No Greater Love Than His
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  • application of body of Christ #3
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  • Part 5 The application of the body
  • Application of body of Christ #6
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The Father, the Bosom of the Gospel  Part 6

5/1/2022

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The Father, the Bosom of the Gospel  Part 6

2 Peter 3-4 1. Everything that we need for life and godliness is already given to us by His Divine Power (Eph. 1:19-20) through the knowledge of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.(vs 2)
2. And in that knowledge are given “great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature.”  (Eph. 3:19; Col. 2:8-10; 1 John 3:1-3)
3. “Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”  (Gal. 1:3-4)

But we have a problem: 1 Corinthians 1:9-16 1. Again, the blessings of the “things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” exceed human understanding.
2. Vs 9  Such blessing has never even entered the heart of man!!
3. Vs 11 “The things of God NO MAN KNOWS, but the Spirit of God, Whom we have received of God, that we might know the things freely given to us of God. (John 16:13-16)
4. Vs 16 “But we have the mind of Christ.”  And this is 1 John 5:20!!!  This Spirit of God given to us that we may “Know Him, that is TRUE, and we are IN HIM that is TRUE, even IN His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the TRUE God and Eternal Life”.  

Hebrews 10:12-20 This is the Sprit of the New Covenant, 
1. Vs 12-14 The Covenant that IS the MAN Christ Jesus (Isa. 42:6, 49:8; Gal. 3:16-17)
2. Vs 15-22 This Spirit, is the Spirit of Sonship (Gal. 4:4-7), the Spirit of the “The New and Living Way” (Vs 20, 8:13, 2 Cor. 5:17), Vs 15 The Spirit that Witnesses within us the New Covenant Promise of the Father!!! (16-23, Jer. 31:33-34)

Ezekiel 26:25-27 This is the Father’s Spirit that He promised to put within His people, to “cause you to walk in my statutes (laws), and you shall keep my judgements and do them.”

And that brings us to Romans 8:2: “For the LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS (operation of the Father’s Spirit in our hearts) has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Vs 4 “That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

But first things first:Unless we know and believe the truth of 1a, the truth of rest of Romans 8 does not belong to us!! Vs 9 Only those who are IN CHRIST JESUS have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them.

Hebrews 4:12-16 The Spirit’s continually gracious and active “law work” in our heart’s.
1. Eph. 6:17 The Word of God is the Spirit’s surgical tool, it cuts both ways!!  It reveals sin and brings life.
2. 4:12 It “divides soul and spirit”.  We don’t understand the difference at first.  But the Spirit makes the distinction between what is of the first man Adam (1 Cor. 15:45, the living soul) and the last Adam (a life giving Spirit). This is usually very uncomfortable!!
3. “And joints and marrow”.  Our flesh and it’s lusts govern so much of our activity (joints). We hardly have ever given a thought to the “whys” of behavior other that to feed our ego’s.  But the Spirit gets down to the very marrow, the root of things and “breeds white blood cells” to fight the infections of the flesh.
4. “Thoughts and Intents of the heart”.  This is painful, the stuff of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount! (Matt.5-6).  Vs 13 This is life lived before the Father Who sees in secret!
5.  Vs 14-16 But if Romans 8:1 is true of us, Never fear, we have a Great High Priest, our Advocate with the Father.(1 John 2:1-3) We are to find ourselves continually at His Throne of Grace and Mercy.  Remember, this is the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father!!!  

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The Father, the Bosom of the Gospel  Part 5

4/23/2022

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The Father, the Bosom of the Gospel   Part 5
The Father’s outworking His Will & Purpose in His Adopted Family 
By the indwelling Spirit of Christ!

Galatians 3:13-14  Recall that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law.....that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”  Remember, this Promise was of the Father! (Lk 24:49, Acts 1:4, 2:33, John 15:26)
Galatians 4:4-6  Here Paul states that God (the Father) sent His Son to redeem law failures (that’s all of us) “that we might receive the adoption of sons, and because your are sons, God has sent forth THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON, crying Abba, Father.”

