This acknowledgment of not only by men but more by satan and Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s command to choose as stated; “I (God) call Heaven (Jesus) and earth (satan) to record this day against you, that I have set before you Life (Jesus) and death (satan) - Deut. 30:19. There will be no appeal or defense lawyer once the time of Grace has passed and by man’s admission will the eternal sentence be passed. There is no taking back once the people of this world make their mark as stated’ “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” - Rm. 8:6. And just to be clear; the judgment seat of Christ is for those who chose Life as stated; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad” - 2 Cor. 5:10. Did you notice; a judgment on our good or bad. How can there be a judgment after attaining the utopia of Heaven?
No! It is unacceptable that we use Jesus’ lack of presence physically today as our excuse for not walking as a true Christ follower should, as stated; “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” - Jn. 20:29. And it is not that I do not appreciate the struggle having gone through my own rocky and steep hill to the summit of relief. It is part of being a Christian. So it makes no sense grumbling about it lest as stated; “Let us, therefore, fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it. “- Heb. 4:1. There are two things a soldier does before entering into the fray of battle and possibly death or worst being maimed by the onslaught of weapons from the enemy.
First; he gathers and puts on his armor and carries his weapon. This is making a firm decision to follow Jesus. The second; he takes a deep breath and grids his spirit, mind, and body. This is walking in Faith and taking up one's cross. Because if you think you will lose; most assuredly you will die. Let’s not be naive or worst foolish to think the enemy; satan will have compassion and mercy on us who have decided to follow Jesus. There is no amnesty when it comes to him, whose sole aim is as stated’ “To steal, kill and destroy” - Jn. 10:10. These trenches of annihilation and desolation were drawn long before Adam was created and has only escalated after Jesus came, fulfilled and left His word for our's and the Kingdom sake as stated; “you, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation” - Matt. 24:15.
There will be no treaty or decreasing of attacks on Christians and if current news is any indication; things are beginning to heat up and will rapidly transgress into areas once thought to be untouchable. We have been warned that these last days will be dark and loyalties will be tested, revealed and marked either by a physical one as stated; “And he causes (force’s) all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” - Rev. 13:16; or by the Spiritual mark of Jesus’ Blood in the heart and spirit of men as stated; “Well done, you good and Faithful servant; enter into the Kingdom” - Matt. 25:14.
The Body must spend time with the Word to receive Revelation of the word for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. There is no way around this for by the Word of God and the words of Christ will the Body be judged as stated; “give an account of every misspoken (idle) word” - Matt. 12:36. Why does Jesus make this a grave point to the saved and not the unsaved? Because the Body is His body and ought to act as His headship dictates and demonstrated. When Saul (Paul) was struck down and faced Jesus saying as stated; “Saul, Saul why do you persecute Me? I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” - Acts 9:4. He became convicted as to his Salvation as opposed to his religious approach for the Righteousness of God’s people. He realized that Salvation is a choice but more than that it is a responsibility to uphold, practice, preserve and be accountable to as stated; “And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” - Rm. 12:2. God emphasizes through Jesus and Paul the critical requirement of the thought process of the Kingdom which is embodied from the mind into words; the two pillars of what only pleases God as stated; “only Faith pleases God” - Heb. 11:6. And here is the crux of the matter as stated on His return; “will Jesus find Faith” - Lk. 18:8. If there was one thing that the Body of Christ needs to demonstrate to the world and the judgment seat is Faith. Not knowledge of the Bible or the ability to work hard; attending every church function or for that matter being a good person. Now, I am not saying these and other aspects of Christianity does not have a place but it's all about representing the Word, Jesus with the words of Faith as stated; “having done all; Stand!” - Eph. 6:13. Do what you can and have Faith! God started creation with Faith and it will be our Faith that will be used to produce good or bad things.
It is the shield of Faith that not only protects us from the enemy but also can be used to push back the enemy’s onslaught. Everything else that makes up the Armor of God is intrinsically interlaced with the substance of Faith. Without Faith; we can't wear the belt of Truth without conviction. Without Faith; we can't sustain and maintain the breastplate of Righteousness near and in our hearts. Without Faith; we can’t tolerate and bear the waging wars from our accuser with the feet of peace. Without Faith; we can't hold onto the helmet of Salvation from the barrage of mockery, and falsehoods faced daily and without Faith; we can't weld the sword of the Spirit to vanquish, destroy and repel the enemy from all he tries to kill, steal and destroy. The Spiritual sword being the Word and word of God.
God did not defend Jesus at His weakest point while in the wilderness to be tempted by satan. But with and in every aspect of using the Armor of God; Jesus the Word used the word to resist, repel and remove the tempter from His presence; receiving the promised rest as stated; “Angels came and ministered to Him” - Matt. 4:11 Did you notice, even the Son of God had to fend for Himself only by His will before God relieved Him? This gives Him the perch to evaluate our Faith in our trials and tribulations. It also provides the blueprint to defeat satan and with the addition of Jesus’ authority from the empty grave; there is very little wriggle room for as stated; “make your enemy your footstool” - Acts 2:35.
