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 me 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)

His Blood Ends the Traditions

"18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (1 Peter 1: 18-19)

Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for all our sins.

Not just an atonement, or a credit card of sorts, but the full and forever payment:

"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;" (Hebrews 10: 12)

Therefore, any other tradition of men which tells you that the work is not finished -- that is a vain tradition.

We are set free from those traditions, whether a Twelve Step program, or religious exercises, or any other work of man:

"But 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: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2: 4-9)

Not the sacrifices or the works of penance or any other effort, but to receive and keep receiving the gifts of righteousness and abundance of grace -- that is what we are called to do now.

Still thinking according to the traditions of their fathers, the Israelites asked Jesus:

"What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. " (John 6: 28-29)

To believe means to see Him as your source for all things:

"For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ," (Philippians 1: 19)

then

"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)

This revelation does not come to us through the traditions of the fathers, but the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

"For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 17)

His Precious Blood Cleanses Us For Ever

"18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (1 Peter 1: 18-19)

Notice that Peter calls gold and silver, two of the most stable and precious elements in the universe, as corruptible when compared to the "precious blood of Christ."

Why should we care that the blood of Jesus is not corruptible?

His blood cleanses us, now, from all sin (1 John 1: 7), while the blood of bulls and goats could never suffice:

"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9: 13-14)

Then the writer of Hebrews shares:

"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Hebrews 10: 14)

This blood perfects us forever, in that in our conscience we need never again have a sense of sin and shame to bring us into bondage.

We need to understand that this blood is covering every aspect of our experience, and by this blood, a New Covenant is enacted, one which will never be undone:

"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)

 

We know that He will remember our sins no more, because the blood of His Son cleanses us forever more, and thus we are justified from all things (Acts 13: 38-39)

We Are Justified, Thus Never Separated

"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)

Yesterday, we read about the truth that we are more than conquerors in Christ.

Today, let us look over how much God our Father loves us, because of what His Son did for us.

We are persuaded, not right away convinced, that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Rest in the truth that because you are in Christ, and Christ is in you, that therefore all of these promises are safeguarded in you.

Still, for many years I was confused.

If nothing can separate me from God, does that include myself, my sin, my bad thoughts?

Absolutely.

But how do I know this?

Because when Jesus died on the Cross, He paid for all our sins:

"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 he died on the Cross for all our sins (not just the ones which we had committed, but also the ones to come), He also fulfilled and this rendered inoperative the Old Covenant of laws.

With Christ living in you and guiding you, there is no need for the rules on the outside, which inadvertently give rise to sin (1 Corinthians 15: 56-57)

Thus, through Jesus we are fully and forever justified:

"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." (Act 13: 38-39)

When we understand that we have been fully justified, declared righteous before God in all things, then we can rest assured that nothing, not one thing, can separate us from His love.

More Than Conquerors Through Him Who Loved Us

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)

We are more than conquerors in Christ, not will be, not were.

Right now, you are more than a conqueror.

Then the question arises: how come I don't see the victory in my life?

The answer depends on our understanding of the latter part of the verse: "through Him that loved us."

How did God our Father love us?

"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)

He did not just die for our sins, but granted us His life, Himself:

"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)

Paul shared what Jesus' love did for us:

"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)

For this reason, Paul prayed that we would understand His love for us:

"16That 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)

So, if you do not see the "more than victory" in your life, ask for a fresh revelation of God's unconditional love.

Through Christ, Not Lamentations but Celebration

"40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

"41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
 

"42We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned." (Lamentations 3: 40-42)

 

 When Jeremiah uttered these desperate, sorrowful pleas, Jerusalem had been invaded, the Babylonians conquered the Israelites, and many of them were dragged off to Babylon as slaves.

 

Today, whenever we read the prophets of the Old Testament, we must remember that Jesus Christ has cut a New Covenant for us, and thus everything in the former must be read through the light of the latter.

 

Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the LORD.

 

Under law, men and women had to search themselves and turn to God.

