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Divine Sugar Sticks for April 2000
Saturday, April 29, 2000 Growth! Most Christians evidently do not grow. Otherwise, there
would not be a command in the Word of God to grow. 2 Pet 3:18. There are three
stages of growth in 1 John 2:12-14: Babe (little children), young man,
(adolescent, sophomore), and mature fathers. Little children, a babe: They
can produce Divine Good through the filling of the Holy Spirit but they spend
quite a bit of time out of fellowship, carnal. He is
not oriented to the Grace of God and the Plan of God. He
often has a maximum amount of human viewpoint in his mind and very little Divine
Viewpoint. Isa 55:7-8 He is unstable. He
cannot talk or communicate intelligently and usually does not have a frame of
reference. He has to be entertained and amused, and
must receive maximum attention from others. He cannot
eat solid food, but only can take in basics. Does that describe you or I?
Growth – Part Two Adolescent BelieversHe can
produce Divine Good through the filling of the Holy Spirit and application of
the Word of God to experience. He gets violently out
of fellowship and is a troublemaker, but does use 1 John 1:9 quite consistently,
a sophomore with a little knowledge and sometimes dangerous. Mature BelieversHe can
produce Divine Good through the filling of the Holy Spirit. He
has a maximum amount of the Word of God stored in his human spirit. He
is oriented to the Grace of God and he has a relaxed mental attitude. He
is enjoying inner happiness. He has the capacity to love the Lord, his wife, his
children, and others. And enjoys having the mastery over the details of life and
is not a slave to them. He or she has maximum
production because of having no calluses on the soul because of the constant
inhale and exhale of the Word of God. Thus he or she
stays in fellowship a maximum amount of time and out of fellowship a minimum
amount of time. Believers in a Local Church may range all the way from babyhood to complete maturity. Mature believers should teach the baby believers. Mature believers fulfill the salt and light principle found in Matt 5:13-16.
Growth – Part Three There are degrees of growth, but there is no degree of spirituality. While one helps the other, they are different in every respect. Growth in the Christian life does not remain static. There is progression and there is retrogression. One of the great objectives in the Christian life is to get the one who is born again to grow. That is the function of the Local Church. The Local Church is the only Biblically-ordained organization for that function. A zeal without knowledge is unfruitful. Rom 10:2-4, ”For I bear thee record that they have a zeal of God but know according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness are going about to establish their own righteousness. And have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.” Also check out 2 Tim 3:7. Commanded to Grow 1 Pet 2:2, “As new born babes desire the sincere milk
of the Word that ye may grow thereby.” Desire = have an appetite for the Word. ”That I may know Him.”
Soul Breathing! If you are a believer then you are tricotomos, which means you have a spirit, soul, and body. The real you is the soul. We take in air and exhale air in other to breathe and stay alive physically. We also take in the Word of God and exhale the Word of God in our souls, soul breathing. Here is what happens in your soul. Say hello! Self-Consciousness of the Soul Mentality of the Soul Volition or Free Will of the Soul Emotions of the Soul The Conscience of the Soul You inhale the Word of God and the entire soul is breathing. The old sin nature is stopped from distorting the function of the soul and God is glorified. Want to see what you were like in your soul before you
breathed in and out the Word of God? Self-consciousness–you
are aware of yourself. Mentality–you are thinking
only of yourself. Volition–you are making decisions
to please only you. Emotions–you appreciate
thinking about yourself and doing things that satisfy you. Conscience–you
have your own human norms and standards.. Old sin
nature is running full throttle controlling your life, with lusts of all kinds
– materialism lust, approbation lust, sex lust, etc., etc. Isn’t it enough to make you sick?
Heaven’s Three Designations New Heaven, Rev 21:1 The eternal new Heaven The eternal new Earth The eternal new Jerusalem.
Eph 4:17, “This I say therefore and testify in the Lord
that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds.” Eph 4:18, “Having the understanding darkened and
alienated from the life of God through ignorance that is in them because of the
blindness of their minds.” Eph 4:19, “Who, being past feeling, have given
themselves over to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Eph 4:20, “But ye have not so learned Christ.”
Believers are to wise up and stop acting like an unbeliever. The first solution is to get back in fellowship by 1 John
1:9 and begin to take in the Word of God on a crash program. Third solution: Growing to maturity, from babe to adolescent to fathers.
The Holy Spirit in the Church Age 1. The Holy Spirit indwells every regenerate person. Rom
5:5, 8:8-9 Anything the unbeliever can do is not the Christian way of life or spirituality.
Friday, April 28, 2000 The Doctrine of Inheritance 1. Christ is the heir of all things, Heb 1:2 Heir today, gone tomorrow!
The Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ 1. The incarnation is the revealing of
God, through the humanity of Jesus Christ to the human race. The revelation: The purpose of the revelation: John 14:6, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, and no one cometh unto the Father but by Me.” Mary is not the mother of God, as has been taught and still is being taught. Christ died. God can’t die. Mary is the mother of the humanity of Jesus Christ. God doesn’t have a mother. God has a Father. That is Jesus Christ and God the Father. So long Pope!
