The Lord's slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient,
2 Timothy 2:24(HCSB)
Amazing grace, How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come,
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun
I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.”—In his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.—Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions, the Lord alone guided him.
Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.”—This is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.
Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you.—“Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on…. For… your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
Till now the Lord has helped us.
I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the One who is the stairway between heaven and earth. (John 1:51 NLT)
Christ risen means an open heaven. The Spirit of the Anointing comes upon us because the crucified One is risen. He comes to us out of an open heaven which the Son of God has opened for us.... The Lord Jesus said: i>When He, the Spirit... is come, He shall guide you into all the truth.And John confirms this in saying: i>The anointing which ye received... teaches you concerning all things.That is represented by the angels ascending and descending. The Holy Spirit is communicating with us, but Christ is the ladder, reaching from earth to heaven. Where is that ladder? It is not in the world. The ladder is set up in our hearts. It is Christ in our hearts. There is an open way from heaven in our hearts, Christ Himself, leading us into the very presence of God. The Holy Spirit moves in relation to Christ to bring us into communion with Christ, just as Christ is in communion with His Father.
The all-sufficiency of Christ is secured for us on that basis. We are in the heavenlies, because Christ is in us. If joined to His person the limitations are gone. There is a direct and immediate communion with God, and the Holy Spirit can reveal to us heavenly things. Thus we understand what it means to receive everything directly from God in Christ. Christ in us means an inward knowledge of God, a heart-relationship with Him. It is an inward life from God, an inward power of God. But that is a mystery which the world does not and cannot know. It cannot understand that our Lord Jesus was willing to accept exactly the same basis of life with its limitation in which we live, although without sin. Yet, in fellowship with His Father, He continually broke through these limitations, and overcame them in drawing all His provision, all the fullness from His Father alone. His sufficiency was in His Father. So we are called to live, by the Spirit, a life triumphant over all our weaknesses, a life where Christ is everything, and where His victory is our victory. The work of the Cross is finished. The veil is rent. The way is open. Thus Christ risen in heaven means for us an open heaven where everything is possible for us in Christ, that we may glorify Him!
I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. § In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old. § As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, so the Lord alone led him.
Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. § This is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. § Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on … For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
Thus far the Lord has helped us.
Deut. 1:31; Ex. 19:4; Isa. 63:9; Deut. 32:11,12; Isa. 46:4; Ps. 48:14; Ps.55:22; Matt. 6:25,32; 1 Sam. 7:12
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Therefore you shall be perfect. § Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment.
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.
There remains … a rest for the people of God. § Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; they will see the land that is very far off.
Let us go on past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ" (Heb. 6:1a, Amp.).
The milk of the Word is necessary for the immature years. But in order to carry out His purpose in our lives, our Father brings in needs that call for more than milk - we become hungry for the meat of the word, and are thereby strengthened and matured.
"When I see the Blood, I will pass over you' (Ex. 12:13). The Blood shelters from the Judge, but there is no rest there. In this state, the believer is like a man in a lifeboat: he is rescued, but still in the place where the danger is; he would like to get to shore. He is safe, but not clear of the power of the enemy, not clear of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. That is really where most Christians are today." -J.B.S.
"There are vast numbers who profess to believe in the atoning virtue of the death of the Lord Jesus, but who do not see aught therein beyond the forgiveness of their sins. They do not as yet see the crucifixion, death, and burial of the sinner - the entire displacement of the old system of things belonging to their first-Adam position; in a word, their perfect identification with their risen and ascended Lord." -C.H.M.
"With Israel, after its deliverance from Egypt, there were two stages. The one, this life in the wilderness, with its wanderings and its wants, its unbelief and its murmurings. The other, the land of promise, with rest instead of desert wanderings, and with abundance instead of want - symbols of the two stages of the Christian life. The one in which we only know the Lord Jesus as Saviour from Egypt, in His work on the Cross for atonement and pardon. The other, where He is known and welcomed as our Life in heaven; Who, in the power of that endless life, leads us to find our home in the Holiest of our Father's presence." -A.M.
". . . advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity" (Heb. 6:1b, Amp.).
Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists.
Hebrews 11:1
Biblical faith is unique. Biblical faith makes a clear distinction between the Creator and the creature. Biblical faith is founded on the fact that God is God and we are not. Biblical faith is believing God’s Word and trusting God to keep His word. Faith is man’s response to the promises of God and God expects us to trust Him. But biblical faith can only be biblical faith if Jesus is central to our belief.
God does not go out of His way to try to prove that He exists. He simply states it: "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis". 1:1 Either we exhibit faith and believe it or we reject it – there’s no middle ground. It is vital to believe in God, but His saving plan is only possible through Christ – so only those that believe in God, and Jesus Christ Whom He sent, are saved.
God tells us the truth in His Word and expects us to respond by believing Him. "In the beginning, was the Word – and the Word was God". John 1:1. We either trust His Word as true – or refuse to believe it. There’s no alternative. Faith is implemented through hearing the Word of God and God’s plan for man.. and faith is established by believing the Word of God and Christ’s finished work.
If we believe on Jesus as saviour then we are saved – period. Trusting in Jesus Christ as saviour is sufficient, for God seals you as His child, and at that point, we enter an entirely new and exciting relationship with God. If we don’t believe on Jesus as saviour we are not saved and condemn ourselves. Only when we believe on Christ, as saviour, does biblical faith really kick in.
Biblical faith is for the believer – not the non-believer. Biblical faith not only expects us
read moreGrace, grace and more grace is what is showered on all that believe in Jesus Christ. Grace for salvation, grace for this life, grace to mature, grace in the ages to come. We should understand that all grace emanates from the infinite goodness of God. We should appreciate that grace affects and influences every part of our lives.
We should recognise that grace gives solidity, steadiness, strength, security, and safety. We should know that it is God’s grace that imparts peace and hope and removes all fear. We are been imparted with the fullness of God’s grace – in time and into eternity, for we have all received one gracious blessing after another: "the fullness of His grace from His abundance". John 1:16
Oh, it is natural and right that we glorify in the abundance of God’s saving grace. It was grace that picked us up out of the world and by grace paid the awful debt we owe.. "for by such grace you have been saved through faith, this does not come from you; it is the gift of God". Ephesians 2:8
Too often we limit the grace of God to salvation from the penalty of sin – alone. We often forget that salvation was the start of our eternal journey and not the end, for grace is poured out throughout life and grace continues into the ages to come.
We are saved from the penalty of sin, which is death – eternal separation from God. But we are also saved from the destructive and enslaving power of sin in our lives: "for sin shall no longer be master over you and have dominion over you.. for ye are not under the restrictions of law, but under the freedom of grace". Romans 6:14
God’s provision of grace is given in love and breaks the power of cancelled sin. Grace sets us free to live and move and have our being – living and working in Him. Once we are saved into God’s family
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