Touching Jesus and Jesus' Touch

Reach out and touch Jesus; there is great reward!

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Touching Jesus and Jesus' Touch

 9-23-2012

Mark 6:56  Wherever He entered into villages, cities, or in the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

Jesus healed in the city, villages, or in the country!  It is the nature of the Son of God to heal!  And as many as touched Him were made well!  What an amazing truth about Jesus!  Where Jesus is there is healing deliverance and wholeness!

Matthew 14:35  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, 36  and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

Matthew too shares this amazing truth about Jesus all who reach out and touched even the hem of His garment were made perfectly well.  God desires for you to be well, whole, and complete.  Yes, He want us to be made perfectly well!

Luke 6:17  And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,  18  as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.  19  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

Luke Also recorded Jesus and those who touched Him were healed.  Not a few but all of them were healed

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus has not changed what He did yesteryear He will do today.  I am a recipient of His healing virtue.  Had not God miraculously touched my body I would not be here.  God is no respecter of persons!

Matthew 8:16  When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick,  17  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses."

Jesus' casting out the evil spirits and healing all who were sick is a fulfillment of the Word of God!  Jesus is still fulfilling the Word.  Jesus took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses!

Isaiah 53:3  He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4  Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  5  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

This is a very well know passage of scripture and it presents many great truth in regard to our wholeness!  However, I feel the Holy Spirit wants us to pay attention to one line in this passage!  THE CHASTISEMENT FOR OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM…  Some believe their healing is in their better performance. That one fights against the Word of God.  The punishment for our peace was upon Jesus Christ!  Jesus bore the punishment to make us qualified recipients to the goodness of God.  You can’t earn your way to it, and now God owes you a healing!  Jesus was smitten by God so you don’t have to be!  Jesus bore the grief and sorrows; it was the price Jesus paid for your wholeness.  By His stripes we are healed.

Matthew 9:27  When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!"  28  And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."  29  Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."

Matthew 8:14  Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever.  15  So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.

Jesus was always doing the will of the Father!  He touched the blind men and they could see.  He touched Peter’s sick mother in law and the fever left.  God’s desire is for you and He wants to touch you!

1 Peter 2:23  who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24  who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.  25  For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Jesus Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree!  By His stripes you were healed.  Jesus is the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls!  You can entrust yourself to your faithful creator.

Hebrews 3:1  Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

Consider Jesus who is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.  Those who pursued Jesus were rewarded with a touch from the Master’s hand. Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by… 

Fear not!  Your petitions have been heard.  In the waiting there is found the joy of the Lord, as God makes Himself manifested to you!

Your prayers have been heard!  The delay of the answer has purpose; God is drawing you to spend time in fellowship with Him.  Delay is not no!  Delay is holy orchestration working things out to God’s glory.

Acts 10:38  "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

God’s desire has not been changed!  His desire is for that same anointing to bring healing and deliverance!  Turn your eyes upon Jesus the Author and Finisher of your faith!

John 14:12  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  13  "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  14  "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Jesus has promised to keep doing the works!  See verse 14?  What a promise if you ask anything in My name, I will do it.  Jesus will fulfill His word to you and I.   Jesus intends for His works to be done through you and I.  Touching Jesus is what matters!  If you will touch Him, He will use you to touch others!

The God Encounter

An encounter with God will change you; a lifetime of encountering will bring to pass all God's promises!

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The God Encounter

9-16-2012

Genesis 18:10  And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)  11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.  12  Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"  13  Andthe LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?'  14  "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."  15  But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!"

Abraham and Sarah had been waiting on the promise of God for 25 years.  God over and over had reminded them of His promise.  After twenty five years of waiting the promise to Sarah was now laughable.  The circumstances were stacked against her and Abraham.  She was past childbearing years and Abraham body was impotent.  God had a word for Sarah!  Is anything too hard for the Lord?   However this was not the first God encounter.

Genesis 17:15  Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  16  "And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her."  17  Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"  18  And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!"  19  Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.