Greek Grace Gems! 1 Pet 5:5, “Likewise ye younger submit yourselves unto the elder, yea, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth Grace to the humble.” The Greek word for “humility” is TAPEINOPHROSUNE. Humility is a mental attitude thought pattern of Grace. The word here PHROSUNE is thinking, the mind. Grace thinking recognizes that we, at no time, earn or deserve any blessing from God. Humility understands that everything depends on who and what God is and has done. Humility is not self-effacement, like you hear people say, “Aw shucks, that was nothing.” Nor is it telling your failures. Nor is it telling jokes on yourself to show how stupid you are, or standing round shouldered. Humility, Grace thinking, causes a believer to have no illusions about himself. Thus, the believer becomes mature. Instead of having an inferiority complex or superiority complex, he has a relaxed mental attitude. Mental attitude humility produces a relaxed mental attitude towards believers that have authority over them. Only mental attitude Grace can give a believer submission to the teaching authority of another. Pride is the opposite of humility and always resents and rejects the authority of someone teaching the Word of God. Thus, humility greatly increases the learning of the Word of God and, of course, this causes the believer to be spiritually self sustaining. A believer that has the correct Biblical concept of humility, is a wonderful believer to be around. They are relaxed and confident and dogmatic and sure and not double-minded. In the Old Testament, this word appears as a noun three times, in all its forms about 40 times. It is found in the New Testament approximately 15 times.
Believers Being Dishonest in Business Eph 4:28, “Stop stealing now.” Paul is saying you are in the process of stealing. So, stop it now. The present tense means they are doing it now. The active voice means they are doing it. And it is in the imperative mood, which means this is a command to stop. In place of stealing, engage in legitimate business practices. Every believer has the right to make a living and to labor and to work and to work hard. ”That he may give.” The believer also has a responsibility to give to others in need. The believer in business is in full-time Christian service, just as much as any minister or missionary. Dishonesty neutralizes this portion of the Christian’s ministry and duty. Therefore, he is grieving the Holy Spirit and out of fellowship. All day on the job and every day on the job.
The Sins of the Tongue – Among the Seven Worst Sins Eph 4:29, “Every word that is corrupt out of your mouth let it not proceed,” flow out, “but that which is good to the use of building up,” edifying, “that it may give,” minister, ”present Grace in the hearers.” Instead of the sins of the tongue, build, edify, mature. ”Good,” is good that is intrinsically good, Divine
good. The Divine Viewpoint of life. We are to pass Grace on to others – by the
use of the tongue. Most believers today try to minimize the sins of the tongue and the mental attitude sins and build up the sins of an overt nature. Verse 30, the 10 grievances in Eph chapter four. They can
be put into three groups: Verse 31, the results of the grieving of the Holy Spirit. Verse 32, the results of the filling of the Holy Spirit.
The History of Civilization as Related to the Word of God The Divine interpretation of history is set forth in the Word of God. The Bible gives the mind of Christ in regard to the ups and downs of civilizations. According to the Bible, when there is a saturation of the
Word of God in any one generation or period of history, there is prosperity and
blessing from God. Great Britain became great because of her adherence to the Word of God. When the Word of God was forsaken, down went the nation. Likewise the United States. History has proved that God established four Divine
Institutions for both the believer and the unbeliever, for operating in the
devil’s world. God operates through different administrations or
dispensations. Eph 3:1-10 History proves that we learn from history, that we
learn nothing from history.
Greek Grace Gems! The word “hope” in the New Testament is a very special word. It looks like this: ELPIS. It means a joyful anticipation of something that is sure to happen. It’s not like our English word, “hope,” where we wish this will happen. This Greek word said it has to happened. Now, the Hope of Israel is of their coming Messiah at the Second Advent, His kingdom on Earth, plus the new Earth of eternity. Luke 1:54, 67-79, 2:28, Acts 26:6-7, Acts 28:20, Eph 2:12 The Abrahamic covenant, as amplified by the Palestinian,
Davidic, and new covenants promised to Israel: Abraham was promised a city, the New Jerusalem. Abraham, though a millionaire, lived in a tent and his hope was vested in this promise mentioned in Heb 11:9-10. The hope for the Church is centered in the blessed Hope, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Rapture, the return of Christ to catch up His bride. Titus 2:13-15, 1 John 3:2-3, 1 Thes 4:13-18, etc. The Word of God indicates that strength to live the Christian way of life depends upon the believers’ hope, sureness concerning eternity. 1 John 3:3, “And every man that hath this hope in Him purified himself, even as He is pure.” Hope is the mental attitude that results from application of the Word, such as an eternal inheritance. 1 Pet 1:4-5, the new home, yet future. John 14:1-3, the resurrection body, 1 Cor 15:51-57, Phil 3:21, 1 John 3:1-2. Hope is derived from such passages as Rev 21:4, which states there will be no more tears, death, pain. Hope is a kind word with encouragement and confidence. Because of hope we have in Christ, death has lost its sting and the grave its victory, 1 Cor 15:54-58. Therefore, the word, “hopeless,” should not even be in the vocabulary of a believer. That is a word for the unbeliever who is without hope, without Christ, and without eternal life.
