12-9-2015

In prayer I asked, “Deuteronomy 6” was the Spirit’s response, again…”

In my post “Seven pillars, seven eyes” I began with “The Lord our God the Lord is one.” This was the first time I quoted that phrase, an honored phrase of the Jewish faith.

I knew the phrase but I confess I did not know the address in the Old Testament Word. The day after I posted “Seven Pillars” I asked the Holy Spirit where He wanted me to read, He said Deuteronomy 6. Ok, as usual I did not know what was there. Low and behold, verse 4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: …”  Deuteronomy 6:4 (KJV)

Maybe it is only for me to know and be encouraged that He is meeting me in these morning encounters. I have prayed that in expressing what He gives me that it would be received by as many as possible. I give my expectations to the Lord as I receive this encouragement to proceed with absolute assurance that I am serving Him in trying to reach the world.

Also in Deuteronomy 6 is verse 16. Because I had already been to this address I felt there was more to be gleaned. Verse ¹⁶  “Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.” (KJV)

You find this story of Massah in Exodus 17:7. Moses also named this place “Meribah” because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel against Moses and God.

Exodus 17:7 (KJV) “ And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us, or not?”

This is what I believe the Holy Spirit is saying in these days to us, “There is a time coming when God’s people will cry out, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ Do not be a part of them who test the Lord faithful and true. His presence in you will be your confidence as you say “Though He slay me yet will I praise Him.”

Imagine Christ dying to His royal position in heaven in order to come here, to love and be loved, then be hated, beaten and crucified unjustly. Is it too much that God expects us to grasp our need to die to our life here symbolically (at least) in order to enter His house of royalty for eternity?

Let us embrace the reward and glory in the opportunity at Christ-likeness. If we reject it, as Daniel said in 12:2-3 (KJV)  ^”And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

Please … forward this post. Ask at your church for an email address to a missionary in some obscure nation. Plant the seed of preparation found in these posts so the “many” who will forsake their faith by saying “Is the Lord among us or not?” will become fewer, to His glory.

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $12.99

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!”

Do we receive Righteousness or the seeds of Righteousness when we ask Jesus to be Lord of our lives? Both actually. Righteousness is always a gift, especially upon granting grace to others.

When we believe in God’s grace and receive it, (Romans 5:17) the gift of righteousness is given. In being reconciled to Father God through Christ’s sacrifice, as with the love, the mercy, and the cleansing He sows into our lives to make us new, Father God then expects us to recognize and seek the seeds Jesus sowed during His life via all the teachings and examples culminating with the Cross.Those seeds explain how to love, be merciful, how we stay clean, so that we bear fruit in our lives so that our good fruit  might feed others just as we were fed initially.

Romans 5:10 (NASB)  ” 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.”

We have heard it taught that it is the righteousness of Christ that saves us; that there is nothing we can do to earn that  righteousness or that salvation, that reconciliation as Paul calls it in Romans 5:10 NASB. That is true in our initial reconciliation to the Father. Following Christ via our obedience to the life and teachings of Jesus is how we then maintain this free gift in life until we die or Jesus comes.

Are we responsible to bear fruit? Do we have a responsibility, in being bought with a price, forgiven totally, made righteous freely? Isn’t bearing fruit another way of requiring obedience? Was Christ not called the first born of many brethren in Romans 8:29? Are we not to be like Him?  How is this possible? Is it accomplished because He died for us? NO, it only begins there and Paul knew this and distinguished between reconciliation and actual salvation in Romans 5:10.

Paul wrote Romans 5:10 (NASB77)
”For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, …” Yes we are reconciled to God, but what about after, as we live life? How do we stay “saved” or reconciled as Paul calls it? As Paul said, there is “much more” to understand.

