God. He speaks of this as the mind of Christ.
This means that the wisdom that belongs to God alone, is the wisdom that is given to believers. (According to the need of the believer.) This is an awesome thing to consider.
So, the cross is both our dying place and our living place.
Is it any wonder that we Christians have so many songs about the cross. Out of the death of the cross comes a new creation. And this new creation is imbued with a wisdom that is not of this world.
Paul explains it this way:
“For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 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.” (1Co2:11,12)
The cross provides a heavenly wisdom not of this world
Notice carefully how the apostle connects the Wisdom of God with the Holy Spirit. In another place He calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Jesus. Paul says,
“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!'” (Gal4:6)
Having the Spirit of God’s Son in your heart means that every believer has divine Wisdom to draw from. It means that the very life of Jesus is in us.
Remember Jesus shared with the apostles that they would be given things that were not available to the world. In His high priestly prayer, Jesus says,
“[Father] But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they [believers] may have MY JOY made full in themselves.” (John 17:13)
The life of Christ in the believer
One of the distinguishing marks of a true believer is his or her joy in the Lord. But it is the Lord’s joy that fills them. This is the life given us from the cross.
The term ‘made full’ means more than ‘fulfill‘ as it is translated in the King James. ‘Pleroo‘ speaks of a totality of filling. Believers are going to be filled totally with presence, the life, the joy, and the peace of Jesus.
This is what the Spirit filled life is about. It is being filled with the righteousness, peace and joy that is found in Jesus.
John wrote,
“For of His fullness [pleroma] we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)
God’s governing peace
So what is it about peace? Jesus said,
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27)
The peace of God is the anchor of our faith. It is a governing peace that guides us in our journey of faith. Paul said that our faith comes from Jesus speaking to us. This is how he explains it;
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal2:20)
The Father of Jesus is our Father
The list is endless. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is our Father. The kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ is our kingdom. The righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousness. The Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ is our Spirit. The love of the Lord Jesus Christ is our love. The destiny of the Lord Jesus Christ is our destiny. And it all happened at the cross.
The Administrator of the Kingdom
One thing that believers need to appreciate is that the Holy Spirit does not come to us in the same way or measure as did the Spirit before the cross. Lets hear it from Jesus.
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37,38)
What did Jesus mean that the Spirit was not yet given? Notice that the word ‘given‘ is in italics. It is not in the original. So it should read, ‘For the Spirit was not yet.’
How can that be? Didn’t the prophets have the Holy Spirit? Did not David have the Holy Spirit? Yes, but not in the same measure or sense or fullness that new covenant believers have in the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comes into the heart of the new covenant person as the Spirit of the glorified Jesus Christ. The Spirit brings the fullness of Christ crucified, buried, resurrected, ascended, and glorified into our hearts. No person before the cross ever had such an experience.
And it all happened at the cross.
Stop and think what the term ‘new creation’ actually means. It essentially means that God created a people out of nothing. A newly created thing only existed in the mind of the Creator before it became a reality. This is why the Bible says that we are God’s workmanship, “CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS”.
An Entirely New Creation
Peter adds to this in saying,
“For you were once not a people, but now you are the people of God.” (Cf. Eph2:10;1Pe2:9)
Again listen carefully — Peter said now “we”are the people of God.” He isn’t simply speaking of replacement theology. We aren’t replacing anything.
There has been an act of creation. This new people is separate and distinct from any form of humanity this planet has ever known. The Adam race sprang forth from Adam. The new creation race springs from Christ Jesus. We are totally ‘new‘. We are the people of Christ. The prophet said that God’s people would be given a new name. The new name is ‘Christian‘.
This is why Paul said that in Christ there are no Jews or Greeks. The new creation is a heavenly people. We are designed for heaven, destined for heaven, derived from heaven, and imbued with heavenly wisdom and life. So if anyone asks you where heaven is, you can say, ‘Heaven is in my heart.’
How about you? Can you say what Paul said, in determining to know nothing among the people except Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Think about it.
In the meantime listen to this song that speaks to the heart of God’s children. ‘Higher Ground.’
“Concerning this 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.’ 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 12:8-10)
Journal,
Did you know that a believer’s greatest weakness can become their greatest strength? Yes, this is Biblical language. It has to do with something that God does in our lives. Turning weaknesses into strength is one of the great wonders of the new covenant walk. It is the secret to what beautifies a believer’s life. Yes indeed, God wants to add beauty to your life.
