Sabbath..

Part 2 of 10

"The law" consisted of three components: the moral law, the civil law, and the ceremonial law. The moral law consisted of the ten commandments. The civil laws consisted of legislation for the community life of Israel. It included health and hygiene laws for their society (Exod 24:7-8; Heb 8:19-20; Deut 31:24-26). The ceremonial laws were detailed laws concerning the priesthood, sacrifices, offerings, the service of the sanctuary, festival occasions, Sabbaths, etc.

The Bible tells us that "the handwriting of ordinances that was against us" was blotted out, and nailed to the cross of Christ Jesus (Col 2:14). Paul tells us we're not "subject to ordinances" (Col 2:20). He tells us that Jesus has abolished in His flesh the enmity, even "the law of commandments contained in ordinances" (Eph 2:15). But which "ordinance" does this refer to? Which law? The moral, civil or ceremonial? Well, we've seen how the New Testament reiterates the moral law to New Covenant believers. Christians are still expected to walk with a high moral standard - not because we have to for fear of death, but because we love Jesus, and are being transformed into His same holy likeness (2 Cor 3:18). This radical love is the fulfilling of the moral law (Rom 13:8-10), and therefore this cannot be what was referenced as being nailed to the cross, and done away with (Col 2:14). Was it the civil law? I don't believe so. These laws were only used to properly govern a nation. Without civil law, there would be absolute chaos! Civil law is referenced in 1 Timothy 1:8-11. Therefore, by the hand-writing of ordinances the apostle most evidently means the ceremonial law: this was against them, for they were bound to fulfill it; and it was contrary to them, as condemning them for their neglect and transgression of it. This law God himself has nailed to the cross and blotted out. These laws were nothing but a figure of the true - a shadow of the substance - a type of the imminent antitype.

Just one of these "shadows" was the Mosaic Covenant Sabbath. Are we still obligated to remember the literal Sabbath day? The simple answer is "No".

What was the Old Covenant Sabbath?

The word "sabbath" simply means "rest, cessation from work". Under the Mosaic Covenant, the people of God were to observe a weekly sabbath (Exod 31:12-18; Lev 23:1-3).They also had sabbath years (Lev 25:1-24), and festival Sabbaths (Lev 23:2, 4, 7, 8, 21, etc). The weekly sabbath was to be a time of rest where no work was to be done. This is because, during creation, God rested from His work on the seventh day (Gen 2:1-3).

Is the Sabbath perpetual?

The Bible does indeed say this was to be a perpetual covenant (Exod 31:12-17), so why don't we observe it in the same manner today? Should we? Again, the answer is no.

This commandment is perpetual, however , upon the emergence of the New and better Covenant, it has gone to and through the cross of Christ Jesus and been elevated to a higher plane - an eternal, perpetual, and spiritual plane. The natural and literal Sabbath has become an eternal spiritual truth now for New Covenant believers. The Bible is very clear regarding the New Testament application of Sabbath rest (Col 2:16-17). It has gone from shadow to substance, type to antitype, literal to spiritual, dead to living, all the while remaining perpetual.

Did Jesus keep the Sabbath?

Some will argue that Jesus kept Sabbath, and therefore so should we. But is this accurate? Jesus was consistently ridiculed for the manner in which He observed the sabbath. He kept sabbath, not according to the letter of the law, but the Spirit. He did this by teaching and preaching on the sabbath, worshipping the Father, healing the sick and diseased, and ministering to the poor and needy. He broke the Talmudic sabbath rituals that were created by men. This is why the Pharisees hated Him (Mk 7:1-13). All of these "violations" were simply the commandments of men (Matt 12:1-14; Lk 6:1-5; 13:10-17; etc). Therefore, even though Jesus honored the sabbath, He did it according to the Spirit in which it was always intended. He said, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath" (Mk 2:27-28).

Furthermore, Jesus kept sabbath because He was born "under the law"; the moment He was circumcised, Jesus became a debtor to fulfill the whole law (Gal 5:3). Such an entire fulfillment was necessary to redeem those under the law: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons" (Gal 4:4-5). He fulfilled the literal Sabbath law in His own person!

Did Paul and the Apostles keep the Sabbath?

The apostle Paul consistently taught on the sabbath (Acts 13:14, 27, 44; 15:21; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4). He taught Jews the spiritual truths of the Sabbath. He taught that the Mosaic Sabbath was simply a shadow of a coming, greater, spiritual reality. The primary reason that Paul did this was to fulfill the Gospel commission: "To the Jew first, and then to the Gentile" (Rom 1:16). Paul was a Jew, and therefore knew that the sabbath day was the best time to teach the Scriptures.

Secondly, the early church was in a transitory period, between the Old and New Covenants (from A.D. 33 until A.D. 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed and scattered). This is why Scripture records their adherence to "the first day of the week" (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2). The book of Acts covers this transitory period, from A.D. 33 up through around A.D. 63.

Furthermore, you may be surprised to know that while Paul taught on the sabbath, he actually taught against it's Mosaic observance: "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain" (Gal 4:9-11). Notice how he correlates the unnecessary observance of a day to being "in bondage"! Why? Because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. For New Covenant believers, everyday is Sabbath rest!

Again Paul says, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Col 2:16-17). The evidence really couldn't be any clearer. Our covenantal obligation has been elevated to a superior, spiritual plane! Those believers who strive to impose the Mosaic Covenant Sabbath on New Covenant believers are covenantally confused.

New Covenant Sabbath?

As already mentioned, the New Covenant believer has a spiritual Sabbath every day of the week (Matt 11:28-30; Heb 4:3-11). Sabbath has become a state of mind - a persistent state of communion between lovers!

"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls" (Jer 6:16).

The veil has been rent, we now have perpetual access to the presence of God, wherein we find rest. We have the privilege of coming together for worship and teaching on a set day (Heb 10:25), but this privilege is an honor to perform - it is not a Mosaic duty. An Old Covenant duty has been elevated to a New Covenant honor and privilege! Even David prophesied of this coming eternal Sabbath (Ps 27:4).

Our Sabbath is in a Person, not a mere day! "In Christ", there is spiritual and eternal rest. It isn't in the keeping of a day, but in the receiving of a Person - the Lord Jesus.

Are we to honor the Mosaic Sabbath?

Therefore, as we have seen, the answer is "no". We are free from the Mosaic Sabbath for a number of reasons:

(1) Jesus taught that the Sabbath was made for man (Mk 2:27). Therefore, the day is at man's will. Man was not made for the Sabbath, and therefore man is not at the will of a mere day.
(2) Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (Mk 2:28). Therefore, He can alter the day(s) in which rest is given. New Covenant believer exalt the Lord of the Sabbath, not the Sabbath itself.
(3) Even in Old Testament days, the Lord rebuked Israel for their hypocritical Sabbath observances (Isa 1:10-17; 58:13-14; Lam 2:6). He spoke through the prophet Hosea that He would cause their feast days and Sabbaths to cease (Hosea 2:11). He did this at the Cross of Christ Jesus, when He died and fulfilled the literal Sabbath as a passing shadow.
(4) Paul taught that no day is better than another; he never imposed the literal Sabbath on anyone. Rather, he emphasized spiritual Sabbath rest and communion. He told the Romans to be fully persuaded in their own minds and regard everyday (and everything) as unto the Lord (Rom 14:5-7).
(5) The fourth commandment (honor the Sabbath) is never once repeated or reemphasized in the New Testament. It wasn't even listed at the Jerusalem council for the Gentiles to keep (Acts 15:20, 29).
(6) The only people who enforced the Sabbath in the New Testament were Judaizers. Paul called them "foolish" and "bewitched" Galatians, a mixture of law and grace (Gal 3:1).
(7) The Sabbath was a sign and seal of the Mosaic Covenant (Exod 31:12-18; Ezek 20:1-12). It ended there. It wasn't a sign nor a seal to any previous, nor further covenants.
(8) New Testament Christians abide under a New and better Covenant. Our covenant Sabbath rest is found in a Person - the Lord of the Sabbath. It's never to be found in a mere day. Hallelujah!