This name, FATHER, is the name Jesus taught His disciples and is crucial to understanding our God’s Eternal Will and Purpose.  Jesus speaks of His Father over 100 times in John’s Gospel.
John 17:6  “I have manifested Thy Name (Father in Vs 5).
Vs 11  “Holy Father, keep through Thine Own Name those whom you have given me.”(See also John 6:37-39; Hebrews 2:10-13)
Vs 12 “while I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy Name.”
Vs 21-22 And here, our Jesus prays for us, “That they all may be one; as Thou Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also MAY BE ONE IN US: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.”  And notice that in vs 22, the Glory that the Father has give the Son, the same Glory that Moses could not see, the Son has given to us, “that they may be one, EVEN AS WE ARE ONE.”  And that requires the Spirit of Glory, the Spirit of His Son, the Spirit of Sonship, in our hearts.!!!

Ezekiel 36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will put within you......And I will put My Spirit within your, and cause your to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgements, and do them.”
Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”(think family!)
Hebrews 10:14-22 This is the covenant that the Holy Spirit is witnessing in us, the same covenant in which our Jesus is our ascended Melchizedek, our High Priest, by which we are invited into the Holiest by the Blood of the Lamb.

Romans 8:2 It is this “New Covenant Spirit”, this Spirit of His Son, this Abba Spirit of Adoption, that  is the “law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus that has made us free from the Law of sin and death.”  So how does this practically work??

Ephesians 3:14-17 Paul prays this prayer that all men and all principalities & powers in heavenly places might see the glories of the Father’s Eternal Purpose in Christ Jesus.
Vs 14-15 Notice, he bows his knees “to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the 
whole family in heaven and earth is named.”
Vs 16 Here is that working of His Spirit in our inner man, that New Covenant internalized promise!!  Neither Adam’s nor Israel’s inner man could cut it.  Not one single thing in our “inner man” by birth or nurture has any spiritual strength adequate to please the Father.(Matt.5:44-48)
Vs 17 The Spirit has to “clean house” so that “faith work” can be done.  That is, that our inner man might be able to dwell in and with Christ by faith.  And this is the rooting and grounding in love, the same work spoken of in Romans 5:5. This is the revealing of that love bond that is Father Love to His Adopted children.  From this time forward, He deals with us as His children!!!
Vs 18-19a   Paul seems to imply by his prayer that it takes this much of the Spirits’ working to get us to “first base” in knowing the Love of Christ, to root us in Christ’s Love.  And then, he seems to run out of superlatives to describe the incredible treasure of Christ’s Love as we grow up into Him.(Eph.4:15)  It’s kind of like he finally says, oh forget it, no human words or knowledge can express it.  And truly, it has to be intimately KNOWN in our inner man by His Spirit.
Vs 19b   “That ye may be filled with all the FULNESS OF GOD.”  Truly, this is over the top!  How on earth can this be??  My best stab at it is Colossians 1:19, “For it pleased the FATHER that IN HIM should all fulness dwell.”  And again 2:9-10 For in Him dwells all the FULLNESS OF THE GODHEAD BODILY.  And you are complete IN HIM.....”
If the Spirit is strengthening is in our inner man in order that Christ Jesus may dwell in our hearts by faith, and this same Christ Jesus is the fulness of the Godhead, then His indwelling in us by faith through the operation of the Spirit is God working out His fulness in us.
Vs 20   Just in case we can wrap our brains around such incredible truth and promise that is in Vs 19, Paul lays this on us.  Our God and Father “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”  This immeasurable Power that works in us is His Spirit of Resurrection Life that Paul speaks of in Eph. 1:19-20.
Vs 21 All of this is that He might be glorified IN THE CHURCH by Christ Jesus, now notice, throughout all ages, WORLD WITHOUT END.  AMEN”  
Our God isn’t glorified by any work of our hands as though He needs anything.(Acts 17:25)  He is rather glorified by our Worshiping Him in His working by His Spirit in the “inner man” of all His Family, the church, that the rejoicing of His children in Jesus Christ will bring Praise and adoration to Him for all Eternity.  Recall the “circumcision of the New Covenant”
Philippians 3:3   “For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, AND HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH.’

Next time: The Spirit’s practical attack on our fleshly confidences.

