By deception, Satan caused the moral catastrophe called, "The Fall." The Fall infected all mankind with total moral depravity of which there is no cure outside of the blood of Jesus.
All tragic results of man losing the power to rule can be traced to the fall. It was the curse of the fall that brought sickness, sorrow, heartache, trouble, wars, famines, and earthquakes. All disasters of history are a result of the sin of Adam.
The sin of Adam has brought the curse upon the entire human family. The Bible states:
Rom 5:12...Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
In the Corinthian letter we read,
1 Cor 15:22...For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
As a result of Adam's sin, the earth is cursed with physical death. All the disasters and all the heartaches and all the trouble you have from the cradle to the grave are the result of Adam's transgression. The overflowing hospitals and insane asylums, the millions of people born crippled and deformed are all a result of the sin of Adam. Much of this tragedy has been incorrectly attributed to a direct attack of Satan and not to his, "past work" that caused the fall of man.
As a preacher, I did not understand why disasters occur, why wars occur, why so many people suffer in hospital beds, or why thousands of people are born deformed. Why would God allow that? "Without understanding the fall and without understanding the result of man's loss of dominion over the earth, I would have no answer." If you mistakenly attribute all suffering to the direct work of Satan in the present hour, you have concluded that Satan has complete "authority" over trouble, every disaster, and all evil problems that men face. You are automatically concluding these circumstances to be a direct attack of Satan and not a result of the curse of the fall.
The realm of Satan's authority
If you make the assumption that Satan stole man's authority and dominion "in the fall", you could also presume Christ came to "snatch" that authority from Satan and restore it to the believer.
If this were true, as some have claimed, then it would only take one believer exercising his "authority" to restore the entire planet to its former state of perfection.
The false doctrine of the "authority of the believer" has infiltrated the church world and been taught tirelessly, much to Satan's glee, as it has eventually overthrown the faith of countless zealous believers. When they were deceived, they lost sight of Him who has all authority and power in heaven and earth and their faith failed them.
The Scripture clearly teaches that the believer will not have this type of authority and dominion until Christ the Messiah reigns in Jerusalem during the Millennial Age.
Today we have a high priest, Jesus the Son of God, who has by Himself purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of Majesty on high where angels, authorities, and powers have been made subject to Him.
Heb 8:1...We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
1 Peter 3:22...who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
God the Father has made us partakers of the divine nature and delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear son.
2 Peter 1:4...that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Col 1:13...Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
When the true Gospel is preached, God will bear witness with signs, and wonders, and with divers miracles, and with gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will:
Heb 2:4...God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
There is no biblical account that tells us that Satan has ever had any "authority" on earth. He was trespassing in the Garden of Eden.
Many students believe the devil was an angel, but actually he was higher than an angel. Others have thought he was an archangel, but he was higher than an archangel. Some have thought he was a seraphim, but he was higher than a seraphim. Actually he was the highest order of created beings€the anointed Cherub.
Ezek 28:14...Thou art the anointed cherub
Man is not the greatest being ever created. In Psalms and Hebrews we read:
Heb 2:6-7...What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels;
Ps 8:4-5...what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Therefore, man does not have the power the angels have. He does not have the power archangels and the seraphim have. He certainly does not have the power that Satan has.*
*Take note! Although Satan has considerable power, it does not extend to ruling the visible earth.
Satan has more power than human beings by the nature of his order of creation. He has no God-given authority to use his power against man. He works through ignorance or deception. Satan's sphere of activity and power is expressed in Ephesians as being in the spiritual realm.
Eph 6:12...for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Remember that Satan can accuse the brethren before the throne of God and was allowed to bring disaster upon Job. Satan had to ask God's specific permission to bring disaster upon Job and his household because he, himself, had no authority on earth. So where did this erroneous concept originate that Satan has "authority" and controls the "keys" of all the things on earth? This is a Biblical error that grew out of 14th century mythology. There is no record that Satan has ever been in hell or had the keys to anything on earth. Jesus Christ has always had the keys of hell and death and always will have those keys.
Rev 1:18...I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
In the Scriptures, keys are use metaphorically to indicate authority. In this case we know Christ alone has authority over death and hell and the bodies and souls of men.
Christ raised three people from the dead as recorded:
1. Matt 9:23-26...and when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
2. Luke 7:12-16...there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all:
3. John 11:38-44...Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Jesus arose from the dead:
Rom 1:4...And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead
Jesus will destroy death in time:
1 Cor 15:26...The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
God is sovereign over all life, sovereign over death, and sovereign over hell. There is nothing that is not under His control. All evil that occurs is not the direct attack of Satan. More often, man's problems are the result of the curse of the fall. In the fullness of time, both the curse of the fall and the direct attack of Satan on the believer will cease to exist. If I did not believe that, I would get very discouraged in life. The God I serve has control over everything in time and in eternity and I believe that. Blessed be His name forever! He is sovereign over all of life Hallelujah!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The earth belongs to God
If you study the book of Genesis, you will find that God the Creator has authority over all things. He created man in His divine image. He created man to have authority on the earth. Man was given authority over all the affairs of earth. Man exercised that authority under God before the fall, but even then, the Creator retained ownership of the earth.
Gen 1:27-28...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth
The word "dominion" shows they were to rule the affairs of this life. This beautiful picture of dominion shows the ability of the creature that God created. God gave man the power to name every creature and every animal on earth. Adam even named Eve.
