"...Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace."
Posted by Hello
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Present Testimony Ministry
Present Testimony Ministry: "If Christianity is to receive a rejuvenation it must be by other means than any now being used. If the church in the second half of this century is to recover from the injuries she suffered in the first half, there must appear a new type of preacher. The proper, ruler-of-the-synagogue type will never do. Neither will the priestly type of man who carries out his duties, takes his pay and asks no questions, nor the smooth-talking pastoral type who knows how to make the Christian religion acceptable to everyone. All these have been tried and found wanting. Another kind of religious leader must arise among us. He must be of the old prophet type, a man who has seen visions of God and has heard a voice from the Throne. When he comes (and I pray God there will not be one but many) he will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear. He will contradict, denounce and protest in the name of God and will earn the hatred and opposition of a large segment of Christendom."
-A.W. Tozer
-A.W. Tozer
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
"....fill the God-River with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden. Creation was made for this!" (Psa.65:9)
Posted by Hello
Monday, October 25, 2004
Act 2:28 You've got my feet on the life-path, with your face shining sun-joy all around.
Posted by Hello
What is sin?
I have been pondering this question for some time in light of Romans 5 6 7.
Some scriptures that really have shed some light for me are:
Rom. 5:13 "For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law."
Rom. 4:15 "because the law brings about wrath: for where there is no law there is no transgression."
Rom. 6:14 " For sin shall not have domion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
Rom. 7:6 " But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."
I will stop there for now.
I believe the transgression of the New Covenant is not breaking the law, but our unbelief.
"Sin is not receiving Him to be our Life!"
"Sin is not trusting God to be our all Sufficiency!"
Rom 5:1-2 "Therefore, having been justified by faith,(declared righteous) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult (rejoice, joy) in hope of the glory of God. "
"Thank you Lord that we can Joy in knowing who we are!"
More later!
Some scriptures that really have shed some light for me are:
Rom. 5:13 "For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law."
Rom. 4:15 "because the law brings about wrath: for where there is no law there is no transgression."
Rom. 6:14 " For sin shall not have domion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."
Rom. 7:6 " But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."
I will stop there for now.
I believe the transgression of the New Covenant is not breaking the law, but our unbelief.
"Sin is not receiving Him to be our Life!"
"Sin is not trusting God to be our all Sufficiency!"
Rom 5:1-2 "Therefore, having been justified by faith,(declared righteous) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult (rejoice, joy) in hope of the glory of God. "
"Thank you Lord that we can Joy in knowing who we are!"
More later!
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Saturday, October 23, 2004
"Prodigal Son"
A few thoughts below as I was pondering the story of the "Prodigal Son."
(Luke 15:22-24) "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate."
The ring that the father called for is a wonderful picture of restored authority. The son had forfeited his position as a son and therefore his authority. The signet ring of the father placed on the son's finger would boldly declare the son's restored position as a member of the family, for the signet ring would carry the family seal. The gift of the ring was another covenant act of exchange. The son's forfeited rights were replaced by the imparted rights, not of a son, but the father's own authority.
Through Adam's sin, man has forfeited his position of dominion and authority in this world. Through Christ, the Anointed One, however, we have dominion and authority restored to us, not only over the works of God's hands, but also over the one who usurped that authority, satan, together with all of his demonic hosts. It is for this very reason that satan does not want you to ever lose your sense of unworthiness and guilt. As long as you feel condemned and unworthy, you will never be a match for his powerful deception and intimidation. He knows exactly what button to push to vanquish a self-conscious Christian from the fight.
Child of God, you are not a son or daughter because of your faithful service, but because you were born of God's seed. You did not qualify to be a child of God by what you did, but have received the nature of a son and daughter by the new birth.
1John 3:9 "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed (Greek, sperma") abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
1Peter 1:23 "for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God."
John 1:12-13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."
The same word sperma is used in Greek for the sperm of conception and for the seed of the word of God. Like the son in the story, our right to the position of son does not come through our own performance or ability. It is established by the fundamental truth of the gospel that God has begotten us as sons and daughters by His "seed," which is His Word.
The accuser of the brethren is intent on convincing you that you have disqualified yourself from the blessings and benefits of being a son and from the joy of intimate fellowship with the Father because of your failure to live up to an impossible standard of perfection. It is imperative that you arm youself against him with the word of God in your mouth.
As in healing, it is vital to your victory that you never ever vary your confessin of the truth of what God says about you, even though your conduct might be far from fitting for a son of God. It is not your conduct that determines your sonship but your sonship that shapes and governs your conduct. I must declare: " I am a son. I have my Father's nature and character because His sperm, His seed "remains" (Greek: present tense, continuous action) in me. For that reason I do not continue in deliberate, habitual sin. Because I am a son. He has sent the Holy Spirit to me to guarantee my sonship and my inheritance, and to express the Father's nature in my daily behavior. Now, by the Holy Spirit indwelling me, I can cry out with confidence, "Abba, Father!""
Galations 4:7 "Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God".
Romans 5:17"...Much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign( to rule) in life through the One, Jesus Christ. "
(Luke 15:22-24) "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate."
The ring that the father called for is a wonderful picture of restored authority. The son had forfeited his position as a son and therefore his authority. The signet ring of the father placed on the son's finger would boldly declare the son's restored position as a member of the family, for the signet ring would carry the family seal. The gift of the ring was another covenant act of exchange. The son's forfeited rights were replaced by the imparted rights, not of a son, but the father's own authority.
