Archive for March, 2012


Foundation Doctrines 23: The Resurrection from the Dead;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — 1 Comment
March 31, 2012

Welcome once again to “Abounding Grace” and thank you for joining me in this study of “The Foundation Doctrines of Christ”. To-day we will be discussing the resurrection from the dead.

1John.3:2-3. (KJV) Beloved, now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Hebr.10:24-25. (Amp) And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.

We now come to basic teachings that motivate us to purity, love and good works. We are talking about the hope we have as believers, the fulfilment of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. The hope we have is eternal life, an understanding of this will motivate a sinner to repentance, a new born believer to endurance and a mature believer to continual excellent service. We also have the hope of eternal rewards where God appoints and entrusts us with a sphere of service.

Hope is: A fervent expectation “I’m so excited, I can’t wait” kind of hope, it greatly expects that which is promised. It is hope that creates exuberance (a healthy emotion, overflowing with high spirits), zeal and excitement. It is hope that breeds faith and confidence.

If these basic fundamentals are misunderstood or unknown then a lethargic, dull and lifeless Christian is the result. He will not know the reason for his labour and will have nothing to look forward to.

The resurrection of the dead:

Hebr.6:2. (KJV) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

John.11:25-26. (Amp) Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live; and whoever continues to live and believes in (has faith in, cleaves to, and relies on) Me shall never [actually] die at all. Do you believe this?

The promise is: You shall never die and the conditions are: Live in Jesus Christ and believe in Jesus Christ. If we are totally committed to Jesus Christ we will live, though we may die, because Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He did not say He has resurrection, He said that He is the resurrection. To live in Jesus Christ is to live the resurrection life.

There are two resurrections:

We must understand that there are two resurrections and two judgements.

Acts.24:15. (Amp) Having [the same] hope in God which these themselves hold and look for, that there is to be a resurrection both of the righteous and the unrighteous (the just and the unjust).

Rev.20:6. (Amp) Blessed (happy, to be envied) and holy (spiritually whole, of unimpaired innocence and proved virtue) is the person who takes part (shares) in the first resurrection! Over them the second death exerts no power or authority, but they shall be ministers of God and of Christ (the Messiah), and they shall rule along with Him a thousand years.

We will deal with these in detail later in the teaching on eternal judgement, but we can understand from Rev.20 that the just (those justified by faith), will be raised first and will reign with Him a thousand years. At the end of which the unjust, those condemned because they refuse to believe, will be raised for judgement.

The resurrection of the body:

Most authorities on Bible history agree that the book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible, since Job lived before Moses. Back in the earliest days, people believed God for the resurrection of the body.

Job.19:25-27. (KJV) For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

Reins: In both Hebrew and Greek mean the same thing, kidney, which speaks fig. of the innermost self.

The resurrection has been the hope of the ages, it is a basic human longing, man wants immortality and the world tries to use logic, reason, works and self – righteousness to get it. There is only one way to resurrection life and immortality, full assurance in Jesus and full commitment to Jesus. You are to know your redeemer lives.

  • David.

Ps.16:9-10. (Amp) Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety, for You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your holy one [Holy One] to see corruption.

(Mess) I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You cancelled my ticket to hell – that’s not my destination!

David foretold the coming of Jesus, His death, His descent into hell and His resurrection. He was talking about resurrection for man.

  • Isaiah.

Ish.26:19. (Amp) Your dead shall live [O Lord]; the bodies of our dead [saints] shall rise. You, who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For Your dew [O Lord] is a dew of [sparkling] light [heavenly, supernatural dew]; and the earth shall cast forth the dead [to life again; for on the land of the shades of the dead You will let Your dew fall].

(Mess) But friends, your dead will live; your corpses will get to their feet. All you dead and buried, wake up! Sing! Your dew is morning dew catching the first rays of sun, the earth bursting with life, giving birth to the dead.

  • Daniel.

Dan.12:2-3. (Amp) And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake: some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt and abhorrence. And the teachers and those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness (to uprightness and right standing with God) [shall give forth light] like the stars forever and ever.

  • Hosea.

Hos.13:14. (Mess) Shall I intervene and pull them into life? Shall I snatch them from a certain death? Who is afraid of you, Death? Who cares about your threats, Tomb? In the end I’m abolishing regret, banishing sorrow.

The first born from the dead:

The new birth is a foreshadow of the ultimate resurrection at the coming of the Lord. From the time that Jesus rose from the dead He is no longer referred to as “The only begotten Son of God”, He is always referred to as “The firstborn from the dead”.

Col.1:18. (Amp) He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place [stand first and be pre - eminent].

Col.1:15. (Amp) [Now] He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation.

Rom.8:29. (Amp) For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be moulded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren.

We conform to the death of Jesus by dying to self at repentance, we identify with His burial at water baptism and we become partakers of His newness of life and power when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. This whole process is the new birth and new life. When Jesus rose from the dead He was the firstborn from the dead (spiritual death); out of darkness into the glory and light of the Father, to be seated at God’s right hand and to be exalted far above all things. The climax of the new birth is the resurrection. We are predestined to be conformed to the image, which is the likeness to Christ in living, and in bodily resurrection. Believers were held captive till Jesus became the firstborn of the dead. He triumphed over death and Hades, bound up captivity, and those who died in faith He led free in His victory procession to heaven.

