Beware of Dogs!
“Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, today if ye will hear his voice. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest.” – Hebrews 3:7-11 (KJV)
Entering the Rest of God takes more than going to church or being born again. It clarifies what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, that a man, though born again cannot enter into the Kingdom as that is an exclusive reserve for those born of water and the Spirit.
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” – John 3:5-6 (KJV)
In our text, the Apostle Paul sounds a note of warning about how thin a line there is between entering and missing the rest of God. He started by reminding us how God swore (a serious thing when God swears!) that all that came out of Egypt will not enter His rest, save Caleb and Joshua. And this was because “they have not known my ways.” – Hebrews 3:10 (KJV), they hardened their hearts to the ways of God, which Isaiah tells us is higher than the ways of Man. (Isaiah 55)
Paul admonishes, and very strongly too, that we should not be like the wilderness church; that if we hear His voice, we should not harden our hearts. There is a thin line here, and this is because we love God and no one knowingly wants to harden his heart against God! Like Paul who loves to do the will of God according to the inner man, but found himself doing what he did not want to do. (Rom 7), something else other than us is at work to prevent us from entering God’s rest!
This thing may allow us “hear the word” but not the “Voice”, “the letter” and not “the Spirit.” We are not only to hear the word – the letter, but the Voice – the Spirit; for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. In Acts 13:27, the Bible tells how the children of God read the Law, the Scripture every Sabbath day, yet could not hear the “voice” of the prophets, the actual message they passed across!
“For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.” – Acts 13:27 (KJV)
That was exactly what happened to the wilderness church; that made them “err in their hearts” and not know the ways of the Lord. Unfortunately, it is happening to the Church of today!
Why did they miss it? The dogs!
“Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” – Philippians 3:2-3 (KJV)
… to be continued.
Manufacturers have reasons why they produce their goods, one of which is for the products to meet some need or serve some purpose in the lives of the consumers.
At creation, God spoke His mind for the creation of man stating the purpose for his existence.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” – Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)
You are a creation of God. That means you were created to serve or meet some need: to oversee His business, the works of His hand. Jesus said, “occupy till I come.”
For this God gave you four qualities of power:
- Dominion – This is the ability or authority to rule.
- Multiply – This means to procreate and increase in numerically.
- Replenish – This is the ability to restore or refill what has been emptied or taken away.
- Subdue – This is to use force to bring something(s) under.
Of all the four, only one talks of opposition or resistance – “subdue”, not even in “dominion” do we have contention. There was no contention or opposition from the birds of the air, the animals in the field or the fish in the water before the fall of Adam because God set or made it so; and His word, which upholds all things, cannot be broken, even today.
However to “subdue” suggests opposition. You subdue a thing that refuses to surrender. So winning comes after there has been a contention or resistance. Resistance from where? Darkness!
“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” – Genesis 1:2 (KJV)
The powers of darkness and their weapons: death, fear, anger, sickness, lust, pride, poverty, failure, etc., are things that are constantly opposing the children of God. God knew about the “darkness”, so He put this quality of power in Man.
“Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 1:20 (KJV)
This is the power to fight, to conquer and bring under control, so that dominion will continue in God’s behalf. That is why He said to Jeremiah that “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you and ordained you a prophet …” (Jeremiah 1:5), and why? “They will fight you.” (Vs: 18)
The king and prince of lack will fight you!
The king and prince of poverty will fight you!
The king and prince of anger will fight you!
The king and prince of lust will fight you!
The king and prince of pride will fight you!
The king and prince of sickness will fight you!
The king and prince of failure will fight you!
All these kings, their princes and more, will fight you but shall not succeed! You are more than a conqueror! You are a winner; for none of their weapons formed against you shall prosper! There is power in you to condemn their tongue. There is power in you to nullify their words of evil! You are created to win and quench every opposition!
“I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.” – Jeremiah 6:27 (KJV)
God said, He – not man – has set – authoritatively fixed you for a tower – large and domineering – and fortress – a fortified and impenetrable being; created to try – judge and pass verdict on these agents of evil and their weapons!!!
You are God’s weapon of war! He has made you a sharp threshing instrument, and as a warrior would wield his weapon, God wields you against the enemy and his weapons! You are created to win!