God had come and spoke life to Sarah and Abraham changing their names to the Father of nation and the mother of nations.  Until this point it was Abram and Sarai.  This seventeenth chapter was shortly before our opening passage.  What we see is a faithful God at work in Abraham and Sarah over and over again.  Here in the 17^th chapter we find Abraham laughing and considering the circumstances that surrounded them his own inability of his body and her dead womb.  Abrahams request was God please bless our fleshly decision of Ishmael and God emphatically declares the promise to Abraham.  The promise must come though God’s divine order, Abraham’s wife Sarah.   

Genesis 16:1  Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.  2  So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.  3  Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan .  4  So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.

If you notice we keep backing up in the story!  Here in Genesis 16 Sarai and Abram try to make the promise come to pass by manipulation.  At this point they had been waiting on God for more than 11 years. Their ill conceived idea brought Ishmael through Sarai’s maid Hagar.  God waited until Abraham was in His late nineties before We have recorded that God renewed the Promise of a son through Abraham and Sarah.

Genesis 12:1  Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.  2  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.  3  I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."  4  So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran .

Now we have backed up to the first time God spoke the promise to Abraham!  He was 75 years old.  Everywhere Abraham went God keep blessing Him; however the promise seemed illusive and out of reach so many times.

Genesis 15:1  After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."  2  But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus ?"  3  Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!"  4  And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir."  5  Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."  6  And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Here in Genesis 15 is the famous passage!  Abraham believed in the Lord and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  Yet we find Abraham and Sarah doubting, trying to bring the promise to pass in their own strength and finally they are both laughing at God and His promises!  What is up with that?  It was a good thing it did not depend on Abraham and Sarah’s good performance.  Faith in God’s word is more powerful than great performance.

In Genesis 17 Abraham’s faith was restored by the power of God’s word!

Hebrews 11:11  By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

In Genesis 18 Sarah laughed within herself and God called her out on it.  Abraham why is Sarah laughing in the tent!  It was a God encounter.  It was not a comfortable encounter but up front expose the doubt encounter.  Genesis 18 is about a year before the promised child arrived.  Something happened in Sarah’s heart.  She was moved from laughing  in unbelief to counting God as faithful.  It was when she counted God as faithful that her body received the strength to conceive.  Is their promises missing and elusive in your life?  Judge your God as faithful who has promised.  It was faith in the Word that God had spoken that gave birth to strength for her body.  When we begin to believe that nothing is impossible with God we will receive the strength we need to conceive seed!  We can give birth to the promises of God by what we believe about our God.  Imagine that!  God was waiting on Abraham and Sarah to believe His word so He could bring about the promise.  Can you imagine how Sarah begin to think and meditate upon the word the Lord had brought her?  Nothing is impossible with God… Nothing is impossible with God.  It was by faith in God that she received strength to conceive seed and she bore a child when she was past the age BECAUSE SHE JUDGED HIM FAITHFUL WHO HAD PROMISED!

Romans 4:17  (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed; God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;  18  who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."  19  And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.  20  He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,  21  and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.  22  And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."

WOW!  Is this the same Abraham and Sarah of Genesis!  Yes, yes it is!  God brought Sarah and Abraham through the process making them face their fears and uncertainty.  However, God never wavier in bringing them the promises again and again.  The cross makes the difference between what we see in Genesis and  the Romans and Hebrews passage.  Faith in God trumps failure and fear.  Faith in God erases the story of failure and assures the success of the believer.  Abraham came to the place of not considering the deadness of his own body or his wife’s womb but consider he was serving the God of the impossible.  What God has promised He is able to perform!  God convinced Sarah and Abraham and now God wants to convince you!  God will erase your failure and record your faith!  God wants to encounter you and bring faith to your soul!

Two Trees In The Garden

There were two trees in the garden of Eden. One the tree of life and one the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The saints of God are called to partake in the tree of life.

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Two Trees In The Garden

9-9-2012

Genesis  2:8  The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden , and there He put the man whom He had formed.  9  And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Here in the beginning of mankind’s history the Holy God made a point declaring there were two special trees in the garden.  The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil!  We Christians have recognized the value of this story and many children stories have been written around this theme.  However, God calls us the believer to understand the story and the significance it brings to our lives.  The passages brings revelation of the goodness of God and exposes the schemes of the enemy of our soul.  Because God has exposed the strategies of the enemy we can avoid the pitfalls.