Eph.4:8. (Amp) Therefore it is said, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive [He led a train of vanquished foes] and He bestowed gifts on men.

Col.2:15. (Amp) [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].

(Mess) He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.

1Pet.3:18-20. (Amp) For Christ [the Messiah Himself] died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous (the Just for the unjust, the Innocent for the guilty), that He might bring us to God. In His human body He was put to death, but He was made alive in the spirit, in which He went and preached to the spirits in prison, [the souls of those] who long before in the days of Noah had been disobedient, when God’s patience waited during the building of the ark in which a few [people], actually eight in number, were saved through water.

Only believers are in the first resurrection, and the only way you fail to be in the first resurrection is by rejecting Jesus in words or actions and in this way you show that you have no faith in Him or in the power of His Blood.

You too can be a partaker of the first resurrection simply by accepting the blood sacrifice of Jesus and exercising your faith in Him by praying the following prayer:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 22: The Laying on of Hands continued: The purpose of the laying on of hands;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 30, 2012

Welcome once again to “Abound in Grace” as we continue our study of the laying on of hands. Yesterday we established that it is a foundational and basic practice, in Jesus’ day it was common practice for people to ask Jesus to lay His hands on the sick so that they could be healed. It is not only for healing that we lay hands on people, there are a number of reason reasons for this practice both in the Old and the New Testaments. Let us now look at a few of these practices.

  • For blessing:

In both Testaments we find the laying on of hands to impart blessing:

Gen.48:14-22. (Amp) And Israel reached out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands intentionally, for Manasseh was the firstborn. Then [Jacob] blessed Joseph and said, God [Himself], before Whom my father’s Abraham and Isaac lived and walked habitually, God [Himself], Who has [been my Shepherd and has led and] fed me from the time I came into being until this day, The redeeming Angel [that is, the Angel the Redeemer-not a created being but the Lord Himself] Who has redeemed me continually from every evil, bless the lads! And let my name be perpetuated in them [may they be worthy of having their names coupled with mine], and the names of my father’s Abraham and Isaac; and let them become a multitude in the midst of the earth. When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he held up his father’s hand to move it to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said, Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn; put your right hand upon his head. But his father refused and said, I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people and shall be great; but his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, By you shall Israel bless [one another], saying, May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh. And he set Ephraim before Manasseh. And Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I [am about to] die, but God will be with you and bring you again to the land of your fathers. Moreover, I have given to you [Joseph] one portion [Shechem, one mountain slope] more than any of your brethren, which I took [reclaiming it] out of the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.

Matt.19:13-15. (Amp) Then little children were brought to Jesus, that He might put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them but He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such [as these] is the kingdom of heaven composed and He put His hands upon them, and then went on His way.

  • For ordination or consecration of man for service:

Num.8:9-10. (Amp) You shall present the Levites before the Tent of Meeting, and you shall assemble the whole Israelite congregation. And you shall present the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites shall put their hands upon them.

Num.27:15-19. (Amp) And Moses said to the Lord, Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation who shall go out and come in before them, leading them out and bringing them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which have no shepherd. The Lord said to Moses, Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand upon him; and set him before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation and give him a charge in their sight.

Deut.34:9. (KJV) And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Acts.6:5-6. (Mess) The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, Nicolas, a convert from Antioch. Then they presented them to the apostles. Praying, the apostles laid on hands and commissioned them for their task.

1Tim.4:14. (Amp) Do not neglect the gift which is in you, [that special inward endowment] which was directly imparted to you [by the Holy Spirit] by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you [at your ordination].

1Tim.5:22. (Amp) Do not be in a hurry in the laying on of hands [giving the sanction of the church too hastily in reinstating expelled offenders or in ordination in questionable cases], nor share or participate in another man’s sins; keep yourself pure.

  • In the consecration of offerings:

Lev.1:4. (Amp) And he shall lay [both] his hands upon the head of the burnt offering [transferring symbolically his guilt to the victim], and it shall be an acceptable atonement for him.

Lev.4:15. (Mess) The elders of the congregation will lay their hands on the bull’s head in the presence of GOD and one of them will slaughter it before GOD.

This was a practice under the Old Covenant and I realize that it concerns a burnt offering that was offered for sin, yet I like to take my tithes and offerings before the Lord and present them to Him by laying my hands on them and praying over them. I also take whatever is sown into my ministry and lay my hands on it and pray the hundred fold return over the people that have blessed me, it is just something I do, you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life, for me it is not so much a question of is it Old or New Testament as it is a point of contact for me to release my faith when I believe for the hundred fold return for those I am praying for.

  • To heal the sick:

The laying on of hands to heal the sick was practiced in both Testaments.

Mark.6:5. (Amp) And He was not able to do even one work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly people [and] cured them.

It does not say He wouldn’t do any mighty works; it says He couldn’t, except lay hands on a few sick people and heal them. It seems as if the laying on of hands will work when nothing else will.

Matt.8:15. (KJV) And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

Mark.8:22-25. (Mess) Taking him by the hand, he led him out of the village. He put spit in the man’s eyes, laid hands on him, and asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up. “I see men. They look like walking trees.” So Jesus laid hands on his eyes again. The man looked hard and realized that he had recovered perfect sight; saw everything in bright, twenty – twenty focus. Jesus sent him straight home, telling him, “Don’t enter the village.”