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” – Isaiah 54:17 (KJV)
This is the heritage – a law, right or title you inherited from God. What is this heritage? The winning, all-conquering power!
But there are conditions!
- You have to be an original! Before the fall of Adam, he had a nature that was original. It was this nature that was given the power to subdue. It is the nature of being in the image and likeness of God.
- You have to remain in God’s will and desire. Be chaste! Run from sin and not eat the forbidden fruit! Strive to live in obedience!
- Overcome the fear that is holding you back! Adam did not know fear before his fall.
- Start the fight! By courageously affirming your faith and standing on the word of God, you attract the enemy to yourself, giving God an opportunity to glorify His Name! The three Hebrew trio of Shedrack, Meshach, and Abednego refused to compromise and were noted. Samson moved against the Philistines; this was of God, Who sought an occasion against them. Daniel refused to compromise and attracted the forces of evil to himself. In all God was glorified! Refuse to compromise, let the enemy take note of you, and let God be glorified!
- Seek knowledge! Adam did not really know the Truth; if he did he would not have doubted and fallen to the enemy. You have his history, in the Bible. Learn from his mistakes and study the life of the last Adam, Who against all odds stood with God and won.
You are created a winner; an ENVOY OF POWER!
There is this little write up that God has used, again and again, to encourage and strengthen me. I pray as I share it that it would also be a channel of encouragement and strength to as many that may read it. Look out for “THE GREAT SECRET.”
Who is a rich man?
“And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” – Luke 12:13-21 (KJV)
A man came to Jesus asking Him to intervene in a wealth-sharing dispute between him and his brother who did not want to share their father’s wealth with him. Jesus answered, telling him He wasn’t made a judge over them. His answer has a two-way application. He wasn’t a judge officially over such matters, but indirectly, He told him that the material life was not the reason or purpose of His coming.
This inspired the teaching against covetousness and the parable of the “rich Fool”, a man society called “rich”; Jesus also acknowledged he was rich, and that means he was rich! Yet, heaven called him a fool. Why?
1) He thought the security of life depended on the earthly acquisition: an abundance of wealth, education, connection, location, etc. Sadly, many hold this view today, even in Church, that the more wealth a man has, the more secure he is. This lie looks so golden, whereas it is deception in its highest form, and the creator of the end time god – mammon.
Jesus warned against the deceitfulness of riches and taught that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses.
2) He believed the things he got were results of his labour and hard work. Again, this is another sad thing in Christendom. There is a general belief that the harder a person works, the richer he would be. Over the years, the “prosperity message” has hoodwinked many a believer into a frenzy of going to work very early in the morning and coming back late at night “only to eat the bread of sorrow”, forgetting that “the race is not to the swift …”
3) He made plans as though he had power over his life. We often times forget that our lives belong to God and are in His hand, and He can make a demand of the life at any time. Job reminds us that no man has the power to retain the spirit (life) in him. When God calls, we respond. But hear this “rich man” speak as though he had power over tomorrow and can resist the call of God. People think some are being “over righteous” when they add “by the grace of God” to their statement.
4) He built his life on and around things that have no eternal value. Everything changes: nothing in this world is stable or durable. Building one’s hope on a shifting thing is like building without a foundation! How secure are those things after the death of the man? Who will inherit those things?
The frenzy with which man run after these things that the Bible clearly and unequivocally teaches to be “deceitful” is so alarming that it has become a standard of judging who is, and who is not a true believer, forgetting that love of things in the world is enmity with God.
Jesus said anyone who thinks and plans like this way, is regarded by heaven as a fool. (Luke 12:21) Why?
God’s ways differ from ours! The way we see things is not the way heaven see things! (Isaiah 55) What Man calls treasure, heaven calls nonsense! We do not value the things God values!
Clogged heart of Man
Solomon realized this and said on his return to God, “all is vanity” (Ecc. 1:2). Vanity means the quality of being without value; futile, useless, nonsense! That is where Man’s heart is, and God is clearly disappointed in this.
“O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.” – Psalm 4:2 (KJV)
Man’s heart is clogged up with the “weeds” of this world – the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. All these dull the heart, choke the word of God and makes one unfruitful in godliness.
What are we expected to do?
