Saturday, October 27, 2012
Be sweet and Kind as the Lord our Savior is to us!
If we are to partake of the sufferings of Christ, then we must be betrayed, just as He was. We have to know the brokenness of the heart of the Father in order to have fellowship with Him! We should be sweet and kind to everyone, treating all mankind with the same gracious manner as the Lord Himself would.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Unforgiveness & Circumcision
"And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin."
Why did I write that verse? It is because I want to talk about circumcision and how it is still relevant in our generation. We seem to have a thought that circumcision is only for a certain age. It is never to late nor to early for the Lord to operate on our hearts. In the Old Testament we see it represents the Old Covenant and that covenant referred to the fleshly action. After the blood of Christ was shed we have been given a New Covenant and this covenant refers to the spiritual aspect. This passage in Genesis refers to the flesh, but we can apply this to the spiritual side. No matter how old or young we may be, God can still circumcise our hearts if we all Him to do so.
We have many holidays fast approaching: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We tend to go from Halloween straight to Christmas and completely skip the holiday of thankfulness. We must be careful to not put our minds so far in the future that we loose sight for the present things. We must be careful to not loose the thoughts of thanksgiving.
A Pastor explained the heart in a way that opened my eyes and helped me to understand it a little more in the spirit. Our hearts have many chambers and that is the same concerning our spiritual hearts. Each chamber has a name and a purpose of flow. When one has a heart attack it is because a chamber has been blocked and nothing can go through anymore. One of our chambers is called unforgiveness.
In Isaiah 28:10, "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" We tend to let go on the "little things" and not realize that a lot of little things over time will cause a blockage in the chambers of our hearts. If we don't practice forgiving people in the little things, when the big trial comes we will not be able to forgive.
Mark 11:25-26, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." There are many who are called to pray (Jam. 5:16). Did you know that if you have a blockage in our life that it will effect your prayers. Take heed to what the Lord says to you. We can pray, but if we have a "clogged artery" in the chamber of unforgiveness, then it will be a hindrance. Once that hindrance is removed, then our prayers may be lifted up.
When God is showing to us His mercy and making a way for us to give to Him our problems, then we must be quick to respond (Ps. 103:8). Make sure that you are practicing your quick response to the Lord. We should not take what the Lord has to say lightly because He sees what is ahead and knows that we need to remove this hindrance otherwise we will have unnecessary scares. Those who do not listen and obey immediately a lot of time suffer unnecessary battle scares. Take heed to the warning of our Heavenly Father no matter how hard or painful it is. God has the grace and strength and if we ask Him for it and seek for it, then He can remove it.
Why did I write that verse? It is because I want to talk about circumcision and how it is still relevant in our generation. We seem to have a thought that circumcision is only for a certain age. It is never to late nor to early for the Lord to operate on our hearts. In the Old Testament we see it represents the Old Covenant and that covenant referred to the fleshly action. After the blood of Christ was shed we have been given a New Covenant and this covenant refers to the spiritual aspect. This passage in Genesis refers to the flesh, but we can apply this to the spiritual side. No matter how old or young we may be, God can still circumcise our hearts if we all Him to do so.
We have many holidays fast approaching: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We tend to go from Halloween straight to Christmas and completely skip the holiday of thankfulness. We must be careful to not put our minds so far in the future that we loose sight for the present things. We must be careful to not loose the thoughts of thanksgiving.
A Pastor explained the heart in a way that opened my eyes and helped me to understand it a little more in the spirit. Our hearts have many chambers and that is the same concerning our spiritual hearts. Each chamber has a name and a purpose of flow. When one has a heart attack it is because a chamber has been blocked and nothing can go through anymore. One of our chambers is called unforgiveness.
In Isaiah 28:10, "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:" We tend to let go on the "little things" and not realize that a lot of little things over time will cause a blockage in the chambers of our hearts. If we don't practice forgiving people in the little things, when the big trial comes we will not be able to forgive.
