Momsage, The people of Israel are going through so much pain and suffering at this time. About 20% of the population are Jews. The rest are people from all nations of the earth. All are being affected by this war. I do pray often for those involved in this war. It is very awful. And we can continue to pray for those in Ukraine. We can pray for the people of Taiwan to be kept safe from China. There are conflicts happening in the world that we may not even know of yet since not everything is reported in the news.
I believe that our focus is to love the people as Christ did. To pray for them as He did. To reach out to them as He did. To act towards others as He did.
I guess if people on this site know of wars that are happening that may not be reported on, I would like to know so I can pray specifically. There are opportunities to pray for others we don't know personally everyday. I pray for the ones holding signs along the road asking for help. I may not be able to participate in solving their problems, but I can pray for God to send them to the right places and for the best people to come their way who can help them.
I don't think anyone on this site is reluctant to pray for Jews. But if they are unbelievers, then they are the same as any other unbeliever-- Lost and enemies of God. They need to come to Christ in the same way as anyone else. They will not receive salvation just because they are Jews. So we pray for their hearts to be changed and open for the gospel of Christ and that the Holy Spirit will regenerate many. And we can pray for God's goodness to fall upon all who are being oppressed, being treated violently, who are in danger, and great need. We know He is merciful and compassionate, more than we can ever be. So we lay our prayers in His lap and trust that His ways are true and right and just-altogether good.
Yes dear Momsage, I do pray for Israel as well as for all people, friends and enemies, to be safe and live in peace and mainly to get to know the true God and the salvation He gifts to everybody through His Son's sacrifice. This is our duty as sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven who loves all people and wants every person to come to the knowledge of theTruth.
Its too too late here now, time to go to bed. We will talk again tomorrow. Have a blessed night..
About Judas a lot has been written by many. The usual question is: why didn't God forgive Judas since he "repented"?
But did he repent? The answer is no, he didn't. He merely felt bad about what happened, and he never went to God to ask for forgiveness.
Firsty in greek the verb used in Matthew 27:3 is not the same as in other places in the Bible where repentance is mentioned. The grk here shows that somebody feels bad/sad for something that has occured and wishes that it hadn't occured. So does that mean that they repent? To answer that I will go to what happened to me, not long ago. One Sunday morning after the church service I quarreled with a fellow dear brother (never mind who started it). I spoke to him very badly infront of almost the whole church. In the evening as I was sitting in my house and was thinking about it and feeling very bad about the whole incident, I asked myself one question. Was I feeling bad because I hurt my brother's feelings or was I feeling bad because I made myself a fool infront of the church and created a bad situation in the church? To be honest it was the second case. So did I really repent? No I didn't, I just wished it never happened not because I hurt my brother but because I created a bad impression of me in the congregation.
So lets go back to Judas. Judas was just feeling bad because of all that happened and most probably everybody figured him as his master's trator. So a whole bad situation occured about him. Probably everybody started avoiding him, nobody likes and approves betraying. But he didn't realy care about Jesus. He said to the Pharisees that he betrayed an innocent blood. But he knew that before betraying Jesus, didn't he? Maybe he didn't expect that they wanted to kill Jesus? But he knew that they wanted to do that, it was obvious from the beginning.
So he didn't actually repent, that is why he never asked for forgiveness. He was only thinking of his own situation, not Jesus'
it occurred to me that a point that I left unsaid in my reply. You cited your own case which I can well appreciate.
In everyday walk among the worldly a quarrel is over one's self-esteem. At any cost to make the other lose his argument or his face, so my self worth is shown in better light. When we have died to the world and to sin what self- worth are we talking about? Christ is the head. No glory of this world can match his? "For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God./Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."(Ro.6:10-11)
When we are living unto our Lord we bear our cross, and smarting under a false accusation or called names, so we do not put obstacles in our path. That takes time and only now I am beginning to understand what it means to be mature Christians. Our glory is in our faith. When Christ who is our life shall appear we shall be with him in glory. Joy and peace in Him
Although my comment was about Judas and I just wanted to explain what probably had happened to him using an experience of mine, I must say that none of us have walked that road before, so we are learning along the way. We must grow up and start eating meat, not milk all the time. Christ is a life experience not just mere knowledge. There are many scholars and theologians that know the gospel perfectly well, more than any of us do, but they don't know Christ personally. Our relationship with our God is personal, it is not adequate to know about God but one has to know God Himself. A Christian that never ever had any personal experiences with God is lacking in many marvelous things like joy and peace and comfort. I wish you have a blessed week.
