WHEN JESUS CAME, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE ANTITYPE FOR OUR OT TEMPLE WAS HIM (JN. 1:14), SPECIFICALLY HIS BODY (JN. 2:19-22). BY EXTENSION, THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL ENTERS INTO THAT FULFILLMENT (EPH. 2:20-22). IN I COR. 3:17; 12:22, THE LOCAL CHURCH ENTERS INTO THIS FULFILLMENT. IN I COR 6:19-20, THE SAVED INDIVIDUAL ENTERS INTO THIS FULFILLMENT.
IT IS SURPRISING TO HEAR THAT THE NEW HEAVENS & THE NEW EARTH HAS NO TEMPLE (REV. 21:22), UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE NEW JERUSALEM (ANOTHER NAME FOR THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH), SIMILAR TO EZEKIEL'S VISION, IS TEMPLE-LIKE AS A CUBE (21:16).
IN REALITY, JESUS IS THE TEMPLE, BECAUSE HE IS THE PRESENCE OF GOD THAT WILL BE WITH US. WE WILL SEE HIS FACE (REV. 22:3-4). THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF I JN. 3:2).
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
HOW TO READ YOUR BIBLE
A. READ THE WORD WITH REGULARITY AND ATTENTION (I TIM. 4:13)
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
B. RECEIVE THE WORD WITH SUBMISSION AND PASSION (JA. 1:21; JER. 15:16)
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.
C. MEDITATE UPON THE WORD WITH DELIGHT (PS. 1:2)
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
D. LIFT UP YOUR SOUL BY THE WORD WITH RELIEF (PS. 143:8)
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
E. LOOK FOR CHRIST IN THE WORD WITH EXPECTATION AND NEW COVENANT HOPE (JN. 5:39-40)
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
F. GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE WORD, BUT WITH TREMBLING (COL. 3:16; ISA. 66:2)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
B. RECEIVE THE WORD WITH SUBMISSION AND PASSION (JA. 1:21; JER. 15:16)
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.
C. MEDITATE UPON THE WORD WITH DELIGHT (PS. 1:2)
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
D. LIFT UP YOUR SOUL BY THE WORD WITH RELIEF (PS. 143:8)
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
E. LOOK FOR CHRIST IN THE WORD WITH EXPECTATION AND NEW COVENANT HOPE (JN. 5:39-40)
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
F. GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE WORD, BUT WITH TREMBLING (COL. 3:16; ISA. 66:2)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
FAITH - THE TRUE USE OF OUR SENSES!
When a man truly believes, his heart senses the reality of the gospel. Otherwise he's like a blind man having the Grand Canyon described to him. He may be able to gain a mental appreciation of it, but he can never see its beauty. Or he's like a deaf man being taught about music. He may be able to understand its composition, and even feel pulsing rhythm or moving vibrations, but he can never hear melody or harmony. Or he's like a man whose tongue has no taste buds. He can see the golden color of honey, feel its thick and sticky consistency, even smell its clover pollen scent, but he can never taste sweetness. The very concept of honey will always remain a personal mystery to him no matter how much else he learns about honey.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
WHEN MY WORLD MAKES NO SENSE!
AS LIGHT IN THE LORD, I KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS STAND IN OPPOSITION TO MEN OF DARKNESS - MEN BLINDED BY THE ENEMY OF SOULS. BUT, I DON'T FIND THAT MY MAJOR BATTLES ARE WITH THEM. MOST OF MY HEART-ACHES ARE GIVEN TO ME BY THOSE I WOULD NEVER SUSPECT - PROFESSED BELIEVERS!
I THINK THIS IS TRUE, BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS. IT'S JUST THAT SO MUCH DARKNESS HAS BEEN EMBRACED BY THE CHURCH!
IF I'M NOT THE ONE WHO IS DECEIVED ON SUCH MATTERS, I CAN TAKE COMFORT IN REVELATION 3:4, "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy."
