tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76305818334698424312024-03-15T17:32:52.170-07:00Yeshua = GodGod, the Father of Creation; God, the Son in Flesh; God, the Spirit of Power.
There's only ONE God. Yahweh is God in three Persons.Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-34204164030084627942021-09-07T20:43:00.008-07:002021-09-07T21:05:33.997-07:00The Rebirth of Rebecca<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R4_XzlQ5yVA/YTgXtLYiS8I/AAAAAAAAFZk/JAqn_awiOLAsryMjtbevT7HoUktKDknKACLcBGAsYHQ/s750/HeartbreakWoman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R4_XzlQ5yVA/YTgXtLYiS8I/AAAAAAAAFZk/JAqn_awiOLAsryMjtbevT7HoUktKDknKACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/HeartbreakWoman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Time has been short, but also long, on this journey since my divorce. You might be wondering how I am doing and what I've been up to since <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-awesome-providence-of-god.html" target="_blank">my last blog in January</a>. I am doing amazingly well, all things considering. I have learned two things traveling this road: <b>God answers prayer </b>and <b>God sees me</b>. </p><p>If anything has convinced me that all of this is His will, it's how fantastically He's taken care of me through it. <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-awesome-providence-of-god.html" target="_blank">At my last writing</a>, I had just moved into an apartment with my oldest daughter and her little family. I was awaiting my divorce to come. </p><p>It came on January 13th.</p><p>Due to a delay in communication between the court and my lawyer, I didn't know it was final until January 19th. The last week and a half of January, I fell apart. I felt as if I had been carrying so much for so long, that now it was over I shattered all over the floor. Emotions I held in check for 6 months while I lived in that same house all came out at the same time. Hurt, shame, anger, disgust, and disbelief, but most of all, a deep and withering sorrow.</p><p>I begged God's forgiveness like a child clutching on to Daddy's legs - "I'm sorry, Lord, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't hold on to my vow. Forgive me. Please forgive me."</p><p>I cried for the life I had lost, not only the failed marriage and the lost hope, but the years I can never get back. Was it all a big waste? Vanity and wind? And of course I also had to deal with being so easily cast aside. Was I so forgettable? Unloved? Unworthy to be loved? </p><p>Needless to say, God had a HUGE mess on His hands. He rolled up His sleeves and got to work.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6lCn03LuJs8/YTgftyUzrJI/AAAAAAAAFZs/NzwiVSI6VDoLqjelJ98HQXmR_VHGhPnvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1170/somethingbetter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1170" height="242" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6lCn03LuJs8/YTgftyUzrJI/AAAAAAAAFZs/NzwiVSI6VDoLqjelJ98HQXmR_VHGhPnvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/somethingbetter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My biggest fear was going back into the workforce. I hadn't worked for over 20 years. I had no experience other than some random office work in the 90's. All I knew was how to write. I remember my sister once said something about freelancing so I looked into it. I found a website called <a href="https://www.upwork.com" target="_blank">Upwork</a> and made some decent money. One of my clients offered me a job at her <a href="https://emeraldva.com/" target="_blank">virtual assistant firm</a> and I accepted and continued to freelance on the side. Her company was so small and she had maybe three clients, but she needed help and I was that help.<div><br /></div><div>Fast forward throughout this year and, praise God, her company has grown 7 times over! She has hired several more VA's to handle the load, and I have officially been given the job title of COPYWRITER. My skills were better used for writing blogs, newsletters, and web copy for various clients rather than setting appointments and doing research. I still freelance through <a href="https://www.upwork.com" target="_blank">Upwork</a> and I have earned myself the <a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01e90a52edbef2a420" target="_blank">Top Rated badge</a>, a feat I never thought I'd be able to do.</div><div><br /></div><div>I get to work from home and I'm able to set my own hours. Due to my rheumatoid arthritis, I am regularly fatigued and often in pain. I was worried about not being able to hold down a regular 8am-5pm job. God knew this and gave me the perfect job. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not only that, He gave me a <i>career</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Regardless of where I work now, I will always be, officially, a copywriter. In fact, my boss told me she's gained new clients for the simple fact that she has a copywriter on staff. Due to her rapid growth, she will likely need to hire more copywriters in the future, and she has already told me when that day comes, to prepare myself to become a <i>senior</i> copywriter.</div><div><br /></div><div>Writing for my job? This is a dream come true! Thank You, Lord, thank You!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jdP7egDGQM8/YTgk-hPtW_I/AAAAAAAAFZ0/-IIYh-2uCzwJgKz8D4S6aJHIPavhH1iRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1170/chosen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1170" height="314" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jdP7egDGQM8/YTgk-hPtW_I/AAAAAAAAFZ0/-IIYh-2uCzwJgKz8D4S6aJHIPavhH1iRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/chosen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While thriving at my job, I was also coming into a season of a renewed self-image. Something magical happens when a woman who has only known fallow ground is allowed to bloom in good soil. I was finally out of a toxic situation. I was writing my own narrative. I was not constantly fed someone else's perception of who I was, and not overlooked for who I had truly become. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When you're in the trenches, it seems normal. Your perception is twisted and you believe what you've always been told about yourself. I had felt such shame in leaving, but the more I told stories to my horrified friends, the more I realized exactly what God had saved me from. With my nose in Scripture and always constant in prayer, God began showing me how much I was truly loved, by family, by friends, by my church, but most importantly, by Him. We sing about His love, we have faith in it, but when we see God move in our lives in powerful and tangible ways, there can be no doubt of His glorious and redeeming love.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In an effort to take back that narrative and become who GOD created me to be, <a href="https://danielleczengerphotography24.pixieset.com/beautifulbecka/" target="_blank">I had my portraits taken</a>. I wanted to see myself with new eyes and discover how others see me. I wanted to prove to myself that I am a beautiful woman, beloved by God, worthy, called, and chosen by the King of Heaven Himself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"<i>Consider this Lily, how she grows</i>," He declares. "<i>She neither toils nor spins, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like her.</i>"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CLzYMx_JWTk/YTgo3EZwKiI/AAAAAAAAFZ8/YrjuuQ94IespX6URyaXEhyTdpaew6Cs3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Triumph.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CLzYMx_JWTk/YTgo3EZwKiI/AAAAAAAAFZ8/YrjuuQ94IespX6URyaXEhyTdpaew6Cs3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w512-h640/Triumph.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>I have so many stories of how God has been good to me, from getting myself health insurance for my expensive RA meds, to paying my self-employment taxes, to buying my car a full set of tires, to registering my car, to getting my own car insurance, a new phone, a gym membership, and on and on. Not only that, but <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-_eQ2b-T8f1PKW0DRvrKmMm9YCpQ3T5f/view" target="_blank">my little church devos</a> have gone out into the world through <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-_eQ2b-T8f1PKW0DRvrKmMm9YCpQ3T5f/view" target="_blank">a free downloadable ebook</a> and I hear touching stories all the time of how they've touched others for the glory of God. <div><br /></div><div>What a glory, to bring such glory to the God of All Glory!</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of glory, one last thing. Just within the past two weeks I have found that I have curly hair. Who knew? Certainly not me! I am discovering things about myself I never knew, and I am <i>so ready</i> to go on this journey of self-discovery. </div><div><br /></div><div>If a woman's hair is her glory (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+11%3A15&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Cor. 11:15</a>), behold this magnificent new glory Christ has given me.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FuoQbA9np3g/YTgrZguv_oI/AAAAAAAAFaE/i_XURYCubiABzmSwyGeF_kv3XQDyQzD6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/GodisGood.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FuoQbA9np3g/YTgrZguv_oI/AAAAAAAAFaE/i_XURYCubiABzmSwyGeF_kv3XQDyQzD6ACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/GodisGood.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9rcxKqtbeP4/YTgraQpw_NI/AAAAAAAAFaI/aytBuDH3KTQR3SaEAKJ4NaLMWw6kqfEUACLcBGAsYHQ/s680/HairBack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="680" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9rcxKqtbeP4/YTgraQpw_NI/AAAAAAAAFaI/aytBuDH3KTQR3SaEAKJ4NaLMWw6kqfEUACLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h312/HairBack.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: center;">I am <b>beautiful</b>. <br />I am <b>loved</b>. <br />I am <b>worthy</b>.<br />I am <b>HIS</b>.</h1><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Amen, Lord Jesus. I will spend the rest of my life thanking You with every single breath and heartbeat You give me. Praise the Lord.</div>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-44720356683440563482021-01-08T23:40:00.003-08:002021-01-08T23:54:41.581-08:00The Awesome Providence of God<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1920" height="259" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TBieSSsMwVQ/X_k1pQAUCmI/AAAAAAAAEfE/nHkKd_Qu22YNG-kdUVlbw_Kvx5yh64wwQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h259/PraisetheLord.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>I want to take the time to tell of how God has been with me on my journey through my painful, but not unexpected, divorce. Everything that has happened from the first day of my journey until now has been the providence of God. <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2020/11/how-did-i-get-here.html" target="_blank">My last blog post</a> was heart-wrenching, yet even so, ended on a hopeful note. God is in this, and He has made it quite obvious to me.<p></p><p style="text-align: left;">I am not the only Christian going through the end of their marriage. But perhaps my story might inspire others on their own journey and have hope for themselves that God still sees, He still hears, and He still magnificently provides.</p><p>I won't get into the details of why. God knows why, and that is enough. Suffice it to say I stand upon <i>both</i> Biblical precedents for divorce, one given by the Apostle Paul, the other given by our Lord Himself. I will say, however, that I was the one to seek to be loosed. Some Christians might raise a brow at that, but let me preface my words by saying I prayed hard. I pressed in. I searched the Scriptures. I went to my elders. I asked for prayer. I begged God to show me the way. I sought divorce because I knew he is codependent and would never seek it himself regardless of any and all dysfunction. </p><p>My question to God was this: "Can the text of 1 Corinthians 7:15 be interpreted as abandonment without him physically leaving the house or seeking divorce?" In other words, is it possible to still be physically present, yet abandon your spouse emotionally and sacrificially?</p><p>The answer I got? </p><p><i>Yes</i>.</p><p>Some might not agree with that. Even I struggled after the decision was made. Had I done the right thing? This isn't explicitly spelled out in God's Word, after all. But the Bible is rife with so many admonishments against unbelievers and how Christians are to deal with them in life, not to eat with such a one, to kick the dust off your feet, that bad company corrupts good morals, and the like. Yes, we are told to love our enemies, and that a man's enemies are those of his own household, yet surely a Christian woman who adores the Lord Jesus and happens to be married to Nabal is not in lifelong bondage to this millstone dragging her to the depths? </p><p>God Himself freed Abigail. I believe God Himself likewise freed me. </p><p>However, I was willing to wash my hands of it all, even if it meant never being able to marry again according to Scripture. I told God this, and continued on toward the end my marriage.</p><p>But the Lord provided even here. While I still believe I had biblical precedent to divorce according to the Apostle Paul's stipulation of abandonment, shortly after we decided to divorce (but before we were even legally separated) God graciously gave me our Lord's provision as well. I will not lie, I was gutted and I didn't understand why this was happening so fast, yet I realized two things. First, God showed me that yes, this divorce was absolutely His will. Second, even if anyone could dispute my first reason, they cannot dispute the Lord's. With it, He gave me an amazing grace.</p><p>It was as if He said to me, "<i>Do not fear, daughter. Look, see! I have given you full freedom. Now, if you will, you may remarry</i>."</p><p>This was a deep and rich grace for a heart that genuinely wishes to be known.</p><p>Since then, I have had to endure a very painful shoulder surgery and the three-month recovery. But in the midst, I became a successful freelancer with my writing, as well as an independent contractor for an online business. I couldn't work physically, but I could type, so I asked God to help me and He did. Now, praise the Lord, this is my sole source of income.</p><p>I have been able to stockpile my RA medication, as I won't be insured for much longer. That's been all of God. I was able to have dental work done due to a previously unknown large credit on my dental account. I was also able to get the remainder refunded. I received an unexpected, and very humbling boon from an old friend who felt as if God laid it on her heart to help me build my nest egg. My daughter and I were able to move out together to an amazing apartment where we can each save money every month rather than struggle to pay rent on our own. We even have a garage where I can charge my hybrid car, a periphery concern of mine. </p><p>I don't know if it is relevant to God's working, but I realized the other day that our move-in date, January 7th, is six months <i>to the day</i> I knew my marriage was over. Six agonizing months, not only in trying to make sense of it all and work through my dark and heavy emotions, but in physical pain as well with my shoulder recovery and how helpless I was in taking care of myself.</p><p>Perhaps my shoulder surgery serves as a metaphor for my life, as a housewife of over 20+ years, now having to face the world alone and make a living for myself, I had to hide away for a time. Indeed, I was helpless in a way. Everything scared me and I had to take things slow. God knew this, and grew me over these past 6 months. </p><p>Ah, saints, do not belittle the power of your prayer closet. Likewise, do not belittle the power of intercessory prayer. I believe I have survived due to the prayers of others. Knowing others held me up to God was my one balm. I was dead, raw, beaten down, wrecked, and yes, even hopeless for a time. But we bear each other's burdens, amen? God heard these prayers and got to work rebuilding me from the ground up. He is still restoring the remnants of my heart. There are a great many things I have yet to work through. </p><p>I don't know how I'll ever trust another again. But nothing is impossible with God. Aside from that, all these things have greatly humbled my feminine heart. However, I have hope that if God gave me His own provision that I might one day remarry, perhaps there is another who can help me understand and show me the glory of how God intended marriage to be. I hope so. I pray for it often.</p><p>But I am not ready. I need to stand for myself, find myself, and ...love myself. As of this writing, I am about a week away from once again being a single woman. I pray for wisdom, for discernment, and for boldness. I pray for God's continued guidance and provision, for His tender care, and for all my children to heal. </p><p>I pray I never take marriage for granted again. I pray I will be shrewd and critical regarding a man's spiritual life and doctrine. Any man who approaches me now will be vetted hard. Let me see your Bible. Is it pristine or well-read? Let me hear of all your answered prayers. Let me witness some for myself. How do you spend your time? How do you serve your church? How do you love the people of God? How deeply do you adore the Lord Jesus? Let me witness your passion. Do you live for Him, or do you live a secular life with Jesus pinned to your lapel? How do your friends speak of you? Of your faith? What does your family have to say? How much do you pray for me? How will you lead me? Provide for me? Care for me? Honor me? Sacrifice for me? Die for me?</p><p>A woman should not place herself in submission to a man until these questions be answered. It's a tall order, I know. Which is why I won't worry about it. I'm going to let God sort that out. I'll just be over here praising Jesus that He set me free, to the full, in His name, and for His glory. Maybe someone will take notice. But what is that to me? I follow Christ! Amen? </p><p>Amen. </p><p>Thank You, Lord Jesus, for setting this captive free. My life is Yours, come what may.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzASLzdJ8JE/X_laa1KU32I/AAAAAAAAEfQ/zf3enA-1AZUJKQ1tUil-BwRbemy5AGumACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Freedom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzASLzdJ8JE/X_laa1KU32I/AAAAAAAAEfQ/zf3enA-1AZUJKQ1tUil-BwRbemy5AGumACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Freedom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>~~Becka</p>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-23606654448050026312020-11-08T22:22:00.001-08:002020-12-04T13:25:35.106-08:00How Did I Get Here?<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/#"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aiJMyEInVkY/X6iWt_XGtnI/AAAAAAAAEWQ/D8-wpCka2ZUZN_es8LI4fccA5CFSUnM4QCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/woman3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>How did I get here? That's the question I've been asking myself. What do I say? How can I rectify these broken dreams? My broken heart? What do I say to God? How can I come to terms with what's happening and be okay with it all? What do I say to my church, my friends, my family, when the hard questions eventually come?<br /><br />The reality is, I've been hiding. I'm not ready to face anything yet. I like to think I'm a strong and confident woman, but I'm not. I'm weak and I'm scared and I have no clue what I'm doing. Don't look at me, don't smile at me, don't talk to me about your happy marriage when my own has fallen apart. </div><div><br /></div><div>What kind of Christian woman can't save her marriage?<br /><br />I am living in a housefire, dogpaddling in a flash-flood, groping about in a black room. <br />Do I wish for reconciliation?<br /><br />NO.<br /><br />Why, then, do I grumble?<br /><br />Ah, the broken dreams, the broken heart. These are bleeding out on the floor and I can't seem to stop them. I remember the hope of my wedding day. The joy of my babies being born. The peace in knowing I had someone to grow old with.<br /><br />I have betrayed myself. That young girl with stars in her eyes... look what has become of her. Did she waste her life? Did I betray God by being unable to uphold my marriage vow? It slipped through my fingers like water. It blew away on the wind. What great shame I feel for not being able to make it work, for watching him leave for her house, for being alone, for seeing so many I know and love wearing rings, growing old together. Married. <br /><br />Happy.</div><div>.</div><div>.</div><div>.</div><div>.</div><div>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was a bird trapped in a tiny room. </div><div>"Where is the sky?"</div><div>*Nowhere* </div><div>"Why can't I fly?"</div><div>*This is your cage*</div><div><br /></div><div>"God! I need Your help!"</div><div>He handed me my pen -</div><div>And with it, helped me unlock the cage door.<br /><br />Did I do the right thing? Second-guessing is second nature these days. Yes, I believe I did. But the blowback is far beyond any pain I have ever known. This is why God hates divorce. It is destructive and it barrels through a family like an F5 tornado. <br /><br />I must stand on my own now. I need to forge a new way and do what I've never done before. Independence. Strike my own path. Pay my own rent. Service my own car. Let me be honest; life is scary without a man. Can I do it? Yes. But security is gone, headship is gone, feeling safe...<br /><br />...is gone.<br /><br /><b>AND YET. <br />EVEN SO. <br />BUT GOD.</b><br /><br />He has not left me comfortless. I have the full support of my church. I am covered in prayer. I am confident He will lead me where I am to go.<br /><br />Christ is my Head. Christ is my wisdom. Christ is the one holding me up and keeping me from disappearing beneath the waves. <br /><br />None of this came as a surprise to Him. That wedding day, so long ago, He knew. He had a plan; He would give me a family, He would make me a wife for a season. He would bring me to Oregon. <br /><br />He would save me in truth.<br /><br />He would give me a church family. He would give me people who love me and hold me up to Him. He would grow me in wisdom and knowledge and give me the pen of a ready writer. He would use all these things for His glory. <br /><br />He used my years as a stay-at-home mom to give me a quiet classroom to study His entire Word.<br /><br />He used my years as a romance author to hone and sharpen my writing skills to be used to praise His name.<br /><br />He used my unequal yoke to draw me closer to Him, to seek out His tenderness, to yearn for Christ's banner of love over me.<br /><br />He used all my experiences to give me unique perspectives.<br /><br /><i>I know what it's like, shackled to the precipice, peering into Hell. </i></div><div><i><br /></i>God, in His mercy, has freed me from that chain. </div><div>He opened the prison door. </div><div>He loosed me from the millstone. <br /><br />Still, I must wait. </div><div>Now, but not yet. </div><div>Separated, not yet divorced.</div><div>But one day - <i><u>soon</u></i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>A seed must germinate. Roots must grow. A tender shoot must rise out of the ground before it ever becomes a stem. Be patient, your bud shall bloom. This is the end of that old life, but this is not the end; this is a new beginning with God, in His name and for His glory. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a life redeemed by God Himself, not only spiritually, but physically. This is the unstoppable power of Jehovah Jirah, God my Provider, taking care of His precious, sighing daughter. This is Yahweh Sabaoth standing up and sending His Host to fight for her. This is the God of Glory shining His favor down from Heaven. This is the Lord Jesus Christ rescuing a weary woman by His will alone, much like He did in the Gospels. This is tender-hearted Yeshua of Nazareth, offering His gentle hand to the woman crying and trembling in the corner.</div><div><br /></div><div>The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. </div><div>He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rejoice, ye woman of God! Storm and gloom have broken upon the dawn of a new day. He is the Bright and Morning Star. He will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hope shines all the brigher now, moreso than that wedding day of old. Now, I look toward that Wedding Day in Glory, with my beloved Christ forever. </div><div><br /></div><div>Look up, sweet woman </div><div>There is the sky...</div><div>You are free to fly as you will!</div><div>Where is the limit?</div><div><br /></div><div>What... <i>Who</i>... </div><div>...awaits beyond that horizon? </div><div><br /></div><div>Long have I waited upon the Lord.</div><div>O, how I wish to soar --</div><div>Teach Your dove to fly, precious God! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--tN7rwvWy2k/X6jT7ZTyM4I/AAAAAAAAEWw/6S168Hb1Lh82q3NVnEXlZRjIzsgnssz3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/Woman1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="500" height="264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--tN7rwvWy2k/X6jT7ZTyM4I/AAAAAAAAEWw/6S168Hb1Lh82q3NVnEXlZRjIzsgnssz3QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h264/Woman1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-46829600241344378432020-05-27T17:14:00.001-07:002020-09-20T22:28:29.135-07:00A Study of the Woman Caught in Adultery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my regular Bible study, I came across the familiar story of the woman caught in adultery in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A1-11&version=KJV" target="_blank">John 8:1-11</a>. Reading it recently, it fascinated me and I noticed many things I hadn't noticed before. It's been awhile since I've done a Bible study on my blog, so let's get to it.<br />
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First of all, the scene. Christ is teaching in the early morning at the temple (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A2&version=KJV" target="_blank">John 8:2</a>). Not too soon after He sits down to teach, the scribes and Pharisees drag in a woman whom they claim was caught in the act of adultery. They pose a question to our Lord about the Law of Moses, and what He recommends to do with this woman. But <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A6&version=KJV" target="_blank">John 8:6</a> claims they said this to test Him, to bring a charge against Him.<br />
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Let's stop right there. Right out the gate, we see these evil men are using the woman for their own gain. They are not seeking righteousness according to God's Law, they are trying to find some way to trap Jesus in His own words. If this woman was indeed "caught in the act" of adultery, and if indeed they were trying to trap Jesus with the Law, it is quite likely and highly probable the woman was set up. She was either a well-known prostitute, or the Pharisees knew she was someone's mistress, perhaps one of their own ranks. Perhaps she was wooed into it by a regular, or coerced to lie with her lover that night specifically in order to carry out this plan - unbeknownst to her. I do not believe these men caught her on a whim. This was no chance meeting. They did not rejoice that some random, serendipitous opportunity to trap Yeshua fell into their laps that very morning.<br />
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No. This was planned, and the Pharisees likely had the woman's lover in their back pocket.<br />
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Maybe they had given him a handsome sum, as they had with Judas. Perhaps they knew her lover's patterns and knew he'd be with her that morning. Perhaps he tipped them off and told them he would go in to her and they could find her with him in the morning. Whatever happened, it was planned, because they specifically used her situation to trap Christ.<br />
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Interesting side note, this woman was not the married party in the "adultery" charge, as there is no husband present accusing her before Christ. Therefore, the adultery came on the man's side - HE had been the married party - and notice he is conveniently absent from this exchange. Likely the scribes and Pharisees wanted a flesh-and-blood human to confront Christ with, as hypotheticals never seemed to work to trap Him. Since the man had presumably tipped them off, they hadn't dragged him along with them. But Christ would not be able to ignore a woman who had blatantly broken the Law of Moses. Another thing to note is that they seemed sincere with their inquiry in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+8%3A4&version=KJV" target="_blank">John 8:4</a> by calling Yeshua "Master". Yet another pretense.<br />
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Let's move on to the woman. She had been caught in adultery, which means, likely dragged from her bed in the early morning hours and brought straight to the temple. She was probably naked with maybe only a blanket covering her. I doubt the indignant Pharisees would wait for her to properly clothe herself. A naked woman would only serve to further their evil agenda.<br />
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She did not fight their charge or even say a word in her own defense. The charge was true. She had indeed spent the night with a married man. Imagine what was going through her mind at this point. Barely clothed, standing in the TEMPLE with the Jewish leaders, in front of a man the people believed to be the Messiah Himself. Every eye was on her. The poor thing must have been trembling and terrified. I can imagine her face wet with tears; maybe she hid her face with silent sobs. How could she stand it, being humiliated before all of Jerusalem in the holiest place on earth, accused before this very man who could do such amazing things?<br />
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No other man had ever cared for her. There might have been someone at one time, but seen as how she was a married man's lover, she either prostituted herself to him to get by, or she fell in love with absolutely the WRONG MAN. If he sold her out to the Pharisees, he cared nothing for her. Not only that, she stood guilty in the house of God. Both the fear of man and the fear of God must have been upon her. How long had it been since she'd set foot in the temple? If she was a woman of ill-repute, probably a very long time. She knew she didn't deserve to be in such a sacred place. She was going to die. She was preparing herself to be stoned.<br />
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And yet... this teacher stooped to write on the ground. He didn't seem perturbed at all by these men as they continued to ask Him. He did not grow angry, seem indignant, wrathful, or even particularly merciful. He was quiet for a little while. Then, He stood. He did not suggest they set aside the Law of Moses. In fact, He endorsed it in a genius way, instructing them to let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.<br />
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This was it. The woman knew this was the last moment of her life. She might have tensed up, or prayed desperately and fervently for God to forgive her sins. Christ, being Himself God in flesh, and knowing the hearts of all men, likely heard her prayers - if she did indeed pray and repent in that moment - of which I believe she did.<br />
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With a calm answer, Christ revealed to the scribes and Pharisees that the Law is a mirror to reflect our sins back at us, not a list of works to be made righteous before God. No one is faultless under the Law. The older men realized this first, who gave up and left, leaving the younger men to follow (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+8%3A9&version=KJV" target="_blank">John 8:9</a>). They weren't about to go against their elders.<br />
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Once they were alone, Christ asks the woman, "Does no man condemn you?"<br />
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I can imagine the fear she had of opening her eyes. The sharp way she might have darted her head around. She probably looked like a deer in the headlights. I'm sure she probably swallowed hard a few times before answering Him.<br />
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"No man, Lord."<br />
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Let's stop here for a moment. A little while before, the Pharisees had insincerely called Christ "Master", yet this woman, in all submission and fear, calls Him, "Lord". She meant it. She said it without question. She was convinced this man was indeed the Messiah. She had just witnessed Him get the best of the holiest men in Israel with a simple pointed statement, which had revealed all of them needed a Savior!<br />
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Still wrapped in nothing but a blanket, her voice was probably timid and soft, not wanting to incur Yeshua's wrath as well. The interesting thing about Christ's question to the woman is that He was Himself a man. While her accusers had left, He was the only one left who could actually accuse her. He was, in fact, the only man present without any sin.<br />
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Yet He gives the woman the magnificent mercy of God: "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."<br />
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Looking into His kind eyes, this woman who had been so used by evil men, in her body, in her soul, and in her heart, saw for the first time true love, real respect, absolute gentleness, and sweet tenderness in the face of a man. This man, the Messiah, sent by God, in the midst of the temple, with nothing to offer Him but ...herself in a blanket.<br />
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I imagine she probably ran off, wanting desperately to be out of the spotlight, away from the scrutiny. If she held it together, she likely fell apart once she got home. But I am certain of one thing. Her entire life was changed. We don't hear anything more about her specifically, but she would have remembered Yeshua of Nazareth for the rest of her life. She would have listened to every word from His mouth. She would have followed Him to her grave.<br />
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Those who are forgiven much love much (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+7%3A47&version=KJV" target="_blank">Luke 7:47</a>).<br />
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This woman had once loved the wrong man, but for the first time in her entire life, she loved the RIGHT MAN, the God-man, the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, who fought for her while she was as still as a lamb, who'd beaten back the ravening wolves from His precious sheep with sharp and brilliant precision, and saved a helpless woman from the snares of death.<br />
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She entered the temple naked and terrified; she left the temple forgiven and loved.<br />
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This is the glory of the grace of Christ, who came to earth to save sinners. O, how our precious Lord loves His daughters! I do not believe she went back to her lover or her life of prostitution. She had been forgiven by the Lord God! She would now live for Him with every beat of her heart, every breath in her lungs, and every word from her mouth.<br />
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Obviously I cannot say for certain this woman felt all these things for Christ, I can only judge through the lens of my own experience. But as a woman who has often felt used, unloved, and terrified, I can testify that one glance from the tender eye of Christ has ravished my own heart, and thus, seeing Him before her bodily, how much more did His glance hit its mark and claim her heart forever?<br />
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Amen, Lord. Thank You for loving us, for loving this woman, <i>for loving me</i>, so beautifully and completely.<br />
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<div><br /></div>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-11099469674567295972020-03-27T13:57:00.002-07:002020-09-20T22:31:50.689-07:00Walking in the Power of God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What does it mean to walk in the power of God? Very simply, it is walking by the Spirit in faith and total abandon to our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm not talking about performing miracles, signs and wonders, or anything mystical. No. Rather, the power of God is given by God to the child of God to do the work of God. The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+4%3A20&version=KJV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 4:20</a>). We can often recognize believers who are walking in the power of God, but we don't really know what it is about them that marks them other than a gut feeling.<br />
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Here's my own little list of ten things to recognize those upon whom God's favor rests, which is in no way exhaustive, and is in no particular order. As you read through these things, ask yourself, do these describe you? If not, what actions can you take to be a believer who walks in the power of God?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1.) <u>They're serious about their faith.</u></span></b></div>
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First, this believer cannot be blase about the things of God. They think upon them all the time. In fact, they daily meditate on the truths of God and try to understand them as best they can. They are not legalistic, but they believe a true Christian should walk in holiness and godliness, and they strive to that end. They avoid sinful activities and worldliness as much as they can. They're often very deep, and once you scratch the surface, you wonder if you'll ever come to the bottom of their hearts. Sometimes, their seriousness can be a weighty thing, and to the frivolous Christian, they can seem daunting to talk to. This serious soul doesn't want to talk about surface issues, they want to talk deeper realities, Heaven, Hell, life, death, righteousness, and iniquity. Two realities exist for these believers. Either they are regarded as a deep well upon which to draw, or they are avoided all together. Why? Because their seriousness about Christ shines a spotlight on those who are not serious about Him at all. Those who wish to be more serious about Christ draw near, while those who don't care to get closer to Him stand intimidated.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2.) <u>They're living in their gifting.</u></span></b></div>
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It is not prideful to know how the Lord Jesus has gifted you. A Christian who knows their gifting will use it for His glory. You can tell when someone is phoning it in, and you can tell when someone isn't. One cannot fake a genuine gift from Heaven without being revealed a fraud. A true gifting is no struggle, it flows out of these believers like a stream of Living Water. When everything they do prospers, then you know you are dealing with a Christian walking in the power of God. The Bible speaks of the "aroma of Christ", and when you witness a believer working in God's power, you know exactly what that means. It is a stunning thing, to watch our brothers and sisters live out what our Lord had planned for them in His Body, as if each one of Christ's children has a unique piece of their Lord to put on display. Sometimes, a believer doesn't know their gifting, but others will know, as those around them will see for themselves the obvious power upon them from the Lord God. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3.) <u>They're saturated in Christ.</u></b></span></div>
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For this Christian, every day is spent with Christ. Perhaps not every single moment, but most of them. These have forsaken the world, choosing only to feed themselves upon things that will edify. They've given up reading fiction, secular music, or watching TV for themselves, and only partake in these when among others who might still enjoy them. Again, this is not legalistic, this is not what they believe all Christians should do, but for themselves, they find no enjoyment in anything apart from Christ. Some of these believers live in a vacuum of godliness and therefore keep themselves saturated in Jesus to ensure they will not fall away. Keeping these things before their eyes keeps their eyes full of light, and their mind on heavenly things. Their entire worldview is shaped through the lens of Christ, and like the Puritans, they can find Gospel lessons in just about anything in everyday life.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4.) <u>They pray without ceasing.</u></b></span></div>
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Just as they spend all day in the presence of Christ, these same believers are in a perpetual state of communion with Him as well. They constantly have an open dialogue with Christ in their mind. Their inner dialogue isn't talking to themselves, they are talking to Jesus. Always. If God brings someone to mind, these pray for them on the spot. It is as if Christ is walking next to them all the time. They never leave their prayer closets. While these believers do have a special prayer time set aside to specifically talk to God, they are not "done" talking to God when they say "Amen." It is to these who pray without ceasing, who always have a direct and open line to God every hour of the day, who are led effortlessly by the Holy Spirit.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5.) <u>They're a giver of thanks.</u></b></span></div>
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This point is very important. Never do they steal God's glory for themselves. These believers are quick to correct anyone who praises them and points all praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. This isn't in pretense, either. This is no faked humility. This is genuine; they truly do thank Jesus in all they do. Every time you turn around, they are thanking Jesus. Every prayer opens with thanks, closes with thanks, and is filled with thanks. The providence of God is quite obvious to these, and they know that all good things comes down from the Father of Lights. They even give thanks for the hard times and their afflictions, as they know God will work these together for good, and it's the will of God in Christ Jesus for them.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6.) <u>They're born to worship.</u></b></span></div>
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These Christians are worshippers. They don't merely sing and dance to have fun, although they do have fun, they truly worship God from the bottom of their hearts and put it on full display without fear of anyone seeing. Again, not for their glory, but because they are totally abandoned to Christ in that moment. Often, they can inspire others to worship more fervently and openly as well. These are like King David, so in love with their God, they don't care who sees, knows, or scoffs; they will raise their hands and shout all the more.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7.) <u>They give all credit to God.</u></b></span></div>
