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Archive for the ‘Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011’ Category

Day Twenty-Eight, Under-The-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011 on September 30, 2011| 1 Comment »

Day Twenty-Eight

 

He Sees Your Need!

 

“Now there is in Jerusalem a pool near the Sheep Gate.”  Jn 5:2

 

 

          Before Jesus walked the earth as man and God, and ministered to the invalid at this pool of Bethesda, He had sent down an angel at appointed times to stir the waters of the pool.  Whoever entered the waters first after the stirring – was healed!

         Now this certain invalid had laid there  waiting for healing for a very long time.  The Amplified Bible says that Jesus knew that he had already been a long time in that condition.  Jesus knows how long we’ve been in our condition too!  This invalid had suffered for thirty-eight years.  A lot of people would say that would exclude him from being healed.  After all – this infirmity was all he ever knew. 

          But it says that Jesus knew how long.  He saw how long! Jesus was aware over the seasons and years – each time He sent an Angel to stir those waters — this man was helpless.  Imagine it! After the very first water stirring, someone enters the water and is miraculously healed – people begin to understand!  “If I can get into the water first after its stirred, I can be healed!”

          They begin to watch the waters, intent, waiting expectantly.  Crowds grow.  More sick come to wait on the angel’s stirring.  It seems to take forever.  They grow weary in their waiting.  They stop watching – stop hoping. Then suddenly it happens again– the angel stirs the water – but someone else gets in before you.  Pretty soon – you move to hopelessness.  After all, there is always going to be someone who is quicker than you to enter the pool.  There’s always someone faster, brighter, more alert, stronger etc.  But that is why Jesus asked this invalid, “Do you want to become well?” He had to stir up expectancy and hope within this man to receive healing – just like He had done so many times before with the waters of the pool.

          As the invalid begins to explain his limitation and his lack of ability to get in the pool, desire and want are being quickened within him.  When Jesus says to him, “Get up! Pick up your bed and walk!” – he doesn’t have to struggle under his own effort to receive the strength to get up.  It is immediately there – Power is there at the moment Jesus speaks the word.  The power to get up is right there because the command of God empowers Him to respond and obey. Jesus supplies what we can’t!

          As I look at this pool of Bethesda, this invalid, and what Jesus does for Him – I know that it was not just for that moment in time, but the same healing is available to anyone for all time!  As believers in Jesus Christ, we have entered through the Sheep Gate into the place of blessing and promise in Christ.  We reside in the place of grace upon grace, and spiritual blessing upon blessing, even favor upon favor (Jn1:16) – that is in Christ Jesus.  Greater than the Pool of Bethesda that had a seasonal stirring for healing, we live in the very Presence of the Most High God Who has already given us all things for life and godliness.  Nothing is impossible for Him!  His arm is not shortened in any way.  

          Perhaps we have continued to focus our attention where He once moved, but is no longer moving.  Once Jesus visited this invalid at the pool do you think He would send His angel later to continue to stir the waters?  I don’t.

          The angel stirring the waters was a foretaste of God’s grace.  But when Jesus arrived on the scene – ALL GRACE HAD ARRIVED!  It would not be superseded by external waters again being stirred!  Out of His fullness we have already received one grace after another, spiritual blessing upon blessing, favor upon favor!  But if you see yourself unable to enter that, if you have grown un-expectant because of disappointment and failure and inability – look to Jesus.  Tell Him of your attempts and shortcomings.  Let hunger and hope be quickened within you again, so that when He says, “Get up,” you will be able to immediately!  It is the power of God that brings you to your feet. 

          Arise, enter in, be hopeful again, be-loved.

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Day Twenty-Seven, Under-the-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , on September 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Twenty-Seven

 

The Bridegroom’s Voice

 

“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the groomsman who stands by and listens to him rejoices greatly and heartily on account of the bridegroom’s voice.  This then is my pleasure and my joy, and it is now complete.”  Amp Jn 3:29

 

         

          John the Baptist is referring here to himself as the groomsman who rejoices greatly on account of the Lord’s voice.  Yet over in Matthew 11:11 Jesus told the crowds He was addressing that the “least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.”  That is that the least saint of God, the least believer of the Body of Christ, the smallest member who helps form the Bride of Christ – that smallest member is greater that John the Baptist.  Yet John rejoiced at the Bridegroom’s voice.  The question is:  How much more so should we who are part of the Body of Christ/part of the Bride – how much more then should we rejoice daily to hear the voice of our Lord, our Beloved, The Bridegroom?

