Liberty Abuse

I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judg- ment, whosoever he be. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
(Galatians 5:10-13)

Serve one another. We need to hear this message more often today. The trend lately seems to be in asserting one's right to be served. How often have you heard the message that tells you to seek authority (in the name of Jesus, of course)? Paul didn't say, "Take your authority over one another." Instead, we hear a message of loving service to one another. This is in keeping with the life and teaching of Jesus. Loving others as ourselves isn't easy. We have spiritualized this idea to the point that we have lost the impact of the message. If I love you and I love myself, I will never violate you. I will never assert my right over yours. I will always seek your good. This is not a sign-the-check-and-send-it-to- straving-children sort of love. This is hands on. Christ commands us to become involved in one another's lives, help one another, look out for one another, nourish one another. It's not optional.

God's R.S.V.P.

"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
(Isaiah 65:24)

Sometimes we get invitations asking us to reply. R.S.V.P. is a french abbreviation for "Please Respond."

God invites us to pray, and He promises to answer every one of our prayers. Isaiah even tells us that sometimes God answers even before we ask! Although this may seem impossible, we must always remember that we pray to a God who is able to do all things.

God knows all our needs and wants. Yet, He still invites us to go to Him in prayer with any and all of our requests. He is capable of granting us anything He wants for us, fully answering all our petitions according to His good and gracious will.

However, God does not desire to grant His beloved children the things that would harm them. So, at times He is compelled to answer "No." BUT . . . He always answers, and always in our best interest, just as a loving father will answer his child. Sometimes "Yes," Sometimes "No," And sometimes, "Wait". . . But always in love.

May we all learn to accept God's reply in faith and trust in His good will.

Look Again and Consecrate

"If God so clothe the grass of the field . . . shall He not much more clothe you?"
(Matthew 6:30)

A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us if we're not "simple". How are we going to be simple with the simplicity of Jesus? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, obeying Him as He brings the word of God, and life will become amazingly simple. "Consider," says Jesus, "how much more your Father Who clothes the grass of the field will clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him." Every time we've gone back in spiritual communion it has been because we have impertinently known better than Jesus Christ. We've allowed the cares of the world to come in, and have forgotten the "much more" of our Heavenly Father. "Behold the fowls of the air" - their main aim is to obey the principle of life that's in them and God looks after them. Jesus says that if you are rightly related to Him and obey His Spirit that's in you, God will look after your 'feathers.' "Consider the lilies of the field" - they grow where they're put. Many of us refuse to grow where we're put, conse- quently we take root nowhere. Jesus says that if we obey the life God has given us, He will look after all the other things. Has Jesus Christ told us a lie? If we're not experiencing the "much more," it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us, we are taken up with confusing considerations. How much time have we taken up worrying God with questions when we should have been absolutely free to concentrate on His work? Consecration means the continual separating of myself to one particular thing. We can't consecrate once and for all. Are we continually separating ourselves to consider God every day of our life?

Why Do I Do It?

Has anyone ever asked you why you share God’s Word with others? If not, perhaps it is because you are not sharing God’s Word with others.

Unlike so many, we do NOT peddle the word of God for profit. (2 Corinthians 2:17)

The above statement was made nearly 2000 years ago by the apostle Paul. I would like to claim it as my statement today. I do NOT share God’s Word with others to make a profit. So, why do I do it? If I have nothing to gain, wouldn’t it be easier to do nothing? Why should I step out of my comfort zone to share God’s Word with others?

According to the US Census Bureau (http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/pcwe) over 55 million people die every year. That is over 150,000 deaths every day, and over 100 deaths every minute. According to the Bible, which I believe, people who die only have two options. They will either spend eternity in the glorious splendors of heaven---or in the terrible fires of hell.

The Good News is that God provided the means for everyone to spend eternity in heaven.

For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

The Bad News is that not everyone has accepted God’s free gift of salvation. Someone needs to share The Good News with others before it is too late. Time is of the essence! That's all the incentive I need to share God’s Word and the Gospel of Christ with all of the people within my circle of influence.

God gave me this unique ministry long before I realized I even had a ministry. I’m sure God has a special ministry for you too. There are people within your circle of influence who may not listen to anyone but you. Are you up for the challenge?

If you died today, where would you spend your eternity? You need to accept God’s free gift of salvation before you can share it with others. In both cases, time is of the essence!

"Cleaning House"

Worrying, it was getting old and in the way.
It kept me from being me; I couldn't do things God's way.

I threw out a book on MY PAST
(Didn't have time to read it anyway).
Replaced it with NEW GOALS. Started reading it today.

Threw out HATE and BAD MEMORIES
(Remember how I treasured them so?)

Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY too, threw out the one from long ago.
Brought in some new books too, called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.