IS THIS ARROGATION ON MY PART. I'M CERTAINLY NOT VERY COMPATIBLE WITH "FAMILY," BUT NEITHER WERE JOSHUA AND CALEB! MY FLESH CRAVES DIVINE VINDICATION LIKE THEY RECEIVED. BUT IT DOES NOT COME.
I AM SO SLOW TO LEARN II CORINTHIANS 12:9, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." IT ONLY TOOK PAUL THREE MISFIRES! I PASSED THAT YEARS AGO! I'M STILL SHOOTING BLANKS, AND WONDERING WHY I DON'T HIT ANYTHING!
HUMILITY - ILLUSIVE IS THY NAME! I NEED GRACE TO FIND THEE, BUT I NEED THEE TO FIND GRACE (JAMES 4:6)! YET, I AM UNDER COMMAND TO EMPLOY THEE WHEN THE LORD'S HAND IS HEAVY UPON ME (I PETER 5:6). PRAISE GOD, THE HAND THAT CREATES MY BURDEN IS THE HAND THAT UPHOLDS ME - ISAIAH 41:10, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
I THINK THIS IS TRUE, BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS. IT'S JUST THAT SO MUCH DARKNESS HAS BEEN EMBRACED BY THE CHURCH!
IF I'M NOT THE ONE WHO IS DECEIVED ON SUCH MATTERS, I CAN TAKE COMFORT IN REVELATION 3:4, "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy."
IS THIS ARROGATION ON MY PART. I'M CERTAINLY NOT VERY COMPATIBLE WITH "FAMILY," BUT NEITHER WERE JOSHUA AND CALEB! MY FLESH CRAVES DIVINE VINDICATION LIKE THEY RECEIVED. BUT IT DOES NOT COME.
I AM SO SLOW TO LEARN II CORINTHIANS 12:9, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." IT ONLY TOOK PAUL THREE MISFIRES! I PASSED THAT YEARS AGO! I'M STILL SHOOTING BLANKS, AND WONDERING WHY I DON'T HIT ANYTHING!
HUMILITY - ILLUSIVE IS THY NAME! I NEED GRACE TO FIND THEE, BUT I NEED THEE TO FIND GRACE (JAMES 4:6)! YET, I AM UNDER COMMAND TO EMPLOY THEE WHEN THE LORD'S HAND IS HEAVY UPON ME (I PETER 5:6). PRAISE GOD, THE HAND THAT CREATES MY BURDEN IS THE HAND THAT UPHOLDS ME - ISAIAH 41:10, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
HOW TO PREPARE FOR JUDGMENT
IT'S PROBABLY NO SURPRISE THAT I LINK PREPARATION FOR JUDGMENT WITH JESUS CHRIST. BUT YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND HOW, SO LET ME FIRST GIVE YOU SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR WRONG WAYS TO PREPARE FOR JUDGMENT THAT MISUNDERSTAND TO WORK OF CHRIST.
1. I'M GOING TO BE THE BEST PERSON I CAN BE, SORT OF LIKE CHRIST! WRONG! NO ONE CAN BE GOOD ENOUGH TO SURVIVE THE JUDGMENT. ROMANS 3:12 SAYS,"They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." YOU CANNOT MAKE YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN!
2. I'M GOING TO DO WHAT JESUS TELLS ME TO DO TO SAVE MYSELF! WRONG! JESUS DID NOT COME TO SHOW US HOW TO SAVE OURSELVES; HE CAME TO SAVE US! EPHESIANS 1:7 SAYS, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace" (N.I.V.). THE ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT JESUS DID SOMETHING FOR US THAT WE COULD NOT DO!
3. THE CROSS SHOWS US A GLORIOUS DISPLAY OF GOD'S LOVE, TELLING US THAT HE IS READY TO FORGIVE! WRONG! THAT'S NOT WHAT THE CROSS WAS ALL ABOUT. THE CROSS PROCURED FORGIVENESS. IT DID NOT DISPLAY IT! LISTEN TO ROMANS 3:25, "God gave him as a sacrifice to pay for sins" (N.I.V. READER'S VERSION).