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It is God who gives every good and perfect gift, therefore, there is no other source of blessing for these believers. Not only do they take no glory for themselves, but they thank God for the circumstances of life. There is no such thing as luck or karma. All is ordained by the Lord God Almighty, Sovereign over all, whether a meal, a new coat, or a raise at work, and therefore they tell others of these amazing things God has given them. Glorifying God for moving in their lives is tied very closely to giving thanks in all things.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8.) <u>They're mighty in the Scriptures.</u></b></span></div>
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Like the Apostle Paul, the Bereans (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+17%3A10-11&version=KJV" target="_blank">Acts 17:10-11</a>), or Apollos from the book of Acts (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+18:24&version=KJV" target="_blank">Acts 18:24</a>), Christians who walk in the power of God know the Word of God. They have read it and studied it so much, it is written on their hearts. They seem to pour forth Scripture when they talk, and you likely don't want to get into a debate with them about the subject. They are able to argue God's truth from His Word and point you directly to the chapter and verse where you can find it written. They do not rely upon the chicken wings of daily devotions, but the steak and potatoes of deeper study. One of the ways they stay saturated in Christ is to meditate upon His Word, to ponder what they've read, and tie it to other passages or promises elsewhere in Scripture. Often, these believers will take notes in their Bibles, and you will find their margins full of their thoughts.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9.) <u>They don't rely upon their own strength.</u></b></span></div>
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The power of God can't often be put on display if one is boasting in a strength of their own. These believers know they are weak, for God delights in using the weak to confound the wise. Not everyone's weakness will be with disease, old age, or some physical malady. However, God disciplines every son He receives, and those He uses in His power have been humbled greatly. Whatever project these believers set out to do, they know it is impossible to complete unless God is with them in it. Even when they are in their gifting, if God isn't moving along with them, they will struggle to complete the task. There is no room for boasting here. Our flesh is too accustomed to praising ourselves. Therefore this Christian is well aware that all work for God must be done by the power of God to have any effect whatsoever. And once the work is done, they give all glory to God and much thanks for His provision.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10.) <u>They're ever-increasing in wisdom and knowledge.</u></b></span></div>
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Through prayer, study, and experience, Christians who walk in the power of God are increasing in wisdom and knowledge in the things of God. Those whom God favors only get better, stronger, and more gifted through the years as they're sanctified by the Spirit. They do not stagnate, they are always moving forward, climbing onward to the city of God. They might supplement their Bible study by learning of church history, reading old sermons, or reading books from men who have gone on before them. There is no such thing as knowing everything they need to know, so they are always learning, a perpetual disciple. They have a hunger to know their Lord, and they will not stop learning of Him until Christ calls them home to Glory.<br />
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~*~*~</div>
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These are some of the distinguishing marks of a Christian walking in the power of God. Notice how these marks resemble those Christians of the first century. Believers such as these are not content to merely show up to church, they hunger and thirst for their God and chase after Him with everything inside of them. He is their Grand Pursuit, their One True Love, the Great Passion of their lives. This is what separates them from the crowd and why others can tell there is something different about them. </div>
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God is the focus of their lives, the driving force, the One for whom their passions ignite. He is not a part of their lives, He is their life. Every breath is the Spirit, every heartbeat is Christ.</div>
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The simple fact is this. God uses those who are sold out for Him. He uses people who take Him seriously, who look around this world and lament the many who are perishing. They have no use for wasting time, they want to work for Jesus and store up treasures in Heaven. God favors those who glorify Him in truth, who want nothing more than to glorify Him through their lives. Our Lord looks at the heart and can clearly see if this desire is true or feigned. If it is feigned, nothing one can ever do will be able to counterfeit the power of God. </div>
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But if it is true, nothing can stop a Christian faithfully praising the One who is the Giver, the Sustainer, and the Creator of all things, for He is with them in power and great glory.</div>
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Amen.</div>
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-66194232744314166132020-03-09T12:31:00.001-07:002020-09-20T22:29:35.785-07:00The Glory of God in the Heart of a Woman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in December, I wrote a piece about <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-glory-of-god-in-heart-of-man.html" target="_blank">the glory of God in the heart of a man</a>. I wrote it not only because Christ is truly God and truly man, but also that Christ is alive in the brethren, looking out through our eyes. To those who've never witnessed a true, godly life, it is glorious to behold. Being a woman myself, I cannot help but stand in awe of godly brothers, as compared to the unrighteousness so common in men of this world.<br />
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However, it occurred to me as I live my own life, striving to walk by the Spirit rather than by the flesh, it might help to write another piece, from my own perspective, about the glory of God in the heart of a woman. I think she is likewise breathtaking, when considered against worldliness, vanity, and the war on femininity in these days.<br />
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Scripture certainly seems to agree, considering the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+31%3A10-31&version=ESV" target="_blank">Proverbs 31 woman</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+3%3A3-4&version=ESV" target="_blank">Peter's description of true beauty</a>, and how <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Proverbs%203:13-18" target="_blank">wisdom is personified as a godly woman</a>.<br />
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There are several examples of godly women all throughout Scripture, and even though you do not see them, you love them. If you are a Christian, you cannot help but be struck by stories the likes of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+12%3A1-8&version=ESV" target="_blank">Mary of Bethany</a> or <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+9%3A36-42&version=ESV" target="_blank">Dorcas</a> of Joppa. These were well-beloved, precious women. Why? Because they reflected Christ and loved much. They poured out their lives for their Lord, and in that was their beauty.<br />
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He was their beauty.<br />
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Here's where I think godly manhood and godly womanhood compliment each other. In a godly man, you witness the strength of Christ, the love of Christ, and also the tenderness of Christ. In a woman of God, you likewise see the tenderness, love, and strength of Christ, perhaps in varying degrees, but also, a woman shines His profound beauty.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, men absolutely do this as well. Christ's beauty can and does shine through the hearts of men. But it is not a man that Scripture describes as <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song%20of%20Solomon+2:2&version=ESV" target="_blank">a lily</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song%20of%20Solomon+5:2&version=ESV" target="_blank">a dove</a>, or <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+31%3A10&version=KJV" target="_blank">more precious than rubies</a>.<br />
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Why?<br />
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Take this for what it's worth, but this is my own experience with the matter. Women, for all intents and purposes, often leave scholarship to men. They are content to pray and get together with their sisters and do their Bible studies. There is nothing wrong in this! Many a lovely, saintly woman has marched on to Glory doing the same.<br />
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However, there is something to be said for the woman who takes the time to dig in and learn of her Savior, to appraise that Heavenly Jewel, to plunge into His Well, to drink deeply from His Fountain.<br />
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This gives women of God something of a "double portion" of the beauty of Christ. Not only does she know her Lord, she has a living and active relationship with Him that is unmistakable. She is not shallow, she is deep. She is not sparkling, she is radiant. Her glory is Christ's glory very much present in her. It is almost a tangible thing. Those around her can feel it in her presence. She does nothing but walk past, yet, it seems as if Christ Himself had done so. What is this specific glory?<br />
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It is called unction.<br />
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Unction is an old-timey theological word which means "anointing". We as Christians all have unction as we all have the Spirit of God alive within us, but this precious woman practically bathes in His Living Water. God Himself has poured out His glory for her, answering her prayers and anointing her life. How does this happen? Through a surrendered life. A truly surrendered life.<br />
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Men and women can both have God's unction upon them, but I believe it manifests in men and women in different ways. Men with unction protect the truth of God's Word and are bold and fearless when it comes to rebuking error and drawing lines in the sand for Christ. Women with unction nurture others, encourage the Body, and look to their Lord with eyes filled with His beauty. She makes Christ beautiful to those around her, and that is her special glory.<br />
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Because of this, women of God with unction of the Spirit are very precious to Christ. Not every believer sees His glorious beauty, or even has any familiarity with the "beauty of Jesus". But when they see her, they see Him. His beauty is unmistakable, shining from her face in radiant glory, as Moses descending Mt. Sinai.<br />
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She has spent many long and quiet hours with her Lord, sitting at His feet, learning of Him. She is storing up treasure in Heaven. She is even more of an anomaly if she is grown in the wilderness, with no other spiritual influence upon her. Driven by Christ to pursue Him no matter the personal cost to her, He has fashioned her for Himself as a mirror, if you will, that reflects Him to His Church.<br />
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"<i>...beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun...</i>" <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song%20of%20Solomon+6:10&version=ESV" target="_blank">~Songs 6:10</a><br />
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Even more, Christ makes absolutely certain that all will know His work in her is <u>HIS WORK</u> in her. These women are widows or unequally yoked, those bent over with disease, or the aged matriarchs of the family. In other words, these women are weak, frail, scared, lonely women. Often these are the ones overlooked by those in their family, who have endured great hardship, who had nowhere else to turn but to the Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
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And He has accepted them mightily. What lovely grace has He bestowed, to call these women His daughters? What manner of love has He given, that these might be called the children of God? What magnificent glory does He lavish, that these women fall deeper into the heart of Christ than anyone else they've ever known?<br />
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In short, Christ still has His Mary's of Bethany and His Dorcas's of Joppa within His Church. Perhaps their purpose in the Body is to showcase the transcendent beauty of Christ in a real and tangible way. These precious women will be looked upon in awe and wonder, so be advised, men of God, they must be protected. The beauty of Christ is magnetic yet divisive, and many will wish to adore and possess her, cruelly scoff at her, or wickedly use her for their own gain. If there is a woman with unction of the Spirit in your midst, protect her with your life if you have to.<br />
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She is the rarest of flowers in His garden, wondrously loved and exquisitely cherished by Christ. What the Great Husbandman has grown for His glory, let no man pluck for himself.<br />
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Amen.<br />
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<br />Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-34514691806338080052019-12-09T08:45:00.001-08:002020-09-20T22:34:28.484-07:00The Glory of God in the Heart of a Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have you ever stopped to meditate upon the truth that God Himself entered into our world and lived as a man? This is the most fantastic thing to happen in the history of the world. God became tangible, a Person, one whom you could touch, hug, and speak with directly. Have you ever had trouble holding someone's eye contact? How about eye contact with the Son of God? To know with certainty the One you're looking at knows every little thing about you?<br />
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This makes me swoon. It is overwhelming. Christ would have been so magnetic, and yet, I think I might have avoided Him a little bit if I had lived then. His eyes would have skewered you where you stood. I can't even imagine the weight of that look He gave Peter when Peter denied Him.<br />
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O, a heart shattered to pieces by a mere glance!<br />
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And yet, gazing into the eyes of Christ is what I'm most looking forward to in Glory. There is no wrath in them for me. Even so, the weight of such stunning love could not be withstood by my tissue-paper heart until His work was finished in me, until Heaven. If those eyes gazed at me now, I think I might fall over dead.<br />
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The more I come to know who Jesus was as a man through reading His Word, the more I can relate to the women who ministered to Him, who anointed Him, who collapsed at His feet weeping. He is the most magnificent man who has ever lived. As a woman myself, I cannot help but be overcome by His glory, even veiled in flesh. I often wonder how many women were secretly in love with Him? He had to have had some hearts following along behind Him in this way. I think it's impossible to be faced with literal perfection and not want to possess it as your own. There certainly was a level of devotion given to Christ these women didn't seem to give their own men.<br />
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Even now, two thousand years removed, Christ remains the most magnetic man to ever live. He stands head and shoulders above the best of men, the greatest of kings, the wisest of the wise. Of course, the lion's share of our adoration for Jesus comes from His indwelling Holy Spirit, who is the Witness of His majesty. How amazing, Christ lived for us so that by His Spirit, He could live in us and through us. Christ, through His Spirit, is still on this earth, through the hearts, and the eyes, of His children, the Body of Christ.<br />
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Christ became a man, to indwell men. Here I am, swooning again. Every son, every daughter, to a certain degree, have the eyes of Christ. I do not think there is a greater truth than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I do not think there is a higher honor than to have Christ alive in me.<br />
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This magnificent God, alive in me! That someone can look at me and see Him; that I can look at my brethren and see Him... O, how this overwhelms me!<br />
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"Do not look upon me, for I am black!"<br />
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And yet He replies:<br />
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"There is no flaw in you."<br />
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There is no flaw in HIM, therefore, in Him, there is no flaw in me. He is not apart from me, He is a part of me. He is all of me. He is in me. This is glory. The Son of God has united Himself to me, He lives through me, He looks out through my eyes. This is Glory!<br />
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God in a man... God in Christ... Christ in me...<br />
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Glory of glories, the most magnificent man is alive in me! I cannot fathom the depths of this bountiful treasure. It lays me out on the floor. And to see Christ in my brethren takes my literal breath away. It is often hard to look upon even them. He is so good to all of us, to shine His light through these jars of wretched clay.<br />
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Delight upon Christ this Christmas season and ponder these weighty things. What great and mighty majesty has He clothed us with by clothing us with Himself? What fear can conquer? What enemy can overcome? What evil can destroy? Nothing, and no one, can ever overcome Him. Take heart, dear one, He has overcome the world. And in Him, so shall you.<br />
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Lord Jesus, I ask that You shine the light of Your countenance upon us all. Ravish our hearts by one glance from Your eye. Give us this perspective, that You are absolutely glorious, the fairest among the sons of men. Lift our souls to You, soar us to the heights of Your fierce, yet sweet devotion. And by Your Spirit, let us come to know the fullness of You, to know the wonder of Your love, and the great lengths that God went to show Himself to us, to live in us, to save us, and to be with us.<br />
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Dear one, come to Jesus, look into His eyes, and find no condemnation there, only acceptance in the Beloved. <br />
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O, a heart in pieces made whole by a mere glance!<br />
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Praise the Lord!<br />
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<br />Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-60714641709371545722019-10-21T16:01:00.002-07:002020-09-20T22:39:26.565-07:00Corporate Prayer for My Pastors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently, God gave me the opportunity to pray with, for, and over my pastors and my church. I am not being facetious in saying this was likely the greatest honor of my life. I spent about two weeks preparing for this, in prayer, asking Christ what I should ask for, and how He wanted to bless this church. </div>
<br /><a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-glorious-grace-of-god.html" target="_blank">Considering men in ministry who have apostatized or taken their own lives over the past year</a>, I believe it is vitally important to pray for our pastors, elders, and leaders. I approached my own elders with the need to pray for them corporately, with the entire congregation, and praise God, they enthusiastically agreed. I did not expect anything from them, leaving them to figure out how they would bring it to pass. But our lead pastor contacted me and personally asked me to pray for, with, and over them. I was overwhelmed. <i>The Lord Jesus had just given me faithful men and a beautiful church to pray for. </i><div>
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How could I possibly say no?<br /><br />I decided if my pastors were going to give me the mic, I was going to make it a good and meaty prayer. I had to read this prayer from paper, because I'm a better writer than a public speaker, but I think, I hope, I pray, it blessed one and all. Many people approached me afterward to tell me they were greatly blessed and wanted copies of it to continue in prayer with me. Therefore, I decided to put it up on my blog to bless the whole world, and if you would like to pray this prayer over your own church, you are more than welcome to pray these words for your leaders as well.<div>
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I'm excited to watch how God's going to move at <a href="https://www.isonrise.com/" target="_blank">Sonrise Church</a>, and His Church worldwide, through this prayer. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for this blessing and this gift, for trusting me with upholding Your church before You, and for allowing me to love on my pastors, who have so often loved on me.</div>
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Lord Jesus, we come before You today to lift up our brothers, these precious men whom You have chosen to lead this precious flock, the pastors and shepherds of Sonrise Church. Lord, You have told us that if we love You, we must feed Your sheep. These men feed us day after day with service - and music - and prayer - and sermons. And yet, who feeds them? Today, it is our desire as the congregation of Sonrise to lift them to You and feed them through the love of our prayers.<br /><br />Song of Solomon 1:6 says, “They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept!” Never let this be said of these brothers. Our pastors love and care for us. We ask that You love and care for them as well, by helping them to keep their own vineyards. You have given them a Sabbath rest, and that is very good. We thank You for nourishing their souls by resting in You.<br /><br />Lord, along with much needed rest, we also ask that You give these men wisdom, that they might speak the truth of God by knowing and studying Your doctrine. Grow their love for You, for Your Word, and for Your people, that all might know we are Your disciples when we love one another. We ask for obedience to Your Word and to all that You have commanded, even if it goes against the tide of our culture. In John 14, You have linked obedience to Your commands as true love for God. May our brothers truly love You by obeying all that You have spoken.<br /><br />We ask that You grow their devotion to You, that their secret prayers be many, not only for this congregation, but also for their families and for themselves. Inspire them to ask You for what they need, whether it be more faith, more passion, more knowledge. Keep their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus through Your peace that surpasses all understanding. <br /><br />Along with wisdom and devotion, we ask for sharp discernment, that they know how to rightly divide Your Word and spot errors easily and efficiently. Protect this church from false teaching, and make these men the wall against which error is dashed. Do not allow error to take hold here, and may we all edify each other and build one another up.<br /><br />We ask for boldness and power, that our brothers will never waver, but stand firmly upon Your Rock with the unction and fullness of Your Holy Spirit. Move through these men, Lord, and through this church, as in the first century, and build our pastors into strong and brave men of God, as You did with Your Apostles, Peter, John, and Paul.<br /><br />Yet we ask You to temper their boldness with humility, that they might always speak the truth in love by getting out of Your way, and making themselves as nothing in order to exalt You, the Lord Jesus Christ, to Your church, for their good, and Your glory.<br /><br />We ask for holiness, as these men represent not only Sonrise, but You as Your ambassadors. You have told us we must be holy as You are holy. Grow each of these men into role models for this flock and for our community, that each man standing upon this stage can stand upon his own integrity as an example of a godly life.<br /><br />We ask You for Your favor, that our Father, Almighty God, would approve of their leadership and open doors of opportunity for this church in Hillsboro, the Pacific Northwest, and perhaps even the world. Nothing is impossible for You, Lord Jesus. You have told us to take Your Gospel into all the world. Please help us to that end.<br /><br />We ask for a deep reverence to settle upon their hearts, that when they speak, they do so with a sense of awe, knowing they have been hand-picked by the Head of the Church to do His work at Sonrise. Lord, eternity is at stake. These men and women of our congregation, our brothers and sisters who gather to hear our pastors every week, are those for whom You died. Let these men never be flippant or apathetic when it comes to the work of God.<br /><br />And finally, Lord Jesus, we ask You to give our pastors a healthy fear of God, that along with their reverence, they tremble when they stand in Your presence, and never lose sight of just how glorious and magnificent You are. You are the God of Sinai, of Zion, of Calvary. Your history teaches us that You are not merely the God of Americanized Evangelicalism. You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Prince of Peace, and the Lion of Judah. One day, You are coming back in great power and glory, and we must make ourselves ready. We ask as Your church that You make Sonrise ready, by equipping not only her pastors, but her congregation as well, with all wisdom, obedience, devotion, discernment, boldness, power, humility, holiness, favor, reverence, and the fear of God.<br /><br />Present Sonrise Church to Yourself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish before You.<br /><br />Thank You for the glory of Your grace, Lord Jesus. This is what we ask the King of Heaven. <br /><br />In Jesus’ magnificent name,<br />AMEN<br /><div>
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-14733272843347381512019-09-19T11:22:00.001-07:002020-09-20T22:41:04.396-07:00The Glorious Grace of God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What do you think of when you think on the grace of God? Salvation? Christ? Obviously grace is God's undeserved favor. He gives us His grace when we don't deserve it. He has decided to love us from Heaven and rescue us from the grave, that we might live forever with Him in Glory. The grace of God is surely a wondrous subject to ponder, and His kindness toward us is what compels us to repentance and turn to Him in love (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+2:4&version=ESV" target="_blank">Romans 2:4</a>).<br />
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However, there is an aspect of God's grace that not many believers understand or know. Not only does His grace have the power to save, it also has the power to uphold and sustain. We are saved from the penalty of sin, as well as its power. We are now dead to sin and alive to Christ; no longer slaves to sin, rather, we are slaves to righteousness (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6&version=ESV" target="_blank">Romans 6</a>).<br />
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The Bible is full of amazing promises that God gives us strength in our weakness and allows us to press on toward the goal. These graces aren't inherent within a believer, these gifts of God are given by the Holy Spirit; they are "every spiritual blessing in heavenly places" spoken of in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Ephesians 1:3</a>.<br />
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The whole point of regeneration - the Holy Spirit coming to live within the heart of man - is to make him a new creation, the old has gone, behold, the new has come (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+5:17&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 5:17</a>). We are born again the moment we first believe. This is not merely "Christianese", some antiquated Christian vernacular, being "born again" is a spiritual reality. When the Holy Spirit takes residence in the heart of man, he becomes a brand new man, and his heart has changed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+36:26&version=ESV" target="_blank">Ezekiel 36:26</a>). It is a literal rebirth of one's soul out of the grave and into the family of God (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A12-13&version=ESV" target="_blank">Colossians 1:12-13</a>).<br />
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For we have died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Colossians 3:3</a>). The Holy Spirit indwells us as the earnest of our inheritance (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A14&version=ESV" target="_blank">Ephesians 1:14</a>). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the Christian life possible. No unbeliever can be obedient to Scripture on their own (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+2:14&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 2:14</a>). It is only the one who has God's Spirit living within them (which according to <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+2%3A20&version=ESV" target="_blank">Galatians 2:20</a>, is <i><u>Christ Himself</u></i> living within them) who can endure to the end in faith (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24:13&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 24:13</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+13:13&version=ESV" target="_blank">Mark 13:13</a>).<br />
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In light of these realities, we come to realize the grace of God is not just pardon from Hell and death, it is also the power of God to enable His children to live in obedience to Him. This obedience manifests in holiness, godliness, and the fruits of the Spirit in the life of the believer. As the Apostle Paul says, it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2:13&version=ESV" target="_blank">Philippians 2:13</a>). In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph+2%3A10&version=ESV" target="_blank">Ephesians 2:10</a>, Paul says we've been "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Therefore, not only has God ordained our works, He then created us anew in Christ, and <i>also</i> gives us the grace to will and work for Him. That simply means God's grace not only gives us the work, but the <i>will to do the work</i>.<br />
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Let's take a look at something else the Apostle Paul wrote in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+12%3A7-10&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 12:7-10</a>. Here, he mentions a thorn in his flesh that he asked God to remove three times. Each time, God told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Paul goes on to declare he would then glory all the more in his weakness, for that's when the power of Christ rests on him.<br />
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Since we know God's grace is power to endure and also the will to do the work, then it makes absolute sense that God's grace would be sufficient in Paul's weakness. This is not some flippant reply of God, nor is it merely God's grace in salvation. God is telling Paul that by His grace, His strength is made perfect in his weakness. Why? Because when we, as broken jars of clay, do the magnificent work of Christ, the whole world will know it wasn't on our own strength, but by the power of God (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+4:7&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 4:7</a>). Our Lord has specifically set up His work to be obvious to one and all, and He consistently uses the weak things of this world to confound the wise (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+1:27&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 1:27</a>).<br />
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God highly prizes humility. In fact, He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4:6&version=ESV" target="_blank">James 4:6</a>). All too often we believers think of God giving us grace as some kind of hand-waving or a smile from Heaven. No. God's grace is literal power from the Throne to live our Christian lives.<br />
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I am a believer in the doctrines of grace, those doctrines which conclude that God's grace is irresistible. Here is a <a href="https://www.ligonier.org/blog/tulip-and-doctrines-grace/" target="_blank">link to an article at Ligonier Ministries written by Dr. Steven Lawson</a> that further fleshes out what these doctrines teach us about the grace of God. What does it mean that His grace is irresistible? It means just that - God's grace cannot be resisted or overridden. His will is sovereign to ours, and thus, His will shall come to pass, regardless of what we will. Remember the words of the Apostle John in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+5%3A14-15&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 John 5:14-15</a> - it is only those who pray according to the will of God who have their prayers answered. Even James, the brother of Christ, told us in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=james+4%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">James 4:3</a> that we ask and do not receive because we ask wrongly, to spend it on our passions.<br />
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It is God's grace, therefore, that reaches down from Heaven, turns a heart of stone into a heart of flesh, gives the new believer the will and the work, and upholds, sustains, and strengthens him throughout the course of His Christian life. If God upholds the universe by the Word of His power (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+1%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Hebrews 1:3</a>), how much more His children?<br />
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Recently in the news, there have been reports of pastors and worship leaders both apostatizing and committing suicide. I will not link to articles, but suffice it to say we have a problem in Christian circles. First of all, I do not believe those who apostatize (walk away from the faith) were ever true Christians to begin with (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+6%3A4-6&version=ESV" target="_blank">Hebrews 6:4-6</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John+2:19&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 John 2:19</a>). According to the doctrine of regeneration (rebirth) as well as the doctrines of grace (irresistible), God cannot, and will not, lose His true sons and daughters. One cannot be reborn, and then NOT reborn. The Holy Spirit does not desert a child of God. Union with Christ is permanent. One cannot be upheld, strengthened, and sustained by the grace of God and be lost. Nothing can snatch you out of God's hands (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A28-29&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 10:28-29</a>), and nothing in all creation can ever separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+8%3A38-39&version=ESV" target="_blank">Romans 8:38-39</a>).<br />
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Christ came to give life, and life more abundantly (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A10&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 10:10</a>), it is the <i>enemy</i> who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12:2&version=ESV" target="_blank">Hebrews 12:2</a>). Christ completes His work in us (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=phil+1%3A6&version=ESV" target="_blank">Philippians 1:6</a>) - <i>notice it is HIS work in us</i>. Notice we are not to throw away our confidence; we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A35-39&version=ESV" target="_blank">Hebrews 10:35-39</a>). God is faithful to complete our sanctification (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+thess+5%3A23-24&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 5:23-24</a>). This is the grace of God. All of it, from beginning to end. Never once in the Bible are we given credit for our works for God after regeneration - it is all HIS work, HIS grace, for HIS glory.<br />
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In short, God's grace never fails. As surely as He upholds His universe, He upholds His children. He gives them pardon from Hell and death, as well as power to abstain from sin. God's grace is sufficient to sustain and strengthen those who are weak, and He will not allow us to fall away or perish in the flesh, even by our own hand, until our work, <i><u><b>His work</b></u></i>, is done. God's grace is irresistible. God's will is sovereign. Those who shrink back, those who give up, are not living in the power of the Spirit, nor in the will of God. God's grace is a subtle work, but it has great power as it is working. It is not tangible, but rather, like the wind (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+3%3A8&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 3:8</a>). You might not be able to see where it comes from or where it goes, but you can see it's effects on the Christians, and the world, around you.<br />
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God's grace is His power to save, sustain, strengthen, and uphold His children. How many of us have testimonies of our lives before and after Christ? Do you now resemble the person you once were? Of course not, and likely, you wouldn't want to be in the company of your old self. A Christian who walks by the Spirit is walking in the glorious power of God's grace. We cannot forget this, Church. Those who belong to God are upheld by God. They will not, and cannot, fail while God holds them, which is as long as He sits upon His Throne.<br />
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Amazing grace indeed.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&tag=beckagoings-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=0147f2f339b081f97e3fcd1aea02d1d2&camp=1789&creative=9325&node=12290">Christian Books on Amazon</a><img src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=beckagoings-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-9863000642260384792019-05-17T09:22:00.002-07:002020-09-20T22:41:42.203-07:00Ask, Seek, Knock - A Study on Matthew 7:7-8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever since I was a young girl, this passage in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+7%3A7-8&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 7:7-8</a> has fascinated me. These words were spoken by Christ at the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached. I am convinced a pastor could preach for the rest of his life on the glorious truths our Lord revealed in the Sermon on the Mount. What has always struck me about these specific words of Christ is the absolute "unlimitedness" our Lord promises to those who love Him.<br />
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All one must do for this "unlimitedness" is so simple, any child, any elderly, any able-bodied, can ask, seek, and knock. Christ's words are an illustration rather than something we must physically do. These are spoken of spiritual truths, therefore even if one should be blind, bedridden, ill, young, immature, feeble, or frail, they are able, with equal measure, to ask, seek, and knock as fervently as someone in the prime of their lives.<br />
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In meditating on this passage, I noticed our Lord repeats the same thing twice. Why? Seems redundant to say the same thing even if worded a little differently. The reason is subtle, but it is genius in its execution. First, Christ makes these things a command. Ask, seek, and knock are all imperative words; they compel you to do these things. Imperative sentences command someone to do something, such as, "Bring me my jacket" or "Clean up your mess". In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+7%3A7&version=ESV" target="_blank">verse seven</a>, we see Christ is giving imperative commands.<br />
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But in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+7%3A8&version=ESV" target="_blank">verse eight</a>, He switches from commands -- to promises. The promise can be seen in the command, but Jesus restates His message from "shall be" to a more solid "will be" to make His case even stronger. He changes His tactics so as not to be preaching mere proverbs. You could likely imagine opening a fortune cookie and getting a message like in verse seven, "Ask, and it shall be given you." Very philosophical and profound, but any guru can say that. However, in restating the same as promises, He has now bound the Lord God to uphold them. These are not mere platitudes, these are absolute truths. "For everyone who asks receives."<br />
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Now let's take a look at <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+11%3A9-13&version=ESV" target="_blank">this same passage in Luke's Gospel</a>. The entire passage is a lesson that God gives good gifts to His children. Yet the same passage in Luke gives us a deeper understanding of Christ's commands to ask, seek, and knock.<br />
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The key verse above is <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+11%3A13&version=ESV" target="_blank">verse 13</a>. This passage is not about some nebulous "good gifts" God bestows but something - Someone - quite specific. The Holy Spirit Himself.<br />
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Armed with that knowledge, we can now open the passage and see the spiritual truth Christ is conveying through His commands. Asking, seeking, and knocking, therefore, refers to the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. Christ does not give us carte blanche in prayer to spend our requests upon our lusts (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4:3&version=ESV" target="_blank">James 4:3</a>), but He does give us carte blanche with the giving of Himself.<br />
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Let's break down the passage so we can see this more clearly.<br />