Threw out I MIGHT, I THINK, and I OUGHT.
Wow! You should've seen the dust.

I ran across an OLD FRIEND, I hadn't talked to in a while.
His name is GOD the FATHER, and I really like HIS style.
He helped me to do some cleaning and added some things HIMSELF.
Like PRAYER, HOPE, FAITH, and LOVE.
Yes...I placed them right on the shelf.

I picked up this special thing and placed it at the front door.
I found it - It's called PEACE. Nothing gets me down anymore

Yes, I've got my house looking nice.
Looks good around the place.

For things like WORRY and TROUBLE there just isn't any space.

It's good to do a little house cleaning.

Get rid of the things on the shelf.

It sure makes things brighter; maybe you should try it yourself.

May the Lord open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that you will not have room enough to receive it all.
(Malachi 3:10)

May the Lord bless you exceedingly abundantly above all you could ever hope for.
(Philippians 4:19)

I can do all things through Christ which strengthen me.
(Philippians 4:13)

The "Curse" Lifted Forever!

Though we do not as yet know God's great plan for the "age/s" to come, we can rejoice knowing that the curse will be lifted forever. And greatest of all, the cross will forever "stand between" the redeemed and the fall such as Adam experienced.

Revelation 21:3-8. "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful, And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

According to II Peter 3 the world as a whole will not be looking for nor anticipating the coming of Christ. I believe this also includes most of the professors of Christianity as well as the non-professors. No doubt this will be the result of unbelief in general and misinterpretation of the scriptures. Since we have already dealt with the question of the great deception that surely will and even now exists concerning the coming of Christ, very little more can be said here. However, I might add that many (if not most) scriptures generally believed to be fulfilled in some far distant future have already been fulfilled and they knew it not. As also stated elsewhere, many (if not most or all) scriptures looking to be fulfilled concerning the Jew and Israel have already been fulfilled in the first coming of Christ and the birth of the Church at Pentecost.

Recently a brother asked me, "What about that nation that will be born in a day?" He was simply repeating the popular notion that Isaiah 66:8 had reference to the Jew being restored as the nation Israel in the earth. I told him this was what took place at Pentecost when the Church was born. I Peter 2:9 says, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:"

According to the scripture above we, the Church, the spiritual Jew, are that "holy nation." This is the nation that was born in a day. And that day was Pentecost.

Another example of this misinterpretation of scripture is the belief in the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem prior to the supposed millennial reign of Christ on earth. It is very evident from a casual study of Peter's explanation of this scripture in Acts 15:13-17 that the tabernacle of David referred to here, was merely a type which pointed to and was fulfilled in the Church.

One thing I am sure of: our world today, though much of it is very religious, is in just as great a darkness as the Jews were at his first coming.

How much scripture is yet to be fulfilled, I certainly do not know. Perhaps far less than we realize. One thing is certain, God is speaking to a little remnant that has "ears to hear" what the Spirit is saying. It has always been this way. Most religionists are either looking back at what has been or looking forward to what is supposed to be. Blinded by their denominational creeds, doctrines and religious programs they are never able to hear or see what God is doing now. May I conclude this, which is a feeble effort to share some of the things we believe to be of God, by quoting Paul in II Corinthians 6:1-2. "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)"

The Stone Became A Mountain When
It Became Mt. Zion

Some people don’t understand. They think Mt. Zion has a geographical location. Ministers don’t take you into "the church" unless you come from "this place or that" place. The Lord will show us where Mt. Zion is, however. In the 4th chapter of St. John, Jesus carried on a conversation with the woman at the well. He told her he would give her a drink and she would never thirst again. Some people even think that He gave her a cup of water. He began to give her a drink when He began to expound the Word of God to her. The very truth of the Gospel and the Spirit of God began to envelope her soul and work a change in her.

There are many who could work for the Lord, but wouldn’t be acceptable to work with some of us. This woman had had several husbands; and the man she was living with, at that time, was not her husband. Nevertheless, Jesus said, “I’ll give you a drink.” She said, “Our father’s worshipped in this mountain, (in that day also, mountains were an expression of different places of worship) but you say Jerusalem is the right place to worship.” He answered, “The hour cometh and now is when the true worshipper will worship the Father in this mountain.” What mountain? The mountain of Spirit and truth!

This is the high mountain that the angel took John upon, when he saw “the City”. “He carried me away to a great high mountain.” You can’t go down in the lowlands or you’ll never see "the City". You have to be “carried away under that great high spiritual position”. Only spiritual men and women, whose spiritual condition is in a good shape, can see that city in all her glory. Daniel said that this would become a mountain and fill all the earth. Isaiah and other prophets, pointed to a day, when the knowledge of the Lord would fill the whole earth, but millennialists pick that up and say there’s going to come a day when the knowledge of the Lord will fill the whole earth. Well, The stone became a mountain, when it became Mt. Zion; when Christ acquired His spiritual body, the Church.