Notice Jesus laid hands on him twice, so to lay hands twice is scriptural, He didn’t pray for him, He laid hands on him.

Mark.7:32-35. (Amp) And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and had difficulty in speaking, and they begged Jesus to place His hand upon him. And taking him aside from the crowd [privately], He thrust His fingers into the man’s ears and spat and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, He sighed as He said, Ephphatha, which means, Be opened! And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak distinctly and as he should.

In both cases a group of people brought the blind and deaf men to Jesus. These people as well as the sick themselves believed in the laying on of hands. For the laying on of hands to work faith must be exercised. Without faith the laying on of hands is nothing more than a ritual and will simply be empty hands on empty heads.

Mark.5:22-23. (KJV) And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, and besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

Jairus believed in the laying on of hands. He didn’t say come and pray or come and heal he said come and lay hands. Jesus laid hands on people and exhorted believers to do the same.

Mark.16:18. (KJV) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

(Mess) They will take snakes in their hands, they will drink poison and not be hurt, they will lay hands on the sick and make them well.”

The disciples obviously took Jesus seriously.

Acts.5:12. (KJV) And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.

(Amp) Now by the hands of the apostles (special messengers) numerous and startling signs and wonders were being performed among the people. And by common consent they all met together [at the temple] in the covered porch (walk) called Solomon’s.

(Mess) Through the work of the apostles, many God – signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon.

Many signs and wonders were done by the hands of the Apostles.

Acts.28:8-9. (Amp) And it happened that the father of Publius was sick in bed with recurring attacks of fever and dysentery; and Paul went to see him, and after praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. After this had occurred, the other people on the island who had diseases also kept coming and were cured.

Acts.19:11-12. (Amp) And God did unusual and extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or towels or aprons which had touched his skin were carried away and put upon the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

Not only were the sick healed but the demonised were delivered. God uses man’s hands, He works through man’s hands.

  • To receive the Holy Spirit.

Acts.8:17. (Amp) Then [the apostles] laid their hands on them one by one, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts.19:6. (KJV) And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

This concludes the doctrine of the laying on of hand’s, I trust you have been blessed and that you will continue to join me for the remainder of “foundation doctrines” as we go on to perfection (or maturity). Have a really good weekend and tomorrow we will start on the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.

If you have not yet made Jesus the Lord of your life then don’t hesitate my friends do the best thing that you will ever do, embrace God’s gift to right now by saying the following prayer from your heart:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 21: The laying on of hands: The significance of the laying on of hands;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 29, 2012

Hello, thank you for joining me as we continue our study of the foundation doctrines of Christ, we will now proceed with the doctrine of the laying on of hands.

Hebr.6:1-2. (KJV) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Mark.16:17-18. (KJV) And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

The context of this scripture is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and the disciples refusing to believe this. Jesus proves His resurrection by appearing to them and so they become witnesses of His resurrection. He tells them to wait until they are baptized in the Holy Spirit, thus they became participants of His resurrection life (or participants of the power that raised Jesus from the dead).

Acts.1:1-5. (Amp) In the former account [which I prepared], O Theophilus, I made [a continuous report] dealing with all the things which Jesus began to do and to teach until the day when He ascended, after He through the Holy Spirit had instructed and commanded the apostles (special messengers) whom He had chosen. To them also He showed Himself alive after His passion (His suffering in the garden and on the cross) by [a series of] many convincing demonstrations [unquestionable evidences and infallible proofs], appearing to them during forty days and talking [to them] about the things of the kingdom of God. And while being in their company and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised, Of which [He said] you have heard Me speak for John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with (placed in, introduced into) the Holy Spirit.

Acts.4:33. (Amp) And with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving – kindness and favour and goodwill) rested richly upon them all.

When a believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit, he receives the resurrection power of God in his life. This is merely a foretaste of the resurrection.

Rom.8:11. (Amp) And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

(Mess) It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive and present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!

In the laying on of hands this resurrection power or life of God is released through our hands as we minister through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit for blessing, healing, deliverance etc.

  • Why the laying on of hands?

The significance of the laying on of hands:

In scripture an empty hand was always used for giving, soothing, comforting, blessing, healing etc. Hands should never be used to inflict pain.

Ps.89:32. (Amp) Then will I punish their transgression with the rod [of chastisement], and their iniquity with stripes.

The rod is a stick for punishing.

Prov.22:15. (Amp) Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.

Hands are a symbol of righteousness.

Job.17:9. (Amp) Yet shall the righteous (those upright and in right standing with God) hold to their ways, and he who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.

(Mess) “But principled people hold tight, keep a firm grip on life, sure that their clean, pure hands will get stronger and stronger!

Hands are a symbol of what we do whereas feet are a symbol of where we go. The high priest had to put the blood of the lamb on his right thumb, thus cleansing whatever man does. If we put our hands to righteousness we will become stronger and stronger. Clean hands represent innocence.

Matt.27:24. (Amp) So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was about to break out, he took water and washed his hands in the presence of the crowd, saying, I am not guilty of nor responsible for this righteous Man’s blood; see to it yourselves.

The significance of hands when entering into covenant:

When men entered into blood covenant with each other, they would make an incision in the palms of their hands and then clasp their hands together in a handshake, their blood would mix, and this was the most binding of all contracts and a violation of this contract was punishable by death.