          Rejoice you say?  “I would just be happy to hear the Lord’s voice at all?”  Well then this word is for you (and continually remains for me too!)

          What is needed for us to hear the voice of the Lord – to be more conscious of His speaking?  Like John did – we must decrease, and He must increase!

          As believers it is time for our lives to be laid down as living sacrifices, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is our reasonable sacrifice and service.  (Rom 12:1)  We are called to offer ourselves to God “as though” we have been already raised from the dead to perpetual life. (Rom 6:13)  We are called to please our master in singleness of motive and with all our heart, as to Christ Himself!  We are called to do the will of God heartily with our whole soul.  (Eph 6:5-6)  So what is the problem?

          Our own consciousness of our desires and needs, our wants and dreams, our hopes and plans (our own soul) – has not been laid in the dust before the Lord as a living sacrifice.  We not only attend to all these things, we serve and indulge these things as our first priority – and we don’t even register the desires and plans or needs and wants of the Lord.  We can’t hear His voice because the voice of our own selves so fills our focus, is so quickly indulged, so thoroughly attended to, we can’t hear His voice.

          But if we are willing to lay down our own “life” like Job says: “if we lay gold in the dust, and the Gold of Ophir among the stones of the brook [considering them of little worth], and make the Almighty your gold and the Lord your precious silver treasure, then you will have delight in the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.”  (Job 22:24-26)

          The Gold of Ophir was considered to be of the highest quality and value.  So if we lay our Gold of Ophir down – it is laying down our very lives which we so treasure, for the Life of Christ which is of much greater value!  It is then, as we begin to let go of ourselves, forget ourselves, lose sight of ourselves – that our own voice diminishes and His voice can be heard.  It won’t happen overnight.  But as we continually make this our posture before Him, we will lose self-consciousness and the Holy Spirit will bring forth Christ-consciousness. We will then hear the voice of the Bridegroom!  In that place, you will no longer want to indulge your own self.  You will be the Bride that the Bridegroom has – and will rejoice greatly in that fact. (Jn 3:29)

          Be-less, be-Christ conscious, be-loved  — BE the BRIDE!

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Day Twenty-Six, Under-the-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , , , , on September 17, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Twenty-Six

 

LIVE

 

“…Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  Amp Mt 4:4

 

          It’s not the things of this world (neither bread, nor relationships, nor medicinal care, nor any other thing) which upholds and sustains our life.  That, in fact, is the sole purview of the Sovereign Authority of the Universe – God Himself!

          There is someone, however, who has drifted from God.  You have left the table of His Word.  You have turned from strong fellowship with Him.  You have allowed the place of your living to become entangled and dependent on the world – what it offers, what it believes, and you have even adopted its standards.

          There was a time you honored your parents.  But then the world presented something you wanted (which they did not feel was a healthy choice for you) you brought railing accusations against them.  You traded your obedient heart (to them and to God) for a heart of rebellion and so have now brought upon yourself the penalty of suffering for that rebellion.  Justify it as you might, unless you repent of that rebellion to parental authority, and turn your thinking and believing back to the truth, and set your heart again in dependence on the word of God (and eat at that table only) – the suffering will continue.

          Think back to Samson.  A man of great strength who was brought low when he forgot Who held his life, and when he rebelled against his parents to get the Philistine woman.  Ultimately – his life disintegrated as he was chained to the pillars of the idolatrous temple of Dagon.  At the end, he destroys the temple – pulling it down, but it takes him down as well.

          Now as you see your situation – see your past rebellion and repent of it.  Turn from past thinking and change your mind to hold God’s thinking once again. As you repent and ask forgiveness, you crumble the hold that pain and suffering have on you – just as Samson crumbled those temple pillars.  You then de-throne rebellion, and place God on the altar of your heart once again.  With that your life can be sustained not by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

          Be repentant, be restored, be-loved!

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Day Twenty-Five, Under-the-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , on September 13, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Twenty-Five

 

Arise and Shine!

