_________________________________________________ A New Assignment: 1/31/14 Title Page "...fully carry out (Lit. make full the word of God)..." "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This One was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:1-4 "...that is the mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations... which is Christ in you, the hope of glory... that every man (may be presented) perfect in Christ." Colossians 1:25-28 A Look Back: A Former Assignment 5/1/96 "Take the scroll of a book and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you... from the day I first spoke to you..." Jeremiah 36:2 I have been obedient to His instruction: Handbook 1: 11/11/98 Handbook 2: 9/24/01 Handbook 3: 3/16/09 Handbook 4: 6/06/12 "Their sound has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world... to reach even as far as you..." Psalm 19:4; 2 Corinthians 10:13 A Look Ahead: The New Assignment "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3 "Write promptly what you see in a book... and send it..." Revelation 1:11 _________________________________________________ God's Instructions: A Closer Look Making Full the Word of God: The Journey to Perfection "'Call to Me' and I will answer you, and show you, things fenced in and hidden, which you do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand." Jeremiah 33: 3 "Keep asking and it will be given you; Keep seeking and you will find; Keep knocking and it shall be opened to you." Matthew 7:7 "...Behold I have put before you an open door..." Revelation 3:8 Hidden things? A Mystery? "...attaining to all the wealth of the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true understanding of God's mystery, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2, 3 "Write what you see... in a book..." A similar instruction was given to John on the island called Patmos. "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like the sound of a trumpet, saying, 'Write in a book what you see, and send it...'" But as I begin, 'I see,' that in light of John's writing, my spiritual sight (and insight) is limited! John "...bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that He saw." Revelation 1:2, 11 At this present moment I must even ask, "What does it mean 'to see'?" To Look? Notice, observe, heed, give thought, study, be occupied with, open-eyed... To Behold? Look beyond, perceive, rivet one's eyes on, witness, distinguish, recognize, have knowledge of, understand... But I have noticed and given some thought to the following: The Word of God lists prerequisites, qualifications "for" and obstacles "to" seeing. (1) Prerequisites (Beginnings) (2) Qualifications (3) Obstacles (1) Prerequisites Opened Eyes: "But arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you... I am sending you, to 'open their eyes' so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." Acts 26:16-18 A New Birth: "...truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 A Special Grant: "And the disciples came and said to Him, 'Why do You speak to them in parables?' And He answered and said to them, 'To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away.'" Matthew 13:10-12 Blessed Eyes: "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it and hear what you hear and did not hear it." Matthew 13:16, 17 (2) Qualifications A Pure Heart: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8 "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek His face..." Psalm 24:3-6 "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And anyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." 1 John 3:2, 3 "Pursue... sanctification, without which, no one shall see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 (3) Obstacles Dull Hearts, Closed Eyes: Again: "...I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled which says; 'You will keep on hearing; But will not understand; And you will keep on seeing; But will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes Lest they should see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I should heal them.'" Matthew 13:10, 13-15 Unbelief (hardened hearts): "Take care... lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God." Hebrews 3:12 "But though He had performed so many attesting miracles before them they were not believing in Him; that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled... 'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart...' These things Isaiah said, because He saw His glory (Is. 6:1) and he spoke of Him." John 12:37, 38, 40, 41 Disobedience: "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'" Matthew 7:21-23 Rebellion: "Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, ears to hear but do not, for they are a rebellious house." Ezekiel 12:2 "And you being dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience." Ephesians 2:1, 2 Message to the Organized Visible Church Handbook 2: Article 27 Spiritual Immaturity: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For every one who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature..." Hebrews 5:12-14 But I am "...convinced of better things..." for those of us who are calling to Him! Hebrews 6:9 May we be "...the generation of those who seek Him, who seek His face..." Psalm 24:6 "...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of the faith." Hebrews 12:2 And may these blessings be ours: "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven... blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear..." Matthew 13: 11, 16 _________________________________________________ Beginning the Journey: Measuring Our Spiritual Maturity The Journey to Perfection Check One: _____ A babe who needs milk... "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For every one who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature..." Hebrews 5:11-14 _____ A partaker of solid food, pressing on to perfection... "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to perfection, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instructions about washing, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits." Hebrews 6:1-3 A Personal Word: My first steps beyond the milk of the word! Rebirth Handbook 1: Article 20 Jesus issues two invitations to press on: The First: "Come and you will see." "John the Baptist and two of his disciples were together, looking upon Jesus as He walked by. And John said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' And the two disciples hearing John speak, followed Jesus. And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and said to them, 'What do you seek?' And they said to Him, 'Teacher, where are you staying?' He said to them, 'Come, and you will see.'" John 1:35-39 The Second: "Come to Me..." "Come to Me... and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart..." Matthew 11:28, 29 The Apostle Paul speaks of his spiritual journey to know Christ and be found in Him: "...I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him... that I may know Him -- that I might progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding (the wonders of His person) more strongly and more clearly... Not that I have obtained or am already made perfect, but I press on to grasp and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me and made me His own... I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:8-10, 12, 14 Did Paul complete his journey to perfection? "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but to all those who love His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7, 8 "So let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth." Hosea 6:3 _________________________________________________ To Know Him The Journey to Perfection A vital question! "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me..." John 14:9 It was Paul's intense desire to know Him, "to progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly." A Personal Word from a Fellow Traveler "I've been reading the Gospels for the past few months. Jesus has been using the Gospel of John to help me to know Him. I think you and I have talked about knowing 'of' or 'about' Jesus, but not knowing Him personally. By God's amazing grace, Jesus has recently changed that. My first experience was in the hospital when Jesus revealed to me His majesty in my mind or spirit. And now in the past couple of weeks, Jesus has been talking to me and revealing Himself to me through my Bible reading and through the Holy Spirit. The understanding has been similar to experiencing the difference between 'believing' and 'knowing' that God's Word is true when you hear it. Jesus, in His grace and lovingkindness, has revealed Himself to me in the same way!" "And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God." John 6:69 Praise Him! A Vital Personal Knowing! Handbook 3: Article 35 _________________________________________________ Choosing Our World: Setting Our Minds on Things Above The Journey to Perfection "...God has chosen you in the beginning for salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through the gospel to the gaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14 God chose us in the beginning, now it is our time to choose! "If then you have been raised up with Christ Jesus, keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on things that are on the earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4 Choose Your World Handbook 1: Article 46 A Personal Note "An Encounter, Up Close and Counting, The Clash of Two Worlds" I was between two worlds, clothed in darkness; I refused to go forward -- I could not return to what I was for I had tasted the Light. My mind that once longed to know, Now riddled with fear and so lonely. The physical world rushed by me; I was powerless -- emptied of faith. The unknown One frightened me, He loomed in my way. His name, Spirit, the Holy One of God. I sensed His displeasure At the core of my being; His eyes burned my soul, His voice spoke, commanding, "Come out!" "I'm afraid of You," I whimpered, "Where you will lead me. I want to feel safe." My mind urged, "Retreat" B.C. Before Christ!" "Once I drew you to Me tenderly, Quieting you fears. I led you, I wooed you -- You promised Me you'd follow. Now come out!" "In my world I feel secure," I argued, "I know my way. In your world I feel lost, helpless. Why must I leave? Why can't I love and serve You from here." "Spirit," I cried, "Do you hear me?" "Spirit?" There was no answer! And His silence was more frightening than death. "O Spirit, "Don't leave me," I pleaded, "I cannot turn from You, You have the words of Life." He spoke no word, but I knew He still waited. My soul trembling, my heart quaking I stepped out from my world Into the unknown, unseen world, The home of my Savior and my God. I came out! Again from "Choose Your World": "Out of that vast organization called the world, out of the great mass of individuals belonging to it and involved in it, clean out of all that, God has called us. Thus comes the title 'Church' ekklesia, 'God's called-out ones.' From the midst of the great cosmos God calls one here and one there; and all whom He calls, He calls out. There is no such thing as a call from God that is not a call 'out of the world.'" Watchman Nee _________________________________________________ The Order of Things: Pressing on to Know the Lord The Journey to Perfection The first step: "...leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ... the repentance of dead works, faith toward God instructions about washings and the laying on of hands the resurrection of the dead, eternal judgments... let us press on to maturity (or perfection)..." Hebrews 6:1, 2 The Amplified Bible states it this way: "...advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belongs to spiritual maturity..." Hebrews 6:1, 2 The second step: "And this we will do, if God permits." Hebrews 6:3 Why do we need God's permission? The answer -- because of the 'Hiding'! "...Christ Jesus. Himself, in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2, 3 For the gospel is veiled: "...I am sending you, to 'open their eyes' so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God..." Acts 26:17, 18 "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not dawn on them." 