The significance of hands in the transference of power:

The laying on of hands is a point of contact whereby the power of God is transferred via a channel (a vessel of God). God has created us to be interdependent upon each other, so that we can serve each other. Physical touch is a deep human longing, which God has put into each of us and it has been proved that babies who are denied human touch are susceptible to death. Mankind needs tender human contact. The laying on of hands is foundational and basic. In the days of Jesus it was common practice for people to ask Him to lay His hands on the sick so that they could be healed.

That’s all I got for now folk’s, so it is time to say “till next time” when we will look into the purpose of the laying on of hands, until then be blessed, be happy and make someone else’ day by sharing the good news of the Kingdom and spreading the love of God everywhere you go. Love you one and all in Jesus name.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost, He is holding out to all who would come to Him so great a salvation and all one has to do is confess the Lordship of Jesus and accept the promise of salvation that God gives to one and all, there is nothing that you could ever have done, there is nothing that you could be doing now and there is nothing that you ever could do that would cause God to deny you eternal life, for God so loved you that He gave His only begotten Son for you, if you would believe on Him you will not come into condemnation, you will not perish but you will have eternal life. Right now wherever you are just bow your head and prayer the following prayer and receive this so great a salvation by faith in God’s promise:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 20: The doctrines of baptism: The baptism of suffering;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 28, 2012

Welcome once more to “Abound in Grace”. We will continue our study of the “Doctrines of baptism to-day by delving into the baptism of suffering. The question is must Christians suffer? There are many who believe that if they are sick or have lack in their lives that they are suffering for the Lord, or sharing in the sufferings of Jesus. We need to be clear on what the Christians sufferings are. Here we need to distinguish between: the example of Christ in suffering, and the substitution of Christ in suffering.

Matt.20:22, (Amp) But Jesus replied, You do not realize what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink and to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? They answered, We are able.

(Mess) Jesus responded, “You have no idea what you’re asking.” And he said to James and John, “Are you capable of drinking the cup that I’m about to drink?” They said, “Sure, why not?”

Jesus was referring to His immersion into suffering and hardship especially to the crucifixion that He would have to endure. This is what I meant by the substitution of Jesus’ suffering, where He became our substitute. Now in the substitution He was made sin with our sin, and all the effects of spiritual death was laid on Jesus and He took it in our place, so when we talk about spiritual death, sickness, disease and poverty, we should not be suffering these things as they are the effects of the curse according to Deut.28: from which we are set free in Jesus.

Matt.5:11-12. (Amp) Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous – with life – joy and satisfaction in God’s favour and salvation, regardless of your outward conditions) are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely on My account. Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense), for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In His being reviled, in His persecution, in His being spoken against, he suffered. But in suffering death, in shedding His blood, in taking our sins upon Himself, He was our substitute.

Jesus warned His followers that they would be persecuted on His account. So, yes we do suffer, we get persecuted, people talk about us and revile us. He also told us how to react to this persecution.

1Pet.2:23. (Amp) When He was reviled and insulted, He did not revile or offer insult in return; [when] He was abused and suffered, He made no threats [of vengeance]; but he trusted [Himself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly.

The word ‘revile’ means to: Rail at; chide; taunt; to suffer reproach.

The word ‘reproach’ means to: Abuse; blame; condemn; criticize; discredit, find fault with; to scold, ever had that happen in your life, well those are the sufferings we endure.

When people reproach you or taunt you because of your belief, that is a Christian suffering, so are insults and persecution, that’s when you are spoken evil of falsely. Temptation is also a suffering.

Hebr.4:16. (Amp) For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].

We all suffer temptation don’t we? But thank God He is able to keep us.

Hebr.4:15-16. (Amp) For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favour to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

When we are going through any form of Christian suffering you must know who is behind it, it’s not the people, it’s Satan, the people whether they be your friends, family or even the good church going people, remember that these are suffering that Satan is attacking you with and deal with them accordingly, take authority over the devil and bind his activities in your life, and then apply what the Word says:

Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense), for in this same way people persecuted the prophets who were before you. When you are reviled and insulted, do not revile or offer insult in return; [when] you are abused and suffer, do not threaten [vengeance]; but trusted [yourself and everything] to Him Who judges fairly.

Thank you for joining me, tomorrow we will go on unto perfection by studying “The Laying on of hands”. That’s all I got for now, so I am going to say “till next time” be happy, be blessed and don’t forget to be a blessing to someone else by sharing the Word of God’s unmerited favour and blessing with them and spread the fragrance of His love all around.