 

“Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you – rise to a new life!] Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!” (Amp Is 60:1)

 

          Before Moses was commissioned by God to go deliver the Hebrews out of captivity in Egypt, their bodies were bowed under the strain of their evil taskmasters.  Their heads were bowed under the oppression of a system that only cared about what they could produce.  But their hearts remained attached to the belief that a Deliverer was coming to free them.  He did, and has freed – US ALL!  Yet – you and I today can often slide into a place of captivity and forgetfulness of that deliverance and freedom.  We can lose our perspective and thus our position through Christ.  There in that place of being weighed down, our heads are bowed, and we look like captives.  Even as believers, if we are not watchful, the cares of this world can choke and suffocate the Word that is in us (Mt 13:22).  But dwelling within us is the very Presence of the Most – High God, Who is more than a conqueror in us!  To be engaged with that Truth we must receive it, know it, and keep it as a light before us to walk out.

          Think of yourself like a balloon filled with helium.  Under normal conditions you are buoyant.  You float!  That is a picture of the Spirit-Filled life.  You are an over-comer.  But if you change the external conditions and begin to increase the pressure on the outside of the balloon – the balloon begins to struggle and shrink under that greater pressure.  The only way to avoid the collapse of that balloon is to increase the internal pressure to match that of the outside atmosphere.

          In life, when our focus is stayed on the world and its cares, our buoyancy begins to subside.  The problem is:  we are focused on the wrong thing.  Yes, we can be aware of the problem and issues – but we focus on the Lord!  Like Col 3:2 says, we set our minds and keep them set on things that are above, not on things on the earth.  To focus on the cares of this world steals our buoyancy and our over-coming strength in Christ.  This strength dissipates (leaks) anyway over time – so we must constantly fill up and be filled in the Spirit.  We do this by focusing on Christ, meditating on, and memorizing His Word.  We let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly.  We put on the love of Christ and enfold ourselves with His bond of perfection (this helps slow down the leaking process) 🙂(Col 3: 14-16).  And we allow His peace to rule in us – this stabilizes agitation and upheaval in us that stirs us to fretting and worry.

          So then focusing on Christ, constantly connecting and filling up on His Word, being enfolded in His love, and having His peace fill and rule in our hearts  — these are the ways we keep our lives in a place of faith and strength before Him so we can indeed arise and shine in His glory.  These are the ways we throw off the shackles of prostration and depression that the enemy would like us to be captive to.  These are the ways we keep our spiritual life buoyant and inflated with the Presence of the Lord!

          Beloved – we are free!  Our circumstances may be pressing hard against us.  We may be perplexed.  We may be pursued or persecuted.  We may even be struck down by events – but we are not struck out and destroyed! (2Cor 4:8-10) Within us resides by God’s grace everything we need to overcome every situation and circumstance.  But our success lies in keeping our focus on Him, His word dwelling in us richly, enfolded in His love, with His peace ruling over our hearts! We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!

          Arise and shine — beloved!

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Day Twenty-Four, Under-the-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , on July 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Twenty-Four

 

Of Greasewood or Mesquite

 

“And the Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you in drought and in dry places and make strong your bones.  And you shall be like a spring of water whose waters fail not.”

Is 58:11

 

          There is a place where drought and dryness is of more consequence than in the geographic territory where you physically reside.  Drought and dryness are worse when they permeate the landscape of your spiritual life – because you have neglected prayer.  Prayer waters the life of your spirit and feeds the life of Christ in you.  To not pray feeds your natural life and the life of sin in you.

          The Lord showed me a dramatic analogy of this as I walked along the desert terrain where I live.  Mesquite and greasewood compete across this basin for very limited water resources.  When rain has been really scarce (like it has been here) – the mesquite looks quite green alongside the brown and struggling greasewood.  But mesquite is vicious.  It harvests poisonous thorns of an inch long or better.  It spews toxins in the soil which restrict other plant encroachment within a perimeter of 2ft. around it.  It dominates the terrain in dangerous ways.  When rain has not fallen for months, mesquite provides an illusion of health while greasewood looks virtually dead.

          Mesquite is like what proliferates in the landscape of our heart when we neglect prayer.  The worst things in us arise, and while giving the appearance of vitality – they are thorny, deadly, and vicious.  When we neglect prayer it is like the desert where rain has failed to fall sufficiently to support better foliage – like the greasewood.  So in a sense, rain to the geographic terrain is like prayer to our spiritual terrain.  A shortage of rainfall allows thorny mesquite to arise and dominate.  A shortage of prayer allows our thorny, deadly, natural life to gain ground and dominate.  Good rainfall shifts the balance for a better more profitable ground cover of greasewood to thrive.  Increased prayer strengthens the life of Christ in us, and spiritually we look like well watered gardens. 