 

Under grace, under the New Covenant, God has comes to us:

 

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5: 8)

 

Jesus came for us when we did not care, and He now sits at the right hand of God the Father serving as our justification (Romans 8: 33-34), the mercy seat for our sins (1 John 2: 2)

 

Instead of trying our ways, God has given us new ways:

 

"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)

 

The New Covenant announces that He places His laws, His direction in our hearts and minds:

 

"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)

 

 

We are not trying to get to Him anymore.  He does not count our sins against us , either, because they have all been paid for.

 

When Jesus returns, this is what He will find in us as far as we are concerned:

 

"That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5: 27)

 

Not lamentations, but a celebration of the perfect work which Jesus has done for us!

Who the LORD is: Your Blesser and Keeper

"The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:" (Numbers 6: 24)

Many people have a harsh, wrong idea of God.

They see him as angry and vindictive.

Now, when the Israelites entered into a provisional covenant based on the law, He had no choice but to curse them when they failed:

"8And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. 9And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD." (Exodus 19: 8-9)

The consequences for not obeying were severe:

"58If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 59Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.  (Deuteronomy 28: 58-59)

Now, God already had a better covenant in place, which he announced through His prophets:

"17Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. 18And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. 19And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 20That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 11: 17-21)

This New Covenant was fulfilled on the Cross, when Jesus shed His blood and took all are sins and diseases upon Himself:

"And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many." (Mark 14: 24)

Through the blood of Jesus, we are cleanses of all sin and fully justified:

"24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." (Romans 4: 24-25)

He died for our sins, and rose from the dead as the full testimony to the world that we are forever made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

Now, we can know and believe that He is our God, that He is keeping us, and that He is out to bless us, not curse us:

"Blessed 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)

Blessed, chosen, favored -- the Lord is your blesser and keeper.

The Lord Is Your Banner Today!

"And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:" (Exodus 17: 15)

"Jehovahnissi" means "The Lord our Banner".

What were the events which lead Moses to set up an altar with this name?

"12But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword." (Exodus 17: 12-13)

The more that Moses rested, with the High Priest and his assistant holding his arms high, then Joshua had the victory.

Joshua, a picture of our Savior Jesus Christ, will grant us victory if we see Him as our banner.

What kind of banner is Jesus in our lives?

"He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love." (Song of Songs 2: 4)

This reference of a banqueting table reminds of this Psalm:

"5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." (Psalm 25: 5)

This verse speaks of God's grace which we receive by the anointing of His Holy Spirit:

"But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. . .But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." (1 John 2: 20, 27)

This Love is not just a warm feeling, but based on what He has done for us at the Cross:

"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (1 John 3: 1)

This love is bestowed, not forced nor earned.

This love includes the following:

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9)

God's love did not stop at the Cross, but continues in that the Sons lives in and through us.

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

Then:

"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)

The Lord is your banner today, a banner of love which has taken you from sin to son, that you may reign in life through Him (Romans 5: 17)

Through Rest, We Receive Grace to Accomplish His Will

"Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." (Genesis 6: 22)

Noah in Hebrew means "rest".

When we rest in all that Jesus has done for us, we receive His grace:

"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6: 8)

That verse above is the first mention of grace in the Bible.

Grace and rest appear together in other verses:

"Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour." (Jeremiah 16: 13)

But then:

"Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest." (Jeremiah 31: 2)

We receive grace when we allow God to cause us to rest.

In fact, Jesus offered that very gift to the Israelites of His day, and to 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)

This rest does not cause us to be lazy, but rather fills us with God's will and ability:

"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)

"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

"Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Colossians 1: 29)

and also

"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)

When we die to ourselves and rest from our labors, His grace flows and we accomplish His will.

