Rev 12:11 .and they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
These words “did not love their life” stirred my heart, Father. Not loving my life.
I immediately thought of “life” meaning all the things my life consists of, like the very special conversations and fellowship with family and friends, my job I am privileged to have, the material things that we possess, etc.
These things are blessings that You, Father, have poured out to me in this earthly life I now live.
But here you are speaking of believers, believers who face physical death. “Life” here meaning our breath of life, that which animates our bodies. Do I love it?
In truth, not loving it is something that only the Spirit of the Living God can do in our heart. Only You, Father, can enable this feeble heart to have the realization of our “true” home, our eternal home. To “know” it is our real home, to look forward to it, to see ourselves talking with the Apostle Paul and the other saints that have gone before us, to be with Jesus walking through the perfect fields of flowers and streets of gold….this is a defining factor that would revolutionize any believers earthly life.
1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again not of see which is perishable but imperishable….
Is 40:6 All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the Word of our God stands forever.
Thank you for the grace to see that Your promise to me will never fade like this physical body does. It is rooted in the blood of the Lamb that has bought me with a price that carries me to my true home.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Choice to Reign
In thinking of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, one of two things reign in our journey here on earth, either death or life.
You brought to my attention that Rom 5 speaks of reign five times.
:14 says that death reigned from Adam to Moses
:17 says again that death reigned through Adam
:21 again you say that sin reigned in death
:17 believers will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
:21 even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Cor 15:56
The sting of sin is death. A sting is a wound or pain. Sin brings pain and deep wounds into our life. Death enters our life through sin. Death to relationships, death to faith, hope and love. To all that You Father ,with Christ, have freely given to us.
Jesus gives us life. He is the Living Word. When He reigns and His word reigns in our life, we continually have an outpouring of Himself within us. Proverbs (4:21; 3:7-8) clearly says that keeping His word in the center of our heart is life to us and health to all our flesh.
Having the fear of God is health to your nerves, and sinews, and marrow and moistening to our bones.
We are raised up to “walk in newness of life”….daily newness of life. How refreshing to us when you reign. Newness in our body, in our mind and all of our soul.
Father, I love you and thank you for loving me first. For being the very breath of life to me. For Your grace that enables me to walk in that newness today.
You brought to my attention that Rom 5 speaks of reign five times.
:14 says that death reigned from Adam to Moses
:17 says again that death reigned through Adam
:21 again you say that sin reigned in death
:17 believers will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
:21 even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Cor 15:56
The sting of sin is death. A sting is a wound or pain. Sin brings pain and deep wounds into our life. Death enters our life through sin. Death to relationships, death to faith, hope and love. To all that You Father ,with Christ, have freely given to us.
Jesus gives us life. He is the Living Word. When He reigns and His word reigns in our life, we continually have an outpouring of Himself within us. Proverbs (4:21; 3:7-8) clearly says that keeping His word in the center of our heart is life to us and health to all our flesh.
Having the fear of God is health to your nerves, and sinews, and marrow and moistening to our bones.
We are raised up to “walk in newness of life”….daily newness of life. How refreshing to us when you reign. Newness in our body, in our mind and all of our soul.
Father, I love you and thank you for loving me first. For being the very breath of life to me. For Your grace that enables me to walk in that newness today.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Life-Giving Spirit
1 Cor 15:45
So also it is written, “The first man Adam, became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
The words life-giving (2227) can mean to produce life; and
by spiritual power to arouse and invigorate
to restore to life
to give increase of life: thus of physical life
of the spirit, quickening as respects the spirit, endued with new and greater powers of life
metaph, of seeds quickened into life, i.e. germinating, springing up, growing
Eph 2:1 & 5 speak of us “being dead in our transgressions” and :5 says “we were made alive together with Christ.”
It is so awesome, Father, to think of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, King of all glory-that He personally gives to me His life. He is a life-giving Spirit. This is a spiritual law that You have made known to us in Rom 8:2. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you (me) free from the law of sin and death.
By the power of the life of Your Son, Father, sin and death no longer have sway over me.
In 1 Cor 15:45, You are speaking of our natural and spiritual bodies. Verse: 48 “as is the earthy (man) so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly so also are those who are heavenly. 1 John 4:17 You again say “as He is so are we.”
Life-giving. Darkness is without Light. Jesus is the Light of the world. And with the light that we allow Him to give to our soul, our will, our thoughts, our emotions, and our heart, to that extent we receive His light, we receive His life.
Jesus is the only Life-giving Spirit. Help me Father, to receive daily from Your Son the light and the life that He desires to pour out over me each moment of my day.
So also it is written, “The first man Adam, became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
The words life-giving (2227) can mean to produce life; and
by spiritual power to arouse and invigorate
to restore to life
to give increase of life: thus of physical life
of the spirit, quickening as respects the spirit, endued with new and greater powers of life
metaph, of seeds quickened into life, i.e. germinating, springing up, growing
Eph 2:1 & 5 speak of us “being dead in our transgressions” and :5 says “we were made alive together with Christ.”
