SOWING AND REAPING – Part 5

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)

Grace, in the above sense, would be defined as the saving Life and Presence of the Lord Jesus brought to people when the saint avoids words that are not wholesome but instead, uses his speech to build up and encourage those to whom he is speaking.
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (Titus 2:11,12)

The grace of God teaches us that we should live righteously. To seek to balance an emphasis on holy living with an appeal to mercy and grace makes no sense if grace itself teaches us to live righteously!

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into immorality, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4)

"Turning the grace of our God into a license for immorality." It appears that in the first century some of the churchgoers were attempting to use the forgiveness aspect of Divine grace to excuse immoral behavior. This is what always will happen when we dilute the necessity for godliness by continually referring to God's love, mercy, and grace.

It is difficult to live a godly life, and if there is an easy way to avoid fighting the good fight of faith, people will find it. "Grace" is employed today as the Divinely provided means of avoiding the stern discipline of true discipleship.

TREASURES IN HEAVEN – Part 2

. . . and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)

Freedom from sin. The second of the nine heavenly treasures we will mention is freedom from sin.

We are commanded in this life to utilize every opportunity the Spirit gives us to put to death the deeds of our body. We are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for our flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

We are not debtors to our flesh that we are obligated to live according to the desires of the flesh. If we live in the desires of our flesh we will die spiritually. If we walk in the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Life, we will not spend our time and energy satisfying the lusts of our flesh.

Our physical body is dead to the Spirit of God because of the sin that dwells in it. Paul cried, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" referring to the bondages of sin in his flesh (Romans 7:24).

At the Lord's coming He will deliver us from the curse of sin, from the morally impure compulsions dwelling in our flesh. He will set us free provided we are putting to death the deeds of our body today.

THAT WHICH IS PERFECT – Part 2

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 3:14)

The Process
The saints of Ephesus had been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. For what, then, will Paul pray? Paul is praying for the saints of Ephesus to receive the third great work of grace, the fullness of God.

Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (Ephesians 3:15)
God is creating a family. God's family is Israel, His elect, the saints, the brothers of Christ. The whole family is called by the name of God.

Whoever will choose to do so may become a member of the royal family. The Lord Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life of the Father—the Father of the family. The family for eternity will reveal the Father among the angels and the members of the nations of saved peoples of the earth.

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (Ephesians 3:16)

Notice that the moving of the saint from the second area of the Holy Spirit to the third area of the fullness of God is accomplished by the riches of God's Glory. If the maturing and completing of redemption were left to us we would despair. But there is enough Virtue, strength, and wisdom in the riches of God's glory to bring every willing participant to the fullness of God. The Lord Jesus is not only the Alpha, the beginning, but the Omega, the ending.

THE SONS OF THE KINGDOM – Part 3

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:32)

We think of Satan standing before the Lord Jesus and asking Jesus to worship him-Jesus his Creator!

We think of the Pharisees as they had in mind to kill Jesus, and not only Jesus but Lazarus whom the Lord had raised from the dead, and we see the seed of Satan-the one who desires to be exalted above the stars of God.

People who desire to be exalted above their brothers and sisters need to be converted even though for many years they may have professed to believe in Christ.

The "wolves" that attack God's sheep are fairly easily identified if one will keep these four characteristics in mind. But remember, the worshipers of their own belly deceive the naive and unsuspecting with pleasant words and speeches. Those who are not watchful and prayerful will be deceived by them.

If we would be sons of the Kingdom let us purge ourselves from the four characteristics of Satan (prior essay) and pray that the Lord will teach us to wait on Him, being always ready to confess our sins and yet refraining from judging others. Let us pray for a good understanding. Above all, let us be humble of heart, seeking the good of others, having no desire to be exalted above our brothers and sisters in the Lord. If we do these things we will not be removed from the Kingdom when the shaking comes-and it surely shall come!

Three areas of sin. There are three basic areas of sin, as portrayed in the three temptations of Christ in the desert. Every son of God must pass through these same testings.

MESSAGE: The Jewish High Priest Garments - Dr. Terry Harman

THE HARVEST RAIN – Part 2

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many [the majority] shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)

It is the author's opinion that during the latter-rain witness the greater part of earth's people will make a profession of faith in Christ. Then God will withdraw the anointing in order that Antichrist may run his predestined course. Sin will become so readily available that the majority of those who had made a profession will fall away.

The falling away is necessary in order that the Church may become without spot or wrinkle. Every work of God must be tested with fire.

It is after the period of spiritual darkness that the Lord will return for His glorious Church.
This is the pattern of the promised latter-rain revival and the following tribulation, as we understand it.