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 "...the veil remains un-lifted, because it is removed in Christ." 2 Corinthians 3:14 Gaining God's permission: The veil is lifted as the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ dawns on us. "...But whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 A Closer Look at the Order of Things Paul's first messages to the Corinthians were about the elementary things of Jesus; he gave to them the 'milk of the Word,' he did not begin His ministry proclaiming to them the mystery of God. "And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the mystery of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:1, 2 Paul continues: "Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature... we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory... but just as it is written, 'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.' For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God... which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words (or interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men)." 1 Corinthians 2:6, 7, 9, 10, 13 The mystery that is Christ is only revealed through the Spirit in words taught by the Spirit! "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:26 "But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but what He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you." John 16:13, 14 Again: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And anyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." 1 John 3:2, 3 _________________________________________________ The Mystery: Christ Jesus Himself Making Full the Word of God "...in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2, 3 Scripture tells us that the mystery that is Christ began at the beginning: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This One was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it..." John 1:1-4 "And He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." Colossians 1:15 The Word also tells us that the mystery that is "Christ in us, the hope of glory," also began at the beginning: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness...' And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him..." Genesis 1:26, 27 The Psalmist writes: "When I see Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast appointed; What is man, that Thou dost remember him? And the son of man that Thou dost care for him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And dost crown him with glory and majesty!" Psalm 8:3-5 "'I know the plans that I have (Lit. am planning) for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope,' declares the Lord. 'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you...'" Jeremiah 29:11-13, 14 "...God has chosen you in the beginning for salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through the gospel to the gaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." "The Son of God became man to enable men to become sons of God. We do not know -- anyway, I do not know -- how things would have worked out if the human race had never rebelled against God and joined the enemy. Perhaps every man would have been 'in Christ' -- would have shared the life of the Son of God, from the moment he was born. Perhaps the natural life would have been drawn up into the created life, at once, and as a matter of course. But that is guesswork. You and I are concerned with the way things are now. "And the present state of things is this. The two kinds of life are now not only different (they would always have been that) but actually opposed." C.S. Lewis "...and we beheld His glory..." John 1:14 I was just about to confess in writing that I have never beheld His glory, when a burst of knowing (seeing) filled me with such a shining splendor that although I do not understand or perceive its meaning at this moment I must boldly state it here: The "Word of God" is not a "what," The Word of God is a "Who"! And for the first time I noticed {saw, became aware of ) this: "...and the Word was God." The Apostle John was shown this in a vision: "And I saw heaven opened; and behold a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written which no one knows except Himself. And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God." Revelation 19:11-14 Other Scriptures also "speak" of this: "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son... And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by the word of His power..." Hebrews 1:1-3 And for the first time the "light of the gospel of the glory of Christ" begins to dawn on me! And I have been granted permission to press on and my astonished heart is filled with thanksgiving! _________________________________________________ Fixing Our Eyes Upon Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of the Faith Making Full the Word of God "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son..." Hebrews 1:1, 2 Jesus, the Author of the Faith: "And He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in Him all things were created, both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things have been created through Him and for Him. And He has existed prior to all things, and in Him all things endure." Colossians 1:15-17 "Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, 'Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, But a body Thou hast prepared for Me...' Then I said, 'Behold I have come (In the roll of the book it is written of Me) To do Thy will, O God.' By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body once and for all." Hebrews 10:5-7, 10 Jesus, the Perfecter of the Faith: "In the days of His flesh, when He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to Him who was able to save Him out of death, and who was heard because of His piety, although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things that He suffered; and having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation..." Hebrews 5:7-9 "The second person in God, the Son, became a human Himself, was born into the world as an actual man -- a real man of a particular height, with hair of a particular color, speaking a particular language, weighing so many stone. The eternal being, who knows everything and created the whole universe, became not only a man but (before that) a baby, and before that a fetus inside a woman's body. The result of this was that you now had one man who really was what all men were intended to be: one man in whom created life, derived from His mother, allowed itself to be completely and perfectly turned into the begotten life. The natural human creature in Him was taken up fully into the divine Son. Thus in one instance humanity had, so to speak, arrived; had passed into the life of Christ. And because the whole difficulty for us is that the natural life has to be in a sense, 'killed,' He chose an earthly career that involved the killing of His human desires at every turn -- poverty, misunderstanding from His own family, betrayal by one of His intimate friends, being jeered at and manhandled by the police, and execution by torture. And then, after thus killed -- killed every day in a sense -- the human creature in Him, because it was united to the divine Son, came to life again. The Man in Christ rose again; not only the God. That is the whole point. For the first time we saw a real man." C.S. Lewis Jesus did not masquerade as a man. He was a man. "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through suffering." Hebrews 2:10 "...and having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation..." Hebrews 5:7-9 "...let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangle us, and run the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of the faith." Hebrews 12: 1, 2 _________________________________________________ Obedience, the Perfecting of Our Faith The Journey to Perfection To call Jesus, 'Lord,' does not make Him our Lord. Only obedience can accomplish that! A possible definition: Obedience: "...to walk in the same manner as He walked." 1 John 2:6 His invitation to "Come" supports this. "Come to Me... take My yoke upon you and learn of Me..." Matthew 11:28, 29 Jesus' Manner of Walking: "Behold I have come (In the roll of the book it is written of Me) To do Thy will, O God." Hebrews 10:7 "...the disciples were requesting Him saying, 'Rabbi, eat.' But He said to them, 'I have food to eat that you do not know about... My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.'" John 4:31, 32, 34 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 6:38 A Closer Look "... Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is some- thing He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He is doing..." John 5:19, 20 "I can do nothing on My own initiative... I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 5:30 "Jesus therefore said, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and do nothing on My own initiative, but speak the things as the Father has taught Me and He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do things that are pleasing to Him.'" John 8:28, 29 The Measure of a Perfect Man Handbook 3: Article 39 Jesus said His yoke is easy! Why do we find it so hard? _________________________________________________ Following in His Footsteps: Our Gift of Self! The Journey to Perfection Again: "Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, 'Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, But a body Thou hast prepared for Me...' Then I said, 'Behold I have come (In the roll of the book it is written of Me) To do Thy will, O God.' By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body once and for all." Hebrews 10:5-7, 10 Following in His footsteps: Our gift of self! "Come to Him, as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, allow yourselves to be built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ Jesus." 1 Peter 2:4, 5 "I urge you therefore... by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, well-pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." Romans 12:1 "Gather to Me, My godly ones, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." Psalm 50:5 _________________________________________________ Of Great Spiritual Significance - That Little Word "In" Making Full the Word of God Part 1: If Any Man Is "In" Christ, There Is a New Creation Part 2: Christ "In" Us, Our Hope of Glory Part 1: "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature (or there is a new creation); the old things have passed away; behold new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 "...old things have passed away..." Paul speaking: "...I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him..." Philippians 3:8, 9 "...if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self (Lit. man), which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit..." Ephesians 4:21, 22 "...behold, new things have come..." "...put on the new self who is being renewed (renovated) to a true knowledge according to the image of the one who created him..." Colossians 3:10 "...be renewed in the spirit of you mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Ephesians 4:23, 24 "And do not be conformed to this world (or age), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1, 2 "If then you have been raised up with Christ Jesus, keep seeking the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on things that are on the earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4 Part 2: "...Christ in (us), the hope of Glory..." Colossians 1:27 "'I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I live, you shall live also. In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me, and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to Him.' Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, 'Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?' Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.'" John 14:18-23 Christ in us, our hope of glory? Christ, whose house we are? "...We will come to him, and make Our abode with him." John 14:23 _________________________________________________ Christ "in" Us: A Closer Look Making Full the Word of God Again: "...Christ... whose house we are..." Hebrews 3:6 "After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I live, you shall live also. In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." John 14:19, 20 "...We will come to him, and make Our abode with him." John 14:23 "Do you not know that you are a temple (or sanctuary) of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ...the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him... do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 Jesus Changes for All Times the Meaning of the Word Temple Handbook 3: Article 44 "...For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, 'I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.'" 2 Corinthians 6:16 "And it shall be said, 'Build up, build up, prepare the way, Remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.' For thus says the high and exalted One Who dwells forever in eternity, whose name is Holy, 'I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.'" Isaiah 57:14, 15 "...Christ in (us), the hope of glory..." Colossians 1:27 "...We will come to him, and make Our abode with him." John 14:23 _________________________________________________ Glory, a Closer Look Making Full the Word of God "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son... And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by the word of His power." Hebrews 1:1-3 "This was the true light, which, coming into the world enlightens every man." John 1:9 "...whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 Dictionary definitions of glory: Splendor, radiance, exalted honor, height of renown. Glimpses on earth of His glory: "And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger... And in the same region there were shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flocks by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all people; for today in the city of David there has been born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord...' And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is well pleased.'" Luke 2:7-11, 13, 14 The effect on the shepherds: "And it came about when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds began saying... 'Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing the Lord has made known to us.' And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger." Luke 2:15, 16 "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father (or as an only unique one), full of grace and truth." John 1:14 The effect on John the Baptist: "John bore witness of Him, and cried out, saying, 'This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is come before me.' For of His fullness we all received, grace for grace... And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, "He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. (in, with, or by)" And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.'" John 1:15, 16, 33, 34 Jesus' First Miracle "...there was a wedding in Cana... and the wine gave out... His mother said to the servants, 'Whatever He says to you, do it.'" John 2:1, 5 The effect on His disciples: "This beginning of His signs (or attesting miracles) Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him." John 2:11 The Transfiguration "...Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him... (Peter began speaking) and behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice out of the clouds saying, 'This is My beloved Son, with whom I am will pleased; hear Him.'" Matthew 17:1-5 The effect on Peter, James, and John: "And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were much afraid. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, 'Arise, and do not be afraid.' And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, except Jesus Himself alone." Matthew 17:6-8 Peter writes further of this experience in his Second Epistle: "For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye witnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such as an utterance (Lit. voice) borne from heaven by the Majestic Glory, 'This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased' -- and we ourselves heard this utterance... when we were with Him on the holy mountain." 2 Peter 1:16-18 The further effect on them: "And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which we do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." 2 Peter 1:19-21 The Stoning of Stephen "And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. But some men... stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and dragged him away, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. And they put forward false witnesses... And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an Angel..." Acts 6:8, 9, 12, 13, 15 "Now when they heard (the things he said), they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God; and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, 'Behold, I see the heavens open up and the Son of Man standing at right hand of God.'" Acts 7:54-56 The effect on the crowd: "But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears, and they rushed upon him with one impulse. And when they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him..." Acts 7:57, 58 Old Testament Glimpses of God's Glory Moses: "...Moses said, 'I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!' And (the Lord) said, 'I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you...' But He said, 'You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!' Then the Lord said, 'Behold, there is a place with Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.'" Exodus 33:18-23 The effect on Moses: "And it came about when Moses was coming down from Mt Sinai (and the two tablets of testimony were in Moses' hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of His face shown because of his speaking with Him." Exodus 34:29 The effect on Aaron and the sons of Israel: "So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him." Exodus 34:30 Isaiah: "...I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him... And one called out to another... 'Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The fullness of the whole earth is His glory.' And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple (Lit. house) was filling with smoke." Isaiah 6:1-4 The effect on Isaiah was fourfold: "Then I said, 'Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips... For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.' Then one of the seraphim flew to me, with a burning coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs. And he touched my mouth with it and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven (Lit. atoned for).' Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send Me!' And He said, 'Go and tell this people...'" Isaiah 6:5-9 "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen on you." Isaiah 60:1 _________________________________________________ Our Hope of Glory: The Anchor of Our Soul The Journey to Perfection Again: "...Christ... whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm to the end." Hebrews 3:6 The Anchor of Our Soul "...God, desiring... to show the heirs of His promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us. This hope which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and stead- fast and one that enters within (or inside) the veil where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest after the order of Melchizedik." Hebrews 6:17-20 A Fixed Hope "See what kind of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are... and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. "And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him, purifies Himself, just as He is pure." 1 John 3:1-3 A Living Hope "Blessed be the God and Father of out Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and un- defiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you..." 1 Peter 1:3, 4 A Vibrant Hope "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble estate into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." Philippians 3:20, 21 A Hope Filled with Joy and Peace "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 A Hope Filled With Glory "For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm to the end." Hebrews 3:14 _________________________________________________ A Fixed and Living Hope Begets a Fixed and Living Faith The Journey to Perfection "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction or evidence of things not seen, for by it men of old gained approval." Hebrews 11:1, 2 "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6 Old Testament Examples of a Fixed and Living Faith "By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, having become reverent, prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of righteousness which is according to faith." Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Hebrews 11:8-10 "By faith Moses, when he was born was hidden for months by his parents... and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God... considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than treasures of Egypt, for he was looking for the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen." Hebrews 11:23-27 Definitions of such a vibrant and living faith: Seeing Him Who is Unseen "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance, which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you... and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but you believe in Him, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls." 1 Peter 1:3, 4, 8, 9 Seeing the Promises and Welcoming Them from Afar These men of old: "...died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and welcomed them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are not seeking a country of their own... But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them; for He has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:13, 14, 16 The New Testament records that Stephen also caught a glimpse of the city God has prepared. "...being full of the Holy Spirit, (Stephen) gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, 'Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'" Acts 7:55, 56 And on the last page of Handbook 2 God tells us that He is bringing us to the threshold of His heavenly city. "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant..." Hebrews 12:22-24 By faith, we are seeing and believing the promises and welcoming them from afar! "For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come." Hebrews 13:14 _________________________________________________ Jesus, the Mediator of a New Covenant Making Full the Word of God For we "...have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem..." Hebrews 12:22 And here for the first time we meet Jesus, the Mediator of a New Covenant. "... and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant..." Hebrews 12:24 "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to be born at the proper time." 1 Timothy 2:5, 6 "For on the one hand, there is the setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect) and on the other hand there is bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God... so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant... because He abides forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Hence... He is able to save forever (or completely) those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:18, 19, 22, 24, 25 The New Covenant "...He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 'This is the covenant I will make with them, After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And upon their minds I will write them, And their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.' Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere (Lit. true) heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful..." Hebrews 10:12-23 _________________________________________________ Jesus, Our High Priest Making Full the Word of God And for the first time, we are also introduced, not only to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant, but also to Jesus, our High Priest! Again: "Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere (Lit. true) heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful..." Hebrews 10:19-23 "For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us..." Hebrews 9:24 "Now the main point... is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man." Hebrews 8:1, 2 "For it is witnessed of Him, 'Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.'" Hebrews 7:17 "...because He abides forever, holds His priesthood permanently... He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:24, 25 _________________________________________________ A Partaker of Christ: The New Creation Making Full the Word of God "Therefore if any man is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 Again: "For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm to the end." Hebrews 3:14 And "...that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Hebrews 6:11, 12 For "...the old things have passed away..." "...leaving behind the elementary things about the Christ..." Hebrews 6:1 "...pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14 "...Behold new things have come..." "...a new creation..." "...renovated to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him..." Colossians 3:10 "...a new self... renewed in the spirit of your mind..." Ephesians 4:23 "...but we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 God's Workmanship: How It Comes to "Pass"! "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him, in love..." Ephesians 1:3, 4 "...seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by (or to) His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." 2 Peter 1:3, 4 Our Part: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And anyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." 1 John 3:2, 3 Purity Handbook 2: Article 26 "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete (or full)..." Col. 2:9, 10 Because He Is, I Can Become Handbook 3: Article 40 _________________________________________________ Partaking of the Divine Nature: The Mind of Christ The Journey to Perfection Bringing Every Thought Captive to the Obedience of Christ "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ..." 2 Corinthians 10:5 Again: "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God." Colossians 3:1 "...be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self (Lit. man), which in the likeness of (Lit. according to God) has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Ephesians 4:23, 24 "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2 Scripture states that we as Christians are to have the mind of Christ. AW Tozer defines this as: "thinking God's thoughts after Him." "The mental stuff of the Christian can be and must be modified and conditioned by the Spirit of Christ which indwells His nature. The Spirit-filled, prayerful, obedient Christian can actually possess the mind of Jesus so that his reactions to the world are the same as Christ's." AW Tozer To ponder: "But a natural (or unspiritual) man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 _________________________________________________ A Portrait of a Man Complete in Christ The Journey To Perfection "And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ." Colossians 1:28 A down-to-earth description: "We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your 'faith' in Christ Jesus..." Faith: "...the gospel... is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, 'But the righteous man shall live by faith.'" Romans 1:16, 17 "...we look not at things that are seen, but the things which are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 "...asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and growing by the knowledge, being strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, and attaining to all steadfastness and patience..." Colossians 1:9-11 _________________________________________________ Dangers for the New Creation: Shrinking Back to Destruction The Journey to Perfection "And working together with Him, we... urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain -- for He says, 'At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you;' ...behold now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2 "Take care... lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God... For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end..." Hebrews 3:12, 14 Dangers: Looking Back Falling Away Turning Back When Times Are Difficult Weighted Down Looking Back (Remember Lot's wife) "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world... is not from the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:15, 16 "He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal." John 12:25 "But seek (aim at, strive after) first of all His Kingdom and His righteousness..." Matthew 6:33 (Amplified Bible) Falling Away (Clinging to more comfortable, less exacting, teachings about Jesus!) "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ and pressing on to perfection... this we shall do, if God permits. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, while they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame." Hebrews 6:1, 3-6 Turning Back When Times are Difficult "Consider it all joy... when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result (Lit. work), that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4 "... do not reject the discipline (or instruction) of the Lord, or loathe His reproof, for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father, the son in whom he delights." Proverbs 3:11, 12 "'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And scourges every son He receives.' It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as sons, for what son is there whom his father does not discipline. But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons... He disciplines us for out good, that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:5-8, 10, 11 "Those I {dearly and tenderly} love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten {discipline and instruct them}. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent {changing your mind and attitude}." Revelations 3:19 (Amplified Bible) Weighted Down "Be on guard, that your hearts may not be weighted down with... the worries of life..." Luke 21:34 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21 "You cannot serve God and riches. For this reason I say to you, stop being anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more that food, and the body than clothing? ...And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span? But continually seek His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:24, 25, 27, 33 _________________________________________________ Spiritual Dangers for the New Creation! The Journey to Perfection Spiritual dangers include: Not Following Him Not Abiding in Him Not Obeying Him Taking His Name in Vain Clinging to Prior Relationships Not Following Him "If any one serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him." John 12:26 "And as they were going along the road, someone said to Him, 'I will follow you wherever You go.' And Jesus said to him, 'The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have roosting places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.' And He said to another, 'Follow Me.' But he said, 'Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.' But He said to him, 'Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.' And another also said, 'I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at home.' But Jesus said to him, 'No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'" Luke 9:57-62 Not Abiding in Him "Abide in Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing." John 15:4, 5 "As you therefore have received the Lord, so walk (or lead your life) in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude." Colossians 2:6, 7 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away... If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned." John 15:1, 2, 6 Not Obeying Him "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'" Matthew 7:21-23 Taking His Name in Vain "You shall not take His name in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." Deuteronomy 5:11 "And I say to you that every careless (or useless) word that men shall speak, they shall render account for on the day of judgment. For by (or in accordance with) your words you shall be justified and by your words you shall be condemned." Matthew 12:36, 37 "'Therefore wait for Me,' declares the Lord, 'for the day when I rise up to the prey... For then I will give to the people pure speech from pure lips, that they may call on My name and serve Me with one united shoulder and one unanimous consent.'" Zephaniah 3:8, 9 Clinging to Prior Relationships "...old things have passed away; behold new things have come..." "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore, from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh (or by what he is in the flesh); even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature (or there is a new creation); the old things have passed away; behold new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ..." 2 Corinthians 5:14-18 Is Family, God's Number One Good? Handbook 3: Article 20 "And Peter said, 'Behold, we have left our own homes, and followed You.' And He said to them, 'Truly I say to you, there is not one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.'" Luke 18:28 A further instruction: "Do not be bound together (Lit. unequally yoked) with unbelievers for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? ...or what part has a believer with an unbeliever..." 2 Corinthians. 6:14, 15 "Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, 'I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out of their midst and be separate,' says the Lord. 'And do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,' says the Lord God Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "These things I have spoken to you, that you may be kept from stumbling." John 16:1 Possible words to live by: We will not love the world nor the things in or of the world. We will set no worthless thing before our eyes. Whatever we set our hands to accomplish we will say, "If the Lord is willing," and if it is successful, we will not worship it nor fashion it into our pride and joy. We will allow no dream, success, person, or possession to entangle us. The world has many songs to sing but we choose to sing this song; "Where He leads us we will follow... We'll go with Him all the way." _________________________________________________ The Measure, the Proof, the Fruit of Discipleship Making Full The Word of God The Measure: "...If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." John 8:31, 32 The Proof: "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples (or that you bear much fruit and become My disciples)." John 15:7, 8 The Fruit: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you." John 15:16 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works... Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." John 14:10, 12, 13 "...Truly, truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23, 24 "And this is the confidence which we have before (Lit. toward) Him that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." 1 John 5:14, 15 _________________________________________________ Abiding in His Word: A Listening Attitude The Journey to Perfection Again: "...If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." John 8:31, 32 Abiding in His Word: A Closer Look! Read, Quote, Hear, Receive, Know, Obey, Love, Abide. "You have commanded us to keep your precepts, That we should observe them diligently. O that my ways were directed and established To observe your statutes [hearing, receiving, loving, obeying them]." Psalm 119:4 (Amplified Bible) A Listening Attitude "...all My words that I shall speak to you, receive in your heart and hear with your ears." Ezekiel 3:10 God speaks, I listen, for I know His voice. I keep His words near, I remember what He tells me. Day and night I meditate on them. And soon they move beyond reason, beyond emotion; they enter my heart. There I whet them, sharpen them, accept them, believe them; they settle down to stay. They live in me, I live in them. I wait. I remember. The moment may come rapidly or it may wait for many years. But this I know -- one day He will call His words to sound forth from me, in praise, in thanksgiving, in prayer, in obedience, in works of righteousness. O may the sound be pure! "With all my heart I have sought Thee; Do not let me wander from Thy commandments. Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:10, 11 _________________________________________________ Christ Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the Sheep The Journey to Perfection "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for every and ever. Amen." Hebrews 13:20, 21 How it works: "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." John 10:14, 15 "Like a shepherd He will tend His flock; In His arm He will gather the lambs, And carry them in His bosom..." Isaiah 40:11 "I will gather them and bring them together like sheep in a fold; like a flock in the midst of a pasture..." Micah 2:12, 13 "I know My own, and My own know Me!" "...he who enters by the door (into the sheepfold) is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. "When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." John 10:2-5 "...Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." John 10:7-9 "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able, once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord open to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.'" Luke 13:24, 25 And I respond: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. ...He guides me in paths (Lit. tracks) of righteousness For His name's sake." Palm 23:1, 3 And again the words of this song resound in my heart: "Where He leads me I will follow... I'll go with Him all the way." And may this promise soon be ours! "Therefore the Lord longs (Lit. waits) to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long (Lit. wait) for Him. ...He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. And your ears will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right or to the left." Isaiah 30: 18, 20, 21 _________________________________________________ A Glimpse of the "Tracks" of Righteousness Making Full The Word of God "The Lord is my shepherd... ...He guides me in paths (Lit. tracks) of righteousness For His name's sake." Palm 23:1, 3 "Righteousness will go before Him, And will make His footsteps into a way." Psalm 85:13 A Review Paul speaks about not having a righteousness of his own: "...but which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith..." Philippians 3:9 And Isaiah writes: "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like filthy garments..." Isaiah 64:6 Paul again: "But of Him, you are in Christ Jesus who became to us wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification, and redemption..." 1 Corinthians 1:30 "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21 Recognizing the Tracks of Righteousness "Thou doest meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers Thee in Thy ways." Isaiah 64:5 "For in it (the gospel) a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith. As it is written, 'The righteous man shall live by faith.'" Romans 1:17 "And this is the message we have heard from Him... If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:5, 8, 9 "It is a trustworthy statement... that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." 1 Timothy 1:15 I Am the Chief of Sinners Handbook 1: Art. 19 How It Works "Those whom I love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten -- I discipline and instruct them. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent -- changing your mind and attitude." Revelation 3:19 Amplified Bible Sanctification: An Obsolete Word? Handbook 3:Article 23 "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful... yet to those who are trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:11 "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, My soul will exult in my God; He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up. So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations." Isaiah 61:10, 11 _________________________________________________ Love, Grace, Righteousness, Salvation Making Full the Word of God The Order of Things: It all begins with love: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16 "...Jesus knowing His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world He loved them to the uttermost." John 13:1 Then grace: "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins... but God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive in Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus... For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no man should boast." Ephesians 2:1, 4-6, 8, 9 Righteousness: "Seek first (or continually seek) the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." Matthew 6:33 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Matthew 5:6 "...for the kingdom of God is... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17 "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne..." Psalm 89:14 "The Lord is righteous in all His ways..." Psalm 145:17 Again: "But seek first the kingdom and His righteousness..." Matthew 6:33 For when the "Word became flesh and dwelt among us" both the kingdom and righteousness came near! "Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 'Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Lit. has come near).'" Matthew 3:1, 2 "I bring near My righteousness..." Isaiah 46:13 "But now apart from law, the righteousness of God has been manifested... even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe..." Romans 3:21, 22 A testimony of approval; becoming an heir of righteousness! "But my righteous one shall live by faith..." Hebrews 10:38 "...For by it the men of old gained approval (Lit. obtained a testimony)... By faith Noah... prepared an ark for salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." Hebrews 11:2, 7 "Just as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness..." Galatians 3:6 "And I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord." Hosea 2:19, 20 "So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." Isaiah 61:3 "Then all your people will be righteous; They will possess the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified." Isaiah 60:21 Salvation (saved from the wrath of God): "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly... But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified in His blood, we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:6, 8, 9, 10 "But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us..." 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10 "...who delivers us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:10 For: "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31 "...for our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29 "The Lord reigns (or has assumed Kingship); let the earth rejoice; Let the many coastlands be glad. Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him, And burns up His adversaries round about. His lightnings lit up the world; The earth saw and trembled. The mountains melted like way at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples have seen His glory." Psalms 97:1-6 Again: "But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us..." 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10 "...who delivers us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:10 Knowledge of God 101: A Fearsome Encounter Handbook 3: Article 30 _________________________________________________ Working out Our Own Salvation With Fear and Trembling The Journey to Perfection "I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him (or be in awe before Him)... Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness. I said in my heart, 'God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,' for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.'" Ecclesiastes 3:14, 16, 17 "Therefore also we have as our ambition... to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for the things through the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord..." 2 Corinthians 5:9, 10 "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will recompense every man according to his deeds." Matthew 16:27 "...on that day when according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." Romans 2:16 "Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. Who would not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy..." Revelation 15:3, 4 The Fear of the Lord is Old Testament? Handbook 3: Article 14 Therefore Paul exhorts us: "So then... just as you have always obeyed... work out your salvation with fear and trembling... for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12, 13 Remember this Scripture? "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk (lead your life in Him), having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made full..." Colossians 2:6, 7, 9, 10 Lead your life in Him: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me... For My yoke is easy and My load is light." Matthew 11:29, 30 "...keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:1-3 Firmly rooted: "Abiding in Him..." "Abiding in His Word..." "Bearing fruit in every good work..." A personal testimony through the words of a song: "You are my everything, You are my all; You are my everything, both great and small. You gave Your life for me, made everything new -- You are my everything, and I love You." Composer Unknown Built up in Him: "And coming to Him as to a living stone... you also as a living stone, are being built up (or allow yourselves to be built up) as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4, 5 "...you are fellow citizens with the true believers (Lit. holy ones), and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." Ephesians 2:19-22 Established in your faith: "...building yourself up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit..." Jude 1:20 "...be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil... Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of peace... in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition, praying at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance, and petition for all the saints." Ephesians 6:10, 11, 14-18 And as you were instructed: "Study (or be diligent) to show yourself approved to God, a workman that need not be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 What God is Seeking! Handbook 3: Article 32 Overflowing with gratitude: "...seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises in order that by them (we) might become partakers of the divine nature..." 2 Peter 1:3, 4 "For we are God's handiwork recreated in Christ Jesus that we may do those good works which God planned beforehand for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 That we may do those good works which God planned beforehand for us! "They said therefore, to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.'" John 6:28, 29 Believing in Him: A Closer Look "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me. Otherwise believe on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works then these shall he do; because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask In My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:10-14 _________________________________________________ The Springing Up of Righteousness Making Full the Word of God "For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations." Isaiah 61:11 "...I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure... I will bring near My righteousness, it is not far off...'" Isaiah 46:9, 10, 13 "O that Thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Thy presence... For from of old they have not heard nor perceived by ear, Neither has the eye seen a God besides Thee, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. Thou dost meet him who rejoices in doing righteousness, Who remembers Thee in Thy ways." Isaiah 64:1, 4, 5 The Meeting Place "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth... you know Him because He abides with you and shall be in you... In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." John 14:15-17, 20 The Springing Up "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance, all that I have said to you." John 14:26 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness, and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged... He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you." John 16:8-11, 13, 14 The Springing Up of Righteousness and Praise "Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright. Sing to Him a new song... For the word of the Lord is upright; And all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord." Psalm 33:1, 3-5 "Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; Sing the glory of His name; Make His praise glorious. Say to God, 'How awesome are Thy works!'" Psalm 66:1-3 To review: The song of Moses and the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. Who would not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; For all the nations will come and worship before Thee, For Thy righteous acts (or judgments) have been revealed." Revelation 15:3, 4 _________________________________________________ The Springing up of God's Righteous Judgments Making Full The Word of God "...