Mark 11:25-26, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." There are many who are called to pray (Jam. 5:16). Did you know that if you have a blockage in our life that it will effect your prayers. Take heed to what the Lord says to you. We can pray, but if we have a "clogged artery" in the chamber of unforgiveness, then it will be a hindrance. Once that hindrance is removed, then our prayers may be lifted up.
When God is showing to us His mercy and making a way for us to give to Him our problems, then we must be quick to respond (Ps. 103:8). Make sure that you are practicing your quick response to the Lord. We should not take what the Lord has to say lightly because He sees what is ahead and knows that we need to remove this hindrance otherwise we will have unnecessary scares. Those who do not listen and obey immediately a lot of time suffer unnecessary battle scares. Take heed to the warning of our Heavenly Father no matter how hard or painful it is. God has the grace and strength and if we ask Him for it and seek for it, then He can remove it.
Don't be so focused on the promises that when God puts His finger on an area of our life we aren't paying attention.
God Bless!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Arise, Joshua Generation!
We are living in an Age like no other! We are the "Joshua Generation" who will soon obtain our inheritance. We need to be a ready people so that when the time comes we are not just standing with ignorance on our faces. Joshua was one who sat in the back and learned all of his qualities in the secret. When it was time for him to arise and lead the children of Israel into their inheritance, he was a ready vessel.
Moses was able to enter into the presence of the Lord and receive the answers immediately and leave. Joshua, instead of looking at Moses and being discourage that God wasn't doing the same thing with him, waited. He waited patiently in the presence of the Lord for the right answers. He allowed God to bring him into the proper maturity in the proper season.
For example: one doesn't plant a peach seed and shout at it to immediately be a fruitful tree. The proper cycle is to plant, water, give it proper sun, and wait. That is the same cycle for us, we are seeds who are planted and we must be patient and allow God to water us, give us the proper weather and we will bloom in the right season.
Everything we do here on earth is just a preparation for our eternal life. If we waste our time here on earth with the temporal things, it is possible to still make it to Heaven, but we will not be a ready vessel to do what God has for us to do in Heaven. We can do anything, but our hearts desire should be to do what He has predestined us to do and be. Joshua could have forced himself to be in leadership while Moses was still alive, but he didn't. He took advantage of all the season of preparation and allowed God to make him a ready leader.
Some have sought to find out what their calling is at a young at and that is good, but we must not try and make things happen in our own time, strength, and way. The peach seed may be a peach tree, but there is also a proper time to pick that peach of the tree. We don't want to be picked or pick ourselves off during the hard and bitter tasting staged, but during the proper juicy stage.
The last days are drawing near quickly and we are on a verge of a breakthrough in Revival. A revival that no man has ever seen; we God's people will be busy helping the lost come to Christ and establishing them in the right ways. We cannot do this if we haven't allowed God to do that in our own lives. If we are not fully established, then we cannot help others to be fully established in Christ. If we don't read the Word daily, then we cannot minister in the streets of hunger souls without a Bible. If we don't hide in the refuge of the secret place, then we cannot tell others of how wonderful God's presences is and what He is/means to us.
We are the "Joshua Generation", those who will lead the people into their inheritance, but we must be prepared ourselves. Are you ready? Are you presenting your hearts wholly to the Lord daily? Forget about yourself and don't think of the pain, but allow the light to shine into your heart. Let God deal with you now here on earth, instead of later when the judgment will be eternal.
Amen!
Moses was able to enter into the presence of the Lord and receive the answers immediately and leave. Joshua, instead of looking at Moses and being discourage that God wasn't doing the same thing with him, waited. He waited patiently in the presence of the Lord for the right answers. He allowed God to bring him into the proper maturity in the proper season.
For example: one doesn't plant a peach seed and shout at it to immediately be a fruitful tree. The proper cycle is to plant, water, give it proper sun, and wait. That is the same cycle for us, we are seeds who are planted and we must be patient and allow God to water us, give us the proper weather and we will bloom in the right season.