In the desert, we often become devoted to praying for rain when it has not come.  But it is time to pray more passionately for the prayer lives of our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.

          So what about you?  Are you looking dry and parched and thorny in the spiritual state?  Is that the life that is dominating in you?  Or are you that well watered garden – the springs of which never fail and can even water others.  The Lord would have you be so and more.  He has made every provision for it.

          Be lush, be watered, be-loved!

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Day Twenty-Three, Under-the-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , on July 14, 2011| 1 Comment »

Day Twenty-Three

 

To Tread, Or to Walk Upon

 

“… Take courage!  I AM!  Stop being afraid!”

Mt 14:27

 

 

                The other day the Lord showed me a comparison of what working in my own power looks like versus working in the Spirit.  Working according to my own nature – in my flesh, even with my best stuff in operation – is like me treading water.  You really don’t get anywhere, you get really tired overtime, but it does keep your head just above water.  What the Lord is looking for however in His saints– is the work that is done through faith in Him that overcomes – even our faith.  It is work done through love, in the Spirit.  This kind of work looks like Peter – walking on the water!

          Now I have heard that Peter was disobedient, reckless, all kinds of things negative because of this water-walking episode.  But interestingly enough, the Lord’s only rebuke to him was that he doubted!  In the Matthew verse above, Jesus had just spoken to them as a group and commanded them to stop being afraid.  Under the canopy and faith ignition of that word, Peter – in exuberant spirit – says to the Lord, “If it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  The Lord did then command him to come.  Only after Peter allowed his attention to move from the Lord to the wind and waves did he succumb to fear and began to sink.

          But notice this.  Jesus had already made a perfect provision for Peter to walk on the water, and walk without sinking!  When Jesus said, “I AM!  Stop being afraid!”  He was laying out a blanket statement which made it possible for Peter to walk on water.  His query to Peter about doubting did not pertain to Peter’s walking on water.  It pertained to Peter’s doubting the very veracity of Jesus’ word which He had just spoken.  The same word released faith in Peter initially to walk – but was dissipated in the face of the contesting wind.  The cares of this world do indeed choke the word that is within us!

          Peter, had by faith in Jesus, overcome his natural fear to walk on water because of the power of Jesus’ word.  But then Peter’s focus gave way to the wind and waves (the world) to overcome the word in him!  This was his failure, and though momentary it brings a glorious demonstration for us.  You see – ignited by faith in the Lord’s word through love, we too are called to be overcomers of every situation that life hands us. 

          Can you believe this?  John 16:33 tells us this very thing!

                   “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence.  In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”

 

Also, 1Jn 5:4 further develops this concept:

          “For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world even our faith.”

 

          Whatever is born of the Spirit of God – is spirit!  This spiritual power (of faith through love) has the capacity to overcome every thing which the world can throw at it – even our faith.  This spiritual power is  the very life of Jesus operating within us as believers!  Hence, this Scripture (1Jn 5:4) is a depiction of Peter walking on the water.  Walking on water: – the truth of the supernatural life in Christ.  Treading on water: — the natural power of man’s own natural life on display.

          Can we believe Jesus’ word even now – even for today?  He still says: “Take courage!  I AM! Stop being afraid!”  It is just as true today!

          Be-loved!

 

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Day Twenty-Two, Under-the-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , , on July 8, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Twenty-Two

 

Are You — Sowing to the Flesh?

 

“For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

Gal 6:8

 

            This is an area of foundational teaching that often gets left in the pursuit of what seems to be more “cutting edge” Biblical teaching.  For that reason, much of the Body of Christ does not comprehend what it means to sow to the flesh or the spirit, and its great importance.  Tied closely to the doctrines of walking in the Spirit (or conversely walking in the flesh), it is an enigma to many believers.

            In Day Twenty-One of this devotional, we looked at the dangers of flattery because of the component in us which flattery feeds – the flesh.  So this notion of sowing to the flesh is closely linked with the topic of Day Twenty-One.