Listen as the Lord speaks through the prophet Isaiah;
“[I will] grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” (Isa 61:3)
We need a good starting place. Let’s begin with the word ‘spiritual‘.
I can do all things through Christ
The New Testament term so often misunderstood is the term ‘spiritual. The Greek term for spiritual [pneumatikós] comes from two words that have to do with invisibility and power, or that which proceeds from the Holy Spirit. So, whether it is a spiritual song, a spiritual gift, or a spiritual enlightenment, it will always be of the Spirit and never of the flesh or by natural tendency.
Spirituality is not something to be earned. It comes to us by way of the cross. And yet spirituality is something that the believer learns to draw on. The reason is in every believer there is a spiritual fountain of life.
Listen to Jesus explain this to the Samaritan woman:
“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
“She said to Him, ‘Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?”
“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.'” (John 4:10-14)
From grace to grace
Spirituality is the outflow of God’s grace. Grace is not something that is measured to us on the basis of our merits. No one earns grace. And there will never be a day in a believer’s life where they are unable to draw on grace. (Cf. John 1:16)
God’s grace will always be amazing. It seems to come to us out of nowhere. Paul said it this way:
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal 2:20)
The apostle also said,
“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Php 4:11-13)
A secret to be learned
Paul said he had ‘learned’ the secret. The word ‘learned’ in the Greek context speaks of an entrance into a new condition of living.
Paul had been taught by the Lord how to be independent of outside considerations. What he learned was that the Lord can infuse His strength into any every need that Paul the believer had. Paul’s weakness could become his strengths. However, it would be important for Paul to recognize his own weakness before the power of God’s grace could become his source of strength.
Another way of saying this is that Christ is living His life in each believer.
This is where we hear Paul say,
“…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)
You don’t put new wine in old wine skins
A problem for some today is that they try to live new covenant life on an old covenant level. While there are defined callings in the new covenant, in no sense is one believer granted a higher spiritual life than any other. Certainly we should thank the Lord for pastors and other ministers, however, these ministers should never be given a place where they become the voice of God in our lives.
And in no case should a believe be running to and fro, trying to find someone who can give them a word from the Lord. The era of the Old Testament prophet is over. His job was fulfilled in John the Baptist. Jesus specifically said that the law and the prophets concluded with John. The new covenant is a covenant of spiritual life. This spiritual life is resident in each believer.
It is not that the Lord can’t speak to us through others. He can and He does. The Lord can speak to us through nature or even by way of a sinner. But none of this precludes the essence of spiritual life in the new covenant.
Hear what Jesus had to say about the new covenant:
“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” (Joh 10:4-5)
“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)
The Way of the Cross
After Jesus took His place in heaven as the resurrected ‘Lord of glory,’ the Spirit then came to fill the new covenant church. The purpose of the cross was a new creation wherein each believer would be God-indwelt. This is why Jesus told the apostles that it was to their advantage that He went away.
The Lord went on to speak of the cross to the disciples:
“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.”[The term ‘truth’ in in the Greek speaks of the realities of God that comes to us by the cross.]
And again,
“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 to you that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (Cf. John 16:12-15) [He would take of the finished work of the cross and will disclose it to you.]
Out of the cross would come a new kind of man and woman, a people of the Spirit. These spiritual people would also be ‘heavenly’ born, that is, they would be heavenly citizens in earthly bodies. They would also be given the mind of Christ.
Our spirituality is the working of the cross in us. It is also the working of heaven in us. If we keep the term ‘the finished work of the cross’in view, this will disallow confusion about what it means to be a person of the Spirit in the new covenant.
Jesus Christ is not only Lord and God, He is also the firstborn of many brothers and sisters. John said that His fullness has been given to all believers. Thus we have become men of Christ and women of Christ, that is, we are Christians.
Listen to the gospel story in this song, ‘He Came Down to My Level’, by the Gaither Vocal Band
There is so much in the Scriptures that relates to the well-being of believers. Included in our well-being we have, the blood covenant, our eternal seal of security in Christ, our heavenly citizenship, the Holy Spirit of God, the promises of God, the ‘catching away’ promise, the very armor of God Himself, and much more. Yet there is one aspect of our well-being that we don’t hear much about. It has to do with the ministry of angels. There are tons of books about the demonic. What gives?