Everything we do here on earth is just a preparation for our eternal life. If we waste our time here on earth with the temporal things, it is possible to still make it to Heaven, but we will not be a ready vessel to do what God has for us to do in Heaven. We can do anything, but our hearts desire should be to do what He has predestined us to do and be. Joshua could have forced himself to be in leadership while Moses was still alive, but he didn't. He took advantage of all the season of preparation and allowed God to make him a ready leader.
Some have sought to find out what their calling is at a young at and that is good, but we must not try and make things happen in our own time, strength, and way. The peach seed may be a peach tree, but there is also a proper time to pick that peach of the tree. We don't want to be picked or pick ourselves off during the hard and bitter tasting staged, but during the proper juicy stage.
The last days are drawing near quickly and we are on a verge of a breakthrough in Revival. A revival that no man has ever seen; we God's people will be busy helping the lost come to Christ and establishing them in the right ways. We cannot do this if we haven't allowed God to do that in our own lives. If we are not fully established, then we cannot help others to be fully established in Christ. If we don't read the Word daily, then we cannot minister in the streets of hunger souls without a Bible. If we don't hide in the refuge of the secret place, then we cannot tell others of how wonderful God's presences is and what He is/means to us.
We are the "Joshua Generation", those who will lead the people into their inheritance, but we must be prepared ourselves. Are you ready? Are you presenting your hearts wholly to the Lord daily? Forget about yourself and don't think of the pain, but allow the light to shine into your heart. Let God deal with you now here on earth, instead of later when the judgment will be eternal.
Amen!
Women in the Book of Ruth
In studying the life of Naomi we see that she is an excellent example of what a godly woman is. Examining her life, it can be said that she stayed the course that God had set before her no matter the circumstance. When everything earthly was taken away from her, her true spiritual identity was revealed. She lost her earthly love, Elimelech (Ruth 1:1-2), her only two sons Chilion and Mahlon (Ruth 1:2). She lived in a foreign land (Moab), and no longer had any earthly security. Her affections were set on things above and not on things from this earth (Col. 3:2). We also learn from Naomi that those who endure to the end shall receive peace and security. Her earthly security was stripped completely away, but she kept her trust in the Lord, held her peace, and received Heavenly security.
Naomi represents Christ. Christ, while He walked on earth, sought continually the Fathers will. Naomi sought out God’s will in everything she did. She also secured her daughter-in-law, Ruth’s, future with Boaz. She counseled Ruth and guided her down the right path. Christ came to earth to not only make a way, but show us how to live the life.
Naomi, I believe, can also represent a female Job. She was striped of everything. When she lost much on earth, we see where her eyes truly were set. Her eyes were set on things above and not on things of this world. She lost her earthly security, husband and two sons, but her eyes were on Jesus and she trusted in Him. She went where He wanted her and stayed where He wanted her to stay. She is one woman who is a perfect example of one who put her complete trust in Jesus in every trial and situation that faced her. She praise and gave thanks to God in the pleasant and rough times.
She was the mother-in-law of Ruth and Orpah. In the first chapter we she Naomi’s love was equal towards Ruth and Orpah. As the chapters’ progress and we see Orpah went back to her home land and Ruth stayed and travelled on with Naomi. Naomi’s love increased for Ruth. She felt that she had to secure Ruth’s future and find her a proper help mate. She always looked for what was best for her two daughters-in-law. As life unraveled itself we see Ruth stayed with Naomi and Naomi’s focus then was solely on Ruth’s future.
Her trust was solely in Jesus Christ, Son of God. When a situation arose, she sought the Lord for His will. When she lost her two sons and husband she didn’t get bitter towards everyone. Her love for her two daughters-in-law remained the same and equal. It is important to seek the will of God in every situation. So many lives depend on what we do and what we need is found in God and God alone. We must hold our peace and let the Lord fight our battles. He guides us through speaking through other people, scripture, and through speaking to us personally.