            Once a believer is born again he carries within him two natures.  He retains his old nature – his soul (comprised of his will, intellect, and emotions), and his physical body.  His soul and his body are something he received because of a natural birth.  They are his flesh.  While they are not “evil” (unless they are engaged in sin) – the soul and the body together are always flesh!  They can do good, but they can also easily sin.  Satan counts on you continuing to operate in the flesh even for good – for then it is a small leap to bring you to sin in the flesh.

            The believer also now carries within him the life of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (the Holy Spirit) within his own regenerated spirit.  You received this supernatural life when you were born again.  This new life in Christ gives the believer the mind and will and intentions of Christ, and the ability to be led by the Spirit.  But remember, these two natures are completely adversarial in what they want and their posture.  Hence, a struggle is introduced into our lives that we have never known before we became a believer:  the struggle between the flesh life, and the spirit life; the natural life and the supernatural life.

To sow to the flesh simply means that the believer is drawing upon his old flesh nature to live his life, instead of drawing upon his new nature in Christ.  The word  sow in Strong’s is #4687 speiro.  Speiro means to scatter, i.e. sow (lit or fig):- sow(-er), receive seed.  It also says that is it probably strengthened by #4685 spao, which means to draw out.

Now think of your flesh life and your spirit life like two different bank accounts.  When you live your life drawing on the assets of your flesh (your will, intellect, or emotions, or the demands of your body) – you are sowing to the flesh.  Not only do you live a flesh-centered existence, you are continually preferring the flesh and gratifying it, but that flesh-based currency can only extend the flesh.  So as you try and minister or witness to the Lord, if you are relying on flesh currency – you will only extend and draw out the boundaries of flesh.  That is what happens both within you, but also within those you minister to or teach.  You strengthen the flesh life in yourself and them, and therefore you reap only flesh and from it decay, ruin, and destruction.

That may seem harsh.  After all, as a believer, your desire is most likely to serve the King!  The truth is, however, we can only serve Him on His terms and those terms are to serve Him through the nature of Christ in the Spirit of Christ.  Only in that way is there spiritual success!  Only in that way do we work in righteousness!  When we work through our spirit and the Holy Spirit we are drawing our “currency” out of the Spirit of the Kingdom of God.  What is extended then is of the spirit – it is extending and drawing out the spirit life.  It is both bringing life in the spirit, and also strengthening that life.  Only currency in the spirit can do that – not currency of the flesh life.  But sowing to the spirit reaps eternal life for ourselves and others who receive it!

Now the enemy counts on us spending our lives drawing on the flesh to try and build the Kingdom of God.  He counts on us remaining ignorant of the concept of sowing to the flesh or the spirit.  Why?  As said before – when we live our lives drawing upon and out of our flesh – it is easier for the enemy to move us into sin which brings us under condemnation.  Also drawing out of our flesh currency is a futile exercise.  All that we strengthen, all that we extend remains of the flesh nature – and only flesh.  This brings no profit in the spirit.  This effort will ultimately reap ruin and destruction for the lives involved.

             So what are we to do?  Live as Jesus has provided – by His Spirit Life!  We live and move and have our being in Him – in His life, no longer in our old life!  Learn how to discern if you are walking in the Spirit, or are you walking in the flesh.  But learn to draw everything that you work with, live by, build with, and share — from the assets of your spirit “currency.”  The first part is to understand that this issue exists.  The second part is to pursue knowledge from the Holy Spirit according to the Word of God for living righteously according to the Spirit of Life in Christ.  May you be blessed to have your eyes fully opened and walk according to this provision!

            Be-loved.

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Day Twenty-One, Under-the-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011 on July 6, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Twenty-One

Be Careful What You Are Hearing

“… The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you – and more [besides] will be given to you who hear,…”

Mk 4:24 Amplified

 

 

            We live in a precarious time – much more than is realized.  It is an age of measured, careful words, political correctness, and grave concern over dealing in truth and love.  Truth is parsed, modified, and watered down.  We love to be stroked and complimented by words.  We believe the ones who truly love us will tell us things that make us feel good about ourselves.  Between truth and flattery – it appears we prefer flattery.

            So is it wrong for us to compliment, or flatter?  Is it dangerous to desire to build someone up?  Well — let’s look at this.