Through Adam's sin, man has forfeited his position of dominion and authority in this world. Through Christ, the Anointed One, however, we have dominion and authority restored to us, not only over the works of God's hands, but also over the one who usurped that authority, satan, together with all of his demonic hosts. It is for this very reason that satan does not want you to ever lose your sense of unworthiness and guilt. As long as you feel condemned and unworthy, you will never be a match for his powerful deception and intimidation. He knows exactly what button to push to vanquish a self-conscious Christian from the fight.
Child of God, you are not a son or daughter because of your faithful service, but because you were born of God's seed. You did not qualify to be a child of God by what you did, but have received the nature of a son and daughter by the new birth.
1John 3:9 "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed (Greek, sperma") abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
1Peter 1:23 "for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God."
John 1:12-13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."
The same word sperma is used in Greek for the sperm of conception and for the seed of the word of God. Like the son in the story, our right to the position of son does not come through our own performance or ability. It is established by the fundamental truth of the gospel that God has begotten us as sons and daughters by His "seed," which is His Word.
The accuser of the brethren is intent on convincing you that you have disqualified yourself from the blessings and benefits of being a son and from the joy of intimate fellowship with the Father because of your failure to live up to an impossible standard of perfection. It is imperative that you arm youself against him with the word of God in your mouth.
As in healing, it is vital to your victory that you never ever vary your confessin of the truth of what God says about you, even though your conduct might be far from fitting for a son of God. It is not your conduct that determines your sonship but your sonship that shapes and governs your conduct. I must declare: " I am a son. I have my Father's nature and character because His sperm, His seed "remains" (Greek: present tense, continuous action) in me. For that reason I do not continue in deliberate, habitual sin. Because I am a son. He has sent the Holy Spirit to me to guarantee my sonship and my inheritance, and to express the Father's nature in my daily behavior. Now, by the Holy Spirit indwelling me, I can cry out with confidence, "Abba, Father!""
Galations 4:7 "Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God".
Romans 5:17"...Much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign( to rule) in life through the One, Jesus Christ. "
"The way to Reign is to Receive!"
Friday, October 22, 2004
Raising The Dead!
The below thoughts came concerning Judgement and the Institutional Church (IC).... after reading much concerning judgement, and the times we are living in!
Joh 5: 21-22 "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given/bestowed all judgment to the Son,"
Joh 8:14-15 "Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone."
I find it interesting that God the Father, and God the Son, Judges No One. Why,because God the Father,has Given/Committed, all judgement to the Son.
You see, God is in the business of Raising the Dead! Our natural inclination is to Kick the Dead because of the Judgement in our own Heart or we feel under Judgement. Remember, All Judgement has been committed to the Son! What a Glorious, Liberating Truth.
We will recognize if a person is under Law or Grace by what is flowing out of them.
I believe we have been called to Raise Dead things to Life by the "Life" within. God is a Life -Giving God, always looking to Impart Life.
This "Life" that comes from within, will always manifest a Disposition of Kindness and Grace, even in the Face of Adversity...... Walking in Gracious Liberality goes beyond human limitations.
I consider the people who support the "Institutional Church" (IC) are, by and large, "Dead-Men-Walking". They do not understand the Love and Grace of God which would compell a person to step out of the church-system and abandon themselves wholly, unto the Lord. They are more concerned about "doing" church instead of "Being" the Church! That kind of Radical "Life" goes against the "Religious" grain. However; should it be our goal to fear the people into "Being," or "Go" and Give Life!
I conceive we have been called to "Go".... Raise people from the Dead.... and Give Life!
Joh 5: 21-22 "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given/bestowed all judgment to the Son,"
Joh 8:14-15 "Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone."
I find it interesting that God the Father, and God the Son, Judges No One. Why,because God the Father,has Given/Committed, all judgement to the Son.
You see, God is in the business of Raising the Dead! Our natural inclination is to Kick the Dead because of the Judgement in our own Heart or we feel under Judgement. Remember, All Judgement has been committed to the Son! What a Glorious, Liberating Truth.
We will recognize if a person is under Law or Grace by what is flowing out of them.
I believe we have been called to Raise Dead things to Life by the "Life" within. God is a Life -Giving God, always looking to Impart Life.
This "Life" that comes from within, will always manifest a Disposition of Kindness and Grace, even in the Face of Adversity...... Walking in Gracious Liberality goes beyond human limitations.
I consider the people who support the "Institutional Church" (IC) are, by and large, "Dead-Men-Walking". They do not understand the Love and Grace of God which would compell a person to step out of the church-system and abandon themselves wholly, unto the Lord. They are more concerned about "doing" church instead of "Being" the Church! That kind of Radical "Life" goes against the "Religious" grain. However; should it be our goal to fear the people into "Being," or "Go" and Give Life!
I conceive we have been called to "Go".... Raise people from the Dead.... and Give Life!
To Grieve or Not to Grieve?
In response to concerns regarding "grieving the Holy Spirit", I think we grieve (distress) the Holy Spirit by trying to force standards of performance on ourselves or anyone else. You see, I believe Jesus Christ is the Standard, not the Law, not Confessing sins over- and- over or any other ritualistic performance/work on our part. Jesus Christ has already met every requirement/standard, to keep me in constant relationship/fellowship with Himself. That is why He is, constantly renewing our minds towards His much Higher Ways, which is the Much More of Jesus Christ . The battleground is the mind! We need a "New Mind" orientation toward the things of the Spirit, and being dead to sin and Alive to Jesus Christ!! We need the Mind Of Christ!!!! When we do things that seem contrary to who we are,(our reality), we need God to orient us toward who He says that we are, In Him, (His Reality). I choose His Reality, hopefully in ever-increasing Revelation.
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