Published May 19, 2010 | 
“I come as an ambassador from the kingdom of God, and I have a
message for you from the King.”
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Journal,
It happened many years ago. We were crossing a mountain in Honduras to reach a village near the border of Guatemala. I knew that I’d be preaching the gospel in the village, but I wanted to know if there was something special the Lord wanted me to say. I heard in my heart, ‘Tell them that you come as an ambassador from the kingdom of God, and that you have a message for them from the King.’
The church was packed to the extent that some of the men were actually sitting in the open windows. Women and children crowded most all the pews. A few men were scattered around while a large group of men gathered at the back of the church. There was little room for anyone else to enter the building.
The moment Nathan began to interpret what the Lord had given me to say, a holy hush settled over the crowded assembly. I began preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That is when it happened. As I was bringing my message to a close, an old Indian stood up and began making his way towards the front. I could not take my eyes off of him. I was watching the power of the gospel. The old Indian was coming to meet his King. And meet Him he did. It was as though the Lord was allowing me to see the spiritual side of redemption. It had nothing to do with me. It had everything to do with the power of the gospel.
I have never forgotten that scene. It has been imprinted deep in my heart. And that is only one of multitudes of scenes that the Lord has imprinted in my 45 years as a servant of the Lord. I fully understand why Paul said,
“For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified … so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” (Cf. 1Co2:2-5)
So, what gospel did the apostles preach? Was it a Catholic gospel? Is it a Protestant gospel or an Evangelical gospel? And on and on and on.
Then you have the Mormon gospel, the Jehovah Witnesses gospel, the Seventh Day Adventists gospel, the Messianic movement gospel, the Charismatic movement gospel. Is it any wonder that people get confused today? What is the gospel?
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Is it not strange that we would even have to ask what gospel the apostles preached?
Is it not strange that we would even have to ask, “What is the message that has been entrusted to the Church for the past 2000 years, by which any person can be saved?”
Well, don’t find it strange that we should ask these questions. Satan’s greatest efforts of deception have always been to put a death shroud over the gospel of our salvation. He does it by wrapping it up in religious jargon. He does it by introducing a mixture of strange teachings. He does it by adding things that were never taught by Jesus or the apostles. Satan’s mode of operation is to create strange gospels.
Satan well knows that the simple gospel of Jesus Christ is the one thing people need to hear in order to be saved. Somehow he has to keep that message from going forth in its purity.
Did not the writer of Hebrews, say,
“Do not be carried away by strange teachings?” (Heb13:9)
Did not the apostle say,
“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.” (Eph4:14)
Paul is using a picture of a foamy sea, combined with twisting winds, to make his point. And his point is that immature believers, who are not anchored in the true gospel of Jesus Christ, are easily caught up in the swirl of false teachings.
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Seeking the next experience.
Contending false gospels have always been a major battle zone for the church. This is why you see so much ‘experience’ chasing today. People have never discovered the beauty and power of the simple gospel. And so, they are continually seeking the ‘next’ experience that will truly set them free.
Ever notice how it is always the next revival, or the next move, or ‘we are right on the edge of
something great,’ or, ‘the next thing is the Elisha move.’ Ever stop to think what all these terms are saying? They are saying that Jesus is not enough by Himself. They are saying that no believer can stop and rest. We must strive! Strive! Strive! Next thing you know, you have believers confused, tired and a little more than upset.
We are living in an age of spiritual junkies. The next great revival is just around the corner. Did you know that the apostles never taught any such thing? They never taught a striving after the next move. What they preached was our fulfillment in Christ Himself. Did not Paul say, “Christ in you the hope of glory.”
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What did Jesus say?
Did He not say,
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heaven-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt11:28)
Did not John say,
“For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)
Paul said,
“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2Co11:3)
James said,
“But the wisdom (fruit of the gospel) from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)
Listen carefully to this Scripture:
“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him YOU HAVE BEEN MADE COMPLETE, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” (Col2:9,10 - Caps for emphasis only.)
So what did the apostles preach?
First understand that Paul placed a curse on false gospels? Do you remember him saying,
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should PREACH TO YOU a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed.” (Gal1:8)
Please listen carefully – There is one word that we need to connect to with in the issue of what the apostles preached. It is the word, ‘preached.’ The apostles preached something that every false gospel tries to undermined. Do you know what it is?
Well, let’s see what it is. Listen carefully to Romans 10:8-10;
“But what does it say? ‘The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,’ that
is, the word of faith WHICH WE ARE PREACHING ……that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
You can read the Scriptures for yourself. Ask the Lord to show you the true plan of salvation. He will open your eyes to the glory and beauty of simple faith. The only thing you will need to do is to get into the Bible for yourself. Read it with a passion.
Let me pass something on to you that is wonderful beyond words. Someone once asked Charles Spurgeon, the man known as the prince of preachers, to write a defense of the gospel. He responded that the gospel did not need to be defended. It is like a caged lion. Turn it loose and it will take care of itself.