Friends, the choice is always our own.. Will we cling to Mosaic traditions for religion's sake? Will we chase after mere figures of the true? Or will we recognize the fleeting and passing shadows of the Old Covenant economy, and cling to the ever-glorious Antitype - King Jesus?

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt 11:28-30).

To be continued...

The New Covenant..

Part 1 of 10

A good friend of mine, Mark Shubert, is a missionary to Brazil. He does a lot of different things there, but one of his primary purposes is to travel the country and teach the good news of Jesus, making disciples, and raising up churches and Bible schools. I admire him greatly.

One of the things he constantly comes across is the issue of legalism. For whatever reason, a lot of the people there strive to maintain Old (Mosaic) Covenant principles. Things such as Sabbath day, feast days, Israel, etc. are all regarded in Old Covenant light, rather than new. Talking with him made me think.. Does America have this same misunderstanding? Are we trapped in an Old Covenant mindset? To a degree, I believe we are. Our thinking, often times, is influenced by an old wineskin - and if the old wineskin is good enough, why allow a new one to emerge?

What is the New Covenant?

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more" (Jer 31:31-34).

Jeremiah prophesied of a coming covenant - one which would be written in our hearts. This will be an entirely new covenant, far different than any other.

"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives" (Matt 26:26-30).

Jesus Himself was born under the law of the Old Covenant and fulfilled in Himself all the details pertaining to it, in both letter and Spirit. He came under the law so that He could rightly redeem all those who were trapped (Gal 4:4-5). How would He redeem them? By the power of His coming New Covenant! He took bread (symbolic of His broken body), and wine (symbolic of His shed blood), and said "This is the New Covenant in My blood"! Jesus instituted His new and better covenant even in the midst of betrayal!

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Cor 11:23-27).

Paul received this covenantal revelation from Jesus Himself. His eyes were opened to the meaning and power behind the "table of the Lord". How wonderful that a man who was legalistically raised under the Old Covenant would now be the chosen vessel to reveal the meaning behind the New Covenant of grace!

"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away" (Heb 8:6-13).

"Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb 10:15-17).

At the time of the Hebrew epistle, the believers there (Christian Jews) were in a transitional period from the Old Mosaic Covenant into the New. As Jews, they were under great pressure to return to the types and shadows of the Mosaic Covenant, and forsake the true substance of the New. The writer to the Hebrews instructed them that the New Covenant, and all that pertains to it, far out-shined the Old Covenant.

The Old Mosaic Covenant has passed away. It's been dis-annulled (Heb 7:18-19). It is ready to vanish away (Heb 8:13). God has taken away the first covenant, that He may establish the second (Heb 10:9).

Therefore, the Bible is clear.. The Christian church is under the New Covenant, and all that pertains to it. Jeremiah prophesied it, Jesus instituted it, Paul confirmed it, and the writer to the Hebrews interpreted it.

What the New Covenant is NOT:

For some reason, the body of Christ seems to like extremes. We're either legalistically bound by Moses' law, or we practice "greasy grace" and live like hell! It's pretty rare that we find a group of believers who are suitably balanced (Prov 11:1). This is because Christians often don't habitually study their Bibles. If we read the Bible and see that it tells us we're not "under law" (Rom 3:19; 6:14), we automatically assume that's a licence to sin - a free pass to live in lasciviousness. But that is not so. Paul makes it very clear that grace is not a permit to sin: "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Rom 6:15). Shall we abuse our high and holy calling because we are not under that old law which makes no provision for pardon, but are now under that Gospel which has opened the fountain to wash away all sin and defilement? Shall we sin because grace abounds? Shall we do evil that good may come of it? This be far from us! On the contrary, such loving grace is to teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (2 Tim 2:11-12).

Interestingly, all of Moses' commandments (with the exception of number 4 - honor the Sabbath day) are repeated in the New Testament:

- No other gods before Him: Mark 12:29-30; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6
- No graven images: 1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 John 5:20-21
- No taking God's name in vain: Romans 2:24; 2 Timothy 2:19
- Remember the Sabbath - never repeated
- Honor one's father and mother: Luke 18:20; Ephesians 6:1-4
- Do not murder: Matthew 5:21; Romans 13:9; 1 John 3:15
- Do not commit adultery: Matthew 5:28-32; Romans 13:9
- Do not steal: Ephesians 4:28; Romans 13:9
- Do not lie: Matthew 15:18-20; Romans 13:9
- Do not covet: Romans 7:7-8; Luke 12:15; Colossians 3:5

Therefore, just because we see the commandments as a part of the "Old" Covenant economy, that doesn't necessarily mean the truth that they represented is old and dead, and doesn't still apply to us. Many will say that the law was "nailed to the cross" and abolished (Col 2:14), and is now waxed old and decayed (Heb 8:13). However, those "laws" that were nailed to the cross were not the moral laws, they were the ceremonial laws. The epistle to the Hebrews makes this clear (Heb 9:9-10, 23; 10:1-10). The ceremonial laws were those things pertaining to the priesthood, sacrifices, offerings, etc. The major purpose of the ceremonial law was to shadow forth the coming revelation of grace. Therefore, when the New Covenant emerged, the old ceremonial laws (shadows of things to come) became obsolete, and thus were "nailed" to the cross of Christ with Him. The birth of the New Covenant was "the time of reformation" spoken of in the Hebrew epistle (9:10).

As far as the moral law is concerned, this was not nailed to the cross. Why would Paul and others teach Christians to be morally pure if the moral law was extinct at the emergence of the New Covenant? He would not.. The moral law has simply been elevated to a higher plane. When Paul taught that the tables of stone (moral law) were a ministration of death, he was simply contrasting the superior power of God's New Covenant law now written upon our hearts, at New Testament Pentecost. He was only comparing and contrasting Old Covenant Pentecost with New Covenant Pentecost. New Covenant Pentecost had a superior mediator (Jesus Himself, as opposed to Moses), pertained to a superior covenant, was a ministration of life (as opposed to death), was written by the Spirit of God upon the fleshy tables of man's heart (as opposed to tables of stone), and provided a way towards real and lasting righteousness and glory! The old, by comparison, was nothing but a passing, veiled, ministration of death!

Under the New Covenant, we obey Jesus because we're in love with Him, His law is written upon our hearts - we follow a higher moral law, law on a superior plane, a love-law. This is why Scripture tells us if we follow after love, the law is fulfilled: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom 13:8-10).

Love is the glory of the New Covenant law. For the believer, the law is no longer an external ordinance telling us what to do, but without the power to do it, and condemning us for not doing it well. Rather, the law of love is now internal, written on our hearts and minds, written by the Spirit of God, who enables us by His grace to fulfill it. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Hallelujah! Aren't you grateful?