In studying Ruth we learn six levels of consecration and we can narrow them down to three basic truths: submission, acceptance, circumstances. She submitted to Naomi and to the God that she served. Ruth had a complete consecration and submitted herself under Naomi’s authority, covering, and God. She accepted her situation that she was a widow and didn’t live in the past. She followed Naomi and choice to ask for Naomi’s permission to work in the fields.
I’m sure that it was a struggle for her when she made the choice to remain with Naomi. When she was tested three times to go back to her “carnal” nature, we are shown where her heart truly was. She was consecrated and loyal to Naomi and the God of Naomi. We know that it takes a commitment to be used by God. Examining Ruth’s life we see that she committed her life to follow and to take care of Naomi and through that God was able to use her.
Ruth represents the Gentile Church. She was a person who entered into the same covenant with God that was promised (Gal 6:16). Just as Ruth followed after Naomi and her instructions, the same is towards the Gentile Church. The church follows after Christ and His instructions to us. Her relationship with Naomi and Orpah changed as circumstances changed. She had a love for her sister-in-law and her mother-in-law. As the tests began to arise in hers and Orpah’s lives we see that she drew nearer and closer to Naomi. He love for Orpah was cut off as Orpah made the decision to go back to her native land. Ruth knew very little and that I think was an aid in helping her to draw closer to Naomi and putting herself under Naomi’s authority.
In studying the Ruth’s life and all the choices she made, I find a lot of truths that apply to my personal spiritual walk. Lately God has been speaking to me about being totally consecrated unto God and Naomi. She chose to submit to Naomi’s authority even though she had the youthful strength. She accepted the people of Naomi’s native land and the God of the land.
Another application is on circumcision. God has been speaking to me lately on the circumcision of my heart, lips and ears. Ruth allowed God to cut the gods from her native land out of her heart. To cut everything, from her old life, in Moab out of her heart. She gave up everything and allowed God to bring her to something new. God wants to do that same thing in my life and reading how Ruth allowed God to do His work, it helps me to give up my will and allow Him to cut those things He does not want in my heart out. Never once did I read of Ruth complaining or criticizing Naomi nor the people of Israel. Her home land, Moab, was one of Israel’s enemies. We know that her lips were circumcised because she did not criticize the people or complain. For me it is easy to complain about anything, but God wants to cut that off my tongue. He has called me to the nations and He wants to cut that nature out of me so that it will not hinder the will of God.
Lastly, the circumcision of the ears, Ruth was listening to the right voices. She asked for Naomi’s advice or correction, she saw that Boaz was a godly man and she listened to his instructions. There are many voices in this world today and it is important that our ears are circumcised to hear the right voices. If Ruth did not listen to Naomi and Boaz, if she listened to the voices of the people who hated her, then she would have lost the best that God had planned for her. She would have received the second best.
It is said to say that there isn’t much to say about Orpah. She settled for God’s second best in her life. She start out on a good path and was heading in the right direction, but then when her heart was tested she fell back. She did not break away from her hearts desires and she turned back to Moab and is never heard of in scripture again. She settled for something lesser than what God had planned for her. The beginning is not what matters the most, but it is how we finished. Orpah began well, but her heart was towards her lands gods and so she turned back and settled for something less.
She represents someone who was on the fence and when her trial came the fence was shook and she fell on the side her heart desired the most. She is the example of what I said earlier, those who settle for second best. They will make it to Heaven, but when they arrive they will have a certain sorrow in their hearts because their heart was before God and they settled for something lesser. We have a choice: to have our hearts desires before God or to give our hearts desires to God?
She had just a common mother-in-law daughter-in-law relationship. Orpah loved Naomi, but her desires were above Naomi. We see this when she was being tested on their way to Bethlehem Judah. She was given a chance to go back and stay in Moab with her family, gods, and find another husband there. She reacted according to her hearts desire. God gave her continual opportunity to follow after Him and He had something in-store for her, but she chose to go different way. We will never know what God had for her, but we do know that if we don’t listen to what God is touching in our lives daily, then there will only be a time where He will give us what we want.
