Published July 18, 2011 | 
“It cannot be emphasized too strongly that this great nation was founded — not by religionists — but by Christians . . . on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
–Patrick Henry
“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian Nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.”
– John Jay, our first Supreme Court Justice
“The destiny of America is to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to all men, everywhere.”
– John Adams, Second President of the United States
“My views…are the result of a life of inquiry and reflection, and very different from the anti-Christian system imputed to me by those who know nothing of my opinions.
“To the corruptions of Christianity I am, indeed, opposed; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian in the only sense in which He wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines in preference to all others.”
– On April 21, 1803, Thomas Jefferson wrote this to Dr. Benjamin Rush (also a signer of the Declaration of Independence)
Journal,
Have you ever wondered why the United States became such a great nation in the earth? America’s greatness links directly to our Christian heritage. Most every signer of the declaration of independence openly declared their faith in Jesus Christ. Fifty-two of the fifty-six signers were deeply committed
Christians. Three others accepted the Bible as divine truth and that God was personally involved in both His creation and in the forming of this new nation.
The first act after signing the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress was to buy 20,000 Bibles for the people of this new nation. So, is there any question that America was founded on Christian principles? Certainly not.
Foremost in the minds of our founders was to create a nation without an established religious system, and yet would draw its strength from the Christian faith. They knew that a walk with the Lord was very personal, that the Bible was a book of redemption, and that in Christ alone could men find true freedom.
They also knew that man-made religion almost always degenerates into man-controlled institutions. This nation was formed by people who had escaped from tyrannical religious systems.
Thomas Jefferson said it well enough:
“To the corruptions of Christianity I am, indeed, opposed; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian in the only sense in which He wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines in preference to all others.”
This accords with what the apostle John said about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ:
“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” (1Jn 5:11-12)
What is it about the Bible that drew the hearts of our founders? Let’s see if we can get on the same page.
The Bible and the Kingdom
Our founders knew that the Bible was not an ordinary book. The Bible came to us from heaven by the pens of godly inspired writers. They knew that only by accepting the sovereignty of God could this nation be truly blessed.
The Bible has to do with God’s kingdom rule. And it has to do with man’s redemption brought about by the blood of God’s Son. And the work of the cross is the underscore of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Lose this key and you lose the key of life.
Lets consider what the term sovereignty means. Hebrew term ‘malkuth‘ speaks of the outflow of power from a royal reign. God’s sovereignty addresses His absolute right to do all things according to His own will, and for His own purpose, and for His own pleasure.
Thus we have the term ‘kingdom of God’ or ‘kingdom of heaven’. These terms express the direct rule of God in a person’s life. To be born of God’s kingdom means that you come under the direct and personal rule of God.
Understanding what ‘kingdom of God’ means helps us to realize what Jesus was saying to the Pharisee Nicodemus. Listen:
“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, “You must be born again.”‘” (Joh 3:3-7)
Moses gained some insight into God's sovereignty when he sought for the Lord to show him His glory. The Lord said to him,
“I will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” (Exodus 33:19)
When Paul reflects on this passage, he says,
“So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” (Rom9:16)
The Children of the Great King
Out of this comes a second aspect about sovereignty. Not only is the almighty God sovereign over all of creation, over all nations, and over history itself, but He is also the heavenly Father of every person born of His Spirit. This means that in all God does He always has His children at the center of His doings. Paul intimates this when he said,
“For all things belong to you … and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.” (Cf. 1Co3:21-23)
Yes indeed, we are children of the Great King. Thus we hear John say,
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.” (1Jn3:1,2)
John was careful to point out that we don’t have all the answers. And while we do not yet know exactly what we will be, we do know that we will be like Jesus. After all He is the firstborn of many brothers. (Brothers is inclusive of sisters.)
Paul gives us the center piece of our purpose before God. He said,
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us.”(Rom8:28-31)
The Darker the Night
Everything that I’ve shared thus far is designed to bring us back to how this great nation was formed. As a nation it seems we have lost much of our moorings. It is easy to get
discouraged. Without naming all that has caused a downward spiral, there is yet a greater truth to be had. We need to regain the spirit and resolve of our nation’s founders. And this greater truth accords with an old adage, which says, ‘The darker the night, the brighter the light.’
The apostle Paul intimated that very thing when he said,
” … but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.” (Rom 5:20)
It is in these discouraging times where God’s children can stand out the best. It only takes a little light to dispel darkness. The apostle said,
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appears as lights in the world. “ (Phil2:14,15)
It is time for God’s children shine brightly. Much of the world is in despair of heart. Our instructions have never changed. Let’s hear once again what the Lord has for us:
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Mat 5:14-16)
Think about these things.
Do you remember the old gospel song, ‘Send the Light.’ One stanza says, ‘Send the light, the blessed gospel light. Let it shine from shore to shore.’ Let that song be our prayer. Listen to the gospel hymn.
In Christ always,
Buddy
Posted in Bible Insights | 
a blessed nation, children of God, kingdom of God, light of God, Son of GodPublished July 7, 2011 | 
“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” (1Co 2:1-5)
Journal,
In addressing the church at Corinth, Paul said he was determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. What did the apostle mean by this?
Isn’t there anything else we need to preach other than the cross? Not really. Not if you understand the message of the cross. All the doctrines of Christ arise out of the cross.
The message of the cross is not simply about Jesus dying on a cross. It is a full message that includes who Jesus was, that He was born of a virgin, was truly a human and yet God, that He died for our sins, was buried, resurrected on the third day, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the majesty on high, will return for the saints, and is the last judge of all things.
All of eternity revolves around Jesus
The essential message of the cross is actually seven-fold. It speaks to the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Jesus Christ, His second coming, and eternity to follow. Out of this seven-fold message flows a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. This is why the apostle said that in Christ “Are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col2:3)
When Paul writes the Corinthian church, he explains that there is a wisdom which belongs only to believers, not to the world. God has done something entirely new. Paul says this
‘new covenant’ wisdom had been ‘predestined before the ages to our glory.’ (1Co2:7)
Paul carefully sets forth that the old ways of wisdom have to be abandoned. Everything in the new covenant is ‘new.’ The new covenant is not the old covenant made new. It is a heavenly covenant based on the finished work of Calvary.
The hidden wisdom of the cross
Paul connects this hidden wisdom to the cross. He says,
“For the word [full message] of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” (1Co1:18,19)
What happened at the cross?
Let’s compare just two statements the apostle makes about what happened at the cross.
In his first letter, Paul says,
“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.” (1Co1:30)
In his second letter, Paul says,
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Co5:21)
The apostle is telling us why he is determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He is saying it all happened at the cross. At the cross our death sentence passed to Jesus. At the cross His resurrected life passed to us.
Why is Jesus called ‘the Wisdom of God’
Why does Paul speak of this life of God in terms of Wisdom? He is saying that those actually born from above have access to the very thoughts and feelings of God. He speaks of this as the mind of Christ.