This is a heart situation, because where the treasure of a man is there will his heart be also, and since man cannot fix himself, only God, Who can farm or cultivate the heart can. But He will not; until we willingly come to Him.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” – Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)
We need to come to Him; to present ourselves to Him to weed off “the cares of this world” from our hearts. For this, He calls us, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28 (KJV)
“Come”, He says. Many have not “come”, though they have come to church. However, this is not a Church issue! Many are in church but have not “come” to the Lord. Nevertheless, He knows those that are His. Neither is it a ministry issue. It is not what work you do for Him because on that day He will say to some, “depart from me ye that work iniquity, I know you not”. It’s like saying, “I don’t know you, I don’t remember seeing you; you never came to me!”
The proof of your coming to Him is in how much value you place on what He values! Jesus asked Peter in John 21, if he loved Him more than the fish, representing all we wake early to pursue and come in late to acquire.
What does God place value on? His Word!
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” – Psalm 138:2 (KJV)
How much of His word do we treasure? How have we been handling His word, because this is what shall be used to clean us!
“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” – John 15:3 (KJV) Emphasis mine.
It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us to live in agreement with the Father, loving what He loves and hating what He hates; and He will not live or dwell in a dirty, polluted heart. Using the instrument of the Word, the disciples were cleaned and made ready to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Without the Word spoken to them, they would not have been able to receive the Holy Spirit!
Again, the Bible repeats it.
“That he might sanctify and cleanse it (the Church) with the washing of water by the word.” – Ephesians 5:26 (KJV) Emphasis mine.
In 2 Kings 5, we see the Syrian captain Naaman, instructed by the prophet Elisha to go dip himself seven times in the Jordan River for him to be clean. The number seven, here, represents the mind of God; completeness, nothing to be added or subtracted. The water represents the Word of God. Like Naaman, we should dip ourselves in it to be made whole and clean.
But again, in the Church of today, how much of the Word do we value?
The Life of God is not what we pray to receive as every one child of God has a deposit of God’s Spirit.
“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” – John 14:17-18 (KJV)
This deposit became possible from the day of Pentecost after Jesus shed his blood in death, resurrected and ascended to the Father.
However, the challenge is how to grow His presence in us. This takes a process well described in https://jimout2002a.wordpress.com/2018/07/23/fellowship-2
Furthermore, we need to:
- Enrol in School. What school, and where? Not the School that has a geographic location, but a School that is located wherever you are at! Life itself is a school. Wherever you are, the teacher, the Holy Spirit, is there! This is the School of sensitivity – the School of the Spirit! Enrolling in His School means submitting your all to Him, being ready to obey all He asks you to do.
“His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” – John 2:5-11 (KJV)
Miracles are borne out of obedience!
- Get the book. Every school has its set of books or recommendation of books to acquire. Very serious students get their books and study them! It is disappointing when children are sent to school without books. Not only would they perform poorly, feel inferior when depending on others for books, they would not be able to confirm a sudden flash of illumination or understanding that come periodically to confirm what the teachers have taught; such a student might even fail!
In the School of the Spirit, there is one key book, The Holy Bible, which contain 66 books. The Teacher would not teach outside the syllabus; the Bible is the syllabus used in this School. However, having the Bible would not grow the student, he needs to study it!
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
Approval – growth – can only come after study! Peter adds his voice to this; he calls it desire!
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” – 1 Peter 2:2 (KJV)
Spiritual growth is a function of study: the study of the word of God. Unfortunately, many are so busy they do not study. They only swallow hook, line and sinker, whatever their pastor says. It should not be so; they are humans too and have weaknesses and limitations. The true Teacher, the Holy Spirit, comes when we are alone, and filled with desire for the knowledge of the Truth. Let us go to Him in study.
- Discipline. Every student must be enrolled for a specific subject or discipline. What course is to be studied to develop this Life of God in the believer? QUIETNESS!
This is the only means of minimizing us that He may increase. When we keep quiet, hear him, and carry out what He says, it would no longer be us living but He “working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” – Philippians 2:13 (KJV)
As simple as this may sound, it is one of the most difficult things to learn and do because of pride and ego! Hear what God says about this.
“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” – Isaiah 30:15 (KJV)
“Ye would not!” All because of pride; the self-spirit!
Quietness is a serious subject to study!
