Who We Are

Friday, May 21, 2010 at 2:44am

By Lori Walters

Are we just, "old sinners saved by grace?", "As a man thinks within himself so is he." Proverbs 23:7

The ABC's of Who God says I am!

Abiding in Him 1 John 3:6, John 15:5

Abraham's Seed Gal. 3:29

Accepted Acts 10:35, Eph. 1:6

Adopted by God Rom. 8:15

Alive from the dead Rom. 6:11,13, 1 Cor. 15:22

Alive together with Christ Col. 2:13

Already Full 1 Cor. 4:8

Already Rich 1 Cor. 4:8

Ambassadors for Christ 2 Cor. 5:20

Anxious For Nothing Phil. 4:6

Apple of His eye. Zec. 2:8

Appointed to obtain salvation 1 Thess. 5:9

Aroma of Life 2 Cor. 2:16

Baptized into Christ & Put on Christ Gal. 3:27

Being Transformed 2 Cor. 3:18

Believers Acts 5:14

Beloved of God Rom. 1:7

Blameless in His Sight Col. 1:22

Blessed of the Father Matt. 25:34

Blessed of the Lord Gen 24:31, Gen. 26:29

Body of Christ Rom. 12:5

Born of God 1 John 5:4

Branches of the True Vine John 15:5

Brethren Rom. 10:1

Called of Jesus Christ Rom. 9:24, Col. 3:15

Called to Preach the Gospel Mk 16:15

Called to be Saints 1 Cor 1:2

Children of Abraham Gal. 3:7

Children of the Father Matt. 5:45

Children of the Free Woman Gal. 4:31

Children of God John 1:12, 11:52, Gal. 3:26, Phil 2:15, 1 John 3:1,2,10

Children of the Kingdom Matt. 13:38

Children of the Living God Rom. 9:26, Gal.4:6

Children of the Lord Dt. 14:1

Children of the Light Eph.5:8

Children of the Light, Children of the Day 1 Thess. 5:5

Children of the Resurrection Luke 20:36

Children of Promise Rom. 9:8, Gal. 4:28

Chosen Instruments Acts 9:15

Chosen of God Col. 3:15, Titus 1:1

Christ's Gal. 3:29, 2 Cor.10:7

Christians Acts 11:26

Citizen of Heaven Phil. 3:20

City Not Forsaken Isa. 62:12

City Set on a Hill Matt. 5:14

Complete in Him Col. 2:10

Confident Phil. 1:6

Crucified with Christ Gal. 2:20

Crucified Unto the World Gal. 6:14

Daughters of Sarah 1 Pet. 3:6

Dead to the Law Rom. 7:4

Dead to Sin Rom. 6:2

Dear Child Eph. 5:1

Dearly Beloved 2 Cor. 7:1

Delivered From the Law Rom 7:6

Disciples of Christ John 8:31, 15:8

Doers of the Word James 1:22

Elect of God Col. 3:12

Enriched in Everything 2 Cor. 9:11

Established & Guarded from the evil one 2 Thess 3:3

Faithful Brethren in Christ Col. 1:12

Fellow Citizens with the Saints Eph. 2:19

Fellow Heirs Eph. 3:6

Fellow Heirs with Christ Rom. 8:17

Fellow Servants Rev. 6:11

Fragrance of Christ 2 Cor. 2:15

Friends of Christ John 15:15

Friends of God 2 Chron. 20:7, James 2:23

Follower of God Eph. 5:1

Fools For Christ' Sake 1 Cor. 4:10

Forgiven Col. 3:13

Found in Him Phil. 3:9

Free Indeed John 8:36

Freed From Condemnation Rom. 8: 1

Godly Ps. 4:3, 2 Pet. 2:9

God's Fellow Worker's, Field & Building 1 Cor. 3:9

God's Own Possession Ex. 19:5, Ps. 135:4

God's Workmanship Eph. 2:10

Good Seed, Child of the Kingdom Matt. 13:38

Good Soldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim 2:3

Great Exploiter for God Dan. 11:32

Heirs of God Rom. 8:17, Gal. 4:7

Heirs of the Grace of Life 1 Pet. 3:7

Heirs of the Kingdom James 2:5

Heirs of the Promise Heb. 6:17, Gal. 3:29

Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1:14

Hidden with Christ in God Col. 3:3

Holy Brethren Heb. 3:1

Holy People Isa. 62:12

Holy Priesthood 1 Pet. 2:5

In Christ Jesus Eph. 2:13

Joint Heirs with Christ Rom. 8:17

Judges of the World 1 Cor. 6:2

Judges of Angels 1 Cor. 6:3

Justified Rom. 5:9, 8:30,1 Cor. 6:11

Judges of the World 1 Cor. 6:2

Judges of Angels 1 Cor. 6:3

Kingdom of Priest Ex. 19:6

Kept from stumbling Jn. 16:1

Kept by the Power of God 1 Peter 1:3-5

Known by God Gal. 4:9

Lambs Isa. 40:11, John 21:15

Led by Christ in Triumph 2 Cor. 2:14

Led by the Spirit Rom. 8:14

Letters of Christ 2 Cor. 3:3

Light in the Lord Eph 5:8

Lights of the World Matt. 5:14

Little Children John 13:33, 1 John 2:1

Living Stones 1 Pet. 2:5

Lord's Delight Ps. 16:3

Lord's Freedmen 1 Cor. 7:22

Loved Jn. 3:16

Made Rich through His Poverty 2 Cor. 8:9

Majestic Ones Ps. 16:3

Members of Christ 1 Cor. 6:15, Eph. 5:30, 1 Cor 12:27

Members of One Another Eph. 4:25

Men of God 1 Tim 6:11, 2 Tim 3:17

Ministers of God 2 Cor 6:4

Ministers of the New Covenant 2 Cor 3:6

Ministers of Reconciliation 2 Cor 5:18

More than Conquerors through Him Rom. 8:37

New Creation in Christ Jesus 2 Cor 5:17

New Man Created in Righteousness Eph. 4:24

Not of this World 1 John 4:5

Not Under the Law, but Under Grace Rom 6:15

Oaks of righteousness Isa. 61:3

Obedient Children 1 Pet 1:14

Of God 1 John 4:4

One Spirit With the Lord 1 Cor. 6:17

Overcomers of the World 1 John 5:5

Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet 1:4

Partakers of the heavenly Calling Heb 3:1

Partakers of His Promise Eph. 3:6

People of God Heb 4:9, 1 Pet 2:10

Perfected Forever while being Sanctified Heb. 10:14

Petitioners of Peace Jer. 29:7

Planting of the Lord Isa. 61:3

Precious Isa. 43:4

Preserved Blameless 1 Thess. 5:23

Priest to God Rev 1:6

Quickened Together with Christ Eph 2:5

Ransomed of the Lord Isa. 51:11

Reconciled to God Rom. 5:10

Redeemed Gal. 3:13, Isa. 62:12

Reigning in Life by the one, Jesus Christ Rom. 5:17

Righteous Hab. 2:4

Righteousness of God in Christ 2 Cor. 5:21

Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9

Saints Eph 1:1

Sanctified 1 Cor. 6:11

Saved Romans 10:9-10

Salt of the Earth Matt. 5:13

Sealed With the Holy Spirit of Promise Eph 1:13

Seated with Christ in Heavenly Places Eph. 2:6

Servants of Christ 1 Cor. 7:22, Eph 6:6

Set Free from Sin Rom. 6:18

Slave of Righteousness Rom. 6:18

Sons and Daughters of the Lord Almighty 2 Cor 6:18

Sought Out by God Isa 62:12

Temple of the Holy Spirit 1 Cor.3:16, 6:19

Thoroughly Equipped 2 Tim 3:17

Triumphant in Christ 2 Cor. 2:14

Unsnatchable Jn. 10:29

United with the Lord 1 Cor. 6:17

Victorious through Our Lord 1 Cor. 15:57

Vessels of Honor 2 Tim 2:21

Vessels of Mercy Rom 9:23

Washed 1 Cor. 6:11

Wise in Christ 1 Cor. 4:10

Witnesses of God Isa. 44:8

Witnesses of Christ Acts 1:8

Workers Together With Him 2 Cor 6:1

