This lesson has taken me the longest to learn, as I had learned the wrong things for so long because of the AA cult.
People in that mind control cult are obsessed with what they are thinking.
That's why people drink, usually. A sense of bitterness and frustration dominates the lives of many, and they want something, anything, that can end the hurt and pain.
We do not want to feel bad, yet instead of dealing with the reasons why we feel bad, we just deal with the feelings.
Really, if we think that the weight of the world hangs on us, and how we feel, we are going to be sad and frustrated. If we think that the world revolves around us, we will be angry and unfulfilled.
Desperate to identify with something, or anything, we will feel bad.
This morning, just this morning, I began to realize that no matter how bad I may feel, what bad thoughts or negative thinking may dominate my reference, I do not have to feel bad about it.
I have been justified forever before God the Father, because of His Son!
While the AA cults forces people to look at themselves, the Grace of God offers us to look at Jesus:
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12: 2)
Not to ourselves.
We are not supposed to deal with our feelings, and our thinking merely registers what we are bringing into our minds.
So, let us consider another verse:
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12: 2)
This transformation takes place . . .as we look unto Jesus!:
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3: 18)
Now we can better understand this passage, too:
"3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
So, this morning and every morning after, there is no reason to fear or be frustrated with the upsets in my mind or anyone else
He is a God to me not because of what I am thinking, but what His Son has done and is doing for me.
Hallelujah!
Monday, June 30, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Wisdom To Receive Grace, Not Do More
Whenever I was struggling, I kept asking God for wisdom.
Yes indeed, we need wisdom.
But the wisdom we need is not more knowledge on what we need to do.
Wisdom is about seeing more of Jesus:
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1: 30)
Paul prayed for wisdom to increase in our lives based on our knowledge of Jesus:
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:" (Ephesians 1: 17)
Wisdom is all about seeing more of Him and all that He is.
Yes indeed, we need wisdom.
But the wisdom we need is not more knowledge on what we need to do.
Wisdom is about seeing more of Jesus:
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1: 30)
Paul prayed for wisdom to increase in our lives based on our knowledge of Jesus:
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:" (Ephesians 1: 17)
Wisdom is all about seeing more of Him and all that He is.
We Why Can "Get Rid of" The Law
The Gospel of Grace is restored to its proper place in my life.
Paul rebuked the Galatians sternly:
"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (Galatians 1: 6)
No doubt, he would have said the same thing to me.
Today, I am hearing loud and clear:
"8Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:" (Hebrews 3: 8)
Today, I understand the key importance of heeding the voice of God's grace, that He has provided all things in His Son:
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8: 31-34)
Jesus declared:
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5: 17)
That is exactly what Jesus did at the Cross:
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19: 30)
Paul then explains the meaning of al that took place at the Cross:
"13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2: 13-15)
Jesus rendered the law inoperative, in that He fulfilled every demand which the law makes on man, and thus silencing the voice of the accuser once and for all.
Review this part of Romans 8:
"33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
When we understand that Jesus is up at the right hand of the Father justifying us, then we receive a greater revelation of this exhortation:
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10: 4-5)
His obedience began at the Cross, when He died for us, and continues as He ministers on our behalf, with the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7: 16)
Because Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law in every way, and paid for all our sins with His blood, a blood which cleanses us (1 John 1: 7), we can rest assured that He is our God, and will never leave us nor forsake us.
If we insist on holding onto the law, that we must still keep the Ten Commandment and all attending statutes in the law of Moses, we are saying that Jesus did not do a good enough job.
Either He Finished the work, or He didn't.
Satan wants us to believe that He did not, yet Jesus did, and He spoiled the enemy, full and forever, making an open display of His weakness.
Grace and Truth came with Jesus Christ (John 1: 17), and while the law that was given through Moses had its place, that time has ended, and the law is vanished away (Hebrews 8: 13)
The lie then remains that the law can make us good, or that we must give it a place, or worse preeminence over the Son.
That cannot be:
"And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever." (John 8: 35)
and
"4For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3: 4-6)
Moses gave the law, but the grace of God revealed in truth came through Jesus Christ, and His grace is the teacher which guides to live godly lives (Titus 2: 11-14)
We can "get rid of" the law only because the law has been fulfilled in Christ, and He has granted us His life and to guide into the godliness and holiness which exceeds that "thou shalt nots" of the Old Testament.
Paul rebuked the Galatians sternly:
"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (Galatians 1: 6)
No doubt, he would have said the same thing to me.
Today, I am hearing loud and clear:
"8Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:" (Hebrews 3: 8)
Today, I understand the key importance of heeding the voice of God's grace, that He has provided all things in His Son:
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8: 31-34)
Jesus declared:
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5: 17)
That is exactly what Jesus did at the Cross:
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19: 30)
Paul then explains the meaning of al that took place at the Cross:
"13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2: 13-15)
Jesus rendered the law inoperative, in that He fulfilled every demand which the law makes on man, and thus silencing the voice of the accuser once and for all.
Review this part of Romans 8:
"33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
When we understand that Jesus is up at the right hand of the Father justifying us, then we receive a greater revelation of this exhortation:
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2 Corinthians 10: 4-5)
His obedience began at the Cross, when He died for us, and continues as He ministers on our behalf, with the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7: 16)
Because Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law in every way, and paid for all our sins with His blood, a blood which cleanses us (1 John 1: 7), we can rest assured that He is our God, and will never leave us nor forsake us.
If we insist on holding onto the law, that we must still keep the Ten Commandment and all attending statutes in the law of Moses, we are saying that Jesus did not do a good enough job.
Either He Finished the work, or He didn't.
Satan wants us to believe that He did not, yet Jesus did, and He spoiled the enemy, full and forever, making an open display of His weakness.
Grace and Truth came with Jesus Christ (John 1: 17), and while the law that was given through Moses had its place, that time has ended, and the law is vanished away (Hebrews 8: 13)
The lie then remains that the law can make us good, or that we must give it a place, or worse preeminence over the Son.
That cannot be:
"And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever." (John 8: 35)
and
"4For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3: 4-6)
Moses gave the law, but the grace of God revealed in truth came through Jesus Christ, and His grace is the teacher which guides to live godly lives (Titus 2: 11-14)
We can "get rid of" the law only because the law has been fulfilled in Christ, and He has granted us His life and to guide into the godliness and holiness which exceeds that "thou shalt nots" of the Old Testament.
Justified From All Things to Receive All Things in Him
Justified From All Things and thus For All Things
All is a brand of detergent which cleanses stains from clothes.
Television commercials advertise that you can clean many loads of laundry with one bottle of All.
The blood of Jesus is the very brand which cleanses us from all sin.
The blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing us from all sin, whether we know it or not, and this cleansing sets us up for every blessing under the New Covenant.
"Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." (1 Corinthians 9: 14)
We live by the Gospel, because the Gospel is the gift of righteousness bought and paid for us because of what Jesus did at the Cross, and what He does for us at the right hand of God the Father (Romans 8: 31-34):
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
Notice that the law is displaced by the grace of God, which justifies us from all things.
All things:
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)
and then
"[Jesus] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 14)
and also
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1: 7)
And then
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1: 9)
Keep in mind, that since John is writing primarily to a Jewish audience, confession of sins has nothing to do with itemizing every perversion, but coming clean about the truth that we are sinners.