Who are these holy angels of God, and what is their special role among believers? In this entry we will consider some of the basic issues that relate to God’s holy angels. However, the study of angels is a vast domain. I simply wish to let you see just how wonderful these heavenly creatures are and how they affect your life.
Note: Place your cursor over a Scripture reference and it will appear.
Messengers of the Throne
The Hebrew word for angel is mal’ak. Greek is ággelos. These terms carry the meaning of, ‘to dispatch as a messenger’. While they can be applied to a human messenger, most often in the Scriptures they have to do with God’s holy and majestic angels. One of their duties is to be a messenger of the throne, and in many other ways to carry out the will of God.
Angels are commissioned servants of God. There are various orders of angels but I’ll keep things simple and just talk about angels in a general sense.
Let’s begin here:
“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. Bless the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!” (Psa 103:19-22)
In the book of Hebrews, angels are said to be ‘ministering spirits.’ With this in mind they have a very unique role with regard to the people of salvation. Listen:
“But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for Your feet’? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:13-14)
Heavenly involvement
Angels are much more involved in our lives than we realize. Notice carefully that it says the angels render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation. God knew every one of His people from eternity long past. Today the angels also know every child of God. Fact of the matter is that every person who is ever going to be saved, their name is already written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Cf. Rev13:8; 17:8
As for being ministering spirits, angels don’t often take on human form, but they can. Angels are awesome in their natural state. However, the Lord knows that seeing angels in all their majesty could be somewhat disconcerting to believers. So angels for the most part always keep a low profile. Most often they are the unseen servants who attend to that which God assigns them.
The list is endless about how angels attend to our lives. It appears that their realm of being is deeply affected by God’s children on earth. Jesus said that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents. (Cf. Luke15:10)
We also know that angels attest to a believer’s confession of Jesus Christ. (Luke12:8) Angels go with believers to heaven. (Luke16:22) They gather all God’s elect at the proper time. (Mark13:27) Angels are involved in the judgments of God. (2Th1:7; 2Kings19:35) Angels do every deed that the voice of God speaks.
Spiritual strength
A very interesting aspect of angels is that believers most likely have drawn on the strength of angels without realizing it. We see this in the life of Jesus. There are two particular instances where Jesus as a man actually receives strength from an angel. Once is following His temptation. The other is in the garden.
Here they are:
“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”‘ Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” (Mat 4:10-11)
“…saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’ Nowan angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.” (Luk 22:42-43)
If Jesus in His humanity needed extra spiritual strength, could it be that we also need that strength? Jesus is noted as the firstborn of many brothers, and of course, sisters. We are heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. A major difference is that angels had been in the company of Jesus from the time of their creation. He is Lord and God. While we don’t have that level of experience, yet we are the very children that Jesus came to redeem. Cf. Rom8:16-19.
As messengers of God, here are some references: Cf. Heb1:13,14; Gen28:12,13; Psa91:11; Luke 1:12,13; 1:28-33; Mat1:19-23; 2:13.
Do we have special angels
The angels of the Lord go to and fro from His throne. In the ancient Hebrew tradition there was a belief that every nation had a special angel, and that a certain class of angels nearest to the throne of God, had charge over God’s children. These angels were called, ‘Angels of the Presence’, or, ‘Angels of the Face.’ (mal’aki panim) They had constant contact with the Father. It appears that Gabriel was of that class. (Cf. Luke1:19)
In the book of Revelation, there are angels assigned to churches. It is also possible that each child of God has an attending angel, or at least an angel that would come from the throne of God to aid the believer at special times. The Lord drew attention to this in a warning to the world:
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” (Mat 18:10)
Lord, send your angels
Is it alright to ask the Lord to send His angels to meet a special need? I don’t know why not. I also think this is an area where we can ask the Lord to guide us in our prayers. We do know that when Jesus told the disciple to withdraw his sword, He said:
“Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Mat 26:53)
Yes, we are heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. And always remember what the Prophet Elisha said to his servant:
“Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’
“So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2Ki 6:15-17)
Think about it. There is so much more to be said. Let the Lord fill your heart and mind with the good things of His kingdom.
In the meantime, listen to this wonderful song. ‘Lord Send Your Angels’ by Candy Christmas.
I felt it would be good to show the ten subjects that have received the most visitors since I began my online journal. (Keep in mind that I’ve written 120+ entries with over 60,000 page views.) Perhaps there is something here that you would enjoy reading.