When does it fill the whole earth? What does that mean? Earth? Man and woman. Eph. 1:19: And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power (20) Which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. (21) Far 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. (22) And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, (23) Which is His Body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. What earth gets filled with His knowledge? Not the soil, but this earth: mankind. When we get filled with His fullness, we are filled with the fullness of Christ, or truth. So the mountain on fire symbolizes the morning church, baptized with the Holy Ghost.

The grass was burned up. We told you that the grass was a symbol of the old fleshly nature of man. It's a beautiful and awesome sight to behold a mountain on fire. But it’s a sad picture when we think of her being cast into the sea.

God tells the truth when He gives the story of man and relates the bad as well as the good about him. He relates how Moses became angry and broke the tablets of the law. He also told about Abraham and how he failed to tell the truth when he was down in Egypt. There are people who are willing to hear the good things about the church of today, but they don’t like to hear or to talk about an apostasy or a falling away. However, this is true as anything else and the trumpet needs to be sounded out to warn men and women today. The apostasy was a deceptive thing, and it wrecked a good part of the kingdom of God before men ever realized what was happening. Paul tried earnestly to show them that the mystery of iniquity was already working. You have a terrible time getting it over today. You can go to any sect or to their leaders and say, “You people have apostatized”. They reply, “We have a broader view of the thing. We’re getting along better than we ever did.” Again, if you go to the compromising leaders of churchs---and you'll have the hardest kind of time, trying to convince them that they’ve fallen from truth. Why? Because, they don’t see it--- the thing is so deceptive. It has stolen the very vitals out, and left them with a mere profession and a certain feeling that they are in better shape than they ever were, before. The Bible tells us that they say, “We are rich and increased with goods,” and know not that they are poor. But the Revelation tells us that the second angel sounded, and as it were, a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea. We have found out what that mountain is...a great spiritual position of truth and understanding!

A Child Again?

Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But 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? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
(Gal. 4:8-14)

With this opportunity to experience a relationship with God that's not administered by a nanny, why would one prefer to go back to being a child? Most adults can answer that easily. At one time or another we think of our childhood fondly and remember the carefree days when others saw to our needs. There's a safety in being a child and being cared for; we're not held accountable because we're not capable of adult behavior. Spiritual regression, as in Galatia, is an attempt to escape account- ability and adult responsibility. The old ways are familiar and comfortable and all of us like being comfortable.

Caring

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that re- proached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Romans 15:1-6)

Paul insists that those who are strong in the faith owe something to their weaker brothers and sisters. Paul bids the strong to become involved in strengthening those who are weaker in the faith. Christians care what happens to other Christians. When one member suffers, the other members suffer alike.

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2). The law of Christ is love. As we assist one another, we demonstrate that love. To criticize another harshly is evidence that Christian's love is lacking. We must treat others as we would have them treat us. Christian unity can be experienced in no other way.

Are we really interested in helping other Christians? Perhaps we can discover new ways of helping.

Christ From the Beginning!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. . . . 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
(John 1:1 - 14)

Many times we regard the birth and sacrifice of Christ on Calvary as God's way of putting things right after Adam and Eve destroyed His Plans in Eden. But if we look at these scriptures we can see that the Plan of Salvation was in place from the beginning. Christ was with God and participated in the creation of all that was made. Christ was the word made flesh, sent to earth to demonstrate not only the love of God but His Divine power, enabling us to become the people who would serve Him.

God's divine power was demonstrated in Christ, illuminating the world of sinful darkness. As John the Baptist said, they that sat in darkness have seen a great light. Christ's coming shed light on the degradation and the bondage of mankind and to offer release and the bright glory of Christ's forgiveness.

What a gigantic task to be laid on the shoulders of the humble Babe laid in a manger--to become the Savior of the World. What a gigantic task for His Parents to become the nurturers and guides of the Son of God.

May we comprehend the great service done for us!

Genuine Experience

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. (Galatians 1:15-17)

Here's the evidence of Paul's genuine calling: Christ called him and his life changes. The gospel of Jesus Christ never leaves us as it finds us. Nothing was noble about the moment when a pious man was knocked off his donkey and confronted with the truth about himself. But this is the evidence of a genuine experience: change.
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The Thread that Unites Us
[ Selected ]

But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. (Galatians 2:6-10)

Recognizing the validity of Christ in the life of Paul, Peter, James, and the others extended Christian fellowship to him. Grace was put into action; having been given grace, the church leaders extended grace to Paul. How easy it would have been to demand more proof from this man who had Christians arrested, beaten, and killed. But this thread runs through the body of Christ and unites us: we are forgiven and so we forgive. Amen?

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