Month: May 2012

UNITY of GOD

UNITY of GOD

* A ground for obeying— Deut.4: 39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lordthy God giveth thee, for ever.

* A ground for loving— Deut.6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

THE UNITY of  GOD is ASSERTED by :

* Himself — Isa.44:6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer theLord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

  • Christ — Mark 12: 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: John 17: 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
  • Moses — Deut.6: 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: Deut.4: 39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

Apostles — 1 Cor.8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Eph.4: 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Beneficial Results of Unity

• Freedom from condemnation— Romans 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

• Freedom from dominion of sin — 1 John 3: 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

• Being a new creature— 2 Cor.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.

• Spiritual life— Romans 8: 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

• Confidence in His return— 1 John 2: 28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

• Producing fruit— John 15: 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

• Answered prayer— John 15: 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Unity with Christ


I love the song, ” I ‘m just an old sinner saved by grace” but an old sinner saved by the grace of God becomes a Saint an as saints we have union with Christ by: 1/ In our mind— 1 Cor.2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. Phil.2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
2/ in spirit— 1Cor.6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
3/ in love— Song of Sol. 2:16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies. 7:10 I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.
4/ in suffering— Phil.3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 2Tim.2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
5/ in death— Romans 6:3-8 and Gal.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.
6/ in assurance— John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
7/ in the Lord’s supper— 1 Cor.10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
8/ complete in Christ— Col.2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
9/ exhorted to maintain unity— John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. Acts 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Col.2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Christian Unity

Christian union is maintained by:

  • Faith — Gal.2: 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  Eph.3: 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Abiding in Him— John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[a] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

  • His word abiding in us — John 15: 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 1 John 2: 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
  • Obeying Him — 1 John 3: 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.   [ to be continued ]

UNION WITH CHRIST

UNION WITH CHRIST
• As the head of the Church—- Eph. 1: 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to behead over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.Eph.4: 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Col.1: 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
• It was Christ’s prayer that all Saints should have unity.— John 17: 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
• Unity is Christ in us and us in Him! Eph.3: 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, Col.1: 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which[a] is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 2 Cor.12: 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 1 John.5: 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. [ to be continued ]

UNDERSTANDING!

 

Understanding —-  knowing things in their right relationship.

God’s relationship to understanding:

  • Gift— 1 Kings 3: 9-12
  • Revelation — Romans 1: 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
  • By His word —Psalms 119: 104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. [ Also see verse 130 ]
  • Books —Daniel 9: 2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. [ 23 ] 23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
  • Holy Spirit —Exodus 31: 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
  • Christ –— 1 John 5: 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
  • Faith –— Hebrews 11: 3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

My dog, my cane and I,
took a little stroll,
we saw a large woodpecker,
perched on a pole.
Tap, tap, tap,
the noise was loud,
if he found a bug,
he would be proud.
That woodpecker,
was seeking it’s bread of life,
without heartache and strife.
What an example,
this bird could be,
for the way,
we seek our bread of life,
without stress and worry free,
putting our faith in God,
that is His plan you see.

The Loving Kindness of God

The Bible tells us about the loving kindness of our great and only true God, how do we find access to Him? The answer to this question is found in these references. Eph. 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Titus 3:

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;  This loving kindness we have in God is through our relationship with Christ our Savior!


This loving kindness is described as:

* Great—- Neh. 9:17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

* Excellent—- Psalms 36: How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings

* Good—- Psalms 69:16 Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

* Marvelous—- Psalms 17:7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.  Psalms 31:21 Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.

* Everlasting—- Isaiah 54:8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith theLord thy Redeemer.

* Merciful—- Psalms 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

* Better than life—- Psalms 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

I hear the sound,
of distant drums,
bidding me,
to His battle come.

I hear the sound,
of a loaf of bread,
bidding the hungry,
come be fed.

I hear the sound,
of the word of God,
bidding me,
to follow it’s leading,
as I travel this sod.

I hear the sound,
of the writer’s pen,
as they write their notes,
giving encouragement,
as they share their quotes.

I hear the sound,
of a distant cry,
as God’s children,
ask why O why?

I hear the sound,
as God does say,
be patient my child,
while I mold your clay,
and you will stand,
perfect one day!

A Heart Touched by the Master’s Hand

 

A heart touched by the Master’s hand is like the dead battery in your car that is recharged by the battery charger, it is regenerated  or given new life. To day we are taking a look at a few Scripture verses that tell us  about our heart when touched by the Master’s hand.

Romans 2:29But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.  Our new relationship with Christ cuts off the old life and begins our journey in the new life we have in Christ.

Psalms 73:1Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.  God takes our old dirty heart and replaces it with a new clean heart!

Psalms 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.  The word contrite means  feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming . Through Jesus our heart is set free of it’s sin when confessed by a contrite heart.

2 Cor.4:6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  Jesus takes the darkness of sin in our heart and fills it with His marvelous light!