Yes I agree , may I expand ? I believe that God loves all of His creation , He certainly shows mercy and kindness to atheists and idolaters . I believe that God acts in everyone's lives , the problem is that a lot of people don't recognise Him and if they don't recognise Him they can't acknowledge Him and thank Him . We have to train our eyes and hearts and minds , to see Him at work in our lives and the lives of others , we have to acknowledge that everything , literally everything comes from Him and does so for a purpose and we have to recognise His righteousness and power and mercy and thank Him every day for every good thing in our lives . This means all the things we need , food , clean water , warmth , safe shelter and His Word , these are our only true needs , everything else is unnecessary but none the less a gift from God . I see Him every where every day , He is in the beautiful sky and all its different colours , never the same . He is in the birds singing , He is in my cats stunning eyes , He is in my kitchen , providing me with everything I need to cook a meal . Only when we can see Him can we acknowledge Him and thank Him . He is everything to us , He gives us everything and more , we need to see His love and beauty all over every day . When we acknowledge that we are nothing and have nothing without Him , then we can truly thank Him and love Him for His loving kindnesses that He pours all over His creation every day and for His beauty and generosity and mercy . It can be hard to see any good in this world , but it is here , only from Him though . Thy Kingdom Come .
Thanks Jema. We remain disciples/students for our whole lifetime, we are learning all the time and hopefully stop doing the same mistakes. Have a blessed week.
Feeling remorse is not restoring peace with God. Judas did not turn to God for it. He responded to his remorse in a manner as man does, cursing himself out of frustration or hanging (an extreme case). Esau also responded to his folly in giving away his birthright so cheaply. "For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."(He.12:7) David did a terrible thing but he found grace. He had to pay the price for it. His family life was ruined what with Absalom turning against it. His contrition was backed with genuine remorse. Ps.51 is a study in the manner he came back into the fold.
Having a quarrel with brethren "Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." You have to respond to what the Spirit has shown you as your lapse and not leave for the other.
I have often thought of Esau trying to find forgiveness with tears. Wondering if I were in the same situation. That indeed is a most "sobering" passage to consider.
Hebrews 12:7, "17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."
It says " though he sought IT carefully with tears" What do you think that "IT" is refering to?
Question. If one repents is there any case God rejects them? Answer. No, God always forgives Actually this is what God wants us to do when we sin. Next question. If we want to repent and seek to do it, is there any case that God rejects us? Is there any case that we want and have decided in our minds to repent and still not being able to repent? Really our heart is not that easy to come to repentance some times but when I have decided that in my mind then God forgives me at that very moment. Actually God will always gives us His grace to overcome our stony heart when we have decided to condemn our actions. So next question. Why was Esau rejected although he seeked with tears to find forgiveness? Well because simply he didn't ask for forgiveness. That "IT" is refering to the " inheritance" not to forgiveness or repentance. So the verse in simple words reads as " Esau was rejected by God when he wanted to get the inheritance because he didn't repent, although he wanted to get the inheritance very much(with tears)". So don't worry. When God sees that we condemn in our mind something we did, He always runs to our help and ease us to repent, if we have problem doing it, and He gives us His grace because He wants to get us to very end, the kingdom of Heaven. Also in NT there are no consequences like with David in the OT, when we sin and repent. It is like we have never done anything, God forgets it and He never punishes, no way.. GBU
The Spirit uses the word continual in keeping with the Holiness in which both Power and Wisdom are at play. He sent forth his word that shall never return void. (Is.55:11) So continual is firmly is the order of the Father Son relationship. "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work," has events unseen as well as made to appear that owe to this continual action.
