Vanity Of Self Labor

Many have studied about Jesus and His kingdom and reckon it to be sufficient in and of itself to declare God's kingdom; but knowledge alone has not given man the ability to take dominion over the earth except that the Creator's life accompany it. Apart from Christ, the "land" is cursed.


Few have met their "woe is me, I am a man of unclean lips". Those without this humble encounter are making a lot of noise in the name of Christianity, but to the Isaiah's and Jobs of this age..., it is crystal clear that the "old man" still desires the old form of hierarchical temple worship, where God is kept in an Ark and man is determined that his own will be done on earth.


We're ambassadors of Christ, not delegates; there are huge differences in the appropriations and duties between the two. The Father has not delegated His work to us, He has called us to lose what we felt was a superior life to His. This surrender is His power through us and to the world.


Lest we lose our focus, His strength is made perfect in our weakness, not our own interpretation of how we should be going about His business.


PJR


"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." (Philippians 2:12,13)

Keeping The Cup

"Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will'" (Matthew 26:39)

There is a cup of suffering appointed to everyone who will follow Jesus. Without taking up this cup, the road to growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ ends abruptly. Many have fallen prey to a new gospel. They hand their cup back to the Father and arrogantly proclaim, "I now stake my identity in Christ and because he conquered evil and death, I don't need this cup, for He paid it all, once for all." This is true of salvation alone because we didn't choose Him, He chose us. However, there are no rewards of intimacy down this road.

Disregard The Dust

Resisting evil is not a passive avoidance or coercion of distasteful circumstances. Nor is it an emotional appeal toward people, spawned by anger, frustration or fear. It is a direct confrontation of Satan by the Sword of the Spirit, which is Christ in us.

If we should cultivate an intentional relationship with the Son of God, not compromising with the pattern and wisdom of the god of this world, then the blood of Christ would be flowing through our own veins. Jesus has overcome the world; but if this Spiritual Authority that lives in us lies dormant due to our neglect of so great a salvation, we will never know Abundant Life this side of death. Jesus has already conquered the principalities and ruling authorities in the heavenlies, but the demons will not succumb to an earthen vessel that does not have the Spirit of Christ wrought within them.

Further considerations of the "thorn in the flesh".

"So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7-10‬ ESV)

We immediately assume that this thorn was given to Paul after he received the revelations from Christ. But looking at verse 10, we can see what Paul considers to be the product of the thorn's presence that causes God's strength to become perfect in us; weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; these are indeed the products of the messengers of Satan. They are everything inherent to all human nature since the Spiritual separation from God in Garden.

Come To Know And Let It Flow

It's a beautiful experience to get caught up in the flow of the Spirit as others release what He has put on their hearts. The 'now word' is so encouraging because the Spirit has opened the ears of those whom Jesus has purposed to speak to through others.

The members of the body are gifted for the very purpose of building up the church. Some revelations are for the entire body to glean from. Others are more specific, targeting individuals whose gift would be further encouraged to a new level of faith.

We should be discerning as we receive from other members. While we are certainly prompted with an "Amen!" in the Spirit, we are to be mindful of our own unique gifting. (1 Cor. 12) It's easy to get emotionally caught up in the moment. A revelation may be a specific truth for another gift of the body, but we can ignorantly attempt to apply it to ourselves.

We will rejoice with others in the Spirit, but that doesn't mean we should be personally attending to the message. If we fail to understand our own gifting, we will find ourselves on unfamiliar ground. Eventually, we'll feel the offense of the Spirit and our witness will surely fall flat from such encroachment. No one has been allotted the fullness of all members of the body but the Head Himself. The Holy Spirit determines the purpose of each member of His body.

It's not only important to recognize and embrace our own gift, it is equally important to respect other gifts that desire to participate. They may even have a word that might appear to differ from the original word, but that's how the Spirit rolls! No one knows where it comes from and no one knows where it's going. We should never demand that our topic be left undisturbed, rather, we should anticipate and welcome what may come otherwise.

 If we stay focused on Jesus, the body will move fluently through His purposes for the church. That is where we find ultimate fellowship! Fan the flame of that wonderful and unique aspect of Jesus that is yours and feed and nourish the body of Christ! Don't be shy to release the burden on your heart. Let the River flow!

PJR

"But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way." (1 Cor. 12:31)

Heartful, Not Hurtful

The value of a gift should not be determined by the preferences of the heart that receives it, but through the love of the heart that gives it.

When self image and preservation prevents us from experiencing things that differ from our own tastes, then we have become selfish with our love while burdening others with the insult of avoidance.

Love's power, beyond the superficial, can't be known by us until we are willing to loosen our necktie, let down our hair, and embrace the variety of other hearts around us.

Love that knows how to give is first love that has learned how to receive.

PJR 

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:16)

Allowing The Kingdom Its Own Work

All the commands that we find in the New Testament are in reality the declaration of Jesus' life upon those whom the Father has drawn to Him. "It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me" is our present reality once we receive the Holy Spirit, but it will take time before the mind becomes renewed to accept this. What is commonly understood as sanctification is simply the removing of the blinders of our current understanding by the Holy Spirit. While we may perceive the saints growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, the truth is that man decreases and Christ increases. "The life I now live in the flesh, I live by fatih..." No flesh will glory in God's presence. Man is but dust and returns to the ground, but his soul is being made aware of the source from which its very life began; in the Spirit as a son to the Father, but now also being prepared as a bride for His Son.

Until one is called by God, all creation has shown no interest in the things of God and are clearly conformed to the god of this world (Satan). Those who's eyes and ears have been opened should always be operating in hope, that God's love can redeem and transform any human spirit by the Life of His Son. It is equally important we know that the drawing of the soul is clearly the work of the Father alone. For this reason, Jesus tells us not to give to the dogs what is holy, or to throw our pearls to the pigs. Unless we recognize God's Spirit in another, there is no work for us there.

Denying The Devil His Daily Bread

Satan is a spiritual parasite and his only diet is our carnally minded spirit, our depraved human nature: the nature of the flesh.
"God created man from the dust of the ground."

God knows that apart from His Spirit, man is but dust. 

To the serpent He said, "You will eat the dust of the ground all the days of your life."

If we walk by the Spirit we will not gratify the desires of the flesh, thereby removing the very sustenance of the demonic parasites whose only purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. 

We can cleanse the temple of the Holy Spirit from becoming a den of thieves by putting on the mind of Christ.

PJR

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." (3John 1:2)

Food For Thought

At least in the U.S., apart from the obvious poisoning of our food supply and the cruel mistreatment of livestock-

The information highway is running a muck with the oldest and the newest research, unfounded claims, and rumors on what's good, bad, right and wrong for the health of humanity. If we become engrossed in these reports then we allow the contributors of the scientific community and the counter rebellion thereof to frighten us out of our freedom to taste and see that the Lord is good. 

"To the pure, all things are pure."

Self Proclaimed Christianity

The Holy Spirit is our counselor, not our baby sitter.

"When I was a child I acted like a child, but when I became an adult, I put my childish ways behind me."

Faith is not complacent with so great a salvation as simply having been sealed, building an easy road of Christianity by saving our own lives while remaining Spiritually malnourished.

On the other hand, though the Holy Spirit is our source of power to do God's will, He is not our genie. As well, faith and the Spiritual gifts are not a power we can wield at our own discretion. True faith comes by the immediate prompting of the Holy Spirit and that is the present work of our Father. When it appears that God may be silent, then grace, belief, and trust are what we are to rely upon during these seemingly idle times.