The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
All. All. All.
This total gift grants us His righteousness:
"15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 15-17)
and also
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
The gift of righteousness which keeps on cleansing us from all sin guarantees us all things in Christ, too:
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)
This is what we learn also about "all things" in comparison to the riches of Christ Jesus:
"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," (Philippians 3: 7-8)
When we understand that Christ is all things for us, then we can receive the answer to this prayer, too:
"6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." (Philemon 6)
and
"2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
Through Christ we are forgiven from all our sins -- all of them -- that we may receive all things in Christ -- all of them!
Television commercials advertise that you can clean many loads of laundry with one bottle of All.
The blood of Jesus is the very brand which cleanses us from all sin.
The blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing us from all sin, whether we know it or not, and this cleansing sets us up for every blessing under the New Covenant.
"Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." (1 Corinthians 9: 14)
We live by the Gospel, because the Gospel is the gift of righteousness bought and paid for us because of what Jesus did at the Cross, and what He does for us at the right hand of God the Father (Romans 8: 31-34):
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
Notice that the law is displaced by the grace of God, which justifies us from all things.
All things:
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)
 |
| Yes, the Blood Keeps on Cleansing (LookingUntoJesus.net) |
"[Jesus] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 14)
and also
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1: 7)
And then
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1: 9)
Keep in mind, that since John is writing primarily to a Jewish audience, confession of sins has nothing to do with itemizing every perversion, but coming clean about the truth that we are sinners.
The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness.
All. All. All.
This total gift grants us His righteousness:
"15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 15-17)
and also
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
The gift of righteousness which keeps on cleansing us from all sin guarantees us all things in Christ, too:
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)
This is what we learn also about "all things" in comparison to the riches of Christ Jesus:
"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," (Philippians 3: 7-8)
When we understand that Christ is all things for us, then we can receive the answer to this prayer, too:
"6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." (Philemon 6)
and
"2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" (2 Peter 1: 2-3)
Proper Foundation, Proper Growth
You can't build anything if you don't start with the right foundation.
More accurately, if anyone tries to building anything on a flimsy or unrighteous foundation, then everything else collapses.
Jesus preached to the Israelites of His day:
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)
It took me a long time to realize that this kingdom is not a place that I seek, but a gift which I receive.
Like many Christians, I did not know how to rightly divide the Word of God:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2: 15)
Jesus did not come to destroy the law, that is all well and true.
He did not come to level us with the law, but rather to fulfill it, so that we could rest and let Him work in us:
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5: 17)
Then Jesus would comfort the Israelites, and by extension all of us:
"28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)
When Jesus died on the Cross, He cried out: "It is Finished." (John 19: 30)
It is Finished, the Law is fulfilled, and now the New Covenant is enacted:
"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
More accurately, if anyone tries to building anything on a flimsy or unrighteous foundation, then everything else collapses.
Jesus preached to the Israelites of His day:
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6: 33)
It took me a long time to realize that this kingdom is not a place that I seek, but a gift which I receive.
Like many Christians, I did not know how to rightly divide the Word of God:
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2: 15)
Jesus did not come to destroy the law, that is all well and true.
He did not come to level us with the law, but rather to fulfill it, so that we could rest and let Him work in us:
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matthew 5: 17)
Then Jesus would comfort the Israelites, and by extension all of us:
"28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)
When Jesus died on the Cross, He cried out: "It is Finished." (John 19: 30)
It is Finished, the Law is fulfilled, and now the New Covenant is enacted:
"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
Jesus is our High Priest today:
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21And having an high priest over the house of God; 22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10: 19-23)
I did not have that full assurance described in the above passage.
The insecurity stemmed from the AA cult, a religious program of chronic self-scrutiny and ultimately inaction, where "our conception of God" ends up succumbing to the self-serving fraud of Bill W. and his evil ilk.
There is no end to our sin as long as we look at ourselves, yet the deep scam of AA teaches the members forced into the cult that by looking at ourselves and maintaining this ongoing inventory, men and women can claim progress.
In reality, very few get sober, and many end up committing suicide. The program does not work at all, no matter how hard anyone works it.
Besides, the Gospel relates to all of us that we are forever justified before God and thus we have nothing to fear, because we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
This gift of righteousness is not something that we can earn, but something that we receive.
Jesus told the Israelites of his dead to seek the Kingdom and His righteousness. The gist of His Sermon was to bring every one of them, and us, to the end of ourselves, since none of us can achieve that standard of righteousness.
Luke would comfort His listeners later on. Check out what He had to say in the Gospel of Luke:
"29And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12: 29-32)
The very thing which He exhorts us to seek, He then comforts us with the knowledge that He wants to give it to us.
Because of His death on the Cross, Jesus is able to give us the Kingdom:
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14: 17)
and
"Who [God the Father] hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1: 13)
I had a hard time reconciling these seemingly conflicting accounts about the Kingdom of Heaven (or the Kingdom of God) Now that I understand that the different dispensations, or covenants, everything makes sense.
That is the proper foundation, and now I can grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord today! (2 Peter 3: 18)
Thursday, June 26, 2014
I Can Rest and Stop Looking At Myself
When I had finished my first year in college, I was seized with a massive panic attack.
I was so scared to go out and do anything because I was so afraid of doing something wrong.
I had tried so hard to keep an eye on myself, and to keep myself from falling away from my God.
I never understood then, as I understand now, that I cannot fall away, and I can never be separated from Him, no matter what I do, because He has forgiven me for all sins.
All means all.
The past few weeks, months, etc I have been unlearning a lot of the crappy stuff that I had learned when I was growing up.
Or rather, growing old.
AA is an evil cult, one which no one should sit through, and one which no one should put their kids through.
At all.
I was away from home for the first time in a long time in my life, and I did not understand how to come in and out.
Someone else had been making all the decisions in my life, and had blocked me time and again from doing what I thought was best.
I had no idea that God was in love with me, that He saw me as His own Son.
No one had ever taught me that. Ever.
So, when I started out at UC Irvine my first year, I was trying to make the most of a new setting. I was so scared of doing the right things or the wrong things. I wanted to make sure that I made no mistakes.
I resolved that as much as possible, I would keep an eye on myself, not screw up or step out of bounds or anything else.
I was wrong to think that I could keep an eye on myself and any of the things that I was doing.
Now that I look back on all that I was going through, it appeared that even my parents had no idea what was going in their own lives, either.
The struggles to make sense of so much that I faced, whether going to high school for the first time or going to college -- they were not helping me. They were not giving me guidance.
For so long, I was convinced that I had to look over my own shoulder, look out for myself, if you will.
I was never able to rest on the inside. This incessant feeling that I had to keep my open on myself and my concerns was often nagging me.
"What if? What if?" was a question which prodded me at length.
I did not know where to rest my assurance that He is my God and that He is looking out for me.
Nowhere.
Now I understand the full importance of the Cross. It has nothing to do with how I feel or what I am thinking.
Furthermore, I need never doubt what is wrong with the Bible or with God, as though either one is somehow not trustworthy.
The problem was that I was not believing everything that I was reading in the Bible.
I did not believe that all my sins were forgiven.
I was mixing the message, still holding onto God's law, rather than letting His grace hold onto me.
This was the mixed-up message I lived with in my home, too.