She chose to look at the situation too much. Her focus was too much on earthly security and pleasures and when rough times came her way, she didn’t look to the Lord to satisfy those areas. Naomi told to her that she cannot fulfill her needs and that is all Orpah saw. Ruth saw that yes, Naomi cannot fulfill her needs, but the God she serves can. Ruth sought after that, but Orpah sought after the tangible.
In my own personal spiritual walk, I want to continually make sure that my ears and my heart are open. Listening to which door God is knocking on and using my lips to pray the right prayers. I don’t want to end up like Orpah who looked at her situations and thinking of tangible solutions. I want to look at my situations in the eyes of the Lord. To have His perspective of the situations in my life, not mine own. Lord, not my will, but Thy will be done!
Naomi represents Christ. Christ, while He walked on earth, sought continually the Fathers will. Naomi sought out God’s will in everything she did. She also secured her daughter-in-law, Ruth’s, future with Boaz. She counseled Ruth and guided her down the right path. Christ came to earth to not only make a way, but show us how to live the life.
Naomi, I believe, can also represent a female Job. She was striped of everything. When she lost much on earth, we see where her eyes truly were set. Her eyes were set on things above and not on things of this world. She lost her earthly security, husband and two sons, but her eyes were on Jesus and she trusted in Him. She went where He wanted her and stayed where He wanted her to stay. She is one woman who is a perfect example of one who put her complete trust in Jesus in every trial and situation that faced her. She praise and gave thanks to God in the pleasant and rough times.
She was the mother-in-law of Ruth and Orpah. In the first chapter we she Naomi’s love was equal towards Ruth and Orpah. As the chapters’ progress and we see Orpah went back to her home land and Ruth stayed and travelled on with Naomi. Naomi’s love increased for Ruth. She felt that she had to secure Ruth’s future and find her a proper help mate. She always looked for what was best for her two daughters-in-law. As life unraveled itself we see Ruth stayed with Naomi and Naomi’s focus then was solely on Ruth’s future.
Her trust was solely in Jesus Christ, Son of God. When a situation arose, she sought the Lord for His will. When she lost her two sons and husband she didn’t get bitter towards everyone. Her love for her two daughters-in-law remained the same and equal. It is important to seek the will of God in every situation. So many lives depend on what we do and what we need is found in God and God alone. We must hold our peace and let the Lord fight our battles. He guides us through speaking through other people, scripture, and through speaking to us personally.
In studying Ruth we learn six levels of consecration and we can narrow them down to three basic truths: submission, acceptance, circumstances. She submitted to Naomi and to the God that she served. Ruth had a complete consecration and submitted herself under Naomi’s authority, covering, and God. She accepted her situation that she was a widow and didn’t live in the past. She followed Naomi and choice to ask for Naomi’s permission to work in the fields.
I’m sure that it was a struggle for her when she made the choice to remain with Naomi. When she was tested three times to go back to her “carnal” nature, we are shown where her heart truly was. She was consecrated and loyal to Naomi and the God of Naomi. We know that it takes a commitment to be used by God. Examining Ruth’s life we see that she committed her life to follow and to take care of Naomi and through that God was able to use her.
Ruth represents the Gentile Church. She was a person who entered into the same covenant with God that was promised (Gal 6:16). Just as Ruth followed after Naomi and her instructions, the same is towards the Gentile Church. The church follows after Christ and His instructions to us. Her relationship with Naomi and Orpah changed as circumstances changed. She had a love for her sister-in-law and her mother-in-law. As the tests began to arise in hers and Orpah’s lives we see that she drew nearer and closer to Naomi. He love for Orpah was cut off as Orpah made the decision to go back to her native land. Ruth knew very little and that I think was an aid in helping her to draw closer to Naomi and putting herself under Naomi’s authority.
In studying the Ruth’s life and all the choices she made, I find a lot of truths that apply to my personal spiritual walk. Lately God has been speaking to me about being totally consecrated unto God and Naomi. She chose to submit to Naomi’s authority even though she had the youthful strength. She accepted the people of Naomi’s native land and the God of the land.