Jesus died for our sins previously committed, before we met Him. (Romans 3:25-26) Why would He need die for sins not yet committed? Would we sin in the future? Sure we would. Is Christ to die again and again for us? No WAY. Is He there to help? Sure by the Holy Spirit! We are expected to rely on, to follow, the wisdom and instruction He taught and lived, in order to avoid sin via the discipline of His training and our practice. Via that discipline we bear the peaceful fruit of righteousness! (Hebrews 12:11)

Jesus died once and for all persons but not for all our individual sin forever! He died for all those who would come to Him, forgiving their sins to date. Jesus did however teach us how to flee from sin in life, to avoid it, recognizing it, so as to live righteously by grace toward our fellow man and to God righteously to eternal life! (Romans 5:21) In doing so, we die a divine death to His glory! He lives in us!

We can be dead to sin, if we learn how! We will sin but our remedy, the antidote for life’s sin, is in the teachings of Christ our “Lord?” THEN we maintain our free gift!

There is an expectation on God’s part that we, after reconciliation, as we live on, that we will bear the fruit of righteousness. He plants we bear! He is the vine we are the branches! Does any of this sound familiar?

We understand correctly that when we ask Jesus to be Lord, God forgives us, cleanses us of all unrighteousness,(1^st John 1:9) we are regenerated and then renewed by the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5 (NASB)
^”He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit…”

Regeneration : palingenesia, the state or the act of rebirth. Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. # 3824.

Ephesians 2:5 (NASB)
”…even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),…”

Renewing: (of or by the Holy Spirit) anakainōsis , from <G341> (anakainoo); renovation :- renewing. Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.# 342, #341.

Do we not know that renovation is a process? We buy the house, then we renovate it to renew it, making it like we want it, elevating its condition to our standards. This is our process via the teachings of Christ with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Any Christian knows our maturing in Christ is a process. Our mind had to be renewed to new thinking. THIS is why Jesus came and spent time teaching us. Not just to die for us but to show us a new and living Way. (Hebrews 10:19-20 NASB) If there is a Way are we not to walk in it?

The kindness of God led us to repent and ask Jesus to be Lord and that by the Holy Spirit. Every mercy, forgiveness, cleansing, love, every aspect He freely gave, was a seed planted in the garden of our hearts with the absolute expectation that it would grow and multiply. It would be meaningful fruit for others to observe and receive freely when needed. It will be from us to the glory of God and Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit!

James 3:18 (NASB77)
And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

All this sowing takes place in life after our initial reconciliation to God.

I wrote earlier but excluded, Paul said, in Romans 5:10 (NASB77)
”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.”

Christ’s death was critical to us. His life teachings and example actually save us; as in when we die or He returns. Until then we have a glorious Way to walk in. The question is, will we?

Romans 11:22 (NASB77)
” Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.” I’m sorry but there is no such thing as once saved always saved.

Whoa, did Paul say that??? He knew. We must bear fruit and more as we mature, just as one would expect.

Proverbs 11:30 (NASB77)
”The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.”

We have a great hope and all the more as the time draws near for Christ’s return.

Isaiah 3:10 (NASB77)
”Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions.”

Do rightly , love mercy, walk humbly, and it will go well with you! Let grace reign! Romans 5:21, to eternal life!

Philippians 1:9-11 (NASB77)
”And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,
¹⁰  so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;
¹¹  having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

“We are to be “Gracefruit” trees. Never withdrawing our limb from the scraggly hand of need that reaches for the same fruit we needed.”

“If we remain in His grip, how far from His heart can we be!”

A guardian in Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $12.99

“For it was given to her to cloth herself in fine linen, bright and clean;…”

How many times did our moms warn us to stay clean as we prepared to leave for church? That meant, as my Dad used to say to my dear little brother and I, “No rough housing boys,” It meant no provoking our siblings to anger where chasing us in tears would wrinkle not only our Sunday best but our backsides.

“It was given to her…”

Loved ones, WE have been given a responsibility. The Word says, WE must cloth ourselves in fine linen. (see reference below)

Do you know who provides that fine linen? We would say, “God of course.” Yes like in life typically, the Father pays for the wedding and the beautiful gown the bride wears.

Is it less true in the wedding God has planned for us than it is in life, doesn’t the bride still have to willingly cloth herself? Does she not willingly make herself the most beautiful she can be on this special day? If her perfection is possible is it not pursued for that day, for the sake of her eternal love?

That gown must be perfect and it is!