The Ministry of God the Holy Spirit in the Millennium! 1. All believers of all ages will be in resurrection bodies in the Millennium, with the exception of the Tribulational believers. 2. Tribulational believers who are alive at the Second Advent will go into the Millennium in their physical bodies. 3. These believers in physical bodies will be indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. 4. All believers in physical bodies, non-resurrection
bodies, will have old sin natures. 5. When Jesus Christ returns to the Earth at the Second Advent, all the demons will be removed from the Earth, including Satan. Therefore, there will be no religion. 6. Because Christ is on the Earth and it is not necessary to produce the character of Christ, spirituality then becomes a matter of ecstatics, which is an appreciation for the person of Christ as He lives and reigns on this Earth. 7. There will be great spirituality in the Millennium
because Jesus Christ will be present and there will be perfect environment. Joel
2:28-29. Verse 29, “Upon the servants and upon the handmaids.”
All believers in the Millennium will be indwelt by God the Holy Spirit. Now, with this in mind, you can look forward to it and you will know it when you get there.
The Holy Spirit’s Ministry in the Old Testament 1. The Holy Spirit never permanently indwelt anyone in the Old Testament. 2. He came upon them and empowered them for a special function and then left. 3. Joseph was the first believer mentioned as being empowered in Gen 41:38 and he was empowered by the Holy Spirit to preserve a nation from starvation during a famine. 4. Bezaleel and Aholiab, workers on the tabernacle, were given special wisdom and ability through the Holy Spirit, Ex 35:30-35. 5. Moses and the elders, 70, who helped him were empowered by the Holy Spirit to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, Num 11:16-17. 6. The workers on Aaron’s garments, Ex 28:3. 7. King David was empowered, 1 Sam 16:13. 8. King Saul was empowered, 1 Sam 10:6. Saul could have been Israel’s greatest king. but through sin and continuous disobedience, the Holy Spirit left Saul, 1 Sam 16:14. 9. The prophets were empowered. Elijah and Elisha in 1 and 2 Kings. Isaiah and Daniel in 2 Pet 1:21. 10. Samson, a judge, was empowered, Judges 13:25, 14:6, 15:14. The Holy Spirit empowered specific people for specific jobs. The Holy Spirit gave some people special understanding and wisdom. Some became great leaders of God’s people, such as some of the judges. Some, to reveal God’s Word, were writers of the Old Testament. The Holy Sspirit gave some special skills or unusual physical strength for use in God’s service, such as: Workers on the tabernacle, Samson. And the Holy Spirit was removed because: The work was finished or because of sin. David prayed “Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me,” because he could lose the Holy Spirit. But we can’t, so don’t pray David’s prayer. We can quench and grieve the Holy Spirit, but He, too, will never leave you, along with God the Father and God the Son.
Thursday, April 27, 2000 Inner Beauty! 1. What you think cannot be seen in either male or
female. But, the result of what you think is apparent. “As a man thinketh in
his mind so is he.” Inner beauty is ageless.
Inner Beauty – Part Two 1. A woman cannot win her unbelieving husband to the Lord apart from inner beauty, which is accomplished through the filling of the Spirit and knowledge of the Word of God. This results in her being Grace oriented, having inner happiness, a relaxed mental attitude, capacity for love and life, and the mastery over the details of life. 2. This is the woman’s charm, but it also belongs to all believers who are controlled by God the Holy Spirit and have the Word of God stored in their human spirit. 1 Tim 2:9, 10, 15. 1 Tim 2:9, “Modest apparel” is well-arranged apparel. 1 Tim 2:10, Godliness, God-like-ness 1 Tim 2:11 “If” is a 3rd class condition, which means potential. In faith, faith in the Word. “Charity,” is the filling of the Holy Spirit. “Love” is sobriety, mental attitude stability. Inner happiness is God’s cold cream. It’s ageless.
Most people when they talk about the Lord Jesus Christ say that He is a good man and a good teacher and an ethical person and that He never did anything wrong, like Pontius Pilate, “I find no fault in Him.” They also say that the God of the Old Testament is full of wrath and punishment. But the God of the New Testament is love and compassion. They refer to Jesus Christ in contrast to the Old Testament as “sweet Jesus.” Since Jesus Christ is true humanity and also absolute Divinity, He is the God of the Old Testament and of the New Testament and He will display to you what it is that makes Him, God, angry. Now here is one verse, if you will concentrate you will see all the essence of God in Christ – love and Grace and compassion and also wrath and anger. And, what is it that Christ is angry with? Matt 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee. How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings.” Now right there you see love, compassion, and Grace. “Sweet
Jesus.” Notice this other verse where Christ gets angry again. ”Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” No, the God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. The only problem is, is that Jesus Christ is more than love.