If you have never accepted Jesus into your life by being born again then to-day is the greatest day of your life as to-day salvation has come to your house. Please bow your head right now and pray the following prayer from your heart and receive by faith what God promises you when He says all that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 19: The Doctrine of baptisms: Baptism into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 27, 2012

Welcome to Abound in Grace as we continue our study of the foundation doctrines of Christ. We have already discussed what the word baptism really means and knowing what the word actually means, we can conclude that what Jesus was saying was ”immerse or deeply involve or absorb them into the person of the Father the person of Son, and the person of the Holy Spirit”. I know that water baptism is a church ordinance and I don’t want to sound controversial about this but when Jesus said:

Matt.28:19. (KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

I personally believe that He was not telling His disciples to go and submerge the people in water and say “in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit”, you know that the church as fought small wars over how people should be water baptized, I was once invited to attend a gathering of pastors who wanted to form an organization by having a bunch of churches getting together under one banner. The meeting was progressing nicely until one of the pastors brought up the subject of how they were going to baptize the members and some believed they should baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost while others believed to baptize only in the name of Jesus, well the war was on, I was just a guest at this fiasco, but they actually asked me what I thought. The question was what do I think of baptism, I in return asked them what baptism were they talking about, and I got a bunch of blank stares, so I proceed to inform them of what I believed about baptism according to the study we have just done, and do you know that they could not even name the different baptisms in the Bible, to them baptism began and ended in the water and sad to say that they never came to any agreement and their little venture came to an abrupt end, those dear men didn’t have a clue of what I was talking about. Let us now go and read a portion of scripture where Jesus in His high priestly prayer gave insight into “baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” means and by the way this is what we are called to do.

John.17:11-26. (Amp) And [now] I am no more in the world, but these are [still] in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep in Your Name [in the knowledge of Yourself] those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We [are one]. While I was with them, I kept and preserved them in Your Name [in the knowledge and worship of You]. Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has perished or is lost except the son of perdition [Judas Iscariot the one who is now doomed to destruction, destined to be lost], that the Scripture might be fulfilled. And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts]. I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world. Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made holy) in the Truth. Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching, that they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honour which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me]; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You and has failed to recognize You and has never acknowledged You, I have known You [continually]; and these men understand and know that You have sent Me. I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them.

The first thing I would like to bring out is that Jesus is praying for us that we can be one with the Father as He is one with the Father. Keep in mind what the word baptism means: to be made one with; to be absorbed into; to be immersed into or to be deeply involved with. We are to be deeply involved with the Father. He then says as You sent me so I send them, well how did the Father send Jesus into the world to fulfil His ministry, the Father sent Him baptized in the Holy Spirit and from just reading your bible you will have to conclude that Jesus was deeply involved with the Holy Spirit, that is how He sends us, deeply involved with or immersed in the Holy Spirit. I say this concerns us to-day as Jesus said “Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching. He was not only praying for the disciples that were with Him at the time but for all who would believe their message, that’s you and I my dear friends. He prays that we would be immersed, or deeply involved with the Father as He is involved with the Father and the Father with Him, this is just such a blessing, we are to be one with the Father, the Father one with us and Jesus one with us and the Father, we are so intimately involved with the Godhead Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It’s astounding. This is really so much deeper than John’s baptism, no wonder John said “there is one coming greater than I and He will immerse you; make you one; deeply involve you with and you will be absorbed into the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit has come to show us the Father.

Jesus said go therefore and teach all nations: immersing them; deeply involving them; making them one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, instead of dunking them in water teach them who the Father is and involve them deeply with Him, the same with the Son and Holy Spirit. That is the great commission.

Time for me to say cheers for now, I trust you have been blessed thus far by this series of teachings and that you will be thoroughly blessed as we continue. Next time we will have a look into the baptism of suffering. Have a happy day and go rejoicing in the fact that you are so one with the Godhead and the Godhead with you and nothing can change that fact. Did you know that the word theology means a study of God, well get to studying the Word on the person of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and they will reveal themselves to you, that’s exactly what they want to do. Don’t forget to share the Word with someone to-day and spread the fragrance of His love everywhere you go. Love ya.

If you have never accepted Jesus into your life by being born again then to-day is the greatest day of your life as to-day salvation has come to your house. To-day you can be made one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Please bow your head right now and pray the following prayer from your heart and receive by faith what God promises you when He says all that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 18: The Doctrine of Baptism’s: The Holy Spirit baptism;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 26, 2012

Welcome back to “Abound in Grace” and let’s continue with our study of the doctrine of baptisms to- day by looking at the “Holy Spirit baptism”. Trust you all had a good week-end and you are ready for the come what may’s of the coming week. Last time we discussed the baptism into the name of Jesus and to-day we will look into the Holy Spirit baptism. I will only share an outline of this subject as I have already posted and article called “The person of the Holy Spirit” where we spoke of His person; His work; His ministry; the baptism and how to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire.

Matt.3:11-12. (Amp) I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fan (shovel, fork) is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear out and clean His threshing floor and gather and store His wheat in His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with fire that cannot be put out.

(Mess) “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama, compared to him I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house, make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

Luke.12:49-50. (Amp) I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and how greatly and sorely I am urged on (impelled, constrained) until it is accomplished!

(Mess) “I’ve come to start a fire on this earth, how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything right side up, how I long for it to be finished!

These two baptisms go hand in hand; the one cannot do without the other.

Acts.2:1-4. (KJV) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

This is the baptism of fire, which both burns up the chaff and sets the believer on fire.

Tongues are the fire of the Holy Spirit, the more we speak in tongues, the more we are cleansed, edified and ignited.

Thank you for joining me and now don’t forget to go and click on “The Person of the Holy Spirit” for a deeper study of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. To-morrow we will continue this study of the doctrine of baptisms by delving into “The baptism into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, so please join me again. So till me meet again, have a blessed day in Jesus and share the Word of His grace with someone, believe the Lord to send you a person to share His truth and His love with.