Made Sons in the Family of God Through Christ

"22But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. 23Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. 24But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly." (Philippians 2: 22-24)

The Gospel begins with family, that we are adopted by our heavenly Father:

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)

We become sons of God because of His Holy Spirit:

"1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3: 1-3)

Now that we are sons of God in Christ, we are all members of the Body of Christ, and are one:

"43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2 43-47)

The unity we have begins and ends in Christ:

"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. " (Ephesians 4: 1-3)

We receive perfect Sonship in Christ, and this Sonship engages us to reach out and love others, especially those in the Body of Christ:

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil. 28Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. " (Ephesians 4: 25-28)

We are made Sons and members of a new family through Jesus. Grow in grace and knowledge of Him, and He will lead you to learn about and love His family, and yours!

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20: 17)

Servants of Righteousness By Receiving, Not Working

"20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6: 20-23)


When we read about being servants of righteousness, we need to understand the blessed dignity of this service.

We are not working to get something from God, but we are submitting ourselves to God and His purposes because of how greatly He loves and blesses us.

Our service is always a response to His service:

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1 John 4: 11)

and then

"We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4: 19)

Paul always connected our service in relation to how much God our loving Father has served us:

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. . .And 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)

Then what happened?

" 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2: 9-11)

While Jesus gave up His majesty, we who had nothing received His majesty in turn:

"1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. . . hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 2: 1, 6)

He has so loved you and me, and He keeps loving us with the gift of righteousness and abundance of grace (Romans 5: 17)

The more that you keep receiving His service to you, the more that you will produce fruit as a servant of righteousness.

Yield to Christ as You Behold Him

"I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness." (Romans 6: 19)

We are no longer servants of sin, since we have been taken out of Adam and brought into Christ:

"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: 17)

We have died to the law through Christ, and now we live in Him:

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. " (Romans 7: 4)

We do not have to strive to submit our bodies, because we have been bought with a price:

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6: 20)

and

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1: 18-19)

We have been purchased, redeemed, and granted a new life, Christ Himself:

"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

"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: 3-4)

So, the Spirit of God now lives in us, which brings Christ our hope of glory within (Colossians 1: 27)

What do we do:

"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)

How are we transformed?

"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)

The more that you see Jesus, all that He is and has and does, the more that your members will submit to him.

Believe on Jesus, Your Kingly Nurse

"Aman" is the Hebrew word for "to believe", yet the word has a number of powerful meanings, including "to be faithful", "to be a support", or "to nurse."

The word "aman" is translated "nurse" in the following passages:

"Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?" (Numbers 11: 12)

Moses could not bear or support the Israelites in his own strength. Moses was a servant, but the Son abides forever (Hebrews 3: 5-6).

"And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it." (Ruth 4: 16)

Naomi was the estranged and bitter mother-in-law who returned to Bethlehem with her daughter-in-law Ruth, a Moabitess who became one of the ancestors of David, then Jesus Christ.

An old woman who had no children of her own left alive, Naomi was able to nurse a descendant which carried on her name, and the name of her household. A child raised up for her was miraculous enough, but her nursing the child was a greater miracle. The greatest miracle we receive every day from the Chief Descendant Jesus, who lives in us and sustains us with His faith (Galatians 2: 20-21) and His grace and righteousness (Romans 5: 17)

"And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth." (2 Samuel 4: 4)

This verse lays the background for the lame Mephibosheth. His nurse, a bondwoman in this context, dropped him and crippled him for life. When the law serves as "the support" in our lives, we will end up crippled and ineffective in our lives, falling from grace (Galatians 5: 4) and bringing forth sin, death (2 Corinthians 15: 56-57), and condemnation (2 Corinthians 3: 7).

Later on David, a picture of our "Beloved" Jesus, called upon Mephibosheth, who had entered in hiding for fear that David would kill him. Instead, David honored Mephibosheth with a place at his table, lands and money all restored (2 Samuel 9)

The last verse is the most powerful one  of these four, and proves beyond any doubt that Jesus wants to be our nurse:

"And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." (Isaiah 49: 23)

Imagine that -- not a servant named Moses, nor a formerly embittered widow, nor a bond-maid of any stripe, but Kings and queens will be our nursing mothers. In fact, we have such a king, Jesus Christ, who delights in our drawing from Him. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is portrayed as servant:

"For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 45)

Only in this Gospel do we read that He sat at the right hand of the Father:

"19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God." (Mark 16: 19)

Let Jesus, King of Kings, be your "nurse", your source of strength and support.