The record of the Bible proves that God turned earth over to man's dominion. Man had authority but it was delegated authority under God. This is exactly what is taught in Genesis:
Gen 1:26...and let them have dominion
This authority was lost when man sinned. The Scripture does not imply that man "surrendered" his authority to the Devil. Let's examine this often-misunderstood subject closely. *
*Does Satan have authority? How much authority does Satan have? What is Satan doing in the book of Genesis? What is he doing in the Garden of Eden? This mystery has not been fully revealed, but we do learn from the Holy Scriptures that Satan went up before the throne of God with the sons of God. This proves that Satan still had access to heaven and to the very presence of God.
Job 1:6...Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
We learn from the language of the Bible that Christ is our Advocate; that is our defender, or an attorney to plead our cause. Isaiah the Prophet and; the writer of the Hebrew letter both teach that Christ makes intercession for the sinner and saint.
Isa 53:12...because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Heb 7:25...Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
According to both records Christ ever lives to make intercession for humanity. In other words, the Devil is the prosecuting attorney, Jesus is my lawyer, and God the father is the judge. I have a good lawyer - He has never lost a case!
Satan's present-day position is one in which he is making accusations against us in the Throne Room just as he did in the day of Job. However, in the Revelation, which God gave to John, we read:
Rev 12:9-10...And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
This passage indicates that Satan's future position is to be cast out of Heaven to earth by God's Divine Judgment. During that Great tribulation period Satan no longer remains the accuser of the brethren. Take note that during that time Satan's authority on earth is still limited as the child of God overcomes him by faith in Christ and the word of their testimony:
Rev 12:11...And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
There are people today that contend that Satan is called, "the god of this world".
2 Cor 4:3-4...But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The Greek translation of "world" in this passage is: AION, an age. The Greek language implies an age or period of time characterized by certain moral and spiritual characteristics.
Another frequently misunderstood passage is:
1 John 5:19...And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
The Greek language for world in the above passage is: KOSMOS, an evil world system. Unless the Greek is consulted, verses such as these may give another impression. The word world or kosmos is not physical earth... but an evil or corrupt system within the world we live in.
For those that advocate that Satan controls visible earth and that the earth is now under Satan's dominion since Adam surrendered it by the transgression in the Garden, this is a grave error! It has overtaken some and even perverted the faith of many!
Although this age or dispensation is subject to the influence of Satan and suffers from the curse of the fall: Scriptures clearly reveal the earth has never, and will never belong to Satan.
In the transgression, Adam rebelled against God. This brought spiritual death and loss of the divine nature. As a result, Adam lost authority and power to rule creation. God's power and authority was not diminished in the least bit. Nor, is there any scriptural evidence to support the idea that Satan assumed Adam's dominion. After all, the earth never belonged to Adam. Even though the earth was created for man, God retains ownership.
Ps 24:1...The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
When we search the Scriptures, we find that time and time again, the earth has been under the direct control of the Lord. God used the laws of nature to bring judgment upon godless men and women. Since the fall, earth has been the scene of tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Without divine intervention, man cannot be delivered from the effects of the fall. The fact that God has continued to intervene in the affairs of men and the earth prove He has not relinquished ownership or lost any power. For example look at the;
1. The flood
2. His Covenants with the Patriarchs
3. The plagues which fell on Egypt
4. Israel's deliverance by the Red Sea
5. The giving of Law
6. The word given to the Prophets
7. The redemptive work of Christ
All these only prove that the Almighty God is still on the throne. Amen! Glory!
Satan only controls the wicked and unholy spiritual influences of the world that we live in. The corrupt world system is under his control, not physical or visible earth.
1 John 5:19...And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Gen 1:27-28...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth
The word "dominion" shows they were to rule the affairs of this life. This beautiful picture of dominion shows the ability of the creature that God created. God gave man the power to name every creature and every animal on earth. Adam even named Eve.
The record of the Bible proves that God turned earth over to man's dominion. Man had authority but it was delegated authority under God. This is exactly what is taught in Genesis:
Gen 1:26...and let them have dominion
This authority was lost when man sinned. The Scripture does not imply that man "surrendered" his authority to the Devil. Let's examine this often-misunderstood subject closely. *
*Does Satan have authority? How much authority does Satan have? What is Satan doing in the book of Genesis? What is he doing in the Garden of Eden? This mystery has not been fully revealed, but we do learn from the Holy Scriptures that Satan went up before the throne of God with the sons of God. This proves that Satan still had access to heaven and to the very presence of God.
Job 1:6...Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
We learn from the language of the Bible that Christ is our Advocate; that is our defender, or an attorney to plead our cause. Isaiah the Prophet and; the writer of the Hebrew letter both teach that Christ makes intercession for the sinner and saint.
Isa 53:12...because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Heb 7:25...Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
According to both records Christ ever lives to make intercession for humanity. In other words, the Devil is the prosecuting attorney, Jesus is my lawyer, and God the father is the judge. I have a good lawyer - He has never lost a case!
Satan's present-day position is one in which he is making accusations against us in the Throne Room just as he did in the day of Job. However, in the Revelation, which God gave to John, we read:
Rev 12:9-10...And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
This passage indicates that Satan's future position is to be cast out of Heaven to earth by God's Divine Judgment. During that Great tribulation period Satan no longer remains the accuser of the brethren. Take note that during that time Satan's authority on earth is still limited as the child of God overcomes him by faith in Christ and the word of their testimony:
Rev 12:11...And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
There are people today that contend that Satan is called, "the god of this world".
2 Cor 4:3-4...But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The Greek translation of "world" in this passage is: AION, an age. The Greek language implies an age or period of time characterized by certain moral and spiritual characteristics.