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<b><u>Ask</u></b> - Asking of God assumes a certain humility. The child of God comes before Him and asks Him, he does not demand, command, or assume. He asks, like a little child going to his father, which Christ fleshes out with the bread and a fish illustration. The humble child will also be the obedient child. Ask any parent on earth and they are not likely to reward the rebellious child. The same is true for God. There are many other Scriptures that outline answered prayer is directly tied to obedience to the will of God (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A23&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 14:23</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A22&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 John 3:22</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+5%3A14-15&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 John 5:14-15</a>). Obedience to Christ's commands is truly loving Him (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A15&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 14:15</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A10&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 15:10</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+5%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 John 5:3</a>). Therefore, in asking and receiving, we must first seek the Kingdom of God before all these things be added unto us (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+6%3A33&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 6:33</a>). In asking and receiving, we also see the majesty of God's grace toward sinful men, for unless He binds Himself to this promise, He is under no obligation to keep it for any of us.<br />
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<b><u>Seek</u></b> - Seeking and asking seem to go hand-in-hand. But seeking goes beyond mere asking. This is a pursuit, not only of Christ, but of knowledge, wisdom, and truth. God has many promises throughout Scripture that those who seek Him shall find Him when they seek Him with all of their hearts. This is not a half-hearted endeavor, this is all-in. This seeking echoes the words of Jacob: "I will not let You go unless You bless me." You might say this seeking is hungering and thirsting for righteousness. This life cannot be all there is. There must be something bigger, something truer, something good, Someone bigger, Someone truer, Someone good, and I will not rest until I find Him. Praise the Lord, to these who truly wish to find, God promises He will be found. Within this promise, God displays His faithfulness to fulfill the promises of His Word.<br />
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<b><u>Knock</u></b> - Knocking assumes a certain curiosity. Perhaps one has doubts and doesn't presume to barge through the door, but knocks instead. Is this the way? Is this the right door? No one but family or a close friend walks right into one's house. Knocking also assumes a certain humility not to walk right in, lest they be trespassing. What's interesting in this particular illustration is that Christ called Himself "the Door" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A9&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 10:9</a>). To the one who knocks on this Door in humility, and with a hunger to know the truth, the Door shall open.<br />
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Returning to what we learned about the Holy Spirit in the Luke passage, let's apply Him to the text now, and see what it reveals.<br />
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Whatever we ask of God with regards to the Holy Spirit, He will give us. What does that mean? What is God's will for your Christian life? To know more? To love more? To serve more? To seek more? To be more wise? To be strong in faith? To be led to sound doctrine? To know our Bibles? To study our Bibles? To pray more? To shine Christ all around us? <u>YES TO ALL</u>. These are the carte blanche prayers. More of God, more of Christ, more of the Spirit. Yes, ask, and ye shall receive.<br />
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Consider this: those who are seeking... are being led. They are actively being drawn to the Father by the Spirit of God. It is Christ who seeks and saves the lost. The seeking child is being drawn by irresistible grace. If the Spirit leads one to seek, they shall find, for He who began a good work in you shall be faithful to complete it.<br />
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With regards to knocking and the Holy Spirit, one truth shines in this passage that not many have seen. When I saw it, I sat back in awe. "Knock, and it shall be opened." It shall be opened. What does the Holy Spirit open, beloved? Take a minute to think on that question. What does He open?<br />
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Our minds to the Scriptures (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119%3A18&version=ESV" target="_blank">Psalm 119:18</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A45&version=ESV" target="_blank">Luke 24:45</a>). YES! He opens our minds, He opens His Book, and we are able to see wondrous things from His Law. God's Word is "locked" until it is opened by the Holy Spirit. Anyone can read the words, but the wisdom of God and knowledge of His doctrine comes by spiritual discernment (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2%3A14&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 2:14</a>).<br />
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Can you see the beauty and the majesty of what Christ is teaching in this passage? Ask of Me, and I will give you Myself in My unlimitedness. You will find Me when you seek Me, and I will open My secrets to you.<br />
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Now that we know the full weight of these words, let's consider <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+14%3A21&version=ESV" target="_blank">another passage in John's Gospel</a>. Ask, seek, and knock was given on the Sermon on the Mount to the throng who had gathered to hear Him. But these words were spoken intimately to those whom He loved, His disciples in the Upper Room.<br />
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Since we've fleshed out this passage, I want you to see <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+7%3A7-8&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 7:7-8</a> in these words in the book of John. Keep ask, seek, knock in your back pocket as you read these familiar words:<br />
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"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me." - <b>ASK</b> - Receive<br />
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"And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father," - <b>SEEK</b> - Find<br />
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"And I will love him and manifest Myself to him." - <b>KNOCK</b> - Open<br />
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<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A21&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 14:21</a> is Christ's own exposition to <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+7%3A7-8&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matthew 7:7-8</a> and <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke+11%3A9-13&version=ESV" target="_blank">Luke 11:9-13</a>. The obedient child is the one whose prayers are answered. The one who loves Christ is loved by the Father, and will find Him. Christ opens His mysteries by His Spirit, manifesting Himself, to those who love Him.<br />
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What glory! What majesty! What magnificent truth! He gives us freely of Himself in His "unlimitedness" if we but ask Him. He promises to be found and He will open His mysteries to all those who love Him!<br />
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Ask what you will, seek where you will, knock as you will and He will provide every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. They are ours already, we have but to ask, seek, and knock! (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Ephesians 1:3</a>) Seek Christ for more of Christ through the power of His Holy Spirit, and you shall have carte blanche to possess all the riches of Almighty God Himself.<br />
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<b><i>PRAISE THE LORD!!</i></b><br />
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&tag=beckagoings-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=0147f2f339b081f97e3fcd1aea02d1d2&camp=1789&creative=9325&node=12290">Christian Books on Amazon</a><img src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=beckagoings-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-79495494512876109252019-04-23T18:21:00.001-07:002020-09-20T22:42:08.990-07:00To What Can I Compare the Love of God?To what can I compare the love of God? It is a vast sea, no bottom nor brim, no shore and no end. It simply IS, throughout all ages and all eternity.<br />
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His love is mighty yet tender, fierce yet gentle. He is a Conqueror, but also a Lover. His delight is in mercy, and His heart is full of grace. <br />
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God is a selfless Sovereign, and His glory shines brightest in His humility. We cannot comprehend it, as our flesh desires glory of self, yet our God has taught us that true love is giving ourselves away. <br />
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True love is being a servant of all.<br />
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His heart is infinite, and those who are His children will never know His absence. In love, He teaches and leads and guides; He seeks and saves and sanctifies.<br />
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He is the Good Shepherd, and He laid down His life for His sheep, that they might know Him, be with Him, and forever adore Him.<br />
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God in Christ; what magnificent love that leaves the Throne of Glory to suffer death for His people! He has promised eternal life for those whom He loves, and He lavishes His radiant love upon them.<br />
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What splendor adorns this Almighty God, that He hears - and moves - at the prayers of His people? What dignity does He bestow upon sinners to so clothe them in His own righteousness?<br />
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This glorious God, for all that He has done, is doing, and has promised to do, how can I not stand in awe of Him and fall down upon my knees? He has the power to snuff out my life, and yet, He does not. He gives me another day and says, "Come to Me and I will give you rest."</div>
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What sweet cordial is this? What great promise? In this world of evil and sin, He is our Safe Harbor, our Fortress, our Shield. Our cloud by day; our fire by night.<br />
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O, Lord Christ, come and love me. Wash me, clothe me, and present me to Yourself without spot or wrinkle. Chase all other gods from my heart and give me one resounding song: CHRIST!<br />
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Always fill these eyes with love for You. Fill me up with fullness of Your Spirit. Yeshua! I want no other love in my heart or my life than love for my God and His magnificent Love for me. <br />
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You are so great and I am not, but my being is laid bare before You; You can see it all. Blow on the ember of my love, until it roars forth with a most vehement flame. If it should consume me, then so be it, for I would rather journey to Glory on a fiery chariot than be swept away on a chariot of Pharaoh. </div>
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Plunge me to the depths and soar me to the heights of Your love. Let me know You in Your majesty and keep my eyes focused on You. Love me and lead me, great God of my heart.<br />
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Come, Thou King of Kings, and crown Your heart with mine. Take all of me, for I will have no other gods before You. Words cannot adequately express my love for You. Come and see! Open my soul and look, precious Lord. It is not much, but it is true, and it is Yours.<br />
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In Jesus' name,</div>
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Amen.</div>
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-39102762294386560542019-03-09T10:19:00.001-08:002020-09-20T22:42:51.107-07:00Sisters, Do You Pursue Christ?I have spoken with many brothers in the faith who outline their daily routine with the Lord. They get up early, they read Scripture for a time, they pray in the quiet and enjoy perhaps an hour or two of uninterrupted communion with Christ.<br />
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Sisters, how about you?<br />
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Undoubtedly we women are busy, perhaps caring for young children or getting ready for our shift at work. Maybe we're chronically ill and just getting out of bed is a chore. But I ask you sisters anyway, do you pursue Christ? On your own? Apart from your husband?<br />
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Allow me to be blunt for a moment. No one can know Christ by being Christ-adjacent. We cannot ride to Heaven on the coat-tails of our husbands. Perhaps they might lead us spiritually, but that does not mean we have no responsibility to pursue Christ for ourselves.<br />
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Daily devotions don't count, in my opinion. It's too easy for a woman to get wrapped up in her favorite author's 365 daily devotionals that talk about being "Christ's princess" or that "we matter" rather than getting our noses deep in real, actual, meaty Bible study. Why do we do this, sisters?<br />
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Why is Christ's banquet table for the men, while the women are content at the kiddie table? No, not me. Christ has spread His table for one and all. Pardon me, ladies; I am going to His feast.<br />
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If there's one thing Christ Himself proved during His ministry, it's that women have been given a profound privilege in His church. We are allowed to come directly to Him, to sit at His feet, and to learn of Him. Do not see your husband as your go-between, nor allow yourself to treat him as such. <b><u>There is no mediator between Jesus and women.</u></b> Christ has always been close with His daughters; He has given us dignity, and He is specifically tender toward us. Why would we deny ourselves from chasing after this glorious God-man who beckons us to come to Him freely and boldly?<br />
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I have often wondered why our Lord Jesus has seen fit to mold me into a woman who pursues Him. But the more I ponder it, the more I believe He wants all of us to come. This isn't some privilege given to a few, but to all! I can tell you from first-hand knowledge that experiencing the presence of Christ through diligent prayer and study is the closest we can get to Heaven in this flesh. We are starving ourselves, sisters, if we reach for the crumbs of devotions rather than the True Bread of Heaven. We are wasting away reading devotions written in "Christ's voice" rather than what He has proclaimed Himself in His True and Living Word!<br />
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It would seem publishers and Christian authors have tapped into a deep-seated need within women to know they are loved and valuable. These particular books (written by other women, mind) have tender words, encouraging stories, and make us feel good about ourselves. I'll tell you straight up, if all you eat is sweets, you will not be nourished beyond the sugar rush. Ladies, put down the milk. Chew on the meat of the Word! All you need can be found in Christ. What you are so longing for is HIM, <i>His</i> tenderness, <i>His</i> worth, <i>His</i> strength, <i>His</i> beauty, <i>His</i> mercy, <i>His</i> grace.<br />
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As a woman myself, who is also a former author of romance novels before I was saved, I honestly believe women are "wired", for lack of a better word, to search for the romance in relationships. But often what daily devotions and books for women do is romance the woman about <i><u>HERSELF</u></i>. How great you are, how much you matter, how you're Christ's princess, the value you have in God's eyes.<br />
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True pursuit of Christ is simply this:<br />
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<b><u>More of Him; less of me.</u></b><br />
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Get yourself out of the way and fix your eyes upon Christ! See how Great <i>He</i> is. Understand how much <i>He</i> matters. Behold the glory of <i>His</i> worth. This is the ONLY food that will nourish us, sisters, no matter if we are married or single, in a godly marriage or unequally yoked, widowed or abandoned.<br />
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My precious sisters in Christ, look unto Him and be ye saved, for He is God, and there is no other.<br />
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In the magnificent name of my lovely Lord Christ,<br />
Amen.
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<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></script>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-75996483221344162292019-02-23T22:22:00.001-08:002020-09-20T22:43:05.235-07:00Sisters, Do You Know Your Bible?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If there's one thing for which our Lord Jesus Christ has given me a great passion, I would say it's getting to know Him, by any means, at any cost. If you've followed this blog for any length of time, you'll know I have had a long history with Christ, but <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2017/03/o-lord-jesus-grant-us-godly-repentance.html" target="_blank">I believe I didn't become a Christian in truth until 2011</a>. Looking back over the course of my life, I can see a certain "structure", as if Christ Himself had been building me up until the very moment He swooped down and claimed me for Himself as I sat crying and lost on some crag of despair.<br />
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During my lonely childhood, I learned how to pray to Him. I journaled to Him all the time, jotting down my pathetic teenage dramas. During my high school years, I learned the keyboard so I could type and realize my dream of becoming a published author. As an adult, I accomplished my dream, and spent many hours reading, and many hours researching facts and history for book plots. What kind of books did I write? Romance.<br />
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When Christ called me to Himself, <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2015/02/saying-no-to-world-and-yes-to-jesus-my.html" target="_blank">He had me lay down my career as a romance author</a> and turned my heart to chase after another Love - Himself. But here's the thing. Can you see what He was building up in me? I loved to read. My heart adored research. I enjoyed digging in and getting to know things I didn't know before. I had experience with writing and editing my work to make it a more cohesive story. I had been swept away by true love and all that it entails, not knowing that one day, I'd be swept away by the Greatest Love Story of All.<br />
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Now that I am a Christian, Jesus has sanctified all these things for Himself. He has trained me for prayer, for journaling, for reading, for writing, for research, and for being starry-eyed about the power of True Love. This is not the same trajectory for every Christian's life. We each have our own place in His Body, and I believe He equips each of His children in various ways for His glory. I firmly believe He has a plan for all of us, and that plan includes building us up to showcase Himself in our lives.<br />
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The great glory of a Christian's life is letting our light so shine before men that they will see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. Since my conversion, I have worked toward that goal in my own life. I have a drive in me, given by Christ, to share what I learn of Him with the world. I do believe there are varying degrees to which a Christian can share Christ with others, in their homes, their churches, or their communities. However ultimately, I do believe every Christian should be teaching and discipling other Christians in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
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That brings me to the point of this post. I am not an anomaly. My Christian walk is not odd or other. Different Christians are at different points in their sanctification; one might be mature, while the other is still a babe in Christ. But this is no excuse to neglect our Bibles.<br />
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How well do you know the Scriptures? No matter how Christ has structured your life, no matter what your talent or skill in His Body, He still commands for His Word to abide in your heart. In fact, this command is directly linked to answered prayer (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A7&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 15:7</a>). Those Christians who have answered prayer are those who abide in Christ, and who also have His Word abiding in them.<br />
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Let's get something clear, however. I'm <i>not</i> asking if you read your Bible. Many sisters in Christ read the Bible as a duty or something they must do on a reading schedule. What I <i>am</i> asking is how has what you've read influenced your life? How deeply has it seeped into your heart? How often does it direct your thoughts? How much has it influenced your devotion to Christ? Can you see an upward arch in yourself over the course of the years you've been reading Scripture to become more and more like Jesus?<br />
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All too often, we as women leave the deeper study to the men. That's for pastors, or for my husband. I'm fine with daily devotions. <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/05/women-teaching-women-glorious-gift-of.html" target="_blank">Any woman who strives to go deeper with God is seen as a "teacher" or "called" to ministry.</a> Perhaps that is true, but that's not always the case. Some of us just really love Jesus!<br />
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The problem I see with letting our Bibles collect dust, sisters, is that we become easy pickins for the enemy. We must know Christ if we are to fight the enemy away from our hearts, and from the hearts of our children. We cannot rely on what we "feel" about Jesus. We must know Him! Even our Lord said that knowing Him, the true Christ of Scripture, is eternal life:<br />
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<i>"And this is eternal life, <u>that they know you</u>, the only <u>true</u> God, <u>and Jesus Christ</u> whom you have sent." ~~<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 17:3</a></i></blockquote>
Daily devotions are not enough. Washing our hands every day in a bunch of Bible chapters isn't enough either. It is not <i>quantity</i> of Bible reading that is beneficial, it is the <i>quality</i> of it. Spiritual maturity and knowledge of Christ comes through two avenues. First, we pray and ask God to open His Word to us, and second, we slow down and meditate on His Word rather than worrying about reading it through in a year. Grab a pen and start jotting down some notes or thoughts as you read. Start in a book, any book, and read it through while taking notes and making note of things you see and read.<br />
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I began doing this in 2012, the year after I had become a Christian. I had many Bibles, so I picked a nondescript one to write in, while keeping the others pristine. I did a few of the smaller books in the New Testament, but then decided to keep going and eventually annotate the whole thing. I'm still not done even though I began years ago, however, I am almost finished. But I'm not sure I will ever be "finished". As I grow and mature in my faith, I see more in the pages, and the pen comes out to write new notes in older books I've already studied. This nondescript Bible I decided to mark up has now become one of my most treasured possessions. I want to hand it down to my son one day. What a remarkable heirloom it will become!<br />
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But creating an heirloom is not why I have written study notes in the margins of this Bible. I did it so I could know the Lord Jesus. Over the course of these years, He has given me many things I have asked of Him. I asked for His Word to open to me. I believe He has allowed it to do so. I asked to recall things I might have read in passing. He has allowed this as well. I might not remember chapter and verse, but a quick search in a Bible app finds the passage quickly. I have asked for Him to grow me in wisdom and to lead me to sound doctrine. I believe He has done this as well.<br />
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Again, this is the fruit of a child of God that asks, seeks, and knocks. If we don't have a heart such as this, we must pray and ask for it! We know we have what we've asked for if we ask according to His will (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+5%3A14-15&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 John 5:14-15</a>). And what is His will? For us to become solid, mature Christians. Whatever we ask of Him in that regard He will answer in all the fullness of God!<br />
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I do not believe a life of daily devotions would have been enough for Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, or even Mary of Nazareth! No, these women followed our Lord Jesus wherever He went. They learned of Him, at His feet, from His own mouth. <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-scandalous-love.html" target="_blank">They poured out their devotion to Him in front of everyone, and they weren't ashamed to do so</a>. These are the women I wish to emulate in my life. I want to know Christ for myself, not because I want to become some "teacher called to the ministry." If that is Christ's will for me, then amen; let's go! But I study because I love Him, and because I want to know Him. I want to count it all as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord!<br />
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Sisters, let me say that studying my Bible has been the most eye-opening and thrilling endeavor I have ever undertaken. Christ has taken a common housewife and made her <i>shine</i> with His glory! The knowledge of Heaven is in her heart, and His doctrine has dug deep roots within her soul. I am not an anomaly. My Christian walk is not odd or other. This is true, devoted, Biblical Christianity.<br />
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And this is my prayer for all my sisters in Christ. If you have no role-models in your life, determine yourself to be that role-model for others. If you know of no strong Christians, ask God to fashion you into one. If you don't know anyone to teach you these things, ask God to teach you. Do not deny yourself a rich, fulfilling, abundant life with Christ! He promises these things to every believer who worships Him in Spirit and in truth. <a href="https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-truth-about-godly-womanhood.html" target="_blank">Come to Him, ye women of God</a>; drink from His fountain, eat from His table. Look unto our Lord Jesus Christ, sisters, for those who do are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.<br />
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Amen.<br />
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<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></script>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-37756723262489728072019-02-18T10:41:00.001-08:002020-09-20T22:43:16.667-07:00The Preeminence of Christ is Now a Downloadable PDF!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay folks, here we go - my <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14jxNlffTNwt_7CNACNSeKw6nVKnMvpqn/view">Preeminence of Christ study</a> is now a <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14jxNlffTNwt_7CNACNSeKw6nVKnMvpqn/view">downloadable PDF</a>! Feel free to share it, download it, print it, read it, quote it, whatever. This is a free eBook you can use to study with your children, your spouse, your friends, your small group, or your church. It remains in the format of a six week study, with the discussion questions, the personal questions, and Scripture references intact.<br />
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I pray this PDF can "go into all the world" and bring glory to Christ as He wills. Praise the Lord! <br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/14jxNlffTNwt_7CNACNSeKw6nVKnMvpqn/view">https://drive.google.com/file/d/14jxNlffTNwt_7CNACNSeKw6nVKnMvpqn/view</a><br />
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<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></script>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-31841946580928558362019-01-11T09:04:00.001-08:002020-09-20T22:43:49.840-07:00The Serious Christian <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever notice that some Christians are more serious than others? Not that their countenance is stony and their heart is hard, rather, their pursuit of Christ is something that catches your eye. You want to be like them. They inspire you. Their easy, yet steadfast faith almost takes your breath away when compared to your own. What is it about these people that seems almost as if they’re clothed even now with the glory of Heaven? <br /><br />Usually, when we think of a “serious” Christian, we might think of one who is legalistic or stern, someone who is more disciplinarian than disciple. Surely that seems to be the caricature of evangelicals by unbelievers. But I’m not talking about legalists or those who think having a tattoo sends you to Hell. I’m talking about those Christians who are so in love with Christ that their walk with Him is almost like a love affair. They seem to have an understanding of Jesus that the average pew-sitter does not have.<br /><br />I am of the opinion these Christians are forged by Christ Himself to stir up His church to look unto Him. For reasons only Jesus knows, He gives some Christians a fuller measure of grace to chase after Him as He skips across the mountains like a young stag. The Spirit does a work in their hearts so that they adore studying Scripture and never forsake their prayer closets. They have no distractions in their lives, or if they do, they don’t let these distractions distract them from their pursuit of Christ.<br /><br />Part of how Christ shapes these Christians is through their own prayers. I believe He inspires these to pray for Him to make them into serious Christians. “Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief!” This is the prayer of those who chase after Jesus. They seem to instinctively know the will of God is for them to be a strong and faithful believer. The Spirit inspires them to pray in that direction. They ask God for more faith, more drive, more desire for Him. They know they cannot love Him in the way He commands in Scripture, with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, without His help. So they ask for Him to help them love Him. <br /><br />Serious Christians have a deeper communion with the Spirit of God because of this. They know the fruit of their lives is the result of their pleading prayers, and therefore they take no credit for their demeanor, and know the work in their hearts is God’s alone. It is this mark of the Spirit upon them that others recognize. Old theologians call this mark “unction”, and it’s what allows the serious Christian to also be a fruitful Christian. <br /><br />When a believer seeks after God with all their heart, they begin to see and understand the depths of God’s truth in Scripture. When they explain these things to others, they are seen as having gifts of wisdom, discernment, and often teaching. Scripture recall is easy for these, as they have meditated on God’s Word, and His Spirit brings the Word into their remembrance. Often, God gifts them with various ways to communicate these truths in deep, yet simple ways, sometimes via sermons, writing, speeches, art, or song. <br /><br />God uses these serious children of His to raise the spiritual temperature of the believers around them. He gifts them to various churches, and often, the congregations they fellowship with transition from superficial teaching to deep, meaty doctrine over the course of a few years. It’s also possible God cleans house within these congregations and removes sinning or unbelieving leadership. This happens not necessarily due to direct involvement by the serious Christian, rather, it is due to their prayers for their church and for their pastors, and God hears them. <br /><br />Very often what is done in secret is rewarded openly. Church leadership might not know why God is moving so mightily in their congregations, but the serious Christian knows. The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. <br /><br />However, these serious Christians are the ones you wouldn’t expect. They have no pomp or circumstance. They are often the widows, the orphans, or the ones bent over in pain. They are the ones God has mightily humbled, the soft-spoken ones, with easy smiles and warm hearts. Their faith shines from them like the sun, and you cannot help but want to stand in these rays, hoping for some of their warmth to warm your own heart.<div>
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<br />Like a lit match, these Christians are the ones who ignite others and inspire them to likewise be serious about their faith. This is how God incites revival. Rarely does revival come to the big tent meeting; revival comes to the heart of the serious Christian, and that passion for Christ spreads to the hearts and minds of those around them. Due to this, God makes sure the vessels He uses are the weak, the broken, the downtrodden, the overlooked, in order to show the world the glory of His great power to move among the hearts of men.<br /><br />You do not need to be around a serious Christian for long to know they are being used mightily of God. They have an air about them, a fragrance of Christ, and often you find yourself glancing over at them in curiosity. It is even possible to recognize these Christians with “unction” of the Holy Spirit in history. Their lives shined so brightly in their day and age, the unction is obvious. Men like Jonathan Edwards or Charles Spurgeon. Women like Amy Carmichael or Corrie Ten Boom.<br /><br />How can one become one of these serious Christians? How can one come to pursue the Living God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength? Do you recognize superficiality in yourself? Do you notice a certain boredom when reading Scripture? Does your mind wander in prayer? Are you always tired in church? Do you feel cold and at times shut off from God? The good news is there is a cure for these maladies. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.<br /><br />God forges serious Christians on the anvil of humility. He will not reveal Himself to anyone who wishes these gifts for their own gain, to be seen as “mighty” in their church. He only moves in the heart of the believer who wants to adore Christ for Christ’s own sake, not their own. Cater your prayers to ask God for what you do not have. Drive. Passion. A heart on fire. Ask God for a strong desire to study, to pray, to know Him above all things lest you die! <br /><br />These are the prayers of those who shine forth like the sun at full strength. Ask God for the unction of His Holy Spirit, not for your glory, but for His. But be advised, these are dangerous prayers. The serious Christian does not have dry eyes. They often have broken hearts. They weep and cry like Jeremiah, wondering why no one listens to the things they have to say. The sad truth of the serious Christian is they are sometimes overlooked by other Christians. They’re not understood, they can be seen as morose, or perhaps the more superficial believers feel threatened in their presence. Conviction of their thin faith isn’t welcome, and this pains those who are lovers of God.<br /><br /><div>
Just as in Scripture, God conforms these children in the wilderness - on their own. It matters not if they have fellow believers in their family. The serious Christian is often required to walk this road alone, without family, friends, or even their own spouse. In this way, God tests their resolve. Do they love their spouse, their family, or their friends more than they love Christ? Or are they willing to lay them all aside to chase after the all-consuming fire of the King of Glory?</div>
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<br />Ultimately, the greatest test to give yourself to know whether or not you are a serious Christian, or that God is about to mold you into one, is this: How much do you love and adore the Lord Jesus Christ? Who is He to you? Does your heart take flight at His name alone? Do you fall at His feet as though dead when you meditate on all that He has given to you through His crucifixion, death, and resurrection? Does this literally take your breath away? Is your mind drawn to Him again and again throughout the day, no matter what you’re doing? Does Christ seem to be the great obsession of your heart? Do you have a secret inner life of prayer that no one knows a thing about? Do you often find yourself weeping to Jesus that no one else around you is as serious about their faith as you are about yours?<br /><br />These are the marks of a serious Christian. While it can be terrifying to know you’ll be required to walk this road alone, I daresay there is no more fulfilling road to walk this side of Glory. You will have a communion with Christ other Christians don’t share. You will have wisdom rooted in His Word that He only reveals to those who humbly seek Him. You’ll have a greater sense of His presence and love upon you. He will become your all, your everything, the One for whom your heart beats. If this is God’s calling upon your life, you cannot run from it. He will chase you down until you submit to Him lavishing this grace upon you. <br /><br />But do not fear this, beloved. Our Lord Jesus Christ has chosen you out of His other disciples to be one of His closest friends. This is a magnificent honor. Be a light unto your church and your brethren, and go forth clothed in the fragrance of Christ. Never, never be ashamed to wear His name, and know that His banner over you is love. The serious Christian is Christ’s own gift to His church. If you recognize these marks within yourself, then Jesus will guide you, lead you, and make you fruitful for His Kingdom. <br /><br />Through your one passionate heart, O serious Christian, God is on the move. Praise the Lord.<br /><br /></div>
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-75271008551645002112019-01-07T15:06:00.001-08:002020-09-20T23:05:54.911-07:00Christ's Closest FriendHow many sermons have you heard that allegorize the story of David and Goliath, where David is you, and Goliath is some problem you must overcome? Despite the fact that this story isn't about you (it foreshadows Christ defeating sin, you're actually the trembling Israelites), one thing I haven't heard much from the pulpit is taking the lives of the disciples of Christ as our examples in our own walk with the Lord.<br />
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We know Christ was followed by many people. Some followed Him to get a handout, others were genuinely curious (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+6%3A24&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 6:24</a>). More than just His disciples followed Him wherever He went. We know blind Bartimaeus from Jericho followed Him after his healing (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A52&version=ESV" target="_blank">Mark 10:52</a>), and so too did Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+8%3A1-3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Luke 8:1-3</a>). Along with these, Christ had twelve specific disciples He hand-picked Himself. These were the men He revealed deeper secrets to, who were the recipients of His greater teachings. But even within the twelve, there were three who were His closest friends, Peter, James, and John. These three men were privileged to know and witness things the others did not.<br />
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Peter walked on water. John was allowed to rest his head on Christ's chest, and he called himself the disciple Jesus loved. Peter, James, and John all witnessed Jesus transfigured in glory upon the mountain, and not only that, they saw Moses and Elijah as well! These are incredible events these specific men were allowed to do and witness. The others were truly Christ's disciples as well, however, these three were favored by our Lord.<br />
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James was martyred early, the first of Christ's true original disciples to die for his faith. But Peter and John went on to become the leaders of the Apostles, and John was given the Revelation late in his life, the only Apostle to die of old age.<br />
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What made these men stand out in Christ's eye? And how can we be like them in our own walk with the Lord? First, I want to make it very clear that I'm not suggesting we try to emulate the gifts they had been given by the Lord as His Apostles. They built the foundation of the church, and as such, their gifts gave witness to their message. We are no longer laying the foundation of the church, therefore the apostolic gifts have ceased.<br />
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What I am suggesting is that we can decide for ourselves if we're going to get out of the boat, if we're going to lean upon Christ, if we want to see His glory.<br />
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Are we going to be periphery disciples following Christ for what He can give us? Adjacent disciples who hear His sermons and parables? Or Christ's closest friends who seek Him and pant after Him like a deer pants for the waterbrooks?<br />
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Even among the three men closest to Christ, there is one Apostle who stands out in Scripture, and I daresay he was Jesus's closest friend. You might think I'm referring to Peter. And Peter was indeed given many weighty responsibilities from the Lord. He was seen as a leader. Perhaps he was the most outspoken, or perhaps the most brave. Considering Peter is the one who stepped out of the boat in the midst of a storm and considering Peter is the one who first claimed Christ as the Son of God, I don't doubt these things to be true.<br />
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But no, I'm talking about the Apostle John.<br />
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All my life, I've heard men preach and assume that Peter was Christ's closest friend. But in thinking on this more and more, I don't believe he was. I believe Christ's best friend was John. John described himself as the "disciple Jesus loved". He is the one who laid his head on Christ's chest, and Peter asked John to ask the Lord who was the traitor at the Last Supper, Peter didn't ask Jesus outright. Perhaps he knew Christ would have a softer response to John than He would have to Peter. That idea seems to hold some weight, as Christ did seem to be more harsh with Peter than He was with John.<br />