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The Father, the Bosom of the Gospel  Part 4

4/17/2022

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This is out of order in the series on the Father as the Bosom of the Gospel, but I feel I need to post it on this Easter, the religious day of remembrance of the Eternal Truth.
​                                 The Father, the Bosom of the Gospel   Part 4
                         How the Father “Internalizes” His Glory in His People

Exodus 33:18-23  Recall that the best the OT mediator, Moses/the Law could see and             “reveal”, were the “back parts of God.
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Hebrews 7:19 “For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope             did; by which we draw nigh to God.” 
Hebrews 8:1-2;6 “This is the Sum:  We have such an High Priest, who is set on the                   Right Hand of the Throne of The Majesty in the heavens, The Mediator of a better            Covenant, established on better Promises.”   No more “God’s Back Parts”.
1 Peter 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according              to His Abundant Mercy has begotten us again to a LIVELY HOPE by the 
    RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible,
         and undefiled, and that doesn’t fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
Romans 4:23-25 (edited) “but to us, to whom righteousness shall be imputed, if we
       believe ON HIM (The Father, see 1 John 2:22-23) that raised up Jesus our Lord
       from the dead; Who was delivered for  our offences, and was raised again for our
       justification.”
Romans 6:4-5 “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as
      Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father, even so we also
     should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness
     of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection.”
Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
      He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His
      Spirit that dwells in you.”.

Please listen carefully!: If our Lord Jesus Christ had only risen from the dead and had not ascended to the Father’s Right Hand, we would still be in our sins!!!

Hebrews 10:12-13 “But this Man, after He had offered ONE sacrifice for sins FOR
      EVER, sat down on the Right Hand of God; from henceforth EXPECTING till His
      enemies be made His Footstool.”
Vs 14 “For by one offering He has perfected FOR EVER them that are sanctified.
John 7:37-39 “He who believes on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
     But this spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive: for the
     Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (Ascended
​      into the Father’s Glory.)
John 16:7 “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if
     I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him
      unto you.”
Acts 2:21-33 “This Jesus God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.  Therefore being
     by the Right Hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the Promise of
     the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you now see and hear.”
Ephesians 2:4-7 “God..has quickened us together with Christ...and has raised us up
      together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places IN Christ Jesus.”
Hebrews 10:15-23 “And having an High Priest over the House of God (Heb.3:6); Let us
     draw near with a true heart (the implantation of the Holy Spirit Vs 15-47) in full
      assurance of faith.” 

Resurrection is never to this old fallen earth (Gal. 1:4 ): Resurrection is ever and always to the Heavenlies, into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus.(Hebrews 10:19-23) By faith, that is to be the context of every earthly event we encounter in the here and now
.
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So What's A Father To Do???

4/12/2022

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        So what’s the FATHER to do?  His stated purpose in His Will is to “gather together IN ONE all things both in heaven and earth”.  But from our text (Exodus 33:20) that appears to be fatal!!  How then does He answer this longing, this prayer to see Him Face to face, (and not kill everyone who gazes upon His Perfection, His Glory)?

        John 1:14  “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father), full of Grace and Truth.”
Did you catch that?  The Most High God placed His Glory, His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, in human flesh.  And as impossible as it is for the unaided human mind to understand that mystery, John proclaims that they beheld, looked upon that Glory, and wonder of wonders, lived to tell about it.  In fact, he was one of the twelve witnesses to that Glory in human flesh.  Just in case you think that was a typo---
        1 John 1:1-3   “That which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled; for the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show it unto you that Eternal Life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.

        And lest we mistake the Brightness of this Glory of God come in human flesh, and think it is some dim reflection, consider this:
        Hebrews 1:1-3  He has spoken to us by His Son, “Who being the Brightness of His Glory, and the express Image of His Person, and upholding all things by the Word of His Power, when He Had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High.”

        I said previously that it was impossible for the unaided human mind to understand this mystery, but consider this Divine Aid.
        2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, Who Commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined IN our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ.”
       John 14:9  Jesus words to Philip, “Have I been so long time with you, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?  He that has seen Me Has seen the Father; and how do you say then, ‘show us the Father.’”

How long have you “been with Jesus”?  Have you seen the Father?  Have you beheld His Glory in His Beloved Son??  Vs 11a, “Believe Me that I Am in the Father, and the Father in Me.”  Have you lived to tell about it??