If you have never received the Lord Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour then I urge you, do not delay it another second as it a matter of life and death, a life lived and shared with God or eternal death and separation from the Father of all spirits. There is nothing that you can do to receive Jesus except make a confession of His Lordship and receive by faith the promise of salvation, so right now just bow your head and pray the following from your heart:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 17: Baptism into the name of Jesus;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 24, 2012

Thank you for joining me once again at “Abound in Grace” as we continue our study of the foundation doctrines of Christ and to-day we will discuss the subject of being baptized into the name of Jesus. Remember to supplement the word baptize with the words immersion; to be absorbed into; or you could use the words “to be made on with. If you take a piece of white cloth and you place in black dye then you will notice that the white is totally absorb into the black; you can take that piece of cloth that is now black on the outside and tear in half and you will find that the white is now one with the black, you baptized a white cloth in black dye and now your piece of cloth is one with the black. That is what happens at your baptism into the name (or the person of the Lord Jesus Christ) this baptism is otherwise known as the new birth or being born again, your spirit man is renewed and you become absolutely one with the Godhead as we will see as we progress in these teachings. This is the baptism into the body of Christ.

Acts.2:38. (Amp) And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts.8:16. (Amp) For He had not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts.19:1-7. (Mess) Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on some disciples there. The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you? We’ve never even heard of that, a Holy Spirit? God within us?” “How were you baptized, then?” asked Paul. “In John’s baptism.” “That explains it,” said Paul. “John preached a baptism of radical life – change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you’ve been baptized in John’s baptism, you’re ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.” And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus. Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they were praising God in tongues and talking about God’s actions. Altogether there were about twelve people there that day.

If you would just read that scripture again and read it slowly you will see a progression in the baptisms’. The first thing Paul asked these confessing believers is did you receive the Holy Ghost when you believed; they hadn’t a clue of what he was talking about so his next question was what baptism (or immersion) where you baptize into and they answered “John’s baptism” and we know that that was water baptism, so Paul now understands that these professing Christians aren’t even born again yet, so Paul explains to them what water baptism is and tells them that they now need to be baptized into (or be immersed into) the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, they immediately respond and made Jesus their personal Lord and Saviour. The next step is that Paul now lays his hand on them and they receive the baptism into the Holy Spirit and at once they started talking and praising God in tongues. This is what happens at the new birth, the believer is immersed unto the body of Christ. He is absorbed into Christ Jesus. That is a fact worthy of your meditation.

Time for me to say cheers for now and trust you continue to have a lovely week-end and make someone’s day and share the Word of life with them. Next time we will look at the next step in baptism when we will discuss the “Baptism into the Holy Spirit”. Be blessed.

If you have never accepted Jesus into your life by being born again then to-day is the greatest day of your life as to-day salvation has come to your house. Please bow your head right now and pray the following prayer from your heart and receive by faith what God promises you when He says all that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 16: The doctrine of baptisms continued: Baptism with water;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 23, 2012

Greetings in the name of Jesus and welcome once again to “Abound in Grace” as we continue our study of the doctrine of baptisms, the word doctrine is not some heavy theological word that Christians ought to drop; it simply means teaching and instruction. It involves instruction with practical, simple, easy steps.

The true meaning of the word baptism or baptize which appears in our English Bible is not really a true translation of the original word at all; it is really a transliteration of the Greek. By the time the translators of the bible were ready to do the translating, there was already a tradition in the church, a mode of baptism, a way of baptizing people. For these people to translate the word as it appears in the original would require a major change in their theology. The church was not practicing what the word really meant and because of this they came up with an obscure transliteration.

Transliteration means to write the words of a language in the characters of another language.

The word baptize in Greek really means to immerse, to dip under, or to bathe.

The word baptism should really be replaced with the word ‘’immersion”, or “immerse”which means  to involve deeply or to absorb.

The different kinds of baptisms of the New Testament:

  • Water baptism.

Matt.3:13-15. (Amp) Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfil all righteousness [that is, to perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him.

(Mess) Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!” But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it.

Here Jesus gets immersed into water to fulfil all righteousness or to conform to the will of God the Father, the Father had sent John to baptize in water and through John’s own declaration it was a baptism unto repentance.

Luke.3:3. (Amp) And he went into all the country round about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance (of hearty amending of their ways, with abhorrence of past wrongdoing) unto the forgiveness of sin.

John preached a baptism of repentance, at that time there could be no true repentance as Jesus had not yet been crucified, and then we see the word ‘unto’ that means to something coming, so John is sent to immerse into water, and to preach a repentance that is coming that will deal with the sin factor.

Acts.13:24. (Amp) Before His (Jesus’) coming John had [already] preached baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

We see here that this baptism (or immersion) was preached to all Israel. Not to the entire world, but to God’s people first.

Acts.19:4. (Amp) And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, continually telling the people that they should believe in the One Who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus [having a conviction full of joyful trust that He is Christ, the Messiah, and being obedient to Him].

Paul under unction of the Holy Spirit says that John baptized (immersed) people in water and continually told the people that they should believe in the One (Jesus) who was to come after him and that they should obey Jesus’ teachings.

Jesus permitted John to immerse Him in water and by so doing He identified with the sin of man. Jesus was pointing towards His own death, burial and resurrection for the remission of sin.

Hebr.9:22. (Amp) [In fact] under the Law almost everything is purified by means of blood, and without the shedding of blood there is neither release from sin and its guilt nor the remission of the due and merited punishment for sins.