This means that the wisdom that belongs to God alone, is the wisdom that is given to believers. (According to the need of the believer.) This is an awesome thing to consider.
So, the cross is both our dying place and our living place.
Is it any wonder that we Christians have so many songs about the cross. Out of the death of the cross comes a new creation. And this new creation is imbued with a wisdom that is not of this world.
Paul explains it this way:
“For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.” (1Co2:11,12)
The cross provides a heavenly wisdom not of this world
Notice carefully how the apostle connects the Wisdom of God with the Holy Spirit. In another place He calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Jesus. Paul says,
“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Gal4:6)
Having the Spirit of God’s Son in your heart means that every believer has divine Wisdom to draw from. It means that the very life of Jesus is in us.
Remember Jesus shared with the apostles that they would be given things that were not available to the world. In His high priestly prayer, Jesus says,
“[Father] But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they [believers] may have MY JOY made full in themselves.” (John 17:13)
The life of Christ in the believer
One of the distinguishing marks of a true believer is his or her joy in the Lord. But it is the Lord’s joy that fills them. This is the life given us from the cross.
The term ‘made full’ means more than ‘fulfill‘ as it is translated in the King James. ‘Pleroo‘ speaks of a totality of filling. Believers are going to be filled totally with presence, the life, the joy, and the peace of Jesus.
This is what the Spirit filled life is about. It is being filled with the righteousness, peace and joy that is found in Jesus.
John wrote,
“For of His fullness [pleroma] we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)
God’s governing peace
So what is it about peace? Jesus said,
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27)
The peace of God is the anchor of our faith. It is a governing peace that guides us in our journey of faith. Paul said that our faith comes from Jesus speaking to us. This is how he explains it;
“I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 up for me.” (Gal2:20)
The Father of Jesus is our Father
The list is endless. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is our Father. The kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ is our kingdom. The righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousness. The Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ is our Spirit. The love of the Lord Jesus Christ is our love. The destiny of the Lord Jesus Christ is our destiny. And it all happened at the cross.
The Administrator of the Kingdom
One thing that believers need to appreciate is that the Holy Spirit does not come to us in the same way or measure as did the Spirit before the cross. Lets hear it from Jesus.
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37,38)
What did Jesus mean that the Spirit was not yet given? Notice that the word ‘given‘ is in italics. It is not in the original. So it should read, ‘For the Spirit was not yet.’
How can that be? Didn’t the prophets have the Holy Spirit? Did not David have the Holy Spirit? Yes, but not in the same measure or sense or fullness that new covenant believers have in the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit comes into the heart of the new covenant person as the Spirit of the glorified Jesus Christ. The Spirit brings the fullness of Christ crucified, buried, resurrected, ascended, and glorified into our hearts. No person before the cross ever had such an experience.
And it all happened at the cross.
Stop and think what the term ‘new creation’ actually means. It essentially means that God created a people out of nothing. A newly created thing only existed in the mind of the Creator before it became a reality. This is why the Bible says that we are God’s workmanship, “CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS”.
An Entirely New Creation
Peter adds to this in saying,
“For you were once not a people, but now you are the people of God.” (Cf. Eph2:10;1Pe2:9)
Again listen carefully — Peter said now “we”are the people of God.” He isn’t simply speaking of replacement theology. We aren’t replacing anything.
There has been an act of creation. This new people is separate and distinct from any form of humanity this planet has ever known. The Adam race sprang forth from Adam. The new creation race springs from Christ Jesus. We are totally ‘new‘. We are the people of Christ. The prophet said that God’s people would be given a new name. The new name is ‘Christian‘.
This is why Paul said that in Christ there are no Jews or Greeks. The new creation is a heavenly people. We are designed for heaven, destined for heaven, derived from heaven, and imbued with heavenly wisdom and life. So if anyone asks you where heaven is, you can say, ‘Heaven is in my heart.’
How about you? Can you say what Paul said, in determining to know nothing among the people except Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Think about it.
In the meantime listen to this song that speaks to the heart of God’s children. ‘Higher Ground.’
In Christ always,
Buddy
Published July 5, 2011 | “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is at your disposal; settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land, let them live in the land of Goshen; and if you know any capable men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.’” (Gen 47:4-6)
Journal,
There is no question in my mind that the United States of America is a God-created nation. From sea to shining sea we are unique in all the world. We are a fiercely independent people united as one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The one major reason that makes America so unique in the world is that our government was set in place by the founders based upon Christian core values. And to this day 78.4% of Americans associate themselves with the Christian faith. (1.7% Jewish; .6% Muslim; .7% Buddhist; .4% Hindu; 16.1% Unaffiliated. [Statistics by 'The Pew Forum])
Note: On a world-wide basis 33% of the world’s population associate with Christianity, 19:6% Muslims, Hindus 13.4%
It is our Christian core values that has made American a beacon to the world. And while the United States is overwhelmingly Christian, yet it was the wisdom of our founders not to set up a state religion. We offer freedom to all who come to us.
Thus the compassion of America is best seen in the poem by Emma Lazarus on the Statue of Liberty:
“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, 
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name,
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ cries she
With silent lips. ‘Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!‘“
Our Southern Bible Culture
I like to refer to our southern states as the ‘Goshen’ of America. What may seem odd is that statistics consistently show that the most patriotic people in America to this day are from the South. We southerners fully accept that it was God’s providence that this nation not be divided into two nations.
Probably the least understood issue has to do with the Civil War itself. The Civil War wasn’t actually a civil war in the truest sense. A civil war is about taking over the government of a nation by a faction. The southern states wanted to see two nations who could coöperate on the world scene in matters that involved both nations.
What is called the civil war was actually about succession. All the states held to the right of succession. While slavery was an issue it was not the dominate issue. (Slavery was on its way out in short time.)
For southerners the war was more about independence and culture. The south had a strong Bible emphasis built into their culture. It was not the same with the northern states. It remains that way even today.
According to Gallup polls the ten most religious states are: (Kentucky and Texas share same %. Notice the Bible Belt largely makes up the Southern Confederacy.)
85% Mississippi
- The Bible Belt of America
82% Alabama
80% South Carolina
79% Tennessee
78% Louisiana
78% Arkansas
76% Georgia
76% North Carolina
75% Oklahoma
74% Kentucky
74% Texas
The ten least religious states:
42% Vermont
46% New Hampshire
48% Maine
48% Massachusetts
51% Alaska
52% Washington
53% Oregon
53% Rhode Island
54% Nevada
55% Connecticut
A Southern Migration
Coming Home
But why? Why has there been for the past several years a migration from the north to the southern states? The short answer has to do with culture.
In the South you find a culture built around generations of a strong Bible emphasis. Out of this emphasis comes friendliness, hospitably, a special ‘spiritual’ kinship, and a genuine care for one another.