Another frequently misunderstood passage is:
1 John 5:19...And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
The Greek language for world in the above passage is: KOSMOS, an evil world system. Unless the Greek is consulted, verses such as these may give another impression. The word world or kosmos is not physical earth... but an evil or corrupt system within the world we live in.
For those that advocate that Satan controls visible earth and that the earth is now under Satan's dominion since Adam surrendered it by the transgression in the Garden, this is a grave error! It has overtaken some and even perverted the faith of many!
Although this age or dispensation is subject to the influence of Satan and suffers from the curse of the fall: Scriptures clearly reveal the earth has never, and will never belong to Satan.
In the transgression, Adam rebelled against God. This brought spiritual death and loss of the divine nature. As a result, Adam lost authority and power to rule creation. God's power and authority was not diminished in the least bit. Nor, is there any scriptural evidence to support the idea that Satan assumed Adam's dominion. After all, the earth never belonged to Adam. Even though the earth was created for man, God retains ownership.
Ps 24:1...The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
When we search the Scriptures, we find that time and time again, the earth has been under the direct control of the Lord. God used the laws of nature to bring judgment upon godless men and women. Since the fall, earth has been the scene of tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, and volcanoes. Without divine intervention, man cannot be delivered from the effects of the fall. The fact that God has continued to intervene in the affairs of men and the earth prove He has not relinquished ownership or lost any power. For example look at the;
1. The flood
2. His Covenants with the Patriarchs
3. The plagues which fell on Egypt
4. Israel's deliverance by the Red Sea
5. The giving of Law
6. The word given to the Prophets
7. The redemptive work of Christ
All these only prove that the Almighty God is still on the throne. Amen! Glory!
Satan only controls the wicked and unholy spiritual influences of the world that we live in. The corrupt world system is under his control, not physical or visible earth.
1 John 5:19...And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Jesus possesses "all" authority
When Jesus appeared in the sea of time, He could give the Apostles authority because He possessed all authority in heaven and earth. Being very God and very man, He had all authority. He had authority in heaven and earth at the same time. He could have called 10,000 angels to come and deliver Him from soldiers leading Him to Pontius Pilate. He had authority to do so. He also exercised His authority on earth by commanding the winds to obey His voice. The sea then became calm. What a beautiful lesson! All He did was speak to the wind and storm and they obeyed him. He had control over all the natural laws of life. Not only did Jesus have authority over the laws of nature, He likewise could delegate His authority.
God permitted Satan to use laws of nature to bring a curse upon Job and his family. Jesus gave the Apostles power and authority over nature during His earthly ministry. The Scripture reveals that God allows Satan to manifest himself through earthly elements that are under the curse of the fall; only to the extent that we allow him to operate, whether through ignorance or deception.
Regardless of what tragedy befalls us, whether by a direct attack of Satan as in Job's case or as a result of the fall, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us:
Rom 8:37...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
The material things of earth are not demonic in themselves but demonic forces can use them. If the Devil can get your mind focused on earthly things, they will drive you mad. A diamond ring or a Rolls Royce can be just as demonic as a Ouija board or a crystal ball. The Devil and the demons can use these things if they can get your attention. A crystal ball is only demonic when you believe that demons can work through it. A Ouija board is only demonic when you believe it has amazing power within itself. When you believe the superstitious idea that the sun, the moon, and the stars govern your life, astrology becomes demonic. Satan and demons use everything on this material earth against humanity. Not because they have authority in their own right, but through deception.
Jesus Christ has authority over everything on earth. Jesus commanded the demons to leave and they left. Please note that all He had to do was speak to them and they went. In Matthew 8:32, Jesus simply told the devils that possessed two demoniacs coming out of the tombs, "Go" and they went. Why? Jesus possesses "all" authority!
Matt 8:29-32...And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.That was all He needed to say.
Jesus was God! Jesus is God now! Jesus has authority over every affliction and disease. Here's an example of Jesus' authority when He told blind Bartimeaus:
Mark 10:52...and Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Here's another example of Jesus' authority as He told the woman with an issue of blood who touched the hem of His garment:
Matt 9:22...and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Jesus possesses all authority! This is all that was necessary for Jesus who is and was very God.
In another account we find:
John 4:46-53...And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
That son began to amend the very moment that Christ spoke because Christ has authority over disease. Jesus said to the Pharisee:
Matt 9:6-7...But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house.
This is the undeniable record of God's Word. Jesus possesses "all" authority.
God permitted Satan to use laws of nature to bring a curse upon Job and his family. Jesus gave the Apostles power and authority over nature during His earthly ministry. The Scripture reveals that God allows Satan to manifest himself through earthly elements that are under the curse of the fall; only to the extent that we allow him to operate, whether through ignorance or deception.
Regardless of what tragedy befalls us, whether by a direct attack of Satan as in Job's case or as a result of the fall, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loves us:
Rom 8:37...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
The material things of earth are not demonic in themselves but demonic forces can use them. If the Devil can get your mind focused on earthly things, they will drive you mad. A diamond ring or a Rolls Royce can be just as demonic as a Ouija board or a crystal ball. The Devil and the demons can use these things if they can get your attention. A crystal ball is only demonic when you believe that demons can work through it. A Ouija board is only demonic when you believe it has amazing power within itself. When you believe the superstitious idea that the sun, the moon, and the stars govern your life, astrology becomes demonic. Satan and demons use everything on this material earth against humanity. Not because they have authority in their own right, but through deception.
Jesus Christ has authority over everything on earth. Jesus commanded the demons to leave and they left. Please note that all He had to do was speak to them and they went. In Matthew 8:32, Jesus simply told the devils that possessed two demoniacs coming out of the tombs, "Go" and they went. Why? Jesus possesses "all" authority!