Without the shedding of blood, that is, without death, there is no remission of sin.

Lev.17:11. (Amp) For the life (the animal soul) is in the blood, and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life [which it represents].

Take note of the terminology in this scripture, the word “atonement” speaks of a covering of sin by the shedding of the blood of an animal; in the New Testament that word is replaced by the word “remission of sin” which means the obliteration of sin by the blood of Jesus on the altar of Calvary. In this way, water immersion was speaking about death where blood was shed. Jesus was declaring this awesome coming event that would be the final payment for sin.

It is time once more for me to say “till next time” when we will delve into “Baptism in the name of Jesus” until then be happy, be blessed and share your blessedness with all around you by sharing the Word and spreading His love wherever you go.

I want to encourage all who have not yet made Jesus the Lord of their lives not to waste another minute, as it could mean either life, life as God has life, eternal life or death which means an eternal separation from that life to an eternity of condemnation. The word says “I lay before you life and death this day, you choose, God the Father would have that you choose life by accepting the sacrifice He made for you through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus. If you want to be a partaker of His life then all you have to do is pray the following prayer from your heart and receive by faith His promise of salvation:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 15: The Doctrine of Baptisms;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 22, 2012

Thank you for joining me once again at “Abound in grace” as we continue our study on the foundation doctrines of Christ. We have dealt with the two doctrines that pertain to salvation and they were “Repentance from dead work and Faith towards God”. Hebrews says let us go on to perfection (or maturity) not laying again the foundation from dead works and faith towards God. You have these two teachings at your finger tips and I pray that you will meditate on them until they are a part of your thinking and become part of your life. Let us now continue with the next two teachings which are “the doctrines of baptisms and the Laying on of hands”. These two doctrines pertain to growth. Please note that it’s the doctrine of baptisms, plural.

Hebr.6:1-2. (KJV) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

The next two foundational principles are the foundation for growth. If these are not understood properly, the growth of the believer will be distorted and there will be no real basis for growth. These two principles set the believer on the right road.

  • The doorway into the kingdom of God.

Matt.4:17. (Amp) From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, Repent (change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matt.18:3. (Amp) And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].

No one can enter the Kingdom of God without repentance from dead works and faith towards God. These are the doors that close on the kingdom of darkness and open up on the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the domain where God rules and reigns. Many people think that we enter the Kingdom of God when we get to heaven, heaven is part of the Kingdom of God, but the Kingdom of God begins at the new birth as it is the rule and reign of God. This is where Jesus has final authority.

Mark.8:34-37. (Amp) And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?

It takes a great amount of mind changing to relinquish control of your life to the Lordship of Jesus.

Ish.55:5 – 9. (KJV) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Since God’s ways are not our ways of doing things, they put pressure on the way we do things and it takes repentance to allow Jesus to have the final say and to submit your life to His Word.

Repentance unlocks the door; faith opens the door and walks in.

It is like the Israelites walking out of Egypt. Repentance is like the time the Red Sea closed in behind them. At Mount Sinai God became their authority.

Ex.19:5-8. (Amp) Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation [consecrated, set apart to the worship of God]. These are the words you shall speak to the Israelites. So Moses called for the elders of the people and told them all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do. And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

The way of failure lies in reliance on man’s ability. Victory is through dependence on God’s power that cannot fail. Faith trusts God and wins over doubt and failure and comes through victoriously.

The difference between the Old Testament and the New is that the Old Testament relied on man’s ability, which failed, while, the New relies on the power of God in man and does not fail. At Sinai these people made Jehovah the Lord of lords and so entered the Kingdom of God.

  • The doorway into the inheritance.

After crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites came face to face with another doorway, the Jordan River, the entrance to the Promised Land. They were on the threshold of their inheritance. In the same way every believer has to leave behind the land of Egypt at repentance and then face the land of Canaan. Many fall in the wilderness between salvation and baptisms. Many see the doctrine of baptisms as a threat and so fall short of their growth potential.

The doctrine of baptisms is the doorway to the inheritance of God, the Promised Land; it is the foretaste of Heaven and the resurrection of the dead. This is where the wall of Jericho around people’s minds has to be broken down.

Heb.3:7-4:16. (Mess) That’s why the Holy Spirit says, Today, please listen; don’t turn a deaf ear as in “the bitter uprising,” that time of wilderness testing! Even though they watched me at work for forty years, your ancestors refused to let me do it my way; over and over they tried my patience. And I was provoked, oh, so provoked! I said, “They’ll never keep their minds on God; they refuse to walk down my road.” Exasperated, I vowed, “They’ll never get where they’re going, never be able to sit down and rest.” So watch your step, friends. Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul. These words keep ringing in our ears: Today, please listen; don’t turn a deaf ear as in the bitter uprising. For who were the people who turned a deaf ear? Weren’t they the very ones Moses led out of Egypt? And who was God provoked with for forty years? Wasn’t it those who turned a deaf ear and ended up corpses in the wilderness? And when he swore that they’d never get where they were going, wasn’t he talking to the ones who turned a deaf ear? They never got there because they never listened, never believed. For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God’s goal for us, we need to be careful that we’re not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we’ll experience that state of resting. But not if we don’t have faith. Remember that God said, Exasperated, I vowed, “They’ll never get where they’re going, never be able to sit down and rest.” God made that vow, even though he’d finished his part before the foundation of the world. Somewhere it’s written, “God rested the seventh day, having completed his work,” but in this other text he says, “They’ll never be able to sit down and rest.” So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David’s psalm, centuries later than the original invitation: Today, please listen, don’t turn a deaf ear… And so this is still a live promise. It wasn’t cancelled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.” The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience. God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defence, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it, no matter what. Now that we know what we have, Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God, let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all, all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.