Jesus Kept All the Commandments

"And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us." (Deuteronomy 6: 25)

Under the Old Covenant, the Israelites had to keep all of God's law.

Yet no one keep the law. No one can serve the LORD:

"And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins." (Joshua 24: 19)

Remember that Joshua spoke these damning words to the Israelites after they had crossed the Jordan and begun taking the Promised Land.

Under the New Covenant, we have the promise that Jesus has fulfilled all the commandments:

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5: 18)

When He died on the Cross, He fulfilled and ultimately nullified the Mosaic law:

"And 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)

We were dead in sins, but then brought back to life through the full forgiveness of our sins, but not only that, the law was nailed, nullified, and thus fulfilled at the Cross, taking away Satan's power to bring us into bondage.

Christ as our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30) and our life (Colossians 3: 3-4) allows us to identify with Him, our high priest forever (Hebrews 6: 20), and as our standard, He accords to us the gift of righteousness unending (Romans 5: 17)

Jesus kept every commandment, so let Him keep you.

We Need Life -- Himself

Jesus is not a figment of our imagination.

Rather, He wants us to invite Him to live within ourselves:

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3: 20)

Jesus did not come to give us more rules so that we could be like, but He offered Himself that we may be one with Him:

"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)

We need life, people, not a set of rules to be better, but rather we need the Best -- Jesus -- and we need Himself living in us:

"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)

He lives after the power of an endless life:

"Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." (Hebrews 7: 16)

This endless life He has given to us:

"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)

Most people have a hard time with this truth because they still see some life in themselves.

We must rest in the truth that apart from Christ Jesus, we can do nothing:

"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)

There is nothing good, nothing at all in our flesh:

"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)

We are dead in our trespasses (Ephesians 2: 1), and we need more than a set of steps to live a better life.

We need life --- Himself:

"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)

Fatherhood: See Jesus, Who is From the Beginning

"I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning." (1 John 2: 13-14)

In the Word of God, fatherhood is not defined by how many children you have, or even how well you raise them.

Fatherhood is defined by how you see Jesus.

In the second chapter of John's first epistle, John outlines three stages of life, so to speak.

In the first stage, the young children, John writes:

"12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake." (1 John 2: 12)

Then there are young men:

"I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one." (1 John 2: 13)

It is not enough for us to know that our sins are forgiven. We need to realize, also, that not only our sins are forgiven, but that the law, the old covenant, is no longer in effect:

"And 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: 1-15)

When Jesus died on the Cross, He not only paid for all our sins -- all of them --  but He also rendered inoperative the Old Covenant, the "ordinances" against us, i.e. the  Ten Commandment. Verse fifteen points out that Jesus spoiled, or disarmed evil powers by doing this, for Satan is above all "The Accuser or the Brethren" (Job 1; Zechariah 3: 1-2; Revelation 12: 10)

We are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8: 37) because we are freed from all our sins, redeemed from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), and then we can become fathers:

"I  have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning." (1 John 2: 14)

When John writes about :him from the beginning", he writes about Jesus:

"1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1: 1-5)

When we see that it's all about Jesus, that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15: 5), and that we are nothing without Him (1 John 4: 17), we are fathers in the faith, and we can train others in the Way:

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22: 6)

Reading this verse in the Light of Him who has been from the beginning (John 5: 39; 8: 12), we receive the truth that Jesus is the Way (John 14: 6), and in Him we do not stumble, either.

To be a father, see more of Jesus, and see that He is, and He has been from the beginning!

His Love Is Outside In -- Not the Other Way Around

"14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That 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: 14-19)

We need the Spirit of God to help us understand how much God the Father loves us.

It's more than an intellectual assent.

This love defines who we are:

"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)

Another element which we neglect -- that God's love extends in every direction, beyond our understanding:

"20Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3: 20-21)

and

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103: 12)

Wow! Isn't that cool?