“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (KJV)
The devil wants us to be noisy so that we would not hear the Teacher! We cannot hear the teacher if we are busy or noisy. When students come into class and are before their teacher they keep quiet to hear him, if not, he has all the power to discipline them for “noise-making.”
The Bible enjoins us to be quiet when we come into the presence of our teacher.
“Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.” – Isaiah 41:1 (KJV)
The classroom teacher loves quiet and attentive students. In the same way, the Holy Spirit values and treasures observant and quiet students of His. Silence, quietness is an attribute or character trait that is precious in the sight of God.
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” – 1 Peter 3:4 (KJV)
Peter not condemning the wearing of ornaments, counsel women to pay greater attention to beautifying the inner man, with two things that are precious and of great price in the sight of God: meekness and a quiet spirit! They are of great worth in the sight of God!
It is in quietness that we hear His voice. He would not compete with the noise of our environment or the clanging noise generated in our hearts. Let’s pull down every other voice, and quietly listen to what He shall say to us in response to the challenges of our everyday life, and the life of the Spirit shall be enthroned.
What are the features of this Life?
- Sight. In our text Jesus talks of people seeing but not seeing. Most see only with the natural eyes and are not able to see with the eye of the spirit, to “see as God sees”. The Eye of the spirit sees beyond the physical. Jesus did not follow the sighting of His eyes because He followed the Eye of the spirit. (Isaiah 11:3)
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8 (KJV)
Seeing God as Jesus taught here does not mean when one dies; but when one “sees well”, even while still alive, confirming what God said through Isaiah, “… but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.” – Isaiah 30:20 (KJV)
In Jeremiah I: 11-12, God asked the prophet what he saw and when he answered, God told him he had seen well.
The life of God in man can discern the mind of God in any situations; it passes judgment or makes opinion not based on natural events. He sees what others do not see.
Spiritual blindness can be treated when one goes to the Lord.
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” – Revelation 3:18 (KJV)
- Sound
“Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.” – Matthew 13:13-14 (KJV)
When Jesus quoted Isaiah, He was not speaking to people who were deaf or had no ears, no. He talked to people who had ears and could hear every word He spoke! Their auditory sense was alive, active and potent. They heard the sounds and syllables that He made, but beyond that they were lost; they could not perceive or understand what He meant!
Hearing is beyond hearing of sounds and syllables. What is the good in hearing someone speak to you when you cannot understand him, which is the essence of communication. Marriages fail, businesses fold up and relationships breakdown because someone heard but did not understand the other.
The Life that God imparts us in Christ has the power to understand not just our everyday conversations and affairs but can discern spiritual sounds and syllables! Like the silent whistles that only dogs can hear, spiritual sounds can only be heard by someone who has this life of God.
Till today, many hear preachings and teachings yet lack understanding.
“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. “ – Ephesians 4:18 (KJV)
“They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness.” – Ephesians 4:18 (GWT)
The Life of God in man has ears deep behind the natural ears; it hears only hear when we are able to peel off the surface sounds and syllables of daily activities.
“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” – Isaiah 30:21 (KJV)
- Smell. The nose, with the olfactory sense, can smell emissions in its environment. Many people can smell things afar; their nostrils are sensitive. But if such people lack the spiritual life, the life of God, they can never perceive the mind of God!
“And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.” – 2 Kings 4:9 (KJV)
The Shunammite woman did not go sniffing the Prophet, rather she smelt the aroma, aura or presence of God on the Man of God; she perceived him.
This nose is deeper than the physical nose.
- Touch. The human system is wired with nerves that carry signals to the tactile sense making him able to feel, and sensitive to touch.
However, beyond the natural life is the massive spiritual ability to become suddenly “aware”, to have an intuition of something one may not be able to lay a hand on or explain initially.
“And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.” – Mark 5:30-34 (KJV)
Jesus “immediately knew” something touched him apart from the physical contacts; even the woman knew something was done in her! How did she know, with no doctor to examine her for confirmation? It is the Life of God! No wonder Jesus said to her, “thy faith” has made you whole! The Life of faith is not possible without spiritual senses!
- Taste. This is the sensation that results when taste buds from the tongue and throat carry information; it is distinguishing between two or more flavours. Spiritually, this means to participate in, to experience, to be a part of something divine.