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John would likely have been the youngest disciple. Perhaps he was young and impressionable. Maybe he was weaker than the others. Maybe he had a great faith. Perhaps he asked the Lord many searching questions. Maybe he was the first to recognize who the Lord was before the others. Maybe Christ took him aside and spoke with him often in a gentle and tender way. Considering he had felt at home lying on Jesus in the upper room, he was likely a tender man himself with a tender heart. I can only assume that John's heart was very much like Christ's, love for the Father, love for the lost, and a zealous devotion to Yeshua.<br />
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John's Gospel is the only one of the four to emphasize Christ's deity. John is the one who did not flee at Christ's crucifixion. Into John's hands Christ gave custody of Mary, His mother. John, along with Peter, ran to Christ's empty tomb. Perhaps here we can see the difference between these two men.<br />
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John did not enter the tomb, believing by sight alone. Peter, however, ran inside and had to handle the grave clothes. It's possible John's easy faith was well-beloved by Jesus. He did not need "evidence" to believe. It was John who was given the Revelation on the Isle of Patmos in his old age, and John alone who was allowed to die a natural death out of Christ's twelve original disciples.<br />
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Indeed, Peter was more bombastic, standing before the Pharisees and the High Priest Caiaphas in the book of Acts, accusing them to their face of crucifying their Messiah. That took great faith and great courage. But John was always with him, and I think Peter likewise had a soft spot for John the Apostle.<br />
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There is great evidence from Scripture that Christ favored the Apostle John over and above any of His other friends, including Peter. Yes, brethren, I believe John was our Lord's closest friend. Let us pray to love Jesus as John loved Him, whole-heartedly, not ashamed to lean upon Him, not afraid to learn of Him, to ask Him questions, to follow Him, to be seen with Him, not afraid to stand in boldness before the cross, not ashamed to claim Christ as his Lord and Messiah, faithful to the very end of his life.<br />
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The Apostle John was given the greatest privilege any Apostle had ever been given - the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. What glorious friendship did they share for Christ to bestow this magnificent honor? How great was their love for one another that our Lord allowed John a long life? How unshakable was John's faith in his God? How devoted was John's love for Christ? All-consuming, that's what I believe.<br />
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That is what we should strive to obtain, Church.<br />
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O, Lord Jesus, help us to love You as John loved You. Give us tender hearts, ignite our love for You to blaze forth, help us to be bold, allow us a great and mighty faith, and grant us the glory of being one of Your closest friends, seeking You in faithfulness for the rest of our days.<br />
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In Jesus' name,<br />
Amen.<br />
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<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></script>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-57806187364539495572018-11-14T10:16:00.000-08:002018-11-14T10:29:20.934-08:00The Preeminence of Christ - Week Six<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Welcome to the sixth and final week of my six-week series on the Preeminence of Christ! For those who have been following along, thank you for reading, and I hope these studies have touched your life and your relationship with Christ for the better. Eternal life is knowing the truth of our great and glorious God, and the Lord Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3). </div>
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Lord Jesus, it is my prayer that You have moved mightily through this study to reach those who otherwise would not be reached, all over the world. And may they know it was by Your power and Holy Spirit that they have come to sit at Your feet and learn of You. Thank You for everything You give us, and for every opportunity to praise Your great name!</div>
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<b><u>To You be the glory forever! AMEN!</u></b></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-one.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week One</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-two.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Two</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-three.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Three</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-four.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Four</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-five.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Five</a></div>
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<u><b>THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST – Week Six – Colossians 1:20 </b></u></div>
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<b>By: Becka Goings</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Colossians 1:15-20: <br /><br /><i>15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20<b> and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. </b></i></span><i>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style"; font-size: 12pt;">~*~*~ </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>“and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” </i><br />~~Colossians 1:20</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I want to start this final study by looking back at last week’s verse, because it’s tied to this one. These two verses together tell us of God’s plan to redeem not only humanity, but the whole of creation. We’ll go into more depth regarding verse 20 in a bit, but I think it’s important to read them both together to get a fuller picture of what God has accomplished through our Lord Jesus Christ. <br /><br />Here are the two verses together: <br /><br /><i>“For <u>in him</u> all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and <u>through him</u> to reconcile <u>to himself</u> all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” </i>~~Colossians 1:19-20</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Notice the underlined words, ‘in him’, ‘through him’, and ‘to himself’. We know from last week’s study that Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit with all the fullness of God. The Spirit was not <i>upon</i> Him as He was with people in the Old Testament, rather, the Holy Spirit was <i>in Him</i>. This is not an indwelling of the Holy Spirit as we have received, no, this is Christ, the Son of God, united with the Holy Spirit in His deity. Because all the fullness of deity was pleased to dwell in Him, God was able, through Him, to reconcile to Himself all things. <br /><br />It sounds confusing, but notice how the entire Trinity is present here. The fullness of God in the Holy Spirit is in Christ, so that through the Son, God the Father is able to reconcile all things to Himself. This is a beautiful display of the union of the Godhead. The Father wills and decrees redemption, the Son does the work of redemption, and the Spirit applies redemption to His children. There isn’t a member of the Trinity who isn’t present and active in our redemption unto God. <br /><br />
Notice also the mystery of this phrase, “<i>and though him to reconcile to himself all things</i>”. Christ wasn’t merely a man that God indwelt as we are indwelt; the Apostle Paul pens this phrase as reflexive upon itself, as if one were to say, “I did the dishes myself.” We’d get the idea if they merely said, “I did the dishes” But the fact that “myself” is added means it’s a reflexive pronoun that I alone did the dishes. Another example would be, “She made herself dinner.” Reflexive pronouns causes the verb to reflect back on the subject. In other words, “to himself” at the end of our phrase reflects back upon the “through him” previously in the same phrase. This connects both “him” and “himself” as being the same Person. Therefore, the subject of the phrase is the same as the object of the verb ‘reconcile’. This reflexive pronoun refers both to Christ and to God in the same breath: “<i>and through <u>him</u> to reconcile to <u>himself</u> all things</i>”. Here is a nerdy linguistic way of proving our Lord Jesus Christ as God!</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Colossians 1:20 also hearkens back to Colossians 1:16, where Paul writes, “<i>all things were created <u>through him</u> and for him.</i>” God created all things <i>through Him</i>, and also, <i>through Him</i>, reconciled all things to Himself. Christ has redeemed the very creation He created. Only the One who created it could be the One who would know how to redeem it. This is, in essence, a re-creation, whereby God, through Christ, is making all things new. <br /><br />However, the work of redemption was much more costly and painful for God than creation itself. At the moment of creation, God spoke, and all things came to be. Yet at the moment of redemption, the wages of sin had to be paid. God Himself had to step into our flesh, live our life, sweat, bleed, and die on our behalf. As the Puritan Thomas Watson said in his famous book, <u>Body of Divinity</u>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>“It cost more to redeem us than to create us. In the creation there was but ‘speaking a word,’ (Ps. 148:5). In the redeeming us, there was shedding of blood (1 Pet.1:19). The creation was the work of God’s fingers (Ps. 8:3); redemption was the work of His arm (Isaiah 53:1, John 12:38).” </i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Let’s take a look at why we needed no less than God Himself to redeem us. In Genesis 3, we read of Adam and Eve and the Fall of humanity. God had given Adam one law: “<i>You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.</i>” ~~Genesis 3:3. But along came the serpent and deceived Eve, telling her she would not surely die (Genesis 3:4). The serpent convinced her that God was holding back wisdom, the knowledge of good and evil, and that she wouldn’t surely die. Sure enough, she did not die in the moment when she touched and ate it. She even offered some to Adam (Genesis 3:8), who did nothing, by the way. He allowed the serpent to deceive his wife and decided to disobey God on his own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">What neither of them understood was that they </span><i>had</i><span style="font-size: small;"> died upon touching and eating the fruit. They died spiritually. They could no longer walk with God in the Garden – they hid from His presence. When God found them, He knew what had happened, and cursed all three of them, Adam, Eve, and the serpent. Interestingly enough, God curses the serpent first, and in Genesis 3:15, before He curses the man and woman, He gives the first prophecy of Messiah, the seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head. In essence, God told Satan immediately that even though God’s holy justice against sin demanded a curse upon His creation, Satan’s mischief would not prevail, and he would be crushed. This is also a bastion of hope for Adam and Eve, to hear from God’s own mouth that one of their children would crush that lying, evil serpent once and for all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">God then curses the woman, increasing her pain in childbirth, and making her desire contrary to her husband, with his rule being over her. Many women still rail against this curse, but submission to our husbands is God’s created order. However there is grace even in this, sisters, for in Christ, we are able to submit with a grateful and thankful heart, as Christ submitted Himself to His Father. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />Then, God turns to Adam. God had given Adam and Eve dominion over the whole of His creation in Genesis 1:28. Because Adam had listened to Eve, fallen into sin, and essentially had cursed himself, God curses creation as the consequence. A corrupted king cannot rule a perfect creation, thus creation itself became corrupted. Adam and Eve would still have dominion, but they would have to work by the sweat of their brow to have any food or shelter for themselves. Now, not only would Adam and Eve eventually die, so, too would everything else. Before this moment, death did not exist. Because all of us are offspring of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited this nature of sin. None of us are exempt; we are all conceived and born in sin (Psalm 51:5). <br /><br />Scripture calls us dead in our trespasses and sins in Ephesians 2:1 & 5. Not only could we no longer come into the presence of God, our bodies would now truly die, as the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Since everyone sins, everyone dies. And because everyone sins, no one can come into God’s presence. Therefore, everyone who dies would die apart from God. <br /><br />But God did not leave humanity without hope, and all throughout the Old Testament, He prophesied the coming of Messiah, who would bear our sins upon His own shoulders (Isaiah 53:5). The Apostle Paul calls Christ the “last Adam” in 1 Corinthians 15:45, meaning, what Adam had failed to do – live righteously unto God – Christ triumphed over mightily. He writes this in Romans 5:15-17:</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>“But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if <u>many died through one man's trespass</u>, much more have the grace of God and the free gift <u>by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many</u>. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For <u>the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation</u>, but <u>the free gift following many trespasses brought justification</u>. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I want you to notice what I’ve underlined in this passage. Humanity, billions and billions of us from the dawn of time, have been cursed by Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden. Many died through one man’s trespass. One single sin. Just one. One sin doomed the entire human race. Wrap your head around this for a moment. One sin is enough to damn us to Hell for all eternity. Think of your own life. How many sins have you committed in all your years? How many Hells do you deserve? <br /><br />Now notice what Paul goes on to say. The grace of the one man Jesus Christ has abounded for many. The free gift is NOT like the trespass. It is much, much greater. If one single sin brought damnation, the free gift of grace covers a multitude of sins and has brought justification. Can you grasp how mind-blowing this is? We are lost upon the judgment of one sin. But we are found upon the abounding grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has covered our entire lifetime of sins! <br /><br />Our text in Colossians 1:20 says that Christ reconciles all things to Himself, and that ‘all things’ refers to things both on earth and in Heaven, and this peace is made by the blood of His cross. Being without sin, He was the perfect sacrifice for sin, and the only way for which sin could be atoned. The book of Leviticus lays out very specific laws and ceremonies concerning the sacrificing of animals to pay for sin. These priests would have to time and again sacrifice rams, bulls, lambs, goats, pigeons, and doves, and their work was never done. As one continues in life, one continues in sin, therefore every day offerings were made unto God, shedding the blood of animals without blemish as substitutes for sinners. Even in this gruesome depiction of the cost of our sin, there is grace from our Lord. Those who had sinned and offered an animal in their place were forgiven their sin and restored. But these sacrifices were only temporary, and the people kept the priests quite busy. <br /><br />Not only was this bloody, this was costly, as it’s no little thing to bring a spotless animal from your herd to the priest. There’s a breeding time, a gestation period, a time when the animal has to grow from a baby, and an inspection that must happen to make sure it is without blemish before it is offered up to God. These animals were essential to life, as beasts of burden, suppliers of milk, and meat for their tables. Therefore to offer one of these beasts for sin would have been a great expense for many. And in this, again, there is grace from our God, as He provided a way for the poor to atone. The poor did not have bulls, but they could bring a goat or a lamb. If they did not have those animals, they could offer pigeons or turtle doves. If they could not bring any birds, they could bring an offering of fine flour. Every one of these sacrifices the Lord accepted, depending on their status in life (Leviticus 5). <br /><br />I believe the Lord wanted atonement to be costly, considering the cost He was to pay in His Son. He wanted the people to feel the sting of it, to be repulsed by it, to realize how grievous it is to sin against so holy a God. Killing these animals was ghastly. Their blood needed to pour out around the altar. Their fat and organs were also burned on the altar while the rest of the animal was cut up and burned outside the camp. But again, God is gracious in this, for it is by the sacrifices of the people that the priests had food. <br /><br />This never-ending work of atonement was finally and forever finished in our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17), and Hebrews 1:3 and Hebrews 10:12 both say that after making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. He is seated in the heavenly places according to Ephesians 1:20. There is no more work to do, Christ has done it all. Through Him, God has reconciled all things to Himself. <br /><br />Now, the cross of Christ is where we are redeemed and made righteous in Him. We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that He was made sin who knew no sin. This is the Great Exchange, that Christ would take our sin so that we would possess His righteousness. He is the only sinless man to ever live, and because of that, death has no hold on Him. Remember, death is the wage of sin. If He had no sin, it would not be just for Him to die. But in becoming our substitute and having our sins laid upon Him, He willingly became the perfect, unblemished sacrifice and humbled Himself to death (Philippians 2:8). Because our sins were in Him when He died, our sins are now dead forever. Because He rose again, He proved death could not keep Him in the tomb, and those of us who are in Him shall be raised one day as well. If our sins died with Christ, then likewise death has no hold on us either. Upon Christ’s return, His entire church shall be resurrected and glorified in the blink of an eye, to ever be with the Lord. <br /><br />Where Christ is seated, we are seated also, as Ephesians 2:6 says He has raised us up with Him and are seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. There is no more work for Christ to accomplish, and in Christ, there is no work for us to do for righteousness. Christ has not only restored humanity and crushed the serpent’s head, He has given humanity an amazing, magnificent glory. He has elevated us high above Adam and Eve’s estate by uniting our lives with His Life, therefore ensuring that those who are His children will one day be like Him and see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). Did you know there are angels in Heaven who cannot even look upon the Lord of Glory? In Isaiah’s famous vision of Isaiah 6, verse 2 tells us the seraphim surrounding God’s Throne each had six wings, two covered their faces, two covered their feet, and two they used to fly. Yet we, who are made of lowly dust, will be glorified in such a way that we will be able to see Him as He is. These angels must marvel at this – that Christ On High has united Himself with us forever! We will be able to see the very One they magnify by crying out day and night, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!” <br /><br />Not only that, hear what Christ Himself says to us in Revelation 3:21:</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>“The one who conquers, <u>I will grant him to sit with me on my throne</u>, as I also conquered and <u>sat down with my Father on his throne</u>.” </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Let’s take a moment and soak that in. We who are in Christ will not only see Him as He is, we will be seated with Him upon His Throne. The words in Ephesians 2:6 are not figurative, they are not some mystical imaginings of the Apostle Paul simply because we are “in Christ” and HE sits there. Our Lord says quite specifically and deliberately that <i>He will grant us to sit with Him on His Throne</i>. <br /><br />This does not mean we become as God or even little gods, rather, we are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and what He inherits, we inherit. Remember, we are united with Him by the power of His Holy Spirit through His death and resurrection. He is the Head of the Body, which is the church, and where the Head goes, the Body follows. He has already shown us in Genesis that by giving Adam dominion over His earth, He is willing to share His reign with humanity. And this, I believe, is the fullness of our inheritance in Christ. We will be elevated high above the angels to know God in a way no other being before us ever could. We shall never come close to the glory that belongs solely to God, but we will be the closest we can ever come to deity by our union with the Lord Jesus Christ. He will forever remain the Mediator between God and man, and because He Himself was made a man, He has therefore made a way for His children to rule and reign with Him forever. <br /><br />The cross has also accomplished the redemption of all creation. Now that those in Christ shall one day stand before Him in perfection upon their glorification, no longer can we have dominion over a fallen creation. In the book of Revelation, Christ shall make a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1), thus lifting forever the curse He placed upon creation when Adam fell. Death is the final enemy defeated (1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-55) and, praise the Lord, it shall be no more (Revelation 21:4). <br /><br />Therefore we come to see how the cross of Christ was the most pivotal event to ever happen in all of human history. Through His cross, He has redeemed for Himself a people who shall one day be glorified to rule and reign with Him. Through His cross, He has also purchased redemption for creation, which is why the Apostle Paul says creation groans in Romans 8:20-23:</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, <u>in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God</u>. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In order to lift the curse on humanity, Christ had to became a curse for us. In Galatians 3:13-14, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23: <br /><br /><i>“Christ <u>redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us</u>—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Christ became the curse, and then killed the curse in His body. The Apostle Paul says it this way in Colossians 2:13-15: <br /><br /><i>“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, <u>by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands</u>. This he set aside, <u>nailing it to the cross</u>. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The mention of the “uncircumcision” in this text refers to the Gentile believers. That’s how Paul usually differentiated between Jews and Gentiles – circumcision or uncircumcision. But notice what this passage is saying. We who were dead in our trespasses and sins were made alive together with Christ. How was this done? By canceling the curse, nailing the record of all our sins to the cross. When Romans crucified criminals, they wrote their crimes above their heads so that all who walked by could see and know what they were dying for. Our Lord famously had “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” written on the board above His head in Aramaic, Greek, and Latin (John 19:19-20). <br /><br />But Paul says <i>our</i> record of debt was nailed to the cross. In essence, as Christ hung there, God placed the record of all our lifetime of sins on Him as if He had committed them. When Jesus died, so too did this debt and we were made free. Christ brought open shame upon Satan and his demons, by uniting Himself together with His Bride, and thus giving her life in His name. <br /><br />This is how peace can be had between Heaven and earth. Ephesians 2:14 says He Himself is our peace and He has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility. Those who believe on Christ will never face the wrath of God. Jesus has already borne it for them and has given them freedom to enter into His Kingdom with thanksgiving and praise.</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;">What a magnificent God we serve! How can we come to understand all that God has accomplished in Christ and not fall at His feet as though dead? How can we live our lives without giving praise to the One who has defeated sin, death, and creation’s curse? How can we not desperately yearn for His coming and the redemption of our bodies, the completion of our salvation? This glorious Christ has made a way to Heaven more wonderful than the way of Adam. We do not get to Heaven on a righteousness of our own, but on the righteousness of Christ. This is the only way. Why? Because eternal life cannot be had apart from Christ. Eternal life is not something God bestows from On High as if tossing candies into a crowd, eternal life is union with Christ which allows us to partake in <i>His</i> eternal life. Therefore, eternal life is quite intimate and personal with our Lord Jesus. Our fates shall forever be tied with His, and, beloved, we have a marvelous future! <br /><br />It is only the sons and daughters of Christ who shall have this peace with God. Those who no longer have the record of debt standing against them shall be the only ones left standing at Judgment. Peace with God can only be had through our Lord Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). <br /><br />With these wondrous truths in mind, it is with one voice we can lift our eyes to Heaven and say with bold and Spirit-filled confidence, “Amen! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” <br /><br />Yes, Lord. Come quickly and whisk us off to Glory. Amen and Amen.</span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>STUDY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION </u></b></span></div>
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<br /><br /><br />1. True or False? All three members of the Trinity are present and active in our redemption unto God. <br /><br /><br /><br />2. God created all things _________ _______, and also, _________ _______, reconciled all things to Himself. <br /><br /><br /><br />3. Who did God curse first in the Garden of Eden? <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />4. True or False? It takes many sins to be condemned by God. <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />5. Eternal life is _______ with Christ which allows us to partake in His eternal life. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Questions for Personal Reflection </u></b></div>
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<br /><br />Have you ever thought about the fact the entire Trinity is involved in salvation - The Father wills and decrees redemption, the Son does the work of redemption, and the Spirit applies redemption to His children? <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />God On High spoke a word and the vast expanse of this universe was spun into being. Yet in order to make a sinner a saint, the Lord of Life had to shed His blood and die. Have you ever thought long on the glorious love of God to go through such suffering, pain, and death on behalf of His children? <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />Did you ever think that our being “seated with Christ in heavenly places” was merely mystical or figurative language rather than a reality? <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />How will the knowledge that He shall truly allow us to sit with Him on His throne shape your view of your future in Glory with Christ? <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Looking back throughout the course of these studies on the Preeminence of Christ, how has beholding God’s glory in our Lord Jesus Christ grown your relationship with Him? <br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Colossians 1:20 – Session Six – Song Playlist: </u></b></div>
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<li><b>Victor’s Crown (Live Radio Version)</b> – Darlene Zschech – Worship Anthems Inspired by A.D. The Bible Continues Album </li>
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<li><b>Until My Voice is Gone (Live)</b> – Travis Ryan – You Hold It All (Live) Album </li>
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<li><b>He is Exalted</b> – Twila Paris – The Millennium Collection The Best of Twila Paris Album </li>
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<li><b>Mighty and Glorious</b> – Paul Wilbur – Your Great Name Album </li>
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<li><b>O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus</b> – The Enfield Hymn Sessions – Resolved Music, Vol. 1 Album </li>
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<li><b>In Christ Alone</b> – Keith & Kristyn Getty – Live at the Gospel Coalition Album </li>
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<li><b>All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name Live</b> – Keith & Kristyn Getty – Live at the Gospel Coalition Album </li>
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<b><u>Scripture References for Further Study: </u></b></div>
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<br /><br /> 1.) Colossians 1:19-20 <br /> 2.) Colossians 1:16 <br /> 3.) Psalm 148:5 <br /> 4.) 1 Peter 1:19 <br /> 5.) Psalm 8:3 <br /> 6.) Isaiah 53:1 <br /> 7.) John 12:38 <br /> 8.) Genesis 3:3-4 <br /> 9.) Genesis 3:8 <br />10.) Genesis 3:15 <br />11.) Genesis 1:28 <br />12.) Psalm 51:5 <br />13.) Ephesians 2:1, 5 <br />14.) Romans 6:23 <br />15.) Hebrews 9:22 <br />16.) Isaiah 53:5 <br />17.) 1 Corinthians 15:45 <br />18.) Romans 5:15-17 <br />19.) Leviticus 5 <br />20.) Hebrews 2:17 <br />21.) Hebrews 1:3 <br />22.) Hebrews 10:12 <br />23.) Ephesians 1:20 <br />24.) 2 Corinthians 5:21 <br />25.) Philippians 2:8 <br />26.) Ephesians 2:6 <br />27.) 1 John 3:2 <br />28.) Isaiah 6:2 <br />29.) Revelation 3:21 <br />30.) Romans 8:17 <br />31.) Revelation 21:1 <br />32.) 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-55 <br />33.) Revelation 21:4 <br />34.) Romans 8:20-23 <br />35.) Galatians 3:13-14 <br />36.) Deuteronomy 21:23 <br />37.) Colossians 2:13-15 <br />38.) John 19:19-20 <br />39.) Ephesians 2:14 <br />40.) John 14:6 <br /><br /> </span>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-19771953831809105992018-11-07T08:30:00.000-08:002018-11-07T08:30:42.456-08:00The Preeminence of Christ - Week Five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Welcome to week five of my Preeminence of Christ study. This week, we focus on Colossians 1:19 and what it means that in Christ all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. I thank You, Lord Jesus, for allowing me to write this, and for helping me along when I had no idea what to write. Thank You for leading me from Scripture to Scripture and for showing me the majesty of Your Preeminence. To You alone I give glory for these studies. Next week is our last week!</div>
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If you've missed the previous studies, here they are:</div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-one.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week One</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-two.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Two</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-three.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Three</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-four.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Four</a></div>
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<b><u>THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST – Week Five – Colossians 1:19 </u></b></div>
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<b>By: Becka Goings </b></div>
<br /> <br /><br />Colossians 1:15-20: <br /><br /><i>15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 <b>For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,</b> 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. </i><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<br /><i>“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,” </i>~~Colossians 1:19 <div>
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I love how easily the Apostle Paul was able to pack rich, meaty doctrine within a few simple words. Colossians 1:19 might seem like a small fragment we read quickly in order to get to the end of our passage, but it’s little phrases such as this that teach us Christ was truly a man – and also truly God. He did not possess a likeness to God, He was not merely a shadow of Him, nor was He some kind of apparition. He was a flesh and blood man who possessed the fullness of God within Him. Christ had two natures in one body, humanity and divinity. In theology circles, this reality is called the <i>hypostatic union</i>. Christ was not merely God in a human shell, nor was He a man upon whom God rested. He was an actual man, like any other man, and yet, He did not cease being God. </div>
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Paul states the same doctrine in a slightly different way a little further along in the book of Colossians, in verse 2:9: </div>
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<i>“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,” </i></div>
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In our first passage, he says “all the fullness”, in the second, he says “the whole fullness”. Let’s take a moment to dig in and study this. It should never cease to astound us. How can the infinite fullness of God “fit”, for lack of a better word, in a man? And how amazing is it that God stooped so low to become a man? The eternal God, so high above every other name in creation, who has made countless galaxies with billions of stars, now, fully and forever, fills the body of a man. This massive truth had to be communicated to the Colossians on Paul’s authority as an Apostle, considering the heresies that had crept into their church. If it overwhelms us now, two thousand years removed, imagine what it must have been like for the early church, many of whom might have seen Christ themselves or heard Him preach. They had, perhaps with their own eyes, beheld the Living God! <br /><br />This very doctrine, that Christ is God, is the reason why Christianity spread like wildfire throughout the region. His resurrection from the dead ultimately proved who He was, and nothing could stop the spread of this tremendous news. God Himself had come down to earth for us! Imagine living your life, wondering if God hears you, sees you, or even cares about you. And then… you look and there’s Christ! You hear His words, you see His power, and you know beyond the shadow of a doubt God hears you, sees you, and cares for you more than anyone else ever could. This is glorious; this is beautiful. This is the most magnificent event to ever happen in human history! <br /><br />Paul was deliberately explicit in his description of Christ’s deity, because this knowledge is foundational to having eternal life. Even Christ Himself said in John 8:24: <br /><br /><i>“I told you that you would die in your sins, for <u>unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.</u>” </i></div>
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And also John 17:3: <br /><br /><i>“<u>This is eternal life</u>, that they <u>know you</u>, the only true God, <u>and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.</u>” </i></div>
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If the Colossians didn’t understand that the Lord Jesus Christ is God, they could not have eternal life, as eternal life is knowing the one true God (John 8:24, 1 John 5:11, 1 John 5:20), and according to Jesus, that includes knowing “<i>Jesus Christ whom you have sent</i>”. You might say you have Jesus and that you’re even a Christian, but if you don’t believe Jesus is Almighty God, you have a different Jesus, one who is powerless and cannot save you from your sins. <br /><br />He is not a “spiritual being”, He is not an angel, He is not created, and He’s not merely a good human teacher. No, in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. Let’s take some time to explore this fullness, and try to comprehend what this looks like in the life of Christ. <br /><br />I’d like to read our week’s verse in another translation if I may. For the purpose of this study, we have been quoting Colossians 1:15-20 in the English Standard Version, or ESV. But I want to take a look at verse 19 in the NASB, the New American Standard Bible. The NASB is arguably the most accurate translation in English that we have to the original Greek and Hebrew texts. This is how the NASB translates Colossians 1:19: <br /><br /><i>“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him” </i></div>
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I like this wording, because it is a little more personal than the ESV which reads: </div>
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<i>“For in him <u>all the fullness</u> of God <u>was pleased</u> to dwell,” </i></div>
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From a writer’s perspective, the ESV wording sounds as if it was the “fullness” that was pleased, rather than God the Father. But the NASB makes it clear it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Christ. However, we kind of need both wordings here, because even in the NASB, you might be left thinking “fullness of what?” We know from the ESV, it is the fullness of God. </div>
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<br />But what does this mean? What does it mean to have the fullness of God dwelling in Him? Certainly it means Christ had all of God’s attributes, although veiled in flesh. He did not cease to be God when He became a man, rather, He set aside the radiance of His glory as God to be totally dependent upon the Father, taking on the form of a servant, as Paul says in Philippians 2:7. However, this does not mean Christ set aside the fullness of God. Hear what Puritan John Gill has to say in his commentary of Philippians 2:7: <br /><br /><i>“Nevertheless emptied himself"; not of that fulness of grace which was laid up in him from everlasting, for with this he appeared when he was made flesh, and dwelt among men; nor of the perfections of his divine nature, which were not in the least diminished by his assumption of human nature, for all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily; though he took that which he had not before, he lost nothing of what he had; the glory of his divine nature was covered, and out of sight; and though some rays and beams of it broke out through his works and miracles, yet his glory, as the only begotten of the Father, was beheld only by a few; the minds of the far greater part were blinded, and their hearts hardened, and they saw no form nor comeliness in him to desire him; the form of God in which he was, was hid from them.” </i></div>
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We know from the Apostle John that Christ was “full of grace and truth”. </div>
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<i>“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, <u>full of grace and truth</u>.” </i>~~John 1:14 <br /><br />John has also told us: <br /><br /><i>“For <u>from his fullness</u> we have all received, <u>grace upon grace.</u>” </i>~~John 1:16 <br /><br />John’s words in verse 16 are curious, “grace upon grace”. But they are a lovely picture of what the Lord gives to His children. This phrase implies that John might have gone on and on about it; <i>grace upon grace upon grace upon grace…</i> One grace right after another. I love this, because Paul tells us in Romans 2:5 that those with hard and impenitent hearts are storing up wrath for themselves, and yet, John says from Christ’s fullness, we all receive grace upon grace. We’re literally the <i>opposite</i> of the children of wrath who store up wrath – we are the children of grace, storing up grace! <br /><br />This also gives the beautiful picture that Christ is a fountain, ever-full of grace, pouring it out in abundant measure to those who belong to Him. Using the metaphor of the fountain, we are immediately reminded of our Lord telling us in John 7:38 about rivers of Living Water flowing from the hearts of those who believe in Him as the Scriptures have said. And this, I believe, is what it means that in Him the fullness of God was pleased to dwell: Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />You might think we talk about the indwelling Spirit all the time. Why is this so wonderful? <br /><br />This particular truth is so stunning because until Christ Himself, no other man or woman in the history of the world ever had the Holy Spirit <i>filling</i> them. In the Old Testament, God had many servants whom His Spirit would <i>come upon</i>, but did not <i>fill</i>. It’s obvious that with Christ being God, He would be the One in whom the Spirit of God would literally dwell. Now, we are not to look upon Christ as being indwelt with the Spirit in the same way as a believer to whom the Spirit is sent, no, the Spirit proceeds from the Father (John 15:26) and is in eternal fellowship with Christ in the Godhead of the Trinity. Therefore Christ’s relationship with the Holy Spirit is due to their shared, united deity. <br /><br />Luke 4:1 says: <br /><br /><i>“And Jesus, <u>full of the Holy Spirit</u>, returned from the Jordan and was <u>led by the Spirit</u> in the wilderness” </i></div>
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This is immediately following Christ’s baptism, and we’ll touch on that in a moment. But I wanted to show you the beauty within this verse that tells us how intimately Christ and the Spirit worked together. Notice what it says here. Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” and also “led by the Spirit”. This wasn’t merely as He was being led into the wilderness, but this was a reality in the life of Christ. He was full of the Spirit and He was led by the Spirit every single day. <br /><br />Now, remember our NASB translation of Colossians 1:19? Let’s read it again: <br /><br /><i>“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him” </i></div>
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The reason why we are looking at the NASB version is because of what the Father says at Christ’s baptism. Let’s take a look. The passage is Matthew 3:16-17. <br /><br /><i>“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, <u>with whom I am well pleased.</u>” </i></div>