Worshippers in Spirit & Truth Jn. 4:23-24

Yeilded unto God Rom. 6:13

Yoked With the Lord's Yoke Matt 11:29

Yours (His) Ps. 119:94

Zealous 2 Cor 7:11

So next time the world, the devil, your enemies, your boss, your co-workers, your class mates, your teachers or professors, your friends or family try and tell you who you are, tell them you know your ABC's!

The Power of the Blood Covenant

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 11:54pm

By Tonie Campbell.

We as believers have a blood Covenant with God. It's important to understand just what that is and what makes it so important. When God created Adam and Eve He was in the process of creating a family for Himself. He has always called Himself Father and that is exactly what He wants to be. He told Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of Good and Evil or they would die. We know the story and what happened. Now that they have eaten the fruit they must die spiritually and be disconnected from God for eternity. satan (I never capatalize his name even at the beginning of a sentence; he's not worth it) now has legal grounds to destroy every human created because God spoke they must die and what God speaks He keeps. He is bound to His Word and will not break it. So what is God to do now. God institutes the "substitution sacrifice" in order to keep His children from spiritual death until He can send His promise which He spoke of in Genesis 3:15 "I will put animosity between you and the woman, and between your descendant and her descendant; He will bruise your head, and you will bruise His heel". This is the promise of Jesus' defeat of satan. satan knew this and for centuries after tried to kill each prophet of God to stop this from happening. You have to understand an important truth about why satan hates you so much. satan wanted to be like God. he said he would be like the Most High (Isaiah 14:14). God said No you won't . What does God do? He makes man like Him in His image. God made man what satan wanted to be. Not only did God make man in His image but He also gave them dominion and authority which included authority over satan himself. This stirred up the hatred satan already had for us and he set out his plan to cause God's beloved creation to fall and to take that authority from man. His plan worked for a season until Jesus came. Jesus had to come as a man to take back what satan stole from man for this was the only way to do it legally.

What God did for Adam and Eve after they sinned was an act of love not anger as most think. He made the first sacrifice when He killed an animal to clothe them (Ge 3:21). God knew something they didn't. He knew that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (Hebrews 9:22). No matter how sorry they were or how good they tried to be from then on without a blood sacrifice there would be no forgiveness of sin. God had to make them leave the garden for two important reasons. He didn't want them to eat from the tree of life and live forever. (Ge 3:22) Why? Because if they ate from that tree in the state they were now in they would live forever in a fallen state with no hope of redemption. It was an act of mercy to make them leave. Also He was "protecting man because sin could not exist in His presence. That's why God couldn't gather Adam and Eve in His arms to comfort them after they had sinned. That would be the natural instinct for any loving father. But if God had done that, He would have killed them with His goodness because sin is destroyed in the presence of His Glory. That was the reason for the blood sacrifice" (Kellie Copeland Swisher). When God killed an animal, clothed them with it and sent them out of the garden, He was sending them with a promise that He would send the ultimate sacrifice to allow His people back into His presence.

What followed was centuries of God's people offering sacrifices. To the ordinary person this seems heinous that God would require blood to satisfy Him when in fact it is the opposite. The blood sacrifice was to keep the enemy from destroying God's people and to allow the people access to God on legal grounds. "The Hebrew word for sacrifice is from the same root as (to come near, to approach, to become closely involved in a relationship with someone)The blood of the sacrificial animal enabled the High Priest to enter the Holy of Holies and draw near to the mercy seat of God. If he hadn't brought the blood of that sacrifice, the sin in his life would have killed him before he ever reached the mercy seat. He had to follow the instructions exactly as they were given to him. It wasn't that God needed a gift from the people or wanted them to do something for Him. Man needs the blood to atone for his sin so he could draw near to God. God was protecting man.." (Kellie Copeland Swisher) The Old Testament is full of blood and you have to understand God's mercy to understand all the sacrifices and penalties concerning blood. Whenever a lamb was sacrificed the penalty for sin was placed upon the "innocent" lamb and the guilty party was pardoned until he sinned again. There was even a penalty for eating blood~Lev 7:26-27,17:10 "Why did God make strict commands about not eating or shedding blood? Because blood was the instrument for redemption. It was holy, it was set apart. God literally had to say that He would kill anyone that eats blood. He sanctified blood and made blood so off limits that everyone would treat it with reverance. Blood could not be handled in any other context except sacrifice. God set blood apart as a holy thing." (bible-history.com) This is the reason for Jesus telling Mary "touch me not for I have not ascended". He didn't say this because she was a woman, He said it because He had to take His blood to the mercy seat in Heaven so that even the Temple in Heaven would be free from the contaminating effects of satan. A mere human could not touch Him until after He took that Holy and untainted blood to heaven and then He came back and appeared to the disciples and allowed everyone to touch Him.