God's love is not something that we generate on the inside, but rather a love which we recognize on the outside:

"10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

Jesus is your mercy seat, right now! He is outside of you, and for that reason Paul told us where to set our focus:

"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)

His Love is Outside, so see Him who is from the beginning outside (1 John 2: 12-14) and then you will sense His love inside, shed abroad in your heart (Romans 5: 8)

Keep Learning About His Perfect Love for You!

"18There 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)

Perfect love casts our fear.

That is wonderful!

This love is not our love for others, but God's love for us!

"10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

Did you know that our understanding of God's love is not perfect?

Then how is this love perfected among us? Check it out:

"17Herein 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)

A better translation reads:

"By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world." (NASB)

We need to see that when God looks down, He sees us in Christ. He does not see us in our sins, or our sin, or our failures. As Christ is, so are we in this world!

That's why Paul prayed this prayer for the Ephesians Christians and by extension all of us:

"16That 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)

When we understand how much God loves us, then we love others:

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1 John 4: 11)

and then

"19We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4: 19)

A better translation reads:

"We love, because He first loved us." (NASB)

If you are afraid, then there is more about the perfect love of God which you need to know!

The Prince of Peace Establishes us Fully

"Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly." (1 Kings 2: 12)

"Solomon" means peace, and Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9: 6; Ephesians 2: 14).

Solomon, as a type of our Lord Jesus, was established when he sat down on his throne.

So too was Jesus established when He sat down at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 1: 3), but not because He is the Son of God, not because He is the King of Kings, but because He finished the work which His Father had sent Him to do: to die for our sins and justify us from everything that we could not for ourselves (John 17: 4; 19: 30; Acts 13: 38-39)

When we see that in Christ, we have peace with God, that He will never be angry with us again for our sins (Isaiah 54: 9), we recognize that we have peace with God (Romans 5: 1)

We have peace with God because Jesus Christ became sin,  became our substitute (2 Corinthians 5: 17-19), that we would be reconciled to God and receive His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5: 20-21).

Isaiah prophesied that we would be established in righteousness (Isaiah 54: 14), and this we rececvie through Jesus, our Peace (Ephesians 2: 14), who is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30).

For Real Change, Look to Christ, not Yourself

"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)

When Peter exhorts every one of us to "Grow in Grace and Knowledge of the Lord", the focus is on Jesus, not ourselves.

Just as a tree sheds its old leaves to grow knew ones not through striving but through rest, so too every child of God grows in grace, is transformed from glory to glory by seeing Jesus, by identifying with His thoughts, His Hopes, with Himself.

He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13: 5), and nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8: 38-39)

God the Father even promises, through His Son, that He will make all our enemies our footstool (Hebrews 1: 13; 10: 13)

Paul invites us to reckon ourselves dead to sin (Romans 6: 11), to shame, to any form of guilt and condemnation through Christ (Romans 8: 1). We do not reckon ourselves anything as long as we insist on looking at ourselves and noting that we are not changing.

Paul is more concrete with the Colossians:

"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)

How can we reckon ourselves dead, yet not merely sit and do nothing?

Paul had answered that question prior in his same epistle to the Colossians:

" am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Colossians 1: 25-29)

Christ lives in us! By His faith, we live (Galatians 2: 20-21), and we are invited to live our lives through Him (1 John 4: 9)

If we want to be transformed from glory to glory, we do not get their through our own efforts, but rather by submitting our bodies as a living sacrifice, that by renewing our minds to the Truth of God's Word, we can know God's will for us, and allow His Son to live through us. See Jesus in the Word, grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, and you will change without even realizing it.

Jesus Is the Truth

Truth is something which rests outside of us. Truth is a Person manifested to the world through Word of God.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." 9John 14: 6)

Jesus was either telling the truth, or he was a massive fraud. To call Him a good man, or a great teacher, or an inspiring leader is fundamentally meaningless in the face of this bold statement.

