That Settles It!

 

It is time to settle it.

A physical act is a way to show what we really mean inside.  A hug, a kiss, a gentle touch, a smile.  That is the way God made us.  Even with worship, every single time that worship is expressed in the Bible, it is shown with a physical act such as bowing down, lifting hands, kneeling down, or openly singing praise.  Similarly, partaking of bread and the cup expresses our communion with God, our literal being in Him and He being in us. God has created or given us physical acts to express and verify our inner choices. 

So it follows that in opening our heart to repent and believe, there would be physical steps to both express this decision and to be a reminder that it is settled.  It is called baptism.  The Greek word "baptizo" means to be physical dipped into something, such a dyeing a piece of clothing.  The person is immersed or brought into this new reality and is permanently changed.

Romans 6 gives us a description of what happens to a believer through baptism: "we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."  It continues with a reassuring step of faith, "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection."  The physical act of going under the water shows we have "died and are buried" with Him by faith, and as we come up out of the water, we identify that the Spirit of God has raised us up to new life.  It is a reference point that helps us settle this truth of being united with what Jesus has done.  From this point on we are told (Rom 6:11) to reckon or consider yourselves to be "dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Jesus instructed us to "believe and be baptized."  It is a command, which each person has to choose to obey; no one can do it for you.  You may have been dedicated to God as a baby, but when you come of age you are called on to obey the command of your own free choice.  The Word of God is always addressed to your will, such as choose life.  In 1 Peter 3:21 baptism is defined "not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."  Just as Jesus was baptized by John to fulfill righteousness, we also fulfill righteousness or simply become right with God, when we choose to obey what God has asked and are baptized.

Many people, even after accepting Jesus as savior, still have struggles giving in to the desires of the flesh.  This foundation step of baptism is not just a religious act, it is a concrete act that settles in our hearts this truth of being united with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection to new life.  Anytime we obey God, there is a release of new life, because God gives grace to the humble, to those who receive the Word with meekness and obey.  

If you are "trying" to make a choice, but easily are overcome by the same fleshly thought or temptation, it is time to settle the foundation.  You need the power of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as your foundation stone, and your choice to obey the command to be baptized, releases the power of God to make that victory real in your experience.  Baptism, or obeying God in a physical act, allows your heart and mind to know it is done, and you can always depend on that truth to overcome the lies of the flesh and the devil.  So settle it and walk on to maturity in victory! 

Will Jesus Find Faith on the Earth?

 What an amazing question Jesus asks in the Luke 18 parable of the lady persistently coming to the judge for justice, "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?   Obviously, God wants His people to walk by faith, not by sight or by our senses.  Yet, the implication is that faith may be rare in the last days.  My heart says, "Holy Spirit, keep me strong and increasing in faith, so that I can be like Stephen (Acts 6), a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, in these last days."  

Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would come to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) Most of us believe He is, but our challenge is to believe He responds to our "faith" when we seek Him.  The goal of this second foundation doctrine is to establish this truth as bed rock, so we can move on to maturity.  Let's look at how to let God settle this once and for all.   

In the previous post, we discussed that in our hearts we can embrace the truth and love He declared because Jesus is trustworthy.  Let's establish another unshakeable fact.  Everything that can and will be done for fallen man has already been done through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Sin, sickness, death are paid for and completely defeated.  Faith is receiving what has already been done.

The greatest truth the world could ever hear, that God Himself paid the supreme price so we could be free, is done.  It sounds too good to be true.  Our unrenewed mind wants to doubt and fear that God may not really be so good.  Yet, truly everything due to the sin of man, (guilt, sickness, lack, death) has not only been removed, but replaced by the new creation made in the righteousness of God.  Those who come to Christ are a new creation, the old is gone.  The point is, we are NOT trying to believe and get God to do something, but rather God has done it all and as we know this truth, we believe it is already given.

None of us would say to the sinner, Jesus is going to die for you.  No!  We share the good news, Jesus has died for you.  It is finished.  All has been accomplished.  Notice how the Bible declares this same truth by using the past tense we "have been redeemed," and "by His stripes you were healed,"  Likewise, in 2 Peter 1:3-4 "His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him."  

Did you see the key in that last verse?  Through the knowledge of Him.  The prophet Hosea said it well, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge "  Jesus (John 8) said if we continue in the Word, we will know the truth, which will set us free.  Many of us lack faith because we have not renewed our minds to know the truth.  Colossians 3:10 instructs us to put on the new man renewed in the knowledge of God.

Renewing the mind is a process.  Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of Christ.  Isaiah points out that truth is, "line upon line, line upon line, line upon line, precept upon precept, precept upon precept, here a little, there a little."  Jesus explained it through the illustration of a seed becoming a fruitful plant, "For the earth yields crops by itself, first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head." (Mark 4:28)  The Word or faith seed grows by itself as "we receive the Word with meekness" allowing God's truth to replace our fallen nature thinking.  As a man thinks, so is he.  Paul left the Ephesian church with this word, "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."