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Here we have Paul’s words in Colossians contrasted with the Father’s words in Matthew. Both testify that God was pleased in Christ, and that in Him abided the fullness of the Holy Spirit. The Matthew passage is God’s own testimony of Christ’s true identity. We know that if we have the testimony of the Most High God, there is none who can condemn, for it is God who justifies (Romans 8:33). Christ did not need to be justified in the same way we are justified before the Father, however, the Father’s testimony gave a weighty glory to Christ’s testimony of Himself. Hear what Christ had to say about this in John 8:17-18: <br /><br /><i>“In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. <u>I am the one who bears witness about myself,</u> and <u>the Father who sent me bears witness about me.</u>” </i></div>
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These words were spoken to the Pharisees, who tried so hard to condemn Christ and catch Him doing anything that would break the Mosaic Law. But Christ turns the tables on them and reminds them of their own Law, (of which He wrote, I’d like to add), that the testimony of two people is true. Christ has His own testimony and He also has the testimony of God the Father. That is jaw-dropping when you come to think about it. Yahweh Himself testified that He was well pleased in His beloved Son. But these unfortunate Pharisees rejected the testimony of the Father, and therefore, their sentence was pronounced from the mouth of Christ in John 8:21: <br /><br /><i>“So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and <u>you will die in your sin</u>. Where I am going, <u>you cannot come</u>.” </i></div>
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This is sobering. I cannot think of any other terror I fear more than hearing these words spoken to me by the Lord of Heaven and earth. Even the Apostle John made mention of the testimony of the Father in 1 John 5:9: <br /><br /><i>“If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.” </i></div>
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The point has been made from Scripture. God the Father has testified of the truth of Christ, and if anyone rejects that Christ is the Son of God and therefore God Himself in the flesh, he calls the Father a liar and does not have eternal life (1 John 2:22-23, 1 John 5:10). <br /><br />What fascinates me about the account in Luke after the baptism of Christ, is another phrase about the Spirit in Him found a few verses down in Luke 4:14: <br /></div>
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<i>“And Jesus <u>returned in the power of the Spirit</u> to Galilee” </i></div>
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Not only was Christ <i>filled</i> with the Spirit and <i>led</i> by the Spirit, He returned to Galilee in the <i>power</i> of the Spirit. Here was the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry, being fully equipped by the Father. This filling, leading, and power of the Spirit is all the fullness of God. <br /><br />Shortly after his passage on the deity of Christ in Colossians, the Apostle Paul goes on to say something astounding in Colossians 1:26-27: <br /><br /><i>“that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is <u>Christ in you,</u> the hope of glory.” </i></div>
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Let’s stop here and consider these three marvelous words: <i>Christ in you</i>. This was the mystery of God – hidden for ages but revealed now to us. God’s ultimate plan for Messiah was to multiply Messiah’s fullness to fill His church, by fully and wonderfully indwelling each of His children! The Jews had been waiting for God’s promised Messiah ever since God first prophesied the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head in Genesis 3:15. But they were looking for an earthly king to restore and reign over a powerful, prosperous Israel. <br /><br />God’s plan, however, was much grander than they could ever imagine. He would make a peculiar people for Messiah, a people solely set apart for Him, who would have Messiah Himself dwelling <i>within them</i> through the power of His Holy Spirit. Have you ever thought long on this, Christian? The God of Glory has made His dwelling place not only in the heavens, but also in the hearts of men and women! <br /><br />Consider Isaiah 57:15: <br /><br /><i>For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,<br /> who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:<br /> “<u>I dwell in the high and holy place,<br /> and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,</u><br /> to revive the spirit of the lowly,<br /> and to revive the heart of the contrite. </i></div>
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This is the meaning of verses such as 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 6:19 – our bodies are quite literally the temple of God. This is not a metaphor, but reality. This mystery that Paul speaks of is what theologians call union with Christ. By the indwelling of the Spirit of God, all believers have direct and personal access to the Lord Jesus Christ without limits. The Spirit is in Him, and He places the Spirit in us so that we can be one just as He and the Father are one. In Christ’s High Priestly Prayer of John 17, our Lord prays these words in verses 22-23: <br /><br /><i>“<u>The glory that you have given me I have given to them</u>, that they may be one even as we are one, <u>I in them and you in me</u>, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” </i></div>
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What a magnificent prayer from our Savior. What is this “glory” He has given us? <br /><br /><b><u>The Holy Spirit. </u></b></div>
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It is the Spirit who allows the Body of Christ to be united to each other in one body, and He also unites us to Christ in an eternal bond that cannot be broken. Nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39), nothing can pluck us from Christ’s or the Father’s hand (John 10:27-29), and we are sealed by the Spirit Himself from the moment we first believed (Ephesians 1:13). <br /><br />It is the Spirit of Christ who is our hope of glory as the promise of our future inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). It is also the Spirit who identifies the sons of God, as according to Romans 8:14, all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Just as Christ was filled and led, so too are His children. <br /><br />This union we have with Christ by His Spirit is further fleshed out in Galatians 2:20: <br /><br /><i>“I have been crucified with Christ. <u>It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.</u> And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” </i></div>
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Paul lays it out – he was crucified with Christ; his old life died on the cross. Yet, here’s the mystery: he still lives. But it’s not him, it’s Christ! In other words, our old lives have died, and our lives are now lived by Christ Himself <i>through</i> us. As the King James Version puts it: “I live, yet not I.” <br /><br />Union with Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit makes the Christian life possible. Anyone who tries to live a holy and Christlike life apart from Christ’s Spirit will miserably fail. Why? Because holiness and Christlikeness comes from a heart reborn by the Spirit of God. All other attempts at replacing a heart of stone with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26) are counterfeit. Every peace apart from the peace of God is a false peace. Every strength apart from God’s strength is merely weakness. There is no supply for the unbeliever when they cannot go on, no well of grace to overflow from Christ. Without nourishment from God, they remain empty and desperate, trying to fill that void with a sea of vanity – sadly, to their own demise. <br /><br />But here is the stunning glory of this mystery in union with Christ. If you’re taking notes, jot this down. Highlight this next Scripture and circle it in your Bibles. Write Colossians 1:19 as a sister verse in the margin and memorize this if you can. Let’s all take a deep breath, and read Ephesians 3:14-19: <br /><br /><i>“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened <u>with power through his Spirit in your inner being,</u> so that <u>Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith</u>—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, <u>that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.</u>” </i></div>
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Christian! Do you know what this means? Do you understand the depth of the glorious majesty we have been given in the gift of God’s Holy Spirit? Can you grasp the weight of what He’s bestowed upon us, we who were once His enemies? How am I not laid out on the floor day in and day out by this realization, <i>that</i> <i>we can likewise be filled with all the fullness of God</i>? This is a miracle unto itself! <br /><br />What we have to remember, however, is that our Lord Jesus Christ is God, and therefore has a measure of the Spirit by deity that we do not possess. We cannot ourselves perform miracles, but the Spirit can do so through us should He will it. Let us always remember that miracles by the Spirit is not the point, nor the glory, of possessing the Spirit of Christ. <br /><br /><i>The glory of the indwelling Spirit is conformity to and union with Christ. </i></div>
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One of the greatest miracles the Holy Spirit has ever wrought is literally recreating a sinner into a saint. Those who are reborn by God are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). If you are Christ’s, your new heart is a miracle of God. Being transformed into the image of Christ is a miracle of God. If you’re a soul winner, you are performing miracles. If you have brought a brother or sister to Christ, God has done a miracle through you. Never believe it is a small thing to lead a sinner to Christ. It cost the Father the life of His only begotten Son, and it is a tangible miracle performed by the Holy Spirit in your life. <br /><br />Last week, we took a look at Ephesians 1:22-23, but then, we studied verse 22. Today, I want to take a closer look at verse 23. Let’s read: <br /><br /><i>“And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, <u>which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.</u>” </i></div>
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We know from last week’s study that Christ is the head of the body, which is His church. But what I love about this particular verse is that the Apostle Paul says His body is “the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” We know by God’s omnipresence that He is everywhere. There is not a place in this entire universe we can go that He is not there. God fills all places at all times. This is the meaning of the phrase “fills all in all”. <br /><br />Notice, however, the special distinction given to the church, His body. She is the “fullness of Him”. God On High fills all in all, and yet, His church is the fullness of Him. <br /><br />Brethren, we as believers, are the fullness of Christ. His Spirit indwells hundreds of thousands of believers all over the world. What mind-blowing glory is this? His fullness is worldwide! Imagine this – we know from Psalm 24:1 and Isaiah 6:3 that the whole earth is full of His glory, and yet… after the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, He has now filled the earth with a much greater glory – His own Spirit filling His body, the beautiful and glorious church! <br /><br />Dear ones, as if these truths weren’t enough, let me give you one final truth to ponder for the rest of the week, perhaps for the rest of your lives. According to Ephesians 1:13-14, we’ve been sealed by the Holy Spirit, and He is the guarantee of our inheritance. The Spirit isn’t our inheritance, <i>He is only the guarantee of it</i>. How much more, then, is our full inheritance in Christ? To have Him fill us perfectly and completely, to be made impeccably in His image, to resemble Him with a body like His, and to shine forever like stars in the city of our God? <br /><br />Oh, my family in Christ, I daresay the way to be filled with all the fullness of God is to long and often ponder these heavenly realities, and to keep our minds and hearts set upon the unending joy that is ours through union with Christ. We must focus our gaze to Heaven and march on to obtain that glorious crown. <br /><br />There is only one thing left to say.</div>
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<i>“If then you have been raised with Christ, <u>seek the things that are above</u>, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. <u>Set your minds on things that are above</u>, not on things that are on earth. For <u>you have died</u>, and <u>your life is hidden with Christ in God</u>. When <u>Christ who is your life</u> appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” </i></div>
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~~Colossians 3:1-4 <br /><br />Amen. <br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>STUDY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION </u></b></div>
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<br /><br />1. The two natures of Christ, both human and divine, is known by theologians as the _____________ union. <br /><br /> <br /><br />2. True or False? If you do not believe that Jesus Christ is God, you will die in your sins. <br /><br /><br /> <br />3. What is the meaning of the “fullness of God”? <br /><br /> <br /><br />4. Union with Christ by the power of the _______ ________ makes the Christian life possible. <br /><br /> <br /><br />5. The glory of the indwelling Spirit is ______________________________ <br /><br />_________________________________________________________________. <br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Questions for Personal Reflection </u></b></div>
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<br /><br />Have you ever thought or believed that Christ fully laid aside His divinity to become a man, rather than His humanity being filled with all the fullness of God? <br /><br /> <br /><br />Have you ever thought that our bodies being the temple of God was more of a figure of speech or a metaphor than a reality? <br /><br /> <br /><br />Have you ever taken a moment to think about your union with Christ, and that He is the one living your Christian life through you – I live, yet not I? <br /><br /> <br /><br />How does knowing that you can be filled with all the fullness of God affect your heart and soul for the glory of Christ? <br /><br /> <br /><br />How often have you thought on the weight of your heavenly inheritance in Christ, of which the indwelling Holy Spirit is the guarantee? <br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Colossians 1:19 – Session Five – Song Playlist: </u></b></div>
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<li><b>Rise Again (Bonus Track)</b> – City Harvest Church – My Beloved Album </li>
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<li><b>Rest in Jesus</b> – Robert Pierre – Nothing Without You Album</li>
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<li><b>Alive in Me</b> – JJ Weeks Band – As Long As We Can Breathe Album </li>
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<li><b>Grace</b> – Steve Fee – Grace Single </li>
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<li><b>Grace on Top of Grace </b>– Fellowship Creative – Eclipsed Album </li>
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<li><b>Praise to You</b> – The Vigil Project – Vigil (Series #1) Album </li>
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<li><b>Holy (Wedding Song) [Live]</b> – UMobile Worship – Our God is Faithful (Live Worship from the University of Mobile) Album </li>
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<b><u>Scripture References for Further Study: </u></b></div>
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<br />1.) Colossians 2:9 <br /> 2.) John 8:24 <br /> 3.) John 17:3 <br /> 4.) 1 John 5:11 <br /> 5.) 1 John 5:20 <br /> 6.) Colossians 1:19 (NASB) <br /> 7.) Colossians 1:19 (ESV) <br /> 8.) Philippians 2:7 <br /> 9.) John 1:14 <br />10.) John 1:16 <br />11.) Romans 2:5 <br />12.) John 7:38 <br />13.) John 15:26 <br />14.) Luke 4:1 <br />15.) Matthew 3:16-17 <br />16.) Romans 8:33 <br />17.) John 8:17-18 <br />18.) John 8:21 <br />19.) 1 John 5:9 <br />20.) 1 John 2:22-23 <br />21.) 1 John 5:10 <br />22.) Luke 4:14 <br />23.) Colossians 1:26-27 <br />24.) Isaiah 57:15 <br />25.) 1 Corinthians 3:16 <br />26.) 1 Corinthians 6:19 <br />27.) John 17:22-23 <br />28.) Romans 8:38-39 <br />29.) John 10:27-29 <br />30.) Ephesians 1:13-14 <br />31.) Romans 8:14 <br />32.) Galatians 2:20 <br />33.) Galatians 2:20 (KJV) <br />34.) Ezekiel 36:26 <br />35.) Ephesians 3:14-19 <br />36.) 2 Corinthians 5:17 <br />37.) Ephesians 1:22-23 <br />38.) Psalm 24:1 <br />39.) Isaiah 6:3 <br />40.) Colossians 3:1-4 <br /><br /> </div>
Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-52945567620500470642018-10-24T11:38:00.001-07:002018-10-24T11:42:12.504-07:00The Preeminence of Christ - Week Four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Welcome to week four of my Preeminence of Christ study. Next week will be yet another week off, as one of my ladies is going on vacation and I decided to suspend the class at church a week for her. I do not want to post my studies online before they're presented at church. Therefore week five won't be available until November 7th. </div>
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Lord Jesus, please help Your church come to know You in a magnificent way. Open our eyes to Your deity. Reveal Your beauty. Show one and all that we come to Christ for more of CHRIST, and not for the blessings You bestow. May we love the Giver more than the gifts, and focus our lives on You alone. Wean us from this world, and make us fit for Heaven. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.</div>
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If you've missed the previous studies, you can find them here:</div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-one.html" target="_blank">Preeminence of Christ - Week One</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-two.html" target="_blank">Preeminence of Christ - Week Two</a></div>
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-three.html" target="_blank">Preeminence of Christ - Week Three</a></div>
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<b><u>THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST – Week Four – Colossians 1:18</u></b></div>
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<b>By: Becka Goings</b></div>
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Colossians 1:15-20: <br />
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<i>15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 <b>And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.</b> 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. </i><br />
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“<i>And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.</i>”<br />
~~Colossians 1:18<br />
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In the glorious exposition of Christ’s deity found in Colossians 1:15-20, the Apostle Paul has been building his case that the Lord Jesus Christ is God incarnate. In verse 15, we are told that Christ is the image of the invisible God. In verse 16, we learn He is not merely the image of God, He IS God, for He created it all, and by Him, through Him, and for Him are all things. In the 17th verse, Paul makes it clear that not only is the Lord Christ our eternal Creator, He is also the Sustainer of the universe. Each one of these points builds off the other, until we get to Paul’s theological crescendo in verse 18. Even within this verse, Paul continues to build his picture of Christ, by describing Him first as the head of the body, which is His church.<br />
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The metaphor of the head and the body was a favorite of the Apostle Paul. He used the analogy in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 1:21-23, Ephesians 4 & 5, and Colossians 2:18-19. As metaphors go, this one is brilliant in its simplicity. A body has many members, and each member has its own job. Yet not apart from the other members. And it is the head that moves them all. Our unity with each other comes through our unity with Christ, and by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit within us.<br />
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The Holy Spirit ensures that Christ’s presence remains on earth through His church even though Christ Himself has ascended bodily up to Heaven. The very same Spirit indwells all of Christ’s children, and because of this, we are in union with each other, thus making the church one united body. Christ Himself is the one who sent His Spirit to do this miraculous work, and it is the Father who appointed Him as Head of the body. Ephesians 1:22-23 says:<br />
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<i>“22 And he put all things under his feet and <u>gave him</u> as head over all things <u>to the church</u>, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”</i></div>
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I love the wording in this verse, that God the Father <i>gave</i> Christ as head over all things <i>to the church</i>. Christ, by the mere fact He is God, is already head over all things. However, by His work on the cross and His victory over death, He has also <i>purchased</i> His right as Head of all things. Christ’s finished work on the cross has proven Him worthy of this right. He has given Himself two witnesses to His ownership of the universe – by creation and by purchase. The reason why I love the wording of this verse in Ephesians is that God <i>gave Christ</i> to His church. He is ours, sisters. He is ours! This magnificent God-man has given Himself for us – and <i>to</i> us – in eternal union. It’s almost too much to comprehend. Once we come to see and know how high He is compared to our low estate, it is truly humbling to realize this glorious God went to such great lengths to save us from the power of sin and death. And more than that, He has given us Himself, the greatest Treasure and richest Reward that can ever be had. <br />
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The Holy Spirit unites us with Christ, and because of this, each individual member, no matter how weak, is vital to the church. Consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:21-22:<br />
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<i>“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable”</i></div>
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How would we scratch an itch if we didn’t have fingernails? How could we eat solid food without teeth? How could we protect our eyes without eyelids? It’s kind of funny to think about, but this is what Paul was getting at, that even the small members of the body have important jobs to do. God has not created any inconsequential members of our physical bodies, and neither are there inconsequential members of the Body of Christ. And while we are His Body in one corporate whole, each believer is individually directed by the Head of the church, just as our pinky fingers and little toes are directed by our own head. Christ is intimately involved in directing the lives of every single member of His church.<br />
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In fact, Christ is so united to His body, that He considers what’s done to us as done to Him. We know this from texts like Acts 9:4 where the Lord appears to Saul of Tarsus, who, prior to his conversion, was well-known for persecuting and executing Christians, and asks him, “<i>Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?</i>” We see this again in our Lord’s own words regarding the sheep and the goats judgment of Matthew 25:40 & 25:45, that what they did or didn’t do to His brethren was done to the Lord Himself. This point is further driven home by Paul in Ephesians 5:28-30:<br />
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<i>“In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body.”</i></div>
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This text is a mandate for men to love their wives as Christ loves His church as His own body. Husbands and wives are considered one flesh by God (Ephesians 5:31), and Christ and the believer are one by His Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). Therefore, we are ambassadors of Christ on this earth (2 Corinthians 5:20). When our Lord purchased us upon His cross, He not only purchased the rights to our souls, but to our bodies as well. One day, we shall be glorified, and our mortal bodies will be like His glorious body (Philippians 3:21). This is why Paul tells us many times to honor the Lord in our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20), not to be joined with prostitutes (1 Corinthians 6:15-16), and not to be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14). The body of a Christian is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19). This isn’t metaphorical, but a reality. We are not merely <i>influenced</i> by the Spirit of God, He dwells within us, and it is through this spiritual union with Christ that Christ considers us of His own body.<br />
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What interests me about the “Body of Christ” is that there are a few applications. First, as we have already explored, we agree with Paul that His body is His church. Second, we take in Christ’s body by the bread of communion. Third, we look to events in the Gospels that happened to Christ’s physical body.<br />
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With regards to communion, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:17: <br />
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<i>“Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”</i></div>
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At communion, a single loaf of bread is broken for all to eat a piece. Eating of the bread makes us one body, because many people eat of the same single loaf. This is a metaphor for Christ Himself, as we all partake of the True Bread from Heaven as well, likewise making us one body in Him.<br />
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In thinking more on Christ’s physical body, I have to wonder if God also meant for us to look on Him and see His church hidden within. We are told many times in Scripture that we will suffer (John 16:33), to expect suffering (1 Peter 4:12), and to rejoice in suffering for His name’s sake (Matthew 10:22, Philippians 1:29, James 1:2, 1 Peter 3:13-17, 1 Peter 4:12-19). Christ obviously suffered bodily. In that, we share suffering with Him. The Apostle John also recorded that Scripture was fulfilled on the cross in John 19:36:<br />
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<i>“For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.”</i></div>
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Now, this was not a prophecy, rather, John was quoting from Exodus 12:46 and Numbers 9:12 that none of the bones of the Passover lamb were to be broken. Since Christ is the Lamb of God, crucified on Passover, His bones were not broken either. During crucifixion, the Romans would break the legs of those condemned to die to make their demise all the faster. We see they did so in John 19:32 to the two thieves flanking Christ on Calvary. Yet they did not break Christ’s legs because He was already dead. This is a very important detail. If Christ’s church is His body, then God did not want His physical bones broken in any way. If any of Christ’s bones had been broken, it might be argued by our enemy, the Accuser, that some in His church could be lost to Him, or broken beyond repair. Christ suffered more in His body than we can ever know; we even say of the bread at communion, “this is His body, broken for you”. But none of His bones were physically broken. Not even one.<br />
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Then, we see at His resurrection, our Lord Christ has been given a new, eternal body. This is not a different body than the one He had in life, it is His same body, glorified. He retained His scars, His disciples were able to touch Him, and He could eat physical food, so we know He was raised bodily and did not return as a spirit (Luke 24:39-43). Those of us who are in union with Him by His Holy Spirit, will also have our same lowly bodies transformed into a glorious body, one that is like His in every way (Philippians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 John 3:2). These very bodies will one day walk the streets of gold in eternal bliss. Praise God!<br />
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Paul’s next line in Colossians 1:18 says, “He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead”. Just as in our previous study of verse 17, notice in verse 18 the verb tense “he is”, again solidifying Christ’s eternal nature as God. Yet while verse 17 says, “He is before all things”, in the very next verse, Paul says, “He is the beginning”. It sounds very similar, but we have to be careful here, because this is not the Apostle repeating himself. <br />
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In verse 17, Paul explains that Christ existed before anything was created. In verse 18, he makes it known that everything has its beginning in Him. Christ literally IS the beginning of all things. Remember as the Apostle John stated in John 1:3, <i>“Without Him was not any thing made that was made.” </i><br />
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<i>“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”</i> ~~John 1:1<br />
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<i>“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”</i> ~~Genesis 1:1<br />
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<i>“He is the beginning.”</i> ~~Colossians 1:18</div>
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Paul is relentless in this Colossians 1 passage, again and again solidifying the doctrine of Christ’s deity as the image of the invisible God, the Creator God, the Sustainer God, the Eternal God, the Sovereign God. He is not second in command to the Father, He is the One seated on the Throne of Heaven, co-equal and co-eternal, and He has been given as Head over all things to the church. <br />
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He is the beginning, Paul says, and the firstborn from the dead. Here again we see the word <i>prōtotokos</i> (pro-TAHT-oh-koss) for “firstborn”. Paul uses the same word as he did back in verse 15, that Christ is the firstborn of all creation, yet he uses it to describe the firstborn from the dead. However, this can be somewhat confusing, as we know during Christ’s ministry, and from some stories in the Old Testament, that Christ Himself was not the first person to rise from the dead. He raised not only Lazarus (John 11:1-44), but also Jairus’s twelve-year-old daughter (Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-56), and the widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17). <br />
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Again, notice Paul’s wording here, that Christ is the firstborn <i>from</i> the dead, not <i>of</i> the dead. This is an important distinction, and one of the many reasons why Bible translations faithful to the original texts are quite important when studying Scripture. There are two differences in Christ’s resurrection that no other resurrection before it could boast. The first is quite obvious; Christ was able to raise Himself from the dead. No one who has ever died can self-resurrect. The second is that He is the first to be raised in an incorruptible, immortal body. In this way, He is the firstborn <i>from</i> the dead. Everyone else who had been raised in the Bible would eventually die again. Not Christ. And since He is the Head of the body, the church, our one-in-Spirit union with Him ensures that we too shall one day rise from the dead at the Resurrection of the Saints. Where the head goes, the body follows. <br />
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Our resurrection from the dead is the completion of our salvation (Philippians 1:6), and our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Every person is born in sin and dead in sin until we are reborn by the power of Christ’s Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1, John 3:3). Our rebirth as children of God is our <i>spirit’s</i> resurrection to life in His name, with our bodily resurrection to follow upon Christ’s return. Romans 8:30 is sometimes referred to as the “golden chain” of our redemption. Notice the progression of all these things are past tense. What He has begun in us, He will be faithful to complete:<br />
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<i>“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”</i></div>
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Scripture calls the indwelling Holy Spirit the “earnest of our inheritance” (Ephesians 1:14), or in other words, the promise of our coming resurrection. <br />
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<i>“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." </i>~~Romans 8:11 </div>
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If we have the Spirit of God indwelling us, then He is our guarantee that our bodies will finally and fully resemble our sanctified spirits – and on That Day of our glorification, we’ll finally and fully resemble Christ to perfection.<br />
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Here is where we come to the crescendo of Paul’s careful exposition throughout this entire Colossians passage. He has built truth upon truth for the identity of Jesus Christ, making it clear that He is before all things, that He is the beginning, and that He is the firstborn from the dead. For what purpose? To illustrate that in all things, <i>He might be preeminent</i>. No one above Him, no one before Him, no one beside Him.<br />
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Not only is Christ first in the universe by way of being God, but He has placed Himself first in the grand story of redemption. He is the Head of the church, and the firstborn from the dead, that He might be the firstborn of many brothers (Romans 8:29). It is His image to which we are conformed, and He is the One who deserves glory for it all.<br />
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Scripture has told us time and again that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5). Christ Himself claimed He was humble at heart (Matthew 11:29). Let’s take a moment to consider this. No one would argue that Christ was the most humble man to ever live. And yet how much does this confuse us, knowing our God is a humble God? God is Almighty, and His power is beyond compare. In our minds, we have a hard time figuring out why such a Being would exalt humility. Why is the Kingdom of God seemingly backwards? The last shall be first. Persecution is blessing. Affliction perfects faith. <br />
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To our fallen humanity, strength is found in our exaltation. But Christ says no, when you are weak, <i>then</i> you are strong. Why? Because we are leaning on Him – on His strength – in faith. In all these “backwards” ideas of Christ’s Gospel, He teaches us to let go of this world and look solely upon Him. Humility fills us with the praises of God, not the praise of ourselves. All these things that make the Christian life so difficult for us are serving to make Christ preeminent in our lives. If we can view persecutions and afflictions as our Lord preparing us for glory, then we can rejoice in our pain. <br />
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Ultimately, pride steals glory from God. Pride is glorying in oneself. Pride is puffing up ourselves to look good in the eyes of others. Jesus tells us in Matthew 23:12 that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. As Christians, we are to hold up <i>Christ</i> and show His beauty to the world. And in His own life, Jesus has given us a splendid example of how to live a humble life. Never did He boast in Himself; He did everything for the glory of His Father. Imagine how far God stooped in the Person of Christ. He left His glorious Throne to be united with our flesh forever. He humbled Himself, even to death upon a wooden cross. He literally became a curse for us. Philippians 2:3-8 says:<br />
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<i>“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We know God exalts the humble. Our exaltation, therefore, comes from God alone, and how stunning is that truth? I know of no Christian who wouldn’t want their glory to be solely found in God glorying over them. Can you even imagine the honor of God On High exalting you before heaven and earth? And this is exactly what He’s done for our Lord. There has been no greater humbling in history than the humbling of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, there is no greater exaltation than what He has received at the hand of our Heavenly Father. Philippians 2 continues in verses 9-11:<br />
<br />
<i>“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Christ’s is the name above all names. To Him, every knee shall bow. To Him, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He is, in all things, preeminent. This day is coming, and what a glorious day it will be! However, these verses reveal something quite shocking if we take a step back and consider the weight of these words.<br />
<br />
There is one place in this universe where Christ is not preeminent. There is only one place in all of creation that shuts Him out. This barren, lifeless place is in the hearts of mankind. Even the demons believe – and shudder (James 2:19). But depraved humanity, lost in sin, denies Christ’s very existence. They do not, can not, and will not bow the knee to Him. Our sin nature is so pervasive and prevalent, that even for believers, God has made it a command to make Him preeminent in our lives. It is very telling that the First Great Commandment of God is to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. What pitiful, rebellious creatures we are, that God must make for us a command what is quite obvious to all heavenly creatures.<br />
<br />
In fact, looking back to the Fall in the Garden, our fore-parents’ first sin was mistrust of God, and a desire to be like Him, just as Satan wanted for himself. They idolized what the forbidden fruit would give them, and were not thankful for the bounty they already had in God. They believed God held back something good from them, and thus turned away from Him to obtain it. Humanity’s ultimate Fall into sin, therefore, was not having the Lord God preeminent in their hearts, and that is still the root of all sin and rebellion today.<br />
<br />
Is Christ preeminent in your life? Is He truly? Take a moment to examine yourself. Do you seek Him? Do you have a deep love for reading His Word? Do you have a drive within you to know Him no matter the personal cost to you? When you have a quiet moment to yourself, where do your thoughts fly? Do you meditate on Scripture? How often do you pray? Are your prayers formal or intimate? Do you avoid God when you sin? Do you love His people? Do you obey His commands? Is His Word stored up in your heart? Is your Christianity the most obvious thing about you? Do you adore Christ above and beyond your spouse, children, family, friends, and pets? If you lost everything tomorrow, would Christ be enough for you? Would Christ be enough through adversity? Pain? Tragedy? Persecution? Do you long to be with Him? Do you cry out for His return?<br />
<br />
Hear me when I say this: Christianity is the adoration and exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Great Object of all our affection, all our strength, all our thoughts, and all our souls. We don’t come to Christ for His blessings alone. We come to Christ for Christ! Does your faith resemble Judas Iscariot or Mary of Bethany? Are you hanging around Him for what He can give you, only to leave Him when He doesn’t follow through? Or do you adore Him unashamedly without a care for who sees you weeping at His feet? Is your love for Christ a surface love, one that admires Him only? Or is your love for Him a vast ocean you are lost in, with no shore, no bottom, and no limits? How beautiful do you find our Lord Jesus Christ? Are you merely grateful for all He’s done for you, or do you stand stunned before His Throne, in awe that Someone So High could look upon you at all? Have you spoken of Him, or His name, in vain, or have you wept like Isaiah that you have unclean lips before this Glorious, Almighty God? <br />
<br />
If you feel cold toward Christ at all, I implore you – ask Him to help you love Him. Even if we adore Him more than our own lives, we should strive to love Him more than we do. He should be the One who defines us. In Him is where we find our identity, before anything else. Christ is infinitely better than anything this world can offer. He is worth leaving <i>everything</i> to follow Him. Every single sinner who encountered our precious Lord in Scripture left their sinful lives behind to pursue Him. They found in Him something greater and more marvelous than their identity as a prostitute, as a tax collector, or even as a Pharisee. He told them, “Go, and sin no more” and each one of them rose up to follow Him in the beauty of holiness.<br />
<br />
Have you seen Christ’s beauty in this way? Has He so captivated you that you would lay everything down, absolutely everything in your life, to find yourself in Him? Like the Apostle Paul, have you counted it all as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ? Have you counted these things as dung, as rubbish, to be tossed aside, in order that you may gain Christ? (Philippians 3:8) If not, cry out to Him for the grace to see Him high and lifted up. He is infinitely worthy of all our praise. The great glory of a Christian’s life is a holy preoccupation with Christ. Lord, help us to place You first in our hearts and first in our lives, that in all things to us, You might be preeminent. Amen.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>STUDY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION</u></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
1.) True or False - Christ is so united to His church, that He considers what’s done to us as done to Him.<br />
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<br />
2.) Husbands and wives are considered one __________ by God (Ephesians 5:31), and Christ and the believer are one in ___________ (1 Corinthians 6:17). <br />
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3.) What does Paul mean when he says Christ is the “firstborn from the dead”?<br />
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4.) Where is the one place in all of creation where Christ is not preeminent?<br />
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<br />
5.) Complete this sentence: The great glory of a Christian’s life is a _____ _____________ with Christ.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Questions for Personal Reflection</u></b></div>
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<br />
Have you ever thought about your union with Christ being so personal, that He considers whatever happens to you as happening to Him?<br />
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<br />
How can this deeply personal union with Christ help you live your life for His glory?<br />
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<br />
Do you know your place in the Body of Christ? What is it that you absolutely love to do? What has He gifted you with? Sanctify it and use it for the glory of Christ and there is your place in His Body.<br />