Here they are beginning with the entry with the highest volume of readers and following through to the tenth.
And now once again, the story of the young eaglet who didn’t know she was an eagle.
The Story of the Little Eagle’s Heart
Somehow an eagle’s egg became mixed with a number of chicken eggs that had been set aside to be hatched. The little eaglet hatched right along with a brood of chicks. The eagle looked a bit different, but for all she knew she was just another chicken.
But something deep in the eaglet’s heart was restless. She had this tugging in her heart that could not be explained. The eaglet kept stretching her wings. It made the other chicks look at her as an odd ball. But since chickens do very limited flying, the eaglet simply had to accept things as they were.
It wasn’t just the stretching of her wings. For some strange reason she didn’t like the food that the chickens were eating.
Now that was a real problem. All the other chickens continuously looked at the ground for bugs or corn or whatever they could find. But this growing young eagle couldn’t keep her eyes off the sky.
So it happened. As was her habit, one day while looking up at the sky, behold the young eaglet saw these majestic birds soaring on the air currents. She couldn’t explain her feelings. Tears filled her eyes. Her heart-strings were being tugged at.
What kind of chickens were they? None of the chickens she knew could fly. In fact the farmer kept their wings clipped so that they could not fly. And it was getting close to the time for the young eagle’s wings to be clipped.
That’s when it happened. One of the majestic birds spotted the young eagle and flew down to check things out. The great eagle said, ‘What are you doing in that chicken pen?’ The young eagle said, ‘This is where all the chickens that I know, live.’ The great bird said, ‘You are not a chicken. You are an eagle.’
Something went off inside the young eagle’s heart. It was like an eruption of all her pent-up emotions. ‘Is it possible that I am not a chicken?!’
She began flapping her wings as hard as she could. Her feet lifted off the ground but not enough for flying. The majestic eagle said, ‘You are doing it wrong. Come here. Climb on my back. I’ll show you how its done.’
Boy was she nervous. On the majestic eagle’s back she climbed. He spread out his mighty pinions and with a lifting of his wings, off they soared, higher, and higher. The wind flushed through her feathers. How wonderful it felt.
‘Don’t be afraid. It’s your turn. You were designed to fly.’ The majestic eagle did a backward flip and off into nothing went the young eagle. ‘I’m falling! I’m falling!’
‘No you aren’t. Just spread out your wings! You’ll see.’
She spread out her wings and fly she did. She soared and soared and soared. The young eaglet could not believe it. She could not get enough flying. On top of things, she had also found a great family of eagles to be with. They were just like her.
OK, so now you know the story of the eaglet who thought she was a chicken.
No, she never went back to the chicken pen. After all, she was an eagle and eagles are birds of majesty. They are designed to soar in the heavenly places.
Note: The eagle story has been told many ways. In this case I’ve re-adapted it to better fit what I see as the Christian’s call to live in his or her upward spiritual life.
How about you? Do you feel the call of the eagle’s heart?
Are you longing to fly? Take time to listen to this song. It describes the eagle Christian’s life. It is titled, ‘The Power of Your Love.’ Let it minister to your eagle heart.
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”
Titus Flavius Josephus was a Jewish historian who lived from 37 A.D. to about 100 A.D. He lived during the time of the apostles. Josephus was a member of the priestly aristocracy of the Jews, and was taken hostage by the Roman Empire in the great Jewish revolt of 66-70 A.D. His Hebrew name was Yoseph Ben Mattithyahu. Josephus recorded some of the earliest history of Jesus Christ.
While there are those who like to besmirch Josephus and attempt to discount whatever he had to say about Jesus Christ, the fact remains that he is one of the early historians that calls attention not only to Jesus, but also to James the brother of Jesus, and to John the Baptist. Many of the earliest Christians held his writings in high esteem. They saw Josephus writings as ‘a kind of fifth gospel’ because of his regard to Jesus Christ.
While the Jews totally disregarded the writings of Josephus since they saw him as a traitor, the church’s love for him has kept his writings forthcoming for the later generations of believers. There is no question that Josephus was acquainted with the Christian movement. He had to have been aware of Jesus since so many of the people including a great many priests had become obedient to the Christian faith.