“…for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Revelations 19:7-8 NASB)

So our adornment is righteous acts. “Michael, that sounds like works.” Any bride who considers putting on her wedding gown to be work, is not ready to walk down that isle.

Oh sure, the preparations for that moment are far more involved but that is the sacrifice she makes willingly. She is responding obediently and with understanding to the standard that she knows will bring her to such heights of adoration in the eyes of her beloved. He is waiting in anticipation of her arrival. She absolutely knows this and is totally motivated by it.

If this will to adorn is not in her heart, it may not be obvious to her, but it will be obvious to Him. In addition and equally so, the disappointment her Father will suffer at her not choosing to wear the robes of righteousness He provided may result in a breach that she brings upon herself. Dare she wear what is inappropriate? Is she going “clubbing?

Oh her Father loves her no doubt, but does she love Him and does she love the groom? “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15 NASB) “Well Michael, she will not fail, the scripture says “His bride has made herself ready.”

Exactly. On a personal basis she will have made herself ready because SHE chose to do as is expected of her. No one has done it for her. It is the brides choice alone. She will not be there if she rejects what only she can choose.

The linen is righteous acts. We must seek to find our garment. We must know what righteous acts the Word is speaking of?

Jesus named many but only a few He named could cost us our eternal life if not obeyed. Look for them. They are there but not preached often. Be disciples not just listeners. Your eternal life depends on it. The scriptures I am referring to will prove it. If you want me to list more of them, do so through a comment.

Here are two helps in your dressing process. First, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you:…” Jesus is not talking about “sitting back and watching.” He is saying learn to and teach others by your example, to obey all that He commanded. Why? Why did He come but to show us the Way to THE LIFE, God wants for us, and then He opened the door via His death! Once opened, we must “walk” through. From that point WE must willingly adorn ourselves with what He provided in anticipation of that future date. (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB) Knowing and obeying His commandments (from the Father) out of love, is vital.

Second, “…even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Christ Jesus.” (Romans 5:21 NASB) There is no righteousness (in us) without grace reigning in us. Sure we (hopefully) are reconciled to God, washed and perfect by the death of His Son but there is more to it! (Romans 5:10 NASB)

If our gown is stained by someone else, we much wash it as only we can. This is the life teaching of Jesus. Once the gown is given through reconciliation to God, we must maintain it for That Day. We must avoid “rough housing.”

Nothing of someone else’s doing must be on our minds on our wedding day. Only we can make sure we are without spot or blemish, holy and blameless, in our souls. “It has been given to us to make ourselves ready.” (Revelation 19:8 paraphrased NASB)

If we embrace and implement grace, knowing the glorious wedding alter it leads to, grace will adorn us in the same righteousness, beauty and holiness as our beloved Groom. He proved it. It is all “through” Him. First reconciliation, then His life example and teachings. His Way is the “channel” to eternity. It is the linen of righteousness so radiant any bride would have no doubt in her heart of the perfection she has obediently chosen to wear,  perfection paid for by her Father, for the Bride a glorious gift for His Son. She now thinks like He does, speaks as He would, and will reign in total agreement with Him. They are to be One forever.

The linen of righteousness is found in the commandments of Jesus. Let God light the fire of revelation in your hearts over His Word.  It is a fire that redirects you even to the source of any great love you have experienced in this life. I know, I have experienced the most profound and perfect love through my late and beloved Janis. All along it was Jesus, in her, loving me. I can not think of her without thanking Him. She clothed me in righteousness by her grace, making it possible for me to be “Mr. Wonderful” in her heart. Was she in denial? No she was in magnificent grace through faith. A grace that set me free to be a better and better man over our 33 years. Isn’t this God? Don’t we hope God does the same for all of us? He does if we honor the gift of grace that delivers righteousness to us and from us to others. As grace reigns, so does righteousness, to eternal life, through Christ Jesus.

The coming times will demand our understanding. Preparing now is paramount.

PS: To all my young friends who will read this. Our God is not in a box. “All truth” as referred to by Jesus, is beyond what we already know, and it will change things we already know. Remember, the prophet of God forsakes the people for the sake of the people. Be clothed gloriously.

You are loved, He waits,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world.