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Now a word about metaphysical gospels –
Many believers today do not realize how very subtle the teachings of metaphysics are. It is very easy to cross over into this realm without truly understanding what is happening.
Metaphysical teachings appeal to our desire for control. Since we are spiritual creatures, we love the appeal of great things. All we have to do is learn the spiritual laws. For example, “You can create with your words!” Or, “If you say a thing enough, it will happen.”
Did you know that this kind of teaching is the basis for sorcery? Sorcery involves the manipulation of spiritual forces.
But is this what the apostles taught? Hardly. The apostles taught the principle of Lordship.
Paul warned the Corinthian Church that they were bordering on the occult. Did you know this?
Listen carefully;
“For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.” (2Co11:4)
What under heaven was Paul talking about? He was talking about the very thing that is happening in certain movements in Christendom today. Spiritual laws are being taught in the place of Lordship. How to accomplish prosperity is being preached in the place of Biblical repentance, and in not striving after wealth. The list is endless. All these strange teachings are replacement gospels.
What does any of this have to do with the old Indian?
It has everything to do with the old Indian. I brought to the old Indian the only message that can be validated from heaven, the only message that we are authorized to preach. I brought to him the gospel of the kingdom of God. I preached what Paul preached, what Peter preached, what John preached. Here it is:
“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1Co 15:1-4 NASB)
Yes there is more to be said about preaching the gospel from heaven. I’ve often told folk that I can preach the gospel a thousand different ways but it will always be the same gospel. It will always be about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Seems if I stay with that message I will always be in good company.
If you are still curious about what the apostles preached go to this page:
http://buddymartin.net/blog/salvation/
Think about it.
In Christ always,
Buddy
Published April 29, 2010 | 
“Let me sing now for my well-beloved A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.” (Isa 5:1 NASB)“You removed a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground before it, and it took deep root and filled the land.” (Psalm80:8,9)
Isaiah drew attention to the vine, in saying,
“Let me sing now for my well-beloved a song of my beloved concerning His vineyard.” (Isa5:1)
And over the entrance of the Holy Place in Herod’s temple was the symbol of the grape vine. The grape vine represented Israel. So when Jesus spoke of the Vine and branches, His Hebrew disciples already had this covenant symbol fixed in their thinking. The sad side of the story was that when the leaders in Israel rejected Jesus Christ, they became dead branches to be discarded. The Vine of Christ would only include true believers.
(You can read a prophetic picture of Israel’s loss as the Vineyard of the Lord in Isaiah 5:2-7, and in Matt21:33-46)
With that in mind let’s take a closer look at our new covenant experience in Christ, by drawing from the analogy of the Vine and the branches.
It takes place in the upper room. 
Jesus is sharing some awesome things with the disciples in preparing them for the cross and the things to come. It is during this time that He says,
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” (John 15:1-8)
There is a much more to the analogy of Jesus being the ‘true Vine’ than meets the eye. Jesus has always been the true vine. But let’s leave that be for now. What we want to do is bring this into the new covenant experience.
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The word ‘abide’ is the key in this prophetic analogy.
Abide carries strong covenant overtones. The Greek word ‘meno’ means to stay in place, or to remain within a sphere. As for covenant overtones, we have a picture of this when God speaks to Abraham, and says,
“I am God Almighty; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you.” (Gen17:1,2)
Notice the Lord says that He will do the establishing of the covenant.
So, we do the walking, God does the establishing. Believers are to live by faith in the Lord Jesus. We are to walk in the knowledge of God’s strength and presence and of His love, that is, a love that we can never be separated from! This is our completeness.
The issue of abiding is at the very heart of the new covenant. We share our life with Christ. He shares His life with us. It’s not half life we share. We share in the full life of Jesus. He shares fully in our life.
The word covenant in Hebrew is the word ‘berith.’ In Greek it is ‘diatheke.’ Both words speak of a declaration of the will of God concerning His own commitment, promises, and conditions by which He enters into relationship with man.
God is the one who establishes the covenant. He is the initiator and completer. For this reason the vine is a vivid picture of our new covenant relationship with God.
The believer has one role in the Vine life. He is to look to the Lord Jesus for everything in life. Yet it is this one truth that believers sometimes stumble over. It is so easy to concentrate on working for Lord, and not on abiding in Him. Of course the end result is often frustration and even burn out.
The truth of the matter is that God has designed us to be faith-dependent on Jesus. This alone is the true secret of power!
Paul discovered this truth the same way that many of us do. The apostle said,
“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me– to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.
“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
“Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2Co12:7-10)
There is no question that Paul was a man of great zeal. His eagerness for the Lord was to be admired, but this eagerness also became a danger point in Paul’s life.
And Paul found that prayer by itself could not take care of the problem. He had to learn the vine secret. When Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness,’” the apostle recognized that he was attempting to do too much on his own.
And so, what did Jesus tell the disciples about their vine life? He said, “Without Me you can do nothing.”
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Our perfect example of the vine life is Jesus Himself.
In His earth walk, not one time do we ever see Jesus defensive or frustrated. Can we be like that? What was His secret? To answer that question, we need to ask another question. How many times do we hear Jesus say that He does nothing on His own initiative?