Make the choice to live by the Word of God.  Take thoughts captive to obey Christ.  The foundation stone, faith toward God, declares we have rejected living for and thinking by selfish desires, and have chosen to let God and His Word be the direction of our lives.  The Holy Spirit, the sanctifier, has been sent to lead you and guide you into all truth so you can always stand on this Rock. 

Overcome-the-World Faith - How to Believe

Sure Hebrews 6 Foundation doctrines: Repentance from dead works and faith toward God.

Change the channel.  I was going to the library and I repented and went to the store.  Repentance is a change in the mind that changes our outward direction.  If the first foundation stone is repentance,  turning away from dead works, what is the new direction, the new channel to which we turn?  Hebrews 6:1 says "Faith toward God."  What does this entail and how do we get this? 

Faith or belief is a heart matter.  Romans 10 points out that "we believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead" and are justified.  A simple definition is a play on words: just-as-if-I'd-never sinned.  You believe that the resurrection of Jesus proves He paid it all for you and you are free.  But in the natural, you have to know something about a person's character, expertise, and wisdom before you believe  in your heart what the person says is true.  Good news:: you can trust Jesus.  Jesus  never lied (He is the truth,),  He created all things so He knows every detail, and He is love and because of His perfect love He willingly laid His life down for you. The central truth that your heart needs to embrace is that God loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for you, in your place since your sin deserved death.  Believe  that through His death and resurrection He completely overcame all the consequences of sin, not just in a general way, but personally in your life.  You are free of all sin's consequences such as guilt, sickness, and death.  Even though it sounds too good to be true, that He would care so much for you, you can trust Jesus and believe what He has done for you in your heart.  Will you receive His love right now, not because you deserve it, but because He is so good and merciful? 

There is a second part of faith.  Romans 10 states that we believe in our heart and are justified, we confess with our lips and are saved.  Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Faith is spoken,, "I believed and therefore I spoke." (2 Corinthians 4:13)  Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Speak life.

In the world our natural man says "when I see it I will believe it." This is false believing or faith.  True faith is believing before you see it.  Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).   How important is knowing and applying this truth about faith? Hebrews 11:6 points out "without faith it is impossible to please God."  Likewise, in Galatians 3:11, it states that "the just live by faith."  On the other hand, in Romans 14:23, the Word states that "whatever is not from faith is sin."  Therefore, faith is essential.  Our whole life, everything we do, is to be built on faith.  The good news is that according to 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.?  Through faith we walk in victory.

Sometimes we know God is good and His Word is true, but we admit that we just don't have faith, or enough faith.  Let me share an illustration that I do with my high school students. First, I have one of my weight-lifting boys stand up and flex his muscles.  Then I stand up and flex my "mighty" muscles, and ask who has more muscles.  They laugh, of course.  However, I point out that we have the same number of muscles, just that his are more developed.  Transitioning this  to understanding faith, Romans 12:3 declares that "God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." (May I suggest even stronger that it is a measure of the God faith - a study beyond this post.)  We all have the same measure of faith. 

Two truths about growing in faith, or what Scripture calls "ever increasing faith." 1) Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of Christ.   Since faith "comes" it is up to us to do what is necessary to get it, namely, read, meditate, hear the Word of God. 2) Faith grows as we are faithful in using what we have, faith begets faith, as mature believers have their faculties "trained by practice" (Hebrews 5:14).  Recently I heard the testimony of a lady diagnosed with lymph cancer.  Her friends encouraged her to research the subject and learn all the details about this disease.  She decided instead, to research what the Word of God says about healing.  She began a verse by verse study of what God declares about being the God who heals, about the stripes of Jesus, and studied the examples in the Word where people were healed.  Faith came and she began to declare whatever the Word said whenever the symptoms surfaced, and just like Abraham, glorified and thanked God that He was faithful to do what He said.  Today she is cancer free.  Her faith overcame the world. 

One more caution, that actually is a blessing, to consider.  Faith will be tested.  However, don't let the testing frighten you, because God's ultimate purpose is to make us complete, lacking nothing.  Notice this truth in James 1:3-4, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces [patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect  and complete, lacking nothing."   Not only will this testing cause us to mature, but the standing strong in faith during trials glorifies God, "that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:7)  God receives praise, glory, and honor as you stand in faith and let God overcome in you. Compare this with Jesus' words in John 15:7-8, "If you abide in Me, and My Word abides in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My father is glorified...   So be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world, and by faith, you are able to overcome. through His victory.  Therefore, just as Jesus told the man with the sick (and dying) daughter, "Fear not, only believe.", we are also instructed to stand firm on this foundation stone, faith toward God, which honors God for who He is and all He has done for us.  

Holy Spirit, strengthen my inner man with might so that I know that Christ dwells in my heart, and I am unashamed to believe in my heart and declare with my lips who He is and what He has done for me, to the glory of God. .As I dwell on Your Word, cause faith to come and be the foundation of all I am and do.  