Consequently the Abstract presented in the Book of Genesis Ch. 1 refers to the Everlasting Covenant, which is unseen. Whereas the Abstract like 7 bullet points- and the Spirit calls them as day, refers to the generation of Jesus Christ. Why call it day? In Ps.2:7 God refers it as such, and "This day I have begotten thee," is part of the decree so it stands. The generation of Jesus Christ begins with the day as set down by the Spirit. "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens."(Ge.2:4)
"In the beginning" refers to this day (Ge.1:1). Compare this with the verse where new heaven and the new earth are presented (Re.21:1), the adjective 'new' is the culmination of the continual action to which both heaven and the earth play their parts set forth in the Abstract.
The Spirit uses the word 'continual' in another sense. The devil sins from the beginning, which also have consequences till the day of Regeneration. 'He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.'( 1 John 4:4,18) His works are however subject to God purging from time to time. ( 1 John 3:8). Perfect love casts out fear.
God's purpose in a chosen generation renders consecration on account of the word. This generation belongs to the generation of Jesus Christ. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."( John 17:17;1 Co.1:30). It is in his Son we find the fulness of God and not in the Law of Moses. Moses was faithful in all his house which only points to his term of service. Abiding in the Son would mean our sanctification comes from the Son and not from any other.
*Samuel as instructed by God anoints the first time when David was unknown, and least made of even in the eyes of his brethren. But God as the Spirit entrusted Samuel for a specific purpose, which we shall realize only with the third anointing.
Secondly men of Judah anointed him after the death of Saul. This was more of a tactical decision considering that he was their most famous son who brought them prestige in the eyes of Israel. They appropriated him as their own, "And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul(2 Sa.5:4)". This anointing was according to the flesh.
Third time is when David became in the eyes of Israel as anointed of God. So the Spirit gives the relationship its universality: body spirit and soul are consecrated. The Spirit sets David in context of the Lord who said unto my Lord, (Ps.110:1-3) David under the Law of Moses represented shadow of things to come when Jesus Christ reigns from Zion.
The term as used in the Law of Moses holds meaning which is in a narrow sense. Priests are consecrated as well as things as different from their common use.
Consecration broadly stated renders anything being made holy. God command Moses to remove his sandals, " And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.(Ex.3:5)" The ground is holy because of the holiness of the Lord God. 'Be ye holy for I am holy"
Similarly when God descended upon Mount Sinai there were limits put for the people from breaking in "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.' (Ex.19:23). The presence of God requires holiness in man, places and things of use, which is in relation the fellowship of God with the Son. 'Be ye holy as I am is what abiding in Christ means so His grace has not been in vain. His Son is the template. 'When David is set as double for the Son God commands Samuel to anoint him which he did three times.
Consecration is much more than this. When God sent forth his word his divine Will, it expressly required fulfillment. We are blessed accordingly. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."(1 Pe.2:9) God's purpose in a chosen generation renders consecration on account of the word. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."( John 17:17;1 Co.1:30). It is in his Son we find the fulness of God and not in the Law of Moses. Moses was faithful in all his house which only points to his term of service. Abiding in the Son would mean our sanctification comes from the Son and not from any other.
Thank you LORD for saving my soul. Thank you LORD for making me whole.
Thank you LORD for giving to me, THY great Salvation so rich and free.
GOD bless all on this platform!
LORD, bless the peace in Jerusalem; Give wisdom to our leaders as the conflict grows in the Middle East. May we call on YOU and faithfully wait for YOUR righteous intervention.
Hi Rainwalker , I tried to reply to you directly but the thread is so long now that it sent my phone crazy :) . So I will start a new one if I may . You said that praying for the peace of Jerusalem is old testament , does this mean that you don't have much time for the old testament ? Please forgive me if I've misunderstood you .
No problem, I was mentioning that under the "new covenant" it has expanded well beyond a physical race of people with a particular "geography". I am very much a student of "old" and new.
:) me too . The Bible is what gets me through each day and keeps me sane . The joy of connecting the old and new , when I suddenly realise something new about something that I've already ready at least fifty times , is priceless . God gave us this most precious treasure to comfort and encourage us in these awful kingdoms of men . He knows we need to feel close to Him in order to be truly happy and at peace . The Bible is the pearl of great price :) .