So just what was nailed to the cross?

To be continued...

Winning Christ Jesus!

David's army consisted of many ranks. At the top of these ranks were David's three mighty men (2 Sam 23:8-17). This Old Testament instance is typical of the ranks now present in the Body of Christ: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming" (1 Cor 15:22-23). The Greek word used here for "order" is "tagma"; it only occurs once in the New Testament. It's a military term that literally means "a rank; an arrangement; a troop; a body of soldiers; a corp". This terminology is easily cohesive with other themes of Scripture. Paul has likened the Christian life to a race to be run (1 Cor 9:24-27; Heb 12:1-2), with a prize to be won: "I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil 3:8).

Did you realize there is something (Someone) to be won? Paul sought to win Christ! We're to be moving up in rank, growing from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18), from faith to faith (Rom 1:17), being emptied from vessel to vessel (Jer 48:11). As we've seen in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, there will be many differing levels of glorification (ranks) in the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor 15:41-42; Dan 12:3). Some will shine brighter than others. The bride of Christ, I believe, is the highest honor, rank and prize that can be attained to - this bride will have won Christ Jesus (Rev 19:7; Matt 25:10)! Interestingly, David's mighty men are typical of this bride: They attained to a certain rank, or degree of glory, and were rewarded.

When we use words such as "attain" and "reward" we are prone to automatically think of working towards, or earning, our salvation. But this is not at all what I'm referencing. Salvation is the free gift of God (Eph 2:8). Scripture makes this perfectly clear. There is nothing you and I could ever do to be worthy enough. Our reward, however, is indeed earned; That's what a reward is, by definition. Hebrews tells us that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6). Paul told the Corinthians that we would all be rewarded according to the sort of work accomplished here on earth: "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward" (1 Cor 3:13-14; 1 Cor 3:8). Those who have neglected their walk with God will still be saved and heaven-bound, but their reward will be lost (1 Cor 3:15). That's not my mere opinion, that's what the Bible says. For the bride of Christ, their reward will be God Himself: "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward" (Gen 15:1).

Just what made these men "mighty men"? What separated them from the rest of David's army? What granted them a higher rank and reward? Well, let's find out...

"And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men" (2 Sam 23:13-17).

All throughout the Bible, King David is a type of the Lord Jesus. Like Jesus, David was a shepherd, king, prophet, psalmist, worshipper, the "well-beloved", and king-priest (2 Sam 23:1-2; Heb 2:12; Acts 2:25-36; etc). Therefore, when we observe the behavior of David's mighty men, we can easily discern the behavior of the bride of Christ, Jesus' "mighty men" who have likewise attained to the highest rank and reward.

What did these mighty men do? Why were they so near and dear to David?

These men heard the sigh of David, even from outside his tent. They were close enough to his heart that they knew what he wanted. And not only that, they fetched his desire. Likewise, the bride of Christ is mighty because she too remains closely attached to the heart of God. Though separated physically for a season, they yet are united as one. From this intimate place, she can hear the longing of God's heart. She can go after His desire! In short, the bride is of the highest rank simply because she is continually beside the Lord Jesus, ministering to Him (Ps 45:9). God is thirsty, will we hear His desire and fetch Him a drink? He wants to partake of the fountains of your heart, will you allow Him? Will we willingly lavish our love upon Him, and satisfy His craving? The bride will always be ready and willing. This is what makes her "mighty". This is what affords her an exceeding great reward (Gen 15:1)! She is a friend of God!

Notice also that this occurred at the Cave of Adullam. The men who were gathered there were those in debt, distress, were discontented, etc (1 Sam 22:2), yet they chose to give David his longing! What selfless men! They weren't at all concerned about their own carnal thirsts, but only that which their King was craving! Likewise, the bride of Christ will be a people who count their own lives as loss for the sake of King Jesus, and all that He desires (Phil 3:8)! Are we able to forsake our own will, desires and wants so that God's purposes can come forth? For the bride of Christ, a resounding YES is her continual answer! For the bride, her life's mission is to die, and allow Jesus to come forth in and through her: "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). Her suffering isn't even worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed IN her (Rom 8:18)! Is this our heart today? Is this the heart we long for?

Come Lord Jesus, and make us Your mighty men!

The Deceitful Tongue..

"In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue" (Ps 120:1-2).

Friend, it is a "deceitful tongue" that will tell you God isn't listening. This has been Satan's goal from creation's birth. The phrase "Hath God said?" is at the forefront of his perverted vocabulary. His entire goal is to make us question the goodness of God. "Is He hearing my cry?" Of course He is! If the very hairs on your head are numbered, what makes you think He's turned a deaf ear to your pleadings and distresses? Only the father of lies would perpetrate such a poisonous thought!

You can never be too far from our Lord's ear.. He can hear you even from the depths of hell: "Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice" (Jon 2:1-2).

You can never be too lost to catch our Lord's attention.. His mercy will always facilitate the opening of His ear to your plea: "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles" (Ps 34:6)... "But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God" (Ps 40:17).

"Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" (Ps 50:15).

The Breaking of the Bread..

"He was known of them in the breaking of the bread" (Lk 24:35).

Dr. Mark Hanby visited our church this past weekend, and it was tremendous! He gave a message about "knowing God" that really stuck to my ribs, so to speak. He spoke of "knowing" Jesus to the extreme and full extent that Paul desired. To the Philippians, Paul said, "what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead" (Phil 3:7-11).

We hear this collection of Scripture quoted frequently, but it's not expounded upon as often. The lingering question in my heart has always been, "how can I know Jesus to this great extent?" Just being saved, washed in the precious blood of Jesus, and heaven-bound isn't enough for me.. Of course I'm eternally grateful, but that gratefulness has birthed in me a deeper desire too - I want ALL that God has for me. I don't want to simply stop at the brass altar, when there's entire realms of glory beckoning me onward! And if you're taking the time to read this, I'm sure you feel the same way.

So just how can we know Jesus like this?

Interestingly, the Gospel of Luke gives us a glimpse: "He was known of them in the breaking of the bread" (Lk 24:35).

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus appeared to two disciples. However, the Bible tells us that "their eyes were holden that they should not know Him" (Lk 24:16). In other words, because of the un-expectancy of these disciples, they were not able to recognize that it was King Jesus walking and talking with them. When they drew closer to their destination, the two disciples invited Jesus to come and abide with them. He accepted their offer (Lk 24:29). When they all sat down to eat, Jesus began to do what He'd always done: "he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them" (Lk 24:30). And immediately, "their eyes were opened, and they KNEW Him" (Lk 24:31)!

Many will say that they simply recognized Jesus' mannerisms, and thus recognized Him as He prayed and distributed the bread. But I believe it's much more than that. Wouldn't the disciples have noticed Jesus' many wounds? If a mere mannerism is all that was required to open the disciple's eyes, they would have recognized Jesus much sooner by the particular stroll of His walk, the tone in His voice, His knowledge of the Scriptures (Lk 24:27), the love that radiated from Him, etc. Rather, this instance must be communicating to us a spiritual truth! The spiritual eyes of these two disciples were shut (Eph 1:17-18).