Matt 8:29-32...And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.That was all He needed to say.
Jesus was God! Jesus is God now! Jesus has authority over every affliction and disease. Here's an example of Jesus' authority when He told blind Bartimeaus:
Mark 10:52...and Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Here's another example of Jesus' authority as He told the woman with an issue of blood who touched the hem of His garment:
Matt 9:22...and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Jesus possesses all authority! This is all that was necessary for Jesus who is and was very God.
In another account we find:
John 4:46-53...And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
That son began to amend the very moment that Christ spoke because Christ has authority over disease. Jesus said to the Pharisee:
Matt 9:6-7...But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house.
This is the undeniable record of God's Word. Jesus possesses "all" authority.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Give because you have received
The doctrine of sowing and reaping is a principle of the Old Testament Law, which the Church is not under. In the Old Covenant you had to do something in order to receive something.
In order to be healed, you had to walk in all God's statutes and commandments.
Ex 15:26...If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
To prosper, you had to walk in all the commandments.
Josh 1:8...This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
To be blessed financially, you had to pay a tithe.
Mal 3:10...Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Under the Law, you had to pay a tithe for God to open the windows of heaven and bless you and to rebuke the devourer. The devourer is not the Devil or demons. The devourer is insect's that destroy the crops. If man pays a tithe just to be blessed by God, he is a selfish person. He is giving to God's work just because he wants to receive something back. There is a big difference between giving simply out of the love you have for God and giving because you expect God to pay you something in return. In reality you are only worshipping God when you give out of an unselfish love for Him.
The same tithe system teaches a doctrine of fear-that you will have devourers attacking your crops unless you pay the tithe. You should never give out of fear of the consequences if you don't give. It is said by some that Abraham "paid" a tithe, but the Scripture says he "gave" a tithe. Abraham gave the tithe out of love. Jacob gave the tithe out of love.
Heb 7:2-4...To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Under the economy of the Old Testament Law, you paid a tithe because you had to. Under the New Covenant, God blesses you so much that you give more than a tithe. Teach the believer to legalistically pay the tithe and he will limit his giving to the tithe. Teach him the limitless sacrifice of Christ and he will cheerfully and willingly give more than a tithe. The early church did not teach the tithe system, yet there is no record of the early Church ever being in want of anything. They had so much left over; they took care of the poor saints at Jerusalem. If those that name the name of Christ today did what they should, we could do away with Social Security in this country!
The first-century Jewish Christians sold all their possessions and laid them at the Apostles' feet. They could trust the Apostles with all their money.
Acts 4:35...And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
The Church today can no longer trust the minister with all their money because preachers are always begging "pay, pay, pay; money, money, money."
At this point you're probably asking, "What about Luke 6:38?"
Luke 6:38...Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
If you apply the above verse to giving money to the Church so that this giving will be multiplied; you are misapplying a Law from Genesis. You are also saying that the seed you've sown has within itself the ability to multiply. Luke 6:38 does no talk about tithing or giving to the Church. It is under the Covenant of Law, and it deals with the prophetic message concerning the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel.
The first portion of Luke 6:38 addresses's the moral condition of Israel at that time. *
Luke 6:38...Give, and it shall be given unto you;
*They were to have been so liberal that they would freely give to any Israelite on need. By becoming liberal in giving to each other, they would begin to recognize that the Kingdom was at hand. This would create a climactic condition proving that the Kingdom Age would soon begin. Christ would rule on the throne of His father David. The wheat fields would flourish and the vine and fig tree would give forth their strength. The wolf would lie down with the lamb and the lion would eat straw like an ox. The glory of the Lord would cover the earth, and all the Hebrew nation would be gathered out of the nations where they had been scattered.
This portion of Luke 6:38 deals with the prophetic truth of the Gentiles giving their wealth to Israel in the Kingdom of Heaven. *
Luke 6:38...good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
*The Gentiles would take notice of Israel's giving and liberality to one another. They would give their wealth and money to the Jewish people. This part of the verse points out how Gentiles will give unto the bosom of Israel, their wealth and riches. This is prophetically spoken.
Zech 14:14...And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
Many Scriptures such as Luke 6:38 have been taken out of context, twisted, and perverted. This has caused many people to fall from the faith.
Imagine a man who is running a factory. He has been taught prosperity based upon what he does and gives. As a result, he gives away all of his necessary capital for running his business, and his company begins to fail. He is so nervous and torn up that he quarrels with his wife. Because his business is a failure, he begins to take things out on the godly Christian woman who has brought his children into the world and gone through the trials of life with him. Discouraged, he takes off with his secretary and divorces his wife. His home is broken up and he no longer attends church. He is no longer interested in the things of God. He has departed from the faith.
Now picture a widow who has husband's savings in a bank to supplement the Social Security she receives. Because of false teaching, she believes she is going to prosper according to what she gives and does. Hoping for a "100-fold return," she gives all of her husband's savings to the Church. When the money does not come in, when her "seed" is not multiplied, she drops out of the Church. Now she spends her time looking at the television set every night without God. She has lost her faith.
When I hear the "seed faith" teachings across this country, I feel like saying with Paul,
2 Tim 2:17-18...And their word will eat as doth a canker, who concerning the truth have erred, and overthrow the faith of some.
In order to be healed, you had to walk in all God's statutes and commandments.
Ex 15:26...If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
To prosper, you had to walk in all the commandments.
Josh 1:8...This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
To be blessed financially, you had to pay a tithe.