OKAY, THEN, WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY? FAITH!! EXPLAIN FAITH! "to so believe in Christ that I give him my worship in word and deed by resting in his will, trusting in his provisions, praising & obeying him in every circumstance of my life, turning to him in my time of need, and displaying his value to me by showing myself satisfied in him." FAITH IS NOT JUST BELIEVING IN ANY OLD FASHION, BUT ONE THAT MAGNIFIES THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE!
1. I'M GOING TO BE THE BEST PERSON I CAN BE, SORT OF LIKE CHRIST! WRONG! NO ONE CAN BE GOOD ENOUGH TO SURVIVE THE JUDGMENT. ROMANS 3:12 SAYS,"They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." YOU CANNOT MAKE YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN!
2. I'M GOING TO DO WHAT JESUS TELLS ME TO DO TO SAVE MYSELF! WRONG! JESUS DID NOT COME TO SHOW US HOW TO SAVE OURSELVES; HE CAME TO SAVE US! EPHESIANS 1:7 SAYS, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace" (N.I.V.). THE ESSENCE OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT JESUS DID SOMETHING FOR US THAT WE COULD NOT DO!
3. THE CROSS SHOWS US A GLORIOUS DISPLAY OF GOD'S LOVE, TELLING US THAT HE IS READY TO FORGIVE! WRONG! THAT'S NOT WHAT THE CROSS WAS ALL ABOUT. THE CROSS PROCURED FORGIVENESS. IT DID NOT DISPLAY IT! LISTEN TO ROMANS 3:25, "God gave him as a sacrifice to pay for sins" (N.I.V. READER'S VERSION).
OKAY, THEN, WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY? FAITH!! EXPLAIN FAITH! "to so believe in Christ that I give him my worship in word and deed by resting in his will, trusting in his provisions, praising & obeying him in every circumstance of my life, turning to him in my time of need, and displaying his value to me by showing myself satisfied in him." FAITH IS NOT JUST BELIEVING IN ANY OLD FASHION, BUT ONE THAT MAGNIFIES THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST IN YOUR LIFE!
Friday, June 26, 2009
TWO WORLDS, TWO WISDOMS
James 3:15 (King James Version)
"This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish."
OUR BIBLE TELLS US ABOUT TWO VERY DIFFERENT WORLDS THAT ARE ANIMATED BY TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT IS WISE! THE LARGER-BY-FAR OF THESE TWO WORLDS IS POPULATED BY EARTH-DWELLERS - HUMANITY! A GREAT DEAL SMALLER IS THE WORLD OF THOSE WHOSE AFFECTIONS LIVE ON HIGH - BELIEVERS!
THE WISDOM OF EARTH-DWELLERS RELIES ON INFORMATION FROM ONLY THE NATURAL WORLD, GATHERED IN BY THEIR SENSES, BUT MANIPULATED BY MALEVOLENT FORCES. THE WISDOM OF HEAVEN IS JUST THE OPPOSITE. IT RELIES COMPLETELY ON SUPERNATURAL INFORMATION, GATHERED IN BY FAITH, AND BEYOND THE REACH OF DEMONIC TAMPERING.
THIS EARTH-IMPRISONED WISDOM IS DISTORTED, UNRELIABLE, AND DECEPTIVE. GOD'S WISDOM COMES SATRAIGHT FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD, AND IS, THEREFORE, TRUSTWORTHY. IT WILL NEVER LEAD ASTRAY! A ROCK-SOLID LIFE AND WORLDVIEW CAN BE BASED UPON IT.
THE MOST PERNICIOUS CHARACTERISTIC OF EARTH-BOUND WISDOM IS THE WAY IT MESMERIZES THE EARTH-TETHERED SOUL. PROVERBS 14:12 WARNS US, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." IT SEEMS RIGHT TO NATURAL REASON. BELIEVING THEMSELVES TO BE RIGHT IN THEIR TRUTH-SCHEMES, THEY GO UNSUSPECTINGLY TO THE GRAVE, SURPRISED TO DISCOVER THAT TRUE TRUTH HAD ELUDED THEM.