Bread, in Scripture, is often symbolic. It references Jesus as the Bread of Life, and it also can reference His people. Paul said, "For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread" (1 Cor 10:17). Therefore, in Jesus' actions with the bread we see a pattern for us as we seek to know Him fully. Do you want to know Jesus? Then allow Him to take you, bless you, brake you and give you away! This is God's method! This is His means by which we're to acquire and cultivate such great intimacy. "He was made known of them in breaking of bread" (Lk 24:35)!

We see this to be true continually throughout Scripture. Men who possessed great intimacy with God were always men who were taken, blessed, broken and given out. Jesus was known to them in their personal breaking - He was known to them in the breaking of the bread!
Abraham was taken from Ur of the Chaldees (Gen 15:7). He was chosen by God to be a patriarch of nations. He was blessed with a tremendous inheritance. However, Abraham was also asked to slay his only son - his self-will was to be utterly cast down; he was being broken. Finally, Abraham was given out as a father of many nations, and a hero of faith. In the end, Abraham was called a "friend" of God (2 Chron 20:7; Isa 41:8) - the intimacy he had with God was acquired by breaking. Jesus was known to Abraham in the breaking of the bread!

Moses was taken and sent down the river to safety by his parents. His name actually means "drawn out". He was blessed in the house of Pharoah. Then he defended one of his countrymen and was sent to the backside of the desert for 40 years - he was utterly broken. Finally, he was given by God as a vessel to set His people free from the land of Egypt and lead them into the Promised Land. After all this, the Bible says Moses knew God's ways (Ps 103:7)! What a wonderful testimony! But this was only afforded to Moses as he endured the breaking of God - Jesus was known to Moses in the breaking of bread!

David was chosen by God and taken from among his brothers. He ended up blessed in the house of the king, victorious, and best friends with Jonathan, the King's son. Later, David ran for his life from this same king who was now trying to kill him - he was being broken. Finally, David was given by God to be the vessel by which the Messiah would come! He was taken, blessed, broken and given - and in all this, David cultivated an intimacy with God that men still marvel at today (Ps 27:4)! Jesus was known by David in the breaking of the bread.

The taking may be fun, the blessing joyous, but the braking is hard, and the giving a trial. But Oh what precious fruit will be rendered! Jesus, we want to KNOW You! We will know You in the breaking of the bread!

From the Beginning..

"And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning" (Jn 15:27).

This is an interesting verse of Scripture - one which sheds some revelatory light on Jesus' disciples - His witnesses. What made them witnesses? There are countless attributes that we could discuss; We've observed them before. Here, however, the Bible gives us a new quality that is to adorn true witnesses: "And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning". What does this mean? Clearly, the disciples were able to intellectually retell the events of Jesus' ministry, and this made them adequate witnesses. But what else does this small verse tell us?

The disciples could be witnesses because they had been with Jesus since the beginning; for the most part, they were by His side from beginning to end. In other words, they had received a perfect balance and complete viewpoint from which to receive and teach His doctrine. They were not with Him only when He healed the sick - they were with Him also when He did not heal them (Matt 13:58), or when He waited two full days to go to Lazarus when he died (Jn 11:6). Therefore, they had a balanced doctrinal viewpoint, and were perfect witnesses. They were not with Him only when He met the needs of the multitudes - they were also with Him during the storms, trials and dealings. Therefore, they had a balanced doctrinal viewpoint, and were perfect witnesses. And the list goes on and on..

You see, salvation is not solely about getting healed; it's not only about getting our needs met with abundance over and over again. Preachers today may have us believe that, but it's just not true; salvation is so much more than that. The fact that Jesus' disciples were with Him from the beginning tells me that they could be witnesses to ALL the counsel of God, even as Paul sought to teach: "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). They were with Jesus SINCE the beginning, in the good times and the bad, in the life and the death, in the blessing and the trial, in the goodness and the severity, in the prosperity and the adversity (Eccl 7:14)! And therefore, they were labeled His "witnesses". These will teach the church "to observe all things whatsoever" He has commanded us (Matt 28:20). Sadly, what the world has often seen are "witnesses" with a lopsided viewpoint. These "witnesses" often only see the instances when Jesus gave people money or promised them riches, and thus the Gospel is perverted into a get-rich-quick scheme. Some are only present in the instances when Jesus healed the multitudes of sick and demon-possessed. The Gospel then, is changed into a never-ending healing crusade: we're taught to cling to the benefits of salvation (Ps 103), rather than the Author, from whom these blessings flow. For whatever reason, these same people seem to overlook such passages as Matthew 4:1, "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil". They must have been absent when this occurred! But consequently, their doctrine slowly becomes off-balanced, and "a false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight" (Prov 11:1). Those with "a just weight" are those who have been with Him from the beginning, embracing every single avenue that our precious Lord chose to trek. These are His delight. These disciples preach all the counsel of God; they don't choose to emphasize one section over another. Friends, this is what the world needs to witness! A complete, mature, multi-faceted Christian witness - not an off-balanced believer with false emphases.

Don't we know that "ALL the weights of the bag are His work"? (Prov 16:11).

I In Them..

"And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one" (Jn 17:22-23)...

If such be the union which exists between our spirits and the person of our precious Lord, how deep and broad is the channel of our communion! This is no narrow pipe through which a thread-like stream may wind its way, but rather, it's a channel of amazing depth and breadth, along whose glorious length a ponderous volume of living water may roll its floods. Behold, He's set before us an open door, let us not be slow to enter! This city of communion has many pearly gates, every several gate is of one pearl, and each gate is thrown open to the uttermost that we may enter, assured of welcome. If there were but one small loophole through which to talk with Jesus, it would be a high privilege to thrust a word of fellowship through the narrow door; how much we are blessed in having so large an entrance! Had the Lord Jesus been far away from us, with many a stormy sea between, we should have longed to send a messenger to him to carry him our loves, and bring us tidings from his Father's house; but see his kindness, he has built his house next door to ours, nay, more, he takes lodging with us, and tabernacles in poor humble hearts, that so he may have perpetual relation with us. O how foolish must we be, if we do not live in habitual communion with him. When the road is long, and dangerous, and difficult, we need not wonder that friends seldom meet each other, but when they live together, shall Jonathan forget his David? A wife may when her husband is upon a journey, abide many days without holding converse with him, but she could never endure to be separated from him if she knew him to be in one of the chambers of her own house. Why, believer, dost not thou sit at his banquet of wine? Seek thy Lord, for he is near; embrace him, for he is thy Brother. Hold Him fast, for he is thine Husband; and press him to thine heart, for he is of thine own flesh.

- C. Spurgeon

Where Did He Go?

Have you ever felt like the Lord was a thousand miles away? Sometimes the daily grind of life can unintentionally force God to the back burner, and we end up asking ourselves, "why do I feel so far away from Jesus?". As I was reading the Bible, I noticed that the characters of Scripture sometimes felt this way too. Jesus seems to have periodically withdrawn His sovereign touch. He of course didn't leave, but He allowed the hearts of men to "feel" distant. But why? Was it because of sin? Not always.

It seems that when this happened in Scripture, it was right before a tremendous blessing occurred. It's almost as if this "experiential absence" of the Lord's presence was used as a season of testing, to invoke a greater response. Observe:

"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight... And...they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up..." (Acts 1:6-10).