The whole plan of God from the beginning has been to draw people to Him. How religion has twisted that! It had to be done this way because both God and satan knew something most of us have missed. God is bound by His Word. What He says will happen. When He said "the soul that sins, it shall die ~Ezek 18:20" He meant it and satan knows if there isn't a sacrifice offered then he can keep that person from God. he does this by telling people lies such as God must be cruel to require blood and how atrocious to kill His own Son and the ever popular lie that you don't need to accept Jesus' sacrifice when you can be good enough or work your way to heaven. So many people believe his lies without realizing the Love God has for us. But God patiently waited for someone to believe Him and He found that someone in the person of Abraham. Why did God show such favor to Abraham? The scripture says that "God is no respector of persons"(Romans 2:11) meaning that what He does for one He does for any. The difference was "Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him as righteousness and he was called the Friend of God"(Gal 3:6; James 2:23). Abraham believed God would do what He said He would do. Abraham believed God so much so that when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham was willing. He told his servants to stay there while he and Isaac went up to the mountain to worship and then they would both return. He told Isaac that God Himself would provide the lamb to sacrifice. It is said of him in Hebrews 11:19 that he "accounted that God was able to raise him (Isaac) up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." He did receive Isaac back from the dead in "a figure" in the fact that even though God stopped him from sacrificing Isaac God allowed Abraham to see the plan of redemption ahead of time on that very mountain. Jesus said of him that "Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad"(Jn 8:56) "Abraham looked up and there in the thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place Jehovah Jireh--The Lord will provide. And to this day, it is said 'on the mount of the Lord, it shall be seen'"(Gen 22:13-14)

Because of Abraham's trust in God and his willingness to sacrifice his own son Isaac, God allowed Him to be a part of His Covenant. God caused a deep sleep to come over Abraham and He sacrificed animals and made a Covenant with Abraham. The Word of God says that since God could swear by no one greater He swore by Himself. God made a promise to Abraham that He would destroy Himself if He ever broke His Word. That promise is sealed in blood and the fact that God cannot lie.The beautiful thing about covenants is that during that time when two people entered covenant they were bound to each other. What one person had became the others. They swore by blood oaths to protect each other,and provide for each other and family. Usually when people entered covenant they would mark their arms and put them together mixing the blood indicating my blood is in you and yours in me. They also had little bags of salt by their side and one person would put a grain of salt into the other persons bag and vice versa. This was to say "I can't reach my hand in your bag and get my grain of salt back and you can't reach your hand in my bag and get your grain of salt back". This signified the binding of the covenant. The marks on the arm represented protection. If you were out alone and an enemy came against you they would see the mark or marks depending on how many you had made covenant with and they would know that if they came against you whoever you had a covenant with would come against them. The more marks you had the more you had assurance of protection. The amazing thing in all of this is the fact that God told Abraham not to make a covenant with any other nation or people at all. He was not to mark his body at all. Abraham's covenant was with God alone. God's mark of the covenant would be circumcision which is powerful in that any seed that came through man came through that mark stating that seed was part of the covenant! So when Abraham was out alone he had no marks on his arm to show protection when an enemy came against him. What faith he had in God to believe that God would protect him! God's Covenant with Abraham was greater in that God instituted it while Abraham was asleep. God didn't need Abraham's protection or provision but God promised Abraham all of His protection and provision!

Why was this Covenant not enough? Why did we need a better Covenant established with better promises? The reason is that man had to still offer continual sacrifices. Abraham had to be in a deep sleep for God to institute that Covenant and swear by Himself. Abraham could offer nothing to God to satisfy the blood sacrifice. He could not be a mediator between God and man because it was still the blood of animals that made that Covenant. The value of the blood corresponds to the value of the life that is in it. Animal sacrifices are just that, animal sacrifices. They cannot atone once and for all for sin because man is greater than animals so the sacrifice must be continual. Why animals? The value of people is far greater. God would not have His own children sacrifice themselves. He condemned that in the Bible! Religions who do that are sacrificing to satan. satan is the muslim god who requires you to sacrifice yourself and others to appease an angry god and assure yourself a place in heaven. What an atrocity that so many believe that lie. So if God condemned sacrificing yourself or children then why Jesus? Why sacrifice His own Son? It makes no sense unless you understand Who He is and the value of the blood He carries. "Blod is life, life is blood. When blood is shed a life is shed. Blood becomes the vehicle of redemption throughout the entire Bible. If you can't understand blood, you can't understand Jesus. Jesus didn't come to heal the sick, He did it in route. He came and set His face to go to Jerusalem and die. Jesus said 'For this reason I have come.' Jesus came for one reason, to shed His blood. Remeber, Jesus came to restore what Adam and Eve had forfeited." (bible-history.com)

If you think of Him as a man that came to earth and died then it's insane but if you realize He's God in the flesh then it makes perfect sense. What sacrifice could end all other sacrifices but God Himself! What sacrifice could stop satan in his tracks from destroying God's children anymore but God Himself!