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Are you hanging around Christ for what He can give you? Or do you adore Him unashamedly without a care for who sees you?<br />
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Examine yourself. Is Christ truly preeminent in your life? If not, ask Him to help you place Him first in your heart.<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Colossians 1:18 – Session Four – Song Playlist:</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Name Above All Names</b> – Sovereign Grace Music – Risen Album</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Song of the Beautiful Bride</b> – Paul Wilbur – Your Great Name Album</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Living Hope</b> – Phil Wickham – Living Hope Single</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Resurrection Power</b> – Chris Tomlin – Resurrection Power Single</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>He Rose Again</b> – The Vigil Project – Vigil (Series One) Album</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>First Love</b> – Petra – On Fire Album</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Count It All</b> – John Waller – As for Me and My House Album</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Scripture References for Further Study:</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
1.) Romans 12<br />
2.) 1 Corinthians 12<br />
3.) Ephesians 1:21-23<br />
4.) Ephesians 4 & 5<br />
5.) Colossians 2:18-19<br />
6.) Ephesians 1:22-23<br />
7.) 1 Corinthians 12:21-22<br />
8.) Acts 9:4<br />
9.) Matthew 25:40<br />
10.) Matthew 25:45<br />
11.) Ephesians 5:28-30<br />
12.) Ephesians 5:31<br />
13.) 1 Corinthians 6:17<br />
14.) 2 Corinthians 5:20<br />
15.) Philippians 3:21<br />
16.) 1 Corinthians 6:20<br />
17.) 1 Corinthians 6:15-16<br />
18.) 2 Corinthians 6:14<br />
19.) 1 Corinthians 3:16<br />
20.) 1 Corinthians 6:19<br />
21.) 1 Corinthians 10:17<br />
22.) John 16:33<br />
23.) 1 Peter 4:12<br />
24.) Matthew 10:22<br />
25.) Philippians 1:29<br />
26.) James 1:2<br />
27.) 1 Peter 3:13-17<br />
28.) 1 Peter 4:12-19<br />
29.) John 19:36<br />
30.) Exodus 12:46<br />
31.) Number 9:12<br />
32.) John 19:32<br />
33.) Luke 24:39-43<br />
34.) Philippians 3:21<br />
35.) 1 Corinthians 15:52<br />
36.) 1 John 3:2<br />
37.) John 1:3<br />
38.) John 1:1<br />
39.) Genesis 1:1<br />
40.) Colossians 1:18<br />
41.) John 11:1-44<br />
42.) Matthew 9:18-26<br />
43.) Mark 5:21-43<br />
44.) Luke 8:40-56<br />
45.) Luke 7:11-17<br />
46.) Philippians 1:6<br />
47.) Colossians 1:27<br />
48.) Psalm 51:5<br />
49.) Ephesians 2:1<br />
50.) John 3:3<br />
51.) Romans 8:30<br />
52.) Ephesians 1:14<br />
53.) Romans 8:11<br />
54.) Romans 8:29<br />
55.) Proverbs 3:34<br />
56.) James 4:6<br />
57.) 1 Peter 5:5</div>
<div>
58.) Matthew 11:29</div>
<div>
59.) Matthew 23:12<br />
60.) Philippians 2:3-8</div>
<div>
61.) Philippians 2:9-11</div>
<div>
62.) James 2:9<br />
<br />
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-90918675239624641102018-10-17T07:46:00.000-07:002018-10-17T08:03:49.740-07:00The Preeminence of Christ - Week ThreeWelcome to this third installment of my 6-week study on the Preeminence of Christ from Colossians 1:15-20. I praise the Lord that He compelled me to write this, not only for the women of my church, but also for those around the world who read my blog. Recently, <a href="https://thestateoftheology.com/" target="_blank">Ligonier Ministries did a poll of American Evangelicals</a>, and found that a staggering <b><u>73%</u></b> believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is the first and greatest being created by God. No, church. No. <u>We cannot allow our atrophied Christology to be on par with Jehovah's Witnesses</u>.<br />
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<u><b><span style="font-size: large;">Our Lord Jesus Christ IS GOD.</span></b></u></div>
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And by His grace, I pray He will communicate His glory to you through this study. O, Lord Jesus, please be with us, and open the eyes of Your church, that You are our Almighty God, Emmanuel, God with us, who became flesh, who destroyed the power of death. Send Your Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts with this magnificent Truth. Amen.<br />
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With that said, let's dive in. If you've missed the first two installments, here they are:<br />
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<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-one.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week One</a><br />
<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-two.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Two</a><br />
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<b><u>THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST – Week Three – Colossians 1:17 </u></b></div>
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<b>By: Becka Goings</b> </div>
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Colossians 1:15-20: <br />
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<i>15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 <b>And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.</b> 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. </i><br />
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<i>“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” </i><br />
~~Colossians 1:17 <br />
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Colossians 1:17 seems like a redundancy when we read it in context of our entire passage. It seems to restate the lofty truths Paul has already conveyed in the previous verses we’ve studied, or the ones we’ve yet to look at. This is a short sentence, and if we’re not careful, we can miss the rich theology packed within it. When we study Scripture, we need to train ourselves to slow down and ask God to show us the meaning behind these phrases, and sometimes even individual words. God is very particular about the words He has chosen for His inerrant Word, and we must consider each word in a way we might have never thought about before. <br />
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To give an example, one way to dig in to a verse is to consider the tense of a verb. God specifically named Himself, “I AM”, not “I Was” or “I Will Be”. What can we tell about God from His name? Through every age, God “is”. The name I AM conveys His eternal nature. He always IS. Allow me to read a quote from one of my favorite pastors and teachers of Scripture, Dr. John MacArthur, on this very subject from the first issue of Expositor Magazine: <br />
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<i>“[Christ] says (bitingly) that these men who fancied themselves experts in biblical scholarship didn’t really know the Scriptures at all: “But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.’” (Matt. 22:31-32). <br /><br />“Notice the powerful force of the argument: Jesus is quoting Exodus 3:6, from the heart of the Pentateuch—a text whose doctrine they could not dispute. And the logic of the argument hinges on the verb tense inherent in God’s name: “I AM” –present, continuous tense. God Himself is speaking, long after the deaths of the original patriarchs. <br /><br />“[This] shows that the authority and inerrancy of Scripture extends to every element of the text, including not only the tiny jots and tittles that were used to spell the actual words, but also the verb tenses. Jesus’ whole point was based on the tense of the simplest, most common verb in the Hebrew language.” </i><br />
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~~John MacArthur, Expositor Magazine Issue #1, page 15 <br />
(quoted with permission from Expositor Magazine) <br />
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Now let’s look at Paul’s wording in verse 17. <br />
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<i>“And <u>he is</u> before all things”. </i><br />
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Notice he says of Christ, “he is”. This is both interesting and telling. When you speak of someone in the past tense, you say “was”. “He <i>was</i> before all things”. But no, that’s not how Paul phrases it. Christ “is before all things”. While “before all things” is past tense, Paul emphasizes that Christ “is”. It’s subtle, but it’s there. This confirms the eternality of Christ on the same level of “I AM”. This verse also interprets “<i>the firstborn of all creation</i>” from Colossians 1:15. Remember how, in context, we learned the Greek word “<i>prōtotokos</i>” (pro-TAHT-oh-koss) from verse 15 means “the first” or “preeminent”? How do we know Paul didn’t mean Christ to be acknowledged as the first created Being? Because he says in verse 17 that “he is <i>before</i> all things”. If Christ is eternal, and if He is before all things, then He cannot be a created Being. The Apostle John agrees in the magnificent opening to his Gospel with these beloved words from John 1:1-3:<br />
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<i>“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” </i></div>
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Here again, we come to a passage where we have to be very careful to slow down and study every word, and not read the passage as we always have, glossing over any gems that might be hidden within. How many of us have wondered at verse three and John’s apparent disregard for grammar or clarity? I know I have. It’s one of those verses that makes my brain twist into a pretzel. But slow down, read it word-for-word, and ask God for its meaning. <br />
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<i>“Without…him…was…not…any…thing…made…that…was…made.” </i></div>
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John uses this phrase to flesh out the previous statement about Christ, that all things were made through Him. This phrase is worded as it is quite deliberately to drive the previous point home and make it absolutely clear that Christ is not, nor can He be, a created Being. Someone might argue that, sure, all things were created by Christ, but Christ was created by the Father. NO, both John and Paul shut down that idea when discussing our Lord’s deity. Christ cannot be created, because “without him was not any thing made that was made.” In other words, if anything is “made”, it was “made” by Christ. Christ cannot be a created Being, because He is the very One who has created everything! To say that Christ is “made” is to say He somehow spontaneously created Himself, and that cannot be, as we know God is eternal, and the Apostles lay out quite clearly, that Jesus Christ is God. The Word was with God, and the Word <i>was</i> God, according to the Apostle John, and <i>He is</i> before all things, according to the Apostle Paul. <br />
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While Paul’s point was that Christ existed before all created things, I also like the second definition of the word “before” applied to this text. The King is before, or in front of, His creation. <i>He is before all things</i>. When taken in this way, its as if creation itself stands in His holy court, giving us a picture of His omnipresence, and also emphasizing that He exists outside of His creation. We can almost imagine the Lord Christ turning creation in His hand, as if appraising it like a jewel. In fact, I do believe Paul wanted to give us an inkling of this idea when he says, “<i>and in him all things hold together.</i>” <br />
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Creation holds together, or consists, because Christ holds it in His hand. He holds it all together on His will alone. This doctrine is stated elsewhere in Scripture as well, in the first half of Hebrews 1:3: <br />
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<i>“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” </i></div>
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The writer of Hebrews, if not the Apostle Paul himself, was at least someone who knew our passage in Colossians 1. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? But the Hebrews text goes into stronger detail, using more powerful language to restate what Paul had written in Colossians. We get a fuller picture here of what it means that in Christ, all things hold together. We are told that He upholds the universe by the word of His power. This is an extraordinary description of Christ! There is no argument here, no opportunity for discussion on the matter. The truth is quite simple. This universe is upheld by Christ, the very man who walked these dusty roads and was crucified on a Roman cross. Imagine how mind-blowing this must have been to those who knew Him in the first century! It was not enough to declare Him God; the Apostles portrayed Him with a high view of His sovereign power. This magnificent, all-powerful God was born into our world to live our life and die our death. I can imagine all who heard this message saying to one another, “Who is He? Why did He do this? We must know Him!” <br />
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Now, an earthly king certainly has mighty power, able to make laws, wage war, and decide whether someone lives or dies. But no person alive has ever been able to uphold the universe. That power belongs to God alone. And notice from the text He doesn’t uphold it as the Greeks imagined Atlas did, upon His broad back, struggling and groaning to lift the weight of it. No, Christ doesn’t even break a sweat – He upholds His creation simply by…what? The word of His power. Our Mighty God says, “Be upheld,” and thus creation obeys, just as the wind and waves once obeyed His command to “be still”. <br />
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Notice also how beautifully Hebrews 1:3 reflects back on John 1:1, that the universe is upheld by the word of His power, and that in the beginning was the Word. Scripture is like a grand tapestry, masterfully and divinely interwoven into one glorious image of Christ as our Creator God. <br />
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Paul wants us to know in Colossians 1:17 that Christ is not only the Creator of the universe, He is the Upholder of it also. He has not left it to spin on its own like a wound-up watch, as many deists claim. There is no such thing as a hands-off God who stands back and merely watches it all play out, aloof in the heavens. No, He is actively involved in upholding the universe in every single moment. If He ceased to uphold it, everything would cease to be. By saying “all things hold together” or “all things consist”, Paul means that quite literally, Christ is holding all things together by the force of His will alone. If He no longer willed to hold it, everything would instantly be destroyed. Therefore, it is the will of our Lord Christ that binds atoms and cells together to create all things. <br />
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Not only did He create the stars, and not only does He hold them in their courses, but He actively holds all their atoms together as well. <br />
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It is this upholding power that declares His sovereignty, and also how miracles can happen. While some scientists and brilliant minds of the day insist that miracles are impossible due to the laws of science and physics, these laws matter not to Christ, as He is the very one who upholds the laws of science and physics! He can, quite literally, do anything He wants with the jewel of His creation in the palm of His hand. <br />
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Let’s explore some examples from Scripture. He is sovereign over our lives, holding our deaths in His sovereignty. Have you ever thought that your heart beats because Christ wills it to beat? Let’s take a moment to ponder that. We are all alive this very moment because Christ in the heavens is actively allowing our hearts to beat and our lungs to take in breath. To show you an illustration of this, let’s consider Ananias and Sapphira from Acts 5:1-11. <br />
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<i>“But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”5 <u>When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last.</u> And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. <br /><br />7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 <u>Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. </u>When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.” </i><br />
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These two people sold a piece of land and claimed they had donated the entire price to the church, but the reality was that they held some money back for themselves. They had lied to the Holy Spirit. What did God do? He struck them dead. Right then and there. First Ananias in verse 5, then Sapphira in verse 10. Christ removed His will to continue their lives and immediately, their hearts stopped and they dropped dead. <br />
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Verse 11 says a great fear came upon the whole church. I should say so! If we truly understood that we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28) upon Christ’s will alone, how differently would we live for Him? Puritan Thomas Watson once said, “<i>Every time we draw our breath, we suck in mercy.</i>” Puritan George Swinnock says it as well, “<i>Every breath of your life is a gift of mercy.</i>” <br />
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This gives me a healthy fear of Christ in knowing my life is at His mercy, however, it also gives me a sense of peace in knowing He holds my life in His sovereign hand. My life will end precisely when He wills it to, and not a moment before. George Whitefield, an eighteenth century evangelist, who, along with Jonathan Edwards, ushered in the First Great Awakening, once said, “<i>We are immortal until our work on earth is done.</i>” <br />
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I love that. Nothing can end us until Christ ordains it. Did you know all our work for Christ was preordained by God? Ephesians 2:10 says, <br />
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<i>“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, <u>which God prepared beforehand</u>, that we should walk in them.” </i></div>
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The moment we have finished our work of glorifying Christ on earth, we are ushered Home. Praise the Lord! Don’t leave me outside of Heaven one single moment longer than I need to be! This knowledge can also bring us a great peace when our loved ones in Christ are taken from us. To our understanding, it might seem too soon, or too sudden, or without rhyme or reason. But no, their works were finished, and Christ called them Home. What a beautiful comfort to know that our Lord, who desires for His children to be with Him where He is and to see His glory (John 17:24), has called our loved ones unto Himself to see Him as He is! No one leaves this world prematurely or outside of God’s will. This realization also takes some fear out of dying. None of us know when we’ll be called Home, but we shouldn’t fear the hour of our death, for it ushers us into the presence of Christ Himself! What once was a curse and the very wage of sin, is now counted as gain for those who love Christ. <br />
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And despite the unbelief of atheists and agnostics, they too are subject to the will and mercy of Christ. Every moment they breathe earth’s air is a mercy outside of Hell. In Jonathan Edwards’ famous sermon, “<i>Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God</i>”, he describes the fate of these like this: <br />
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<i>“There is nothing between you and Hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up…if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of Hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock. If it were not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment.” </i><br />
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God is under no obligation to keep any unbeliever from falling into Hell, and yet here we are, observing His mercy and grace in upholding the lives of those who blaspheme Him to the four winds. And praise the Lord for it as well, for if a person is still breathing, there is still hope for their salvation. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace in our lives. <br />
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Christ is the Lord of Life; not only is He sovereign over death, He is also sovereign over life. All of us know the story of Lazarus coming forth at our Lord’s command after being four-days dead (John 11:43). Or Christ’s own resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:6). Or our own rising from the dead at the Resurrection of the Saints (1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4). There is coming a day when the entire church will be raised from the dead at the same time – those who are asleep in Christ, and those who are alive and remain. 1 Corinthians 15:52 says, <br />
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<i>“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” </i></div>
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Philippians 3:21 describes it this way: <br />
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<i>“who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, <u>by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.</u>” </i></div>
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Aside from my being excited about our future glorification, these two verses tell us something of God’s amazing, unstoppable power. First, this glorification is lightning-quick – it happens in the twinkling of an eye. Probably faster than you can snap your fingers. One moment we are mortal, the next, immortal. There is no evolution here, no slow, subtle change over time. We are instantaneously glorified. How? <i>By the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.</i> By His upholding power. God is perfectly able to alter all things immediately and completely to conform them to His will. Even our very bodies shall obey Him apart from our own wills. Our Mighty God declares, “Be glorified!” and thus this flesh shall obey. I don’t know about you, but there are times I just need to have a moment to take it all in. This Almighty power of God to subject all things to Himself is stunningly glorious. <br />
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Christ is Sovereign, and this entire universe bows to His will. He created the universe, He keeps it spinning through His magnificent omniscience and omnipotence, and He is sovereign over it; anything He wills comes to pass. The Lord Jesus Christ does not need anyone’s permission to do anything in His universe, nor does He ask for it. I’m sure we’ve all heard preaching of that sort, to “give God permission” to do this or that. But when you come to the realization of how huge God is and how puny we are, how massive His glory compared to our bodies of dust, how unstoppable His power compared to our weakness, how great His holiness compared to our hideous sin nature, you can see how a theology that “gives God permission” is a certain blasphemy. <br />
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<i>Who are you, O man, to answer back to God? </i>(Romans 9:20)<i>. Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? </i>(Job 38:2)<i> What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? </i>(Psalm 8:4) <br />
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A high view of Christ and His power as God is what we desperately need, to worship Him and serve Him to the best of our abilities. We cannot be satisfied with lower, lesser views of Him that portray Him “needing our permission” or begging us to come to Him, as if He is impotent rather than omnipotent. We would do well to remember: <br />
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<i>“Our God is a consuming fire.”</i> ~~Hebrews 12:29 <br />
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…and fear Him accordingly. <br />
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I wonder if the Apostle Paul is leading worship in Heaven. Take a look at a verse from the book of Revelation and hear the words of the 24 elders who worship God at His Throne. Revelation 4:11: <br />
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<i>“Worthy are you, <u>our Lord and God</u>, to receive glory and honor and power, <u>for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.</u>” </i></div>
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This sounds astoundingly like our text in Colossians 1:17. Let’s read it again: <br />
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<i>“And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” </i></div>
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Praise the Lord! The saints will be singing these very praises to God in Glory! What an amazing witness in the book of Revelation. Here is one more proof that Jesus Christ is God, as the Apostle Paul lays out doctrine for Christ’s deity as the Creator of all things in Colossians 1, and the Apostle John records the saints in Heaven praising the One who created all things as our Lord and our God. The Bible is not ambiguous about the identity of the Sovereign of the universe. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain. <br />
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The book of Revelation also tells us our Lord will not hold this universe forever. One day, all these things shall pass away when He creates a new heaven and a new earth. Revelation 21:1 says, <br />
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<i>“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” </i></div>
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This is what creation has been groaning for – its redemption (Romans 8:22-23). Ever since the Fall in the Garden, sin has cursed creation itself. Death and decay did not exist until sin entered the world. How amazing to think the Lord Jesus Christ will one day glorify His creation just as He glorifies His saints! And even more amazing than that is knowing this resplendent, sovereign God who redeemed it all for Himself! How can we not long to know more about this glorious Being who dwells in unapproachable light? The more we examine the glories of Christ On High, the more we come to adore Him for all He has done, not only for His creation, not only for His church, but for each one of us specifically. <br />
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How involved is Christ in your life? Whether or not we acknowledge Him day-to-day, He is intimately involved in all we do, for just as His universe is upheld by the word of His power, so too are our lives. Whatever might drag us down, make us stumble, or rob us of our strength, the Lord Jesus Christ holds it all in the palm of His hand. All things will hold together if He wills to hold it. And we know His children cannot be snatched from His hand (John 10:28). Nor can we be snatched from the Father’s hand (John 10:29). <br />
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Christ holds onto us with His sovereign power. As Romans 8:38-39 says, <br />
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<i>“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, <u>nor anything else in all creation</u>, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” </i></div>
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What’s remarkable to me about this verse is how Paul says that <i>nothing in all creation</i> can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Taking this knowledge and coupling it with what we know about Christ’s power over creation in Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:3, we see that Christ holds onto us with a sustaining power that overrules the sin, the corruption, and the curse that’s upon creation. For those who love God, <i>all things work together for good</i> (Romans 8:28). He literally manipulates creation by His power to hold all things together, to ensure that nothing in His creation can separate His children from His love. Not death, life, angels, demons, things now, things future, kings, presidents, mountains, valleys, or anything else you could think of can take us outside of the Almighty power of our God, in whom all things consist. <br />
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If creation is a jewel before Him that He turns and appraises, how much more precious to our Lord Christ are His children, those for whom He shed His own blood to purchase? How much more does He hold onto us, we who are His inheritance? Never doubt that He has you right where He wants you. Never wonder if He sees you in your despair. He hears your every sigh, and saves your every tear (Psalm 56:8). You are His, and His you will remain. Nothing, absolutely nothing can take us away from Him. <br />
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<i>“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” </i></div>
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If Christ is before you as your King, if you are in Him, then all things in your life shall hold together by His power to subject all things to Himself. O, Lord Jesus, we don’t deserve Your mercy and grace, but we thank You and praise You for holding us with Your great strength, and for giving us the privilege of knowing the wonder of You. Praise Your name forever. <br />
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<u><b>STUDY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION </b></u></div>
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1.) According to Dr. John MacArthur, one way to dig into Bible study is to consider the _______ of a _______. <br />
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2.) What does John 1:3 mean when it says, “without him was not any thing made that was made”? <br />
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3.) According to Hebrews 1:3, Christ upholds the universe by the _______ of His _______. <br />
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4.) Does anyone die prematurely, without rhyme or reason, or outside of God’s will? <br />
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5.) True or false? The Bible is ambiguous about who is the Sovereign of the universe.<br />
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<u><b>Questions for Personal Reflection </b></u></div>
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Have you ever given much thought to the fact that your heart beats by the will of Christ? <br />
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Have you ever thought long on God’s sovereignty, that even the atoms of your own body will obey Him before they obey you? <br />
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If you’re honest with yourself, have you ever believed you had the right to give God permission to do something in your life, thus making yourself sovereign over Him? <br />
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Is Christ before all things in your life? <br />
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Do you truly have faith that by His power, all things in your life hold together? <br />
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<u><b>Colossians 1:17 – Session Three – Song Playlist: </b></u></div>
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<li><b>Sovereign Over Us</b> – Breakaway Ministries – Lift Him High Album</li>
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<li><b>All Praise to Him</b> – Sovereign Grace Music – Prayers of the Saints Album</li>
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<li><b>Shepherd of My Soul</b> – Kutless – Alpha/Omega Album</li>
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<li><b>Unto the Lamb</b> – The Prestonwood Choir – The Best of The Prestonwood Choir </li>
</ul>
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<li><b>Christ Be All Around Me</b> – Shane & Shane – The Worship Initiative Album </li>
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<li><b>You Hold it All</b> – Travis Ryan – You Hold It All (Live) Album </li>
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<li><b>Sovereign</b> – Chris Tomlin – Burning Lights Album </li>
</ul>
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<u><b>Scripture References for Further Study: </b></u></div>
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1.) Colossians 1:17 </div>
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2.) Matthew 22:31-32 <br />
3.) Exodus 3:6 <br />
4.) Colossians 1:15 <br />
5.) John 1:1-3 <br />
6.) Hebrews 1:3 <br />
7.) Acts 5:1-11 <br />
8.) Acts 17:28 <br />
9.) Ephesians 2:10 <br />
10.) John 17:24 <br />
11.) John 11:43 <br />
12.) Matthew 28:6 <br />
13.) 1 Corinthians 15 <br />
14.) 1 Thessalonians 4 <br />
15.) 1 Corinthians 15:52 <br />
16.) Philippians 3:21 <br />
17.) Romans 9:20 <br />
18.) Job 38:2 <br />
19.) Psalm 8:4 <br />
20.) Hebrews 12:29 <br />
21.) Revelation 4:11 <br />
22.) Revelation 21:1 <br />
23.) Romans 8:22-23 <br />
24.) John 10:28 <br />
25.) John 10:29 <br />
26.) Romans 8:38-39 <br />
27.) Romans 8:28 <br />
28.) Psalm 56:8 <br />
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-42580381868648629262018-10-03T09:45:00.001-07:002018-10-03T10:09:51.212-07:00The Preeminence of Christ - Week TwoWelcome, everyone, to week two of my six-week series, The Preeminence of Christ. In this session, we are diving into Colossians 1:16. For those not in the know, this series is original content written by me, for the women of my church. We gather on Tuesdays at church to learn of the deity of Christ, and on the following day, Wednesday, I post this week's session online. This helps other women in my church who cannot attend the group on the appointed day, and also brings glory to Christ as He sends it out into the world.<br />
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Just a side-note, for the week of October 9th, there will be no session at church nor a new post next week on my blog, as Tuesday, October 9th is my birthday. There will be no group that day, and I do not wish to publish the study online before I run it at my church. Therefore, look for session three of this series in two weeks, on October 17th.<br />
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Lord Jesus, I ask for You to send this study to the four corners of the world and to proclaim Your deity to all those worldwide who have ears to hear. I ask for You to use my blog as a witness of Your glory, and inspire Your children, my brothers and sisters, to love and adore You for the magnificence of who You are. Advance Your Kingdom through this little study, Lord, as we may plant and water this seed, but only You can bring the increase. Amen.<br />
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In case you missed it, here is the link to: <a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/09/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-one.html" target="_blank">Week One of The Preeminence of Christ</a>.<br />
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<b><u>THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST – Week Two – Colossians 1:16 </u></b></div>
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<b><b>By: Becka Goings </b></b></div>
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Colossians 1:15-20: <br />
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<i> 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. <b>16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. </b>17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.</i><br />
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<i>“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” <br />~Colossians 1:16 </i><br />
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As we build more and more on these magnificent themes of Christ’s deity found in Colossians 1:15-20, I’d like to re-read the entire passage every week at the beginning of these studies. The more we dive deeper into these truths week to week, the more this specific passage of Scripture will shine forth like stars in the heavens. We have already studied verse 15, that Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Today, we are going to look at verse 16, which goes into more glorious depth than the verse before it. <br />
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Before we jump into the verse, I’d like to give you some background on the book of Colossians itself, and why it was written. Some of you may or may not know, but the Apostle Paul did not plant the church at Colossae. He planted the Ephesian church, which was about one hundred miles away from Colossae, and commissioned his fellow-minister in the faith, Epaphras, to plant a church there. Epaphras was a Colossian himself (Colossians 4:12), and therefore, it was natural to send him to his own people. The fact Paul did not plant the Colossian church is confirmed by his words in Colossians 1:4-7: <br />
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<i>“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, <u>since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus</u> and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, <u>just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant</u>. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf.” </i><br />
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Paul also confirms in Colossians 2:1 that he hasn’t seen the Colossians face to face: <i>“For I want you to know how great a struggle <u>I have for you</u> and for those at Laodicea <u>and for all who have not seen me face to face.</u>” </i><br />
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Why, then, did Paul write this letter? Heresy was growing in Colossae. Epaphras had made the harrowing journey from Colossae to Rome in order to gain the Apostle’s counsel regarding the matter. Paul himself was on house arrest at the time, being allowed to stay in rented apartments, at his own expense, but forced to wear a chain and submit to a guard (Acts 28:16). The amazing thing about this time is that even though he couldn’t go to the people, the people came to him! The only barrier Paul had preaching the Gospel in Rome was that he couldn’t leave his apartments. But that didn’t stop the spreading of the Gospel among the Romans, despite his being guarded day and night! Acts 28:30-31 says of this time, <br />
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<i> “He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” </i><br />
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The books of Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon were all written during this time, somewhere between 60-62AD. They’re commonly called the “prison epistles”. <br />
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As I already mentioned, Epaphras was deeply concerned about the spreading heresy within his church. He needed Paul himself, and his authority as an Apostle of Christ, to rebuke this heresy, and call the Colossians back into the faith they had received at the first. The encroaching heresy was an early form of Gnosticism, that God and things of the spirit are good, but the material world is evil, and that Christ was not God, but some lesser spiritual being that would lead the people to greater spiritual enlightenment – apart from the Scriptures. The Colossians were also plagued by Jewish law and traditions. This is the reason why the epistle to the Colossians is one of the most beautiful treatises on the deity of Christ in all of Scripture. Paul had to remind them Christ was not a mere human, nor was He some lesser spiritual being, He is God incarnate, the Mighty One robed in flesh, the King of Heaven come down to earth. <br />
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And praise the Lord for Colossians, for by this letter, Christians have been able to fight other heresies on Paul’s authority that deny Christ’s Godhead, either claiming that He is erroneously the brother of Satan or that He is the archangel Michael. This epistle also refutes those who would claim Christ as a mere godly man who was killed for teaching good things throughout Judea. Paul, who himself had met, and spoken with, the risen Christ face-to-face, leaves no wiggle-room to proclaim Christ as anyone other than the Lord of Hosts Himself. <br />
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If Paul had stopped his argument at verse 15, Christ could have been viewed as a kind of “avatar” of the Father, or perhaps His first creation. He could have been seen as God’s representative, a spokesman, speaking His words, but not with His power. Perhaps a prophet, even the greatest of prophets! But no, Paul doesn’t stop at saying Christ is the image of the invisible God, he goes much deeper than that. <br />
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<i>“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth"</i><br />
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This, to put it succinctly, is a God claim. Only God can create something from nothing. Paul does not say Christ created some things, but <i>all</i> things. Not only things on earth, but in heaven also. He does not say Christ was <i>given</i> the power to create, or that the Father <i>enabled</i> Him in some way. It says, very clearly, “by Him”.<br />
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<i>“By Him all things were created” </i><br />
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All things – and if you wanted some wiggle-room here, no, Paul shuts it down – <i>in heaven and on earth</i>. Every blade of grass, every rock, every bird, every fish, every mountain, every person, every star in the sky, and every angel in His Host. But perhaps the Colossians still wouldn’t get it, so he plunges even deeper. <br />
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<i>“Visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities”</i><br />
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Maybe someone could still argue that Christ is On High in Heaven, and while He created the earth and all things within, what about those invisible things, like a king’s authority? What about spiritual things and spiritual authorities? Yes, even these too – including Paul’s own authority as Christ’s Apostle.<br />
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As if that wasn’t enough, Paul says it again, using the Hebrew custom of repeating things twice to emphasize and bring home the truth of it: <br />
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<i>“All things were created through Him” </i><br />
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At the beginning of verse 16, he says “by Him”, now here we have “through Him”, as if to refute anyone who believes Christ doesn’t possess God’s power in His own Person. Someone could argue that God the Father created the universe by Christ as a middleman. But Paul says the universe was created <i>through</i> Him as well, meaning, by His power alone. “By Him” was everything made “through Him” with His power as God. In other words, “by Him” is His will to do so, “through Him” is His power to do so. Then finally we come to the breath-taking capstone of Paul’s marvelous doctrine in three tiny words: <br />
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<i>“<u>and for Him.</u>” </i><br />
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When read altogether, it is a powerful statement: <i>“All things were created through Him and for Him.”</i> <br />