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The Father, the Bosom of the Gospel

3/31/2022

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                                                                 Revelation 4:11
          The foundation of the Glorious praise given unto the Father upon His Throne is that He created all things, and for His Pleasure they are and were created.  I am puzzled by the present tense, “are”.  I wonder if the “are” refers to His present work (in our history) of His New Creation in Christ Jesus.  This is as stated in His Will and Purpose in Ephesians 1:1-10.  His Eternal Will and Purpose is, in our history of time, “to gather together IN ONE all things IN Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even IN Him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17 “If any man be IN Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.”  And then there is His Purpose for the Church, (Eph. 3:21), Unto Him (the Father of Vs 14) be Glory IN the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
          This IN denotes a family unity of which Eph.1:14-15 speaks, “I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”  John speaks of this closeness, this unity, this being IN the family of the Father under the term “fellowship”.  In 1 John 1-3, after his gloriously “touchy, feely” description of the Apostles witness to God made flesh, Eternity made manifest in the God/Man, Christ Jesus, he gives us his reason.  “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”  Such an incredible invitation!!  Not just to visit this Fellowship of the Father and His Son on occasion, but to live in it as sons and daughters.
          But as the saying goes, “Houston, we have a problem.”  I am not going to enter into a dissertation on the fall of man, but rather I want to pick up from an incident in the life of Moses and it’s prophetic importance in man’s redemption unto this eternal Fellowship with the Father and His Son.

          Exodus 33:7-23:   Moses had been called of God to lead the liberated Israel into the land of God’s promise and their mediator, their go-between, the one who stood between God and the people in all matters of life in their journey.  Moses quickly discovered that God was right when He Said, “Ye are a stiff-necked people.” (Vs 5) Soon, Moses is needing assurance that he is not in this adventure alone.  As an assurance that He was blessed of the Lord in this endeavor, he says, “I beseech thee, show me Thy Glory”.
          God answers with a blessed promise, “I will make all My Goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the Name of the Lord before thee; etc.”  But then the problem!!!
          Vs 20 And God said, “You can not see My Face; for there shall no man see me and live.”  “We can talk as friends, I will meet you in the tent of meeting (Vs 7) under the cloudy pillar, but not face to Face.  Vs 11 speaks of Moses and God speaking face to face, but it was more like a “zoom meeting”, just not the same as true “face to Face”.
This incident prophetically illustrates through Moses, the mediator of the Law, the fatal limitations of the old covenant.  At it’s best, because of the weakness of the flesh, both Israel’s and ours’, the Law/Old Covenant, can only reveal our distance from the Perfect and Holy God!  The Apostle Paul speaks of it in 2 Cor. 3:7 as “the ministration of death”, its letter–it’s words of God’s perfections, kills.  As with it’s requirement for lepers, it leaves us crying, “unclean, unclean”.
​
          So what’s the FATHER to do?  The stated purpose in His Will is to “gather together IN ONE all things both in heaven and earth."  But from our text, that appears to be fatal!!  We will next look at the “prophetic irony” introduced in Numbers 6:25 and thereafter the glimmer of hope throughout the old testament.  Until next time, be in fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ!!! 
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Visions of The Father:  The Fatherless gospel