It may be difficult to think of Jesus as God but if you search the Scriptures you will see it is so. I spent some time alone with God recently and it became so clear to me that I can't stop thinking on it! As I spent time with Him I was meditating and searching scriptures on the deity of Christ to share with my Jehova's Witness friend when it came to me that it's not all to unreasonable to think of God in 3 when after all we are created in His image. We are a triune (3 part) being with a spirit, soul, and a body. The Word says that the Word of God is sharper than a 2-edged sword which divides asunder the spirit and soul. If they can be divided then they are seperate. The Bible says that our spirit and flesh war against each other; Jesus Himself said that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. God (Spirit) was willing to be crucified but the flesh (Jesus) was weak and sweated drops as of blood. Why is that so hard to think on? The Word says we have to renew our mind so our carnal nature doesn't rule us but they're both still us. "Whoever sows to the flesh will reap of the flesh corruption but whoever sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Galations 6:8) When we die, our body goes to the ground but our spirit goes to heaven. It's still us. We have parts of ourselves that war against each other but it's still us. Eve came from Adam's side. That's two beings out of one! Jesus said that when a man and woman get married they become one flesh. That's two in one. Marriage itself is a physical representation of a spiritual covenant which is why there are more divorces in Christian homes; satan hates the Covenant we have with God and doesn't want us to show the world what a relationship with God looks like. We are all a part and member of the body of Christ seperate yet one. Jesus is fully God and fully human at the same time. He promised to never leave us yet He is at the right hand of the Father now so how is He still here? He left the third person of the Trinity here, the Holy Spirit Who is as much God as Jesus is.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning, through Him all things were made but without Him nothing was made that has been made. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. (Jn 1:1-3,14) God made a covenant with Abraham. Since He could swear by noone greater He swore by Himself making a promise to Abraham that He would destroy Himself if He broke His own covenant. God didn't break His covenant because He is bound by His Word. We couldn't keep the covenant and since we broke it God destroyed Himself by sending the very Word He is bound to in the flesh in the form of Jesus to die for us. That is why we have a better covenant established on better promises. This time the covenant has a mediator (Jesus). We do not have a covenant with the blood of bulls and goats, we have a covenant with the blood of God Himself!

It's too great to even think on. Psalm 138:2 says "I will worship toward Your Holy Temple and praise Your Name for Your loving kindness and for Your Truth: for You have magnified Your Word above all Your Name" That Word that is magnified is Jesus! "The virgin will conceive and bear a son and they will call Him Immanuel meaning God with us" (Mt 1:23). I have a notebook that I'm filling up in a seperate study as I write on just the deity of Christ. There is no way I could put all the scriptures in here because there is so many but I want to share some:

God said in Hosea 11:9"For I Am God, not a human being, the Holy One among you" then He says in Hosea 11:1-4 "When Israel was a child, I loved him; and out of Eqypt I called My son. But the more (the prophets) called them, the farther they went from them. They sacrificed to the ba'alim and offered incense to idols. Yet it was I who taught Efrayim to walk; I took them by their arms. But they did not know that it was I Who ws healing them, Who was guiding them on through human means with reins made of love. With them I was like someone removing the yoke from their jaws and I bent down to feed them." "He sent forth His Word and it healed them" (Psalm 107:20) Jesus healed all Who came to Him, He fed the multitude and was it not Him Who said "Come to Me all who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me because I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Mt 11:28-30)

"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."(1 Timothy 3:16.) "Giving thanks to the Father...Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son: In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things on earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled. In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His sight." (Colossians 1:15-22) "For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9) These Scriptures were given to me by two new friends Brinda and Charles; thank you.

Jesus Himself said His body was the Temple and that if you destroyed that Temple He would raise it up again in 3 days. Who would raise it up? According to Jesus' own words He did. He said in John 10:17-18 "Therefore does My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father." Father God Jehovah Himself out of Himself brought forth His Word in the flesh in the form of Jesus to redeem mankind back to Himself. God is bound to that Covenant and will not break it. In Revelation before the scrolls of judgement are opened God allows John to see two important things. He first sees a rainbow at the throne signifying Covenant and then He sees " a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I (John) wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders said to me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Rood of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and , lo in the midst of the Throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns(dominion) and seven eyes(all knowledge, omnisicience),....He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the Throne. And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and 24 elders fell down before the Lamb...and they sang a new song saying You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and have redeemed them to God by Your blood.."

Jesus is the only one worthy to open the scrolls to signify the start of the end times. God allowed John to see that first before John ever saw the judgements pour out on planet earth. He wanted John to understand that even though it looked like all of hell itself was going to break out God was going to still keep His Covenant. He will not end all life on earth even though it looks like it because His Covenant is everlasting. There will still be a multitude that no man can number that come out of this tribulation from every nation that are ransomed to Him!

So to answer the question why Jesus? It's because Jesus is not a mere man and His life holds value beyond any other. Leviticus puts it this way "For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul."(Lev 17:11) The life is in the blood and because the blood is offered to God on the altar, it has redemptive power. The value of the blood corresponds to the value of the life that is in it. Andrew Murray puts it so beautifully this way "The life of a sheep or goat is of less value than the life of an ox, and so the blood of a sheep or goat in an offering is of less value than the blood of an ox (Lev 4:13-14,27-28). The life of man is more valuable than that of many sheep or oxen." If the life of man is more valuable then what is the value of the life of God? "Now who can tell the value or the power of the blood of Jesus? The soul of the Holy Son of God dwelt in that blood. The eternal life of the Godhead was carried in that blood (Acts 20:28) The power of that blood in its many effects is nothing less than the eternal power of God Himself. What a glorious thought for everyone who desires to experience the full power of the blood."