            When we compliment a person, what are we strengthening in that person?  Are we strengthening their spirit man — or simply their flesh?  Am I complimenting their skills, thought processes, speaking ability and delivery?  Am I amazed at their erudition, their grasp on an issue or their ability to unpack that topic with eloquence and simplicity?  Please understand – if I am a servant of God and doing His work – then it is His work that we are seeing unfold in a servant, and our praise should be to Him alone.  To God be the glory!

            Philippians 2:13 is very straightforward:

                        “[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.” 

So as we set the matter or task at hand before the Lord, asking for Him to establish the work in us according to His will (Prov 16:3), then truly we cannot safely take credit for its outcome or success.  Indeed, I would say that it is dangerous to do so for it feeds in us the very same soulish/fleshly nature that we are called to surrender and put to death as a living sacrifice, before being able to do this work according to the spirit.

            The greatest difficulty in the Christian walk is to continuously walk according to the spirit of God.  Galatians 3:3 confirms this with its biting truth: “Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?”

            Romans 6:16 further affirms this in showing us that what we surrender to rules over us for either sin, or obedience.  If I surrender to a belief that my flesh is worth accolades from man, if I take in flattery as truth, then it is a very easy step to believe that I am “something worthy of flattery!”  That in essence negates the need for the cross, because my flesh is good.  This part of my flesh is ok!  Saints – NO FLESH IS EVER GOOD!!!  So complimenting flesh becomes a dangerous slippery slope that I myself do not want to walk on, or place others on either.

            But you say – “Well flattery can’t be all that bad, right?”  In the Book of Job, a righteous man (Elihu) puts this light on flattery.  He says:  “I will not [I warn you] be influenced by respect for any man’s person and show partiality, neither will I flatter any man.  For I know not how to flatter, [wasting my time in mere formalities, for then] my Maker would soon take me away.” (Job 32:21-22)

            So why are flattery and compliments dangerous?  They cause us to regard ourselves again, and they take the regard off of Christ where it should be.  After submitting our flesh and ourselves before the Lord, to render them inoperative – why would I want to again awaken or inflate again those elements of the flesh?  I would not!

            If something is good, if it is of merit, if it is true, or praiseworthy – I can be very sure it did not originate with me.  It was given to me by Jesus through His Holy Spirit.  Then I am called to give praise where praise is due – to Him!  It is His effectual work!  I cannot even take credit for my effort and surrender, because even in that it is not in my own strength – but in His working in me!  So if you must compliment – give it in praise to the Lord for the work He has been able to do through that person.  Not for the person themselves!

            Be-loved, be-warned!

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Day Twenty, Under-the -Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , , on June 17, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Twenty

 

The Battle for Your Belonging

 

“For this is why the good news (the Gospel) was preached [in their lifetime] even to the dead, that though judged in fleshly bodies as men are, they might live in the spirit as God does.”

1Pet 4:6 Amp

 

            Every day, every hour you live a battle rages.  You don’t necessarily feel it, although you might become aware of the pull as the struggle increases.  If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ – this struggle doesn’t exist for you yet.  But for the believer, it is all out warfare.  It is the battle for who you belong to!

            There are two choices.  If as a believer you are following your natural self, your own ideas, feelings and preferences – you still belong to the flesh.  You are still carnal – and what predominates in you is the flesh even though you are saved.  But if you have surrendered your flesh to the Lord, daily for crucifixion, and are instead following the leading of the spirit – then according to Watchman Nee you belong to the spirit and are increasingly becoming a spiritual man. 

            This is the will of God for you; this living in the spirit.  It is what is referred to in the Scripture above.  As believers, our flesh is judged already.  It is condemned and dead by virtue of its sin and guilt.  Thus, if we agree and live not according to the dictates of the flesh but according to the spirit – the cross has been applied to ourselves by the Holy Spirit and we begin to then walk according to the word of God.  Now the promises of God, and the life of the spirit predominates in us and our lives become testimonies of the overcoming power and victory of Jesus Christ.  Though we are dead – we walk in the resurrection power of a living God!  Though we still live in the world – He has overcome the world – even our faith!

            As we obey the spirit – we become spiritual.  Our affiliation with God increases and our affiliation with the world and all of its draw and attraction decreases.  This is what is meant by 1Peter 4:1-2 in the amplified Bible: 

“So since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God].

For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God], So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by [his] human appetites and desires, but [he lives] for what God wills.”