2/14/2022

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        I am deeply disturbed by the evident fact that we have a Fatherless gospel. We hear much about Jesus, we hear loud proclamations of the Holy Spirit and the so-called “full Gospel”. And yet where is the Father in all of this?  We are considering the Vision of the Father, at the very beginning of the Revelation of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Right after the warnings to the seven churches, we are introduced to the Throne Room of the Father in Heaven. And we have great detail as to His Awesome unapproachable, yet Glorious Covenant Character. But somehow we miss the connection when we read John 3:16. "For God (that is the Father in heaven) so love the world (that world which, according to Revelation 4:11 was created for His Pleasure) that He gave His Only Begotten Son (that is the Son of Man Jesus Christ) that whosoever believes in Him (that is, this One Whom the Father has sent, John 6:29), they shall not perish, but have Eternal Life. (The Life that John says in 1 John 1:1- 2 IS that Personified Eternal Life that Was With the Father.) This is the mystery of the Eternal Love of the Triune God. We are very uncomfortable with mystery, we want something that gives us five points and an outline to understand. But God is Spirit, and it is the same Spirit that Brooded over the waters in the original creation that Broods over the souls that the Father wishes to Birth into His Family! Yes that is a mystery. And this is the mystery of 1 Timothy 3:16, which I wish was on the tongues of men in equal proportion to John 3:16. This is the mystery of godliness, the mystery of what God the Father in His Sovereign Will and Purpose (according to Ephesians chapter 1 and 2) did to Adopt a Family unto Himself.  "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into Glory."  Those that come to and believe this mystery that are the ones of whom Paul says in Ephesians 3:14-15, are the Family in heaven and earth that bear the Father's Name.  Don’t forget that our Jesus said His purpose in coming was to bring us to the Father, and no one can come to the Father but by Him. (John 14:1-20)            
        It is no wonder that the contemporary professing church is a sad reflection of society rather than the of the Heavenly Family. Society is basically fatherless, thanks to Satan's relentless attack upon fatherhood with political and theological philosophies. I believe that the professed church has withered under that same attack. 1 John 2:22-23 "Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ. He is antichrist, that denies the Father and the Son. Whosoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father, but he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also."  To separate Son-ship from Fatherhood is devastating to the truths of redemption and atonement and it’s necessary foundation in election, predestination, and the adoption of children in the family context of Ephesians 1:1-12.  It is to turn the Father’s Love for His Son into to cold intellectual doctrine.  “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ TO HIMSELF.” (Eph. 1:5) The spirit of antichrist has been busy from the time of the birth of Christ. And I believe that false spirit is rejoicing in the ignorant unknowing of the Father in our day. I hope and pray that many who acknowledge the Son but have no clue as to the Father and His Glorious Work and Gift, do have the Father in spite of their ignorance and that of their teachers. Thank God he's so gracious and merciful. But that is no excuse for our ignorance.  John 6:37, 39-40 “All that the Father gives to Me shall come to Me; and he that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out....And this is the Father's will which has sent Me that of all which he has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again in the last day and this is the will of Him that sent Me that everyone that sees the Son and believes on Him may have everlasting and I will raise him up in the last day.”  And then verse 44, “No man can come to Me except the Father which has sent Me draw him and I will raise him up in the last day.” Do you know the Father in the Son?  Consider these (perhaps hard) words, my brothers and sisters.
  
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Visions of the Father: The Trumpet of the Lord

1/28/2022

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​      I made a horrible choice this morning. I drug out of bed late, and instead of looking first to the Word of God, I proceeded to check the morning news as I had my sweet roll and coffee.(That too is not a wise choice, but oh well.) As I considered the insanity of the systems of this world, much of it totally inexplicable to an intact moral mind, let alone one born from above by the Spirit of God, my outlook for the day wasn't very bright.              
     So as the spirit chastised me, I turned to Revelation chapter 4, which has become my usual mouthwash to wash the taste of this whole world out of my inner man, my soul. In my more prudent, and obedient yesterday morning, I was led to the statements of the Spirit to the overcomers in Revelation 2 and 3, but was particularly taken by 3:21, " to him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne even as I also overcame and Am sat down with My Father in his Throne."                     
     And this is the Spirit’s carefully planned preface and context of chapter 4, the Father's Throne which is promised as the dwelling place of the overcomers in the Bosom of Christ Jesus upon His Throne. And as I read chapter 4 in this context this morning, I couldn't help but see the similarities and contrasts with chapter 19 of Exodus. Both occasions are proceeded by a trumpet call. Hebrews 12:18 graphically portrays the contrast of The shadow of Exodus 19, with the fulfillment which we have in Christ Jesus, which is beautifully, figuratively, and prophetically portrayed in Revelation 4 and 5. 
     In Exodus, at the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, a voice that they didn't want to hear, the people begged Moses to do the talking for them, and they would do what God said.(Ex. 19:8; 20:19)  But even Moses their mediator, said, "I exceedingly fear and quake".(Heb. 12:21) That fear and trembling was because, "for they could not endure"  that which was commanded by such a holy and righteous and fearsome God. But praise God for Hebrews 12: 22!!!  "But you are come unto Mount Zion, the City of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels" etc. blessedly through Vs.24. This is the vision of Peace, Comfort, and Joy that is revealed here in Revelation 4&5. 
    In Exodus 19, the lightning and thunder and the quaking and the voice of the trumpet scared the socks off of the people of Israel. But in Revelation 4 we first encounter 24 seats arranged around the throne, and upon the seats 24 elders sitting on them, clothed in white raiment, with crowns of gold on their heads.  Then we encounter lightning and thunder and voices proceeding from the throne. Apparently the elders remain seated, undisturbed by this “storm of Righteousness”. And then there are the beasts. Hebrews 12 reminds us, " if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart." Yet here in this Throne vision, " and in the midst of the throne and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.”  Granted, the beasts are different, the latter prefiguring a great truth, but here we have welcome beasts as opposed to destroyed beasts that stand before Mount Sinai. For here we are coming to the Throne of Mount Zion, the promised destination of the overcomers. And the throne is enshrouded in figures of covenant promise and fulfillment which is Gloriously revealed in the Victorious Lamb who alone opens the book of God's eternal Will and Purpose. 
     Hebrews 3:14 reminds us, “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.”  Be overcomers, beloved, sink your faith deep into the Victorious Lamb of God.  May we start our day with “Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.”  Hebrews 12:24
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Visons of the Father:  His Will and Purpose Rev. 4-5