Genesis 2:15  Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.  16  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;  17  "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

God put Adam in the beautiful garden of Eden.  God’s command was you may eat of every tree of the garden freely except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  “For in the day you eat of it you shall surely die.”  When God speaks a word it has authority, power, and divine order behind it.  God spoke the world into existence!  God fitly framed the world and indeed the universe together by His Own spoken word.

Genesis 3:1  Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"  2  And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;  3  "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'"  4  Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.  5  "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."  6  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

The serpent is satan the devil.  Revelation 20:2  He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;  The scheme of the enemy was to get Eve to doubt the authority of God’s word.   Remember there were two special trees in the garden.  Satan did not bring up the tree of life, he only pointed to that which God had commanded them not to partake of.  The tree of the knowledge of good and evil appeals to your emotions and senses.  It feels good, it looks good and it will bring great enlightenment.  You will be like God knowing good and evil.  Eve saw that the tree was good for food; the forbidden was pleasant to her eyes!  The forbidden tree was now desirable to make one wise.  It will make sin look attractive and desirable and beneficial.

Genesis 3:7  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.  8  And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  9  Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"  10  So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."  11  And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"  12  Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."  13  And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."  14  So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life.  15  And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." 

The ramification of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and  evil were exactly what the authoritative word of God had spoke.  That day spiritual death came and it was separation from God.  As a believe you have partaken of eternal life found exclusively in Jesus.  The only power satan has is deceiving the believer to go back and partake from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

God brought remedy to sin and to the ramifications of sin and it is found exclusively in turning your eyes upon Jesus.

John 3:14  "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  15  "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  16  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17  "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Life was restored by Jesus Christ's sacrifice. Faith in the Lord Jesus takes away condemnation and gives eternal life.  This is based on the authority of the word of God; Jesus alone is the life giver.

When one eats from the knowledge of good and evil the immediate reaction is I must make some kind of covering for myself.  Adam and Eve were naked before partaking from the tree of knowledge of good and evil but did not know it.  There were in innocence before the fall.  Man  made a coving from fig leaves.  God made a covering with an animal sacrifice.  Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  Partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and evil blinds us to the lamb of God who died for sin once and for all.

John 3:18  "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  19  "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Adam and Eve partook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  For the first time they ran and hid from God with fear, guilt, and shame in condemnation.  John 3:18 identifies when one is not condemned.  At the moment one genuinely puts faith in Jesus Christ.  The condemnation only remains for those who have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 5:24  "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 

Putting faith in Jesus is the point of receiving everlasting life, and you shall not come into judgment!  Don’t partake in the knowledge of good and evil; put your faith in the words of your Savior!  Be a partaker from the tree of life.  Read 1 John 4:17 boldness!

Ephesians 3:11  according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,  12  in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

Satan deceived Adam and Eve into losing access to God.  Jesus restored access with boldness!  The tree of life says I have access into the presence of God.  I can come boldly based upon the strength of the sacrifice of Jesus. 

Hebrew 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil says my performance limits my access; the tree of life say I can come boldly to the throne of grace in the hour of need.  In your hour of weakness and greatest need come boldly into the throne of grace.  You will obtain mercy and find all the grace you need.  Which tree will you eat from believer?

John 10:10  "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Which tree will you eat from?  The tree of life is abundant life in Jesus!

1 John 5:4  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith.  5  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Stained By Grace

Have you ever seen a beautiful stained hardwood floor? The other day God spoke to me that I was stained by grace. That was one of the first images in my mind a perfectly stained hardwood floor.

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Stained By Grace

9-2-2012

John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  16  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

Jesus is the Word that robed Himself in flesh.  For the first time man was able to behold the glory of God in ways that were impossible before!  Jesus came full of grace and truth and of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  There is one exclusive way to receive from God and it is by His divine enablement and influence upon our hearts.  Imagine, from the fullness of Jesus Christ we have all received and it is grace for grace!  If you have ever been touched by God you have been stained by grace.  Have you ever seen a hardwood floor that was covered by paint  or glued down carpet?  Have you ever seen the owner of the floor go to work removing the paint or carpet and glue.  Taking all that should not be there and removing it!  Then there comes the sanding down making it ready for the application of stain.  You and I have been stained by grace!  It is the exclusive work of Jesus Christ upon all who will call upon Him!