Mal 3:10...Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Under the Law, you had to pay a tithe for God to open the windows of heaven and bless you and to rebuke the devourer. The devourer is not the Devil or demons. The devourer is insect's that destroy the crops. If man pays a tithe just to be blessed by God, he is a selfish person. He is giving to God's work just because he wants to receive something back. There is a big difference between giving simply out of the love you have for God and giving because you expect God to pay you something in return. In reality you are only worshipping God when you give out of an unselfish love for Him.
The same tithe system teaches a doctrine of fear-that you will have devourers attacking your crops unless you pay the tithe. You should never give out of fear of the consequences if you don't give. It is said by some that Abraham "paid" a tithe, but the Scripture says he "gave" a tithe. Abraham gave the tithe out of love. Jacob gave the tithe out of love.
Heb 7:2-4...To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Under the economy of the Old Testament Law, you paid a tithe because you had to. Under the New Covenant, God blesses you so much that you give more than a tithe. Teach the believer to legalistically pay the tithe and he will limit his giving to the tithe. Teach him the limitless sacrifice of Christ and he will cheerfully and willingly give more than a tithe. The early church did not teach the tithe system, yet there is no record of the early Church ever being in want of anything. They had so much left over; they took care of the poor saints at Jerusalem. If those that name the name of Christ today did what they should, we could do away with Social Security in this country!
The first-century Jewish Christians sold all their possessions and laid them at the Apostles' feet. They could trust the Apostles with all their money.
Acts 4:35...And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
The Church today can no longer trust the minister with all their money because preachers are always begging "pay, pay, pay; money, money, money."
At this point you're probably asking, "What about Luke 6:38?"
Luke 6:38...Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
If you apply the above verse to giving money to the Church so that this giving will be multiplied; you are misapplying a Law from Genesis. You are also saying that the seed you've sown has within itself the ability to multiply. Luke 6:38 does no talk about tithing or giving to the Church. It is under the Covenant of Law, and it deals with the prophetic message concerning the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel.
The first portion of Luke 6:38 addresses's the moral condition of Israel at that time. *
Luke 6:38...Give, and it shall be given unto you;
*They were to have been so liberal that they would freely give to any Israelite on need. By becoming liberal in giving to each other, they would begin to recognize that the Kingdom was at hand. This would create a climactic condition proving that the Kingdom Age would soon begin. Christ would rule on the throne of His father David. The wheat fields would flourish and the vine and fig tree would give forth their strength. The wolf would lie down with the lamb and the lion would eat straw like an ox. The glory of the Lord would cover the earth, and all the Hebrew nation would be gathered out of the nations where they had been scattered.
This portion of Luke 6:38 deals with the prophetic truth of the Gentiles giving their wealth to Israel in the Kingdom of Heaven. *
Luke 6:38...good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
*The Gentiles would take notice of Israel's giving and liberality to one another. They would give their wealth and money to the Jewish people. This part of the verse points out how Gentiles will give unto the bosom of Israel, their wealth and riches. This is prophetically spoken.
Zech 14:14...And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
Many Scriptures such as Luke 6:38 have been taken out of context, twisted, and perverted. This has caused many people to fall from the faith.
Imagine a man who is running a factory. He has been taught prosperity based upon what he does and gives. As a result, he gives away all of his necessary capital for running his business, and his company begins to fail. He is so nervous and torn up that he quarrels with his wife. Because his business is a failure, he begins to take things out on the godly Christian woman who has brought his children into the world and gone through the trials of life with him. Discouraged, he takes off with his secretary and divorces his wife. His home is broken up and he no longer attends church. He is no longer interested in the things of God. He has departed from the faith.
Now picture a widow who has husband's savings in a bank to supplement the Social Security she receives. Because of false teaching, she believes she is going to prosper according to what she gives and does. Hoping for a "100-fold return," she gives all of her husband's savings to the Church. When the money does not come in, when her "seed" is not multiplied, she drops out of the Church. Now she spends her time looking at the television set every night without God. She has lost her faith.
When I hear the "seed faith" teachings across this country, I feel like saying with Paul,
2 Tim 2:17-18...And their word will eat as doth a canker, who concerning the truth have erred, and overthrow the faith of some.
Monday, July 19, 2010
A family member needs your prayer of faith...
Life is moving fast just look around. The pressures of life are rising. Disease is taking its toll everywhere I look. Drugs and alcohol are rampant around the world. The enemy is having a fielday...when Christ is left out of the picture.
I have a certain family member (Brad Louderbach) that needs the prayers of the righteous. This person needs the intervention of Christ and that can come by your prayer of faith. I trust your prayers. I believe God honors the prayer of the righteous and there are many righteous that come to this Blog (God knows). My wife reminded me of the need for prayer, just today. I send out this cry for help because I know there are righteous people out there who come to this Blog and we need your prayers. I ask humbly that you would join my wife and I in prayer for young Bradley (21)who needs God's healing and restoring power. This preacher and Mrs. Roehm will join together with you in unison as we all wait together on the hand of God to reach down and touch and heal. Let's believe together for God to perform a miracle with young Bradley Louderbach!
I write these words without trying to dwell on the problems of life. I am however; dwelling on the problem solver, Christ...who hears the prayers of the saint and meets the needs of our life. My intent is to magnify the Lord of Glory...Jesus Christ who is a miracle worker. What prompted me to write this Blog and ask for your prayers is my concerned wife "Paula" who is very much moved by these many adverse conditions in life that we experience. My wife's heart longs for this family member to have that need met in that physical body and that life. It' s a critical situation that needs the miracle working hand of God. It's a nephew that was involved in a very serious motorcycle accident in past days.