Either He is the Truth, or He is not -- and everyone person on this earth must accept this Man, or rather God-Man as the Truth or reject Him completely.
Researchers, philosophers, thinkers, and debaters have assailed the word of God, yet the Bible has a standard which has not failed to withstand scrutiny, attacks, and slights.

The archeology of our times as well as other major discovers in hard sciences have affirmed a number of truths already revealed in the Bible.

Furthermore, while our minds love to speculate, wonder. question, and fight -- the fact remains that either some exists as true, or it does not.

There is no dividing or compromising this rigid simplicity.

Either there is one God, or there is not. Either there is a Creator, or there is not.

And our capacity to recognize a full, final, and forever Power is greater than any "Higher Power".

Right away, "Higher Power" implies that there is still a power greater -- and for too many people, that power is alcohol. The massive failure rates confirm this reality.

So, truth -- and our understanding of God - cannot be subjective. It cannot, for God is not subject to us, but rather everything is subject to Him:

"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: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Ephesians 1: 19-23)

And also

"15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Colossians 1: 15-20)

In Revelation, Jesus reveals Himself:

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1: 8)

and then again:

"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." (Revelation 22: 13)

Either you believe Him or you do not believe Him.

This man, the Truth, the Word made Flesh, is not an idle thought, but a powerful certain, He who has been from the beginning (1 John 2: 12-14).

You and I are not called to believe on something make-believe, but to believe on Him who made us, and wishes to make us more than we can possibly understand.

This Truth, this Person, is not created within us, but lives outside of us and when we believe on Him, we receive His life within us in turn.

Proof of God's Love -- The Cross

We are not saved by feelings.

We are saved by grace through faith.

We receive this grace based on what Jesus did for us at the Cross.

What was the first thing that Adam and Eve did when they ate from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil?

"7And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

God Arraigns Adam and Eve

8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." (Genesis 3:7-13)

 

Their eyes were opened to themselves, and they saw right away that they were inadequate.

 

Then they clothed themselves with fig leaves, a picture of self-righteousness referenced throughout the Bible.

 

However, that sense of sin, of "not good enough", coupled with the arrogant yet bankrupted belief that we can and must do something about it, cannot be removed by covering it up.

 

Nor can it be removed by good works, or working twelve steps, or taking our inventory.

 

The proof of God's perfect love for us begins and ends at the Cross.

 

There we can look away from our sins, our shame, or bad thoughts and feelings, and see Jesus the perfect man, taking our sin, becoming sin, and then granting us His Sonship.

 

Today, Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father, and there we receive grace in time of need, as God our Father now invites to come boldly before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4: 16)

 

Our proof of God's love for us is the Cross.

 

For so long, I was wandering around in my mind, and in the actions I took, trying to create a sense of peace and serenity for myself through what I did, or what I was thinking.

 

Living in mind control, trying to make sure that I never got angry or frustrated, doing whatever I could to prevent myself from blocking the sun light of the Spirit, I was totally focused on myself.

 

Just terrible.

 

I was also dogged by these terrible fears.

 

How did I know that I would not have to pay for my sins?

 

This lie was so pervasive in my life, which battered me with the lie that I needed physical, tangible proof.

 

Yet there is no peace in our senses. We are called to walk y faith in order to have proof of God's love for us.

 

That proof, the proof of His love, is the Cross.

 

The more that we allow God our Father to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, what Jesus did at the Cross, the greater His grace and peace abound in our lives.

 

Not a proof for what will happen, but the certainty that He has pledged to care for me, for what has happened -- the Cross!

Stop Trying to Believe -- Let Him!

"And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9: 24)

All that God asks us to do is call out to Him.

We should not allow our faith or our lack of faith to determine whether we can come to him and receive from Him:

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4: 16)

Why can we come boldly? Because we believe enough, or because we have done enough?