This is how the spread of the gospel is recorded in Acts —
“The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.” (Act 6:7)
Journal,
As a young minister I began my meager minister’s library with a handful of books. (Hard to realize its been forty-six years since I took up my call to the Lord’s ministry; 1964.) My ‘meager’ library consisted of four books, a Holman’s King James Bible, a Halley’s Bible Hand Book, a Matthew Henry’s Commentary, and one other book. The one other book was titled, ‘The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus.’
Three of my original four books have long since been replaced. Can you believe that I still have my original copy of, ‘The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus’. That old tattered book sits on my library shelf like an old friend. Every time I think about ‘Josephus‘ I have this nudge to take it up and begin reading it again. Somewhere I became distracted with other studies and never finished reading the entire book. (OK, I get the message. Josephus is at the top of my list.)
One of the things that has always lingered in my mind about Josephus was a statement he made about Christians. He wrote, “And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”
I’ve often wondered why Josephus spoke of the early Christians as a tribe? Keep in mind that the earliest believers where Jewish and the language of ‘tribes’ was deeply instilled in them. For example when the apostle Paul compared his former Hebrew lineage to his new life as a Christian, he said…
“… for we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee…” (Php 3:3-5)
Paul spoke of his former life as being of the tribe of Benjamin and how he set about to persecute Christians. Now he directs attention to the ‘true circumcision,’ which is a circumcision of the heart and not of the flesh. Those who have this heart circumcision can be known. They glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. (Even before the time of Jesus, the Jewish nation had become ‘flesh’ centered. They treated other people groups as worthless. Place your cursor over these Scriptures: Matt3:5-9; 23:31-35; Luke 11:52,53; Acts 10:27,28; 1Th2:14,15)
God’s Heavenly Tribe
When Josephus spoke of Christians as a tribe he saw something in Christians that related to kinship. The term ‘tribe’ generally speaks to a group of people related to one another by blood or marriage. From this kinship comes a social distinction. The early Christians were very much related by blood. Their hearts had been sprinkled by the blood of Jesus. They had become a distinct and separate people among the nations. All true Christians remain that way to this very day.
Peter describes Christians as a distinct spiritual people:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holynation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but not you have received mercy.” (1Pe 2:9-10)
“… to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.“(1Pe 4:13-16)
Paul says that Christians are the true circumcision of God and that our citizenship is in heaven. Thus we are heavenly citizens in earthly bodies. We are a distinct people group. Peter goes on to call Christians a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation; that we glorify God in the name Christian.
A Kingdom of the Heart
The kingdom of God’s beloved Son is not of this world. It is a kingdom of the heart. This is why there is no ‘Lo, the kingdom is here.’ Or, ‘Lo, the kingdom is there.’ There are no special anointed places in the earth that contain the kingdom of God. No religious group can lay claim to being God’s true church in the earth.
When Pilate asked Jesus about His kingdom, this is how the conversation went:
“Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?’ Pilate answered, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?’
“Jesus answered, ‘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.’ Therefore Pilate said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘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.’
“Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, ‘I find no guilt in Him.'” (Joh 18:33-38)
Notice carefully that Jesus did not say He was king of the Jews. What He said was that His kingdom was not of this world or of this realm. The earthly kingdom of the Jews was soon to be destroyed. In 70 a.d., it would disappear from the face of the earth.
The kingdom of God’s Son is wholly spiritual, wholly heavenly, wholly eternal, and wholly of the heart. The Lord also said that everyone who is of the truth, that is, everyone who calls upon Him as their Lord and Savior, will have a personal relationship with Him and will always be able to hear His voice.
Jesus is a King. Have you asked Jesus to be Lord over your life? It isn’t hard to enter into God’s kingdom. It all begins with the cross. In the cross of the Lord Jesus is the God’s plan of salvation for all the earth.
I could share a great many Scriptures that set forth God’s plan of salvation. The truth of the matter is simple enough. Both Paul and Peter said, “And it shall come to pass that whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
David was the one who said that God puts a song of salvation in his mouth. (Psa118:14) Here is God’s salvation plan in a song. Listen with your heart as Robert Parson sings ‘God’s Plan of Salvation.’
There you have. Why not right now ask the Lord to be Lord of all your life.
May the Lord richly bless you in your obedience to Him,
“Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Ps. 110:1.]” (Heb 12:2 Amplified Bible)
Journal,
This journal entry is primarily for those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible tells believers not to be sluggish in our faith walk but to follow after those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. In this study I will share ten things that can help make up for a strong walk of faith. These ‘nuggets of gold’ are some of things that I’ve learned in my forty-five years as a servant of the Lord.