1/26/2022

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    How is your godhood going? Every human being on the face of this Earth and in all times has had a fatal godhood disease. Ever since Genesis 3:1 when man chose to believe, "has God said?",  rather than believe what God has Said, this universal godhood virus has infected all mankind.  Eve's  mere hesitancy plunged humanity into an existence of unbelief in the Character and Perfections and Sufficiency of the All Wise God. This unbelief caused the immediate detachment of created life from the Eternal life of the Most High God from which all creation was to flow.  And from that point on, as Moses graphically learned, no man can see God, that is come into his company and fellowship on his own  and live.(Exodus 33:20)  No more walks in the garden in the cool of the day in the Presence of the Creator God. Fear, anxiety, lack of peace, hypocrisy, need to control, all come from our constant failure at being adequate gods of our universe. And I could add that everything else that plagues us in the world around us comes from that same source. We are frail unbelieving and unknowing children of the Fall.  And I must add, because of our unbelief, all creation groans! (Romans 8:19-22)
     Please notice in Revelation 5:1, He Who Sat on the Throne has in His Right Hand, the hand which in scripture is the designation of all might and power, a book. Now notice that this book is written within and on the back side. There is nothing in the story of that little book that is not accounted for in our Fathers omniscient wisdom and appointed foreknowledge. And that of course is because He wrote the book of all creation!!! And we definitely don’t want to skip the back, the last page!!   And it is sealed with seven seals. Seven speaks of the absolute authority of God, His Sovereign Power, Knowledge, and Vision over all things.  The seven seals here are speaking of the precious work of the Holy Spirit, for no human god lust can open the book or even take a peek into it, no matter what new and improved crystal ball we may be using. Human knowledge will always devise some “understanding” that fits with in its god-lust. And that brings to mind  2 Corinthians 2:11 "the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God."  (As we shall see later, it is the Lamb that prevails to open the book, but there is no Understanding nor benefit of that opening apart from the God given Understanding, which is His Spirit. 1 John 5:20)                              
     But praise God, John is not left weeping. One of the elders says unto him, " weep not, for behold The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the book and a loose the seven seals thereof."  This book is the book written to display the Father's Pleasure in His Perfect Beautiful Son through the operation of His Glorious Spirit. Is that a stretch? Not when you behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ! (2 Corinthians 4:4-6) You see, this book is entitled "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." This book is the prophetic and spiritual proclamation the Second Adam, the Life-giving Spirit, and His new creation, and His gathering His Bride together for that incredible marriage supper of the Lamb of Rev. 19:6-9.  All else in the book, that which we sadly spend most of our time wondering about, without this view of the Victorious Lamb foremost in our minds, all else is but a temporary footnote to this Purpose and Will of the Father to gather together in One all things in Christ, that is, in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.( Ephesians 1:9-10)
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January 20th, 2022

1/20/2022

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                                 Visions of the Heavenly Father Rev. 4   #2
                                             Come to the Ultimate Worship