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth./ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:/Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
In Christ all authority in heaven and on earth resides so without abiding in him the commission cannot be discharged (Matt.28:19)( John 15:4-5). It is universal and enjoined upon ever believer.
Jesus sent the twelve disciples as associates. (Matt.10:40). This Principle of Association renders all those foreknown and called by the Father having a position, which is in heaven. God of all mercies empowers the word outflow as with the Son of man offered the living waters. "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" ( John 7:8).
The risen Christ gave commission to his disciples across time and space that they 'make disciple of all nations' and assured them that he was with them always till the end of time.
In giving this commission he was demanding the fullness of every disciple because the church was being built brick by brick on the living Word.
"I am the true vine" is another analogy. "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily/ And ye are complete in him," (Col.2:9-10) Consequently the principle of Association at every node had to be perfect. "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away."( John 15:2)
Not merely the twelve or seventy other disciples, which received the commission from word of his mouth but as we read in his prayer, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;( John 17:21-23) Unity of the Spirit is an essential part of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 'I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.'
'And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:/ Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiff-necked people: lest I consume thee in the way"(Ex.33:2-3).
A Tabernacle is where God desires to dwell among people. So Moses makes the tabernacle of the Congregation, which is not the tabernacle God spoke to Moses in Ex. Ch. 25. God dies not revise His Will because of some stiff-necked people are present. This Congregation is about the names found in the book of life of the Son. (Nu.14:23-24) He makes it clear of another spirit which is of obedience." (32:8).
So this corruption necessitates two kinds of tabernacle. We have here two tabernacles one that is front and the other which is back. (See under B-back side) Instead of God an angel of the Lord shall go before them. As accompaniment the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night shall follow as promised by God throughout their journey. (40:38). God's calling and gifts are irrevocable. As promised they shall be led unto the land flowing with milk and honey. However God has made it clear, 'for I will not go up in the midst of thee;'
The tabernacle of the Congregation was merely an indication that their sins would be called to account. 'Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.'(Ex.32:34)
Here we have a Messianic prophecy and the Psalmist inspired by the Spirit speaks of a great congregation: "I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest./ I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation." (Ps.40:9-10)
'My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me' ( John 7:16) and by principle of Association every disciple who believed in the gospel and in promise of the risen Jesus ('Lo I am with you always even to the end of the world ') make up this great congregation. They were called and were foreknown. For this reason Jesus died for the dead and went in his Spirit and preached the gospel to those who were held captive. Congregation of these dead also make up the congregation that is mentioned in the above-mentioned quote.
Our God is the God of the living. The condition of death only applies to the world of the flesh,- dissolution of corporeal bodies explain it. God's promise is our safety and since we trusted in his Son we have been lifted from the world of flesh to heavenly places. This has one meaning of being part of our Savior as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending. Predestination has thus a great congregation to which we have been added.
We were once dead in our sins but found grace to witness it before our friends and families.(Ep.2:1)Those who disregarded the good counsel of the Word are dead even though they go through motions of living. Woman who lives in pleasure is similarly dead.(1 Ti.5:6) They belong to the congregation of dead (Pr.21:16)
Our lives are as though we are among a great congregation as this verse testifies, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,"(He.12:1)
I believe that our focus is to love the people as Christ did. To pray for them as He did. To reach out to them as He did. To act towards others as He did.
I guess if people on this site know of wars that are happening that may not be reported on, I would like to know so I can pray specifically. There are opportunities to pray for others we don't know personally everyday. I pray for the ones holding signs along the road asking for help. I may not be able to participate in solving their problems, but I can pray for God to send them to the right places and for the best people to come their way who can help them.
I don't think anyone on this site is reluctant to pray for Jews. But if they are unbelievers, then they are the same as any other unbeliever-- Lost and enemies of God. They need to come to Christ in the same way as anyone else. They will not receive salvation just because they are Jews. So we pray for their hearts to be changed and open for the gospel of Christ and that the Holy Spirit will regenerate many. And we can pray for God's goodness to fall upon all who are being oppressed, being treated violently, who are in danger, and great need. We know He is merciful and compassionate, more than we can ever be. So we lay our prayers in His lap and trust that His ways are true and right and just-altogether good.