It is so awesome, Father, to think of Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, King of all glory-that He personally gives to me His life. He is a life-giving Spirit. This is a spiritual law that You have made known to us in Rom 8:2. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you (me) free from the law of sin and death.
By the power of the life of Your Son, Father, sin and death no longer have sway over me.
In 1 Cor 15:45, You are speaking of our natural and spiritual bodies. Verse: 48 “as is the earthy (man) so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly so also are those who are heavenly. 1 John 4:17 You again say “as He is so are we.”
Life-giving. Darkness is without Light. Jesus is the Light of the world. And with the light that we allow Him to give to our soul, our will, our thoughts, our emotions, and our heart, to that extent we receive His light, we receive His life.
Jesus is the only Life-giving Spirit. Help me Father, to receive daily from Your Son the light and the life that He desires to pour out over me each moment of my day.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Fulfill the Law of Christ
Gal 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.
As you brought this verse to me, my question was...Do you mean, Father, that I am to carry another’s heavy load that they carry? That doesn’t seem possible to me. I would be overloaded trying to carry all the loads I know people have in their lives. Burden makes me think of their problems.
But the amplified bible puts it this way, “Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ, and complete what is lacking (in your obedience to it).
Now I can understand “endure.” The Holy Spirit helps us to endure all things.
You have just stated in verse :1 to restore our brothers in Christ in a humble manner when we see them in sin. In :10 you remind us to do what is for others spiritual good, being useful, profitable to them, and being a blessing to them.
Also in verse :3 You speak of not thinking ourselves “too important to condescend to shoulder another’s load” …this is speaking of pride that tells us we are better than another. Then we would only deceive, delude and cheat ourselves if we believed we were better.
The law of Christ is walking in His love, a law of freedom, liberty to love our brothers and sister wherever they are.
So putting all that together, it seems to me, Father, that Your love cares enough to have us reprove another that is in sin or error; in a spirit of gentleness and love, not thinking of ourselves as being superior to them (we would be cheated of a great blessing by feeling superior in any way ).
:2 In this way fulfill the law of Christ, and complete what is lacking (in your obedience to it).
This law is love, the freedom to love someone that has a burden; perhaps that sin has caused, or has some troublesome moral fault, or in his weakness, etc.
Freedom, the kind that the Love of Christ fills our heart with, has no trouble loving a person carrying a burden. When it sees the burden, that heart can complete what the flesh lacks and is unable to complete in the flesh; that heart of Christ’s within us can reveal His love,restoration and encouragement to draw that person to Christ, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ.
So yes, as You say Father, I am to carry another’s burden….in a manner that is on the yoke of Christ Himself, in Him, where there is NOW no condemnation, in Him where the Cross of Christ has already paid for all burdensome sin.
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Bridegroom
Eph 5:25
Father, what a beautiful passage about our union with you! Although you are speaking of marriage, You are actually speaking of our heavenly Bridegroom and His Bride.
Jesus, our Bridegroom, was sent for us, was on that Cross for us, experienced death itself for us, so that He could have His Bride forever..” He gave Himself up for her.”
In this passage you go on to say “that He might sanctify her...”. The purpose was to sanctify her, set her apart and make her holy.
Something the Bride could not do for herself. He washed her, cleansed her, purified her; she is now holy just as He is holy. I am now holy.
: 27 “That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, that she might be holy and faultless.”
Other translations say:
Presented in stainless glory-Con
In all her beauty-TCNT...and faultless
All glorious-NEB
As something wonderful-Beck
As a splendid Bride-Wms
An altogether glorious Church in His eyes--Phil
Free from spots, wrinkles or any other disfigurement, a Church holy and perfect.
You see me as beautiful, as something wonderful, as a splendid Bride (You are not disappointed in me); I am altogether glorious in Your eyes. I am without spot or wrinkle.
I am holy and faultless.
: 29 For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, for we are members of His body.
You nourish me, You carefully protect me, You cherish me.
: 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.
: 32 “This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church”.
You have been speaking about me and Jesus.
Your Son, the risen Savior Jesus, left His place of glory and honor, of being worshipped by the Host of heaven (all the myriads and myriads of angels); He left You to come to pay the price to take His Bride.
And we His Bride, are now one with Him. His life is our life. Our life is His life. We are hidden with Him in God. We are united with You Father through the death and resurrection of Your Son. Through the blood He shed for us.
Remind me Father to receive the grace to keep my eyes on Your truths about Your Bride.
About myself in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Father, what a beautiful passage about our union with you! Although you are speaking of marriage, You are actually speaking of our heavenly Bridegroom and His Bride.
Jesus, our Bridegroom, was sent for us, was on that Cross for us, experienced death itself for us, so that He could have His Bride forever..” He gave Himself up for her.”