Another application is on circumcision. God has been speaking to me lately on the circumcision of my heart, lips and ears. Ruth allowed God to cut the gods from her native land out of her heart. To cut everything, from her old life, in Moab out of her heart. She gave up everything and allowed God to bring her to something new. God wants to do that same thing in my life and reading how Ruth allowed God to do His work, it helps me to give up my will and allow Him to cut those things He does not want in my heart out. Never once did I read of Ruth complaining or criticizing Naomi nor the people of Israel. Her home land, Moab, was one of Israel’s enemies. We know that her lips were circumcised because she did not criticize the people or complain. For me it is easy to complain about anything, but God wants to cut that off my tongue. He has called me to the nations and He wants to cut that nature out of me so that it will not hinder the will of God.
Lastly, the circumcision of the ears, Ruth was listening to the right voices. She asked for Naomi’s advice or correction, she saw that Boaz was a godly man and she listened to his instructions. There are many voices in this world today and it is important that our ears are circumcised to hear the right voices. If Ruth did not listen to Naomi and Boaz, if she listened to the voices of the people who hated her, then she would have lost the best that God had planned for her. She would have received the second best.
It is said to say that there isn’t much to say about Orpah. She settled for God’s second best in her life. She start out on a good path and was heading in the right direction, but then when her heart was tested she fell back. She did not break away from her hearts desires and she turned back to Moab and is never heard of in scripture again. She settled for something lesser than what God had planned for her. The beginning is not what matters the most, but it is how we finished. Orpah began well, but her heart was towards her lands gods and so she turned back and settled for something less.
She represents someone who was on the fence and when her trial came the fence was shook and she fell on the side her heart desired the most. She is the example of what I said earlier, those who settle for second best. They will make it to Heaven, but when they arrive they will have a certain sorrow in their hearts because their heart was before God and they settled for something lesser. We have a choice: to have our hearts desires before God or to give our hearts desires to God?
She had just a common mother-in-law daughter-in-law relationship. Orpah loved Naomi, but her desires were above Naomi. We see this when she was being tested on their way to Bethlehem Judah. She was given a chance to go back and stay in Moab with her family, gods, and find another husband there. She reacted according to her hearts desire. God gave her continual opportunity to follow after Him and He had something in-store for her, but she chose to go different way. We will never know what God had for her, but we do know that if we don’t listen to what God is touching in our lives daily, then there will only be a time where He will give us what we want.
She chose to look at the situation too much. Her focus was too much on earthly security and pleasures and when rough times came her way, she didn’t look to the Lord to satisfy those areas. Naomi told to her that she cannot fulfill her needs and that is all Orpah saw. Ruth saw that yes, Naomi cannot fulfill her needs, but the God she serves can. Ruth sought after that, but Orpah sought after the tangible.
In my own personal spiritual walk, I want to continually make sure that my ears and my heart are open. Listening to which door God is knocking on and using my lips to pray the right prayers. I don’t want to end up like Orpah who looked at her situations and thinking of tangible solutions. I want to look at my situations in the eyes of the Lord. To have His perspective of the situations in my life, not mine own. Lord, not my will, but Thy will be done!
The Way to Holiness
To understand the message of holiness we must first understand what holiness is. Holiness is holy living through Jesus Christ. It is through the cross that we can become Holy and be presented Holy before God. Holiness is an attribute of God that He wants to work in His people. He tells us this in I Peter 1:16, “Be ye holy for I am Holy”.
There are two requirements of holiness. One requirement is the choosing to be holy. In the end, we always have a choice and we will be judged according to what choices we made and what God required of us. The second requirement is that Holiness must be tested. We were not born holy; so as we grow and mature in Christ, we must also grow on the attributes of Christ. We can only know how far we are when we are tested.
A good example is the life of Simon Peter in John 21. He thought that his love (phileo) was greater and holier than the other apostles. What he thought was in fact greater than what he really was. God, in His sovereign love (agape), showed Simon that he was looking through his own eyes. It is only through the cross that we can become holy and be presented Holy before God. To be holy means to be separated from the world, flesh, and the devil. It doesn't stop there, but goes on to be separated unto God the Father.