I do not have to look at myself, at my failures, at the places in my life where I have messed up.
As He is, so are we in this world!
For so long, a tug of "what will you do if you feel this way?" would dominate me.
The notion that how I felt or what I was thinking would determine my standing before God had done so much damage in my walk with God.
Not anymore!
Thank you Jesus for the gift of righteousness and your abundance of favor. Grant me a greater revelation of all that you have done and are doing today!
I was so scared to go out and do anything because I was so afraid of doing something wrong.
I had tried so hard to keep an eye on myself, and to keep myself from falling away from my God.
I never understood then, as I understand now, that I cannot fall away, and I can never be separated from Him, no matter what I do, because He has forgiven me for all sins.
All means all.
The past few weeks, months, etc I have been unlearning a lot of the crappy stuff that I had learned when I was growing up.
Or rather, growing old.
AA is an evil cult, one which no one should sit through, and one which no one should put their kids through.
At all.
I was away from home for the first time in a long time in my life, and I did not understand how to come in and out.
Someone else had been making all the decisions in my life, and had blocked me time and again from doing what I thought was best.
I had no idea that God was in love with me, that He saw me as His own Son.
No one had ever taught me that. Ever.
So, when I started out at UC Irvine my first year, I was trying to make the most of a new setting. I was so scared of doing the right things or the wrong things. I wanted to make sure that I made no mistakes.
I resolved that as much as possible, I would keep an eye on myself, not screw up or step out of bounds or anything else.
I was wrong to think that I could keep an eye on myself and any of the things that I was doing.
Now that I look back on all that I was going through, it appeared that even my parents had no idea what was going in their own lives, either.
The struggles to make sense of so much that I faced, whether going to high school for the first time or going to college -- they were not helping me. They were not giving me guidance.
For so long, I was convinced that I had to look over my own shoulder, look out for myself, if you will.
I was never able to rest on the inside. This incessant feeling that I had to keep my open on myself and my concerns was often nagging me.
"What if? What if?" was a question which prodded me at length.
I did not know where to rest my assurance that He is my God and that He is looking out for me.
Nowhere.
Now I understand the full importance of the Cross. It has nothing to do with how I feel or what I am thinking.
Furthermore, I need never doubt what is wrong with the Bible or with God, as though either one is somehow not trustworthy.
The problem was that I was not believing everything that I was reading in the Bible.
I did not believe that all my sins were forgiven.
I was mixing the message, still holding onto God's law, rather than letting His grace hold onto me.
This was the mixed-up message I lived with in my home, too.
I do not have to look at myself, at my failures, at the places in my life where I have messed up.
As He is, so are we in this world!
For so long, a tug of "what will you do if you feel this way?" would dominate me.
The notion that how I felt or what I was thinking would determine my standing before God had done so much damage in my walk with God.
Not anymore!
Thank you Jesus for the gift of righteousness and your abundance of favor. Grant me a greater revelation of all that you have done and are doing today!
I Can Rest Now - He Has Paid for Everything
It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our activities. "How can I best serve Thee - Thy will (not mine) be done." These are thoughts which must go with us constantly. We can exercise our will power along this line all we wish. It is the proper use of the will. (AA, pg 85)
This portion of the AA Book is the chief indictment against this evil, self-imposing tyranny cult.
There is no letting up in Alcoholics Anonymous. At any time you can slip, you must be vigilant, keep working the program, keep taking your inventory.
Someone else close to me told me that you can fall away still, that your heart can still turn away from God, or that He will only give you so many churches before He kicks you away for good.
All of this is man-centered cult based lies.
Lies all the way.
Here is the Gospel in its simplest form:
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
We are forgiven from all our sins -- all of them.
Notice that the law is displaced by the grace of God, which justifies us from all things.
All things:
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)
and then
"[Jesus] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 14)
and also
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1: 7)
All. All. All.
This total gift grants us His righteousness:
"15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 15-17)
and also
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
All of them. We need to grow in this knowledge of grace and righteousness.
We are forgiven of all our sins. All of them.
We can rest because He has paid for everything. Every sin, every shame, every setback.
I cannot stress this enough.
This portion of the AA Book is the chief indictment against this evil, self-imposing tyranny cult.
There is no letting up in Alcoholics Anonymous. At any time you can slip, you must be vigilant, keep working the program, keep taking your inventory.
Someone else close to me told me that you can fall away still, that your heart can still turn away from God, or that He will only give you so many churches before He kicks you away for good.
All of this is man-centered cult based lies.
Lies all the way.
Here is the Gospel in its simplest form:
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
We are forgiven from all our sins -- all of them.
Notice that the law is displaced by the grace of God, which justifies us from all things.
All things:
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)
and then
"[Jesus] gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 14)
and also
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1: 7)
All. All. All.
This total gift grants us His righteousness:
"15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 15-17)
and also
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
All of them. We need to grow in this knowledge of grace and righteousness.
We are forgiven of all our sins. All of them.
We can rest because He has paid for everything. Every sin, every shame, every setback.
I cannot stress this enough.
No More Force -- But Faith
Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most demanding, man-centered, self-centered religions out there.
In fact, all religions are man-centered and demanding, because man in himself has this propensity toward his own efforts to accomplish everything.
We cannot cause our lungs to breathe or our hearts to beat, or our brains to circulate every necessary chemical, yet we think that we can hold the future in our hands and have everything figured out.
Or we think that we can look at ourselves long enough to keep ourselves in righteous standing before God.
What does the Bible say about our sins?
"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. "(Psalm 19: 12)
and also
"Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance." (Psalm 90:8)
It is the height of bankrupted arrogance for anyone of us to think that we can confess our sins or make ourselves better through our efforts.
Yet for a number of years, because of my poor understanding of the Bible, because of the AA cult into which I was indoctrinated for years, I was convinced that I could stay one step ahead of my sins and my wrong thinking and doing.
No one had ever explained to me that no good thing dwells in me, that is in my flesh:
"King James Bible
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7: 18)
and also
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)
We do not trust in our flesh, i.e. in our efforts, for we need life, not just a way of living:
"I have come that you might have life, and that more abundantly (John 10: 10)
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14: 6)
So, He is our life (Colossians 3:1-4)
As our life, He is guiding us, and we live because He lives:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)
We are not trying to produce this life, because He is our life!
We do not need more force, but faith, which is to rest in the truth of the Gospel, that we have been justified from all things, a gift which we receive and keep receiving (Romans 5: 17)
In fact, all religions are man-centered and demanding, because man in himself has this propensity toward his own efforts to accomplish everything.
We cannot cause our lungs to breathe or our hearts to beat, or our brains to circulate every necessary chemical, yet we think that we can hold the future in our hands and have everything figured out.
Or we think that we can look at ourselves long enough to keep ourselves in righteous standing before God.
What does the Bible say about our sins?
"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. "(Psalm 19: 12)
and also
"Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance." (Psalm 90:8)
It is the height of bankrupted arrogance for anyone of us to think that we can confess our sins or make ourselves better through our efforts.
Yet for a number of years, because of my poor understanding of the Bible, because of the AA cult into which I was indoctrinated for years, I was convinced that I could stay one step ahead of my sins and my wrong thinking and doing.