(we) have come to Mount Zion and to the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem... and to God, the judge of all..." Hebrews 12:22, 23 "...for all the nations will come and worship before Thee, For Thy righteous acts (or judgments) have been revealed." Revelation 15:4 The Revealing of God's Righteous Judgment "...now He has promised, 'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.' And this expression, 'Yet once more,' denotes the removing of those things that can be shaken, as in created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." Hebrews 12:26, 27 And this word from God holds an awful urgency for us to notice! "See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven." Hebrews 12:25 "For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also but the word they heard (Lit. of hearing) did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard (or they were not united in faith with those who heard)." Hebrews 4:2 "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show (Lit. have) gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:28, 29 "The Mighty One, God, the Lord has spoken, And summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth. May our God come and not keep silence; Fire devours before Him, And it is very tempestuous around Him. He summons the heavens above, And the earth to judge His people; 'Gather My godly ones to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.' And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge." Psalm 50: 1-5 _________________________________________________ The Substance and Evidence of Faith Making Full the Word of God "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 "By faith we understand that the worlds (Lit. ages) were prepared by the Word of God, so that what was seen was not made out of things which are visible." Hebrews 11:3 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." John 1:1-3 "Then God said... ...and it was so." Genesis 1:3, 15 How It Works "So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17 Our difficulty: Uniting faith with the Word of hearing! "For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard." Hebrews 4:2 Part 1: Faith is, "the substance of things hoped for!" "...God, desiring... to show to the heirs of promise the unchangeable of His purpose, interposed with an oath... (that) we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us." Hebrews 6:17, 18 "...hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it." Romans 8:24, 25 A definition of the hope set before us: "...Christ in (us), the hope of glory..." Colossians 1:27 A Review "See what kind of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are... and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is." 1 John 3:1, 2 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you..." 1 Peter 1:3, 4 "This hope which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one that enters inside the veil where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest after the order of Melchizedik." Hebrews 6:19, 20 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble estate into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself." Philippians 3:20, 21 "For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm to the end." Hebrews 3:14 Part 2: Faith is, "the evidence of things not seen!" The Evidence? "Then God said... ...and it was so." Genesis 1:3, 15 Our Response "...all My words that I shall speak to you, receive in your heart and hear with your ears." Ezekiel 3:10 We recognize and receive the evidence, and hear (perceive) and acknowledge His Word as the authoritative, undoubted, indisputable, unquestionable, and infallible Word of God. The Result? "...it (is) united by faith in those who heard." Hebrews 4:2 A Review "Out of the heavens He let you hear His voice..." Deuteronomy 4:36 The Voice of God's Word Handbook 2: Article 7 "For we have become partakers of Christ..." Hebrews 3:14 "...the author and perfecter of faith..." Hebrews 12:2 Faith that: "...comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17 Faith is the substance of the things we hope for, the evidence we perceive and believe but do not yet see, the echoes of spiritual reality, and the Word we live by! _________________________________________________ Offering to God an Acceptable Service The Journey to Perfection "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show (have) gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:28, 29 Paul speaks of his service: "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service..." 1 Timothy 1:12 "...God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son..." Romans 1:9 Knowledge of the Spirit Handbook 3: Article 34 "...I was appointed a herald and an apostle and as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." 1 Timothy 2:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7, 8 Paul urges us: "...by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, well- pleasing to God, which is you spiritual service of worship." Romans 12:1 A reminder: For this purpose we have been recreated in Christ Jesus! "For we are God's handiwork recreated in Christ Jesus that we may do those good works which God planned beforehand for us, taking paths which He prepared ahead of time that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and soul, and to keep the Lord's commandments..." Deuteronomy 10:12, 13 What It Means to Love God Handbook 1: Article 89 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him." John 12:26 "And I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord." Hosea 2:19, 20 "And the heavens will praise Thy wonders, O Lord; Thy faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones. For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord? A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, And awesome above all those who are around Him? O Lord God of hosts, who is like Thee, O mighty Lord? Thy faithfulness also surrounds Thee." Psalms 89:5-8 _________________________________________________ Offering to God an Acceptable Service: the Greater Works! The Journey to Perfection "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses was also in all His house... Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house, whose house we are..." Hebrews 3:1, 2, 5, 6 Christ was faithful as a Son over His house: "I glorified Thee on earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do." John 17:4 May we, too, be found faithful over His house! A Review: "And coming to Him as to a living stone... you also as living stones allow yourself to be built up (or build yourselves up) as a spiritual house to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4, 5 "Gather My godly ones to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." Psalm 50:5 "For we are God's handiwork recreated in Christ Jesus that we may do those good works which God planned beforehand for us..." Ephesians 2:10 The Good Works: "Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it." John 14:12-14 May His testimony about His work on earth also be true of me: "I glorified Thee on earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given (Me) to do." John 17:4 The Greater Works: A Definition! Asking according to His will: "And this is the confidence which we have toward Him that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked of Him." 1 John 5:14, 15 "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'..." Matthew 21:13 A Review: Prayer: A Misunderstood and Misused Privilege! Handbook 3: Article 18 An Appointment to Pray: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you." John 15:16 Again: "Who then is the faithful and sensible servant whom his master puts in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master finds so doing when he comes. I solemnly declare he will put him in charge of all his possessions." Matthew 24:45-47 _________________________________________________ Personal Prayer: A Marvelous Privilege The Journey to Perfection "Who is like the Lord our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold The things that are on earth." Psalm 113:5, 6 "What is man, that You take thought of him? And the son of man that You care for him?" Psalm 8:4 "For what great nation is there who has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him?" Deuteronomy 4:7 Personal Prayer: A Closer Look "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace that surpasses all comprehension (Lit. mind), shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6, 7 "...casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 Jesus prayed for personal help from His Father: "And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, 'Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will but Thine be done.'" Luke 22:41, 42 "In the days of His flesh, when He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and who was heard because of His piety..." (piety: reverence and awe) Hebrews 5:7 Again: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6 Guidance before making our requests: "The mind of a man plans his way, But the Lord plans His steps." Proverbs 16:9 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, But the counsel of the Lord, it will stand." Proverbs 19:21 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5, 6 "The steps of a man are established by the Lord; And He delights in his way, When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand." Psalm 37:23, 24 "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' ...Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this and that.'" James 4:13, 15 "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words, and acts upon (Lit. does) them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building an house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when the flood rose, the river burst against the house and could not shake it, because it had been well built." Luke 6:46-48 _________________________________________________ The Mystery of God's Will: The Summing Up! Making Full The Word of God "...Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to Thee I lift up my soul... Teach me to do Thy will, For Thou art my God; Let Thy good Spirit lead me on level land." Psalm 143:8, 10 The place to begin: "...ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding..." Colossians 1:9 Expressions of His will in the Word of God: "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10 "...that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the periods of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time." Acts 3:19-21 "...God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11 "'Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but the heaven.' And this expression, 'Yet once more,' denotes the removing of those things that can be shaken, as in created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain." Hebrews 12:26, 27 "...In all wisdom and insight He, making known to us the mystery of His will... with a view to an administration of the fullness of time, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth." Ephesians 1:8-10 The Summing Up of All Things in Christ: A Closer Look "Now I make know to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, by which also you were saved, if you hold fast the word... For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order; Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet... And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all." 1 Corinthians 15:1, 2, 22-25, 28 _________________________________________________ God's Will, the Greater Works, and Prayer Making Full The Word of God Again: "...Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to Thee I lift up my soul. Teach me to do Thy will, For Thou art my God; Let Thy good Spirit lead me on level land." Psalm 143:8, 10 And Lord, teach us to pray Thy will! "And it came about that while He was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray...' And He said to them, 'When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come.'" Luke 11:1, 2 And from Matthew: "Pray then in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9, 10 More instructions were given to Peter about praying God's will: Jesus asked Peter a vital question: "...'who do you say that I am?' And Simon Peter answered and said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.'" Matthew 16:15-17 And as a result Peter is given the wisdom and understanding for bringing in the kingdom and the will of God to earth! "I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19 Jesus spoke similar words to His other disciples with an addition! "Truly I say unto you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask; it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in their midst." Matthew 18:18-20 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you." John 15:16 Bearing Fruit That Remains: The Order of Things The Question: "Will we, His people, volunteer freely (Lit. will be freewill offerings)?" "The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thy enemies a footstool for Thy feet.' The Lord will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, 'Rule in the midst of Thine enemies.' Thy people will volunteer freely ( Lit. will be freewill offerings) in the day of Thy power (or army)..." Psalm 110:1-3 "And coming to Him as to a living stone... you also as living stones, allow yourselves to be built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4, 5 "...building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit..." Jude 1: 20 Definitions: Praying in the Holy Spirit "Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.'" Jeremiah 1:9 Asking in His Name "...I will give you pure speech from pure lips that you may call on My name and serve me with one united shoulder and one unanimous consent." Zephaniah 3:9 _________________________________________________ The Greater Work in Progress as of This Date: 2/2/15 Making Full the Word of God A voice is crying in the wilderness; perhaps it is mine. Can you hear it? It is crying: "Make ready the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight." Luke 3:4 Things stand ready in heaven! "...(He) who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been made subservient to Him." 1 Peter 3:22 It is here on earth that things are stalled! The way is not ready... "...heaven must receive (Him) until the time of the restoration of all that God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ages past." Acts 3:21 "But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God... to give us a reviving to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins..." Ezra 9:8, 9 His paths are not straight... "...the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." 1 John 2:6 Do you hear Jesus calling? "Come to Me... Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me..." Matthew 11:28, 29 "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'..." Matthew 21:13 Instructions for this brief moment: "But the end and culmination of all things has now come near; keep sound minded and self-restrained and alert for the purpose of prayer." 1 Peter 4:7 "Whoever speaks, let him speak the utterances of God; whoever serves let him do so from the strength which God supplies, so that in all thing God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom belongs the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen!" 1 Peter 4:11 Whoever Speaks: A Closer Look "And take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, with all prayer and petition praying at all times in the Spirit... " Ephesians 6:17 Whoever Serves "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He found me faithful, putting me into service." 1 Timothy 1:12 And I resolve: "In the morning, O Lord, Thou will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer (or sacrifice) to Thee and eagerly watch." Psalm 5:3 A Postscript: 9/24/12 Handbook 4: Article 43 _________________________________________________ Bearing Fruit That Remains: Prayer Becomes Prophecy Making Full the Word of God "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit... By this is My Father glorified that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." John 15:5, 8 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you." John 15:16 Fruit that remains -- prayer in the Spirit becomes prophecy: "And when He broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half and hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God; and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he might add (Lit. give) it to the prayers of all the true believers upon the golden altar which was before the throne. "And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the true believers, went up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar and threw it to the earth, and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them." Revelation 8:1-6 To ponder: give weighty attention and thought! "And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me, And He has also made Me a sharpened arrow; He has hidden me in His quiver." Isaiah 49:2 "And I have put My words in your mouth, and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish (Lit. plant) the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, 'You are My people.'" Isaiah 51:16 "...for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war... and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses." Revelation 19:10, 11, 13, 14 "May my prayer be fixed as incense before Thee; The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." Psalm 141:2 _________________________________________________ The Greater Works and the Chain of Command Making Full The Word of God A Review "But (we) have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem... and to God, the judge of all..." Hebrews 12:22, 23 "The Mighty One, God, the Lord has spoken, And summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth. May our God come and not keep silence; Fire devours before Him, And it is very tempestuous around Him. He summons the heavens above, And the earth to judge His people; 'Gather My godly ones to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.' And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge." Psalm 50: 1-6 The Order of Things, the Chain of Command God, the Father, the Judge of all: "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing, and greater works then these will He show Him, that you may marvel." John 5:20 Second in command, the Son: "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something that He sees the Father doing, for what ever the Father does, these things the Son does in like manner." John 5:19 "I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment what to say." John 12:49 Third in line, the Holy Spirit: "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you." John 16:13, 14 In last place, those Jesus has found faithful and put into service: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain..." John 15:16 "I (have given) you the keys of the kingdom..." Matthew 16:19 The Chain of Command: A Closer Look! God, The Father: "The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness." Isaiah 33:5 "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne..." Psalm 89:14 "...The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether." Psalm 19:9 "...the Lord of hosts will be exalted in judgment, And the Lord will show Himself holy in righteousness." Isaiah 5:16 "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that they may all honor the Son, even as they honor the Father..." John 5:22, 23 "...and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man." John 5:27 The Son: "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." John 5:30 "The Lord will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, 'Rule in the midst of Thine enemies.'" Psalm 110:2 Gaining understanding of how it works! Jesus continues: "I manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou gavest Me out of the world... and they have kept Thy word. Now they know that everything Thou hast given Me is from Thee; for the words which Thou gavest Me I have given to them; and they received them, and truly understood that I came forth from Thee... And I am no more in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world , and I come to Thee, Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be One, even as We." John 17:6-8, 11 The Holy Spirit: "...whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you." John 16:13, 14 "And He... will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness, and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged." John 16:8-11 "Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world has been cast out." John 12:31 Last: Those who have volunteered freely in the day of His power (or army): "...following the way of Thy judgments..." Isaiah 26:8 "...and taking... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God... with all prayer and petition, praying at all times in the Spirit..." Ephesians 6:17 Prayer In The Spirit Handbook 3: Article 52 And He has given us this word of encouragement: "In that day the Lord of hosts will become a beautiful crown And a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people. A spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment. A strength to those who repel the onslaught (Lit. battle) at the gate." Isaiah 28:5, 6 _________________________________________________ Knowing Jesus as the Word of God: An Introduction Making Full the Word of God "...that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly]..." Philippians 3:10 Amplified Bible In the Beginning: The First Appearance of the Word of God! "...the worlds (Lit. ages) were prepared by the Word of God, so that what was seen was not made out of things made visible." Hebrews 11:3 "Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness." Genesis 1:3, 4 In the Fullness of Time: His Appearance in Our World! "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of woman..." Galatians 4:4 "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men... There was the true light which coming into the world enlightens every man." John 1:4, 9 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory..." John 1:14 John speaks concerning the Word of God coming into his everyday world: "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life..." 1 John 1:1 But you and I have not seen with our eyes, nor beheld, nor have our hands touched the hem of His garment... But Jesus prayed for us who would come to believe in Him through His disciple's word: "As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also be sanctified in truth. I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one..." John 17:18-21 He did not leave us as orphans: "...I will come to you..." John 14:18 "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you." John 16:12-14 It is now our "fullness of time" to bear witness to Jesus, the Word of God, for our generation! May this be true of us: "...for the Word of God has sounded forth from you... in every place your faith toward God has gone forth..." 