Paul liked to write letters to all the churches. He had a love for the people and cared for them and their relationships with Christ. He writes this letter to the church in Colosse because there were five issues that needed to be addressed.
The first issue was on ceremonialism, circumcision, and traditions (Col. 1:16). The people believed that through the circumcision, abstaining from eating pork, and not drinking blood they were holy. The people were stuck in the patterns of traditions and thereby limiting God in what He could do. Their knowledge of Christ was limited through their own stubbornness of not breaking traditions.
The second issue was of asceticism (Col. 2:21-23). By the renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state. They focused too much on the outward cleanliness. I believe Paul brought this issue up because he wanted them to realize that God is not one who looks on the outside. He wanted the church to come to the realization that nothing we do on the outside will help us gain anything eternal.
Third issue was on angel worship (Col. 2:18). Paul was warning them not to get caught up in angel worship; their primary function is to be a ministering spirit and not a god. One third of heavens angels fell with Lucifer and so we must not put them at the same level as God the Father.
Fourth issue was on the minimizing of Christ (Col 1:15-21; 2:2-3). The Colossians thought of Christ as just a good man. Paul is explaining that He is more than a “good man” or a mighty prophet. Paul portrays Christ, “Magnificent One”, as this: He is before all things, by Him all things consist, and he is more than a good man or a mighty prophet. Jesus does not say that He was God the Father, but He tells us that He is the express image of the Father. If you know the Son, then you shall know the Father. This is not the characteristic of a mighty prophet or some “good man”, but of the Son of God (Jn. 14:8-9).
The last issue Paul writes to the church is on the issue of Gnosticism (Col. 1:9). Some were pursuing “secret” knowledge and would see themselves above others. Many of the people were over spiritualized things. Paul was warning the people of over spiritualizing things and limiting God with their own laws and terms. God desires for His people to grow on knowledge and wisdom, but under His law and under His terms not our own.
The message Paul is speaking to the Colossians is significant to our day because we still are faced with those same issues. We see in our day and age people who try and over spiritualize themselves and put them above other people. They do not eat meat and they stick to all of the traditions of the later church, but God dwells not in their heart.
Reading about their issue of Gnosticism, we look at the life of Joseph Smith. He was a man who desired so strongly to discover something new and spectacular. He opened himself up to much and when something false came to him, he was easily deceived. This is something that new teachers and even new pastors should really heed. One who wants to always have something new and amazing to say in every message or teaching need to be careful. If he isn't rooted deep in the truth, then he can easily be deceived when he gets a visitation. Be content with what God speaks to you and don’t seek to try and find something new all the time. Our knowledge comes from the Lord and we must trust that in His time and season, He will open up the new and hidden truths.
If we limit God and only allow Him to do things in our way and on our terms, then we will be easily deceived in the last days. Satan will tempt those kinds of people and say that there is an easier way, but in reality there is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ, our Savior. A good example would be Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent talked with her and began with the truth, and then over time he twisted it; as she continued to listen to the truth as it was being twisted, her mind began to believe it. She believed that there was another way and she fell into the temptation.
All true wisdom and all true knowledge originate from God (Col. 2:3; Prov. 4:7). We must be rooted and grounded in the truth so that we may be able to stand in the last days. In the last days man will not endure good sound doctrine because it was not in their heart and they will seek teaching that will be easy to receive (2 Tim. 4:3). They won’t want to change, but we need to listen to what God speaks through Paul to the Church in Colosse. We are not to harden hearts, but we should ask God to change us. We want to make sure that we seek true wisdom and true knowledge from the Lord.
There are two requirements of holiness. One requirement is the choosing to be holy. In the end, we always have a choice and we will be judged according to what choices we made and what God required of us. The second requirement is that Holiness must be tested. We were not born holy; so as we grow and mature in Christ, we must also grow on the attributes of Christ. We can only know how far we are when we are tested.