No one had ever explained to me that no good thing dwells in me, that is in my flesh:
"King James Bible
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." (Romans 7: 18)
and also
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3: 3)
We do not trust in our flesh, i.e. in our efforts, for we need life, not just a way of living:
"I have come that you might have life, and that more abundantly (John 10: 10)
"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14: 6)
So, He is our life (Colossians 3:1-4)
As our life, He is guiding us, and we live because He lives:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)
We are not trying to produce this life, because He is our life!
We do not need more force, but faith, which is to rest in the truth of the Gospel, that we have been justified from all things, a gift which we receive and keep receiving (Romans 5: 17)
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Way Too Carnal -- Walk in the Spirit
"1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?" (1 Corinthians 3: 1-4)
Carnality, or being in the flesh, causes divisions to arise among us.
Paul wrote about unity in Christ as a key element in spiritual growth:
"1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4: 1-6)
Carnality also speaks to trying in our efforts to achieve what God so freely gives:
"5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7: 5-6)
When we strive in our efforts, we produce sin!
Cults like AA teach people to trust in their efforts and strive according to a set of rules rather than allowing the grace of God to work in them:
"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15: 10)
and then
"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 11-14)
Now, when we understand law and grace, then we can understand "walking in the Spirit":
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. " (Galatians 5: 4-5)
and then
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5: 16-18)
To walk in the Spirit is to live under grace, to receive all things from Him:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)
and also
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give [lit. grace] us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)
Walk in the Spirit, receive from Him all things. and you won't have to worry about being carnal.
Carnality, or being in the flesh, causes divisions to arise among us.
Paul wrote about unity in Christ as a key element in spiritual growth:
"1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4: 1-6)
Carnality also speaks to trying in our efforts to achieve what God so freely gives:
"5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Romans 7: 5-6)
When we strive in our efforts, we produce sin!
Cults like AA teach people to trust in their efforts and strive according to a set of rules rather than allowing the grace of God to work in them:
"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15: 10)
and then
"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 11-14)
Now, when we understand law and grace, then we can understand "walking in the Spirit":
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. " (Galatians 5: 4-5)
and then
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5: 16-18)
To walk in the Spirit is to live under grace, to receive all things from Him:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2: 20)
and also
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give [lit. grace] us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)
Walk in the Spirit, receive from Him all things. and you won't have to worry about being carnal.
Get Rid of the Rules (Including Your Own)
I am justified in Christ.
Justified.
Just as if I had never done anything wrong.
Why?
Because Jesus paid the price for all my sins.
Yet more than that, He also granted me His life and standing before God the Father.
The war within, though, has waged for years, pressing on me with "What are you going to do about . . .?"
I often believed that how I felt determined whether God was moving in my life or not.
Very carnal.
God did not call us to walk in the flesh, but in the Spirit.
I did not understand what much of this meant, until I realized that "the flesh" speaks of our self-effort.
I never realized that God is committed to working in me and for me in all things.
Such is the essence of the New Covenant which He has cut for all of us:
"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Justified.
Just as if I had never done anything wrong.
Why?
Because Jesus paid the price for all my sins.
Yet more than that, He also granted me His life and standing before God the Father.
The war within, though, has waged for years, pressing on me with "What are you going to do about . . .?"
I often believed that how I felt determined whether God was moving in my life or not.
Very carnal.
God did not call us to walk in the flesh, but in the Spirit.
I did not understand what much of this meant, until I realized that "the flesh" speaks of our self-effort.
I never realized that God is committed to working in me and for me in all things.
Such is the essence of the New Covenant which He has cut for all of us:
"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
"11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
"12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
For a long time, I thought that God was with me and working in me depending on how I felt.
All of it was due to a misunderstanding of the Old and New Covenants:
"13In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." (Hebrews 8: 13)
The Old is out and the New takes its place.
Yet for so long, I had these stupid rules in place, like I had to see some demonstrable evidence that I was safe. That lie started with Satan, yet I pressed on myself the necessity of answering that concern.
He is a God to me not because of how I feel or what I think, but because of who Jesus is today!
The rules have to go, the Ten Commandments, which did their job convicting us of sin. Now we must receive and keep receiving the abundance of grace:
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
and then
"11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2: 11-14)
Grace is a teacher, and keeps teaching -- Not the law, but grace.
Get rid of the rules, and let grace rule in your life today!
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Life is All About Himself, and He is All About Us
"We learned to outgrow fear. . ."
Wrong and wrong again.
This revelation of God's total love for me is too great.
I am so angry -- that no one had told me this all-encompassing love.
No one.
Every day, I woke up convinced that this life was all up to me.
No I have learned something different.
That is not the case at all.
"Will He not freely give us all things with Him?"
The basis of the Christian Life is Christ, who is our life (Colossians 3: 4).
He is not asleep at the wheel.
He is leading us, He is guiding us.
You are leading me, you are guiding me.
I may not like the results, but it really does not matter.
The pressure was on all the time.
I was looking for something to do to occupy my time.
The emptiness in this life starts and ends with ourselves.
If we think that everything is about us, and everything depends on us, then we have nothing to stand on, nothing to live for.
Life is not about us, but about Him who has been from the beginning.
And when we understand that life is all about Him, regardless of whether we like it or not, then we can understand that He is all about us, too.
Wrong and wrong again.
This revelation of God's total love for me is too great.
I am so angry -- that no one had told me this all-encompassing love.
No one.
Every day, I woke up convinced that this life was all up to me.
No I have learned something different.
That is not the case at all.
"Will He not freely give us all things with Him?"
The basis of the Christian Life is Christ, who is our life (Colossians 3: 4).
He is not asleep at the wheel.
He is leading us, He is guiding us.
You are leading me, you are guiding me.
I may not like the results, but it really does not matter.
The pressure was on all the time.
I was looking for something to do to occupy my time.
The emptiness in this life starts and ends with ourselves.
If we think that everything is about us, and everything depends on us, then we have nothing to stand on, nothing to live for.
Life is not about us, but about Him who has been from the beginning.
And when we understand that life is all about Him, regardless of whether we like it or not, then we can understand that He is all about us, too.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
So Much Mixture
We do not need better steps on how to live.
We need life, and that more abundantly.
This revelation has taken me a long time to accept.
I never realized how big God is, and that He has revealed Himself through His Son, who is committed to helping me in all times through all hardships.
For so long, none of this was happening.
Much of this was going nowhere.
So many of the promises in the Bible were not manifesting in my life.
I was trying to understand the truth, and yet I was getting all of these mixed messages.
Modernism: the combination of all heresies.
My father was involved with Scientology at one time.
My mother was full invested in Catholic teachings, followed by a rigid obsession with Alcoholics Anonymous.
No wonder so many people have a low opinion of God and faith.
No wonder people have a bad opinion (and rightfully so) of religion.
Religion means "to tie down again."
The reference speaks to animal sacrifices, but more general speaks to the rules and regulations which people end up in bondage to.
The rules were never meant for us to keep, but rather t keep the Israelites for a short time, so that when Jesus came, we could all be set free.
"3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4: 3-5)
Then
"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:" (Ephesians 1: 10)
There is no mixing this fullness with our emptiness, through any of our efforts:
"8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." (Ephesians 4: 8-10)
No rules, but one Ruler: Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1: 27)
We need life, and that more abundantly.
This revelation has taken me a long time to accept.
I never realized how big God is, and that He has revealed Himself through His Son, who is committed to helping me in all times through all hardships.