Jesus didn't just bear our sins, He took our entire sin nature and nailed it to the cross with Him. "He became the very putrid hated thing within Adam that seperated him from God. When Christ became sin and completely and utterly identified with the condition of fallen man He stood in for us by identifying completely with our condition and became the object of wrath. All the judgment of God was laid upon Him. Every sin, past, present, and future, every sin that ever was or will be was in a moment of time laid upon Him."(bible-history.com)

It's that blood that satan can't come against. It's that blood that ends once and for all sacrificing to God. It's that blood that cried out "It is finished" ringing loud throughout earth, heaven, and hell destroying death, hell and the grave with one fatal swoop. It's that blood that we celebrate every Ressurection, not easter, which is the only means for our relationship with God. It's that blood that purchased us back to God and reinstated us in His family for ever and ever! Take your bible and picture it come into the form of Jesus Himself and then picture it as blood. That's how powerful the Covenant we have with Almighty Jehovah is! That's why it is only through Jesus that we have access to God. He is the Word. It's at His Name every knee in heaven and earth and under the earth will bow because it's the very Word itself we bow to. We are bowing to the Covenant itself!!!! The very Word of God itself!! Can you grasp it! Oh how I love Jesus because He first loved me. It is a Name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth.....that song means so much more to me now. The very word of God wrapped in love in human flesh. God came down to our level all because of love!!!!!!What?!! So incredible and amazing. It's time to get the Word out. Tell others about Jesus now! They need to know this amazing love. They need to know that it's not about an angry god who wants people to appease him or go to hell. It's about a loving Father who wants them to join His family. Yes I believe in sanctification and holiness. Yes I believe that if we love Jesus we will obey Him. I don't believe we will see the miracles, signs, and wonders and the Glory of God poured out on this earth if we are living like the world. I don't believe in effortless Chrisitanity or the abuse of the Gospel of Grace that some are preaching but there is a difference in obedience out of obligation and obedience out of love. If you really knew what God did for you, you would want to obey Him not be forced to like some on the opposite end of the grace doctrine teach. There is a balance and it's found in the Word(Jesus).

Tell people about Jesus please! The time for salvation is now! Jesse Duplantis had an encounter with God where he went to heaven. Whether you believe that or not is not my concern but I urge you to hear what Jesus spoke to him because I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. Jesus told him "My worst day has not happened yet? The worst day for Me will be when I have to turn millions away from Me with the words depart from Me I never knew you. And then I will have to wipe away tears from My own eyes. I don't wan't to do that but I have to." You see God doesn't want to turn people away from Him but He's bound by His own Word. Hell was created for satan and his angels not people yet people will go there for rejecting Jesus. There is no other way to God than through His Word, through Jesus. That is the only sacrifice acceptable. There are not many ways to God as satan would have so many deceptively believe. There is only one way and that is Jesus the Word of God. Please tell them before it's too late. The end is near and the time for salvation is now! "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a Name written that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called THE WORD OF GOD" ~Revelation 19:11-13~God bless you! From my heart to yours, your sister in Christ~Tonie Campbell

Grace Vs Law

Sunday, June 13, 2010 at 12:56am

By Tonie Campbell.

I have had it on my heart for awile to write a note on Grace vs Law because it seems to be the biggest controversy in the body of Christ and few understand the difference. They want to argue that those who trust in Grace are wanting a license to sin and don't believe you should do any works while those trusting in the law and commandments say faith without works is dead. It appears that some on either side do not fully understand what happened on the Cross or what Grace truly is. Let me say upfront that I'm not a theologian I'm just a student and lover of God's Word. Grace is God's power in you to do what you could not do on your own. It is God looking at you when you stand and when you fall and seeing the blood of Jesus covering it all but it is not a substitute for obedience. The reason is as a new friend of mine Lori said "Many in the church have an identity crisis and do not know who they are in Christ. They are still identifying with the old dead sin nature, that we are commanded to reckon (consider) dead!!! So as a man thinks within himself so is he/she. If we think like old sinners, we will behave like old sinners and therefore the world sees no change. We have to stop identifying with the old and put on the new man who is created in true righteousness and holiness."~quote from Lori Thank you for speaking truth!

I think the majority don't realize what happened on the Cross. Most think we just got forgiveness of sins and of those even fewer understand what complete sozo(salvation) we received which includes healing among others. God didn't just rescue us; He made us Whole on the Cross. When I stop and think about what happened to me when He hung on the Cross it is mind boggling. He didn't just die for my sins He took my sin nature itself and crucified it on the Cross. He became the putrid hated thing in Adam that caused all mankind to fall and delievered us from it (He Who knew no sin became sin so we could become the righteousness of God~2Cor 5:21.) He went to hell for us not only so we wouldn't have to but so that He could take back all authourity and the bible says He made an open show of satan and his demons. (And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made an open show of them, triumphing over them in it~Col 2:15) He didn't just take our sin nature from us and destroy satan's power over us but He went all the way to heaven after He was risen to pour His blood on the mercy seat of the altar in heaven so that He could even cleanse the heavenly Temple from where satan had been there before his fall.(Heb 9) This is why when Jesus saw Mary after He had risen He said "Touch Me not for I have not ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, I ascend to My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God"~Jn 20:17. He then later that same evening lets His disciples touch Him. Why? He didn't tell Mary to not touch Him because she was a woman but because He had not risen yet to cleanse the heavenly Temple. A mere human could not touch Him and defile Him then. But after He went to the mercy seat and sat down cleansing all of the Temple in heaven itself even from the effects of satan (who if you remember had access to the Temple even after his fall, read Job); then He returns to His disciples and everyone is now free to touch Him.

It all amazes me to think on. He didn't just even take our sin nature itself but He deposited a new "recreated" spirit in us which is what becomes "born" again. He also leaves us with a measure of His Holy Spirit.(I believe in a subsequent baptism in the Holy Spirit which I wrote about in another note) "You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you will die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."~Romans 8:9-15. What that is saying is the very same power it took to raise Jesus from the dead lives in us. We received God's Spirit of freedom. We do not have the spirit again to bondage and fear. What is the spirit of bondage and fear? Before we got saved we were by nature children of wrath; children of satan and we had his spirit working in us. "And you has He quickened , who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in times past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience: among whom we also had our way of living in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the mind and flesh; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others are now. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood. He(Jesus) also Himself likewise took part of the same that through death He might destroy(paralyze & render completely useless) him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."~Ephesians 2:3, Hebrews 2:14-15.

You either have God's Spirit or you have satan's. There is no inbetween decision making. Jesus didn't die on the Cross for you to have a ticket to heaven and struggle with satan while on the earth. He completely took satan's spirit out of you and gave you His Spirit. He completely destroyed satan's power over you and translated you into His kingdom where you are seated with Him, by the Spirit, in heavenly places far above satan's power. "Giving thanks to the Father, Who qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son"~Col 1:12-13. Paul said it best in his letter to the church of Ephesus when he said "I never cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you, in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: That the eyes of your understanding be enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And He has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that fills all in all. And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus"~Ephesians 1:16-23, 2:6.