          Hear the trumpet call, wait quietly on the Spirit, behold the One upon the Throne, seated in the Glories of Covenant and Promise.
         24 seats arranged around the throne, occupied by 24 elders, out of every nation, tribe and kindred, clothed in holiness & righteousness and crowned with crowns of inheritance.
         Away with paltry laser light show of so-called “contemporary worship”.  This is Divine Perfection, Ultimate Power, Absolute Purity blazing forth.  Fear Ye Him!!!
        And what to we see?  “And He that SAT was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone and there was a rainbow around about the throne in sight like unto an emerald.” Rev. 4:3  Seeming strange emblems for the Eternal God, yet incredibly blessed and full of comfort to those wandering in this fallen world.  I believe these speak of our Eternal Covenant keeping God. Suffice it to say that I believe that these are emblems of the Father’s covenant with Abraham (the stones), with creation (the rainbow), and later we are introduced to His Covenant with David in the introduction of the Victorious Lamb of God.(Rev 5:5-6) Perhaps I can address these details later, but my point is that our Father is represented as completely trustworthy, He is Good as His Word.  We live in a world that runs on lies!  It’s leaders have no fear of God before their eyes, therefore they are mere lackeys of the father of lies, the Devil.  “And the whole world lieth in wickedness.” (I John 5:19b) But our God has given us His Word.  I would remind you that Hebrews 1:2 tells us that “He has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, Whom He hast appointed heir of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds.”
        And so we have a choice.  We can bow before the lies and idolatrous lusts that pervade, motivate, and define this world system and continue in stress and fear.  Or we can obey the Spirit’s command to John and “Come up hither” and behold the One Who Sits on the Eternal Throne, the One Who never lies, always keeps His Promises and “Who is worthy to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”  Beloved, you were created for His Pleasure.  He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b) This is the starting point: Come and Worship!!!

Next time: His Eternity, our present help and hope!!!
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Visions of the Heavenly Father:  Revelation 4

1/15/2022

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    This fourth chapter has captured my attention, and my longing. It is a beautiful visionary portrait of my Loving Sovereign Omniscient Victorious Heavenly Father. The chapter begins with John stating that he was in the spirit. No other way to appreciate and adore our Heavenly Father than in the spirit, His Spirit!  Our human spirit is completely incapable of gleaning any true “vision” of the Most High God, apart from the revelation of His Divine Spirit.  Beware of the “caricatures” of your imagination.  What follows is a symbolic portrait of our Great God and His Covenant Character in the outworking of His Will and Purpose through His Beloved Son. (See Ephesians 1)
Far from the scheming and plotting of some frail despot, we find that He is described as One Who sat on the throne. Verse 3 begins with, "and he that sat". Psalm 2 immediately comes to mind. After that graphic description of the raging heathens and the kings of the Earth and their vain egotistical thought that they could break the bands, the law and rule of the Almighty God, what is God's response? "He that sits in the heavens shall laugh". And in Isaiah 66 1, our Lord declares "Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool". Returning to Revelation 3, our Jesus ends his word to the seven churches with, "to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne even as I overcame and am sat down with My Father in His Throne."
     Again in Isaiah 66, the Lord asks "and where is the place of my rest"? The answer is His Heavenly throne, the place of absolute victory, the Eternal “palace” of absolute rest.(John 14:1-3) You see, Our Father is completely at rest in the finished work of His Beloved Son Who is at His Right Hand of Power. In His Eternal Plan and Purpose, this work was finished before the foundation of the earth. (Hebrews 4:1-3) The only “work” left to do is found in John 6:29.  “This is the work of God, that you believe on Him Whom He has sent.”
    The noise of this earth, the news that reports of the vanity and foolishness of the kings of the earth, the heathen, who know nothing of rest,  to have that before our vision is to be in turmoil constantly. Following the winds of this leader, that dictator, continually finding their “promises”  to be lies and deceit. No beloved, our rest is in the Bosom of our Father SEATED in the Heavenlies even here and now by His Spirit and by the Blood and Righteousness of His Son.  The Father and His Son are seated on the Throne of Victory and Peace.  That is the viewpoint from which we must consider the rest of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ and the rest of our time on this fallen earth.  “There is no panic in Heaven.” (Corrie Ten Boom)
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    While I have been a pastor and Christian bookstore owner for 30 years, my only credentials are that of an old saint who followed his signature with S.S., Sinner Saved!

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