For so long, none of this was happening.
Much of this was going nowhere.
So many of the promises in the Bible were not manifesting in my life.
I was trying to understand the truth, and yet I was getting all of these mixed messages.
Modernism: the combination of all heresies.
My father was involved with Scientology at one time.
My mother was full invested in Catholic teachings, followed by a rigid obsession with Alcoholics Anonymous.
No wonder so many people have a low opinion of God and faith.
No wonder people have a bad opinion (and rightfully so) of religion.
Religion means "to tie down again."
The reference speaks to animal sacrifices, but more general speaks to the rules and regulations which people end up in bondage to.
The rules were never meant for us to keep, but rather t keep the Israelites for a short time, so that when Jesus came, we could all be set free.
"3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4: 3-5)
Then
"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:" (Ephesians 1: 10)
There is no mixing this fullness with our emptiness, through any of our efforts:
"8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." (Ephesians 4: 8-10)
No rules, but one Ruler: Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1: 27)
Saturday, June 21, 2014
The Cross Was Missing
Many times in our lives, there is great frustration and hurt in our lives.
The periods of pain and suffering, much of the time, flowed from a lack of understanding about the righteousness of God.
Fear was a big problem in my life:
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41: 10)
The key element for overcoming fear, or anything else, is righteousness.
That one word escaped my attention time and again.
Yet Jesus made His righteousness the preeminent element for all other gifts:
"33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
The periods of pain and suffering, much of the time, flowed from a lack of understanding about the righteousness of God.
Fear was a big problem in my life:
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41: 10)
The key element for overcoming fear, or anything else, is righteousness.
That one word escaped my attention time and again.
Yet Jesus made His righteousness the preeminent element for all other gifts:
"33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
"34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matthew 6: 33-34)
The Cross is God's forever signal to us, the testimony that He is our God and sees us through all our hurts and upsets:
"10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
"I am a God to You." Wow!
"All shall know me" - instead of us trying to know Him, He will cause us to know Him. Wow!
Why?
"Because I will be merciful (i.e. will pay for) their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more."
No one had told me any of this. Not even in churches. Arrgh!
Why does God not remember our sins anymore? Because He remembered all of them in His Son at the Cross:
"38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
And also
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2: 13)
and
"1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. " (Romans 8: 1-4)
God condemned sin in the flesh, and thus the righteousness of the law was fulfilled for us and in us.
All through the Cross!
Noah constructed the ark, a picture of Jesus our Savior, from the tree:
"Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." (Genesis 6: 14)
When the Israelites complained about the bitter waters, Moses threw in the tree, which healed the waters:
"24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 26And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee." (Exodus 15: 24-26)
When the Israelites were bitten by the snakes, they looked to a bronze serpent on a tree:
"And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived." (Numbers 21: 9)
When David's son rebelled against him, a tree stopped him and made him an easy target:
"9And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. 10And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak." (2 Samuel 18: 9-10)
The Cross is the answer to every problem you face, the signal, the standard under which you can rest, just as Abraham did when he ate with the Holy Trinity in his tent. (Genesis 18)
The Cross speaks of full justification before God, and for that reason we are more than conquerors (Romans 8: 37)!
Why Were We Afraid? Because We Didn't See Our Redeemer
We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once, we commence to outgrow fear. (AA pg 68)
Everyone of us does not need a Creator.
We need a redeemer.
"1But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." (Isaiah 43: 1)
This prophesy is fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Paul explains this redemption to the Galatians:
"3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4: 3-7)
Jesus has taken everyone who believes on Him out from under the law and under His grace..
If we do not believe that we have been fully justified from all our sins (Acts 13:38-39), then we will live in fear:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)
Fear has torment, because fear means that we are afraid of punishment from God.
The answer to fear is not trusting in some god of our understanding, but resting in the truth that in Christ all our sins are put away forever.
God our Father has not only forgiven us our sins, but Has granted us a new standing in His Son:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4: 17)
When we understand that this love perfected has made us one with Jesus, then that perfect love casts out all fear in our lives.
Everyone of us does not need a Creator.
We need a redeemer.
"1But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." (Isaiah 43: 1)
This prophesy is fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Paul explains this redemption to the Galatians:
"3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4: 3-7)
Jesus has taken everyone who believes on Him out from under the law and under His grace..
If we do not believe that we have been fully justified from all our sins (Acts 13:38-39), then we will live in fear:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)
Fear has torment, because fear means that we are afraid of punishment from God.
The answer to fear is not trusting in some god of our understanding, but resting in the truth that in Christ all our sins are put away forever.
God our Father has not only forgiven us our sins, but Has granted us a new standing in His Son:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4: 17)
When we understand that this love perfected has made us one with Jesus, then that perfect love casts out all fear in our lives.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Justified, Not Justifying Ourselves
As long as we believe that the work is not done, that we have justify ourselves, rather than rest in the truth that we are justified, then we will wander throughout our lives having nothing to rest on.
I was miserable at different stages of my life, and I never understood why.
Now that I understand the evil and subtlety of the AA cult, everything makes sense.
When my mother dragged my sister and me away from our home when I was younger, she was in bondage to the AA cult.
She was reading out of that book, taking all her cues from it, too.
At the time, I never saw a problem with reading the Bible and complementing the reading with the "Big Book of AA."
Oh, was she mistaken, and I was taught wrong, all wrong.
There is no mixing the grace of God with the former covenant of the wisdom of the world, or the rudimentary elements of the ungodly:
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." (Psalm 1:1)
and then
"20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21(Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh." (Colossians 2: 20-23)
Such ordinances including the Twelve Steps of AA.
What is the Gospel, anyway?
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
The law of Moses, or of any man, does not justify us. Period.
We accept righteousness as a gift, one which keeps on giving:
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
We are justified in Christ through His blood, not through our sweat and tears, and any attempts to justify ourselves will cause us to fall from grace:
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5: 4)
Could it be any simpler? Stop trying to justify yourself, and accept that in Christ you are fully justified.
I was miserable at different stages of my life, and I never understood why.
Now that I understand the evil and subtlety of the AA cult, everything makes sense.
When my mother dragged my sister and me away from our home when I was younger, she was in bondage to the AA cult.
She was reading out of that book, taking all her cues from it, too.
At the time, I never saw a problem with reading the Bible and complementing the reading with the "Big Book of AA."
Oh, was she mistaken, and I was taught wrong, all wrong.
There is no mixing the grace of God with the former covenant of the wisdom of the world, or the rudimentary elements of the ungodly:
"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." (Psalm 1:1)
and then
"20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21(Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh." (Colossians 2: 20-23)
Such ordinances including the Twelve Steps of AA.
What is the Gospel, anyway?
"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
The law of Moses, or of any man, does not justify us. Period.
We accept righteousness as a gift, one which keeps on giving:
"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 17)
We are justified in Christ through His blood, not through our sweat and tears, and any attempts to justify ourselves will cause us to fall from grace:
"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5: 4)
Could it be any simpler? Stop trying to justify yourself, and accept that in Christ you are fully justified.
Not Taking But Giving All Things for Us
AA, like all man-centered religions, forces man to provide for himself.
The Bible provides a different way, a better way:
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)
He provides us all things.
How about this?