Bradley needs your prayers. This preacher is asking on Brad's behalf. We need God's miracle healing touch. Please pray with us and I will keep you informed on the outcome. Please join us at the Churches on Trial, the Upper Room, and the personal life of the Rick Roehm family that God would meet the need in young Bradley's life and body.
God bless you all for your consideration and heartfelt prayers,
James 5:16...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
I have a certain family member (Brad Louderbach) that needs the prayers of the righteous. This person needs the intervention of Christ and that can come by your prayer of faith. I trust your prayers. I believe God honors the prayer of the righteous and there are many righteous that come to this Blog (God knows). My wife reminded me of the need for prayer, just today. I send out this cry for help because I know there are righteous people out there who come to this Blog and we need your prayers. I ask humbly that you would join my wife and I in prayer for young Bradley (21)who needs God's healing and restoring power. This preacher and Mrs. Roehm will join together with you in unison as we all wait together on the hand of God to reach down and touch and heal. Let's believe together for God to perform a miracle with young Bradley Louderbach!
I write these words without trying to dwell on the problems of life. I am however; dwelling on the problem solver, Christ...who hears the prayers of the saint and meets the needs of our life. My intent is to magnify the Lord of Glory...Jesus Christ who is a miracle worker. What prompted me to write this Blog and ask for your prayers is my concerned wife "Paula" who is very much moved by these many adverse conditions in life that we experience. My wife's heart longs for this family member to have that need met in that physical body and that life. It' s a critical situation that needs the miracle working hand of God. It's a nephew that was involved in a very serious motorcycle accident in past days.
Bradley needs your prayers. This preacher is asking on Brad's behalf. We need God's miracle healing touch. Please pray with us and I will keep you informed on the outcome. Please join us at the Churches on Trial, the Upper Room, and the personal life of the Rick Roehm family that God would meet the need in young Bradley's life and body.
God bless you all for your consideration and heartfelt prayers,
James 5:16...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The faith of a seed and the parables of our Lord
In spite of all this miraculous power being manifested, the Nation of Israel still rejected the King. When the disciples returned from their first missionary journey, they boasted that even demons were subject to them. In Matthew 17, the disciples accompanied Jesus to a mountain where they witnessed His transfiguration. Yet immediately after coming down from the mount, they could not cast the demon out of the father's lunatic son because of their unbelief. Shortly after this, Jesus proclaimed judgment upon Israel. From then on, His message was not that He was to establish their Kingdom but, that He was to die.
After the message of the Kingdom was rejected and no longer preached, the sowing of a seed is only mentioned once. It deals with a mustard seed and it is not to praise the disciples for having "seed faith" but rather to reprove them for not having the faith of a seed.
Let us get the true picture in context. Jesus said that if you had the faith of a mustard seed, you could say to the mountain "remove hence" and it would happen.
Matt 17:20...if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove;
Two days before He made this statement, Jesus wept over Jerusalem. He pronounced judgment upon the city, then judgment upon the temple, and then judgment upon the disciples' lack of faith. If they had exercised the faith of a mustard seed, they could have said to the mountain ..."Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you." Jesus is reproving them for not having faith as a mustard seed. A mustard seed, though the tiniest of seeds, grows to become the greatest of herbs; a great tree with spreading branches. If they had this kind of faith, they would have spread the message through all Judea, Jesus would have ruled the earth, the millennial Kingdom would have begun, and every mountain and all of nature would have been subject to the disciples!
When Christ sent the disciples out two by two into the cities of Judea, the authority and power He gave them was to establish and confirm one message only, that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. This message was to be given to Israel only. It was for this very reason they were to have no sandals on their feet. Their feet must touch the ground promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If in any city they entered into the people rejected their message of the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel, they were to shake the dust off their feet. The dust on their feet represented the land God promised to restore. When a Jew left the land of promise and re-entered, he would take his sandals off and shake the dust off his feet to signify that he did not want even the dust of the heathen's land but only the land God promised Abraham.
This message and the parables of the Kingdom, which were rejected by Israel, also reveal the rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus. The reason that Israel did not accept this message is proved by the following facts:
Jesus placed judgment upon the disciples for not having the faith of a mustard seed. As we have stated, the mustard seed, which is the tiniest of seeds, when sown, becomes a great tree with branches spread. If the disciples would've had the faith of a mustard seed, the Messiahship of Jesus would have been spread throughout Judea, Christ would have reigned over earth, and every mountain would have been subject to any one of the people of Israel. Any Jew would have said to the mountain "Move" and it would have moved.
The Parables
The parables of the Kingdom were not given to the Gentiles but only to the Nation of Israel because Israel was the subject of the parables. Israel was blinded to the Messiahship of Jesus Christ. Jesus' reason for speaking in parables is given in Matthew 13:14 where He quotes from Isaiah,
Matt 13:14...And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
The parables of the Kingdom show Israel's rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven. The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 is an example. The people are likened to the different types of soil. The message of the Kingdom is sown on four different types of soil. Only one€the good ground, produced a crop, teaching that the majority of Israel was going to reject the Kingdom.
Matt 13:3-13...And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables:
In the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21:33-41, the lord of the vineyard sent his servants to collect his share. The wicked tenants beat his servant's and stoned them to death. Finally the owner said, "Then will I send my son". When the son arrived, the people said, "He's the heir. Let's put him to death." So they killed him. Likewise, Jesus Christ the Son was rejected and put to death. The Lord will come and bring vengeance on the caretakers of the vineyard.