It's because of Jesus, not us:

"14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. " (Hebrews 4: 14-15)

It's all about the High Priest who ministers on our behalf:

"Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth." (John 9: 31)

Jesus already established what is God's will for us:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)

Followed by:

"Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second." (Hebrews 10: 9)

God's will is that we believe that our sins are forgiven, and that He remembers our sins no more, for His grace establishes the second or the new covenant:

"

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)

 

He wants us to trust in His grace, not in our faith.

 

So, let us not be afraid to come to Him in our time of need, even if our faith is faltering or non-existent, because we do not even live by our faith, by His faith in us:

 

"20I 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. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

 

Stop trying to believe -- Let Him!

See Him Who is Your Victory

The Israelites refused to enter the Promised Land, even though God had brought them out of slavery into safety.

Why? The evil report of the Timid Ten spies frightened all the people:

"And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13: 33)

They saw "giants", and then they saw themselves as grasshoppers, or as little insects, and how they saw themselves defined who they were before the giants.

Now, contrast this conflict with a more pressing situation later in the Old Testament:

"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." (2 Kings 6: 15-17)

Elisha, whose name means "God saves", who serves as a type of our Savior Jesus, prayed that the servant's eyes would be opened to see that He who was with them than those in the world (1 John 4: 4)

Instead of looking at the problems, Jesus invites us to see His victory, which is our victory:

"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

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8: 1, ASV)

Followed by:'

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)

Jesus is our Victory, and as we see ourselves more in Him, we find all our enemies, which are His enemies, brough under our feet:

"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: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Romans 1: 20-23)

Not looking at ourselves nor our enemies, but when we see that through the Cross Jesus defeated every enemy, we are at rest and know and believe that no matter what we are facing, we overcome because of Him.

"4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. " (1 John 4: 4)

and of course:

"17Herein 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 4:1 7)

Redeemed By the Blood Which Speaks

We are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, which speaks:

"22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." (Hebrews 12: 22-24)

The blood of Abel spoke condemnation:

"10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;" (Genesis 4: 10-11)

While Abel's blood cried out judgment, guilt, and condemnation, the blood of Jesus cries out redemption, release, and restoration:

"18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" (1 Peter 1: 18-19)

and

"And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7: 14)

and then

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Revelation 12: 11)

His Blood speaks righteousness for us through Jesus (2 Corinthians 5: 21), and through His righteousness, we receive all other things (Matthew 6: 33)

After Wasted Worship, God Restores All

16And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins." (Exodus 22: 16-17)

This law in the Book of Exodus is a type of restoration, one which pertains to everyone of us, male or female.

Throughout our lives, we are tempted more often than not to "sleep with others" to the degree that we trust ourselves, other people, or other methods rather than resting in the gifts of righteousness and grace which we keep receiving through Jesus Christ (Romans 5: 17)

Paul made it very clear that we the Body of Christ are presented as a chaste virgin to Jesus:

"Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him" (2 Corinthians 11: 1-4)

Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian church, which was the most carnal church in Paul's ministry. Yet even to them he describes them as "a chaste virgin", yet also warns them about "another Jesus", like another suitor who seduces and defiles a maid.

If we have wasted our time with other pursuits, with wasting our time and worship on a wrong understanding of Jesus in our lives, we can rest assured that our Father, who has granted us the Spirit of Adoption of His Son through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8: 15; Galatians 54: 6-7) will restore to us the time and energy that we lost.

Jesus the Way Has Chosen You

"6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)

Many of us can quote this verse, yet many of us forget that Jesus was responding to a question from one of His disciples:

"5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?" (John 14: 5)

This same Thomas, the one who doubted and would not believe until he felt the wounds in Jesus' side and hands (John 20: 25), the same disciple who was ready to die with Jesus in going to Bethany (John 11: 16), was not afraid to ask His Lord a question, even if out of unbelief.

"Show us the path . .show us the way. . ."

Jesus is the Path, Jesus is the way.

The more that we see how great is His love for us, the less time we spend trying to find a path, the  more that we see Him and trust Him to lead us.

Notice what David said about the LORD:

"{A Psalm of David.} The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23: 1)

He did not say: "I know where the LORD is taking me."