Wednesday, April 26, 2000 God is Love! Many people say that God is love, and He is. When you ask them, “Is that in the Bible?” They say, “Yes.” And when you ask them to show it to you, they can’t find it. But it is in the Bible. Do you know where it is? Can you find it without using software? Well, God is love, but that is not all He is. So don’t stop there. He is also righteousness and justice, and that means wrath. If you want to know what makes God mad, I will tell you. Do you want to make Him mad? I know how. Do you want to do it, since you think He is only love. Well, this is how you do it. It is very easy. God gets angry when love’s purposes are frustrated. Find out what made the Lord Jesus Christ mad. ”He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life, but he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
Eph 1:13, “In Whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation, in Whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” Three stages to salvation are given in this passage. 1. You must hear the Word of Truth. ”After that when ye
heard the Word of Truth.” The sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit is the basis of our eternal security, Eph 4:30. Sealing indicates:
Eph 1:14, “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of glory.” A portion of our inheritance. A. The Holy Spirit is the earnest down payment of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, which is the resurrection of the believer’s body at the Rapture, 1 Thes 4:13-18 B. “Earnest” in the Greek means a dot with a circle around it. The Lord has put a circle around us. We are His possession. And this is our position in Christ. 2 Cor 1:22, “He hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our minds.” We are His possession and He is our possession. He owns us and we own Him.
Results of the Filling of the Holy Spirit A. Imitation of Christ, John 16:14, 2
Cor 3:3, Phil 1:20, Gal 4:19 ”Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.”
The Doctrine of the Transition of God the Holy Spirit A. Just as the Holy Spirit sustained the humanity of the
Lord Jesus Christ during His ministry, so the Holy Spirit sustains the believer
in the Lord Jesus Christ. John 14:12 ”Put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” i.e., the filling of the Holy Spirit. Rom 13:14 accomplished by 1 John 1:9.
Greek Grace Gems! Eph 5:1, “Be ye therefore follows of God as dear children.” The Greek word for “followers” is literally “imitators.” MIMEOMAI, the word from which we get mimic. 1. As members of the family of God we should bear the
family resemblance, Gal 3:26, 1 John 1:1
Tuesday, April 25, 2000 Biblical Principles on Giving 1. The more you give, the more you receive back, 2 Cor
9:6. It is the principle found in Prov 11:24-25 where the farmer is planting a
seed. The more he sows, the more he harvests. 2. Giving is a mental attitude, 2 Cor 9:7. “Cheerful” is the Greek word HILASTERION. Many transliterate it as hilarious but that is not translation. The meaning is mentally stimulated. 3. The more money you give as a believer, the more money God supplies to you so you can keep on giving, 2 Cor 9:10. God provides the seed in the first place and He is in it all the way. 4. Giving results in enrichment, 2 Cor 9:11a. The word “bountifulness” means blessing and the more faith you exercise, the more enrichment you receive. It is all a non-meritorious action. 5. God’s Divine essence guarantees these things, 2 Cor 9:8-9. Sovereignty, immutability, backs up the doctrine of Grace in giving. 6. Both the giving and the administration of money should glorify the Lord, 2 Cor 9:1. 7. A collection and/or offering and/or Christian giving should not embarrass anyone, 2 Cor 9:3-4. There are some 22 principle of giving in this context and if anyone is interested I would be glad to give you the whole list. The main principle I find is this, As the Lord has prospered you, so you purpose in your mind how you will give.
The believer’s greatest occupational hazard is disorientation to the Grace of God, Gal 5:4, Heb 12:15 1. You are out of fellowship with the
Lord, carnal. Grace and salvation is stated as a principle. A. Grace is involved in prayer, Heb
4:16 What have we that we haven’t received it from the Lord
and why do we act as if we haven’t?
Grace is the Basis for the Production of Divine Good 2 Cor 15:10, 2 Cor 6:1, 2 Cor 9:8, 2 Cor 9:11 1 Pet 2:19, “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.” The word in that text translated “thankworthy” is the Greek word CHARIS, which is Grace, and not thankworthy. Please correct the translation. Translators are trying to keep the Grace of God from you, and we need all the Grace we can get. He giveth more Grace. When the going gets rougher, He giveth and giveth and giveth more Grace.
Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” 1. Giving expresses the principle of Grace. Grace giving is the principle, not gimmick giving.
Hebrew Honeys! We are going to look at the verb “to kill” in the Hebrew language, using the following Hebrew stems. 1. Qal stem, active voice, indicative mood. Declarative.
Kills The believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should be familiar with both the Greek and the Hebrew alphabet and basic grammar because knowing the original languages are the basis for accurate Bible teaching.