“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 16:15-17 (KJV)
Peter did not know when he blurted his answer; nevertheless, it was of God. He partook in something divine; he tasted of the revelation knowledge of God, even before Pentecost.
Paul also partook in, tasted in something too wonderful to relate physically.
“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” – 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 (KJV)
These are experiences beyond the physical; they are things the natural sense cannot comprehend or understand because they are spiritual and belong to the Life of God.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”- 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 (KJV)
…to be continued.
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” – John 6:63 (KJV)
Life is in knowing the Word of God. However, knowledge is not life itself. Life can only be accessed through the revelation of knowledge. If you like acquire all the knowledge, if there is no revelation of that knowledge, you do not have the life in the knowledge.
Getting the life in the Word of God takes study.
“Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” – Matthew 13:13-15 (KJV)
Jesus quotes Isaiah, showing the divide between natural life and spiritual life. Each life has its set of senses. The major features of life (spiritual and natural), are the senses. Here Jesus was not talking to dead people, but to people who are alive. However, they operate and live only by the natural senses.
“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” – 1 Kings 17:1 (KJV)
The two sets of senses are at play here. Elijah spoke from the consciousness of standing in the presence of God, he operated the spiritual senses. Ahab, on the other hand, operating the natural sense, could have looked around hoping to see God.
“But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 3:14 (KJV)
What the natural life has, the spiritual have also. However, many mind the natural life; they dwell on the natural life, either because of ignorance or unbelief. Jacob, while running from his brother came to a place where he saw a ladder reaching heaven; with angels ascending and descending, and said: “God is here and I knew it not.” The activities of his life then was centred on the natural senses.
“And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.” – Genesis 8:21 (KJV)
God declares that man’s thoughts and imagination (where the treasure of a man is….) dwell on the natural (evil). We are not to live or dwell in the natural. Our minds should be more on and revolve around the things of the Spirit, the things of God.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” – Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
God is not happy with the direction of man’s mind, hence Paul calls it death.
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6 (KJV)
He counsels:
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” – Colossians 3:1-2 (KJV)
…to be continued.
The child of God, having gone through His fire, becomes a new creature; his attitude and character changes even his thought and manner of speaking reflect Christ. Moses, an orator (Acts7:22) emerging from God’s refinery, became a stammerer. No one will remain the same after passing through the Refiners Fire. It’s in the fire that the heart is circumcised and the person comes out “another man.”
That is why Paul could say “I live, yet not I …”
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20 (KJV)
What I was before, I am not anymore; a change has taken place. I no longer hate, I love. I am not aggressive anymore, I’m gentle. Rather than the proud and haughty person I was, I am “meek and lowly of heart.”
The outer man, the flesh, “dross”, having been peeled off, the inner man, renewed after the spirit, is manifest. Like John the Baptist said, that “he may decrease and He increase.” This is the whole essence of “denying self”, which is indeed a very hard thing to do, but nevertheless a major requirement to having fellowship with God.
Paul was so proud of his new person; the person he had become that he counted his former person as nothing and his previous achievement as “dung”.
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” – Philippians 3:7-9 (KJV)
He willingly lost “all things”, not some, but “ALL” things: his family, because of his new faith, disowned him and excluded him from the family wealth; his educational and Pharisaic attainments he also set aside for the excellency of knowing of Christ. His was a radical change.
Some of the things we should discard from ourselves if we are to have fellowship with the Father are in Galatians 5:19-21
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“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)
A careful observation of the above scripture will reveal that these acts originate from the heart!
“And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.” – Matthew 15:16-20 (KJV)
Sin and uncleanness go beyond the act. They are products of the heart and start from thoughts and imaginations!
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” – Luke 6:45 (KJV)
The heart of man, being open to two sources of information, should be guarded with all diligence! And yes, we may not completely block out negative thoughts and imaginations, because the heart of man is wicked, yet we owe God the responsibility of pulling down every thought that does not conform to the word of God!
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)
Without the cleansing of the heart, one would not be admitted into the place of fellowship, and consequently cannot have fellowship with God!
….to be continued.
…..continued from “how much are you worth?” 2
They realized the foolishness of man’s ways and the deceitfulness of worldly riches. They came to know that only the will of God, revealed in His word is the enduring treasure. Jesus surrendered Himself, making Himself of no reputation.