Try to put yourself in the disciple's shoes.. they had been with Jesus for 3 and a half years, watched Him be brutally crucified, and now He's resurrected - dwelling with them again! What a joyous occasion this must have been! They thought this was to be the time for Jesus to restore the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6). Hopes were high, no doubt. Yet, how sad for the disciples that Jesus was soon to leave again, dashing their natural hopes to pieces! In fact, they were so distraught, that God had to send two angels to reassure them of Jesus' imminent return (Acts 1:11). But can we recognize that His momentary absence was simply to prepare the way for a tremendous blessing - the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Was this "absence" a trial of their faith? Maybe. Would the disciples be obedient even when the Son of God was not radiating all around them? Will we likewise be obedient, and continue to seek Jesus in the times when we don't "feel" spiritually strong? Or will our circumstances get the best of us? "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Lk 18:8).

Just a few days later, the disciples were overwhelmed at the blessing God poured out: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4).

Don't despise those times of supposed weakness and trial. Do you feel that Jesus has left you? Don't allow your heart to be troubled.. the trial of your faith is more precious than gold (1 Pet 1:7)!

The Shulamite woman seems to have experienced this same season of "experiential absence". For her, this was a season of personal testing. Jesus was asking her to seek Him more fervently. Observe:

"By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go..." (Song 3:1-4).

Before her trial, the Shulamite woman was pretty casual about her walk with God. She even refused His upward call (Song 2:10, 17). But now, because of His divinely orchestrated absence, she can't help but seek Him further; she goes places to find Him that she normally would not. His absence was to facilitate an extraordinary blessing! A few verses later she gets a dramatic glimpse of God's glory: "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?" (Song 3:6).

Have you ever felt spiritually distant? Don't fret. Jesus just may be checking your heart.. He just may be preparing and tilling the soil of your soul for an astounding blessing!

Abba!

There's been so much negativity about the Holy Spirit recently! Maybe it's me, but it seems every corner I turn there is another Christian denying His power, ridiculing those who love Him, and even mocking the Spirit Himself! This saddens me greatly. It scares me to think of our behavior toward the Holy Spirit.. remember what happened to Ananias and Sapphira? They lied to the Holy Ghost, and were struck dead!

I believe much of this blatant irreverence is perpetrated by the false assumption that the Holy Spirit is not actually God. Instead, people view Him as a mere energy force, or an intangible and invisible power. Few people actually identify Him as God. However, Scripture plainly declares His deity: "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God" (Acts 5:3-4).

One of the greatest hindrances that this irreverent behavior will produce is a lack of intimacy with Jesus. Christians who reject the baptism of the Holy Ghost (and all that He stands for) will always struggle to acquire and function in the intimacy God is after. Salvation is free, but real intimacy must be daily cultivated and nurtured (Matt 25:8-9). And do we realize that we simply cannot have intimacy with Jesus apart from His Spirit? To try and do so is like struggling to suck the life out of a juice box without a straw! You can try all you like, but very little juice will flow. Why? Because you require a vehicle, a straw, to impart that substance which you're aching for. No matter how "thirsty" you may be, without an immersion into the Holy Spirit, there is no straw, no vehicle for fulfillment! There is little to no impartation of the real substance of God.. It's only by the Spirit: "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph 2:18).

We just cannot be intimate with King Jesus apart from the Holy Spirit. Notice what the Bible says: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Rom 8:14-15). This term "Abba" was a term of endearment. It means, "daddy". This was the word Jesus used for His Father (Mk 14:36). It is a word denoting intimacy and affection. This word describes the utmost filial confidence and attachment. Notice that this relationship cannot be adequately realized apart from "the Spirit of adoption", that is, the Holy Spirit who baptizes us into the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13), as children of God, and seals us with His Spirit and fire (Acts 2; 2 Cor 1:21-22). The Holy Spirit is the only avenue "whereby" we cry ABBA! Why wouldn't we want to be immersed into all He has to offer?

To be honest, we can only be intimate with the Lord as the Holy Spirit works through us: "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal 4:6). Why then, do believers forsake His baptism? The Holy Spirit is He who turns a servant into a son; He turns a servant into an intimate lover! "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son..." (Gal 4:6-7). So how do we expect to have any hope apart from Him? How can we survive without being immersed into His graces?

Nevertheless, men deny Him. Men hate His manifestation. Men turn their noses up at His gifts. How sad that these same Christians will never know real intimacy with Jesus. Do we want to know His acts only? Or do we want His ways too? (Ps 103:7).

Dive in, the water's fine!

Fit For a King!

A small passage of Scripture from Matthew's gospel forced me to ask myself this one, simple question: "What am I bringing into God's house? Is it fit for a King?"

"When they [the wise men] saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh" (Matt 2:10-11).

In ancient times, visits were seldom paid to sovereigns without a present of some kind (1 Kgs 10:2; Ps 72:10; etc). An offering was always to be made because the person accepting the gift was one of notoriety, eminence and prestige. How much more does God deserve our best (Col 1:18)? Often times, however, it seems we're lucky if we can get people to clap their hands in worship! The body of Christ must ask itself, "What are we bringing into God's house?"

Am I bringing Him my gold? Naturally, this references our monetary offerings; our personal gold. Am I giving God my best? Am I giving Him the best fruits of my land (Gen 43:11)? The extent of our giving identifies the state of our praise (Isa 60:6)! Is my gift fit for such a royal, praise-worthy King?

Furthermore, gold in Scripture is symbolic of kingship, God's glory, and His divine nature (Rev 4:4; 14:14; 1 Cor 3:11-13; Mal 3:3). Therefore, in giving Him gold, we are ascribing to Jesus the great honor due His name. The Shulamite exemplifies this in her life: "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold..." (Song 5:10-11). Reader, we will undoubtedly ascribe glory to something or someone in this life.. who or what is it going to be? A career? A spouse? A dream? A ministry? Does Jesus receive my gold, or does another? "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts" (Ps 96:8).

Am I bringing Him my frankincense? Frankincense was an aromatic used in offerings; it was a dry, resinous, aromatic yellow gum, which came from a tree in Arabia, and was obtained by cutting of the bark. This incense was placed within the sanctuary, to be at hand when the priest required to burn it on the altar (Exod 30:34-36). It was burned upon the altar of incense in the Holy Place, and slowly wafted through the veil, into the Most Holy Place. Frankincense, therefore, is symbolic of one's worship and intercession (Rev 5:8; 8:3-4). The Psalmist has said, "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice" (Ps 141:2). Am I bringing such a "sweet savour" into the house of God? Or do I come into His house for vain purposes, and muddy the waters? Do I take the time to cultivate the fragrance of my life? Or am I simply in a hurry to escape wrath?

Interestingly, Jesus possesses this sweet scent (Song 3:6). His bride too will have this scent as she endures the dealings of God, and is changed into His very image (2 Cor 3:18). Of the bride, Scripture tells us that she is "a garden enclosed...with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices" (Song 4:12-14). She is a savour of life (2 Cor 2:14-16)!

Am I a savour of life, fit for a King? If so, do I strive to bring this savour into the house of God? From the bottom of my heart, I long to be "an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God" (Phil 4:18)!

Finally, am I bringing Him my myrrh? Myrrh is another scent that was used in perfuming ointments; it was used as a burial spice (Jn 19:38-40). Myrrh had to be finely crushed. This is symbolic of the death of the flesh, the old man, and the Adamic nature. Jesus had this scent because of the suffering He endured (Song 3:6). He was tempted in all points, yet without sin. His humanity was utterly crushed (Heb 4:15). This crushing will be said of His bride too (Ps 45:7-8; Rev 19:7).