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)
and
"12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2: 12-13)
and
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4: 13)
and then
"19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Once again, "my conception" of God cannot compare or begin to approach the goodness we receive through Christ Jesus.
Not even close.
I need someone who is providing all things for me.
He is the Blesser, for He must take the better place in our lives.
God is not taking but giving us all things:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16)
When we prize how much God loves us in giving us His Son, then we can freely receive all other things with Him.
The Bible provides a different way, a better way:
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)
He provides us all things.
How about this?
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)
and
"12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2: 12-13)
and
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4: 13)
and then
"19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
Once again, "my conception" of God cannot compare or begin to approach the goodness we receive through Christ Jesus.
Not even close.
I need someone who is providing all things for me.
He is the Blesser, for He must take the better place in our lives.
God is not taking but giving us all things:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16)
When we prize how much God loves us in giving us His Son, then we can freely receive all other things with Him.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
His Supplying Not My Trying
All the trying in the world began and ended with the feeling that I had to produce this life on my own.
That is simply not true.
We have life, and that more abundantly, through Jesus, who ministers on our behalf by the power of an endless life:
" [Jesus] only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." (1 Timothy 6: 16)
and then
"[Jesus] is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." (Hebrews 7: 16)
Jesus is all supply in our need for all things:
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 19)
and also
"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 32)
and even this
"21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3: 21-23)
Everything is ours because of Jesus!
Here is one more reason, among many, while all the talk about "choosing your own conception of God" is not only wrong, but deceptive and dangerous.
He is constantly supplying to us all the time.
That is what eternal life is all about.
This is such a new and novel truth to me. It is not a new or novel revelation in itself.
He is constantly supplying all my needs, and He is working within me both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2: 12-13)
Not based on my thoughts or feelings, but the Cross and His blood.
Not based on us, but based on Him who has been from the beginning.
Wow!
That is simply not true.
We have life, and that more abundantly, through Jesus, who ministers on our behalf by the power of an endless life:
" [Jesus] only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen." (1 Timothy 6: 16)
and then
"[Jesus] is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." (Hebrews 7: 16)
Jesus is all supply in our need for all things:
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4: 19)
and also
"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 32)
and even this
"21Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 22Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 23And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3: 21-23)
Everything is ours because of Jesus!
Here is one more reason, among many, while all the talk about "choosing your own conception of God" is not only wrong, but deceptive and dangerous.
He is constantly supplying to us all the time.
That is what eternal life is all about.
This is such a new and novel truth to me. It is not a new or novel revelation in itself.
He is constantly supplying all my needs, and He is working within me both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2: 12-13)
Not based on my thoughts or feelings, but the Cross and His blood.
Not based on us, but based on Him who has been from the beginning.
Wow!
Monday, June 16, 2014
He Brings Our Thoughts Into Captivity -- Not Us
"3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)
I have battled with my thought life, as much as any other person.
The example of Singapore Pastor Joseph Prince, any many other preachers, has impacted me more than I can explain in one post.
When I look at this verse, I realized that for a long time, I had construed this verse to mean my obedience.
Not at all -- it's all about the obedience of Christ:
"5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2: 5-8)
We receive this justification because Jesus became sin, and we became the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 20-21)
This gift of righteousness informs us that we have been justified from all wrongdoing, from all the things that the law of Moses could not do for us (Acts 13: 38-39)
This message faces harsh opposition, particularly in many churches, which refuse to accept that we are dead in our trespasses, as opposed to the more fleshly notion that we are imperfect people who can be perfected in our own efforts.
For years, I battled with my thoughts and feelings, convinced that how I was thinking or what I was feeling would affect my standing before God, as though He would be angry with me or that I could not feel his love if I was upset or angry in some way.
I have since learned what folly all of that has become. There is no truth to such nonsense.
He loves my unconditionally, and this love is expressed in the perfect (and perfected) acceptance which I have received because of Jesus, who died for my sins, and who was raised for my justification (Romans 4: 16)
He is bringing every thought into captivity, slaying the condemnation of negative thinking. The shield of faith which quenches those fiery darts is based on the righteousness by faith.
I do not have to struggle with my thinking, for today and forevermore I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and as Christ is today, so am I in this world (1 John 4: 17)
I have battled with my thought life, as much as any other person.
The example of Singapore Pastor Joseph Prince, any many other preachers, has impacted me more than I can explain in one post.
When I look at this verse, I realized that for a long time, I had construed this verse to mean my obedience.
Not at all -- it's all about the obedience of Christ:
"5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2: 5-8)
We receive this justification because Jesus became sin, and we became the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 20-21)
This gift of righteousness informs us that we have been justified from all wrongdoing, from all the things that the law of Moses could not do for us (Acts 13: 38-39)
This message faces harsh opposition, particularly in many churches, which refuse to accept that we are dead in our trespasses, as opposed to the more fleshly notion that we are imperfect people who can be perfected in our own efforts.
For years, I battled with my thoughts and feelings, convinced that how I was thinking or what I was feeling would affect my standing before God, as though He would be angry with me or that I could not feel his love if I was upset or angry in some way.
I have since learned what folly all of that has become. There is no truth to such nonsense.
He loves my unconditionally, and this love is expressed in the perfect (and perfected) acceptance which I have received because of Jesus, who died for my sins, and who was raised for my justification (Romans 4: 16)
He is bringing every thought into captivity, slaying the condemnation of negative thinking. The shield of faith which quenches those fiery darts is based on the righteousness by faith.
I do not have to struggle with my thinking, for today and forevermore I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and as Christ is today, so am I in this world (1 John 4: 17)
So Many People Did Not Believe -- and Neither Did I
It is amazing to many how many people in churches do not believe the Gospel:
"38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
I was raised to believe in the importance of keeping God's law, of loving others, that we have to do so that God can do in our lives.
Crazy!
I never understood verses like this one:
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 5)
Jesus said: I am the vine. You are the branches.
Jesus did not say: "Try to be a branch."
He did not say: "Branch, you must stay in the vine."
Think about it: there would be no branch if there were no vine in the first place.
Jesus is first place, or he has no place in our lives.
This dynamic was difficult for me to understand, because I lived in a household where the law, the rules, and all the rest remained prominent.
My father placed the Ten Commandments on the wall. My mother lived by the Twelve Steps, which are twelve steps to destruction.
They suffered terribly, and so did I.
I have since been learning about the deeper problem which man faces:
He is dead and needs life. Adam and Eve did not just become bad people -- they died, separated from God.
We were dead, but now we are alive in Jesus!
I did not believe this.
I did not understand the key importance of being justified.
Justification by faith is the whole element of the Gospel, and all too many want to do away with the legal implications of the Gospel, and reduce everything to subjective thoughts and feelings. There is no hope there. None.
We need an objective certainty which affirms that we are set free from all sin, regardless of how we feel or what we thing.
Objective, not subjective, a criteria outside of us, not something that we hope and believe on the inside.
In comes AA, and all the other man-centered cults which teach people to be . . .man-centered!
We are justified from all things in Christ Jesus, and for many years I did not know or believe this wonderful truth.
I knew that Jesus died for my sins, but then again I was told that I had ot take my inventory to make sure that I never sinned again. I had to watch myself. Even though I knew I was going to heaven, earth was like a hell on earth, because I was still so desperately under law trying to earn God's favor.
There were ties when I was so depressed and hurt, frustrated with a sense of constant fear and demand, wondering about the future.