2 Corinthians 5:20  Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.  21  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God’s divine influence has made a way.  Jesus who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  God the Father had a plan to remove all that separated you from Himself and apply the righteousness that was found in His Son Christ Jesus.  The Father did a removing of what should not be there and applied by grace what should be there so you and I could be reconciled to God.  Those who surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ are stained by grace.  Let’s back up just a bit in verses.

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Stained by grace!  If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  It is time for the believer to arise and see himself through the eyes of grace.  Old things have passed away; behold…   Believer behold, all things have become new!  Once for all stained by grace  Trust in the completed work of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:18  Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,  19  that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

This may be one of the most under preached passages in the Bible.  God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES TO THEM!  And He has committed to us the word of reconciliation!  I am a newly created being and I am one whose trespasses are no longer held against them.  Irrevocable stained by grace.

Hebrews 7:22  by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.  23  Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing.  24  But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.  25  Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.  

Stained by grace means you have Jesus your High Priest unending ministry to and for you.  Jesus saves to the uttermost because He always lives to make intercession for you!  Stained by grace indeed.   The old is gone the new has come and this is the gospel of Christ.

1 John 2:1  My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  2  AndHe Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Jesus separated us from our sin by His obedience to the cross.  It is written so we do not sin; however if anyone sins, we have an Advocate  with the Father!  The advocate with the Father is Jesus Christ the righteous One!  Stained by grace means you have the right and command to reckon yourself dead to sin and alive unto God!  Jesus has not come to condemn but to set free from sin!  He who the Son sets free is free indeed; forever stained by grace!

John 10:27  "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  28  "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  29  "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.  30  "I and My Father are one."

Religious folks who want to trust in their own good works don’t know what to do with the words of Jesus.  Jesus declared those who would hear His voice would be given eternal life, and they shall never perish.  Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  If that was not great enough He went on to declare about His Father.  The Father is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand!  Wow, stained by grace means you have been born of imperishable seed!  Stained by grace means you no longer trust in yourself but exclusively in Jesus.

Romans 5:19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

The obedience we are to trust in is not our own!  It is the One Man’s obedience we can learn to trust in.  His obedience alone has stained us by divine influence.

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  2  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus there is no other way to lay aside every weight and sin which so easily ensnares us.  Our freedom came by putting the object of our faith in the One who authored our faith and will finish that which He has started.  Stained by grace is to keep your eyes upon the source of your victory; cloth yourself in Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:3  But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

Stained by grace brings confidence in the One who will guard you against the evil one!

1 Corinthians 1:4  I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,  5  that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,  6  even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,  7  so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,  8  who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Stained by grace leaves you trusting in Him to confirm you to the end.  God is faithful, He called you into the fellowship of His Son and He is always working to enrich you!  Stained by grace is the assurance God is on your side; you can trust His goodness.

Hebrews 2:11  For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,   12  saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You." 13  And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and the children whom God has given Me."

Stained by grace means you are one with Jesus and He is not ashamed to call you brother.  This is one song service I am looking forward to!  The day Jesus sings the praises of the Father to you and I.  After singing the praises of the Father to us we will be presented to the Father.  What a day when Jesus speaks ”Here am I and the children whom God has given Me”!  Stained by grace means you’re in the palm of His hand.

The Truth About The Truth Will Make You Free

Jesus said the truth will make you free. Many have qouted this out of context and or misquoted completely. However Jesus was specific about this truth and was bringing great revelation about the covenant of grace and truth.

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The Truth About The Truth Will Make You Free

8-26-2012

John 8:32  "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE!  Many have quoted and slighted misquoted this verse, the man on the street, co-workers, politicians, and preachers. The best lie to be told is a lie shrouded by the truth.  The enemy of our soul has been doing that since the beginning of man’s existence.  Many have talked about the truth making you free but have couched it in their own favorite cause and philosophy.  However, if  we are to gain understanding of the truth shall make you free we must go back and ask, who said this?  To whom was He speaking?  What was the context of the freedom promised?  Was there parameters set that allow the freedom to come?  If the truth makes one free, what is one set free from?  Is there a freedom to something?