As stated; “But my God shall supply all your need according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus” - Phil. 4:19. Another way to say this is; “God meets your needs based on Jesus the Word and by His word”. This is all about being a steward of Jesus the Word and His word just as with the Parable of the talents. God provided the capital and it was up to the steward’s Faith and work to reap its benefit with a rate of return; which was a hundred percent gain. By this model and reality; Jesus the Word and word is the capital to improve from needs to wants. Sounds too far fetch? Forget Jesus for a moment who by accounts of the Gospels did not work but received financial support for which Judas was His banker as stated; “because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein” - Jn. 12:6. Paul and others worked as stated; “And because he was of the same craft (skill), he abode with them, and wrought (worked): for by their occupation they were tentmakers” - Acts 18:3.
God will demand accountability from each one of us for choosing and receiving Life (Jesus) and not applying all of its (His) benefits. God is a taskmaster and Jesus, His overseer. If you have not figured out that as yet then seriously read, meditate and study Jesus’ life while He was on Earth, having given up His Kingdom status for the likes of men. Is it too harsh to say these things? Not I; but Jesus as stated; “Not everyone that says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name; and in your name have cast out devils, and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I (Jesus) never knew you: depart from Me, you that work iniquity” - Matt. 7:21-23. Even good intentions by so-called Christians actually do bad or rather unrighteous things that damage the will of God beyond repair. We cannot afford to treat God’s Grace and Kingdom as if it was a dinner buffet, choosing only what is palatable to us. Jesus states; “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son” - Matt. 22:2. At a wedding banquet; all the guests are expected to participate in all the courses of the meal to honor their host. The host being God; with Jesus, the groom and the saved, the bride.
To put this in perspective. God never told us to become good citizens of the Earth but to become Righteous citizens of His Kingdom as stated; “That we may become the Righteousness of God” - 2 Cor. 5:21. Now; there is a religion out there that says we cannot attain Righteousness because Paul says; “All have fallen short of the Glory” - Rm. 3:23. And where there is truth to this statement; it is incomplete as stated; “I can do all things through Christ” - Phil. 4:13; and by Jesus’ statement; “Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect” - Matt. 5:48. It’s really a matter of priorities! First for our spirits and then for all else that reveals God’s will, character, and personality. We know this because God was in the body, mind, and spirit of Jesus the man, as stated; “For you have the poor always with you, but Me you have not always” - Matt. 26:11. God’s first priority is Salvation! Because once we get this correct; we will be able to address all other issues of the day. God demonstrated this with Sodom and Gomorrah having no choice but to destroy that city and its unrighteousness for the sake of His purpose of Salvation. Lot and his family were spared because of God’s empathy with Abraham for his nephew as stated; “He (God) answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” - Gen. 18:32.
Spiritual Awakening
God is merciful to both the saved and unsaved and with His Faithful people’s desire to save others; He seeks to fill our Righteous desires as stated; “The effective prayer of a Righteous man can accomplish much” - Jm. 5:16. The act of Faithful prayers is in keeping with Jesus’ words or rather prayer to the Father as stated; “I pray not that You should not take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil” - Jn. 17:15. Jesus states this in support of God’s will that all who have become Christ followers to take the responsibility of the Great Commission. The prime purpose for His Grace and Jesus’ Blood to be saved, and be restored into His Kingdom's mandate. That we cannot receive Salvation; then hide it and protect it; for as stated; “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it” - Lk. 17:33. Jesus; a man of flesh and blood led by God’s Holy Spirit walked the talk; taking dominion over evil; thereby keeping and fulfilling the promise by God, that the Word with words would complete His work by example and obedience to God’s declaration; “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear (listen, learn, follow) you Him” - Matt. 17:5.
Flush it Out - Jesus; the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Sodom and Gomorrah had poor, destitute people because of their unrighteous ways. These poor died in its destruction because they remained ignorant of Salvation as stated; “this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good” - Ez. 16:48. The benefactors of Salvation will be judged by Jesus based on His Faith, works and accomplishments; not our weaknesses. Our shortcomings will have little or no weigh at the judgment seat; because God ensured that the opportunities and benefits of His Kingdom are equal and equitable respectively; because the Word became flesh and spoke His words. God's decrees and declarations. It's like the master doing the work of the servant with the right attitude and actions. This is key to be noted!
Apr. 2, 2019.
Jesus; Word for word.
There is no downside in spending time in the Word of God! Only if you keep getting your "but" in the way! There is one thing that strikes me in my journey as a Christian and that is most of the Body remains ignorant not only to the Word but the words that Jesus spoke and declared. These individuals see Jesus as a savior riding on a horse and are waiting for His return in the same manner. Let’s be honest! We are failing Christ on too many fronts while the devil eats our lunch and keeps us satisfied with scraps from the world. The Christian today is weaker compared to the first set of Apostles and Disciples when the Word manifested, lived and walked among them.