We are His body so that puts all things under our feet as well. "For both He that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are all one"~Heb 2:11. "For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power"~Col 2:9-10. The problem comes when the body of Christ doesn't renew their mind to this. It will never become a reality for you and you will never walk it out if you don't renew your mind. We are a three part being. We live in a body. Your body is not the real you. We have a spirit(either satan's or God's). And we have a soul which is our mind, will, and emotions. Hebrews says that the Word of God is alive and is sharper than any two-edged sword diving asunder the spirit and soul; if they can be divided then they are seperate. The only part of you that is saved is your spirit. If you do not make it to the rapture and die before then your body will return to the ground. Your soul is not saved as well which is why the Word says to "renew" your mind to what you got at salvation. Your soul would be your flesh or carnal nature which wars against your born again man. This is why Paul said at one time "the things I want to do I don't and the things I don't want to do I do." He also said later on that he renewed his mind so we are without excuse to say that we are just old sinners saved by Grace. NO! You were a sinner and then you got saved by Grace; your sin nature died! You were crucified with Christ so it is not the "old" you that lives but Him in you. Philippians 2:12 says to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling". What salvation are we to work out? It's not the salvation of your spirit "for by grace are you saved through faith; and not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any should boast"~Eph 2:8. It is the salvation of your soul that you are to work out by renewing your mind to what the Word actually says.

The bottom line is that you are not you anymore when you got saved. The old man died and you now have God's very own Spirit living in you that enables you to not sin and to live a holy and sanctified life. If you are still acting the same as you did before you received salvation then you have not renewed your mind and your flesh is in control of your life. Jesus said the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Whichever one you tune in and cater to the most is the one that will rule you. If you do not daily spend time in His Word and prayer then your carnal nature will rule you and you will make excuses for why you act the way you do and say things you say. You will stay in bondage to alchohol, drugs, smoking, rage, anger, temper tantrums and etc.. If you, on the other hand, renew your mind and let His Spirit rule you then you will be changed from glory to glory: Meaning you will become more and more like Jesus because you will be allowing Him to work out of you. When the body of Christ sees this as a whole then we will see real change in this world because their will be unity in the body then. Grace is not a license to sin and there are some in the body of Christ who are abusing it and I would have to say that if you are "fighting" for your right to sin then you are not saved or are ignorant of salvation. Where does works come in then? Faith without works is dead and without faith it is impossible to please God for he who comes to Him must believe that He is and is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him scripture says. This is the faith: God so loved you that He sent Jesus to die for you on the Cross when you were dead wrong, in sin, and not agreeing with God. Receive that and go show others the same love. Love your enemies; those not saved, while they are dead wrong, in sin and not agreeing with God. Freely you have received so freely give. The works comes in when you choose to serve and do for God out of love not out of obedience. You cannot earn favor from Him. You cannot do enough to get Him to like you. You do and "work" only out of love for Him. It's impossible for you to receive all that you received and not have the desire to go out and show mercy and do for others. "True religion and undefiled before God is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world"~James 1:27. "If you see a person naked, and deprived of daily food, and one of you say to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit? Even so faith, without works, is dead, being alone. Yes, a man says, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works"~James 2:15-18. "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso has this world's good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us"~1 Jn 3:16-24. "Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy"~Ezekiel 16:49.

There is no law for the born again Christian. "We are aware that law is not for a person who is righteous, but for those who are heedless of the law and rebellious, ungodly and sinful, wicked and worldly, for people who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral - both heterosexual and homosexual - slave dealers, liars, perjurers, and anyone who acts contrary to the sound teaching"~1 Timothy 1:9-10. We are not under the law because we have God's own Spirit in us. The law was given to show man his need for a savior. Grace is apart from the law as a gift from God. If you are going to live by the law to justify yourself then you had better be prepared to follow every letter and commandment of it for if you break one then in God's eyes you are guilty of breaking all. The law is to bring sinners to the realization of their own guilt and need of Jesus. There are many gifts of the Spirit but the greatest gift God ever gave us was His (agape) love poured out in us. "And hope makes us not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given us"~Romans 5:5. The Old Testament saints did not have what we have so they can't love like we can. The world does not have what we have so they cannot love like we can. The very unconditional agape love of God Himself is in us so we are without excuse to walk in sin or discord. We don't just have forgiveness; we have God in us the hope of glory and it is Him working through us that does the works not us working them; that's the difference. "For it is God which works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure"~Philippians 2:13. There is works to be done but they are done through us by Him and they are done for the purpose of reaching a lost and dying world for Him. He works through us so that the world can see Him. The world will only know that Jesus is alive to the extent that the Church lets Him reveal Himself to the world. Greater works that He did we should be doing which includes healing, raising the dead, miracles, signs, and wonders but they can only be done when we die to ourselves and let Him reign supreme. We cannot show the world Him if we are walking, talking and acting like the world. The body of Christ as a whole is not abiding in Him because there is too much darkness in it. There is too much of the world in it. There is too much of us and not enough of Him. He said that whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness(sin) and if we say we are children of the light and yet walk in darkness then we lie and know not the truth. There is too much sin in the Church and it needs to be dealt with and that begins with renewal of the mind.