John 8:31  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  32  "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

As we take  a step back in add the prior verse to John 8:32 we find a qualifier a parameter, if you will.  Jesus was speaking specifically to those who believed in Him.  This simple truth will eliminate much false doctrine about the truth that makes one free.  Those who believe in Jesus are the only ones that the truth can make free.  Jesus' disciples are those who abide in His word! 

1 Peter 2:2  as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,  3  if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

When one is born  again there is longing for the pure milk of the word that one can grow thereby.  The qualifier is “If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

John 8:33  They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?"  34  Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

Here in is the context of the truth will make you free!  Jesus was specifically speaking of being made free from sin!  It was revelation knowledge being revealed!  It is the purpose of Jesus to bring freedom from sin! 

John 8:35  "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.  36  "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

The revelation grows!  Slaves do not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.  To be made free from sin is powerful; to be made free to be a son in the house is a privilege of grace.  Free indeed, oh the great work of Christ!

Acts 20:32  "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

The  word of grace is able to build up the believer and make them partakers in the inheritance among all who are sanctified.  Genuine grace bring genuine freedom!

John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. … 16  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  17  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

Romans 6:8  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,  9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.  10  For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.  11  Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus died to sin once and for all!  The life He lives, He lives to God.  Likewise….  In the same way the man who comes to Jesus dies to sin once and for all time.  Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Oh that  the believer would begin to confess, “I am free from sin and alive unto God”.  

Galatians 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.  4  But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,  5  to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  6  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"  7  Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.  8  But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.  9  But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?  10  You observe days and months and seasons and years.  11  I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.  

No longer slaves but sons!  Turn your attention to the ninth and tenth verse!  Once you have gained your freedom it is God’s intention that you live as a participator in that freedom.  Returning to the weak and beggarly elements is forgetting you have died to sin. Serving under the law of Moses, the traditions of men, or your good performance inhibit the truth that brings freedom.  God has called us to lay hold of that which Christ Jesus has laid hold of us.

Philippians 3:1  Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.  2  Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!

The object of our faith and rejoicing must be Jesus Christ our Lord.  Men who turn your attention to self improvement and great performance are the men we are warned against.  The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death!  (Roman 8:2)

Philippians 3:3  For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4  though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:  5  circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;  6  concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

If anyone had a reason to put confidence in their own flesh and performance Paul was the man, Jewish, blameless law keeper, religious, zealous Pharisee.  With all these things Paul found himself fighting against God.

Philippians 3:7  But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.  8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

God has called us to count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Counting all things rubbish that we may gain Christ is the only truth that makes us free.

Philippians 3:9  and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;  10  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,  11  if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.  12  Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

It is time for us the church to arise and lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us!  Not laying hold of a righteousness of our own from the law, or traditions of men, or our own great performance.  The righteousness is found in Christ alone; that we may know the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death, and attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 

Philippians 3:13  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  14  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

THE TRUTH found in Jesus Christ will make you free indeed; press on in Jesus' name!

Setting The Atmosphere For God’s Glory

The words of your mouth can change the atmosphere; the song in your mouth can bring deliverance to those around you.

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Setting The Atmosphere For God’s Glory

8-12-2012

Isaiah 51:16  And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, And say to Zion , 'You are My people.'"

Not long ago I had this passage in my sermon notes however God has been stirring this word in me and now it is the headliner verse for this bible study!  God revealed through the prophet Isaiah, God would put His word in His children’s mouth!  When you speak God’s word you plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth.  God has called His children to set the atmosphere for His glory.  It is time for us to put His word in our mouth and change everything around us. 

Matthew 6:31  "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  32  "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  33  "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

God has been speaking to me about His children need to set the atmosphere for His glory to abound in their lives.  Your pursuit sets the atmosphere for your reward.  If we want to see the kingdom of God come we will set the atmosphere for His glory to abide.  Pursuit of the kingdom of God not only brings the glory of God, it brings the provisions of every need of our lives.  Set the atmosphere by the pursuit of the kingdom of God .