Its too too late here now, time to go to bed. We will talk again tomorrow. Have a blessed night..
I'm glad your prays include them.
I actually replied to an earlier comment of yours, that you asked what we think of Israel and if they are special to God.
GBU
Well stated.
God bless you and all youdo.
About Judas a lot has been written by many. The usual question is: why didn't God forgive Judas since he "repented"?
But did he repent? The answer is no, he didn't. He merely felt bad about what happened, and he never went to God to ask for forgiveness.
Firsty in greek the verb used in Matthew 27:3 is not the same as in other places in the Bible where repentance is mentioned. The grk here shows that somebody feels bad/sad for something that has occured and wishes that it hadn't occured. So does that mean that they repent? To answer that I will go to what happened to me, not long ago. One Sunday morning after the church service I quarreled with a fellow dear brother (never mind who started it). I spoke to him very badly infront of almost the whole church. In the evening as I was sitting in my house and was thinking about it and feeling very bad about the whole incident, I asked myself one question. Was I feeling bad because I hurt my brother's feelings or was I feeling bad because I made myself a fool infront of the church and created a bad situation in the church? To be honest it was the second case. So did I really repent? No I didn't, I just wished it never happened not because I hurt my brother but because I created a bad impression of me in the congregation.
So lets go back to Judas. Judas was just feeling bad because of all that happened and most probably everybody figured him as his master's trator. So a whole bad situation occured about him. Probably everybody started avoiding him, nobody likes and approves betraying. But he didn't realy care about Jesus. He said to the Pharisees that he betrayed an innocent blood. But he knew that before betraying Jesus, didn't he? Maybe he didn't expect that they wanted to kill Jesus? But he knew that they wanted to do that, it was obvious from the beginning.
So he didn't actually repent, that is why he never asked for forgiveness. He was only thinking of his own situation, not Jesus'
Just an opinion. GBU.
it occurred to me that a point that I left unsaid in my reply. You cited your own case which I can well appreciate.
In everyday walk among the worldly a quarrel is over one's self-esteem. At any cost to make the other lose his argument or his face, so my self worth is shown in better light. When we have died to the world and to sin what self- worth are we talking about? Christ is the head. No glory of this world can match his? "For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God./Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."(Ro.6:10-11)
When we are living unto our Lord we bear our cross, and smarting under a false accusation or called names, so we do not put obstacles in our path. That takes time and only now I am beginning to understand what it means to be mature Christians. Our glory is in our faith. When Christ who is our life shall appear we shall be with him in glory. Joy and peace in Him
Although my comment was about Judas and I just wanted to explain what probably had happened to him using an experience of mine, I must say that none of us have walked that road before, so we are learning along the way. We must grow up and start eating meat, not milk all the time. Christ is a life experience not just mere knowledge. There are many scholars and theologians that know the gospel perfectly well, more than any of us do, but they don't know Christ personally. Our relationship with our God is personal, it is not adequate to know about God but one has to know God Himself. A Christian that never ever had any personal experiences with God is lacking in many marvelous things like joy and peace and comfort. I wish you have a blessed week.
Feeling remorse is not restoring peace with God. Judas did not turn to God for it. He responded to his remorse in a manner as man does, cursing himself out of frustration or hanging (an extreme case). Esau also responded to his folly in giving away his birthright so cheaply. "For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."(He.12:7) David did a terrible thing but he found grace. He had to pay the price for it. His family life was ruined what with Absalom turning against it. His contrition was backed with genuine remorse. Ps.51 is a study in the manner he came back into the fold.
Having a quarrel with brethren "Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." You have to respond to what the Spirit has shown you as your lapse and not leave for the other.
Praise the Lord
Hebrews 12:7, "17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."
It says " though he sought IT carefully with tears" What do you think that "IT" is refering to?