Heaven! There are three heavens. In 2 Cor 12:1-3 Paul was caught up into the third Heaven. If there is a third, then there are two others, second and a first. The first Heaven, the atmosphere all around us. Probably up to 90 to 100 miles out, gravity may be the boundary. Second Heaven, the abode of the angels. This includes the galaxies and stars and planets. Billions upon billions of light years of space with millions of celestial bodies moving at rapid rates of speed. Isa 14:13 and other passages. You can come to this conclusion by a careful study of the stars and categories. “Star” or “stars” refer to angels, and the abode of angels. Your wife may be an angel but she didn’t come from Mars or Venus, but angels do. The third Heaven. The presence of God, the throne room. Billions and billions of light year away. Where Jesus Christ is right now, Heb 9:24. It is called the Heaven of heavens. Duet 10:14 angels are also in the third Heaven. At this time Satan has access into the third Heaven where God the Father abides. Job chapter 1 and 2. He will not have that access after the middle of the Tribulation. Compare Rev 9:1, “star,” refers to Satan with Rev 12:3-4. Satan was the cherub who guarded the throne and when he fell, he influenced a number of angels, probably one third, Ezek 28:14, “Thou art the anointed cherub,” angel, highest rank, messianic angel, “That covereth,” that guards, “the holy mountain of God.” Rev 12:4 refers to a third part of the stars, angels of Heaven. Now, Satan goes up to the throne room on those occasions when angels assemble. Rev 21:10, Job chapter 1 and 2, Zech 3, and at other times he is in the second heaven or on Earth. He apparently commutes all over in fulfilling his rulership of the Earth.
Five Sins Against God the Holy Spirit By the unbeliever only: 1. Resisting the Holy Spirit. Acts 7:51. This is rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Church Age. This is the pre-salvation ministry of God the Holy Spirit in a convicting ministry, John 16:7-11, of: A. Sin of unbelief in Christ Rejecting Jesus Christ is resisting the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 2. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Matt 12:31-32 Rejection of Jesus Christ while Jesus Christ was ministering on the Earth, the previous dispensation of the Jewish Age. Jesus Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit during His earthy ministry and to reject Him was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, an unpardonable sin. By the believer: All of these are a result of the believer being controlled by his old sin nature. A. Lying to the Holy Spirit. Acts 5:3,
false motivation, approbation lust. ”Do it as unto the Lord” or don’t do it.
Monday, April 24, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! Acts 27:17, “Which when they had taken up they used helps, undergirding the ship and fearing lest they should fall into quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.” The Greek word for “quicksands” is the word SYRTIS. The Syrtes, Major and Minor, lie on the north coast of Africa, between the headlands of Tunis and Barca. They have been regarded as dangerous to mariners, from the early times, both from the character of the sands and from the cross current of the adjoining waters. In the voyage described in this chapter, the vessel had left the shelter of the island of Canda and was drifting before the N.E. wind EURAQUILO. The mariners might well fear that they would be driven on the Syrtes on the leeward of their course. The changing character of the tempest, however, drove them into the sea of Adria. Whatever the Bible covers, you can believe it is accurate even when it comes to quicksands.
Greek Grace Gems! The word “rainbow” is the word IRIS, the flower which describes the rainbow seen in the heavenly vision, Rev 4:3. It is emblematic of the fact that in the exercise of God’s absolute sovereignty and perfect commands, he will remember is covenant concerning the Earth. Gen 9:9-17 In Rev 10:1, “the rainbow,” the definite article suggests a connection with the scene in Rev 4:3 and here it rests upon the head of an angel who declares that, “There shall be no delay no longer.” The actual meaning is the mercy is to be shown to the Earth must be preceded by the execution of Divine judgment upon the nations who defy God and His Christ. Ezek 1:28 The next time you see a rainbow, see the Redeemer.
Sunday, April 23, 2000 - Easter Sunday Thoughts about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ If Christ has not risen, what then? 1. We are still lost without hope and without eternal
life and without Christ. You can add others. But He arose! He is risen!
I am sorry friends, but the latest news has really made me ashamed that I am an American. I fought in World War II and some of the tactics that we fought against are now being demonstrated by our country. Breaking down doors and cursing, with armed assault weapons and hitting people over the head with their rifles and having no respect for Easter, yet having respect for the Moslem religion. We are like Israel wishing for a king like the other nations and we have one. Sounds like Hitler or Stalin or Castro ... Truly I agree with the woman who said “he disgraced the White House and now he is disgracing our house.” The Cubans ran away from Communism and looked for freedom in our country and what they found was another Communist country and no freedom. Thank God we have Christ and Christ is the only One who makes us free. It is going to be interesting to see how long the Lord allows this country to remain. I don’t believe our country will be here when the Tribulation occurs. Sorry if I offended you, but as an American soldier fighting for freedom, this smacks of slavery. A president who is a draft dodger, supposedly non-militant, this sure is a display of militancy. ”Cast all your cares on Him for He careth for you.”
Saturday, April 22, 2000 Thoughts about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ: During our life time, we end up with scars and bruises. Even in childhood we fall off our bikes or fall down in the playground. I tripped over a tennis racket and broke my arm, for example. Even if you have never had an accident that left a scar on your body, when you get older, it is evident that you are getting older and there are marks on your body which are old age marks. Some even try to remove them. Ashley, my granddaughter, said to me, “Gramps, your hands look old.” And I said, “They sure do, Honey, because I AM old.” So, we all end up with marks and bruises and scars of one sort or another and there are some people who are only too proud to show you their operation. Well, when we depart and are with the Lord, we will no longer have any scars or marks on our body. But He will! ”They shall look upon Him whom they have pierced.” He will always be identified as our only Saviour. Where did you get those scars, Lord?