If Jesus as a man did it; then we as the man can do it too! Then why the faithlessness with the Word and His word? Identity! As stated by Paul; “That the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;” - Gal. 4:1. Many in the Body have not done what is necessary to receive as stated; “The mind of Christ” - Phil. 2:5. Which can be said; “the words of Salvation”. There is absolutely no distinction between what Jesus said and what He represents and currently is, as stated; “the Word became flesh” and “Who is He that condemns? It is Christ that died, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” - Jn. 1:14 and Rm. 8:34; respectively.
Salvation is equally and equitably Jesus! If we were not saved by Jesus and His word; then there is no Salvation and its benefits like God’s Grace and forgiveness for sins. By Jesus’ identity, example and work; disobedience and its effects of death are denied; not removed. This is proved by the mere fact that satan still has the ability to tempt as stated; ‘roams about to see whom he can devour” - 1 Pet. 5:8. We are still obviously in a battle of good over evil or more Spiritually; eternal Life over eternal death. Jesus; the Word demonstrated that as a man; victory over death’s reign is possible in everyday life as long as we abide in Him; by the Word and words of Salvation. How is this done practically especially when the physical needs to live are subjected to insidious attacks daily as stated; “for we wrestle against spirits set in high places” - Eph. 6:12. Jesus said; “enter through the narrow gate” - Matt. 7:13. The narrow gate reflects several aspects of daily Christian living not least of which is to be disciplined in the Faith as stated; “Now the Just shall live by Faith: but if any man draws back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him” - Heb. 10:38. If Jesus is the Word manifest in the flesh and Faith is key to all that is done in Heaven and on Earth; then it can be said; “God’s Faith became flesh” and therefore to be in right standing with God; we must exercise Faith as He did. We do this by acknowledging as stated; “Be you, therefore, followers (imitators) of God (Christ)” - Eph. 5:1.
To be Just and walk through the narrow gate requires to be as Christ and God. But that is impossible! Not if we master the discipline required to live as the Word and have His word in us as stated; “But his delight is in the law of the Lord (God); and in His law does he meditate day and night” - Ps. 1:2. Does this mean we are to live a monk’s life? God is just and what we give; He gives back generously as stated; “Delight yourself also in the Lord (God); and He shall give you the desires of your heart” - Ps. 37:4. God only wants us to give our best wholeheartedly; building the relationship that opens up for His Blessings and fullness for every Earthly and Heavenly want but not needs. Not needs? Because God is a for-profit Kingdom!
Here; the closest example to Jesus’ practical example is demonstrated. Paul; who recognized that for the gospel to hold true; he must exercise the Faith of the Word and also justify his word as stated; “the just (Righteous) shall live by Faith” - Gal. 3:11. That Faith without action is dead! If God used the Word for all manner of creation; then it follows by abiding in the Word; namely Jesus; Christians can not only be creative for Salvation but also receive on merit the intended purpose of their Faith as stated; “by what measure you give that will you receive” - Lk. 6:38. And as stated; “it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom” - Lk. 6:38. This is about inward sowing from the heart and not outward show for gain. It is why there is no excuse for not tiding otherwise referred to as sowing.
In the example of the widow’s mite; Jesus states of her; “That this poor widow has cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury” - Mk. 12:43. He says this not because of the mite which is like a penny or less by today’s standard but by her intended heartfelt sacrifice of engaging by a practical means the measure of Faith she has been given just as we have. The measure of Faith is in direct correlation to the measure of Righteous we have. It is the true difference between an indication of God's Glory to the reality of it. This is different when by His mercy and compassion; supernatural miracles happen regardless of our lack of Faith and Righteousness. The average Christian limits themselves by their confession. Some saying; “But I am not Jesus”. True; and yet we are more certainly like Paul who once he got the cob webs out of his mind states; “We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus” - Rm. 8:37. When Jesus completed His remuneration not by the agony on the cross but by His resurrection from the tomb of death; we became by proximity and legal adoption; the sons and daughters of God equally as Adam and Eve were before the fall. And now with every right of an heir as stated; “heirs of the Kingdom” - Rm 8:17.
Yet; many still say; “But why me; I am not worthy”. Do we really think God is fickle and imprecise with His Declarations? We must embrace unhindered what God’s desire is for us as stated; “(God) Who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth” - 1 Tim. 2:4. Do you know it is a sin to deny God’s will once we have accepted Jesus’ Blood because of carnal fear? God only spared Lot and his immediate family because of consideration to Abraham’s love for his nephew which started with his appeal to save the city’s inhabitants. Yet, even after being saved; Lot’s wife received judgment for her disobedience because of her fear of loss as stated; “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” - Gen. 19:26. After reaching safety it is Lot’s daughters that commit sexual immorality with their father; an indication that they were sinners before the cities destruction.