   

Who is the Greatest? Our Big Problem

 As Jesus was explaining that He was about to be betrayed, turned over to the Romans, beaten and crucified, the disciples were disputing which of them was the greatest.  It seems we all have "eye" trouble, only seeing me, myself , and I and looking out for number one (which unfortunately is ourselves.)  

Just as Satan tempted Eve with the comment "you will become like God," our fallen nature is deceived to think everything revolves around us.  1 John 2 calls it "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life."  Pride caused Lucifer to fall, and pride is what leads human nature to strife (Proverbs 13:10) and strife opens the door to every other evil (James 3:14-16).  God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

So the first step in the foundation doctrines listed in Hebrews 6 is repentance from dead works.  And Romans 8 is clear that to be carnally minded is death.  Even Paul groaned "Who is going to deliver me from this body of death (Romans 7:24)  Dead works are any thoughts, emotions, and choices that put the flesh, our self-centeredness first. 

Repent.  John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah with the message, "Repent."  Jesus, anointed with the Holy Spirit, declared, "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand."  On the day of Pentecost, Peter answered the crowd's request "what shall we do?" by revealing this key, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Repent comes from the Greek word, "metanoia" meaning meta (change) and noia (our mind, thoughts).  To repent is to turn our thinking from self first to putting God first.

In Acts 3:26 Peter informed the crowd that "God, having raised up His servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."  His first blessing is opening our eyes and heart to see how destructive and hopeless it is to have self on the throne, to live for our own pleasures.  God is good, and He opens His hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing, providing rain for the just and the unjust.  However, in Romans 2:4 the Word points out that in "the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, do you not know that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?"

Consider the words of Jesus, (in Luke 9:23) “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."   Paul said it this way in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."  God sets before us life and death, with the admonition, choose life.  Put off the old man, put on the new man created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.  So the choice is a no-brainer, live for the flesh which is death, or turn from the old man and choose the nature of Jesus Christ in you.

What is even more encouraging is that God helps us make the choice, "to will and to work for His pleasure."  Romans 8:13 suggests that if by the Holy Spirit we "put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."  See how this confirms the passage in 2 Timothy 2:19, "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.'” 

So repentance from self is the first Hebrews 6 foundational doctrine.  Let God help you deny your fallen nature with its desires for prominence, and allow God to make you a new creation through the finished work of Jesus.  However, our new life in Christ is built on this foundation, and that we from this point on "reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:11) 

Here is how to apply this truth.  Every believer can start the day, thanking God for His mercy, which allows us to put to death the old man through faith in the cross, and put on the new nature of Jesus.  Then in every situation and challenge that comes up that day, remember that you, your pride, your reputation are dead, so that the life of Jesus can be manifested in you. 

Strengthen the Foundation

"The nets will not be able to contain them." is one description of how many souls will come into the kingdom in the coming great harvest.   We live in an awesome day, in which Hebrews 12:27-28 warns that everything will be shaken so that what is unshakeable can remain.  However, Jesus encourages us "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near. (Luke 21:28)   Obviously, God is exposing the sinking sand of man's ways and drawing people into trusting the solid rock of the Lord Jesus and His saving work on the cross.  Multitudes are in the valley of decision. 

This should not surprise us if we hear the word of the prophets.  Great servants of God such as Smith Wigglesworth, William J. Seymour, Maria Woodworth-Etter, David Wilkerson, Kenneth Hagin and a myriad of current prophets have declared that there would be a great move of God's Spirit, a third great awakening, in this critical period of history.  Already great things are happening in many parts of the world. For example, one Middle East ministry reported that 30,000 Muslims are coming to Jesus Christ  everyday. Other sources share that China now has the world's largest population of Christians, over 100 million, in spite of severe persecution.  Revival fires have hit South America and parts of Africa.  God promises that the knowledge of God will cover the whole earth.  It is coming.

Two things are necessary for the church at this time.  One, since Jesus warned that in the last days many will fall away, we need to make sure we know and stand on a sure foundation.  The Holy Spirit is moving Christians to fresh anointing as they take time in prayer and the Word.  The joy of our daily relationship with the Lord is our strength.   A house built on the Rock will survive as the storms blow through.

Secondly, there is going to be a great move of God where the Word will be confirmed with healings, signs, and wonders.  Several people have predicted stadiums filled with worship and preaching that will rock cities.  Many will come to the Lord.  However, unless someone begins to teach and disciple these converts in the faith, they will be like the seed that fell on the shallow ground, fading in the heat of the day.  We need to have enough understanding of God's truth and plan to be able to instruct and nurture these new believers. .Follow me as I follow Christ.   

Hear the Word of the Lord.  Get on solid ground.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you strengthen your relationship with the Lord.  Since having a sure foundation is paramount to standing and being available to change the lives of many, we will go through the foundation doctrines of Hebrews 6:1-3, Hebrews 11:6 and 2 timothy 2:19 in future posts.  Laying the foundation allows us to mature, "if God permits."