April 16, 2017
We have a Living Saviour, Rev. 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.2 Cor. 4:16-18 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
In dealing with the Temporal, we deal with the Eternal. We have a Living Saviour and we have been made alive in Him, therefore we should be doing living things.
- The Word of God is lively, Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: Oracles = what God said - what He uttered - We don't hear God speak as they heard - 2Pe_1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
- We have been born again unto lively hope, 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- We are called lively stones, 1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
People who are saved (in the body of Christ) have been put together in a church family. If you are alive in Christ you should be doing Living things. You learn behavior in the church where the Word of God in honored.
In all our tribulations and trials we are interested in the outcome and the LORD is interested in us during the process - how you come out. There is a big difference. 1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Have you ever considered you need the trial.
The outcome claims our attention (we want to get out and live without the burden) without considering the purpose of the tribulation and the intended result. There is a purpose, "if need be..." It is how you and I come out that should claim our attention. (Illustration using John 16:33 - Our victory is not answers to our prayer but learning the Jesus is our victory)
Consider Abraham Gen. 22:9-12. God is Omnipotent - All powerful; He is also omniscient. He has the ability to what so ever He chooses. Isa_43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. How can He not remember? He has that ability. Jer. 34:24 ".....for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
"For now I know..."
The appearance of God is the pre incarnate appearance of Christ.
God in the Person of His Son is God with us.
I think in the Person of Christ He can choose not to know or can temporally suppress His knowledge and operates beyond our comprehension, and we can experience with Him the time of our testing, trials either in joy or sorrow. Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou? I believe that was Christ who walked and talked and fellowshipped with Adam and Eve and that fellowship was real with Christ and with them. When they sinned, I believe He choose not to know where they were hiding; that He and they could fully express the surprise and anguish of their hiding from them.
When He said concerning Abraham, "Now I know that you fear me...." I think He chooses not to know at the moment how the testing would turn out - so the moment was experienced by Christ and Abraham together.
Luk_15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Hebrews 4:15. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
I think all the events of our life are in real time. And the joy that comes from faith in Christ or the sorrow that happens through our unbelief is felt by Christ as we experience it.
In the times of our life when God is speaking, they are real and fresh and He is waiting to say as He waits for our response, now I know they fear me!
Three things that will affect us in our trials and testing - three thing which Christ is waiting for our response.
Our Words,
Our Words give us life or death. "Devil — the Greek, for "accuser," or "slanderer."
Satan — the Hebrew for "adversary," from JFB on e-sword
If you engage that conversation of the accuser or slanderer your tongue is that of the devil. The Bible warns us about our words. Pro 18:20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Mat_12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Speak the words of faith = truth and gives life and blessing. You confess with your mouth what you believe in your heart. Now you can lie to the LORD and to yourself and mouthed words that are not in your heart but the blessing are based on truth.
If I am to come out as God intends then I must believe and speak words of my faith in God, Proverbs 18:22, Hebrews 13:15, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 3 John verse 2. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
What do you speak about your home? What do you speak about your church and church family? What do you speak your disappointment? Your lot in life? What do you speak about your health?
Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. Your heart is the tree and the fruit is your words,
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
"Your mouth can on confess what the heart believes: Thus, confession or profession expresses our "agreement or concord with what God holds to be true, and what he declares to be true." It denotes a public declaration or assent to that, here expressed by the words "with thy mouth." A profession of religion then denotes a public declaration of our agreement with what God has declared, and extends to all his declarations about our lost estate, our sin, and need of a Saviour; to his doctrines about his own nature, holiness, and law; about the Saviour and the Holy Spirit; about the necessity of a change of heart and holiness of life; and about the grave and the judgment; about heaven and hell." from barnes on e-sword
An example of this is John 11:27ff, Jesus asked Martha if she believed what He said, "Believeth thou this"? She answered, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, that should come into the world." her confession of faith was sufficient - Christ is the Son of God and He did come into the world. Can you answer as Martha with faith in Christ?
The choices you make
Luk 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. What did we say the word hate meant? "Hate": means to love less. Would you disobey Christ at the request/sake of family or would you continue with Christ?
(Illustration: Washer Family) & (Don Shipman) There is one principle that is the same in both: They wanted to come out right, wanted to be right.
The Confession of our sins
He purges us. What is purging? It means He is cleaning us / purifying us. Water was used in the care of the vineyard. It was used to clean the vine and the branches. The following verse John 15:3 now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Joh_13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Christ has a purpose for us - Allow Him to accomplish that in us - Allow it to be said by Him "Now I Know he fears me!
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