It is so sad how the South has often been displayed over time. ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ was written by a woman who had never been to the south nor had she ever been on a plantation. (Harriet Beecher Stowe.)
For those who would like to read up on the real culture of the South, I recommend, ‘The Politically Incorrect Guide to The South (and Why It Will Rise Again) by Clint Johnson. (There is also a Politically Incorrect Guide to the Civil War.)
There are a couple of movies that can help people gain a better understanding of southern culture: Gods and Generals, and, ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales. (Directed and starred in by Clint Eastwood).
Yes, it really is about culture. And, yes, I dearly love the United States of America. My family has fought in every war of this nation from the Revolutionary War on. We southerners love ‘Old Glory.’ We’ve fought for her and will fight for her again.
And by the way, the North really needs us. (Think about it. Whoever heard of ‘Northern Gospel Music.)
As for culture take time to view this clip, titled, ‘
A Tribute To Our Black Confederate Heroes
In love with Jesus,
Buddy
Published June 25, 2011 | 
“If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.“ (1Pe 4:14-16)
Journal,
Christianity of itself is not essentially a religion. It is a kingdom. In order to have a kingdom you must have a king. Take note of this description of Jesus Christ about His second coming and His titles:
“He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev 19:13-16)
Then there is this issue. There are no naturalized citizens in the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. The only way to enter the kingdom of God’s Son is to be born into it. When a person is born from heaven, this is also a citizenship birth. With each kingdom birth there is a register. Listen to Paul:
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Php 3:20-21)
So, where does religion enter the picture? Good question. Religion is what we manage to do. A kingdom birth is what God does.
Born from Above
Let’s begin with the thinker – What is it that makes an Irishman an Irishman, or a Cajun a Cajun? (Pass the crawfish please.) The simple answer is that the Irishman and the Cajun are born to a particular cultural grouping. Each group has its own natural proclivities.
What then is it that makes a human a human? The answer is that all humans share a nature that belongs exclusively to humankind in general. Neither angels nor animals have a human nature. They have a nature that is exclusively theirs. So there is an angelic nature, an animal nature, and there is a human nature.
And here is the problem. The human nature is in disrepair. Our souls were damaged in the fall of Adam. Thus our physical life and our spiritual life have need for repair. While the holy angels of God continue with their original nature intact, the deepest part of our humanity, that is, our spiritual identity with God has been displaced.
Whether we understand it or not, Adam and Eve had in their original nature that which is only found in God Himself. They carried in them a certain spiritual likeness of God. The image and likeness had to do with their basic nature. It is that part of man’s inward nature that is in need of repair.
Satan took advantage of Adam’s fallen state and built his earthly kingdom around the aspect of disrepair. Satan is called the god of this world, the ruler of this world, the prince of
the power of the air, and the authority of ‘the domain of darkness.’ Thus Adam found himself in a twisted world filled with wrath and discord. Everything was out of balance.
Repaired Through the Cross
In essence what makes a Christian a Christian is that our spiritual identity with God has restored through a heavenly birth. This was the purpose of the cross.
Jesus said
“The thief [Satan's environs and activities] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (Jn10:10)
Listen to these Scriptures that describe the two kinds of humans on planet earth today:
Paul: “[We] formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were BY NATURE CHILDREN OF WRATH, even as the rest.” (Eph2:2,3)
Peter: “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” (2Pet1:4)
When a person is born from above their severance from God is remedied. The born again person is now a very child of the living God and a citizen of heaven. This means that on planet Earth there are two kinds of humans, those who have been spiritually repaired and restored to God, and those who are still in disrepair. Is it any wonder that the strongest impulse of Christians is to get the message of the gospel out to our fallen kin.
The Wonder of a New Creation
Here we need to understand the critical element of what makes a Christian a Christian. The disrepair of our humanity can only be corrected one way. It has to be God’s way. God’s way is found in the working of the cross. No person is ever born again because they shook a preachers hand or that they prayed through to some esoteric experience.
The only way for a person to be born from above is that they must consciously recognize Jesus Christ as Lord, and receive Him personally as their own Lord and Savior. This accepting Jesus Christ as Lord is the heart and soul of the new creation.
And so, it is to Jesus alone that we bring our broken humanity. It is to Him that we make our appeal to His Lordship and to His saving grace. This is why the true apostolic message never changes, which says, “And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” To call upon the name of the Lord means to recognize His Lordship and to appeal to Him as our own Lord.
This is why salvation can never be based on an emotional experience where we have set aside our minds and now depend on certain euphoric feelings. Drugs can induce euphoric feelings. A person can even become euphoric on their own emotions. There is such a thing as an emotional drunkenness.
The point is that our salvation is be based upon the fact alone. We are to become convinced of the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Jesus Christ, and that He is now both Lord and Christ, and that there is no other way to be saved other than to call upon Him, and to acknowledge and confess His Lordship. Aside from this act of believing and confessing, there is no salvation.
Believing in Jesus Christ is an act of our will. The faith to be born again is a gift from God.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Eph 2:8-10)
Every time a person is born from above, there is an act of creation. In this new creation a new humanity comes into place. We are a people born-from-above, that is, a heavenly people. We now share a heart like God’s heart.
This brings us to…
The Reborn Heart
In the Bible the term heart speaks of the very center of our being. It is where our spirit life evolves. This is why the Scriptures make a distinction between man’s soul and man’s
spirit. The soul is generally thought to be our mind, our will, and our emotions, that is, what identifies us as an individual. But our spirit is that part that relates closest to God. In is in our spirit where we have our God-awareness, our conscious spiritual life, our intuition, our fellowship and communion. This is why it is our spirit that is born again and not our soul. Our soul undergoes transformations over time.
The prophet described our new life this way:
“And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.” (Eze 11:19-20)
It all begins with the Lord getting our attention. The word repentance in the Greek speaks to a moral conquest of the mind. It begins as an intellectual process. We are made aware of and become convinced of the message of the cross. We realize our lostness. We change our minds about the path we’ve lived. And we turn to Jesus as our own Lord and Savior. Every bit of this involves our thinking. The mind is the way to the heart. Salvation involves both the mind and the heart.
It is under this strong convicting work of the Holy Spirit that our heart is brought to the place of being born again. The power that makes a Christian a Christian is not our power. It is the power of heaven.
Paul explains where the power of life comes from. Listen carefully:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom1:16)
The power of new life is found in the message of the cross itself.
Listen again to Paul:
“For this reason we also constantly thank God, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” (1Th2:13)
The point is that the beginning place of salvation has to include our mind. The very word repentance speaks to the mind. Salvation is made upon a decision for Christ. This is why the Billy Graham crusades have such a tremendous effect on the crowds. He preaches the simple message of the cross. The respondents are openly declaring their faith in Jesus Christ.