The Father gave us all things to enjoy in abundance and He wants us to possess all that He has promised, all that He has put at our disposal. It takes a miracle to walk into that inheritance, like the crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan River, like walking under the cloud and the pillar of fire.

God rebukes lethargy, God rebukes defeat and God rebukes unbelief.

Heb.3:16-19. (Amp) For who were they who heard and yet were rebellious and provoked [Him]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was He irritated and provoked and grieved for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dismembered bodies were strewn and left in the desert? And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who disobeyed [who had not listened to His word and who refused to be compliant or be persuaded]? So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest], because of their unwillingness to adhere to and trust in and rely on God [unbelief had shut them out].

God was irritated and provoked and grieved with these people because they refused to believe that what he had promised was theirs. In like manner many Christians today refuse to believe or practice the doctrine of baptisms, using their logical reasoning against the truth and so there is no growth.

We will continue “next time” and in the meantime you have a really lovely day, be a blessing to someone in your sphere by sharing the Word of truth with them and by spreading God’s love all around.

If you have never accepted Jesus into your life by being born again then to-day is the greatest day of your life as to-day salvation has come to your house. Please bow your head right now and pray the following prayer from your heart and receive by faith what God promises you when He says all that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Foundation Doctrines 14: Faith towards God, the conclusion: Now faith is;

Filed under: Foundation Doctrines. — Leave a comment
March 21, 2012

Hello and welcome to “Abound in Grace” as we continue our study of “Faith towards God”. Yesterday we established the fact that God is a rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him. Note that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him, the onus falls on us. He is not the rewarder of people who got saved, or who go to church, He rewards earnest seekers. To-day we will conclude with “Now faith is”:

Rom.4:20-21. (Amp) No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.

Here Paul is referring to the faith of Abraham who is the father of faith, it would serve us well to go and study the life of Abraham to learn how to apply our faith. This is what faith is; being fully convinced that God keeps His promises. No unbelief, nor distrust, no tiptoeing around God’s promises, no I wondering if this stuff will work, no sceptical questions, but rather, he was fully assured and satisfied that God was able and mighty to keep His Word, he was totally convinced that God would make good on what He has said.

Hebr.11:1. (Amp) Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

(Mess) The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.

The promise of God is the substance and the evidence of which we are fully convinced. We are convinced that the things God commands, He will perform.

Num.23:19. (Mess) God is not man, one given to lies, and not a son of man changing his mind. Does he speak and not do what he says? Does he promise and not come through?

2Cor.1:20. (KJV) For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Because we are fully persuaded that the promises of God are true we can:

Call things that be not as though they were.

Rom.4:17, (KJV) (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

(Mess) We call Abraham “father” not because he got God’s attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn’t that what we’ve always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, “I set you up as father of many peoples”? Abraham was first named “father” and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing.

We can: Speak the end from the beginning; Command the lame to walk; Raise the dead; Remove mountain’s; Have eternal life; Be healed; Be raised from the dead; Get multitudes saved.

Eph.2:8. (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.

(Mess) Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish!

When we hear the promise of God, when we hear what God can do, what He has done and that He will do it for us personally, then faith comes.

Rom.10:17. (KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

When we comprehend the love of God, faith comes.

Gal.5:6. (Mess) For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.

The ability to hear is a gift, the grace of God is a gift, the faith that comes is a gift, and the salvation that we receive is a gift. The ability to believe is a gift that God gives to all of us.

Rom.12:3. (KJV) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

(Mess) I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

God has given to each one the measure, not a measure, of the God kind of faith.

1Pet.1:23. (KJV) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

We are born again of the incorruptible seed, through the Word of God that lives forever.

What is there to have faith in without the Word of God? Faith is based on words that come to pass.

Rom.10:17. (Mess) The point is, before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.

Everyone needs to: Hear the Word of God; Receive the Word of God; Retain the Word of God (To keep possession of); Meditate on the Word of God; Act on the Word of God.

Ps.119:16-17. (Amp) I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live; and I will observe Your word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it].

(Mess) I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it. Be generous with me and I’ll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road.

“I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word”.

V/s.17. (KJV) Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

Thank you for joining me in this study of the Word, I pray that God the Father will give to us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us into the truth of this Word. Amen. Have a lovely day and share His Word and love with all you come into contact with this day.

If you have never made Jesus the Lord of your life then I would like to take this time and give you the opportunity to do so right now, all you have to do is bow your head and say the following prayer from your heart and receive by faith the life eternal that God is offering as a free gift:

“Father, it is written in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in my heart that You have raised Him from dead, I shall be saved. Therefore, Father, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. I make Him Lord of my life right now. I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead. I renounce my past life with Satan. “I thank You for forgiving me of all my sin. Jesus is now my Lord, and I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. Now all things become new in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

For further words of Cheer click on the link: http://theinvisablechurch.wordpress.com/

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 263 other followers