Question. If one repents is there any case God rejects them? Answer. No, God always forgives Actually this is what God wants us to do when we sin. Next question. If we want to repent and seek to do it, is there any case that God rejects us? Is there any case that we want and have decided in our minds to repent and still not being able to repent? Really our heart is not that easy to come to repentance some times but when I have decided that in my mind then God forgives me at that very moment. Actually God will always gives us His grace to overcome our stony heart when we have decided to condemn our actions. So next question. Why was Esau rejected although he seeked with tears to find forgiveness? Well because simply he didn't ask for forgiveness. That "IT" is refering to the " inheritance" not to forgiveness or repentance. So the verse in simple words reads as " Esau was rejected by God when he wanted to get the inheritance because he didn't repent, although he wanted to get the inheritance very much(with tears)". So don't worry. When God sees that we condemn in our mind something we did, He always runs to our help and ease us to repent, if we have problem doing it, and He gives us His grace because He wants to get us to very end, the kingdom of Heaven. Also in NT there are no consequences like with David in the OT, when we sin and repent. It is like we have never done anything, God forgets it and He never punishes, no way.. GBU
The Spirit uses the word continual in keeping with the Holiness in which both Power and Wisdom are at play. He sent forth his word that shall never return void. (Is.55:11) So continual is firmly is the order of the Father Son relationship. "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work," has events unseen as well as made to appear that owe to this continual action.
Consequently the Abstract presented in the Book of Genesis Ch. 1 refers to the Everlasting Covenant, which is unseen. Whereas the Abstract like 7 bullet points- and the Spirit calls them as day, refers to the generation of Jesus Christ. Why call it day? In Ps.2:7 God refers it as such, and "This day I have begotten thee," is part of the decree so it stands. The generation of Jesus Christ begins with the day as set down by the Spirit. "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens."(Ge.2:4)
"In the beginning" refers to this day (Ge.1:1). Compare this with the verse where new heaven and the new earth are presented (Re.21:1), the adjective 'new' is the culmination of the continual action to which both heaven and the earth play their parts set forth in the Abstract.
The Spirit uses the word 'continual' in another sense. The devil sins from the beginning, which also have consequences till the day of Regeneration. 'He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world.'( 1 John 4:4,18) His works are however subject to God purging from time to time. ( 1 John 3:8). Perfect love casts out fear.
God's purpose in a chosen generation renders consecration on account of the word. This generation belongs to the generation of Jesus Christ. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."( John 17:17;1 Co.1:30). It is in his Son we find the fulness of God and not in the Law of Moses. Moses was faithful in all his house which only points to his term of service. Abiding in the Son would mean our sanctification comes from the Son and not from any other.
*Samuel as instructed by God anoints the first time when David was unknown, and least made of even in the eyes of his brethren. But God as the Spirit entrusted Samuel for a specific purpose, which we shall realize only with the third anointing.
Secondly men of Judah anointed him after the death of Saul. This was more of a tactical decision considering that he was their most famous son who brought them prestige in the eyes of Israel. They appropriated him as their own, "And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul(2 Sa.5:4)". This anointing was according to the flesh.
Third time is when David became in the eyes of Israel as anointed of God. So the Spirit gives the relationship its universality: body spirit and soul are consecrated. The Spirit sets David in context of the Lord who said unto my Lord, (Ps.110:1-3) David under the Law of Moses represented shadow of things to come when Jesus Christ reigns from Zion.
The term as used in the Law of Moses holds meaning which is in a narrow sense. Priests are consecrated as well as things as different from their common use.
Consecration broadly stated renders anything being made holy. God command Moses to remove his sandals, " And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.(Ex.3:5)" The ground is holy because of the holiness of the Lord God. 'Be ye holy for I am holy"
Similarly when God descended upon Mount Sinai there were limits put for the people from breaking in "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.' (Ex.19:23). The presence of God requires holiness in man, places and things of use, which is in relation the fellowship of God with the Son. 'Be ye holy as I am is what abiding in Christ means so His grace has not been in vain. His Son is the template. 'When David is set as double for the Son God commands Samuel to anoint him which he did three times.
Consecration is much more than this. When God sent forth his word his divine Will, it expressly required fulfillment. We are blessed accordingly. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."(1 Pe.2:9) God's purpose in a chosen generation renders consecration on account of the word. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."( John 17:17;1 Co.1:30). It is in his Son we find the fulness of God and not in the Law of Moses. Moses was faithful in all his house which only points to his term of service. Abiding in the Son would mean our sanctification comes from the Son and not from any other.