Am I bringing Jesus my myrrh? Or do I strive to serve two masters: God and sin? Am I laying my life down to be crushed? Or do I still want to hold onto the passing pleasures of sin? What am I bringing into the house of God? Is it finely crushed myrrh, prepared for the death, burial and resurrection of the old carnal nature? "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints" (Ps 116:15).

The Holy Spirit..

Charisma Magazine recently published several articles about the Holy Spirit. In a day and age when the Holy Ghost is so misunderstood, questioned, and even mocked, these articles were refreshing, to say the least. Following is a brief synopsis.. Enjoy!

Who is the Holy Spirit?

God's Spirit is more than a dove or a wind, or even a power.. He is a person! We seem to think He is an "it" because He's often portrayed in a symbolic sense throughout Scripture (e.g. a dove, a wind, a power, etc). However, He also possesses all the attributes of a personality, and is even referred to as "He", "Him", etc. Thus, He is a person, not a thing. The Holy Spirit possesses knowledge (1 Cor 2:11), a will (1 Cor 12:11), emotions (Rom 15:30), etc. We can deduce therefore, that the Holy Spirit is not just an illumination or an inspiration. He is, in fact, a Person - an infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and eternal third Person of the Godhead! He is a divine Person!

How does He operate?

He is called "the Spirit of life" (Rom 8:2, 10). He literally creates the life of Jesus in us. He births the Word of God in us. He baptizes us into the body of Christ, seals us, and works resurrection power in and through us!

He is called "the Spirit of truth" (Jn 16:13). He reveals the truth of God to us. He inspired the Word of God, and now reveals it's mysteries to our hearts. Each time God gives us fresh insight into His Word, He makes the logos (written word) become a rhema (living Word) to our spirits. As the "Spirit of truth", He also corrects us when we miss it. He counsels us and instructs us. He convicts us when we sin, and renews the spirit of our minds to line up with His truth.

He is called "the Spirit of adoption" (Rom 8:15). He makes us the "sons" of God. It's only by the Spirit that we can have real intimacy with God.

He is called the "Spirit of holiness" (Rom 1:3-4). He brings judgment, the fire of God, and holy burning into our lives. He searches out and convicts of sin, destroying the impurities (Isa 10:16-18). Yet, He deals with us gently, according to His peaceful nature. He gives us grace to be holy. He imparts the righteousness of God.

He is called the "Spirit of grace" (Heb 10:29). He gives us the "divine enabling" to do all that the Bible instructs us to. He helps us to obey God.

He is called "the Spirit of supplication" (Zech 12:10). Supplication means, "an entreaty, a humble earnest prayer in worship, a petition". The Holy Spirit comes to establish us in communion with God. He is our vehicle.

He is called "the Spirit of glory" (1 Pet 4:14). The word "glory" implies an expression of God's active presence among His people. In Scripture, the glory of God was a literal weight ("kabod" in the Hebrew), and so it is today also. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the very presence of God.

He anoints us. By yielding to the Holy Spirit, He enables us to exercise the gifts of the Spirit (1 Tim 4:14-15; 2 Tim 1:6; 1 Thess 5:19; Acts 19:6; etc). By communing with the Holy Spirit, we grow into a place where we can minister that same life, via His anointing: "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost" (Acts 8:14-17).

The baptism of the Holy Spirit..

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not salvation. It is a subsequent experience. God's gift to sinner's is Jesus the Savior; God's gift to believers is Jesus the Baptizer. When Jesus became your savior He cleansed your sins by His blood; but when Jesus becomes your Baptizer, He fills you with His Spirit. The result of salvation is forgiveness; the result of the baptism is power. I wrote an entire blog post dedicated to showing the Holy Ghost baptism as a second experience. You can go here if you're interested. There is also an entire series discussing Cessation - the erroneous idea that the Holy Spirit has left the scene. The series begins here if you're interested.

What is the evidence of the baptism?

The evidence of the Holy Ghost baptism is supernatural power, and speaking in tongues. This was the case in EVERY instance throughout Scripture, so we simply cannot conclude it to be different today. Take Peter for example: before his baptism he denied the Lord 3 times. After his baptism he spoke in tongues, healed the sick, raised the dead, and won 3,000 souls with his first sermon!

Why tongues?

The Bible gives us several reasons for speaking in tongues. Here are 6:
Spiritual refreshment. Speaking in tongues is a spiritual "refreshing" that causes the "weary to rest" (Isa 28:11-12, NKJV).
Overcoming weaknesses. Speaking in tongues helps the believer in areas of personal weakness (Rom 8:26). Are you tempted with lust, or tormented with worry? Pray in the Holy Spirit often, because He is your Helper!
Praying God's perfect will. Speaking in tongues helps you to always pray the perfect will of God. When you pray in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit prays God's will through you, addressing issues and circumstances that we may not understand (Rom 8:27).
Having the mind of Christ. According to 1 Corinthians 2:16, having the mind of Christ is synonymous with knowing the will of God. This means that when you pray in the Spirit, you not only pray God's will, but you also actually have the mind of Christ.
Worshipping in Spirit and in truth. One of the ways that we worship in Spirit is by singing in the Spirit. The Bible tells us that the Father "seeketh such" (Jn 4:23-24). Paul instructs us toward this practice as well: "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord" (Eph 5:18-19).
Building up your inner-man. Speaking, singing, or praying in tongues builds up and edifies your inner-man (Jude 20; 1 Cor 14:4).

Must tongues be interpreted?

Yes and no. The Bible mentions two different gifts of tongues: personal and corporate. The personal gift is associated with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is your personal prayer language that is directed to God alone (1 Cor 14:2). The corporate gift is always to be interpreted (1 Cor 12:10). It needs interpretation so that everyone who hears it can be encouraged (1 Cor 14:26-28). You might say that one's personal gift is man talking to God, while the corporate gift is God talking to man.

Is the Holy Ghost baptism for everyone?

Absolutely! Jesus said that the Father would give the Holy Spirit everyone who asks Him (Lk 11:13). The Bible also says that all men "should receive" this baptism (Jn 7:39), alluding that it is indeed our personal choice. Peter tells us that this gift is "to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off" (Acts 2:39).

500 or 120?

Do you realize that Jesus appeared to over 500 brethren after His resurrection (1 Cor 15:6), of course telling them all to "wait for the promise of the Father... for ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 1:4-5). However, isn't it sad that there were only 120 found present in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15)? How absurd! If the resurrected Lord of Glory visibly reappeared to you and told you to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, wouldn't you have made sure to be there? Of course! What divine truth does this sad instance tell us? It simply shows us that we can have as much of the Lord Jesus as we desire!

David had this great desire. He counted his earthly life as nothing compared to the hope of being just a bit closer to the King: "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple" (Ps 27:4). It's hard to intellectually fathom such an intense love and passion for God; it's difficult to put it into mere human words... But you know when it's yours.. You simply want nothing else but Jesus!