A Seal that Cannot be Broken
When the Holy Spirit enters the heart of the believing one, that person becomes sealed for eternity. The Spirit will be there tomorrow, and the next tomorrow, and the next tomorrow. This is called the testimony of the Spirit. The apostle calls this the seal of redemption. This new believer has become a child of the living God. He can never be separated from the loving Father.
This does not mean that the newly born-again person is incapable of sin. Yes, the child of God can sin and will have failures in his life. However, sin will always be contrary to the child of God’s nature. He will sin by temptation. Yet the Spirit of Christ within him will now allow him to stay in a condition of sin. Sin hurts too much.
Think about these things. Feel free to offer your comments. I would love to hear from you.
In the meantime here is a song that will speak to your heart.
The King is Coming by the Bill Gaither Trio
Yours in Christ,
Buddy
Published June 20, 2011 |
- Lord Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom. I know that I have broken God’s laws and that my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry. Please forgive me. I do believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the Loving God, that you died for my sins. I believe that you resurrected from the dead, that you are seated in heaven at the Father’s right hand as Lord of all creation, and that you are coming again. I call upon you as Lord of my life. Fill my heart with Your Holy Spirit. From this day forward I will confess you as my Lord and Savior. Amen. –
A prayer of Salvation
Journal,
The thief on the cross did not have time to find a church, to get baptized, to do good works, or undo any of the sins of his life. He was about to die. On the cross between him and another thief was Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Here is how it went:
“One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, ‘Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ But the other answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’
“And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!’ And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’” (Luk 23:39-43)
The reason the thief on the cross would enter paradise is because he was placing his faith in the Man who was hanging on the cross. The thief would enter paradise the same way that all true believers enter paradise. He acknowledged faith and trust in the Lord when he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”
One struggle that often confronts new believers has to do with realizing the life that is given us in the new covenant. I have often shared that when believers try to measure their walk with the Lord by the Old Covenant laws it can actually hinder the flow of grace in their life. The new covenant includes a life cause that had never been known to man.
It all has to do with…
The Life Atonement
In all the former covenants there was no spiritual atonement. All the Old Testament sacrifices could do was serve as reminders of sin and of man’s need of a Savior. The Bible says that these sacrifices could never make the worshipper “perfect in conscience.” (Heb9:9)
In the Old Testament sacrifice the one offering the sacrifice was exchanging his life for the life of the animal. The sacrificed animal was taking the place of the sacrificer. But all the sacrifices under the Law could never take away sin. They served as a reminder and a shadow of the great sacrifice to come. In the Old Testament sacrifices the gospel of Christ was being set forth.
What of the cross? It was on the cross that Christ offered himself as an ‘eternal’ sacrifice for all sin for all time, and through His atoning blood, the believer is given a cleansed
conscience. Rather than having a heart that would continually remind the believer of the condemnation of sin, the blood-sprinkled heart would now speak of grace and righteousness.
The moment a person becomes born again, they are made aware of a new life principle at work. The born from heaven believer has a new relationship with God. His conscience has been cleansed. The former things have passed away.
Paul said it this way:
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2Co 5:17-19)
None of this means that a new covenant believer is incapable of sin. What it means is that the new covenant believer’s life has been exchanged for the life of Jesus. The new believer now remains under the influence of the atonement of Christ.
This also means that the heart and soul of a new covenant believer has undergone a nature change. Where sin was his natural state, now sin becomes an unclean thing to this new believer. O yes, he can sin but he can never be comfortable in sin. Sin is now contrary to his new nature.
Another way of saying this is that the new believer now represents Jesus on the earth, and Jesus represents the new believer in heaven. Both the apostle John and the apostle Paul confirms this.
“By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He [Jesus] is, so also are we in this world.“ (1Jn 4:17)
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Col 3:3-4)
Walking with a Cleansed Conscience
It is one thing to know we are saved by the sacrifice of Christ, it is altogether another to walk with a cleansed conscience. And so the new covenant has a built-in ‘spiritual-cleansing’ or ‘renewing’ factor that will never lose its power for cleansing. The apostles speak of this renewing and cleansing work of the Holy Spirit.
The word that relates to the cleansing and renewing is the word sanctification. When God saves us, we become ‘set apart’ from the world. (This is essentially what ‘sanctify’ means.) Anything that is sanctified means that it belongs exclusively to God. In this sense all believers are ‘God-possessed’ people.
And so we have from God the work of separation, of cleansing and of renewing.
Paul said,
“We do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2Co4:16)
The term Paul used for ‘renewed’ is anikainoo. It literally means, ‘make new.’ Anikainoo carries the idea of spiritual restorations. Thus it can be said that the believer’s life is being made new day by day. This is the outflow of the life that has been given us in Christ.
Jesus described it this way:
“Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (Joh 7:37-39)
Back to the thief on the cross. In the new covenant there is …
No Salvation by Works or Personal Goodness
Just as the thief could be saved only one way, the apostles are careful to point out that we cannot be saved by anything that we could do or have done in our own power. The truth of our being saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone is taught throughout the New Testament. James explains how a person is born from above. He said,
“In this exercise of [God's] will He brought us forth by the word of truth.” (James 1:18)
It is so important to understand this. You cannot work God’s will in your life. God works His will in your life. This is why even repentance can be said to be God at work in our hearts.
Paul added to this in saying,
“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” (Tit3:5)
Once again Paul is speaking of the new life renewal that the Holy Spirit continues to manifest in each believer.
Always keep in mind what Jesus said to the thief, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’
Now lets talk about…
Full Fellowship
Again listen, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” We need to know that the Lord always deals with us as blood redeemed people. When we make mistakes, or
fall into a temptation, or stumble, or whatever the case may be, the Lord is able to restore us in full fellowship through the atoning blood of Jesus. The Bible says that nothing shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus.
We drink from His cup. We sit at His table. We will always be with Jesus in heaven. The believer’s life cannot be separated from Jesus’s life.
In Hebrews we hear,
“He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Heb7:25)
But it is more to this than restoration from sin. It is the very life of the new covenant that we need to learn about. Paul gave the finishing touch on how new covenant life works in a single statement. He said,
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal2:20)
Crucified with Christ
Yes, the thief was crucified with Christ. And the thief would forever live with Christ. When Christ arose from the grave, the thief arose with Him. When Jesus entered into heaven the thief entered with Him. When Jesus was seated at the right hand of the Father, the thief was seated with Him. And so was every believer in the new covenant.
When Paul said that he had been crucified with Christ, he is addressing a cardinal reality of the Christian faith. Listen to the apostle:
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:4-7)
Where does all this leave us? It really depends on your standing with heaven. If you are not assured of your salvation, I provided a prayer at the beginning of this journal entry that you may want to use. It begins with the simple words of the thief on the cross and it includes those things that speak of the Lordship of Jesus.