Matt 21:33-39...Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
Throughout the parables, we see object lessons of good fish and bad fish, wheat and tares, foolish virgins and wise virgins, all part of the message being given to Israel. But these parables do not teach the mystery of the Church. There is a vast difference between the church and the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. *
Some teachers in our generation have misapplied the parables to the Church and taught "sowing" money as seed, expecting to get 30, 60, or 100-fold as a return. The 30, 60, and 100-fold increase was to the Israelites that received the message of the Kingdom and had no reference to the Church or to money. There is no "sowing of money" in the parables of the Kingdom to Israel. Also, they could not sow the message of the Kingdom to the Gentiles for it was given to Israel only.
After the message of the Kingdom was rejected and no longer preached, the sowing of a seed is only mentioned once. It deals with a mustard seed and it is not to praise the disciples for having "seed faith" but rather to reprove them for not having the faith of a seed.
Let us get the true picture in context. Jesus said that if you had the faith of a mustard seed, you could say to the mountain "remove hence" and it would happen.
Matt 17:20...if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove;
Two days before He made this statement, Jesus wept over Jerusalem. He pronounced judgment upon the city, then judgment upon the temple, and then judgment upon the disciples' lack of faith. If they had exercised the faith of a mustard seed, they could have said to the mountain ..."Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you." Jesus is reproving them for not having faith as a mustard seed. A mustard seed, though the tiniest of seeds, grows to become the greatest of herbs; a great tree with spreading branches. If they had this kind of faith, they would have spread the message through all Judea, Jesus would have ruled the earth, the millennial Kingdom would have begun, and every mountain and all of nature would have been subject to the disciples!
When Christ sent the disciples out two by two into the cities of Judea, the authority and power He gave them was to establish and confirm one message only, that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. This message was to be given to Israel only. It was for this very reason they were to have no sandals on their feet. Their feet must touch the ground promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If in any city they entered into the people rejected their message of the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel, they were to shake the dust off their feet. The dust on their feet represented the land God promised to restore. When a Jew left the land of promise and re-entered, he would take his sandals off and shake the dust off his feet to signify that he did not want even the dust of the heathen's land but only the land God promised Abraham.
This message and the parables of the Kingdom, which were rejected by Israel, also reveal the rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus. The reason that Israel did not accept this message is proved by the following facts:
Jesus placed judgment upon the disciples for not having the faith of a mustard seed. As we have stated, the mustard seed, which is the tiniest of seeds, when sown, becomes a great tree with branches spread. If the disciples would've had the faith of a mustard seed, the Messiahship of Jesus would have been spread throughout Judea, Christ would have reigned over earth, and every mountain would have been subject to any one of the people of Israel. Any Jew would have said to the mountain "Move" and it would have moved.
The Parables
The parables of the Kingdom were not given to the Gentiles but only to the Nation of Israel because Israel was the subject of the parables. Israel was blinded to the Messiahship of Jesus Christ. Jesus' reason for speaking in parables is given in Matthew 13:14 where He quotes from Isaiah,
Matt 13:14...And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
The parables of the Kingdom show Israel's rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven. The parable of the sower in Matthew 13 is an example. The people are likened to the different types of soil. The message of the Kingdom is sown on four different types of soil. Only one€the good ground, produced a crop, teaching that the majority of Israel was going to reject the Kingdom.
Matt 13:3-13...And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables:
In the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21:33-41, the lord of the vineyard sent his servants to collect his share. The wicked tenants beat his servant's and stoned them to death. Finally the owner said, "Then will I send my son". When the son arrived, the people said, "He's the heir. Let's put him to death." So they killed him. Likewise, Jesus Christ the Son was rejected and put to death. The Lord will come and bring vengeance on the caretakers of the vineyard.
Matt 21:33-39...Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
Throughout the parables, we see object lessons of good fish and bad fish, wheat and tares, foolish virgins and wise virgins, all part of the message being given to Israel. But these parables do not teach the mystery of the Church. There is a vast difference between the church and the message of the Kingdom of Heaven. *
Some teachers in our generation have misapplied the parables to the Church and taught "sowing" money as seed, expecting to get 30, 60, or 100-fold as a return. The 30, 60, and 100-fold increase was to the Israelites that received the message of the Kingdom and had no reference to the Church or to money. There is no "sowing of money" in the parables of the Kingdom to Israel. Also, they could not sow the message of the Kingdom to the Gentiles for it was given to Israel only.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Beyond Calvary where Christ is exalted...now!
Many people in the Church World today are constantly focused on the birth and life of the Lord Jesus Christ and yes that part of the Bible has it's place. Many people in the Church World are constantly focused on the parables the Lord spoke to Israel and yes these have their place too. What happens though when you get beyond the four Gospels and get into the Epistles? What primary message do you see? You will find the preaching of the cross. You will see everything that pertains to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. This is the true Gospel message Christ commanded us to preach! Let's take it a little bit further. Let's get beyond Calvary where Christ is exalted! After all the Ephesian letter says that Christians are raised to sit together with Him in heavenly places.
So, why do we need to get beyond the birth and life of Christ? Why do we need to get beyond the Parables? Paul didn't teach the parables nor did he teach the four gospels. Paul a Jew who came out from under the Law did however teach to cross...but he lived according to Christ in Throneroom! This is what happens when you get beyond Calvary? You find the exaltation of an enthroned Christ. You will find a living Christ who "provides" and "supplies" all of our needs from Heaven. As Christians we should live in the present tense power of an exalted Christ in the Throneroom. Not in the past..under Law...but in the present tense under Grace. This is the Church, the body of Christ.