A good example is the life of Simon Peter in John 21. He thought that his love (phileo) was greater and holier than the other apostles. What he thought was in fact greater than what he really was. God, in His sovereign love (agape), showed Simon that he was looking through his own eyes. It is only through the cross that we can become holy and be presented Holy before God. To be holy means to be separated from the world, flesh, and the devil. It doesn't stop there, but goes on to be separated unto God the Father.
Paul liked to write letters to all the churches. He had a love for the people and cared for them and their relationships with Christ. He writes this letter to the church in Colosse because there were five issues that needed to be addressed.
The first issue was on ceremonialism, circumcision, and traditions (Col. 1:16). The people believed that through the circumcision, abstaining from eating pork, and not drinking blood they were holy. The people were stuck in the patterns of traditions and thereby limiting God in what He could do. Their knowledge of Christ was limited through their own stubbornness of not breaking traditions.
The second issue was of asceticism (Col. 2:21-23). By the renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state. They focused too much on the outward cleanliness. I believe Paul brought this issue up because he wanted them to realize that God is not one who looks on the outside. He wanted the church to come to the realization that nothing we do on the outside will help us gain anything eternal.
Third issue was on angel worship (Col. 2:18). Paul was warning them not to get caught up in angel worship; their primary function is to be a ministering spirit and not a god. One third of heavens angels fell with Lucifer and so we must not put them at the same level as God the Father.
Fourth issue was on the minimizing of Christ (Col 1:15-21; 2:2-3). The Colossians thought of Christ as just a good man. Paul is explaining that He is more than a “good man” or a mighty prophet. Paul portrays Christ, “Magnificent One”, as this: He is before all things, by Him all things consist, and he is more than a good man or a mighty prophet. Jesus does not say that He was God the Father, but He tells us that He is the express image of the Father. If you know the Son, then you shall know the Father. This is not the characteristic of a mighty prophet or some “good man”, but of the Son of God (Jn. 14:8-9).
The last issue Paul writes to the church is on the issue of Gnosticism (Col. 1:9). Some were pursuing “secret” knowledge and would see themselves above others. Many of the people were over spiritualized things. Paul was warning the people of over spiritualizing things and limiting God with their own laws and terms. God desires for His people to grow on knowledge and wisdom, but under His law and under His terms not our own.
The message Paul is speaking to the Colossians is significant to our day because we still are faced with those same issues. We see in our day and age people who try and over spiritualize themselves and put them above other people. They do not eat meat and they stick to all of the traditions of the later church, but God dwells not in their heart.
Reading about their issue of Gnosticism, we look at the life of Joseph Smith. He was a man who desired so strongly to discover something new and spectacular. He opened himself up to much and when something false came to him, he was easily deceived. This is something that new teachers and even new pastors should really heed. One who wants to always have something new and amazing to say in every message or teaching need to be careful. If he isn't rooted deep in the truth, then he can easily be deceived when he gets a visitation. Be content with what God speaks to you and don’t seek to try and find something new all the time. Our knowledge comes from the Lord and we must trust that in His time and season, He will open up the new and hidden truths.
If we limit God and only allow Him to do things in our way and on our terms, then we will be easily deceived in the last days. Satan will tempt those kinds of people and say that there is an easier way, but in reality there is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ, our Savior. A good example would be Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent talked with her and began with the truth, and then over time he twisted it; as she continued to listen to the truth as it was being twisted, her mind began to believe it. She believed that there was another way and she fell into the temptation.
All true wisdom and all true knowledge originate from God (Col. 2:3; Prov. 4:7). We must be rooted and grounded in the truth so that we may be able to stand in the last days. In the last days man will not endure good sound doctrine because it was not in their heart and they will seek teaching that will be easy to receive (2 Tim. 4:3). They won’t want to change, but we need to listen to what God speaks through Paul to the Church in Colosse. We are not to harden hearts, but we should ask God to change us. We want to make sure that we seek true wisdom and true knowledge from the Lord.
Friday, October 12, 2012
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