During the latter half of the twentieth century there has occurred a number of spiritual activities and movements such as the charismatic renewal, the faith and prosperity emphases, reconstructionism, and lately the "laughing revival." There have been minor phenomena such as leg-lengthening, oil on the hands, and the filling of dental cavities.
These various spiritual expressions sometimes involve hundreds of thousands of people.

TREASURES IN HEAVEN – Part 1

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (Matthew 6:19,20)
There are two commandments here: one, do not lay up treasures on the earth; and two, do lay up treasures in Heaven.

Matthew 6:21 gives the reason: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Since the issues of our life and the words of our mouth come from our heart, we can understand that wherever our heart is, that is where we ourselves are. This verse points out to us the choice that every Christian must make.

There are at least nine treasures we can lay up in Heaven:
Eternal life.
Freedom from sin.
Authority.
Power.
Status.
Abilities.
Opportunities for service.
Relationships.

Rest in Christ in God.
Each of these nine treasures has a counterpart on the earth. It is impossible to pursue both the heavenly treasure and its earthly counterpart. We must choose whether to lay up the treasure in Heaven or to lay up its counterpart on the earth.

The treasures of Heaven will be given to each Christian according to his behavior in his body. They will be handed out when the Lord returns from Heaven, although it may happen that we receive them in a measure now. Here is the fulfillment of II Corinthians 5:10:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

THAT WHICH IS PERFECT – Part 1

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (Matthew 6:19,20)
 
There are two commandments here: one, do not lay up treasures on the earth; and two, do lay up treasures in Heaven.

Matthew 6:21 gives the reason: "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Since the issues of our life and the words of our mouth come from our heart, we can understand that wherever our heart is, that is where we ourselves are. This verse points out to us the choice that every Christian must make.

There are at least nine treasures we can lay up in Heaven:
Eternal life.
Freedom from sin.
Authority.
Power.
Status.
Abilities.
Opportunities for service.
Relationships.

Rest in Christ in God.
Each of these nine treasures has a counterpart on the earth. It is impossible to pursue both the heavenly treasure and its earthly counterpart. We must choose whether to lay up the treasure in Heaven or to lay up its counterpart on the earth.

THE SONS OF THE KINGDOM – Part 2

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (II Timothy 2:20,21)

There are people in the world who have had the good seed of the Kingdom sown in them, although there still are tares in them. There are other people in the world who have only the seed of Satan in them.

Can an individual who has the good seed of the Kingdom purge himself or herself from the seed of the wicked one? Definitely yes!

We would suggest that the division in the world is not between those who profess to be Christians and those who do not. The division is between that which is born of the Kingdom and that which is born of Satan. Receiving the Lord Jesus provides us with the opportunity to become a son of the Kingdom. If after having received the Lord Jesus we do not through the Holy Spirit cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, taking full advantage of the grace of God, but continue to live our life apart from the Lord, we remain a son of Satan. It may be true that there is no other truth in greater need to be proclaimed in the churches of Christ.

THE HARVEST RAIN – Part 1

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (Joel 2:23)

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:3)

Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. (Zechariah 10:1)

Introduction

In the present hour many people are speaking of a tremendous revival that is at hand. The present author has stated on numerous occasions that we are on the edge of the most marvelous intervention of God in all history. The coming outpouring is the latter-rain revival spoken of in the Scriptures.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. (James 5:7)

SOWING AND REAPING – Part 4

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (Romans 4:4)
One could deduce from this that we Gentiles should make no effort to obey the numerous exhortations to righteous living that are found in the New Testament but should simply "believe." But as we said, Paul was arguing with the teachers of the Law of Moses. Paul was saying we cannot reject the atonement made by the blood of the Lord Jesus and go about seeking to establish our own righteousness.

Paul would never employ "grace" as a means of tempering his stern warnings to believers who continue to walk in the appetites and lusts of the flesh. Rather, Paul was urging his listeners to choose God's way to righteousness through Christ rather than to attempt to keep the numerous commandments of the Law of Moses or to develop some plan of their own for acquiring righteousness.

Righteousness is defined as "that which pleases God." If we would obtain righteousness in God's sight, we must enter the plan of salvation God has ordained. God's plan of salvation includes forgiveness through the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus and also moral transformation until we are in the image of His Son.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be changed into the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

Upgrade 16 is next. Saturday, July 18 is the date.

The Upgrade Series continues on Saturday, July 18 at 10am prompt. It will be another insightful exposition on the Book of Revelation. Certainly, a programme one should not miss!!