 

            Do you seriously hunger to be a spiritual being?  As a believer in Christ there is only one way – belong to the Holy Spirit!  This is the place where the power of God can begin to be manifested through you for the glory of God!  But it is not for the carnal, the selfish, or the fainthearted — for it will cost you everything!  But for the willing – it will open the destiny of God in your life.  Are you willing?

            Be-loved!

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Day Nineteen, Under-the-Influence

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , on June 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Day Nineteen

 

 Obedience—The Gateway to Habitation

 

“… and you shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord [the Sovereign Ruler, Who calls forth loyalty and obedient service].” Amp Eze 37:6

 

            Chapter Thirty-seven of Ezekiel is an amazing study of the progression that must take place for a person or a people to become the dwelling place or habitation of God.  It is worth much study and meditation.

  1.  We must hear the word of the Lord.  Before Christ’s life can enter us – His word must enter us.  The word makes a place for His life to dwell.
  2. We must believe His word.   As the Lord commanded (by His authority) Ezekiel to prophesy in verses 5-6, so that word likewise has to be received and believed in our hearts – according to His authority.  The Lord has elevated His word above His very name.  It is in complete agreement with Him.  It is a reflection of Him to show us His character.
  3. Obedience participates with the word to accomplish what the Lord desires.  Ezekiel obeyed exactly what the Lord instructed him to say.  The bones also had to be obedient and receive what the Lord commanded (breath, spirit, life, sinews, flesh, and skin – and then breath and spirit again!).  This is an obedience of surrender – we can only agree and receive.  We have no power ourselves.
  4. We must recognize we are dead in our selves!  The breath and spirit of God had to come upon these bodies again, just as in regeneration our spirits are first made alive, and then the Holy Spirit also comes and fills our newly enlivened spirit.  Romans 8:10 explains that if Christ’s life lives in us then our natural body is dead by reason of sin and guilt.  But God the Father through the Holy Spirit restores life to our short-lived perishable body (Rom 8:11).  We are called to daily reckon ourselves as being dead to sin and all relation to it, but we are now alive in the new life afforded to us by the resurrection life of Christ.  This is an obedience of faith (not sight) – I must agree by faith with the word.
  5. We must put off our old nature!  Romans, Colossians, and Ephesians (just to name a few) all call us to strip off/ put off/ or otherwise deaden our old nature (the flesh – which is everything that you had before being saved).  This actually means putting our old man (our soul with its will/intellect/and emotions and our physical body) at the foot of the cross and renouncing all first use of it. This is also something that must be done daily.  Otherwise the flesh will continually try to assert itself and reassume control over the spirit life in you.  We are now called to walk according to the spirit, and indulge nothing of the old flesh life in us.  It must die.  This too is obedience to God’s word, by faith.  It means now obeying God’s life in us – not our old nature.
  6. We must put on the new nature!  Ezekiel is told by the Lord (Eze 37:11-12) that the newly clothed population will say that their hope is lost that they are cut off.  God explains that He will open their graves and cause them to come out of their graves.  He will bring them back home – to Israel.  This is much like our walking out a new life in Christ as a believer – for we have risen up out of the grave of our baptismal waters to a new life in Christ.  But this is something to do and realize daily so that in our obedience the word would be true in us: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in this body I live by faith in God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)  Again, Ephesians, Colossians, and Romans speak of the need to put on this new nature.  One must understand this to be able to walk according to the spirit in their new life in Christ. 
  7. Be God’s People.  Ezekiel 37:21-28 describes being the people of God.  We will be separated from every other people.  We are under one Kingdom.  We will no longer pursue idols or detestable things, we will be saved.  We will be cleansed.  We will have one King.  We shall dwell in His Kingdom. We will live in peace.  Our dwelling will be with God and His with us, and we shall be His people.  This is not us living our life in His name.  This is us living His life, in His name, for His glory!  While the text of Ezekiel does refer to the Israelites (I am not adopting replacement theology here) – the things God requires here from Israel for habitation is also required of us – namely first and foremost our obedience!  For additional support check out the Scriptures 2Cor 6:14-18, and 2Cor 7:1.  Also realize in Ephesians 2:14-16 Christ has made a way in Himself to make one new humanity out of Jew and Gentile.  So we are all one people of God – in Christ!  Hallelujah!
  8. Be-loved.

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