Thoughts about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ Christ mentioned two resurrections! John 5:29, “And some shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” The first one may well be the final aim of a Christian’s life. The second one is a fate which one would think no sane man would deliberately provoke. Each carries in its name, life and damnation, its dominant characteristic. One, life, is full of attractiveness. And the other, damnation, partially unveiling depths of shame and punitive retribution, which might appall even the strongest of souls. Which will it be for you and yours? We are all going to be resurrected, but what kind of a body are you looking for?
Friday, April 21, 2000 The news stated today that the Pope was hearing confessions on Good Friday, which he says is the crucifixion of Christ. First of all, no one can receive confession of sins but God. No one can forgive sins but God. Confession of sin for the unbeliever doesn’t bring salvation. Only faith in Christ does. Sin is not the issue to the unbeliever, but Christ is the issue since He paid for all sins. Sin is the issue in the believer’s life, to restore us back to fellowship with God again. Secondly, the Pope has the wrong day. Christ was not crucified on Friday. It was on Wednesday. Jewish time: Wednesday night to Thursday night is one
day.
This time of the year we are celebrating the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the first time in history we have a man, a human being, sitting at the right hand of God the Father. Because He sits there, we can sit there, too, if you choose. Because He arose, we will arise also in a resurrection body exactly like His, and we will be like Him because of seeing Him as He is. But, did you know that when Christ arose, He did not rise alone? No, He sure did not. Did you know when Christ arose we arose with Him? Col 3:1, “If ye then be risen with Christ.” ”If”
is a first class condition in the Greek and it means “if and it is true.” Now, you can celebrate the resurrection of Christ and that you as a believer have risen with Him. “Therefore, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” This may add something to your Easter. Remember it’s not a rabbit, but it is a Lamb we are looking for.
Thursday, April 20, 2000 Greek Grace Gems! Eph 3:17, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by
faith. That ye being grounded and rooted in love.” There are 14 different words for “dwell” in the Greek language. And this one that God the Holy Spirit chose out of the 14 is a very interesting one. KATAOIKEO. OIKEO means to “dwell.” KATA means “down.” The literal translation is that Christ may be at home in your mind. He indwells all believers but He is not at home in all believers. Being at home means a place where you can take off your tie and take off your shoes and relax because you are at home. Question: Is Christ at home in our minds? Can He take His shoes off? And be at home?
Wednesday, April 19, 2000 The Doctrine of the “First Born” 1. This is the eldest son’s exclusive right of
inheritance. Primogeniture. Now, in connection with the Lord Jesus Christ: 1st: Saviour–First Advent. Ruler–Second Advent 1st: Spiritual death, Psa 22:1 1st: Jesus Christ seated at the right
hand of the Father
Grace Provided in Order for the Believer to Live the Christian Way of Life 1. Prayer. Find Grace in time of need. Heb 4:16 What would we do without the Grace of God? Well, we just wouldn’t!
Grace and Peace be Multiplied Unto You From God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. The entrance factor is found in 1 Pet 2:3. Every
believer has tasted God’s Grace at least once at the Cross. The Cross is the
maximum expression of Grace. 2. The Christian way of life has a plan. Rom 8:29. In all
phases, we as believers are to be conformed to the image of His Son. How is this
accomplished?
Percentage of Giving … How Much do You Give? 1. In the Old Testament A. They gave tithes, plural, to the
Levites to maintain the temple. Num 18:21-24. There is no temple today. It was
destroyed in 70 A.D. In Deut 14:28-29 Israel tithed 2/10 or 3/10 of their income. 2. In the New Testament Tithing in the New Testament is never enjoined. Remember the Mosaic Law has been set aside since the day of Pentecost, when the Church Age began. ”As God has prospered you.” It may be more than 10
percent or less then 10 percent.
Eight Ways in Which God is Faithful to You as a Believer in Christ! You may find yourself in one of these eight situations, so here is a promise for each and every one of them for you to claim. 1. When you sin as a believer, God is still faithful to
you. 2. When you think you can lose your salvation, eternal
security. 3. If you are unstable, there is stability for you. 4. In times of pressure, there is the faithfulness of
God. 5. Fellowship provided for you by the faithfulness of God
in time. 6. God will keep His promise to you because of His
faithfulness. 7. If you suffer, God is still faithful. 8. A eternal future for you is provided by the
faithfulness of God. Lam 3:22-23, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness.”
God Resists the Proud and Gives Grace to the Humble Isa 30:18, “And therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you and therefore will He be exalted.” You exalt the Lord when you receive and appreciate His Grace. The interesting thing in this verse is the verb “wait.” This is one of those Hebrew Honeys again. The Hebrew word is CHAKAM and it means that the Lord is tapping His foot waiting to pour out His Grace on you. ”For by Grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Well, there is the old math and now we have the new math. But there is an ancient math. You find it in most of the salutations in the different books of the Bible. God never adds or subtracts. He always multiplies. Now, there is a beautiful study found right in the structure of the Word of God itself, and it would be a good outline for pastors, missionaries, Sunday School classes, Bible studies, and individual studies. It is found in 1 Pet 1:2-25 and I will send this great outline next time. You say you can’t wait! Yea, I believe that.