Don’t place your salvation in some church membership, or on some emotional experience, on shaking the preachers hand, or how long you prayed at an altar. Salvation is based on one issue alone – Salvation is the change of Lordship. You are turning from the god of this world [Satan] and calling on the name of God’s beloved Son. The Bible plainly says that whoever will call on His name will be saved.
Why not take time to listen to this song. Let the Lord speak to your heart – It is titled, ‘Victory in Jesus.’
Be blessed,
Buddy
Published May 12, 2011 | 
“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” (Eph 4:14-15)
Journal,
In this entry I want to share how certain heretical teachings can be based on either a misunderstanding of the Scriptures or by stark misrepresentation.
Then you have the issue where a false doctrine is the calling card of false prophets and teachers. It is not my purpose to judge anyone in this entry as a false prophet. However, it is important for God’s people to be able to judge things for themselves. Jesus told us to judge with righteous judgment.
With regard to heretical teachings, David said it well enough -
“He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD. How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.” (Psa 40:2-4)
David compared the miry clay with ‘those who lapse into falsehood’. Paul speaks of this as the trickery of men by craftiness in deceitful scheming, or, as, ‘winds of doctrine’. He is using the ‘wind‘ illustration in a Hebrew Biblical sense. The idea is of clouds and winds that make a promise of rain, yet produce nothing but disappointment. The boast works on the emotions, but are a mere illusion.
Hence -
“Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely.” (Pro 25:14)
What are winds of doctrines
Winds of doctrine are teachings that twist and turn the Scriptures to make them mean something that they don’t mean. Most believers at one time or another have accepted a teaching that was not true to God’s Word. This generally comes from immaturity. But believing a falsehood can also come from a defiant attitude. This is where a person has made a choice to believe a lie. Thus they become snared by darkness.
At this point it is important to point out how the charismatic movement that began in the early 60s, has become a breeding ground for heretical teachings. Through the goodness of the Lord, a great many true believers have escaped from that movement of ‘pyramid teachers’ by personal soul-searching and by a proper study of Biblical doctrine.
The term ‘pyramid teachers’ is a keynote. Most often a heretical teaching begins with a well-recognized, big-name, noted charismatic teacher. It then filters down the ranks until all the teachers in that movement are parroting the false doctrine. The thinking is, ‘How could so-and-so be wrong about anything. He is a chosen instrument of God.’ (Or such like.)
Let’s take just one charismatic false doctrine…
The ‘We are gods’ heresy
You may want to take time to view this entry:
http://buddymartin.net/blog/2011/05/beware-of-the-godhood-lie/
Here are some but not all of the proponents of this teaching. These quotes are not taken out of context.
“You don’t have a god in you, you are one.” (Kenneth Copeland) “… You are a little god running around.” (Benny Hinn) “I’m a god and you are a god.” (Jim Jones) “You are as much the incarnation of God as Christ was” (Kenneth Hagin) “Until we comprehend that we are little gods, we cannot manifest the kingdom of God.” (Earl Paulk) “I am a little god! Critics, be gone!” (Paul Crouch, TBN)
The godhood heresy is based primarily on two Scriptures portions. The problem is that both these portions are removed from their cultural and Biblical context.
First the Psalmist Asaph wrote,
“I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High.” (Psa 82:6)
Then we have this from the New Testament:
“The Jews answered Him, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.’
“Jesus answered them, ‘Has it not been written in your Law, “I SAID, YOU ARE GODS”? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’”? (Joh 10:33-36)
The heresy twist follows this line of thinking – All Christians are gods. The Bible says that we are ‘little gods’ on this planet. We are made in the image and likeness of God, and thus we are ‘little gods.’
Keep in mind this adage…
A text taken out of context is a pretext
No where in the Bible does it say that we are little gods. We are sons and daughters of God. Even those terms have to be place in their proper
understanding. So what was the Psalmist Asaph’s point and why did Jesus quote from him? Good questions. The answer is not as difficult as it may seem.
The context of Psalm 82 has to do with the ‘rulers‘ of Israel. Verse 1 says, “God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers.” (The word for ruler here is ‘elohim‘.)
The rulers in Israel were given a dignity by God to represent Him in Israel. Verses 2 through 4 are charges against these unjust rulers.
“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah. Vindicate the weak and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.” (Psa 82:2-4)
Then we have the Lord’s answer for these unjust rulers who held a certain God-given dignity.
“They do not know nor do they understand; they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High. ‘ Nevertheless you will die like men and fall like any one of the princes.’” (Psa 82:5-7)
The ‘all of you’ remains in place for Israel’s leadership. Their role as ‘rulers (elohim)’ had well gone to their heads. They loved being held in high esteem. Their loved the acclamations. They loved to boast on their higher status as ‘the‘ rulers who represented God. What does the Lord say? You are no different from any other person. You are going to fall and die like any other person of high rank.
Why did Jesus use the Asaph quote
Thus we have the key to why Jesus quoted from Asaph. Two issues are in view.
(1) During the time of Jesus, each city had its own Sanhedrin, and then all Israel was under the rule of the Great Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin continued to use Asaph’s ‘elohim‘ statement for their placement in Israel’s society. They alone had the status of representing God. They alone were the elohim of God. (By the way, the term ‘elohim’ is a generic term. It can be translated other than as ‘god.’ – gods, judges, angels.)
(2) Secondly, Jesus turned their boast on their own head. Listen: “If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”?
Did you catch what Jesus was saying to the rulers? If you are going to say that I am blaspheming, then you must also take this charge to yourself. What you charge Me with, would also make you a blasphemer. He caught them in their own foolishness. This is one reason that the Jewish rulers hated Jesus. They could never outdo His wisdom.
What is the point in all this
The point is that the ‘we are gods’ heresy is doing the very same thing today that it did during the time of Asaph and the time of Jesus. It is pride-centered, egotistical based, and creates an attitude of self-righteousness in those who take to themselves these teachings.
The point is that there are a lot of hurting believers coming out of the Charismatic movement. They have been damaged by heresy. The ‘we are god’s’ is only one of many heresies found there. The teaching that, ‘we can create with our words’, that ‘we are messiahs on the earth’, that, ‘Jesus was rich and wore designer clothes’, that, ‘any form of sickness is always of the devil’, and on and on and on, are all teachings that run contrary to the truths of God.
Heresies do not bring true freedom into a child of God’s life. They do just the opposite. They end up as bondages. 
It is as I said at the beginning of this entry -
“…heretical teachings can be based on either a misunderstanding of the Scriptures or by stark misrepresentation. … It is important for God’s people to be able to judge things for themselves. Jesus told us to judge with righteous judgment.”
While you think on these things, please take time to listen to Michael W. Smith, as he sings, ‘Draw Me Close to You.’
In Christ always,
Buddy
Published April 30, 2011 | 
“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” (Act 3:19-21)
Journal,
The eyes of the world are on the Middle East. We are seeing a conflagration (uncontrolled fire) working its way out from the regions of ancient Babylon. The heat is intense in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Israel, Somalia, Egypt, Syria, Libya, not to speak of all the ‘***istan’ nations of the former Soviet Union. Keep in view that all these nations with the exception of Israel, are Islamic.