“But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” – Phil 2:7-10 (KJV)
He made himself of no reputation, holding onto and exalting the word of god, and so he was himself exalted to the position of honour. When we treasure and exalt the word, we increase in spiritual worth. Our submission to the word of God like Jesus did makes us precious and exalted spiritually.
After David killed Goliath, the giant’s sword was kept in the Temple. It was not different from other swords in the kingdom. However, when David was running from Saul, the then king of Israel, he took the sword from the Temple. From that day the sword became the sword of David; and though it was still not different from others, it was feared above other swords of David’s time; not because it was made of a different metal but by virtue of its user.
God would use you if you submit to His word.
“Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms.” – Jer 51:20 (KJV)
In the hand of the Master, your value in the spirit realm would greatly increase.
The sword is valuable to its owner that even when presented with another sword, the warrior would not dispose of his own but would keep it and prefer it above any other because of its value to him. If presented with a choice to redeem only one sword, he would redeem or save his own sword which because of its worth has got his approval.
Many Christians claim to have been approved or chosen by God, which is just a slogan because they have not surrendered to the word of God! Submitting to the word of God is the foundation to being approved or chosen; this is how you become a sharp threshing instrument in the hand of God
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……continued from “how much are you worth?” 1
He is committed to and moved, only by His word retained by the individual in Christ Jesus. It is His word that makes you precious! His word is His treasure!
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” – Psalms 138:2 (KJV)
The word “magnify” means to make important, to raise in rank and power: to give worth. God exalted or magnified His word! He gave more worth to his word more than al his names.
“But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.” – Ezek 36:21-23 (KJV)
But He treasures His word more than all His names. He desires His name to be hallowed yet would not permit His word to be trifled. Importance and value are so placed on His word that it is the only thing that binds Him! If you were to go to the market and there see something without value, would you buy it? Certainly not? Surely, you will leave it alone. When God goes to the spiritual market and finds you there, empty of this value, His word, He would most certainly leave you!
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” – Romans 1:28 (KJV)
I remember reading the story of an old worn out violin that was put up to be auctioned. No real value was placed on it until a master violinist touched it; he tuned the strings and with it played a well known classical song. Instantly value was placed on it and the worth appreciated. What happened? A master touched it. It was the touch of the master that supplied the violin its worth. It was the touch of the master that supplied the violin its worth.
Many lives are out of tune today, battered because they have refused to treasure what God treasures, His Word. God expects us to “keep in memory” the word that His servants preach.
“By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” – 1 Cor 15:2 (KJV)
Paul encouraged Timothy to “keep” that which was committed to his trust.
“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.” – 1 Tim 6:20 (KJV)
These are not just words for us to read and know but to “retain”, “keep”, “treasure”, etc. The problem is twofold.
Firstly, most of our preachers give us the letter, which kills!
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” – 2 Cor 3:6 (KJV)
They explain psychology to us in place of the word of God. Things that we can ordinarily learn at business schools, they pass to us as the word of God. Worldly issues are explained to us in Church with the Word as a reference! Just like home-videos designated “gospel films” just because they have “to God be the glory” at the end of it; whereas the actors, writers and producers are not born-again! The absence of the Truth; the mind or will of God in messages is responsible for the compromise and falling away of Christians and the seeming powerlessness of the Church.
The Children of God do not experience the peace of God because of this ignorance.
They may look the same, but are not!
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” – Hosea 4:6 (KJV)
Christians are easily intimidated and in bondage because they lack the Truth that should make them free.
Secondly, the effect of those messages on Christians is the increase in selfishness. We have become too full of ourselves, we worship ourselves, even when we are supposed to be in Church, we hold on to and think more of ourselves: our situations financially, our clothing, our trials, testimonies and achievement; refusing to deny self.
We really need to learn from the violin, a lifeless instrument, dead to itself. We should humble ourselves, put our education, achievement, and earthly wisdom, social and political status aside and in seeming foolishness, receive the simplicity of the Word of God.
David became a nobody, casting his crown and robe aside, to dance to God. Solomon called his acquisitions “vanities”, Paul called his achievement “dung”. Why?
They realized the foolishness of man’s ways and the deceitfulness of worldly riches. They came to know that only the will of God, revealed in His word is the enduring treasure. Jesus surrendered Himself, making Himself of no reputation.
….to be continued.
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