Grace and Peace Multiplied, 1 Pet 1:1-25. You can take this to the bank. Grace is Multiplied. Peace is Multiplied. Both the multiplication of Grace and peace end the same
way–with emphasis on the Word of God.
Tuesday, April 18, 2000 Another Hebrew Honey! We all heard about having a “Mac attack.” Well, here
is one: The Hebrew word here is AMAC, which literally means, “daily beareth our burdens.” It is a remarkable blending of majesty and
condescension. “Blessed is the Lord. Here is the Highest who daily beareth our
burdens.” And that is the lowest. Notice the Hebrew again. “Day by day beareth our
burdens.”
A Hebrew Honey! There is an idiom which runs throughout the book of Jeremiah. It occurs 11 times in the book. Here is one of the 11, and you can look the others up for your own personal Bible study. Jer 7:13, “And now because ye have done all these works, saith the Lord and I speak unto you rising up early and speaking but ye hear not. And I called you, but ye answered not.” ”Rising up early” appears 11 times in Jeremiah. The Hebrew word is SHAKAM, which means to incline the shoulder to a burden, to load up on the back of a beast and start early in the morning before anyone is up. Before you even get up, He is already carrying your burdens ... while you sleep. Here are the other places this idiom is found: Repetition is theological glue.
How to Apply the Essence of God to the Lord Jesus Christ 1. Jesus Christ is righteous. He cannot be unrighteous or
unfair.
The Essence of God’s Love Applied. God is Love. 1. God’s love is perfect, even as God is perfect. Psa
18:30 Wouldn’t you like to have a lover like that for your very own? It is as simple as “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Who loves you baby?
The Firsts of the Human Race 1. Gen 2:9, the first test for volition. One tree–negative
volition was the only way in which man could sin in innocence. The Lord God made coats of skins. God did the work. The
coats of skin were obtained by the shedding of blood. Heb 9:22, 1 Pet 1:18-19.
And He clothed them. They were spiritually dead, no fellowship with God. The issue is good versus good. Human good versus Divine Good. The coats of skin versus fig leaves. ”Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.”
Monday, April 17, 2000 12 Principles Regarding the Grace of God Isa 54:6, “For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit and a wife of youth when thou wast refused, saith thy God.” 1. There is no more undeserving creature in the universe
than a jealous, maligning and nagging woman.
Greek Grace Gems Eph 3:19, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” 1. The Greek word for “fullness” is PLEROO. 2. The importance of this word PLEROO:
Grace in Operation 1. Grace always depends upon the character of the person,
not on the merits of another.
Four Areas of Human Pride Which Reject the Grace of God. 1. The pride of the believer who rejects eternal
security. 2. The pride of the believer who succumbs to the
pressures of adversity. 3. The pride of pseudo-spirituality. 4. The pride of the emotional believer. ”Pride goeth before a fall.” He “resists the proud and gives Grace to the humble.”
Grace in Salvation is Stated as a Principle Eph 2:8-9, “For by Grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, and not of works lest any man should boast.” Psa 103:8, “The Lord is merciful and gracious and slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.” Verse 10, “He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” Verse 11, “For as the Heaven is high above the Earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him.” Verse 12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” See also the following passages for the same principle of
Grace in salvation:
Grace and the Christian Way of Life Are Stated as a Principle A. Grace is involved in prayer. Heb 4:16
Flattery! Prov 28:23, “He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue.” 1. Flattery here in the Hebrew is causative, a HIPHIL
stem which means “to smooth, to flatter, or to flirt.”
Don’t Turn Friendship Into Intrusiveness! Prov 25:17, “Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor’s house, lest he be weary of thee and so hate thee.” 1. Respect the privacy of others.
Rom 12:3, “For I say through the Grace given unto me, to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” 1. Faith is thinking and making use of the Word of God in
applying the Word. There is no merit in faith. All the merit is in the
Object of faith – Christ and the Word of God.
Grace and Peace Mentioned in the Following Verses Gal 1:3, Eph 1:2, Phil 1:2, Col 1:2, 1 Thess 1:2, 2 Thess 1:2, 1 Tim 1:2, 2 Tim 1:2, Titus 1:2, Philemon 1:3, 1 Pet 1:2, 2 Pet 1:2, 2 John 1:3 1. It is technical in order – Grace always comes before peace. 2. Grace is the title for God’s plan, operation Grace. 3. Grace is the work of God on behalf of man—all that God is free to do for man on the basis of the Cross, which is the maximum expression of Grace. 4. Grace is unmerited favor. God does the work, man does not earn or deserve it or work for it. God gets the glory. Isa 30:18-19 5. “Grace unto you” is a dative of advantage. It is to the advantage of a person to come under the Grace of God. 6. “And peace.” Inner stability is always a result of Grace. It comes from the utilization and the appropriation of Grace. 7. “From” is APO in the Greek – from the ultimate source and origin of Grace and peace. 8. “God the Father,” the first Source, the Author of the Divine plan, the Planner. 9. “And the Lord Jesus Christ,” the second Source. He executed the plan and went to the Cross, which made provision for entrance into the plan of God. For stages one, two, and three of God’s plan, God’s righteousness and justice were satisfied at the Cross. 10. The Holy Spirit is not mentioned in the salutation
because, while the Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and with the Son, the
ministry of the Holy Spirit is a behind-the-scenes ministry. 11. The Holy Spirit is never mentioned in a salutation, but is mentioned in the benediction in 2 Cor 13:14. All the above verses or salutations repeat these very same principles.