In this passage you go on to say “that He might sanctify her...”. The purpose was to sanctify her, set her apart and make her holy.
Something the Bride could not do for herself. He washed her, cleansed her, purified her; she is now holy just as He is holy. I am now holy.
: 27 “That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, that she might be holy and faultless.”
Other translations say:
Presented in stainless glory-Con
In all her beauty-TCNT...and faultless
All glorious-NEB
As something wonderful-Beck
As a splendid Bride-Wms
An altogether glorious Church in His eyes--Phil
Free from spots, wrinkles or any other disfigurement, a Church holy and perfect.
You see me as beautiful, as something wonderful, as a splendid Bride (You are not disappointed in me); I am altogether glorious in Your eyes. I am without spot or wrinkle.
I am holy and faultless.
: 29 For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, for we are members of His body.
You nourish me, You carefully protect me, You cherish me.
: 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.
: 32 “This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church”.
You have been speaking about me and Jesus.
Your Son, the risen Savior Jesus, left His place of glory and honor, of being worshipped by the Host of heaven (all the myriads and myriads of angels); He left You to come to pay the price to take His Bride.
And we His Bride, are now one with Him. His life is our life. Our life is His life. We are hidden with Him in God. We are united with You Father through the death and resurrection of Your Son. Through the blood He shed for us.
Remind me Father to receive the grace to keep my eyes on Your truths about Your Bride.
About myself in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Boast in the Cross
Boast in the Cross
Gal 6:14 May it never be that I would boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
Again, Father, this Word is reminding us that our life is all about Jesus. Our foundation.
Boast. This word means to glory in (with or without reason).
1 Cor 1:29 ..so that no man may boast before God.
1 Cor 1:31 so that, just as it is written, “let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
1 Cor 3:21 So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you.
You make it clear, Father, that we are not to boast in anything or anyone other than our Savior, Jesus who has given us all things.
Paul was speaking to the Corinthians in 1 Cor 3-4 about their boasting of their own teachers and ministers(I am of Apollos, I am of Paul)one above the other. He says it causes arrogance, inflated with pride.
Another translation puts it this way (TCNT) “so that you may not be arrogant champions of one teacher to the disparagement of another. Disparagement meaning "to lower in rank or reputation."
The commentary in the NAB says that Paul’s work was to found the community on Christ. The work of others for the spiritual good of the community is to be evaluated in terms of enhancing faith in Christ, and of this, God is ultimately the judge.
This seemed to bring clarity to these passages for me—the foundation was laid a long time ago through the finished work of Christ on the Cross.
We are His co-workers, one is not greater than the other. We are doing the building “in Him” according to His plans and purposes.
Father, it is a good thing to be thankful and grateful for the ones who You have gifted to teach and preach. But it is You, Your Spirit Who reveals the message to us. Your timing, Your love, Your grace that enables us to hear and obey. It is Your message.
You are reminding me to boast only in the Cross of our Lord Jesus. No matter how much a teacher or minister has ministered to us…it is really the Holy Spirit Who has given us the message.
Remind me. Father, not to be amazed at man but to clearly see Jesus in the works, the fruit of Your field, and in Your harvest.
Gal 6:14 May it never be that I would boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
Again, Father, this Word is reminding us that our life is all about Jesus. Our foundation.
Boast. This word means to glory in (with or without reason).
1 Cor 1:29 ..so that no man may boast before God.
1 Cor 1:31 so that, just as it is written, “let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
1 Cor 3:21 So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you.
You make it clear, Father, that we are not to boast in anything or anyone other than our Savior, Jesus who has given us all things.
Paul was speaking to the Corinthians in 1 Cor 3-4 about their boasting of their own teachers and ministers(I am of Apollos, I am of Paul)one above the other. He says it causes arrogance, inflated with pride.
Another translation puts it this way (TCNT) “so that you may not be arrogant champions of one teacher to the disparagement of another. Disparagement meaning "to lower in rank or reputation."
The commentary in the NAB says that Paul’s work was to found the community on Christ. The work of others for the spiritual good of the community is to be evaluated in terms of enhancing faith in Christ, and of this, God is ultimately the judge.
This seemed to bring clarity to these passages for me—the foundation was laid a long time ago through the finished work of Christ on the Cross.
We are His co-workers, one is not greater than the other. We are doing the building “in Him” according to His plans and purposes.
Father, it is a good thing to be thankful and grateful for the ones who You have gifted to teach and preach. But it is You, Your Spirit Who reveals the message to us. Your timing, Your love, Your grace that enables us to hear and obey. It is Your message.
You are reminding me to boast only in the Cross of our Lord Jesus. No matter how much a teacher or minister has ministered to us…it is really the Holy Spirit Who has given us the message.
Remind me. Father, not to be amazed at man but to clearly see Jesus in the works, the fruit of Your field, and in Your harvest.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)