Insolomonsporch's Blog

Day Six

Fresh Eyes on the Familiar

“ … and having broken the loaves, he gave [them] to the disciples, and the disciples [gave them] to the crowds.”  Darby Mt 14:19

In the natural, I am very bad at recognizing new things or change.  I can easily pass a familiar location and not even see the new building that was constructed weeks before!  We must be careful to not be like that with the Word of God!  Our posture of being “familiar” with a particular part will cause us to miss the richness hidden below the surface.  Here is just one small example.

The feeding of the five thousand, Matthew 14:  we all know it well – or do we?  Most translations detail the fact that Jesus took the fishes and the loaves, but broke ONLY the loaves and gave them to the disciples to disperse among the people.  The fish were not broken – an interesting fact. Why were only the loaves broken?

The Greek word used for loaves in this passage is Strong’s #740.  The word is: “artos;” from 142; bread (as raised) or a loaf: — (shew-) bread, loaf.  Feeling like there was a greater insight being conveyed here, especially concerning Jesus (Who is the Bread of Heaven – broken for you and I) I decided to look more deeply.  Going to Strong’s #142 from which artos is derived I found the following:  “airo;” ah-ee-ro; a prim verb; to lift; by impl to take up or away; fig. to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind), spec. to sail away (i.e. weigh anchor); by Heb. [comp. 5375] to expiate sin: — away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up).

So there it was – all along, a major building in my Scriptural study path that I had failed to discern!  Here was imbedded in the breaking of the loaves another type and shadow of the Christ, Jesus – Who would take away our sins!  How awesome is our God, Who confirms His Word even on subterranean levels for those who will look.  He wants us to search, and excavate, and uncover the richness hidden beyond the obvious.  He wants to bring confidence to us that His Word and His works are deliberate – and they are a sure foundation, forever established in heaven!  How blessed we are – truly!

Now just one other thing: the fish were not broken because they comprised a different type of flesh than Jesus, the Son of Man.  That is explained in 1 Cor 15:39.  So to break the fish would have ruined the forecast of a type and shadow of the loaves.  However, it is also interesting to note that the fishes and loaves were multiplied into a terminal state.  They were both cooked — which is not only miraculous, but very practical.  People didn’t have to wait for bread portions to rise and be baked, nor did they have to light fires to cook the fish!  All was perfectly arranged in a consumable state!  Cause the Lord knows not only what you need, but HOW you need it.  Be-loved!

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Day Five

Defining the Family of God

“   … for whosever shall do the will of my Father who is in [ the] heavens, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”  Darby Mt 12:46

This is a profound point – but one most of us downplay if not even overlook.  Jesus specifies the exact definition of who is in His family and who isn’t.  He gives no points for natural birthright – so entrance has nothing to do with “natural” lineage.  Instead He says the one who does the Father’s will is one who is a member of His family.  Hear this now!

“Doing the Father’s will” – is only possible when one is born again.  However, new birth alone does not guarantee one is doing the Father’s will.  Jesus stretches out His hand to his disciples declaring – “Behold, my mother and my brethren;” Mt 12:49.  Hence we see, before you can perform the will of the Father you must be a disciple.  You must be trained!

Training and discipline are precursors for performing the Father’s will.  Jesus, although He was a Son, learned obedience through what He suffered (Heb 5:8).  Yet we tend to think we naturally drift into creatures perfectly following the Father’s will once we are saved.  Not so sports fans!  The law is still a schoolmaster bringing us to see our deficits.  The Word renews our minds so we can be brought into the same likeness of Jesus.  And indeed, we too learn obedience by what we suffer – because obedience is the heart and hallmark of a member of the family of God.  But obedience never comes naturally!  It comes when as an act of our will, we choose the Father’s will.  At each moment of choice we align ourselves with God’s will!  “Doing” His will then becomes possible when He is formed in me.  Not before.