Giving – Grace or Gimmick? Acts 20:35. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” 1. Giving expresses the principle of Grace. If you want to be reminded of the Grace of God and the more you are reminded of the principle of Grace, the more you are oriented to Grace. So give ...
The Dangers of Money to the Unbeliever 1. Salvation has been paid for, 1 Pet 1:18-19, therefore
it cannot be purchased with money. Mark 8:36-37
The Danger of Money to the Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ 1. Money can keep a believer from honoring the Lord Jesus Christ, the purpose for which he is left here on this Earth. Ecc 5:10-21, Ecc 6:21. Solomon was a rich king, but he crowded out the Lord. 2. Money can be a source of temptation. 1 Tim 6:7-19 3. Believers should spend their money wisely. 1 Tim 6:8. Investigate carefully before you give. Don’t give to groups and organizations that send people to hell and give them a good feeling about it, too. Give money to the glory of the Lord. 4. Believers do not give into the storehouse treasury. Mal 3:10. The local Church needs money, but you don’t give it through the Church only. The storehouse is not New Testament giving. There is no storehouse today. 5. Two other passages that deal with the believer and his
money are:
Illusions About Money, From the Human Viewpoint … 1. Money is happiness. False. The Word of God brings
happiness.
Friday, April 14, 2000 If we have been illuminated, enlightened, comforted, and encouraged by the Word of God while on Earth here as Christians, what will it be like where we go Home? Just think of not having a temporary tent and the old sin nature – with which to struggle while we are here, with all its trends and lust patterns – and we’ll be in a resurrection body, and in the presence of the pure Blaze of the Light of the Word Himself. Here are a few concepts to think about. Psa 17:15, “As for me, I will behold Thy face in
righteousness and I shall be satisfied, when I awake with Thy presence.” ... Sitting at the right hand of God.
“The common people heard the Lord gladly.” ”I have revealed My Word to children, babes.” You don’t have to be a genius to understand the Word of God. A distinction should be made between human IQ, which is diving your mental age by your chronological age. Whereas your spiritual IQ is determined by the amount of knowledge of the Word of God you have stored in your human spirit. 2 Pet 1:1-11 The stages of growing in Grace by the knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ: 1. The communication of the Word of God, in a local
church, with a pastor-teacher. 2. Comprehension of the Word of God. Eph 3:18, hearing
the Word of God as per 3. The storage stage whereby the human spirit is filled
with knowledge by faith, 4. The frame of reference where the Word is cycled into the norms or standards of the conscience. This great stabilizer allows the Word of God to be applied in pressure situations, Eph 3:19. 5. The exhale of the Word of God from the human spirit,
and the frame of reference. 6. Residual doctrine in the human spirit and frame of reference becomes the building blocks for edification — which is Grace orientation, mastery over the details of life, a relaxed mental attitude, capacity for love and life, and inner happiness. That is being edified!
There are three types of sin: In the conception of the humanity of the Lord Jesus
Christ 2 Cor 5:21, “For He,” God the Father, “hath made Him,” God the Son, to be sin for us who,” Jesus Christ, “knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness,” absolute righteousness, of God in Him,” in the Lord Jesus Christ. Conclusion: Therefore, the man, the male, is responsible for passing on the old sin nature. Rom 5:12, “For by one man sin entered into the world.”
So that those of you who are my friends and fellow Christians will not be deceived, I am truly A LIBERAL. Don’t shoot me! Just hold on for a moment because you are as liberal as I am if you think about it. ”Oh no, I am not!” “Oh yes you are!” James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men ‘liberally’ and upbraided not, and it shall be given him.” The Lord is a liberal ... a liberal giver ... That is a true liberal!
Jesus Christ and His Essence Applied 1. Jesus Christ is God. The essence of Christ applied. The justice of the Judge, the Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the secrets of living the Christian way of life is to apply the essence of God to your own personal experience. Here is an example of the essence of God applied: 1. God’s love is perfect, even as God is perfect. Psa
18:30. God’s essence applied.
God is Light and in Him There is No Darkness At All. The Essence of God Revealed. Like all colors in light are not manifest at the same time, so all characteristics of God are not manifest at one time. There is a light spectrum. Characteristics of God are rarely all manifest at one time. Just as the various colors of light may not all be manifested at the same time. Example:
The Faithfulness of God. God is Faithful. God expresses His faithfulness to us in eight different ways: 1. The faithfulness of God to forgive the believers’
sin. 1 John 1:9 |