Think for a moment about what happened to you and it will almost seem like some weird science fiction zombie movie in a sense. You were dead and then you came to life. You now have another being living on the inside of you and you have supernatural communication with another planet. Everyone else that is not "born" again is the walking dead "spiritually" and for some insane reason the body of Christ wants to be like the walking dead. Come out from among them and be ye seperate. You are a Priesthood, a peculiar(strange to the world) people. You are the called out ones; seperated by and to God for His purpose so live like it. Notice he said to walk in the light, not stand in it. To walk implies faith. How do we walk in the light. We do it by love(His love flowing out of us) . Here's the thing you can't do it in your own love. You can't go by the Old Testament commandment of "loving God with all your heart, soul, strength and might and loving others as yourself" .What happens when you don't love yourself? They had the law but not Grace and Truth. Grace and Truth came through Jesus. Jesus said you have to receive His love for you before you can even love God or anyone else. You can't even know God until you know Jesus and you don't know Him if all you know is His name or Jn 3:16. You know someone by what they say and do. Too many Christians profess to know and abide in Him yet they don't actually know what He did or said. If they did it would take away many of the confusing doctrines people have. God's Word is His will. Jesus was and is the Word of God in action. God stepped out of the invisible into the visible through a human body and showed us in action how He works. If you want to know God's will concerning anything just look at Jesus. If He did or said it then it's God's will but if He didn't do or say it then it's not. To live as a Christian requires death. Death of my voice, my opinion, my flesh, my way. It requires me to die to myself so He can reign Supreme. Dying to myself means that I don't get to hold on to bitterness and unforgivness. I don't even get to choose what I want to do with my life if He really is Lord. It is not easy but it is worth it to know that my King is glorified. He can not be glorified if we are not walking after Him. It's time for the Church as a whole to get to "know" the One we profess to follow. God's Love never fails but the Church is failing in many areas because we are not walking in His love. Jesus said to Philip "Have I been so long time with you and yet you have not known Me?"~John 14:9. I think that statement is relevant to the Body of Christ. Have we been with Him for this long and yet we still don't know Him. You don't know somebody because you know their name. You know them by what they say and do and when you have an intimate relationship with them.

God says you can have faith to move mountains, prophesy, see signs and wonders, you can have wisdom and knowledge of the Bible but if you don't exercise the love He gave you then it profits you nothing. Faith without works is dead and faith only operates by love so without love you are operating in dead faith and are in fact lying when you say you follow Him. Where Jesus walks there is no darkness so for you to follow Him you can't be walking in darkness as well. There are too many Christians mad at others sitting in seats with dead faith deceiving themselves. As He loved you on the Cross you should go and love others. Jesus never gave anyone a reason to follow sin. He said "Go and sin no more" not Go and sin some more or Go and sin less. He also said "If you love Me you will obey" By their fruit you will know if they follow Me". You should not continue to walk in darkness. John writes in his letter "These things I write that you sin not but if you do miss it then confess" He has all the power to not only forgive your sins but to show you how to not do it again. If you miss it, it's one thing but to keep sinning and saying "well I'm just an old sinner and no one can be perfect like Jesus after all we're just human" is nonsense and contrary to the Word of God. He called you to be like Him. As He is so should you be. He wouldn't tell you to follow after Him and walk as He walked if it were not possible. We as a body are so far from Christ like it's sad. He has the Words of life and if we believed it we would know what He said and did. He said take My yoke upon you andn learn of Me. What is His yoke. His yoke is how much He loved you on the cross while you were yet a sinner. His love is extravagant not cautious on who it gives to. We don't throw away His teachings after the Ressurrection and just follow the Apostles. They followed Him. Their letters point to Him. Colossians tells us to let the Words of Christ richly dwell in us. He gave everything and submitted all to God. If we are still holding bitterness and offense then we are not in Him. I say this to my own shame as well. Too many are calling Christianity what isn't. You can't call yourself a Christian when you say and do nothing He said and did. If you're nothing like Him then you are not Christ like. "...Anyone who does not take up his execution stake and follow Me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his own life will lose it, but the person who loses his life for My sake will find it"~Mt. 10:37-39. He also said if we deny Him before men that He would deny us before the Father. How do we deny Him? One way is to lie against the truth, to continue in darkness and follow the world and it's ways. My friends a popular teaching is that He came to give us a good life but that is not what Scripture says. It says He came to give us Zoe life. The word Zoe is the God kind of life. Jesus showed us a life submitted to God not to ourselves. When you are submitted to God you die to yourself and live for Him and let Him live and love through you. "Therefore being justified(delcared righteous) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith(not works) into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory(power and presence of God Himself, weighted down with God's goodness,an abiding sense of the value God has for us so we can reign with confidence) of God"~Rom 5:1-2.

It's not about us Church. It's about Him and when we realize that then much of the confusion and strife over doctrinal issues such as Grace and law will stop. When we realize it's Him working through us we will stop arguing. When we realize it's not about us we will stop sitting back and wanting to receive all the time without ever giving. I'm so tired of Christians wanting to shout for and argue prosperity out of pride and wanting to be "right" in their own eyes instead of love. I'm tired of us arguing period over which doctrine is right and whether it's Grace or law. I grew up in a denomination that doesn't believe in healings, tongues, signs and wonders. They taught it stopped in the first Church. I can not find that anywhere in the bible. I find the opposite. But here's the problem, I'm not going to argue with someone who doesn't believe that. Why should they believe what the Church is not demonstrating. Where are the miracles, signs, and wonders that we say exist. We say we believe but even demons believe in one God and tremble. Believing alone is dead faith if there is no action to it. The power has never left the Church, the Church let go of it when we stopped following Him. There is no love in the Body as a Whole and faith without love is void of power. I publicly repent in this letter of not truly following Him. For anyone I have offended, I am sorry. I am most sorry to Jesus Christ Himself for the way I have acted and the root of bitterness I have had in my heart. To unbelievers who may read this, I appologize for the Body of Christ not showing the love it was meant to show. I appologize for us not being Jesus to the World and instead being ourselves. I once had a small vision in my head. I saw Marilyn Manson on stage ripping a bible. If you know anything about him, you know how anti Chrisitan he is. I heard the still small voice of God as I saw Marilyn and He said "There are so many headed for hell and there are some My people want to go there and it will be My people's fault that they go because they didn't show them My love". I immediately repented because I for one had said Marilyn Manson deserved to go to hell and it would serve him right. I repented because he, and most unbelievers, would not feel the way they do if we were not showing true Love. If they deny Jesus then let them deny Him and Him alone; let's not be guilty of them denying Him because we were in the way.

This lost and dying world is waiting for an awakening to God. We need His power and it is going to be done through us but not if we remain in the condition we are in. Grace or Law; you choose. For me I will accept Grace and die to myself so He can live. "When all of me has been revealed are You the only One left that that lives? So let me come and die and lay down my life until the only dream left is Your will. Let me forget what I know and see Who You are; strip away the glory for my name until only you remain. Until only You remain I'll give up everything; lay down my will and follow You" (quote taken from a song by Noah Cleveland)

Your sister in Christ Tonie

A time for every purpose under heaven

Pang William Ecc 3:1 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Ecc 2:11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. Joh 3:27 ...A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. Why are we still labor in our flesh?