So much for all the diatribe on Islam being a religion of peace.
The apostle Peter told the Jewish people that Jesus had been received into heaven and would stay there, but would send times of ‘refreshing’ [special moves of the Holy Spirit] until the period of restoration of all things.
What did he mean by the term restoration? The Greek term ‘apokatastasis‘ means a restitution of a thing to its former condition. This expression denotes the times when the ‘fullness of the Gentiles’ is completed, and the conversion of the Jewish nation is at hand.
This was a primary concern for the Lord’s Hebrew apostles. Jesus clearly taught that the kingdom of God would be taken away from the nation of Israel until the day came when they would say of Him, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
In Acts 1:6, they asked Him,
“‘Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’ Jesus responded, ‘It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.’”
The clock is ticking
This is why May 14, 1948 is so important to redemption history. Israel lost her nationhood in the year 70 a.d. She was brought forth again as a nation in 1948, and took her place among the nations. Thus we have Isa66:8 fulfilled;
“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.”
Then we have this from the Lord:
“And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles [other nations] until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24)
Some like to think that a nation being brought forth all at once has to do with the church. However, this does damage to the prophecy. Notice carefully that it is not simply a nation, but also a land that will be born in one day. The Hebrew for land [’erets] speaks of the earth. The land took on the name Israel on May 14, 1948, and land of Israel once again took her place among the nations of the world.
Without laboring this too much we also need to understand that the nation of Israel today is not the nation she is going to be. The Jews returning to the land is at the heart of Old Testament prophecy. Yet Israel today is largely secular, with Talmudic Judaism in charge of her religious affairs. The fact that Israel is largely secular is not a bad thing in comparison to the Christ-hating Talmudic religion.
(Most Jews do not hate Jesus. There are even Jewish-Christian churches and synagogues in Israel. According to my sources, the number one topic of discussion among Israelis today is about Jesus. The Lord is stirring their hearts. Any hatred towards Jesus and Christians comes largely from Orthodox-Talmudic Judaism.)
The mystery of the dry bones
When God spoke to Ezekiel about the dry bones, it had to do with the restored captivity of that time. However, it had a deeper meaning that would reach forward to the day when Israel turns to Jesus, and call upon Him as their Lord and Savior..
“He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ And I answered, ‘O Lord GOD, You know.’ Again He said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.”’
“Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. ‘I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the LORD.’” (Eze 37:3-6)
Now lets combine two Scriptures, one from the old and the other from the new. Both with the same goal.
First Zechariah 12:10:
“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me [This is Yahweh speaking] whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him [Jesus the crucified One], and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him [Jesus] like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”
Now Romans 11:25-27:
“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery — so that you will not be wise in your own estimation — that a partial hardening has happened to Israel [the Christ-rejecting nation group] until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved [nation group looks to Jesus]; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’”
The sins of the Christ-rejecting Israel can only be taken away when they come to faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ.
The message to Israel has never changed. When Peter addressed the Jewish leadership, this is what he said:
“He [Jesus] is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Act 4:11-12)
No one can ever be saved aside from receiving Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as both Lord and Savior. There are no exceptions.
A house restored
Let’s come back to what Peter said about the times of restoration:
“…that He [the Father] may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” (Acts 3:20,21)
The Greek term for ‘period‘ is chronos. It speaks of a particular time or space or season of events.
The Greek term for ‘restoration‘ is a double compound. It is only used here. But interestingly enough it is also used by Flavius Josephus for the return of the Jews from captivity, and for the restoration of the year of Jubilee. That is the how the term was understood during the time of Christ.
The period of refreshing and restoration that Peter speaks of has a dual focus. It includes the Church being refreshed during her journey on heart. And while the Church is being prepared for her
departure, the Jewish people are being gathered to the land of Israel to fulfill her prophesied purposes. Hence, God is working with the Jews and with the Christians.
For the Jew there is a period of tribulation they must endure before the Savior comes out of Zion. The Bible also gives place for a pseudo-Church during the last hours of this age. (Pseudo refers to something that appears to be true but is not. A false pretender.)
The true church refers to those who are inborn of the Spirit and will not follow anyone other than Jesus, in spite of signs and wonders. The true Church will make her departure from the earth at the proper time. The pseudo Church will follow after lying wonders.
Tears for Jerusalem
Let’s listen to some of the last words that Jesus spoke over Jerusalem.
“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44)
And again,
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me UNTIL you say, ‘Blessed is He [Jesus] who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Matt23:37,38)
So, will the kingdom of God be restored to Israel? Will Israel really turn to the Lord Jesus and become part with His people? Can it be proved by the Scriptures? I believe it can. For your extra study consider these Scriptures: Isaiah 1:26; Jeremiah 23:3-6; Hosea 3:4,5; 5:15; 6:1-3.
That’s it for now.
Here is your song. Let the Lord refresh your heart. ‘There’s a Promise Coming Down’ by Joy Gardner…
Blessings,
Buddy
Published April 12, 2011 |
For interested readers here are my top journal entries that are receiving the most traffic:
(1) The Battle of Temptations: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2011/04/the-battle-of-temptations/
(2) The Gospel is like a Caged Lion: http://buddymartin.net/blog/2011/04/the-gospel-is-like-a-caged-lion/
(3) My Testimony: http://buddymartin.net/blog/testimony/
(4) Salvation: http://buddymartin.net/blog/salvation/
Journal,
There is so much in the Scriptures that relates to the well-being of believers. Included in our well-being we have, the blood covenant, our eternal seal of security in Christ, our heavenly citizenship, the Holy Spirit of God, the promises of God, the ‘catching away’ promise, the very armor of God Himself, and much more. Yet there is one aspect of our well-being that we don’t hear much about. It has to do with the ministry of angels. There are tons of books about the demonic. What gives?
Who are these holy angels of God, and what is their special role among believers? In this entry we will consider some of the basic issues that relate to God’s holy angels. However, the study of angels is a vast domain. I simply wish to let you see just how wonderful these heavenly creatures are and how they affect your life. 
Note: Place your cursor over a Scripture reference and it will appear.
Messengers of the Throne
The Hebrew word for angel is mal’ak. Greek is ággelos. These terms carry the meaning of, ‘to dispatch as a messenger’. While they can be applied to a human messenger, most often in the Scriptures they have to do with God’s holy and majestic angels. One of their duties is to be a messenger of the throne, and in many other ways to carry out the will of God.
Angels are commissioned servants of God. There are various orders of angels but I’ll keep things simple and just talk about angels in a general sense.