1 Thessalonians 1:8 _________________________________________________ Knowing Jesus as the Word of God: Two Personal Encounters! Making Full the Word of God "By His doing, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification, and redemption." 1 Corinthians 1:30 Knowing Jesus, the Word of God, as Our Sanctification "For the Word of God is living and active and sharper that any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." Hebrews 4:12, 13 "Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]." Revelation 3:19 Amplified Bible "...you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of God." 1 Corinthians 6:11 "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Knowing Jesus, the Word of God, as Our Redemption "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us... For by His fullness we all received, and grace upon grace." John 1:10-14, 16 "It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." John 6:63 "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace... and those who are in the flesh cannot please God, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God... However you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God." Romans 8:6-9, 14 To ponder: "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." John 17:3 _________________________________________________ Knowing Jesus, the Word of God, as Our Wisdom Making Full the Word of God "...by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us... wisdom from God..." 1 Corinthians 1:30 "Let the word of Christ (or God) richly dwell within you with all wisdom..." Colossians 3:16 "Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? 'Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.'" Proverbs 8:1, 34 The Word of God and Wisdom: A Closer Look! "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens. By His knowledge the deeps were broken up, And the skies drip with dew." Proverbs 3:19, 20 Wisdom Speaks: "The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. From everlasting I was established (or consecrated), From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled... While He had not yet made the earth and the outside place, Nor the first dust of the world. When He established the heavens, I was there... When He made firm the skies above... When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water should not transgress His command, (Lit. mouth), When He marked out the foundations of the earth; Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing (or playing) always before Him, Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men. Now, therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways... Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts. For He who finds me find life, And obtains favor from the Lord." Proverbs 8:22-32, 34, 35 To ponder: consider deeply; give weighty attention and thought! "Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? On the top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand; Beside the gate, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the door, she cries out; 'To you, O men I call, And my voice to the sons of men... Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding and power is mine. By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly. I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me shall find me... I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice...'" Proverbs 8:1-4, 14-17, 20 _________________________________________________ The Word of God and Wisdom: Practical Advice The Journey to Perfection "...if you will receive my sayings, And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord, And discover the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5 "Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body, And refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3:7, 8 The Fear of the Lord: A Closer Look "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, And the perverted mouth I hate." Proverbs 8:13 "There are six things which the Lord hates. Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises evil plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers." Proverbs 6:16-19 "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:9, 10 _________________________________________________ Knowing Jesus, the Word of God, as Our Wisdom and Righteousness Making Full the Word of God "...by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us... wisdom and righteousness..." 1 Corinthians 1:30 Again: "Let the word of Christ (or God) richly dwell within you with all wisdom..." Colossians 3:16 "For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart, And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul..." Proverbs 2:6-10 "Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift her voice? 'I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice...'" Proverbs 8:1, 20 Walking in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice... "O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level. Indeed, while following the way of Thy judgments, O Lord, We have waited for Thee eagerly; Thy name, even Thy memory, is the desire of our souls." Isaiah 26:8 Blessed is the man who listens to Me... "When I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the night watches, For Thou hast been my help, And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy, My soul clings to Thee; Thy right hand upholds me." Psalm 63:6-8 "At night with my soul I long for Thee, Indeed, with my spirit I seek Thee diligently; For when the earth experiences (Lit. has) Thy judgments The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness." Isaiah 26:7-9 Again: "Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? 'To you, O men I call, And my voice to the sons of men... Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding and power is mine. By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly... I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice...'" Proverbs 8:1, 4, 14-16, 20 Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing His praises! "Sing to the Lord a new song. And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones... For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their throat, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishment on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the judgment written; This is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 149:1, 4-9 How It Works "...He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens my ear to listen as a disciple..." Isaiah 50:4 "In the morning, O Lord, you will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to Thee and eagerly watch." Psalm 5:3 Again: "For the Word of God has sounded forth from you... in every place your faith toward God has gone forth..." 1 Thessalonians 1:8 "...the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day." Proverbs 4:18 _________________________________________________ The Proclamation: An Administration of the Fullness of Time Making Full the Word of God "...in all wisdom and insight He, making known to us the mystery of His will... with a view to an administration of the fullness of time, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth." Ephesians 1:8-10 The Proclamation: Declared in the coastlands: 08/26, 08/27, 08/28/2014 The Lord God says: "I am reviving My work in the midst the years; In the midst of the years I am making Myself known." "Sing to the Lord a new song... And declare His praise in the coastlands. The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry, He will prevail against His enemies." Isaiah 42:10, 12, 13 "For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar..." Isaiah 51:15 "Who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'" Isaiah 52:7 For Thy kingdom has come, Thy will is being done, on earth as it is in heaven. "And I have put My words in your mouth, and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to plant the heavens, to found the earth, and say to Zion, 'You are My people.'" Isaiah 51:16 "...everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all I command you, you shall speak... See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant." Jeremiah 1:7, 10 "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.' Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that is built As a city that is compact together; To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord -- An ordinance (or testimony) for Israel -- To give thanks to the name of the Lord. For there thrones were set up for judgment, The thrones of the house of David." Psalm 122:1-5 Go and stand in the Lord's house and proclaim there this word: "I declared the former things long ago And they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted and they came to pass... You have heard, look at all this. And you, will you not declare it? I proclaim to you new things from this time, Even hidden things which you have not known. They are created now and not long ago; And before today you have not heard them..." Isaiah 48:3, 6, 7 Stand in the gate: "...knowing... His choice of you..." 1 Thessalonians 1:4 "...a wide door and effective service has opened to (you) and there are many adversaries. Now if Timothy comes... he is doing the Lord's work..." 1 Corinthians 16:9, 10 "He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: '...Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut...'" Revelation 3:7, 8 "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven... and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne." Revelation 4:1, 2 There, proclaim this word: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right, is welcome to Him. The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)... this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead." Acts 10:34-36, 42 "Therefore thus says the Lord God, 'Behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, well-laid. He who believes in it will not be in a hurry. And I will make justice the measuring-line, And righteousness the level, Then hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, And waters shall overflow the secret place.'" Isaiah 28:16, 17 "For no man can lay a foundation other that the one which was laid which is Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 3:11 "Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent because He has fixed a day of judgment in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men when He raised Him from the dead." Acts 17:30, 31 Proclaim Him also: "...God's mystery... in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2 Proclaim: "...the riches of the glory of this mystery... Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27 "Therefore, if any man is in Christ there is a new creation, the old things have passed away; behold new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2: 10 "And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen and precious in the sight of God, you also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4, 5 "And He said to them, 'It is written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer"...'" Matthew 21:13 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19 "Whoever speaks, let him speak... the utterances of God..." 1 Peter 4:11 "And take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. With all prayer and petition praying at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, being at all times on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints..." Ephesians 6:17, 18 "So shall My word be which goes forth from My Mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11 "But the Lord stood with (us); and strengthened (us), in order that through us the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all... might hear..." 2 Timothy 4:17 * * * * * Confirmed: 09/12/2014 "The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken, And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth. May our God come and not keep silence; Fire devours before Him, And it is tempestuous around Him. He summons the heavens above, And the earth, to judge His people; 'Gather My godly ones to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.' And the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is judge." Psalm 50:1-5 Sent forth to the ends of the earth: 03/16/2015 (Handbook 5)