John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus came and was the ultimate atmosphere setter!  Jesus became flesh and we beheld His glory!  Where ever Jesus was the atmosphere was changed.  Jesus came and broke the bondages of sin and oppression.  Jesus came that we might live life and life more abundantly.

Colossians 1:18  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.  19  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 

Jesus has preeminence!  His obedience to the death of the cross set the atmosphere of reconciliation between God and man!  Jesus having preeminence is something to meditate and  ponder.  It is better than 1^st place.  It not like a top 10 list and He is # 1!  Preeminence is more like the center of everything; if you have your top 10 list whatever has preeminence is considered and factored into every item on the list.  When we yield to the preeminence of Jesus Christ we are setting the atmosphere for the supernatural to be in our lives every day.

2 Corinthians 3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,  6  who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Setting the atmosphere for God’s purpose is to know that all sufficiency is from God alone.  Total and complete reliance upon our Redeemer.  If we are to ever see the fullness of God’s glory in our life we will have to surrender to that to which we have been birthed in!  Paul here in Corinthians declared himself to be a minister of the new covenant.  Does it matter one might ask?  If we want to see the fullness of the glory of God it is the only way!  For the atmosphere to be set we must walk as children of the new covenant.

2 Corinthians 3:7  But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,  8  how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?  9  For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.  10  For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.  11  For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.  12  Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech;

The law of Moses is called here the ministry of death and the ministry of condemnation.  If we want the atmosphere to be set properly we must hunger for the much more glorious.  Glory found the law of Moses had no glory in this respect the glory found in grace in truth excels it by far.  We need to set the atmosphere with the greater glory; it is the hope for all people.  It is time to set the atmosphere with a boldness of speech that says in Jesus Christ there is a greater glory and better promises based on a greater covenant.

Hebrews 8:6  But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

Set the atmosphere with this truth.  Jesus has a more excellent ministry the atmosphere needs to be changed by the better ministry.  We need the greater glory; put that word in your mouth and change the atmosphere.

Romans 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Here is a life changing atmosphere setting truth; put this word in your mouth and watch the transformation.  Plant it in the heavens by speaking it out and the foundations of that truth will be laid in the earth..  Until the whole earth is filled with the glory of the Lord.

1 Peter 2:9  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Set the atmosphere by putting a praise in your mouth.  An occasional praise is not setting the atmosphere.  Us proclaiming the praises of God is setting the atmosphere!  It is time for the children of God to have a perpetual praise in our mouth.  Go ahead plant it in the heavens and watch God lay the foundation of it in the earth!

Mark 8:31  And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.  32  He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.  33  But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

Peter did not think it was a good idea for Jesus to go to the cross; Peter was rebuked with one of the strongest rebukes in all of scriptures.  “Get behind me satan.  You are not mindful of the things of God but the things of men.”  If we want to set the atmosphere we must keep the things of the kingdom cental.  A good idea will not change the atmosphere; surrender to the will of the Father and pursuit of His kingdom will change everything.

Acts 16:24  Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.  25  But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  26  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.

Praising, worshiping, and singing can change the atmosphere.  Here in Acts 16 Paul and Silas were in jail for preaching Jesus.  Paul and Silas begin to pray sing and worship!  It changed the atmosphere!  The prisoners were listening to them.  What you put in your mouth sets the atmosphere.  It will change your life and the lives of those around you.  Paul and Silas’ praise and worship brought a supernatural move of God!  People were saved Paul and Silas ended up being set free.  How is the words of your mouth affecting the atmosphere around you?  If we will set the atmosphere with praises and singing unto God it can change everything.  What if Paul and Silas had set the atmosphere with complaint and their own despair?  Believers with no victory in their life need to take a good look at the atmosphere they set in their homes, workplaces, and churches.

When John the Baptist earthly father was in the holy place being visited by an angel there was a atmosphere of praise and worship in the courts of the Lord.  The psalmist David wrote “I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter His courts with praise.”  When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost the church set the atmosphere by waiting upon God.  This is much more than setting an atmosphere for a worship service in church; it is setting an atmosphere for living in the fullness of God’s grace for your entire life!  Put His Word in your mouth… change the atmosphere… God will plant it in the heavens and lay the foundation of it in the earth.  You can be a world changer!