Let’s begin here:
“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. Bless the LORD, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word!” (Psa 103:19-22)
In the book of Hebrews, angels are said to be ‘ministering spirits.’ With this in mind they have a very unique role with regard to the people of salvation. Listen:
“But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for Your feet’? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:13-14)
Heavenly involvement
Angels are much more involved in our lives than we realize. Notice carefully that it says the angels render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation. God knew every one of His people from eternity long past. Today the angels also know every child of God. Fact of the matter is that every person who is ever going to be saved, their name is already written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Cf. Rev13:8; 17:8
As for being ministering spirits, angels don’t often take on human form, but they can. Angels are awesome in their natural state. However, the Lord knows that seeing angels in all their majesty could be somewhat disconcerting to believers. So angels for the most part always keep a low profile. Most often they are the unseen servants who attend to that which God assigns them.
The list is endless about how angels attend to our lives. It appears that their realm of being is deeply affected by God’s children on earth. Jesus said that there is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents. (Cf. Luke15:10)
We also know that angels attest to a believer’s confession of Jesus Christ. (Luke12:8) Angels go with believers to heaven. (Luke16:22) They gather all God’s elect at the proper time. (Mark13:27) Angels are involved in the judgments of God. (2Th1:7; 2Kings19:35) Angels do every deed that the voice of God speaks.
Spiritual strength
A very interesting aspect of angels is that believers most likely have drawn on the strength of angels without realizing it. We see this in the life of Jesus. There are two particular instances where Jesus as a man actually receives strength from an angel. Once is following His temptation. The other is in the garden.
Here they are:
“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”‘ Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” (Mat 4:10-11)
“…saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’ Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.” (Luk 22:42-43)
If Jesus in His humanity needed extra spiritual strength, could it be that we also need that strength? Jesus is noted as the firstborn of many brothers, and of course, sisters. We are heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. A major difference is that angels had been in the company of Jesus from the time of their creation. He is Lord and God. While we don’t have that level of experience, yet we are the very children that Jesus came to redeem. Cf. Rom8:16-19.
As messengers of God, here are some references: Cf. Heb1:13,14; Gen28:12,13; Psa91:11; Luke 1:12,13; 1:28-33; Mat1:19-23; 2:13.
Do we have special angels
The angels of the Lord go to and fro from His throne. In the ancient Hebrew tradition there was a belief that every nation had a special angel, and that a certain class of angels nearest to the throne of God, had charge over God’s children. These angels were called, ‘Angels of the Presence’, or, ‘Angels of the Face.’ (mal’aki panim) They had constant contact with the Father. It appears that Gabriel
was of that class. (Cf. Luke1:19)
In the book of Revelation, there are angels assigned to churches. It is also possible that each child of God has an attending angel, or at least an angel that would come from the throne of God to aid the believer at special times. The Lord drew attention to this in a warning to the world:
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” (Mat 18:10)
Lord, send your angels
Is it alright to ask the Lord to send His angels to meet a special need? I don’t know why not. I also think this is an area where we can ask the Lord to guide us in our prayers. We do know that when Jesus told the disciple to withdraw his sword, He said:
“Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Mat 26:53)
Yes, we are heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. And always remember what the Prophet Elisha said to his servant:
“Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’
“So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2Ki 6:15-17)
Think about it. There is so much more to be said. Let the Lord fill your heart and mind with the good things of His kingdom.
In the meantime, listen to this wonderful song. ‘Lord Send Your Angels’ by Candy Christmas.
Always your friend in Christ,
Buddy
Published November 6, 2010 | “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.” (1Pe 2:11 NASB)
Journal,
This is one of those ‘above’ and ‘below’ teachings that is at the very heart of true Biblical Christianity. You will find these above/below sayings scattered through the New Testament. You 
also find them in the former testament. Yes, there are aliens on planet earth. Every true Christian is an alien. The Bible says that we are from above.
Consider some variations of the above/below statements:
He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.” (John 3:31)
You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.”(John 8:23)
You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:11)
But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.” (Gal4:26)
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” (Col3:1,2)
The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.” (1Co15:47,48)
And then this of believers:
If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” (John 15:19)
I’ve placed these Scriptures at the fore of this study as sort of pre-conditioner for where we are going in this study.
Let’s begin with …
The Puzzled Ruler
(Cf. John 18:33-38)
The conversation was not going as he expected. For one thing Pilate’s wife warned him not to
do harm to “this righteous man.” She had a dream about Jesus. So when Pilate asked Jesus if He was the king of the Jews, the Lord said,
“Are you saying this on your own initiation, or did others tell you about Me?”
Of course Pilate was echoing one of the accusations being brought against Jesus. In his baffled state, he says,
“I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”
The Lord responded,
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be turned over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Pilate then says,
“So You are a king?”
This is when he hears,
“You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”
Pilate is bewildered;
“What is truth?”
There you have it.
So what is truth
Would you really like to know? I can tell you what truth is not. Truth is not a religion. Religions are all the efforts of man. When you hear someone say, ‘Our church has the truth,” don’t even bother yourself. Truth is not some sort of religious commodity to be attained through a church.
Truth is the story of the cross. Not long after His conversation with Pilate, the rest of the story plays out at the cross. In a short time God’s very own Son will hang on a cross. A sign above His head will read in three languages,
‘Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.’
The languages were Hebrew (possibly Aramaic), and Greek, and Latin. These were the languages of the known world. Pilate had it written in contempt of the Jewish leadership who were responsible for the crucifying of Jesus.
The chief priests were indignant,
Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”
Pilate responded,
What I have written I have written.” Cf John 19:19-22
Wise men still seek Him
The prophets wrote about Him. Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel, and countless other righteous men and women of former times had encounters with Him.
Isn’t it interesting how wise men came from the east asking questions about Jesus.
Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” (Mat2:2)
And there He was, the One of whom the sages from the east were seeking, hanging on a cross.
Do we still have the Jesus haters among us? Some time back I was in dialog with certain people of the Jewish faith. One man retorted, ‘I am not going to worship a Jew on a stick.’
What a sad little man. While all the world is seeking after life and discovering Jesus, included multiplied thousands of Jewish people, and we still have this sort of Jesus vilification.
But of course the story doesn’t end at the cross. On the day of Pentecost we hear the apostle Peter declare quite plainly,
Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36)
Peter told them that Jesus was the promised Son of David, destined to David’s throne. Now He was ascended into the highest heavens.
What is it about the cross
What is the significance of the Man hanging on a cross? No significance at all if that was where He would be left. He would simply be another prophet of Israel, following the trail of the many prophets before Him.
But of course Jesus was far from being a prophet. He was God manifest in the flesh.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it was to begin its delivery with Jerusalem,
“Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God.’” (Isa40:9)
The one hanging on the cross was the God of Israel.
And the message of the cross points to His resurrection from the dead, to His ascension into heaven, to His being seated at the right hand of the Father, and to the bringing forth of a new creation, those who would be born of heaven.
The significance of His ascension and glorification is that the kingdom of God had entered into its completed redemptive stage. All of eternity would rest its case on the finished work of Calvary. This brings us to the reality of the ‘above’ and ‘below’ truths.