There is no need to know where you are going when you know the One who is taking you there.

Keep in mind that the Israelites knew where the LORD was taking them, the Promised Land, and yet they refused to go in because they looked to themselves (Numbers 13: 33) and believed that the LORD hated them (Deuteronomy 1: 27-28)

We need to know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd:

"11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10: 11)

We need to see the full extent of His love for us, no matter where we go:

"16That 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)

Jesus the Way has chosen you:

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15: 16)

and 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." (Eohesians 1: 3-4)

Jesus is the Way

Day by day, choose God's path.

This advice sounds wise, noble, and well-intentioned.

Yet when we operate as though our choices are greater than His plans, or that His plans require our understanding to work out, then we are treating God and His grace too small.

We cannot forget:

"8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 55: 8)

His thoughts are not our thoughts -- because His thoughts exceed all that we can ask or think:

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us," (Ephesians 3: 20)

Now, we rest in the truth that Jesus is Him who has been from the beginning (John 1: 1; 1 John 2: 14)

He also holds all our times in His hands:

"My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me." (Psalm 31: 15)

He is above all time and times, and He has also overcome the world:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16: 33)

then

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4: 4)

Followed by

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:4)

So, we recognize that He has overcome everything we can then recognize that we are not striving to choose the path, but rather we recognize that He is our Way, as well as the Truth and Life which sustains all things (John 14: 6; Colossians 1: 17)

Christ -- Greater Than our Thoughts

"(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: 4-6)

Let us read all Scripture within the full context of Christ and Him Crucified.

For the longest time, I struggled with this passage, convinced that I had to block all my bad thoughts so that there was only one thought in my mind.

The Bible does not say:

Bring every other thought into obedience into the thought of Christ.

Jesus is not in our minds, but seated at the Right Hand of God the Father:

"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: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Ephesians 1: 21-23)

Jesus is not a thought in our minds, but Him who has been from the beginning:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1)

and also

"4I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning." (1 John 2: 14)

We need to understand that His thoughts are not our thoughts:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 55: 8)

Instead of trying to stop what we are thinking, we recognize that the weapons of this war are mighty through God, not through our efforts:

"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)

and

"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)

Jesus is greater than our thoughts, and rather than trying to fix our minds on one thought, we are called to rest our every thought on Him:

"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)

Notice that Paul did not say "Think about " but stet your affections on things above" -- he is talking about a real Person, not a mindset, not a conception.

Jesus, greater than our thoughts, renews our mind (Romans 12:2) by His Holy Spirit.

Restore A Brother By Grace in Christ

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6: 1)


Before Paul writes to the Galatians about restoring people caught in a sin, he instructs them on the deliverance from the law into grace.

Many Christians today think that restoring people from walking in sin to living in righteousness is all about shaming them with the law.

Yet in Christ, there is no condemnation (Romans 8: 1)

Furthermore, it is the grace of God which teaches us not to sin, not His law.

Consider the following passages:

"The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." (1 Corinthians 15: 56)

Not only that:

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3: 20)

The Law brings out our sin:

"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" (Romans 5: 20)

When we see men and women caught in a trespass, either they are trying in their own efforts to break free, they have forgotten who they are in Christ, or they are not saved at all.

Let us remember that there are many men and women of God who as they grow in grace, they see more aspects of their lives which need to be turned over to God completely.

So, resting in the idea that a brother caught in a fault is saved, how do you restore that person?

Remind them who they are in Christ. Paul never shamed the out-of-control Corinthians with the law, but with the grace of God:

9Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6: 9-11)

Then:

"15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." (1 Corinthians 6: 15-17)

Three times Paul reminds the Corinthians who they are . .in Christ! That's what restoration is all about!

Paul confirms this new identity as the restoration for drawing us away from sin and into life:

"20I 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. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

Then Paul speaks about how we fall from grace:

"1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5: 1-4)

 

Then comes chapter 6. If a brother is fallen, he has fallen from grace, and needs to see more of the grace of God in Christ.