Similarly, Paul's desire was to "win Christ" (Phil 3:8), and to "attain" (Phil 3:11), and to "know Him" (Phil 3:10)! But I thought Paul already had Christ, already attained to something precious, and already knew God? Of course he did. But Paul, and others, weren't satisfied with simply being numbered among the 500.. they wanted to be obedient, even unto death! Paul wanted a special kind of knowledge, even as a bride knows her own husband; even as Adam "knew" Eve: "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death". In fact this word for "know" in the Greek means, "to know absolutely" (Phil 3:10). Wow!

We too can either be a part of the 500, or we can be a part of the 120! We can casually know God and casually obey, or we can radically know God and radically obey! Which would you rather be? The latter will always be blessed with His presence, and with the fiery hope of an uncompromising life!

The Reward for Readiness!

Part 7 of 7

"Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matt 25:7-13).

Aaron, the high priest, had to trim the seven lamps on the golden lampstand and supply the oil, morning and evening, in the Tabernacle of Moses. The same was true for the lampstands in the Temple of Solomon (Ex 25:37; 30:7-8; 35:14; 40:25; Lev 24:1-4; Num 8:1-3; 1 Kgs 7:49-50; Zech 4:1-2; etc). Why should New Testament saints be any different when it comes to our spiritual "lamps", our souls? It shouldn't. In fact, the book of Revelation describes the local churches as lampstands (Rev 1-3). "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice" (Ps 55:17)! The "trimming" of our soulish nature is a daily exercise that is to be personally appropriated.

But it's not enough to simply "trim" and "cut back" the flesh. No! We also must fill, fill and re-fill ourselves with the holy oil of God - His precious Spirit: "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit"(Eph 5:18). This "oil" is to be our "supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil 1:19)! This is the only way that we can "walk in the Spirit", "live in the spirit", and produce the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:22-25).

But friends, we must do this now! Scripture tells us that "the slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting" (Prov 12:27). In other words, only a slothful and foolish virgin would know what needs to be done, have the provision to do so, yet neglect it. Solomon also tells us, "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up" (Prov 21:20). Only a fool would know he needs oil, yet neglect to prepare. God help us!

The major difference I see between the wise and foolish virgins is that the wise virgins were walking and living in the Spirit, as opposed to merely seeing Him every other Sunday morning. They possessed oil around the clock, whereas the foolish virgins repeatedly neglected the oil of the Holy Ghost. It's not only that the wise virgins had oil when the bridegroom came, but it was also the effect of possessing continual oil in their lamps: What a progressive transformation this must have had upon their souls (2 Cor 3:18)! And what was the result? The wise virgins cultivated such a precious intimacy that they were granted entrance into the marriage chamber: "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut" (Matt 25:10)! What an honor! This is the reward for readiness. "The BRIDE hath made herself READY" (Rev 19:7)! The power of God's perpetual oil made them ready to meet with Jesus! Will this be said of us? Or will we face the horror of a shut door?

Help us, Lord Jesus!

The Midnight Cry..

Part 6 of 7

"And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him" (Matt 25:6).

The fact that this instance occurred at midnight tells us at least two things: (1) it will occur at a coming horrible time in history, for midnight, in Scripture, is frequently symbolic of trial, suffering and sorrow (Ex 11; 12:29; Job 34:20; Ps 119:62; Acts 16:25). And (2) it will occur at a time that is unexpected, even as midnight, naturally speaking, is an hour quite un-thought of for a bridegroom to come and claim His prize. In the Jewish custom, weddings usually occurred at night, yet they usually began at the rising of the evening star. Here, midnight was much more than an expected and ordinary delay. Even so the coming of the Son of Man shall be at an hour when we think not.

What does this tell us? What truth are we to glean from such things? I believe it teaches us that this life is our schoolyard, and will end abruptly and perhaps unexpectedly! Divine provision has been made, we've been told and shown what to do, and now we are to perform that which God has entrusted to us. When the "midnight cry" is made we will not have the opportunity to go back in time and re-live our lives in a Biblical manner. We won't be able to redo, repeat, return, or re-live. All we will be able to do then is repent!

This life is the only opportunity afforded to us to grow intimate with King Jesus... did you realize that? Christians often think that they can live as they please, neglect spiritual communion, and yet spend eternity in the fiery presence of a holy God. But this will never happen. Ungodly, foolish and lethargic (yet Christian) people will find their abode in the outer courts of heaven, I can assure you! Isaiah tells us that "the sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly... He shall dwell on high" (Isa 33:14-16). Solomon said, "...if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be" (Eccl 11:3). Trees in Scripture almost always reference people (Ps 1; Ps 104:16; 105:33; Song 2:3; Isa 55:12; 61:3; etc). So as a man dies (falls), his life and opportunity is over. He dies with the life that he lived; there is no going back: his reward has forever been claimed (1 Cor 9:24). Sadly, these foolish virgins had to learn this the hard way: "Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut" (Matt 25:7-10). Their eternal states will be far from the Lord Jesus! Are they saved? I believe so; they're still "virgins" in "the kingdom of heaven"... But they will not partake of the Bridal company; they simply cannot go in to the marriage bed. They haven't paid the price!

Eternity will only be filled with the intimacy you cultivated in this life (Heb 11:6; 1 Cor 15:41-42). Did we strive for the Most Holy Place, as Scripture exhorts us to, or were we satisfied with justification and "the outer court experience"? Did we strive for brideship, or did we settle for something less? Did we settle for what a man told us our potential was? Time will tell of the multitudes of believers who fell short of their true potential. This parable doesn't refer to Christians going to hell. Rather, it refers to Christians who cannot enter into the marriage chamber. They'll go to heaven, but the wedding chamber is reserved for the bride who "hath made herself ready" (Rev 19:7).

To be continued...

Slumbered and Slept..

Part 5 of 7

"While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept" (Matt 25:5).

What initial fruit do these wise virgins have that separates them from the foolish? Initially, I believe they have a superior rest!

Though up for debate, I believe the wise virgins peacefully rested in God, while the foolish virgins slept in ungodly lethargy. Why do I believe this? Because there is a difference between resting and sleeping; there is a difference between slumbering and sleeping. Are we resting comfortably in the will of God, having ceased from our own works? Or are we backslidden, overtaken with the awful sleep of un-watchfulness? The presence or lack of the Holy Ghost (oil) in our lives will always be the deciding factor!

Before the 2nd coming of King Jesus, the body of Christ will have to make a choice... Will we perpetually rest in the presence of God, or will we be found sleeping, as was so with the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt 26:38-41).

On the contrary, such a Godly slumber is referenced with Adam before his fall. Of him, the Bible says God put him in "a deep sleep" while Eve was taken out (Gen 2:21). This slumber was God-ordained and God-furnished; It was full of purpose too. Furthermore, concerning such a peaceful and Godly slumber, Scripture records of the Shulamite, "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night" (Song 5:2). Can this be said of us?

Are we resting in the presence of Jesus, lying down in green pastures (Ps 23:2; Song 1:7), or are we too "heavy with sleep" to see His glory (Lk 9:32)? The Bible tells us that "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep" (Prov 19:15).

Are we lying and resting in the pastures of God, "in a good fold" (Ezek 34:14), or do we find ourselves in the folds of another, needing to be abruptly awakened, rising, as it were, even from the dead (Eph 5:14)?

Are we, like Jesus, able to peacefully rest (in God) through the storms and trials of life (Lk 8:23), or must we be awakened out of a different kind of sleep: "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light" (Rom 13:11-12).