We need YOUR wisdom LORD as our country is in tail spin downward in all areas. FATHER, bless the peace in Jerusalem as the conflict is spreading.
May our prayers reflect the faith, and trust we have in YOU LORD.
Thank YOU LORD JESUS for blessing us and reminding us of the work before us in reaching the lost and hardened hearts.
Thank YOU FATHER for shining YOUR face upon us and blessing us gloriously.
January 12, 2024
Thank you LORD for giving to me, THY great Salvation so rich and free.
GOD bless all on this platform!
LORD, bless the peace in Jerusalem; Give wisdom to our leaders as the conflict grows in the Middle East. May we call on YOU and faithfully wait for YOUR righteous intervention.
Thank You LORD!
January 12, 2024
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth./ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:/Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
In Christ all authority in heaven and on earth resides so without abiding in him the commission cannot be discharged (Matt.28:19)( John 15:4-5). It is universal and enjoined upon ever believer.
Jesus sent the twelve disciples as associates. (Matt.10:40). This Principle of Association renders all those foreknown and called by the Father having a position, which is in heaven. God of all mercies empowers the word outflow as with the Son of man offered the living waters. "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" ( John 7:8).
The risen Christ gave commission to his disciples across time and space that they 'make disciple of all nations' and assured them that he was with them always till the end of time.
In giving this commission he was demanding the fullness of every disciple because the church was being built brick by brick on the living Word.
"I am the true vine" is another analogy. "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily/ And ye are complete in him," (Col.2:9-10) Consequently the principle of Association at every node had to be perfect. "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away."( John 15:2)
Not merely the twelve or seventy other disciples, which received the commission from word of his mouth but as we read in his prayer, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;( John 17:21-23) Unity of the Spirit is an essential part of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 'I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.'
'And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:/ Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiff-necked people: lest I consume thee in the way"(Ex.33:2-3).
A Tabernacle is where God desires to dwell among people. So Moses makes the tabernacle of the Congregation, which is not the tabernacle God spoke to Moses in Ex. Ch. 25. God dies not revise His Will because of some stiff-necked people are present. This Congregation is about the names found in the book of life of the Son. (Nu.14:23-24) He makes it clear of another spirit which is of obedience." (32:8).
So this corruption necessitates two kinds of tabernacle. We have here two tabernacles one that is front and the other which is back. (See under B-back side) Instead of God an angel of the Lord shall go before them. As accompaniment the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night shall follow as promised by God throughout their journey. (40:38). God's calling and gifts are irrevocable. As promised they shall be led unto the land flowing with milk and honey. However God has made it clear, 'for I will not go up in the midst of thee;'
The tabernacle of the Congregation was merely an indication that their sins would be called to account. 'Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.'(Ex.32:34)
Here we have a Messianic prophecy and the Psalmist inspired by the Spirit speaks of a great congregation: "I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest./ I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation." (Ps.40:9-10)
'My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me' ( John 7:16) and by principle of Association every disciple who believed in the gospel and in promise of the risen Jesus ('Lo I am with you always even to the end of the world ') make up this great congregation. They were called and were foreknown. For this reason Jesus died for the dead and went in his Spirit and preached the gospel to those who were held captive. Congregation of these dead also make up the congregation that is mentioned in the above-mentioned quote.
Our God is the God of the living. The condition of death only applies to the world of the flesh,- dissolution of corporeal bodies explain it. God's promise is our safety and since we trusted in his Son we have been lifted from the world of flesh to heavenly places. This has one meaning of being part of our Savior as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending. Predestination has thus a great congregation to which we have been added.
We were once dead in our sins but found grace to witness it before our friends and families.(Ep.2:1)Those who disregarded the good counsel of the Word are dead even though they go through motions of living. Woman who lives in pleasure is similarly dead.(1 Ti.5:6) They belong to the congregation of dead (Pr.21:16)
Our lives are as though we are among a great congregation as this verse testifies, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,"(He.12:1)