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Not only did Paul explain that <i>by</i> Christ all things were created, and <i>through</i> Christ all things were created, but they were created for one single purpose – <i>for Him</i>. Here he silences their arguments, here he drops the mic in victory, and declares Christ’s ownership of it all! <br />
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The Lord Jesus Christ is God Almighty. He is the Lord Omnipotent. He knows the end from the beginning. He is the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, the One who was dead, and is now alive forevermore! (Revelation 1:8, 17-18) <br />
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Paul makes a similar argument in Romans 11:36 when he writes, <br />
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<i>“For from him and through him and to him are all things.” </i><br />
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Colossians 1:16 and Romans 11:36 are “sister verses”. They’re composed of the same type of structure, with similar wording, conveying the same doctrine. Paul’s words in the Romans text is a shortened, condensed version of what he conveys in Colossians, but the message is the same. Jesus Christ is the Creator of the universe. <br />
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Even these heretical Colossians could not deny that Paul’s argument was grounded in the creation account, which had already been Scripture for centuries since Moses. The very first verse of the Bible says that it was God alone who created everything in Genesis 1:1. <br />
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<i>“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” </i><br />
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Look and see how similar Paul’s argument is: <br />
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<i>“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth”</i><br />
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What we have to remember here, looking back at Paul’s letter two thousand years later, was the gravity of these words. I don’t think we get it nowadays, since we’ve always lived with the reality of Christ in the flesh. But Paul is quite literally teaching them that the Lord Jesus Christ is God incarnate. He is the image of the invisible Yahweh from the Old Testament. The Trinity of Father/Son/Spirit was a new revelation, and they had to rethink God in a new way. Many of these people were alive when Christ walked the earth. Some had memories of Him. Imagine the disciples, or one of Christ’s brothers, when their minds were open to finally comprehend that Yeshua of Nazareth was God On High! Can you imagine the immensity of this realization? This man you had walked with for years, this man, your older brother! If I’m regularly humbled at the thought that God left Heaven to walk the earth and save my soul, I can’t even imagine what those who knew Him must have felt when they realized the same! <br />
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These Colossians had to come to grips with a God who allowed Himself to die by crucifixion upon a Roman cross. To the natural eye, this seemed a defeat, that Christ couldn’t have been God. Otherwise, Almighty God would have put His almighty power on display and conquered them for His glory! But no, God’s wisdom is high above man’s wisdom, and Christ conquered in a different way; he had to die in order to defeat death for His people. Therefore Paul had to correct this heresy in Colossae with a swift and powerful approach that left no room for argument. <br />
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The little book of Colossians flies in the face of anyone who would claim the Lord Jesus Christ isn’t God in the flesh. I want to expound upon this verse a little more for our benefit, and equip us with the full authority of a biblical argument if and when we’re ever confronted with a similar heresy in our own lives. <br />
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Remember in our last study I spoke of one of the main principles of hermeneutics, the science of biblical interpretation? It is the principle that Scripture interprets Scripture. In Colossians 1:16, Paul further unpacks his statement that Christ is the image of the invisible God in verse 15. He literally jumps into the deep end and doesn’t mince words. This cannot be overlooked or cast aside; the Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator and Owner of the universe. Armed with that knowledge, we can interpret other verses of Scripture in the light of Jesus Christ. <br />
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Have you ever noticed in the Old Testament, sometimes the entire word “Lord” is capitalized? In the original Hebrew, those instances were of the tetragrammaton, a huge fancy word to say it was God’s name, YHWH, or “Yahweh”. The Jews were terrified of breaking the third commandment and saying God’s name in vain, so they changed the tetragrammaton with punctuation marks here and there to read “Adonai” instead, which means “Lord”. The translators of the King James version knew of this, and decided to keep the tradition of not printing God’s actual name; they placed the word LORD in all caps into the text, to denote that this wasn’t an earthly lord, but the LORD of Hosts. <br />
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However, in so doing, we who are armchair expositors sometimes downgrade the capitalized “LORD” to be something lesser than God. Christ is “Lord” or “Adonai”, but not equal to God, as if He’s a mere general or an appointed king. There was no such distinction in the ancient world. To say Christ is “Adonai” was to say that He is God. <br />
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If we replace those capitalized words with God’s name, Yahweh, we come away with a richer understanding of the text, as in Isaiah 44:24: <br />
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<i>Thus says the LORD (<b>Yahweh</b>), your Redeemer,<br /> who formed you from the womb:<br /> “I am the LORD (<b>Yahweh</b>), who made all things,<br /> who alone stretched out the heavens,<br /> who spread out the earth by myself” </i><br />
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Here, we see when God’s name is replaced, the text is stronger, wider, and deeper. Who is our Redeemer? By whom, according to the Apostle Paul, were all things created, in heaven and on earth? Yes, <i>Christ</i>! And yet, we clearly see this text says, “Yahweh”, the very name of God. There is no ambiguity about who this “LORD” is – no room to wiggle. This is not an appointed king, nor a general, nor some other lesser god. This is a very specific God, the one who named Himself “I Am That I Am” – Yahweh, the God of Heaven. <br />
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For your own personal Bible study, I would highly recommend that you keep Yahweh’s name in mind. Mentally remember that the capitalized LORD is the name of Yahweh, and you’ll come away with a fuller understanding of God. Yahweh isn’t the name of God the Father alone, but of the entire Godhead. Even Christ’s given name in the original Hebrew is “Yeshua”, which means “Yah Saves” or “Yah is Salvation”. “Yah” is the shortened, more intimate version of the name “Yahweh”. All three Persons, Father, Son and Spirit, are fully God, not pieces of God or manifestations of God. The union of the singular Godhead – while remaining three distinct Persons – is a mystery to these puny brains of dust. But one day we shall know Him as we are known (1 Corinthians 13:12). Praise the Lord! <br />
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There are more witnesses in the New Testament that claim Christ as the Creator. Take the Apostle John’s account, for instance, in John’s Gospel. <br />
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<i>“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” ~~John 1:3 </i><br />
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<i>“He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.” ~~John 1:10 </i><br />
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Or the account of the writer of Hebrews: <br />
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<i>“but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” ~~Hebrews 1:2 </i><br />
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We can also look to Scripture that speaks about God’s creation to know more about Christ. Scriptures such as Psalm 72:19 and Isaiah 6:2 state the whole earth is full of His glory. You want to know something about the glory of Christ? Look to His creation. Think about this statement for a moment. As of now, we have yet to discover a planet as full of glory as our own. Personally, I don’t believe there is another planet like ours out there. We might have discovered planets similar in size and similar placement from their star, and maybe they even have an atmosphere similar in composition. But the Bible only speaks of the earth as being full of His glory. Only humanity is made in God’s image, and Christ Himself is a glorified man upon the Throne of Heaven.<br />
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Have you ever stopped to think about how much glory this world has to offer? This tiny planet has an exceeding abundance of glory if you think long on it. I want you to take a few minutes to think about this glory of our Lord Christ. Think of flowers, of their variety and color, their scent and beauty. Differing trees, from evergreen to deciduous, and differing trees even within those two classifications, conifers, maples, oaks, aspens, and noble firs. Think about all the different species of the world, from the black bear, to the wolf, to the horse, to the whale, to the squid, to the flamingo, to the eagle – not to mention the diversity of humanity all over the globe. All the different kinds of fruits and foods, the water cycle which is the engine of our planet’s weather, and the way nature is perfectly balanced with the climate, working the seasons into their life cycles. <br />
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Now think about the glory of the stars. We live in a single, enormous galaxy, but there are tens of thousands, if not millions of galaxies that we know of in our universe. And within each galaxy there are billions of stars. Scripture says in Psalm 147:4: <br />
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<i>“He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.” </i><br />
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How many stars are there? We don’t even know, there are too many to count, and yet the Lord Jesus Christ has both determined their number and given each of them a name. Think about that the next time you look up at the night sky. He holds every single one of them in their courses. <br />
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What an incredible mind our Lord has! Have you ever stopped to ponder everything He knows in His omniscience? He has the knowledge and the power to create this vast and glorious universe, He likewise has the knowledge and the power to keep it spinning. Not only that, He intimately knows everything about it, every galaxy, every star, and every name of that star. He also knows everything about this little planet full of His glory, every sparrow that falls, and every hair on our heads (Luke 12:6-7). <br />
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In Colossians 1:16, Paul continues on about Christ creating those things which are <i>visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities</i>. I’d like to dive into that a bit as well. This statement is amazing. By a casual look, Paul seems to be talking about earthly authority, kings and laws and such, but upon a closer examination at cross-referencing Scripture, we come to know these “thrones, dominions, and rulers” are in the spirit realm, more specifically, the demonic. Consider Ephesians 6:11-12: <br />
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<i>“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against <u>the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness</u>, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” </i><br />
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We are told by this passage that our warfare is spiritual, no matter what we’re facing. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the demonic realm. In short, this fallen world is overrun by demons. Praise God we cannot see them, but they’re here. Paul tells us in Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God, to go to battle, and to be well-prepared for this warfare. But lest we lose heart on the battlefield in facing this evil foe, the Holy Spirit has soothed us with these inspired words from Paul’s pen: <br />
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<i>“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. <u>He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.</u>” ~~Colossians 2:13-15</i><br />
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Our battle, therefore, is fought from the hill of victory, not the valley of defeat! Christ has put our enemies to open shame. He has created them, and then triumphed over them by His cross. He is not a God who is defeated by death, He put His glory on full display in dying for His people, in being willing to humble Himself unto death. By doing so, He proved that nothing is impossible for our great God. Not even demons nor the grave can hold Him down. His love is as strong as death, and His jealousy is as fierce as the grave (Songs 8:6). And yes, believer, make no mistake, Christ is jealous for His people, and would have that they view Him as nothing less than God Almighty, seated high and lifted up, our Savior and Redeemer, who is able to save His people from their sin. <br />
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I’d like to close this session by exploring one more thing from Colossians 1:16. Paul says all things were made by Him, through Him, and for Him. Don’t gloss over this and think big picture, I want you to dig into this verse and see yourself. Christ made all things…for Him. All things. <br />
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This includes you. <br />
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Your health or your sickness, your wealth or your poverty, your gain or your loss, your person, your mind, your soul, your heart. All things were created for Him. You were created for Him. Have you ever thought of your own existence in that way? When I was a child, I remember I used to stare at the palm of my hand and think to myself, “Why am I me?” I had deep, philosophical conversations with myself as a child. Why was I born into my family? Why did I look this way? Why was I born in this country? Why, why, why? <br />
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But the answer is simply this: <i>for Him</i>. <br />
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I want you to really focus on this short and sweet answer. We don’t know why God has us travel the roads we’re on. We can’t see His ultimate plan, but we do know from our previous study that we’re being conformed into His image from glory to glory. We can lose ourselves in the “why me” questions. We can feel sorry for ourselves, become bitter, or fall away from Christ in times of trial. But I want you to rethink these issues of your life under the “for Him” banner. <br />
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What do I mean? Answer all of life’s unanswerable questions with this magnificent response: “For Him.” Live your life…for Him. Why do you endure? For Him. Why do you press on? For Him. Christian, this is your battle cry! This is your reason for living; your reason for everything. Here it is again stated another way: <br />
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<i>“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” ~~1 Corinthians 10:31</i></div>
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For Him. These two words will give you freedom and peace to live out whatever He has placed on you to go through. I don’t talk about it much, but I have rheumatoid arthritis. Every day is painful, and often I am exhausted and cannot stand for long periods of time. I have a stool in my kitchen that I sit on while making dinner, because standing at the stove is often too taxing. I take various meds, I’ve changed my eating habits, but still RA remains one of the sharpest tools Christ uses in my sanctification. How do I tolerate this? How do I live without bitterness and anger at God for saddling me with a potentially crippling chronic illness? Simple. It’s for Him. It’s for His glory. This is the path He has chosen for me to walk that will glorify Him to the full in my life. So I stoop in this illness <i>for Him</i>. <br />
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Do I love Him enough to walk this road for Him? </div>
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<u>May it never be said that my answer was no</u>. <br />
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When you are able to say with unwavering resolve that everything, absolutely everything, in your life is for Him, then you have opened the door to loving the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. There’s nothing you wouldn’t do for Him, nothing you wouldn’t go through for Him. If He asked you to walk in the wilderness, alone, beaten down, and brokenhearted, if the reason was “for Him”, the adoring Christian will cry, “Yes, and amen!” <br />
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If all of life’s hardship was “for Him”, how many of us would willingly suffer to obtain that weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17)? How many of us would desire with our whole hearts to one day stand before the Lord of Heaven and Earth and say, “I did it all … for Him”? How high would Heaven rejoice? How richly would He bless us? How magnificently would He exalt us? How great a crown would He bestow? <br />
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Let us free ourselves from ever complaining, “Why me?”, and sing love in our hearts with this glorious praise: “For Him.” <br />
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Amen, Lord Jesus.<br />
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<b><u>STUDY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION </u></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
1.) What was the heresy creeping into the Colossian church? <br />
<br />
_____________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
_____________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
2.) What are the three main points Paul made about Christ’s power as God, to prove He is God, over all creation? <br />
<br />
Creation was made _______ Him, _______ Him, and _______ Him. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3.) What word does the all-caps “LORD” replace in the Old Testament? <br />
<br />
_____________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
4.) When Scripture talks about the rulers, authorities, and dominions, ultimately, what is it talking about? <br />
<br />
_____________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
5.) A Christian can face any fiery trial of life with the peace of God in their heart if they remember this one simple phrase: <br />
<br />
_____________________________________________________________________<br />
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<br />
<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Questions for Personal Reflection </u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Have you ever truly taken into consideration the weightiness of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is God Almighty? <br />
<br />
<br />
Have you ever thought of the Lord Christ as being an appointed king, general, or avatar of God, rather than God Himself in flesh? <br />
<br />
<br />
Like King David in Psalm 8:3-4, have you ever considered your insignificance when compared with the immensity of the glory of God?<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Have you ever considered glorifying Christ amid your pain and struggles to such a degree that in living “for Him”, your suffering becomes worship? <br />
<br />
<br />
Do you love Christ enough that if He required you to walk a suffering road, submission to Him would be, “Yes, and amen”? <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Colossians 1:16 – Session Two – Song Playlist: </u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Behold Our God</b> – Sovereign Grace Music – Risen Album</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>You Never Change (Live)</b> – Austin Stone Worship – This Glorious Grace Album </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Great I Am</b> – Paul Wilbur – Your Great Name Album </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>All Creatures of our God and King</b> – Sovereign Grace Music – Prayers of the Saints Album </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Crown Him (Majesty)</b> – Chris Tomlin – Burning Lights Album </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Doxology/Amen</b> – Phil Wickham – Children of God Album </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><b>Maker of the Moon</b> – Bright City – Hello Maker Album </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>Scripture References for Further Study: </u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
1. Colossians 1:16 <br />
2. Colossians 4:12 <br />
3. Colossians 1:4-7 <br />
4. Colossians 2:1 <br />
5. Acts 28:16 <br />
6. Acts 28:30-31 <br />
7. Revelation 1:8 <br />
8. Revelation 1:17-18 <br />
9. Romans 11:36 <br />
10. Genesis 1:1 <br />
11. Colossians 1:15 <br />
12. Isaiah 44:24 <br />
13. 1 Corinthians 13:12 <br />
14. John 1:3 <br />
15. John 1:10 <br />
16. Hebrews 1:2 <br />
17. Psalm 72:19 <br />
18. Isaiah 6:2 <br />
19. Psalm 147:4 <br />
20. Luke 12:6-7 <br />
21. Ephesians 6:11-12 <br />
22. Colossians 2:13-15 <br />
23. Songs 8:6 <br />
24. 1 Corinthians 10:31 <br />
25. 2 Corinthians 4:17 <br />
26. Psalm 8:3-4 <br />
<br />
<br />
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-46762043814107995762018-09-26T08:48:00.000-07:002018-10-26T19:09:51.497-07:00The Preeminence of Christ - Week One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
For the next six weeks, I'll be posting my Bible study to this blog every Wednesday on <b><u>The Preeminence of Christ</u></b> from Colossians 1:15-20. This study is my own original content, and I am running this series for the women at my church, as well as offering it here online. It is my prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ will use this study for His glory in the hearts of all who read it. When this series wraps up, I will offer the entire study on Google Drive, where it will be available for download and printing for any who wish to have it in its entirety.<br />
<br />
O, Lord Jesus, how good You are to me. Thank You for equipping me to write this study, and for allowing me to present it to Your church, not only in my hometown, but all over the world. I ask that You will open the hearts and minds of those who love You, and bring all of us into a deeper knowledge of Your glory and majesty. Tear off the veil and let us see You in Your beauty! Yes, Lord! This is my prayer to the King of Creation. Praise Your name forever. Amen.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-two.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Two</a><br />
<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-three.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Three</a><br />
<a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-preeminence-of-christ-week-four.html" target="_blank">The Preeminence of Christ - Week Four</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h26wHBFASMs/W6uZ5WN30PI/AAAAAAAACvE/XL8Uc2ayf4g9nbeTiFWZq4hUoggmXJQbwCLcBGAs/s1600/PoCBlogPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="719" height="216" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h26wHBFASMs/W6uZ5WN30PI/AAAAAAAACvE/XL8Uc2ayf4g9nbeTiFWZq4hUoggmXJQbwCLcBGAs/s400/PoCBlogPic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u>THE PREEMINENCE OF CHRIST – Week One – Colossians 1:15</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>By: Becka Goings</b></div>
<br />
Colossians 1:15-20:<br />
<div>
<br />
<i>15 <b>He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. </b>16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. </i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
~*~*~</div>
<br />
<i>“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”<br />~Colossians 1:15</i><br />
<br />
I want to take a moment and meditate on this verse. Meditation on Scripture is a good thing. It prevents us from reading things too quickly, and allows time for the Holy Spirit to expound on truths He wishes to teach us. Think of it as savoring the verse rather than scarfing it. Roll it around in your head. Say it to yourself a few times and stop to consider the weight of every word. “<i>He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.</i>”<br />
<br />
One thing that stands out to me in this passage is the phrase, “He is the image”. What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the word “image” in relation to God? Most of us would think of idolatry, right? “<i>Thou shalt not make thee any graven image…</i>” (Ex. 20:4, Deut. 5:8). The Apostle Paul gives us some insight into why creating an image for God is an abomination to Him in Romans 8:20-22 – “<i>For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.</i>”<br />
<br />
For one thing, an idol puts the image of a created being in the place of our uncreated God, yet God is Spirit; He has no physical form. Furthermore, creation itself has been corrupted. Since the Fall in the Garden, every created creature has paid the wage of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). We are told in Romans 8:22 that creation itself is groaning for its future redemption. Not only does idolatry falsely give a tangible image to an invisible Spirit (which is not an accurate representation of truth) it does so with a perishing image, one that is corrupted and temporal, thus woefully diluting the magnificent glory of the all-holy, all-righteous, ever-eternal God.<br />
<br />
However, of Christ, Scripture gives this witness: “<i><b>HE</b> is the image of the invisible God.</i>”<br />
<br />
In this little 8-word phrase, we are told a marvelous truth about Jesus of Nazareth. He is not merely a good teacher. He is not simply a holy man. He is not just a rabbi, teaching in the synagogues. No, He is the image of the invisible God. God the Father, the Lord of Hosts, the Father of Glory, has given Himself an image in the flesh, and that very image is the Lord Jesus Christ. He embodies everything about God, every attribute, every truth, every promise God ever made. The entire essence of God is present in Christ. In Him, we can now both see and know God. He has become the means by which we can comprehend and understand God’s glory.<br />
<br />
The Apostle Paul expounds on this concept a little more in 2 Corinthians 4:6 when he writes, “<i>For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.</i>” What is fascinating here is that he goes all the way back to Genesis 1:3 and ties the two theological points together. The same God who said, “Let there be light” at the dawn of creation also says “Let there be light” in the hearts of those who love Him with a new kind of light – the light of the knowledge of the glory of God! Amazingly, both of these accounts are creation accounts. The first, the creation of the universe, and the second, our rebirth as new creations in Christ.<br />
<br />
If the knowledge of the glory of God is in the face of Jesus Christ, then whenever we seek God’s face or ask for His face to shine upon us, as in the famous benediction of Numbers 6:24-26, it is the face of <i>Christ</i> that we shall see. To know God, we must know Jesus. When we seek God’s face, we must seek Christ’s face.<br />
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The writer of Hebrews gives us an even higher view of Christ in Hebrews 1:3: “<i>He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.</i>” If I may, I’d like to interject here to share something from the Psalms. Hebrews 1:3 says of Christ, “<i>He is the radiance of the glory of God.</i>” In Psalm 34:5, we are told, “<i>Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.</i>” I love that. In looking to Christ, we are given something of His substance, and thus our faces likewise radiate His glory to a degree, to the point people will be able to tell we’ve been with Jesus. Remember Moses? When he saw the backside of the glory of God, his face shone – literally! However the people were frightened of his shining face, and Moses had to wear a veil (Exodus 34:29-33).<br />
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But Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “<i>And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.</i>” Let’s pause once more and meditate on this verse for a moment.<br />
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Christ is the image of the invisible God, and we are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. The veil is off. We can look Him full in the face! And His radiance is our radiance, from glory to glory. That simply means from one varying degree to another. Not every Christian is at the same level of maturity. One Christian might reflect Christ more than another, simply due to the fact they’ve had a few more years of walking with Him, a few more years of gazing at His face. But Christ is faithful, and He shall complete His work in each and every one of us. <br />
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Elsewhere in Scripture, Romans 8:29, this “glory to glory” is called being conformed into the image of Christ. We are conformed into His image through our life-long sanctification. Those whom He justifies, He also sanctifies (1 Thessalonians 4:3a, 1 Thessalonians 5:23). We grow in holiness and Christlikeness throughout the course of our Christian lives. In this way, every believer is a work of the Holy Spirit in order to have the imprint of His nature upon them. Christ is sanctifying for Himself an entire people who not only love and honor Him, but resemble Him as well (Titus 2:14). We are created in His image in our body, and conformed to His image in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.<br />
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Speaking of His imprint upon us, I’m reminded of the short teaching our Lord gave in Matthew 22:15-22. The Pharisees were trying to think of ways to trip Him up, to stump Him, and make Him trapped by His own words. Let’s read it:<br />
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<i>Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.</i><br />
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Notice the subtlety of His words. The coin had the imprint of Caesar on its face. Clearly, the coin belonged to Caesar, and therefore should be given back to him. But Christ didn’t stop there. He then went on to say, give to God the things that are God’s. He’s speaking in the same context as the imprinted coin. Whose image do we have imprinted on us? God’s image. Therefore, He is saying give Caesar his taxes, and give God yourselves. Give to the world those things that belong to the world, but because you are made in the image of God, give Him yourselves, your hearts, your souls, your minds, your strength. We are in the world and should obey the laws of the world, but we are to live for God, because we are God’s. <br />
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Again, we can see the two creation accounts of being made in His image. We have been made in His image physically. All of humanity has the imprint of God upon them simply by the fact He has created them to be so. Yet it is in the new birth, whereby we become a new creation, that the Christian is conformed into Christ’s image in our heart. As 2 Corinthians 4:16 puts it, “<i>Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.</i>”<br />
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Eventually, Christ will finish this work He began in us (Philippians 1:6), and we shall one day perfectly reflect Him in Glory (1 John 3:2). There is coming a day when Christ returns, when He shall raise the dead, and those who are alive and remain shall all be glorified in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:17). This is the completion of our salvation, where we shall not only perfectly resemble Christ in our hearts, but also outwardly in our body. We shall be given a body like His (Philippians 3:21), and we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). <br />
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These are precious, astonishing truths. Not only is Christ the image of the invisible God, He is at work in us as well so that one day, we too shall be images of the invisible God to the glory of God the Father. Praise the Lord!<br />
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Now that we know the truth of God’s perfect image in Christ, we can better understand why idolatry is so heinous to God. Nothing can compare to the perfect image of Christ. Nothing created can ever come close to His majesty, His glory, His beauty, or His magnificence. He is very God of very God, the Most High, the Lord of Hosts, the King of kings. In Christ, we see God’s mercy. In Christ, we know God’s wisdom. In Christ, we comprehend God’s omnipotence. Everything in God is in Christ. There is no greater joy than the joy of the Lord. There is no greater honor than to be exalted by Him. There is no greater purpose to one’s life than living to glorify Him. God forbade images of Himself in the Ten Commandments and fought idolatry all throughout the Old Testament because the invisible God already had an image, veiled in the past, yet revealed to us now, in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
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Colossians 1:15 goes on to say that Christ is the firstborn of all creation. If we’re not careful with the translation here, some might be led to believe that Jesus is a created Being. But the testimony of Scripture is that Jesus Christ is God in John 1:1, Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 1:1, and Jude 1:25 to name a few verses. Only God can perform miracles, only God can live a sinless life, only God can be the propitiation for our sin, and only God can raise Himself from the grave. Only God can accept prayer, only God can accept worship, and only God can send His Holy Spirit. According to Scripture, Christ is the Creator of the universe in John 1:3, Colossians 1:16, and Hebrews 1:2; only God Almighty has the power to breathe stars and planets into existence. <br />
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Then what is the Apostle Paul trying to convey by saying Christ is the firstborn of all creation? The word for “firstborn” in the Greek is <i>prōtotokos</i> (pro-TAHT-oh-koss). It is Strong’s number G4416, and we see the same word in Matthew 1:25 and Luke 2:7 with regards to Christ as the firstborn son of Mary, as well as being the firstborn of all creation in Colossians 1:15, and the first begotten of the dead in Revelation 1:5. This word, then, must have two shades of meaning. The first being a literal first born child of a woman, the second being simply “the first”, or “preeminent”. Context of the verse gives us the key. We cannot interpret “<i>prōtotokos</i>” as the first born of a woman in this magnificent portion of Scripture that outlines the Godhead of Christ. The witness of the entire canon of Scripture is that Jesus Christ is God. Therefore, this word must mean the second interpretation, that Jesus is first and preeminent of all creation.<br />
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Always remember in your Bible study that context is key to interpretation. Even in English, we have words with different shades of meaning depending on how we use them. Take the word “run”, for example. We can enjoy a vigorous run, although, I don’t know anyone who actually enjoys running. We can run for political office. We can run a business. We can leave our car running. Our car can run over the curb. We can run to the store. So you see, context is the key as to what type of “running” we mean when we say the word. In the same way, <i>prōtotokos</i> must be taken in context within the verse and also in light of the rest of Scripture.<br />
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Christ is not a created “firstborn” Being, He is firstborn of all creation. In other words, He preceded creation. He existed beforehand. He is the eternal God. Christ’s own words confirm this in John 17:5 when He says, “<i>And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.</i>” In the same chapter, He says in John 17:24, “<i>Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.</i>”<br />
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Not only does Christ confirm that He existed with God the Father well before the world existed, He even claims that He wishes His people to see His glory that the Father had given Him before the foundation of the world. And yet Isaiah 48:11 says that God does not give His glory to another. Therefore Christ is not another heavenly Being or a created Being, He is God in the flesh. Only God possesses God’s glory. <br />
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Another way of thinking about the firstborn of all creation is that creation is Christ’s inheritance. As the Preeminent One, the Son of God, the Creator of the universe, He owns it by right. It’s all His. The Father has given Him authority over all things in Matthew 28:18 and He owns it, not only by creation, but also by redemption. Christ both created and purchased His universe. It is doubly His by the testimony of these two witnesses.<br />
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Now, let’s think about this for a moment. Colossians 1:15 on the surface seems like an unassuming little verse. “<i>He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.</i>” But there’s a key principle we must understand in hermeneutics. Have you heard of hermeneutics or knows what it means? Hermeneutics is the science of interpretation of texts, and more specifically, of biblical interpretation. This key principle is that Scripture interprets Scripture. Remember this for your own Bible study. Write it down and think about this when you are reading the Word. Scripture interprets Scripture. What does that mean? Well, your Bible isn’t one single book. It is a library of sixty-six books written by about forty authors over the course of fifteen hundred years. We know that all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), therefore, all these books have the same Author, namely the Holy Spirit.<br />
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Within the pages of these books are references and rabbit trails that interpret and bring illumination to other passages. This is how we know the Bible is an inspired book, because it references and proves itself. This is also why I don’t personally favor the loosely translated paraphrases of today, because in watering down Scripture into easy-to-understand verbiage, this glory of the Word of God is, for all intents and purposes, erased. For that reason, I do not believe paraphrases of Scripture can be called inspired, because by choosing different words and different turns of phrase, they erase that inspiration, that principle of hermeneutics that Scripture interprets Scripture. <br />
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Now, to get back to my point of Scripture interpreting Scripture, in Colossians 1:15, when it says Christ is the image of the invisible God, we can take the truth of this text and go back to the Old Testament and know that whenever God showed up in any display of His Person, it was the pre-incarnate Christ. The Father has no form, and no one has ever seen Him. John 1:18 confirms Colossians 1:15 when the Apostle writes, “<i>No one has ever seen God; <u>the only God, who is at the Father's side</u> </i>(that’s Jesus)<i>, he has made him known</i>.”<br />
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Christ, therefore, has His fingerprints all over the Bible, in both Testaments, since before the foundation of the world. Christ is the One who walked in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:8, He is the man who sat with Abraham in Genesis 18, His was the voice from the burning bush in Exodus 3:1-6, the voice that thundered on Mt. Sinai in Exodus 19:18-20, His was the glory of the Lord which Moses witnessed in Exodus 33:18-23, He is the Captain of the Host that appeared in Joshua 5:13-15, the Angel of the Lord that appeared to Manoah and his wife, Samson’s parents, in Judges 13:9-23, His was the voice in the whirlwind that spoke in Job 38-42, His was glory that filled the temple in Isaiah 6:1, and He is the Word of God that came to various prophets throughout the Old Testament. All of these witnesses of God are of the pre-incarnate Christ. Many of these texts claim it’s the Lord outright, but some of them say He is the “Captain of the Host” or the “Angel of the Lord”. We know these appearances are of Christ because He accepts worship in both the Joshua and Judges account. No angel of God ever accepts worship unless He is God Himself. And since the <i>Lord Jesus Christ</i> is the image of the invisible God, we know these ancient appearances were of Him.<br />
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Christ even spoke of Abraham as if He had first hand knowledge in John 8:56-58 when He said, “<i>Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.</i>”<br />
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Many Christians assume the Old Testament was about God the Father and the New Testament is about Christ the Son. This is simply not true. The entire Bible is about Christ, who represents the Father, for He is the image of the invisible God! No one has ever seen the Father, nor do they know Him except the Son, according to Christ in Matthew 11:27. Jesus also said in John 14:6 that no one comes to the Father except through Him. What is true in the New Testament is true in the Old. The only way to get to the Father is through Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; He always has been, He always will be. Only those who have the Son have the Father according to the Apostle in 1 John 2:23. This is not a new way to God, this is the only way to God.<br />
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“<i>He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation</i>.”<br />
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It is Christ seated on the Throne of God and it is Christ we shall worship forever and ever. Even in Glory, the way to the Father is through the Son. If we have seen the Son, we have seen the Father by the witness of John 14:8-9. To know Christ is to know God. To have Christ is to have God. To understand the God of the Bible, we must understand Christ and see His majesty throughout the entirety of the Scriptures. <br />
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This is His Word, and the entire canon testifies of Him. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for revealing Yourself to us today. Amen.<br />
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<b><u>STUDY QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION</u></b></div>
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Why is God so adamantly against idolatry and graven images that depict Him?<br />
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When we seek God’s face, we must seek _________________________.<br />
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To know God, we must know ____________________________________.<br />
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According to Romans 8:29, we are conformed into the </div>