Rather than provide a fuller commentary with each nugget, I will generally give Scripture references that apply to that nugget. Place your cursor over the Scripture reference and it will appear. (If the full reference doesn’t show, click on the ‘more’ at the bottom left where the Scripture is shown.) Each nugget of gold addresses an issue to take to heart…
I – Leave the Old Life Behind
Keys: Rom4:5-8; 2Co5:17-21.
Whether as a sinner, or you stumbled as a believer.
II – Do a Faith Check Up
Keys: The ‘working out’ and ‘testing’ principles: Cf. Phil2:12,13; 2Co13:5.
Our faith walk is deeply personal. Don’t compare yourself to others.
III – Draw on God’s Grace
Keys: Grace for today. Lam3:21-24; John1:16
Learn to dine from God’s table daily.
VI – Retake Lost Ground
Keys: Isa30:15; 54:17 – Repentance is worship
IV – Strengthen Your Heart in Faith
Keys: Prov4:20-23
‘Speak truth in your heart’ means to meditate on that which is of the Lord.
V – Don’t be a Doubter
Keys: James 1:5-8.
Doubt can honeycomb your whole personality.
VII – Allow the Lord to Choose for You
Keys: Gen13:14; Psa16:5,6; Isa25:1; Jer29:11. Throw away your design for life.
VII – Live by Your Last Instructions
Keys: John 21:20-22. Remember Jonah
VIII – Leave Room for the Unexpected
Keys: Isa55:8-11; Eph3:20,21 Stop measuring.
X – The Language of Faith is Laughter
Keys: Gen17:15-19; 18:10-15; Psalm 126:1-3
Isaac means ‘laughter.’ Paul says that we are the children of laughter. Gal4:28
Do you remember a special time when the Lord put laughter in your mouth? Laughter and joy are the natural outflow of a heart filled with faith. We laugh because we know that God is true to all His promises.
While you meditate on these ‘nuggets’ here is a song that will minister to your heart.
“The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back.” (Isa 50:4-5)
the life of Christ Himself.
Again this is one reason the Lord raises up pastors as servant-ministers. A pastor’s greatest job is to tenderly care for a flock. If a young believer is not under the kind of teaching that will lead him to believe deeply in his salvation and in God’s love, he will manifest a spiritual unrest.
R
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, 
Pleroma
When Jesus said that He was 
‘new covenant’ wisdom had been ‘predestined before the ages to our glory.’ (
This means that the wisdom that belongs to God alone, is the wisdom that is given to believers. (According to the need of the believer.) This is an awesome thing to consider.
The Holy Spirit comes into the heart of the new covenant person as the Spirit of the glorified Jesus Christ. The Spirit brings the fullness of Christ crucified, buried, resurrected, ascended, and glorified into our hearts. No person before the cross ever had such an experience.
invisibility and power, or that which proceeds from the Holy Spirit. So, whether it is a spiritual song, a spiritual gift, or a spiritual enlightenment, it will always be of the Spirit and never of the flesh or by natural tendency.
From grace to grace
And in no case should a believe be running to and fro, trying to find someone who can give them a word from the Lord. The era of the Old Testament prophet is over. His job was fulfilled in John the Baptist. Jesus specifically said that the law and the prophets concluded with John. The new covenant is a covenant of spiritual life. This spiritual life is resident in each believer.
heavenly citizens in earthly bodies. They would also be given the mind of Christ.
For interested readers here are my top journal entries that are receiving the most traffic:
“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”‘ Then the devil left Him; and behold, 
was of that class. (Cf. Luke1:19)
Yes, we are heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. And always remember what the Prophet Elisha said to his servant:
T
Titus Flavius Josephus was a Jewish historian who lived from 37 A.D. to about 100 A.D. He lived during the time of the apostles. Josephus was a member of the priestly aristocracy of the Jews, and was taken hostage by the Roman Empire in the great Jewish revolt of 66-70 A.D. His Hebrew name was Yoseph Ben Mattithyahu. Josephus recorded some of the earliest history of Jesus Christ.
Notice carefully that Jesus did not say He was king of the Jews. What He said was that His kingdom was not of this world or of this realm. The earthly kingdom of the Jews was soon to be destroyed. In 70 a.d., it would disappear from the face of the earth.
IV – Strengthen Your Heart in Faith 