The choice is always ours, friends. Will we be resting in God, or sleeping in lethargy? Oh the difference that OIL makes!

To be continued...

Oil..

Part 4 of 7

If the "lamps" in this parable represent the soulish man, what does the "oil" represent? What are the wise to be filling their souls with, and what do the foolish seem to be neglecting? Over and over again, we see "oil" as symbolic of the Holy Ghost. As we recently saw, the believer needs a constant supply of the Holy Spirit (oil), in order for his lamp (soul) to shine and function properly in the world. He needs not only to be born of the Spirit but also to be constantly filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; Phil 1:19; Eph 5:18).

Here are just a few examples from Scripture that proclaim the relationship between oil and the Holy Spirit:

"Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? ... And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man" (1 Sam 10:1, 6).

"Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah" (1 Sam 16:13).

"And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him" (Lev 8:10-12).

"Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD" (Lev 21:12).

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over" (Ps 23:4-5).

"I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him" (Ps 89:20).

"There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise..." (Prov 21:20).

"...the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..." (Isa 61:3).

"Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil" (Ezek 16:8-9).

"Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" (Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9). This references the glory of God: "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him" (Jn 3:34).

The prophet Zecheriah had a vision of a bowl full of golden oil.. it received its supplies from two olive trees on either side of it, and poured it through seven golden pipes into the golden lampstand to keep it continually burning bright (Zech 4:1-14). Here, Zecheriah is expressly told that it was to proclaim the great truth, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts [shall this temple be built]. Who art thou, O great mountain [of opposition to this issue]? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain, and he shall bring forth the head stone [of the temple], with shoutings Grace, Grace unto it.” This supply of oil, then, here represents the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Simply said, the Holy Spirit is to be the oil in the lamp of man's soul. We require the Holy Ghost in order to shine; we require the Holy Ghost in order to cultivate the intimacy God is after. It is only by God's Holy Spirit that we can be transfigured into the bride of Christ (Rom 12:1-2), and thus the importance of us having and maintaining a true walk with Him! Are you faithful to the Holy Spirit? Faithfulness to the Holy Spirit means always acquiring MORE and MORE of Him! The wise virgins know this great truth, and are responding to it! Are we chasing the Holy Spirit? Can we be counted wise today?

To be continued..

I'm Gonna Let It Shine!

Part 3 of 7

"They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps" (Matt 25:3-4).

What are these lamps in which the oil is deposited? I believe them to represent one’s soulish man: “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matt 6:22-23). Scripture tells us to “cast off the works of darkness and…put on the armour of light” (Rom 13:12). This occurs in the soul (Lk 21:19).

The lamp's degree of shining is determined by one’s sanctification, that is, the daily trimming of the wick and the presence or lack of oil. In the Old Testament, the priest was responsible for the lamps burning. The seven lamps on the golden lampstand had to have oil supplied morning and evening (Exod 25:31-40; Num 8:1-4; Exod 30:7-8). So it is with the saints today; the believer needs a constant supply of the Holy Spirit (oil), in order for his lamp (soul) to shine and function properly in the world. He needs not only to be born of the Spirit but also to be constantly filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; Phil 1:19; Eph 5:18). Of the Psalmist it is said, “My soul is continually in my hand"(Ps 119:109).. Our personal sanctification and "lamp-tending" is our choice. We must choose whether or not to trim and acquire oil for our lamps, in order to keep them ablaze.

Simply said, our lamps reveal how much the Lord Jesus has worked His image in us. The brightness of our lamps is to be increasing from day to day, and from glory to glory: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18). Eventually, the brightness of our lamps (souls) is to be in the likeness of the King: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Gal 4:19). Of course, this requires oil, of which the foolish virgins neglected. This is why they were refused at the marriage chamber.. because Jesus longs for a like-minded bride, one with His very image (Eph 5:25-27).

Do you want to be a "burnt-out" Christian? It is indeed possible to have a lamp that is not burning, as is evident from the parable. Scripture admonishes us to “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning” (Lk 12:35). This passage implies that we have the choice. “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8). We must choose to walk as children of light. We must choose to acquire oil. The Bible goes on to tell us, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess 5:5-8). Friends, let's put it on.

Those virgins who do so will be counted wise! They will have made themselves bright and ready (Rev 19:7), and glory will be their inheritance!

To be continued..

Who Are the Virgins?

Part 2 of 7

That all 10 of these virgins are Christians we simply cannot doubt. The language and evidence is clear, as we will see. However, many will casually read this parable and automatically assume that the foolish virgins are heathen, while the wise are blood-bought believers. Why is this assumption so often made? The end result of the parable, that is, the wise being granted entrance while the foolish are denied, seems to indicate that the foolish are being denied entrance into heaven itself, therefore they must not be Christians. But this is not the case. It was not heaven that the wise virgins were permitted into and the foolish denied, but rather it was the marriage chamber (Matt 25:10).

In Hebrew, "virgin" means, “to separate; a virgin bride”. It has also been translated “maid; maiden”. The Greek word means, “a maiden, an unmarried daughter”.

The term “virgin” in Scripture most always represents one thing: God’s redeemed people (Rev 14:1-5; 2 Cor 11:2). The first time this word is used is in Genesis 24:16. Here, it denotes the purity, innocence and beauty of Rebekah (Isaac's bride), all of which are characteristics of the people of God too. Over and over we see this symbolic relationship to be true: “The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress” (Lam 1:15). An unconverted sinner is never likened to a virgin, but rather, the people of God are repeatedly termed "the virgin the daughter of Zion" (2 Kgs 19:21), "the virgin daughter of my people" (Jer 14:17), or the "virgin of Israel" (Jer 31:4). And how interesting to see that even when the people of God were “fallen”, He still saw them as His “virgin”, that is, His covenant people: “The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up” (Amos 5:2). The only time the word virgin is used in a negative sense is when the Lord uses it mockingly in derision against wickedness (Isa 47:1; Jer 46:11, etc).

The fact that these virgins are all believers is quite evident. They were all looking for the coming of the bridegroom (Matt 25:1), they all possessed some measure of oil (25:8), they all heard His call, arose at His call (25:7), and went out to meet Him. These actions simply do not describe what some would call “pseudo-believers”, that is, people who have been falsely converted. Rather, the unsaved do not have the lamp of light or the oil of the Holy Spirit in them, but are in unregenerate darkness. The unsaved don't even know there is a bridegroom, much less go out to meet Him! For one to be able to go out and meet the bridegroom they would first have to sincerely partake of that “path of life” (Ps 16:11), that is, the road towards completion, the beginning milestones of the Christian experience, being justification by faith, water baptism, etc. One cannot hear the call of the Bridegroom (Matt 25:6) if they are not first a Christian. It is only believers that Jesus calls in this manner: “My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away” (Song 2:10). Notice that we must be His "love" and His "fair one" in order to hear such a call. And notice further that simply because we are His love and fair one (virgin) does not solidify our response back to Him; for that is a matter of our own personal will: “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether” (Song 2:17). The virgin Shulamite refused the call of God! Can we imagine such a thing? Verily, the Lord labels this as foolish.

Furthermore, we can determine all 10 virgins as believers because of

God is beckoning His people (Jn 4:23), and only the wise are responding. The significant difference between the wise and the foolish is but one thing: oil. Oh the importance of oil! The wise are acquiring it.

"The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools" (Prov 3:35).

To be continued..