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Christ Himself is the image of ___________________________________.<br />
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What does it mean that Christ is the “firstborn of all creation”? <br />
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The way to the Father is through ________________________________.<br />
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This is not a new way to God, this is the _________________________.<br />
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<b><u>Questions for Personal Reflection</u></b></div>
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In what way does my life bring honor to Christ? <br />
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Am I willing to ask God to open my eyes to the majesty of Christ?<br />
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Christ is on the Throne of Heaven, but is He on the throne of my heart?<br />
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If I’m honest, do I love Christ with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength?<br />
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Am I willing to do the hard work of seeking Him in both prayer and study of His Word?<br />
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<b><u>Colossians 1:15 – Session One – Song Playlist:</u></b></div>
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<li><b>When We See Your Face</b> – Sovereign Grace Music – Prayers of the Saints Live Album</li>
<li><b>Psalm 34 (Taste and See)</b> – Shane & Shane – Psalms Live Album</li>
<li><b>Scandal of Grace</b> – Shane & Shane – The Worship Initiative Album</li>
<li><b>Be Thou My Vision</b> – Selah – Greatest Hymns Album</li>
<li><b>Christ in Us</b> – Twila Paris – House of Worship Album</li>
<li><b>Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery</b> – Matt Boswell – Single Release</li>
<li><b>Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful</b> – Keith Green – The Greatest Hits Album</li>
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<b><u>Scripture References for Further Study:</u></b></div>
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1. Colossians 1:15<br />
2. Exodus 20:4<br />
3. Deuteronomy 5:8<br />
4. Romans 8:20-22<br />
5. Romans 6:23<br />
6. Romans 8:22<br />
7. 2 Corinthians 4:6<br />
8. Genesis 1:3<br />
9. Numbers 6:24-26<br />
10. Hebrews 1:3<br />
11. Psalm 34:5<br />
12. Exodus 34:29-33<br />
13. 2 Corinthians 3:18<br />
14. Romans 8:29<br />
15. 1 Thessalonians 4:3a<br />
16. 1 Thessalonians 5:23<br />
17. Titus 2:14<br />
18. Matthew 22:15-22<br />
19. 2 Corinthians 4:16<br />
20. Philippians 1:6<br />
21. 1 Corinthians 15:52<br />
22. 1 Thessalonians 4:17<br />
23. Philippians 3:21<br />
24. 1 John 3:2<br />
25. John 1:1<br />
26. Titus 2:13<br />
27. 2 Peter 1:1<br />
28. Jude 1:25<br />
29. John 1:3<br />
30. Colossians 1:16<br />
31. Hebrews 1:2<br />
32. Matthew 1:25<br />
33. Luke 2:7<br />
34. Colossians 1:15<br />
35. Revelation 1:5<br />
36. John 17:5<br />
37. John 17:24<br />
38. Isaiah 48:11<br />
39. Matthew 28:18<br />
40. 2 Timothy 3:16<br />
41. John 1:18<br />
42. Genesis 3:8<br />
43. Genesis 18<br />
44. Exodus 3:1-6<br />
45. Exodus 19:18-20<br />
46. Exodus 33:18-23<br />
47. Joshua 5:13-15<br />
48. Judges 13:9-23<br />
49. Job 38-42<br />
50. Isaiah 6:1<br />
51. John 8:56-58<br />
52. Matthew 11:27<br />
53. John 14:6</div>
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54. 1 John 2:23</div>
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55. John 14:8-9</div>
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-64717246056412122192018-07-03T11:15:00.001-07:002020-09-20T23:06:28.775-07:00Our Lord Jesus Christ Was Not Tormented in HellIf you've been a Christian for any length of time, I'm sure you've heard it taught - that after Christ's death, He descended and was tormented in Hell and rose again on the third day. Many pastors teach it. Unfortunately, it is not true. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not descend into Hell to be tormented for three days. I pray the Lord helps me to speak the truth in love and that He will open eyes and hearts through this post. My goal is not to attack this position, but rather, to correct the theology of some who might not know this, or some who might have felt the position was wrong but didn't quite know why.<br />
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Charles Spurgeon once said:<br />
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<i>"If a crooked stick is before you, you need not explain how crooked it is. Lay a straight one down by the side of it, and the work is well done. Preach the truth, and error will stand abashed in its presence."</i></blockquote>
One of my dearest friends approached me recently to help her study this subject and to help her lay out an argument for why this position of Christ descending into Hell is wrong. So many points were brought up, I decided to blog it, and maybe help many in the church understand the truth. So let's jump in, and Lord Jesus, please be with us in this.<br />
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First, let's dive into the reason why God created Hell and what it was originally meant for. Originally, God created Hell for the devil and his angels (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25:41&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matt. 25:41</a>). Since Satan and his fallen minions are angelic, spiritual beings who can never die, they needed a place to go that separated them from God's mercy to live solely in God's wrath. They had rebelled against the full knowledge of the glory of God, and as a result, were cast out of Heaven to await judgment. They had sinned directly before the face of God Himself. We know the wages of sin is death (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+6%3A23&version=ESV" target="_blank">Romans 6:23</a>). Demons cannot die, nor can they stand in Glory. Therefore, they "die" eternally in Hell. Even for humanity, Hell is called the "second death" (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+20%3A14&version=ESV" target="_blank">Revelation 20:14</a>). Just as those who come to know Christ are born a second time (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3:3&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 3:3</a>), those who never know Christ die a second time. Once in flesh, and once for all eternity.</div>
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We know the wages of sin is death, but an eternal being cannot "die", therefore, there is no atonement to God after one passes away into eternity. There is no second chance once you breathe your last breath. Nor can you pay your own wage of sin, because you are not righteous; you will die in your sins and be lost in Hell. Therefore, only a Righteous One can die for your sins and not be lost Himself - that would be our Lord Jesus Christ.</div>
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Here's where imputation of our sin and His righteousness comes into play. Remember <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+cor+5%3A21&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 5:21</a> - Christ became my sin so that I could become the righteousness of God in Him. While He hung on that cross, it's as if I hung there, and the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gal+2%3A20&version=ESV" target="_blank">Galatians 2:20</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=col+3%3A3&version=ESV" target="_blank">Colossians 3:3</a>). In other words, our lives were swapped on the cross, and when Christ died, I died. Now, I am a new creation in Christ Jesus, the old has gone, the new has come (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+5%3A17&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Cor. 5:17</a>). Through my union with Christ, He now lives His life through me, and my old life has died in Him.</div>
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Beloved, we have lost the doctrine of a believer's union with Christ if we believe He descended into Hell to be tormented in flames for three days. Nowhere in Scripture are we told that we descended with Him in torment. <u>When we are in Christ, we died with Him and are raised with Him</u>. That is it. Nowhere are we told we went to Hell with Him. Nowhere. I challenge you to find the chapter and verse that says it. All true Christians are united with Christ on the cross, never again to be separated from Him. We must be united on the cross, as it is our lives that have died in Him. That is our point of union with the Son of God. It follows then that if Christ went to the flames of Hell, then <u>so too did we in Him</u>. But no, that is not what God demands as payment for sin. It is not hellfire that pays for sin, rather, it's being able to endure the wrath of God in full measure and die, which is what Jesus did - ON THE CROSS.</div>
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Now, there is a verse in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A19&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Peter 3:19</a>, which says Christ, when He was in the grave, preached to the spirits in prison, those bound in chains since the days of Noah. But remember the parable He preached about the rich man and Lazarus (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A19-31&version=ESV" target="_blank">Luke 16:19-31</a>). There was a place that was not in torment, Abraham's Bosom, sheol, or hades. This is not the same place as where the rich man was, burning in hellfire across the wide chasm. Abraham's Bosom is where the righteous dead came to rest before the Atonement. This is where Christ went. In Hell, there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. But clearly, Christ is said to be preaching His victory to those in chains. This cannot be. If Christ is being tormented Himself in hellfire for three days, He cannot be preaching His victory at the same time, as He would not yet be victorious. Notice the verse right before that one, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A18&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Peter 3:18</a> - "<i>being put to death in the flesh, <u>but being made alive in the spirit</u>.</i>" The Apostle is speaking of Christ. If He is tormented in Hell, He CANNOT BE alive in the spirit, as Hell is literally the death of the spirit - the second death. Also, notice <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+peter+2%3A24&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Peter 2:24</a> - <i>"He himself <u>bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed</u>." </i></div>
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Christ bore our sins in His body on the tree, not in Hell. It is by His wounds we have been healed, not by any torment in Hell. Remember <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+17:11&version=ESV" target="_blank">Leviticus 17:11</a> - the life of the flesh is in the blood, for it is the blood that makes atonement. There is no blood in Hell. Christ poured out all His blood on the cross. That is where the Atonement was made.</div>
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Let us consider the cross. Christ endured the Father's wrath upon Him for our sins when Christ was forsaken at Calvary (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27:45-47&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matt. 27:45-47</a>). It was also the will of the Father to both crush Him (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+53%3A10&version=ESV" target="_blank">Isaiah 53:10</a>) and smite Him (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+53%3A4&version=ESV" target="_blank">Isaiah 53:4</a>). God's wrath was experienced by Christ before His death so that when He died, the Atonement would be finished once and for all. Christ is the only man who could ever do this because He is also God in flesh. The wages of sin is death, then the consequence is God's wrath in Hell. Humanity cannot atone for themselves, being unholy and unrighteous, therefore, they die IN their sins and must be eternally separated from God by His wrath as a consequence. In other words, man pays the wage, then suffers the consequences in Hell. But Christ, being our righteous God, COULD atone for sin in His body. He suffered the consequence first, <i>then</i> paid the wage, namely death. Therefore all punishment for sin was meted out upon Christ as He hung on the cross. Is there anything in Scripture that tells us the Atonement was finished there? Yes. From Christ's own lips. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19:30&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 19:30</a> - "<u><i><b>It is finished.</b></i></u>"<br />
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Further, upon the moment of Christ's death, the temple veil tore from top to bottom (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A51&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matt. 27:51</a>). What was the temple veil? About a 3-foot thick curtain that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, where the shekinah glory of God dwelt over the Ark of the Covenant. Only the high priest was allowed in the Holy of Holies one day a year - the Day of Atonement. But upon the <b><i>MOMENT</i></b> of Christ's death, the veil was torn; the way was open and clear. This didn't happen the morning of His resurrection after getting out of a supposed "three day torment" to pay for sins in Hell. No. This is further confirmed in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+10%3A19-20&version=ESV" target="_blank">Hebrews 10:19-20</a> - <i>"we have confidence to enter the holy places <u>by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh</u>." </i>The rending of the temple veil symbolized the rending of our Lord's body, as He is the Door, and thus the Way to God was open upon His death.<br />
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All of Christ's atoning work was FINISHED in His flesh on His cross. Where was He for three days? In sheol, in hades, in Abraham's Bosom, preaching His victory to those in chains, and leading the righteous dead into their heavenly rest. Please do not believe the lie that Christ suffered hellfire for three days before rising again. Scripture only teaches we died with Him and are raised with Him. Even baptism symbolizes this, as there's no third step for suffering in Hell with Him. Simply dying and rising. If you listen to preachers who teach this false doctrine, please place them on the shelf and ask the Lord to lead you to more sound men of God.<br />
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To say Christ suffered in Hell is to say our sins somehow survived His death, even though the wages of sin is DEATH itself. If they survived His death, then how can we be assured of His victory? How can we know they're truly dead if they did not die on the cross? Our sins and our old life DIED WITH CHRIST on the cross. If He was tormented for three days, then our sins are stronger than death (wrong) and our old lives did not die with Christ (wrong). If He went to Hell, then so too did we through our union with Him (wrong).<br />
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Pray for wisdom in this and search the Scriptures, Church. We died with Christ, and we are raised with Him. There is no doctrine in Scripture of being with Him in hellfire. Our Lord Jesus Christ was not tormented in Hell. Christ drank the full cup of God's wrath upon the cross of Calvary.<br />
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Amen.<br />
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Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-85404546758067326932018-05-31T11:16:00.001-07:002020-09-20T22:54:08.139-07:00The Truth of Being Unequally Yoked<div style="text-align: left;">
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With respect to my fellow bloggers and sisters in Christ, I have noticed a severe lack of truth when it comes to being unequally yoked in marriage. In searching for comfort, I have found time and again, feel-good blogs about how to “thrive” in a marriage where the woman is the believer and her husband is not. While this is certainly a noble topic, I have to wonder why these bloggers don’t go the extra mile and peel back the curtain to tell of what it’s truly like being married to an unbeliever? </div>
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Are they merely giving advice? Are they not unequally yoked themselves? Is this out of fear of airing dirty laundry? Is this due to the unspoken rule with our brothers and sisters not to dig in, and be real and gritty with each other? I have debated with myself on writing this piece for a long time. But I know there are a great many women who are in the same position I am, and if I can comfort them with the same comfort I have been given of God, then praise the Lord and let’s get this written. <br />
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My husband and I both confessed Christ when we married. Eighteen years later, he confessed agnosticism. Even though I had claimed Christ as well, I wasn’t truly saved by our Lord until 2011. Therefore both of us had been false professors upon our marriage, yet neither of us knew it. We have now been married for twenty three years, by the grace of God. <br />
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Since my true conversion, the only “thriving” I have come to know is an unspoken truce in my household. The only way to truly “thrive” as other bloggers have counseled is to ignore the elephant in the room. No amount of pleading or preaching will convert our husbands, as that power belongs to God alone. And so we pray fervently for Christ to save them as we try to live according to <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A1-2&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Peter 3:1-2</a>. This is walking in full trust and faith in Christ, which means the believing wife must have an abiding heart and an abundant life with the Lord Jesus <i>on her own</i>. <br />
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Without a spiritual head to lead her, it is absolutely vital for the believing wife to seek Christ with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength. He must be for her the godly Husband, washing her with the water of His Word. She must lean upon Him; she must dig in and seek Him with every breath, every heartbeat. He must be her strength in her weakness, or she will be ill-prepared to give an account should an argument arise with her spouse about her Christianity and why she believes what she does. <br />
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The believing wife needs to come to the point where she seeks Christ apart from her husband, and she must be willing to go to church alone. She cannot lean on her husband to find a church, she must step out and do it herself. She must obey Christ when it comes to raising her children, and this also requires a great deal of faith and trust in Him to do what is right. An unequally yoked wife who does not live and breathe prayer will be a defeated woman. An unequally yoked wife who does not rest in her union with Christ shall live a life of agony. <br />
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There is no greater heartache I know than the realization that your spouse is on the road to Hell. There is no greater hungering and thirsting for righteousness than in an unequal household. There is no greater loneliness than being unable to share the deepest intimacies of your heart with the one you love. <br />
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The separation of eternity is already present in an unequally yoked marriage. The believing wife will not find joy where her husband finds joy. The unbelieving husband doesn’t want to hear of what brings his wife ultimate joy, namely Christ. For each of these there is oppression in the household, which is why I mentioned the only way to “thrive” is by truce and quietly trusting the Lord to work, should it be His will. <br />
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Even so, the believing wife will have her eyes wet with tears day in and day out. Her relationship with Christ must grow deeper, stronger, and more substantial if she is to survive. And yet, this drives the wedge of separation deeper into her marriage. To avoid acidic barbs against her faith, she learns to talk in generalizations in order to keep the peace. She can attend church, go to small groups, and find contentment in studying Scripture, yet she can share none of these with her spouse. <br />
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This brings her more and more upon the shoulder of Christ, where she trusts in Him to be for her the tenderness she needs, the holiness she needs, the man she needs. It is possible the unequally yoked woman has no familiarity with sanctified masculinity. What does Christ look like in the heart of a truly regenerate man? Sometimes upon the sadness she already experiences, she longs for what other women have – a godly marriage. But she must learn to lay down that desire for the greater purpose of Christ in her life. <br />
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Sometimes her marriage simply survives by surviving one more day, day-by-day. More often than not, it is prayer that upholds it, telling the Lord her marriage stands by His grace or falls by His will. As long as Christ extends His grace, she is willing to obey <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+7%3A13&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 7:13</a>. <br />
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Because the wife and her husband don’t have much in common, they often spend leisure time apart from each other. If there are children who believe, the unbelieving spouse can become jealous or bitter toward the close relationship the kids enjoy with their mom, as she is able to share her love for Christ with them. If there are unbelieving children in the family, the believing wife will cry and lament all the harder for faith that Christ will step in where her husband has not, and lead her children into all truth. <br />
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The unbelieving husband will see the blossoming relationship his wife has with Christ, and perhaps will grow jealous of it, or perhaps become depressed, as he realizes he cannot give his wife all that she needs and therefore she seeks it in another. Of course, all godly wives, despite the spiritual health of their husbands, should seek Christ above and beyond anyone in their lives, including their spouses. Christ has made this a command for all of His disciples (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+14%3A26&version=ESV" target="_blank">Luke 14:26</a>). But the unbelieving husband will think this is a shortcoming in himself, and perhaps seek less intimacy with his wife. Or perhaps he will try harder to connect with her in the only way he knows how, by worldly means, which ultimately falls short because his wife walks by the Spirit and thinks on heavenly things. <br />
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The believing wife will enjoy spending time with her husband and connecting with him, but he will not fulfill her, as she longs for the fragrance of Christ in her life. She will realize her husband doesn’t truly know her, he only knows the surface of her, not the depths of her. The closer she gets to Christ, the more she comes to know her life is hidden with Christ in God, that to live is Christ, and that the life she now lives is Christ in her. Due to her unbreakable union with the Lord Jesus, her unbelieving husband will never know her true identity in Christ unless he comes to know Christ for himself. <br />
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In all these things, I do not see “thriving”, I see a truce. I see broken hearts, pain, agony, lamenting, and unspeakable loneliness, not just for the believer, but for both parties involved. There is great wisdom in Scripture about avoiding this unequal yoke at all costs. If anyone is considering marriage to an unbeliever, know your life will be marked by suffering and loneliness, and the odds will be stacked against your marriage to survive. <i><u>Marriage is not a way to evangelize</u>.</i> You will either become more carnal and worldly yourself and thus turn away from Christ to accommodate your spouse, or you will turn more fully to Christ, bringing more tension and separation into your marriage. <br />
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In light of the reality of what it’s truly like to be unequally yoked, here is my advice to my fellow sisters with unbelieving husbands. <br />
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<b><u>Obey Scripture</u></b>. Don’t always try to evangelize your husband. Your efforts might have the opposite effect and repel him if his heart isn’t good soil. God will draw him if it is His will. Live by <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+7%3A13&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 7:13</a> and <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+3%3A1-2&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Peter 3:1-2</a> and continue to glorify Christ in your life. Perhaps your patient witness for God will be used by Him one day. <br />
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<b><u>Read Scripture</u></b>. You cannot hear from Christ if you are not constantly in His Word. As women alone on our spiritual journey, it is essential we hide God’s Word in our hearts to comfort and sustain us. His Word is a lamp unto our feet. If we do not shine that lamp into our lives, we will be walking in darkness. <br />
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<b><u>Pray</u></b>. A woman who isn’t in constant prayer and communion with her Savior will not have the strength and the peace she needs to get through the rough days. But don’t merely pray for your husband’s conversion, pray for your own strength, for God’s grace over you, for His peace, for perseverance, for endurance, and for wisdom in His name. You will need all of Christ’s spiritual blessings in order to equip yourself for this spiritual battle. And make no mistake, this is a spiritual battle. It is absolutely imperative we meet this battle by putting on the full armor of God (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A10-20&version=ESV" target="_blank">Ephesians 6:10-20</a>) day after day after day after day. <br />
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<b><u>Seek the Lord</u></b>. This might seem redundant with reading Scripture and prayer, but seeking the Lord is, in my opinion, a deeper pursuit than casual Bible reading and tossing up prayer. Seeking Christ is digging into Him, studying His Word, agonizing with Him, pouring out your heart, spending time with Him, praying without ceasing, bathing your prayers with tears, and wrestling with Him while refusing to ever let Him go. An unequally yoked wife needs to abide in the Vine, because without Him, sisters, we can do nothing. <br />
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<b><u>Cling to Christ</u></b>. Along with seeking Him, we must cling to Him. We must constantly edify ourselves with singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in our hearts to God. We must never be ashamed to praise Him in front of our unbelieving spouse. We must freely speak His name, for the name of Christ Jesus is polarizing and divisive, while talking about ‘God’ can often be generic and unspecific. We must stand for His truth and His doctrine, even if the cards seem stacked against us. The believing wife must be so familiar with Jesus that her first instinct in times of trouble is to pray for help, for peace, for grace, for strength. In the heat of the moment, she stands in silent prayer, knowing the Lord Himself shall fight for her. She must realize that Christ is her Savior, not only against sin and death, but in her time of need as well, and we have many examples in Scripture of our Lord defending and rescuing weakened women from angry or bitter men. <br />
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<b><u>Go to church</u></b>. Ladies, I cannot stress this enough. <i><u>GO TO CHURCH</u></i>. Find a sound church in your area, and go become a part of a church body. Get involved. Make relationships. Get to know your pastor. As Christians, we are Christ to the world, and also Christ to each other. If you are living in a “drought” of faith in your home, you must go to the oasis and drink. Christ never intended for His sheep to live alone in the pasture, but to sharpen each other, as iron sharpens iron, to do life together, to praise His name together, and to pray for each other. If you have no spiritual headship in your home, seek headship at your church and ask for the elders and pastors to pray over you often. What your husband cannot do, your brothers in Christ will do. Our brothers and sisters will help disciple us and edify us and encourage us when all hope seems lost. We are the Body of Christ, and one member of that Body cannot live by itself on a lonely hilltop, we must be connected with the others, as we are one just as Jesus and the Father are one (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A22-23&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 17:22-23</a>). Regularly meeting with those who love Christ week after week is a healing balm to a weary soul and a beautiful foretaste of Heaven. Do not forsake meeting together with fellow saints of Christ. <br />
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<b><u>Obey Christ above your husband</u></b>. If you have a husband who does not “let” you worship Christ either at home or at church, you must obey Christ over him and let the chips fall where they may. Submission to one’s husband does not come before submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. If this costs you your marriage, so be it. Christ is greater than your marriage. Listen to me, sisters. These are hard words, I know. But are you ready and willing to give up absolutely everything to follow Christ? This is what He commands of His disciples (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+14%3A26&version=ESV" target="_blank">Luke 14:26</a>). The believing wife must come to the point in her Christianity where she is willing to follow Christ <i>no matter the sacrifice to her personally</i>. This is costly; this looks like foolishness to the world. But greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. Jesus Christ is Almighty God, and choosing to follow Him is never batting for the losing team. What you lose on earth you gain in heavenly riches. We stand in victory when we stand with Christ. But this calls for tremendous faith, of which we must pray the Lord provides us. It is much easier to speak these words than to live them. But in my own experience, I have yet to be let down by my faithful God. It could be that God rewards my faithfulness to Him by holding up my marriage. If the Lord Himself fuels my devotion to Him, then He shall bless me in it; He shall be with me in it. He shall never forsake me, and He will likewise never forsake <i>you</i>. <br />
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Dear sisters in Christ, if you are unequally yoked, seek the things that are above and live your life of faith openly. Never be ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ in your home. He even warned us, that a man’s enemies will be those of his own household, and that a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+13%3A57&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matt. 13:57</a>). He came not to bring peace, but a sword, and this will bring a son against a father, and a daughter against a mother (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.+10%3A34-39&version=ESV" target="_blank">Matt. 10:34-39</a>), even spouses against each other. But He has not left us orphans. He has given us a Comforter in His Holy Spirit. Therefore seek the comfort of God and fervently ask Him again and again to supply you with all you need. Christ must be the strength that carries you through, or you will lead a life of defeat rather than a life of victory in Christ. <br />
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Remember the words of the Apostle Peter in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+4%3A12-14&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Peter 4:12-14</a>: <br />
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<i>“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” </i></blockquote>
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As hard as it is to do, we must surrender our loved ones to the will of God, and like Abraham, lay them on the altar and let God do with them as He pleases. I often remember Christ’s words to Peter when he asked our Lord about the fate of the Apostle John in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+21%3A21-22&version=ESV" target="_blank">John 21:21-22</a> – “What is that to you? You follow Me!” <br />
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Amen. What is that to me? In all things God shall be glorified, whether by His mercy or by His wrath. We should continue to pray for those we love, and beg and plead and cry out to God for His mercy. And yet, if He chooses instead to glorify His wrath, we must, sisters, we <i>MUST</i> be able to have faith, praise His holy name, and cry out through our tears, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!” <br />
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O, Lord Jesus, please comfort all Your unequally yoked daughters in the tenderness of Your glorious love, and be for us our Balm of Gilead, our Precious God, and our Beloved Bridegroom. <br />
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In Your name we pray, <br />
Amen. <br />
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<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></script>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7630581833469842431.post-77415585256494455112018-05-02T09:52:00.002-07:002020-09-20T23:06:48.086-07:00Women Teaching Women - A Glorious Gift of God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am of the belief that when Scripture asserts a woman should not teach or have authority over a man (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+tim+2%3A12&version=ESV" target="_blank">1 Timothy 2:12</a>), it means exactly what it says. That is not to say she can never teach <i>anyone</i>, but she cannot teach men. That does not mean she has no authority, rather she has no authority over men. Of course, this is in a church setting, meaning women are not to be preachers, pastors, deacons, or elders of a local church. However, I do believe there is grace in the workforce concerning schools, boardrooms, and offices, and that the Apostle Paul only referenced a woman's authority in the order of the church and not life in general.<br />
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If a woman cannot teach or have authority at all, then we need to rip <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Titus+2%3A3-5&version=ESV" target="_blank">Titus 2:3-5</a> out of our Bibles. Older women are to teach younger women what is good, and how to love their husbands and children according to the Word, so that the Word be not reviled.<br />
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There are some in certain circles who rail against this mandate, claiming God has given them, a woman, a gifting to teach. Why would God do so if He didn't intend for them to pastor a church? They seem to believe that women teaching women is some lesser good, an oppression of sorts, or a second-rate job.<i> God is holding something good back from them</i>, and thus they often grow bitter toward Him.<br />
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They embrace the "cultural" defense, that Paul was speaking to the women of the day, not women of the church at large. But if Paul's words weren't for the entire church, he wouldn't hearken back to the Genesis account to ground his argument for why this is to be. And it is in the Genesis account where we see a very similar sin spring from the hearts of Adam and Eve, that in forbidding the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they believed <i>God was holding something good back from them.</i><br />
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A woman with a gift of teaching has been given by our Lord to the women of His church, and this is a glorious gift, not something lesser. A woman who thinks less of the privilege to teach her sisters is the one oppressing these women, not Scripture. If she truly has the gift of teaching with a unique way of digging into the Word and an understanding of Christ not many others have, then grumbling against teaching her sisters is doing them harm, not good. It is not progress for women to refuse to teach only women. It is not honoring our sisters in Christ to complain about teaching them.<br />
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Often, theology circles are for the men. Men read dusty theology tomes, men read old, dead preachers, men study and dig in to Scripture, men go to Christian conferences, and men lead the church. Often this is because much is expected by Christ of His sons, not only to lead His church, but also to lead their wives and children as well. But imagine a woman who loves learning of God just as much, who reads dusty theology tomes, who adores old, dead preachers, who studies and digs in to Scripture, and who goes to Christian conferences because it is her passion, not because she's tagging along with her husband.<br />
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<b>These are the women who are the gifts of Christ to His daughters.</b><br />
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Women often flourish under the spiritual headship of their pastors and husbands, but not all women have diligent husbands who wash them with the water of the Word. Not all women will understand their pastor's message. Not all women are scholars, not all have the same gifting to fall in love with theology. These are the women who are "stuck", for lack of a better word, doing arts and crafts for ministry, or who are stagnant in their faith, not sure how to grow closer to Jesus.<br />
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Who else but a woman can speak into their lives, who understands their same hardships? Who can make these specific hardships into illustrations for teaching? Can a man comfortably speak of breastfeeding, menstruating, or the minutia of childrearing from the pulpit? Can a man soothe her feminine heart if she has been rejected, hurt, or is terrified of men? Even our pastors know when it's time to step aside for a woman to minister to another woman, and this is the glory Christ has given His daughters to teach each other.<br />
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At the risk of sounding overly critical, it is often the women's ministry that gets the backseat in churches when it comes to learning about and loving Christ. Women, as mentioned above, do art projects, or bake casseroles, or are on a prayer chain, or volunteer as greeters, or have a book club, or go on playdates, the list goes on. These are not bad in and of themselves and are often the very things a church thrives on, <i>especially prayer</i>. But what is missing from these off-shoots of women's ministry? Where is the fragrance of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia out of the ivory palaces?<br />
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Where is Christ?<br />
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Church, hear me now:<br />
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<b><u>We cannot do ministry for Christ apart from Christ. We cannot reach the lost for Christ at the expense of Christ.</u></b><br />
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This is the reason why a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. This is the reason why she is more precious than rubies. A woman who knows her God and His Word is a priceless treasure for any church, because she will be the one who can train up the women in the way they should go. She is the one who can speak into their lives in a true and living way, who can capture their imagination from a woman's perspective. She is the one who can relate our Lord Jesus to her sisters in such a way that men cannot. She will know the heart of Mary of Bethany as she wept at Christ's feet and wiped them with her hair. She will know the stabbing pain of a woman who's lost her child who nursed at her breast. She will know the intense loneliness of widowhood, the burden of being unequally yoked, the pain of having no husband. Only women who've walked these paths can minister to women with these precious things.<br />
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This is one of those special graces I spoke about in another blog post, <a href="http://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2016/09/does-christ-give-women-special-grace.html" target="_blank">Does Christ Give Women a Special Grace?</a> We are to comfort others with the same comfort we have received from God (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+1%3A3-4&version=ESV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 1:3-4</a>). There are some paths in life only women can walk down. Women need to know Christ just as fervently and urgently as men do. Yes, Christ gives women certain gifts with regards to teaching about Him and His Word, but these gifts are for His daughters, our sisters in Christ.<br />
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What do I have in common with a man that I can speak wisdom into his life as a leader of his church, his wife, or his family? What do I have in my heart if I wish to teach him outside of my knowledge other than rebellion and pride? And if I harbor this bitterness in my heart, have I just disqualified myself as a teacher of women by bringing reproach upon the Word of Christ? Shouldn't humility in our hearts and submission to God's Word be the fruit of our lives?<br />
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Women teaching women is a beautiful, wondrous gift from our Lord Jesus Christ. This is not something lesser, as if God were keeping something good from us, no, this is a very specific glory, one that holds high our God and King in the hearts of His daughters. This is a privilege only women can do for other women. Imagine a woman, so in love with the King of Glory, her eyes so full of His light, her heart so on fire for His Word, her soul so passionate for His glory, that when she comes before other women in her church and reveals to them the splendor of Christ's majesty, how will our Lord move among His beloved daughters? She will be the match that lights the dry kindling of these women's hearts afire! Praise the Lord!<br />
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O, precious Yeshua, I ask for You to raise up mighty women of God who adore You high above all other loves, to find their courage and their voice to love You before their sisters, and to teach and inspire others to do the same. Give Your church women who will disciple other women in Your Word and the knowledge of who You are, that we, as daughters of Christ, might be filled with all the fullness of God!<br />
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Amen.<br />
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<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=5d5aaf52-abbf-46da-baf4-c2466d403c31"></script>Beckahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09591963226430102010noreply@blogger.com0