June 14 at 1:23am · · Comment

• Garry 'Garth' Darcy, Wisdom Vorvor, Sandra Tureaud and 9 others like this.
• • 

    Roby Hardyman

    Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
    
    I think it's the reason why all people like that...
    No single person in this world who can resist fleshly perfectly, exceptJesus Christ.

    June 14 at 2:18am ·
  • 

    Kim Kim Trimble Amen, Roby! Thanks for that!

    June 14 at 2:23am ·
  • 

    Roby Hardyman ‎@ Kim Trimble : your welcome... thx to GOD forever... praise the Lord...

    June 14 at 2:26am ·
  • 

    Pang William Thanks Roby, I think you're right. It is hard for men to rest cos the flesh is still strong. Need more revelation on this :)

    June 14 at 2:28am ·
  • 

    Roby Hardyman ‎@ Pang : your welcome :) GBU...

    June 14 at 2:34am ·
  • 

    Vivien Yong So very true Roby...the spirit is willing but the flesh is always weak.

    June 14 at 2:48am ·
  • 

    Elizabeth Ukote WHEN WE FAST AND PRAY,WE GET RID OF SOME THINGS IN OUR LIVES,

    June 14 at 2:53am ·
  • 

    Ronel Bosman It is indeed a flesh thing to try and fix things ourselves and not rest in Christ and let Him do it for us!

    June 14 at 2:58am ·
  • 

    Vivien Yong We DO TRY to rest in HIM & let HIM do it for us but sometimes we just can't get pass what we have learned or rather drilled into us ever since we were little kids...You got to do it yourself...so we tend to 'HELP' our Lord without realising that HE does not need our help. He has done it all for us and all we have to do is just realised that.

    June 14 at 3:02am ·
  • 

    Roby Hardyman Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

    June 14 at 3:24am ·
  • 

    Joy Aj When one truly accept Grace, then when fully enters His rest. That's saying none of me LORD, but all of You

    June 14 at 4:08am ·
  • 

    Sandra Tureaud

    We were use to depending on our senses, flesh, the old nature a way of thinking; trusting in what we felt, saw, heard. Jesus crucified that old nature to the cross. His resurrection gives us an abundant brand new life in Him, a new nature, His Divine nature.
    2 Corinthians 5:17
    Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
    Galatians 2:20
    I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
    Romans 12:2
    And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

    June 14 at 5:00am · · 1 person
  • 

    Pang William Thank you everyone here. You beloved are just awesome! Praise Daddy!!

    June 14 at 5:23am ·
  • 

    Breck Rubin Good word, brother! Paul said, I consider all worthless compared to the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD. It's all garbage.

    June 14 at 7:04am ·
  • 

    Pang William It is not what we do... but knowing who we are!

    June 14 at 1:38pm ·
  • 

    Ronel Bosman Amen - that is the most important thing - to know who I am and to live according to that - rightful thinking leads to rightful living!!! Praise the Lord - He is such a wonderful loving Father!

    June 14 at 5:37pm ·
  • 

    Tonie Campbell

    I was going to make a comment but it looks like my sister Sandra said it for me along with some others. It is Christ in you that allows you to be able to resist. We have the very Holy Spirit living inside us; the world does not so they cannot live like Him but we can. He said those who follow Him do not follow darkness(sin) because where He is there is none. It doesn't happen instantly which is why we are changed from glory to glory as the Word says. So the longer we walk with Him by fellowshipping with His Word and renewing our mind to it then we become more and more like Him because we die to ourselves and let Him live through us. That is where the rest comes. It is Him doing it through us not us trying to do it for Him. Wonderful conversation and comments from all~God bless you all~

    June 14 at 5:59pm ·
  • 

    Pang William

    Thanks Tonie and Sandra, as a matter of fact, many knew all these verses quoted by Sandra well... They knew they are a new creation, they knew the old men were crucified and they also knew they are not to conform to this world, they knew repentance is just a change of mind... In fact they knew a lot more Scriptures than me. Some even say "It is finished"... but why are they still struggled in the flesh? Still thinking they can do more to the finished work? By the fruit, we know the tree!
    
    I've been thinking of this a lot... Sometime I also like that. I truly agreed with Roby... the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. I need to remind myself that whatever I do is not to accomplish more but a part of His plan in His finished work. We can do anything we want but it is not what we do matter but what we think... What do you think?

    June 14 at 7:06pm ·
  • 

    Tonie Campbell I just sent you 2 things in a message. One is the hebrew video that I mentioned in another comment and I also sent you a note I wrote saturday on Grace vs Law. It's been on my heart to write for a while because it seems to be the biggest convtroversy in the body of Christ and I too like you have thought a lot on it. I'm no theologian, I'm just a student of God's Word like you but you are more than welcome to read it and let me know what you think. Shalom and blessings to you

    June 14 at 10:45pm ·
  • 

    Pang William Thank you Tonie for sharing your note on Grace vs Law. Praise Daddy for a priceless piece of work out of love! I love it so much that I have it posted in my blog...http://yasolovesme.blogspot.com/2010/06/grace-vs-law.html that the world can read. Hallelujah!!

    June 16 at 5:53am ·
  • 

    Sandra Tureaud

    Knowing scriptures(head knowledge) and believing with your heart what the Word of God says are 2 different things.When the Angel of the Lord appeared to Mary, she Believed in her heart what was spoken to her, Acknowledged her faith with her mouth in the Word of God that was Spoken and Said "let it be done to me according to thy Word. The spoken Word became life in Mary's heart and produced/manifested the Life of God in her womb. The Scripture says: Luke 1:35-38
    35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God."
    38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

    June 16 at 11:32am ·
  • 

    Pang William Ya Sandra... you are absolutely right! It is all by faith... but the trouble with many believers are after they believed they want to do something, they want to add to it. From obtained His righteousness to become self righteousness! :O

    June 16 at 12:59pm ·