BUT DISAPPOINTMENT WILL BE THE LEAST OF THEIR PROBLEMS. HEBREWS 9:27 ASSURES US, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." JUDGMENT? YES! HAD THEY LISTENED TO THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE, THEY WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE JUDGMENT, BUT COULD HAVE LEARNED HOW TO PROPERLY PREPARE FOR IT.
BUT THAT WILL BE MY NEXT POST....
"This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish."
OUR BIBLE TELLS US ABOUT TWO VERY DIFFERENT WORLDS THAT ARE ANIMATED BY TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT IS WISE! THE LARGER-BY-FAR OF THESE TWO WORLDS IS POPULATED BY EARTH-DWELLERS - HUMANITY! A GREAT DEAL SMALLER IS THE WORLD OF THOSE WHOSE AFFECTIONS LIVE ON HIGH - BELIEVERS!
THE WISDOM OF EARTH-DWELLERS RELIES ON INFORMATION FROM ONLY THE NATURAL WORLD, GATHERED IN BY THEIR SENSES, BUT MANIPULATED BY MALEVOLENT FORCES. THE WISDOM OF HEAVEN IS JUST THE OPPOSITE. IT RELIES COMPLETELY ON SUPERNATURAL INFORMATION, GATHERED IN BY FAITH, AND BEYOND THE REACH OF DEMONIC TAMPERING.
THIS EARTH-IMPRISONED WISDOM IS DISTORTED, UNRELIABLE, AND DECEPTIVE. GOD'S WISDOM COMES SATRAIGHT FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD, AND IS, THEREFORE, TRUSTWORTHY. IT WILL NEVER LEAD ASTRAY! A ROCK-SOLID LIFE AND WORLDVIEW CAN BE BASED UPON IT.
THE MOST PERNICIOUS CHARACTERISTIC OF EARTH-BOUND WISDOM IS THE WAY IT MESMERIZES THE EARTH-TETHERED SOUL. PROVERBS 14:12 WARNS US, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." IT SEEMS RIGHT TO NATURAL REASON. BELIEVING THEMSELVES TO BE RIGHT IN THEIR TRUTH-SCHEMES, THEY GO UNSUSPECTINGLY TO THE GRAVE, SURPRISED TO DISCOVER THAT TRUE TRUTH HAD ELUDED THEM.
BUT DISAPPOINTMENT WILL BE THE LEAST OF THEIR PROBLEMS. HEBREWS 9:27 ASSURES US, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." JUDGMENT? YES! HAD THEY LISTENED TO THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE, THEY WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE JUDGMENT, BUT COULD HAVE LEARNED HOW TO PROPERLY PREPARE FOR IT.
BUT THAT WILL BE MY NEXT POST....
"FOR MY NAME'S SAKE" - I SAM. 12:22
"Once saved always saved!" Do I believe this slogan? No & yes! "No," since it may 1) deceive someone into a mechanistic way of conceiving how their security works; and 2) lead them into the trap of thinking that justification is the end of the journey rather than its beginning. "Yes," since the "name" of God is at stake (I Sam. 12:22). The Lord's zeal for His own glory, not my fickle & feeble efforts, is the effective cause behind the certainty of the believer's security! Does this mean a believer's efforts are irrelevant to his security? Again I answer, "Yes & No!" "Yes," if the ultimate foundation is in view. "Salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9 KJV). And I would add a clarifying statement, "From beginning to end!" In the Bible, the believer is the receiver, God is the Giver - not the other way around. "No," since what God gives to the believer is not simple "preservation," but "perseverance."The gift of perseverance is not given "in spite of" the believer's carnal lifestyle, but comes to him as the "sustainer of" a believing lifestyle!
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