I never realized that this of painful demand and shame was really a product of AA.
My mother was an AA fanatic, and with that terrible cult prodding her along, she took my sister and me away from our father for ninth months.
The depression never lifted or left me, until she threw me out of the apartment.
I never did anything wrong. I was just depressed, and she blamed me for being angry or upset. When I look over this litany of abuse, and now I understand the root cause of this found in AA, I have more peace than I ever had before.
The reason why I was so depressed -- I was trying to live up to a deadly standard which makes us spin in ever deeper.
AA is an evil cult, and it killed my mother. And I know that many people are out there in Christian circles convinced that they need to work Twelve Steps to live lives of holiness. Wrong.
Wrong.
Jesus could not have made it more clear:
"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)
The question then has less to do with what we need to do, and more to do with seeing Him who has been from the beginning (1 John 2:14)
In fact, those are the prayers of the early Christian leaders!
Paul's first prayer in the Epistles:
"8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you." (Romans 1: 8-10)
and
6That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3: 16-19)
But also:
"1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 1-4)
and
"That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." (Philemon 1: 6)
And who can forget:
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 2)
There is so much for us to believe and receive because of Christ and Him Crucified.
I want to believe, Lord Jesus, and thank you for helping my unbelief!
"38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
I was raised to believe in the importance of keeping God's law, of loving others, that we have to do so that God can do in our lives.
Crazy!
I never understood verses like this one:
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 5)
Jesus said: I am the vine. You are the branches.
Jesus did not say: "Try to be a branch."
He did not say: "Branch, you must stay in the vine."
Think about it: there would be no branch if there were no vine in the first place.
Jesus is first place, or he has no place in our lives.
This dynamic was difficult for me to understand, because I lived in a household where the law, the rules, and all the rest remained prominent.
My father placed the Ten Commandments on the wall. My mother lived by the Twelve Steps, which are twelve steps to destruction.
They suffered terribly, and so did I.
I have since been learning about the deeper problem which man faces:
He is dead and needs life. Adam and Eve did not just become bad people -- they died, separated from God.
We were dead, but now we are alive in Jesus!
I did not believe this.
I did not understand the key importance of being justified.
Justification by faith is the whole element of the Gospel, and all too many want to do away with the legal implications of the Gospel, and reduce everything to subjective thoughts and feelings. There is no hope there. None.
We need an objective certainty which affirms that we are set free from all sin, regardless of how we feel or what we thing.
Objective, not subjective, a criteria outside of us, not something that we hope and believe on the inside.
In comes AA, and all the other man-centered cults which teach people to be . . .man-centered!
We are justified from all things in Christ Jesus, and for many years I did not know or believe this wonderful truth.
I knew that Jesus died for my sins, but then again I was told that I had ot take my inventory to make sure that I never sinned again. I had to watch myself. Even though I knew I was going to heaven, earth was like a hell on earth, because I was still so desperately under law trying to earn God's favor.
There were ties when I was so depressed and hurt, frustrated with a sense of constant fear and demand, wondering about the future.
I never realized that this of painful demand and shame was really a product of AA.
My mother was an AA fanatic, and with that terrible cult prodding her along, she took my sister and me away from our father for ninth months.
The depression never lifted or left me, until she threw me out of the apartment.
I never did anything wrong. I was just depressed, and she blamed me for being angry or upset. When I look over this litany of abuse, and now I understand the root cause of this found in AA, I have more peace than I ever had before.
The reason why I was so depressed -- I was trying to live up to a deadly standard which makes us spin in ever deeper.
AA is an evil cult, and it killed my mother. And I know that many people are out there in Christian circles convinced that they need to work Twelve Steps to live lives of holiness. Wrong.
Wrong.
Jesus could not have made it more clear:
"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)
The question then has less to do with what we need to do, and more to do with seeing Him who has been from the beginning (1 John 2:14)
In fact, those are the prayers of the early Christian leaders!
Paul's first prayer in the Epistles:
"8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you." (Romans 1: 8-10)
and
6That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3: 16-19)
But also:
"1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 1-4)
and
"That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus." (Philemon 1: 6)
And who can forget:
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 2)
There is so much for us to believe and receive because of Christ and Him Crucified.
I want to believe, Lord Jesus, and thank you for helping my unbelief!
He is Working the Willingness Within to Work
If we can answer to our satisfaction, we then look at Step Six. We have emphasized willingness as being indispensable. Are we now ready to let God remove from us all the things which we have admitted are objectionable? Can He now take them all - every one? If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing.
When ready, we say something like this: "My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen." We have then completed Step Seven. (AA, pg 76)
So, not only do we have to work with our own conception of God, but then we have to ask this conception of God to grant us the willingness to do something, or rather anything.
Huh?
This prayer is ridiculous.
There is no point in asking God to do something that He has already done:
"12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2: 12-13)
Before we can understand Christ working in us, however, we need to know and believe that He has finished the work which has cleansed us from all our sins:
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19: 30)
Then
"3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 3-6)
Then
"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;" (Ephesians 2:14-15)
Colossians could not be more explicit:
"13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:13-15)
When we then understand that He is our life, not a standard to live up to, then we can understand this passage:
"12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2: 12-13)
He is working in us, both the desire and the power to do whatever He wants us to do.
Never should we think that we have to live "The Christian Life" -- He is our life, and He is living within us, and in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17: 28)
Do not strive in your own efforts, and do not fear that your rest will mean that nothing gets done. He is at work at all times, and He is working in you right now.
No More Inventories -- Justified from all Things
I was always trying so hard.
Pushing through any kind of reticence or frustration to do everything that needed to be done.
Like many Christians, I was convinced that I had to life this in my own strength.
In order to do a good job, I had to feel well, not feel bad, not have any negative feelings.
This detachment of faith and feelings has been very difficult for me, and the reason why? AA
This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code. (AA. pg 84)
One part which just stood out to me, which now makes me cringe:
It [continue to take personal inventory] should continue for a lifetime.
For a lifetime?
Can you imagine taking your inventory every day for a lifetime?
At first, such a demand seemed simple enough.
However, the notion that we should keep taking stock of our sins suggests that Jesus' blood did not finish the work:
"
Pushing through any kind of reticence or frustration to do everything that needed to be done.
Like many Christians, I was convinced that I had to life this in my own strength.
In order to do a good job, I had to feel well, not feel bad, not have any negative feelings.
This detachment of faith and feelings has been very difficult for me, and the reason why? AA
This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code. (AA. pg 84)
One part which just stood out to me, which now makes me cringe:
It [continue to take personal inventory] should continue for a lifetime.
For a lifetime?
Can you imagine taking your inventory every day for a lifetime?
At first, such a demand seemed simple enough.
However, the notion that we should keep taking stock of our sins suggests that Jesus' blood did not finish the work:
"
10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
God our Daddy does not remember our sins any more. They are all paid for, forever.
If Daddy does not remember, and He sees us as His own Son Jesus (1 John 4: 17), then we have no business taking our inventory, because there is no inventory to take.
The Gospel in its simplest form:
"38Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13: 38-39)
Justified from all things -- wow! There is no need for an inventory, since everything has been paid for.
His supply is inexhaustible, and in Christ Jesus we can be sure that God our Father is freely giving us all things (Romans 8: 32)
Thursday, June 12, 2014
I Feared Being Afraid
I was in such pain when I was working at a charter school in San Pedro, CA.