OK, here comes the aliens
When a person is actually born again, which, by the way, literally means ‘to be born from above,’ this person becomes a new creature. This new creature is now a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem. Much of what is said of Jesus can be said of every child born from heaven.
Listen:
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Php 3:20-21 NASB)
“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Rom 8:16-17 NASB)
The point is that once a person is born again, their spiritual center shifts. One moment they were
earthy creatures, the next moment they have entered into the kingdom of the beloved Son. And this kingdom is “not of this world.” Its center will not be found in this world.
Forget the isms, schisms, divisions, sectarians and all that concerns religious jargon. Those things are not the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. They are of the world.
None of this does away with the flocking of God’s children. We are to congregate in groups that are ordained of the Lord. But the visible church cannot in itself fully represent the full measure of the body of Christ. You will find born again children of God throughout Christendom. And it has nothing to do with church affiliation. It altogether has to do with our being born from above.
When Jesus said, “I am not of this world,” he later said the very same thing about all God’s children. In His high priestly prayer, Jesus reached across time. He speaks of all who will come to Him. Jesus said,
I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14)
Heavenly citizens in earthly bodies
If we were to take Scripture by Scripture concerning our being from above, it would simply thrill your heart. And this is the idea. Our hearts need to thrill over what it means to belong to Christ. The greatest problem facing many Christians today is that of learning about their true identity as heavenly citizens. We are right now heavenly citizens living in earthly bodies. We have to learn what this means to us on a spiritual level.
What needs to be understood is that every child of God has a spiritual support base that is out of this world. This is exactly what Paul is talking about when he says,
Set your mind [be intent on] the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and you life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col3:2,3)
This also what Jesus meant when He said,
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt6:33)
Seeking His kingdom is another way of saying, ‘Seek His direct rule in your life.’ There is no kingdom without a rule. And to the ancient people of God, to seek God’s righteousness meant to look to God’s faithfulness in which He acts as the good Shepherd of His people.
Jesus is not speaking of positional righteousness which belongs to every child of God. He is speaking of our learning to walk in the ways of the Lord. The Lord said if we would learn to do that, then everything else in life, that is, all our needs, whatever they may be, will simply be added to us.
Think about it. Yes indeed, we are aliens in this present world.
Here is a song that speaks to our heavenly life. Let it minister to your heart. ‘Yes, I Know,’ by Gaither Vocal Band
Jesus loves you,
Buddy
Published October 26, 2010 | “For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil.”
(Pro 1:32-33 NASB)
Journal,
The soul of every sinner is the same. Yes, I’m talking about everyone, including we who have found Jesus Christ as our own Lord and Savior. We were sinners by nature and by birth.
We walked in the ways of the world. We lived in the ways of the world. Our life was flesh driven and self-centered. We sought pleasures to our own making. And we were locked in chains of darkness and did not even realize it.
This is why Paul said,
“Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” Eph2:3
The apostle is saying that it doesn’t matter if we were of a Jewish or a Gentile background. We all had the same kind of souls, the soul of sinners.
David understood this issue. He said,
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” Psa51:5
David was speaking of his natural life.
Paul takes it further;
“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Rom7:25
Both David and Paul knew the answer. David looked ahead and saw the resurrection of Christ. This is why he said,
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; who shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?” Psa27:1
David had seen the beauty of the Lord. He saw Jesus of the cross. He saw Jesus of resurrected glory.
What of the Christian soul?
There is a certain wonder that takes place when a person is born of heaven. It is almost too wondrous for words. Peter said that it is joy, inexpressible, and full of glory.
When a person is born again a number of things happens. First the Christian is given a Christ like nature. The Christian becomes a spiritual being. Where there was darkness, there is now light. Where there was endless searching for fulfillment, the fulfillment has arrived. Jesus completes our life. That missing part is no longer missing. The search is over.
The Psalmist said it this way -
“The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.” Psalm16:5,6
Reshaped for life.
When a new believer first enters the realm of salvation, there is a burst of spiritual life. There is joy! There is peace! There is wonderment! Grace flows like a river. Then somewhere along the way something happens and this feeling of joy begins to wane. Some of the old sinful patterns try to reappear. What is happening!
It could be a number of things. Very often it is self-assertion. We are replacing the Spirit with the flesh.
Then there is the issue of truth. In the Scriptures, the term ‘truth’ does not refer simply to a doctrine. The Greek term is used in the new covenant for our experiencing the realities of Christ. Sometimes a Christian gets bogged down in legalism and letterism. Paul said the letter kills whereas the Spirit gives life.
What did Paul mean? It would seem that we need all the laws we can get! Not really. Paul understood the new covenant as well as it can be understood. He knew that every person who is truly born again is under the life supervision of the Holy Spirit. If we try to live for the Lord in our own strength we will surely find ourselves weakening.
The apostle said that he had found the secret to living a full life of victory. Listen:
“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil4:12,13)
The lesson is simple – It is the Spirit of God who births us, seals us, tutors us, educates us, places us where we need to be, refreshes us, turns our trials into victories, helps us escape bad teachings, keeps the glory of Jesus before us, and many such things. Our final presentation in heaven is a thing of the Spirit.
In the new covenant this all centers on sonship. Paul said,
“Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” Gal4:6
Our relationship with the Father is not that of a servant. We are sons and daughters of the living God. Angels know the Divine seal upon God’s children. And so our inward life is being reshaped by the Spirit of God.
Living Out Our Life in Christ
Yes, the believer can very well find himself drifting back into old life styles. This does not mean that he isn’t saved. What it means is that ‘the’ lesson is yet to be learned. This lesson will be taught to the believer under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It often comes throug
h necessary trials in the believer’s life. (Trials are not punishments from God. They are designed to give true purpose in our walk with Him.)
The point is that the life that Jesus came to give us is unlike anything the world has ever known. We are heavenly born people in earthly bodies. This is why we often struggle within ourselves. This is also why true believer’s carry in themselves a longing for their final transformation. And this is why we can only be happy when we are living a Spirit-filled life.
Paul speaks to this in saying,
“As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have born the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.” (1Co15:48,49)
The second lesson to learn is that we actually carry in us the life and power of Jesus. We can draw on His life and on His power. We reaffirm our life on a daily basis by remembering our unique role on planet earth. We also affirm our life in Christ when we learn our need to gather as the people of God. It is in our gatherings we share a very unique promise of God’s presence.
And so the question remains, ‘Are we having fun yet?’ You can decide this for yourself. It really depends on whose camp you are in.
Here is a song that will bless you – ‘I Can’t Even Walk,’ by Jessy Dixon, David Phelps, and Guy Penrod.
Love you in Christ,
Buddy
Posted in Bible Insights | born again, children of God, having fun yet, heavenly life, Jessy Dixon, light of God
Listen to blogs 