How can I know this is true?  Romans 8:29 is clear:  “Because whom he has foreknown, he has also predestined [to be] conformed to the image of His Son, so that he should be [the] firstborn among many brethren.” (Darby)

We are to be constantly being conformed to the image of Christ.  Like a Divine Sculptor the Father is constantly laying the template of Christ over us, chiseling away here, sanding there – until our borders match the borders of Christ’s nature! This is the Divine purpose!  However, all the work is actually performed from the inside out — with our cooperation.  It is not “forced upon us”.  It is provoked within us!  We see – and then we agree, and the Father does His work.  This is what allows us to cooperate and do the will of the Father.  This is what brings us into the Family of God!

Become a disciple, be family, and be-loved … ∞

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“Under-the-Influence”

Day Four/17Feb2011

Standing before God as a Legalist

“And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? That they might accuse him.” Darby Mt 12:10

The people standing before the Lord were not wondering IF He could heal the man with the withered hand.  That was not their focus.  They were inquiring as to its legality – because that was what they were all about… the law.  Their desire was to find error in Him, and accuse Him.

They saw Him.  They stood before Him.  But they didn’t really see Him – or they would have never have pursued that tact.  They had a veil over their eyes – a veil called the law which had been upon they eyes of the Jews since the law was given by Moses.

They stood before the Creator of the Universe, and yet missed Him!  What was important was finding a way to leverage control.  They didn’t question His ability to heal!  They didn’t question the truth that He could heal – it wasn’t important.

It makes you wonder – what might my veil be when I come before the Lord?  What am I so totally enamored with? Do I really see Him?  If I do I will not be preoccupied with validating my agenda.  I will become preoccupied with His.

Matthew 6:22-23 talks about our eye as the lamp of the body, and that if our eye is sound our entire body will be filled with light – but if it is not sound (if it is evil) then we will be filled with darkness.  When we stand before the Lord we must be aware that there can be darkness within us – that opposes God. If that darkness is legalism – it will function as a veil that obscures truth.

Dealing with these issues is still a very active need.  2Cor 3:15 explains that whenever the law is read a veil lies upon the person’s mind and heart, but when they turn in repentance to the Lord (when they see the error of their thinking and turn from it), the veil is stripped away.

We must be cleansed of all legalism and a heart that would accuse or pursue leverage for control.  In a like vein, Romans 4: 14 reveals that if we adhere to the law then faith becomes futile and God’s promises are made void.

On what basis do you stand before the Lord your Maker?  Is it because of legal standing, or because grace has made a way for you?  Be careful, be-loved.

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The Sign of Jonah

“…behold, Someone more and greater than Jonah is here!”  Amp. Mt 12:41

Our Lord Jesus Christ’s life is a life of redemption.  Everything He touches and is given dominion over – He redeems.

The sign of Jonah demonstrates this.  Scripture says Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.  Jonah was in this fish because he disobeyed.  As God’s prophet sent to Nineveh, he was running away from that assignment.  He knew the Ninevites would respond and repent.  He did not want that.  He preferred their destruction.  Yet the Lord clearly identifies His heart in Mt 12:7: I desire mercy rather than sacrifice!

Enter the Redeemer – Who spends three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  He enters the earth by way of obedience to His contract with the Father to redeem all mankind, to suffer on the cross, and to die for our sins.  But symbolically here, He is also over-writing the disobedience and rebellion of Jonah (whose name by the way means “Dove”).  From Mt 11:29 Jesus has been setting up parallels for our understanding.  There He speaks about His yoke – how we should take it upon ourselves and learn of Him.  At this point, we might be tempted to think of this yoke strictly in physical terms – a yoke of force perhaps.  However, that perception would be inaccurate.  I think Jesus is speaking more of His own heart and His way (check out Jer 6:16).  His way is obedience to the Father in everything!  It is His food, which is the “joy” set before Him. It sustained Him through every sacrifice.  It is also what He speaks of in John 17:13 as the reason for His joy/delight/enjoyment/and gladness.  He conveys to us that the heart of His way is obedience — but its manifestation and source is love! This is the yoke that is easy, and the burden that is light.  This is a way that prefers mercy, not sacrifice – certainly NOT the sacrifice of Ninevites or any other ites for that matter.  He has already made THE sacrifice!

What we witness here is Jesus’ redemption of a type, a shadow, and of a reality.  Just like only good fruit comes from a good tree, and good things can only come from the good within the inner man, now the Lord has made a way for good to be able to come out of the heart of the earth.  He has created a new choice – for good.