The pain was too much for me.
I had this chronic sense of panic and pressure in my life.
I had to keep my feelings high and upbeat all the time, twenty-four seven.
Or God would not be with me.
I had misinterpreted this one verse:
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26: 3)
I kept thinking that I had to have a peaceful, quiet, eternally limited mind.
In other words, mind control.
No!
We have the mind of Christ today because of what Jesus did for us at the Cross:
"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2: 16)
God does not look at us, but rather He looks at His Son, who is the Perfect Man at His Right Hand.
Still, I feared being afraid, convinced that what I was thinking and feeling on the inside would determine with Jesus was with me or against me.
Why was I believing wrong? Because I was not reading Scripture in the Light of the Son and His Finished Work.
Here is another verse which I had misunderstood for a long time:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)
When I read this passage, I had been focusing on my perfect love. As if!
We love because He first loved us (1 John 4: 19)
So, the love that John is writing about here is not our love for anyone. We cannot love anyone or anything in and of ourselves.
We need His love for us, before we can share the same with anyone else.
No one had ever told me how much He lavishly loves me. When things went bad in my life, I assumed that I had done or not done something. I was also angry with God, because I wonder at length why He had not helped me.
Never did I realize -- He was helping all the time, when I would let Him. Even when I was resisting His help, He did what He could.
Perfect love casts out fear - His perfect love casts out our fear.
If we are afraid, we should not think for one second that we are blocking His love.
Rather, we do not understand how much God loves us.
For too long, I spent more time trying to figure out or reach out for His love for me.
In reality, He was actively loving me, and my trying to get His love or feel it -- that was frustrating my understanding.
Did Paul not write:
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)
Then
"38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
Nothing can separate us from God our Daddy (Romans 8: 15), not even our fear!
There is nothing to fear, not even our fear, for as we understand His perfect love for us (Ephesians 3:16-19), those fears melt away.
The pain was too much for me.
I had this chronic sense of panic and pressure in my life.
I had to keep my feelings high and upbeat all the time, twenty-four seven.
Or God would not be with me.
I had misinterpreted this one verse:
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26: 3)
I kept thinking that I had to have a peaceful, quiet, eternally limited mind.
In other words, mind control.
No!
We have the mind of Christ today because of what Jesus did for us at the Cross:
"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2: 16)
God does not look at us, but rather He looks at His Son, who is the Perfect Man at His Right Hand.
Still, I feared being afraid, convinced that what I was thinking and feeling on the inside would determine with Jesus was with me or against me.
Why was I believing wrong? Because I was not reading Scripture in the Light of the Son and His Finished Work.
Here is another verse which I had misunderstood for a long time:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4: 18)
When I read this passage, I had been focusing on my perfect love. As if!
We love because He first loved us (1 John 4: 19)
So, the love that John is writing about here is not our love for anyone. We cannot love anyone or anything in and of ourselves.
We need His love for us, before we can share the same with anyone else.
No one had ever told me how much He lavishly loves me. When things went bad in my life, I assumed that I had done or not done something. I was also angry with God, because I wonder at length why He had not helped me.
Never did I realize -- He was helping all the time, when I would let Him. Even when I was resisting His help, He did what He could.
Perfect love casts out fear - His perfect love casts out our fear.
If we are afraid, we should not think for one second that we are blocking His love.
Rather, we do not understand how much God loves us.
For too long, I spent more time trying to figure out or reach out for His love for me.
In reality, He was actively loving me, and my trying to get His love or feel it -- that was frustrating my understanding.
Did Paul not write:
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)
Then
"38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
Nothing can separate us from God our Daddy (Romans 8: 15), not even our fear!
There is nothing to fear, not even our fear, for as we understand His perfect love for us (Ephesians 3:16-19), those fears melt away.
I Did Not Believe -- Because I Was Living
Wow!
The Gospel is so simple, that people insist on making it complicated.
Adam and Eve did not believe the LORD, and instead they allowed Satan to deceive them and thus they were relieved for their blessed status in the Garden of Eden.
Yet despite the devil's desperate attempts to ruin man, God had a plan not only to restore man, but promote him in His Son:
"And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." (Romans 2: 15)
and then
"19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:" (Ephesians 1: 19-21)
Notice that God the Father placed His Son at His right hand, in a similar fashion to what God did for Adam in the Garden.
Adam was not placed on a throne over everything.
But the Good News continues for us:
"4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: " (Ephesians 2: 4-6)
God the Father seated Christ Jesus at His right hand, and we are also seated in Christ, and thus we are seated at His right hand, too.
I did not know this.
I was never taught this. No had ever taught me about the Great Exchange which took place for me an for all of us when Jesus died on the Cross.
This lack of knowledge is killing a lot of Christians, because if we do not accept that Jesus has finished the work, including the final fulfillment and thus annulment of the Old Covenant, we will inevitably return to trying to fix and perfect ourselves, which can bring forth nothing but disease, dysfunction, and death.
56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15: 56-57)
then
"7But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." (2 Corinthians 3: 7-11)
We will not believe if we think that we have to live, that we have to make the effort, if we do not accept that apart from Jesus Christ, we can do nothing (John 15: 5)
I did not believe the Gospel because the Law was still the factor in my life. I was convinced that I had to be obedient, that I had to do my part, so to speak, and keep the rules, not sin etc.
We have no strength in ourselves for anything. We need life and that more abundantly. Jesus provides this and then some:
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10)
And then
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)
When we stop trying, then Jesus starts living in us, and let us remember that in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17: 28)
The Gospel is so simple, that people insist on making it complicated.
Adam and Eve did not believe the LORD, and instead they allowed Satan to deceive them and thus they were relieved for their blessed status in the Garden of Eden.
Yet despite the devil's desperate attempts to ruin man, God had a plan not only to restore man, but promote him in His Son:
"And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." (Romans 2: 15)
and then
"19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:" (Ephesians 1: 19-21)
Notice that God the Father placed His Son at His right hand, in a similar fashion to what God did for Adam in the Garden.
Adam was not placed on a throne over everything.
But the Good News continues for us:
"4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: " (Ephesians 2: 4-6)
God the Father seated Christ Jesus at His right hand, and we are also seated in Christ, and thus we are seated at His right hand, too.
I did not know this.
I was never taught this. No had ever taught me about the Great Exchange which took place for me an for all of us when Jesus died on the Cross.
This lack of knowledge is killing a lot of Christians, because if we do not accept that Jesus has finished the work, including the final fulfillment and thus annulment of the Old Covenant, we will inevitably return to trying to fix and perfect ourselves, which can bring forth nothing but disease, dysfunction, and death.
56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15: 56-57)
then
"7But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." (2 Corinthians 3: 7-11)
We will not believe if we think that we have to live, that we have to make the effort, if we do not accept that apart from Jesus Christ, we can do nothing (John 15: 5)
I did not believe the Gospel because the Law was still the factor in my life. I was convinced that I had to be obedient, that I had to do my part, so to speak, and keep the rules, not sin etc.
We have no strength in ourselves for anything. We need life and that more abundantly. Jesus provides this and then some:
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10)
And then
"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)
When we stop trying, then Jesus starts living in us, and let us remember that in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17: 28)
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