Since the birth, life, and Christ's crucifixion things have changed. The Church was birthed as Christ purchased it with His own blood! The omnipresence of the Holy Spirit that flows from the cross...now shows man what sin is in light of a living Christ in the Throneroom! Since the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin now from hearing the Gospel, no longer is it necessary for the Law of Moses to show man his sin. No longer does man have to strive to enter in. No longer does man have to seek ye first the Kingdom of God in order to receive righteousness! Under law they did! Under Grace not necessary! When the veil was rent twain in the Jewish Temple (torn in half) Christ said, "It is finished". What was finished? Man's effort to keep the Law. Now, Grace is given freely to all those who trust Christ for personal forgiveness. The ministration of Holy Spirit (for Jew and Gentile) came into play as the ministration of the Law (given to Israel) was abolished. Christians don't have to seek righteousness, "They find righteousness in the Grace of God" that comes through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We are not under Law today...but under Grace. God's Grace is sufficent for every need of your life.
All power for the heart and life of a Christian comes from an exalted Christ. The Epistles teach the exaltation of Christ. The four Gospels teach a little bit about an exalted Christ and Jesus commanded the Gospel message to be preached for this reason. The Gospel Christ commanded us to preach makes no reference to the birth and life of Christ...but does make reference to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The following verses describe the true Gospel. This the Gospel that Christ commanded everyone to preach in "all the world".
1 Cor 15:1-4...Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Rom 1:1-5...Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
The Epistles teach we are to live our Christian life settin our affections in the Throneroom. The Epistles do not teach us to live under Law...they teach us to live under Grace. Grace goes beyond Calvary! Grace does flow from our faith in what Christ did at Calvary...but present tense Grace comes directly down from a living Christ in Heaven. Our faith should not be limited to living in the past only! Our faith should be present tense faith and present tense faithfulness to a living Christ in whom we are accountable to every second, every minute, every hour, and every day. Christians are to be faithful to Christ every day of their existence.
Christian's don't have to "seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness" like Israel did in the four Gospels. Christians have already found righteousness from the person of Christ. Christians live right, act right, think right, and behave right because Christ who reigns from Heaven, "makes them right". Christians are "kept by the power of God" through faith. Righteousness is not something we seek. Righteousness is something we have because we exercise our faith in a living Christ whose alive and exalted! Granted Christ died 2010 years ago, but He rules and reigns presently from the Throneroom ..."NOW!"
Will you consider getting beyond Calvary where Christ is exalted in Heaven? I love you all.
So, why do we need to get beyond the birth and life of Christ? Why do we need to get beyond the Parables? Paul didn't teach the parables nor did he teach the four gospels. Paul a Jew who came out from under the Law did however teach to cross...but he lived according to Christ in Throneroom! This is what happens when you get beyond Calvary? You find the exaltation of an enthroned Christ. You will find a living Christ who "provides" and "supplies" all of our needs from Heaven. As Christians we should live in the present tense power of an exalted Christ in the Throneroom. Not in the past..under Law...but in the present tense under Grace. This is the Church, the body of Christ.
Since the birth, life, and Christ's crucifixion things have changed. The Church was birthed as Christ purchased it with His own blood! The omnipresence of the Holy Spirit that flows from the cross...now shows man what sin is in light of a living Christ in the Throneroom! Since the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin now from hearing the Gospel, no longer is it necessary for the Law of Moses to show man his sin. No longer does man have to strive to enter in. No longer does man have to seek ye first the Kingdom of God in order to receive righteousness! Under law they did! Under Grace not necessary! When the veil was rent twain in the Jewish Temple (torn in half) Christ said, "It is finished". What was finished? Man's effort to keep the Law. Now, Grace is given freely to all those who trust Christ for personal forgiveness. The ministration of Holy Spirit (for Jew and Gentile) came into play as the ministration of the Law (given to Israel) was abolished. Christians don't have to seek righteousness, "They find righteousness in the Grace of God" that comes through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. We are not under Law today...but under Grace. God's Grace is sufficent for every need of your life.
All power for the heart and life of a Christian comes from an exalted Christ. The Epistles teach the exaltation of Christ. The four Gospels teach a little bit about an exalted Christ and Jesus commanded the Gospel message to be preached for this reason. The Gospel Christ commanded us to preach makes no reference to the birth and life of Christ...but does make reference to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The following verses describe the true Gospel. This the Gospel that Christ commanded everyone to preach in "all the world".
1 Cor 15:1-4...Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Rom 1:1-5...Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
The Epistles teach we are to live our Christian life settin our affections in the Throneroom. The Epistles do not teach us to live under Law...they teach us to live under Grace. Grace goes beyond Calvary! Grace does flow from our faith in what Christ did at Calvary...but present tense Grace comes directly down from a living Christ in Heaven. Our faith should not be limited to living in the past only! Our faith should be present tense faith and present tense faithfulness to a living Christ in whom we are accountable to every second, every minute, every hour, and every day. Christians are to be faithful to Christ every day of their existence.
Christian's don't have to "seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness" like Israel did in the four Gospels. Christians have already found righteousness from the person of Christ. Christians live right, act right, think right, and behave right because Christ who reigns from Heaven, "makes them right". Christians are "kept by the power of God" through faith. Righteousness is not something we seek. Righteousness is something we have because we exercise our faith in a living Christ whose alive and exalted! Granted Christ died 2010 years ago, but He rules and reigns presently from the Throneroom ..."NOW!"
Will you consider getting beyond Calvary where Christ is exalted in Heaven? I love you all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)