Perhaps it may seem a small thing, but it reveals the extent to which our Redeemer has redeemed and made it possible for you and me to know Him.  He has indeed moved heaven and earth, that nothing should obstruct our chance to be His!  Be-loved!

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Under-the-Influence

Day 2/15Feb2011

The Messenger of God – John the Baptist

“But from the days of John the baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence, and [the] violent seize on it.” Darby Mt 11:12

John the Baptist was the herald for Christ the Messiah and he cried out to all in Israel to awaken them to the specifications of the Kingdom.  “Be aligned with it, or be apart from it” was the essence of his message. The Kingdom has one exact location – not many.  Hence, John was like a heavenly civil engineer with a measuring stick, or Kingdom surveyor declaring where the tracks of the Kingdom would be placed.  Those lines of the Kingdom could only be aligned with the truth and reality of the Kingdom.  Hence, all Israelites were given the opportunity for inclusion:  valleys were to be brought up, mountains to be pulled down, crooked to be made straight, rough places level. (Is 40:3-4) All were given the ability to find the Kingdom.

Yet, this issue of violence in the Scripture above is puzzling.  The Kingdom is taken by violence, and the violent seize on it.  Students of the law in Israel understood the law’s exacting nature.  Like a measuring rod … you were either accurate, or not: approved or disapproved.  You could never be at once correct and incorrect!  But John was more than just a civil engineer for the law.  As a prophet he was called to translate between the law and the Kingdom entities.  He pointed the way to the One Who could take your error and make you approved by giving you His covering of righteousness.  You had to first see your error, or inaccuracy, and then you had to receive His covering which brought you into right-standing.  This meant repenting (to change your way of thinking – because it was full of error) and receiving Christ and His way of thinking.  On your own, you were going to miss the mark (the Kingdom’s address) because of this error!  You would never find it!  But John revealed not only the requirements of the law, but he illuminated the One Who met all those requirements!

This is the violence spoken of – seeing our error and giving it over to  Jesus’ way of right being and right doing.  Nothing in us (no matter how good it seems) must stand in the way of our receiving.  Even if our right eye offends us (because of error), we cut it off knowing it is better to enter the Kingdom maimed (so to speak – not literally), rather than fail to enter at all!  The violent (those who repent and cast off their own way) take the Kingdom by force (the force of continually laying down our lives as a living sacrifice to Jesus Christ — to take up His life instead)!

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“Under-the Influence”

Devotional Shorts -Day One

(14 Feb 2011)

“Let love for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail].” (Of course, Amplified Hebrews 13:1)

An incredible thought that is – that love could continue unabated for the brethren, regardless of the day, their disposition, their reaction, or their issues.  What a challenge!  Yet the level of command strength from the Lord is exactly that which He used in all creation – “Let”.

Where exactly does this “let” have to happen?  Well – I believe for His Kingdom to rule in my heart and mind, it must first have been allowed to rule in my will.  This is the personal throne-room of my “self” that must be overcome by His grace.  It is the hard shell of me that was inaugurated at the fall of man, which the enemy likes to stir and swell and use for every selfish and even evil promotion.

So in my will I must “let” this word (to let love continue) rule and have life.  I must in fact surrender to it and obey the light of that word.  I must walk in the light as He is in the light.  But I cannot begin to even take one step under my own steam and effort.  I cannot do it in myself.

Look at what is meant by “continue”.  Strongs #3306, “meno, is a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): — abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), thine own.”  It is a command of the first order to let love be in me for the brethren without change or corruption: to let it stay steady-state!  The moment I think I can achieve this in my own strength or power, I am doomed to fail.  It takes a miracle!

A miracle in fact which has already happened!  But I must regard my own inability and insufficiency to appropriate it.  It is the redemptive nature of Christ Jesus that dwells in every believer that can accomplish this “let” and “continue”.  Not me.  So I must reckon “myself” as dead, move out of the Lord’s way, and yield all of my faculties and members as instruments of righteousness.  Then He can do in me and through me all that is promised.

This valentine’s day … truly give the gift of love to the brethren, and thus to the Lord through obedience.  Let the Lord’s life and love rule in you – so the love of the brethren… may continue.  Selah.

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