That is the key. (For your study consider the following Scriptures; John 5:30; 8:28; 8:42; 12:49; 14:10.)
Keep ever before you that the victory we walk in is the victory of the cross, that is, God’s finished work in Christ. It is the victory of Jesus that we are to abide in. It is His rest that we enter into. We are to trust in the Lord to work out His will in our life. It is in this arena of trust that the quiet life of abiding takes over.
Listen to these Scriptures:
“And the work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.” (Isa32:17)
“The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness. And He will be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is his treasure.” (Isa33:5,6)
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt11:29)
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Now let’s go a step further.
It is in learning how to abide that we learn the outflow of God’s will. It really isn’t hard for any child of God to learn the flow of God’s will. There are only two things we need to know. First, we need to understand that God has a perfect will for all of His children. This includes His general will, and His specific will.
And, secondly we need to know that God is the only One who can work His will in our life. We don’t work God’s will. God works His own will.
Consider these key Scriptures:
“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Phil2:12)
Notice it says that God is at work in each of us according to His will and for His own pleasure. Now for an even broader picture;
“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb12:20,21)
Again notice that it is the God of peace who equips us ‘in everything‘ to do His will. He does this through our relationship with Jesus Christ. Again note that God’s work has to do with His pleasure. God is pleased to work with all His children.
There is no part of a believer’s life that the Lord is not vitally concerned with. This includes our mess ups. God can take the most terrible things of our own doings, and turn them to good. This is why the prophet of old could say,
“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lam3:22,23)
The Lord never ceases to love and care for His people. Perhaps David said it best of all. He said,
“You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great.” (Psa18:35)
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The Lord’s gentleness.
The Hebrew word for gentleness, ‘anavah’, speaks of meekness, humility, condescension. This word paints a picture of a father giving tender instruction to his young child, in helping the child learn lessons of character. Our Father is a loving Father.
What is it that we need to learn from the Father? Let me share three simple keys to the Vine life that we need to learn. These keys include much of what we have already studied. But it will do well to review them again.
The 1st key to a victorious life is simply learning to abide in Christ. We discussed this earlier, but it needs to be reemphasized. Remember that it is His fruit that we bear. Therefore, we must learn to let our faith settle in Him absolutely. This is where God receives glory.
The 2nd key to a victorious Christian life is found in the second half of verse 7. Jesus said,
“…and My words abide in you.”
The Greek language has two words for word. Logos means thoughts and conceptions, or arrangements. It is in our meditations and study that God’s Logos flows. However, this is not the word Jesus uses here. Here Jesus says, ‘…if my Words (rhema [hray’-mah]) abide in you…’
Rhema speaks of that which has been uttered by a living voice. We are always to seek from the Lord Himself, that is, His voice in our hearts, for instructions for our lives. This is Christ ministering His Word in the heart of a believer. There are many voices in world, but there is only one voice we are to seek for and listen to.
The 3rd key is the love key. Jesus said,
“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” (John15:9.)
To abide in His love is to keep always before us His love for us. Meno means to settle down in the knowledge of His love. God’s love is your protection. The apostle said that nothing can ever separate a believer from the Father’s love for us that is found in Christ Jesus.
So now you know the story of ‘the covenant of the Vine.’
Here is your song. There is a message in ‘God Will Make A Way”. Listen carefully. The Lord wants to speak to your heart.
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Don’t be discouraged. The Lord will see you through.
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Buddy
Published April 26, 2010 | 
“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.” (Psa 86:5 NASB)
Is there Biblical precedence for a person having a sickness or some other ailment, including a physical disorder, as a result of harboring unforgiveness, resentments, bitterness or ill will towards others. Yes, the Bible does teach that in some instances our physical and emotional well-being can very well reflect our inward state of being. Just like a tree we grow from the inside out. If the tree is not healthy on the inside it will reflect on the whole of the tree. So it is with us.
This is why the sage said,
“My son, give attention to my words; incline your heart to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the SPRINGS (outgoings) of life.“ (Pro4:20-23)
The Hebrew word for ‘springs’ is the word ‘tosaah.’ This is a geographical word. It speaks both of a boundary and of a source. Its reflective meaning addresses ‘goings forth’ or ‘outgoings.’ The point is that what we have in our hearts will determine the boundaries or the outgoing of our own life. Thus we give shape to our own life by what is in our own heart.
David draws attention to this with regard to the man who refuses to bless others, but only curses. Listen carefully:
“Because he did not remember to show lovingkindness…
“,,,he also loved cursing, so it came to him; and he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.
“But he clothed himself with cursings as with his garment, and it entered into his body like water and like oil into his bones. It came to him as a garment which he covers himself…” (Psalm 109:16-19)
The New Testament addresses bitterness in the same category as immorality. Notice Hebrews 12:14-16;
“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; that no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.”
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The peace of God’s kingdom. 
Pursuing peace addresses the peace of God’s kingdom. We are to be makers of peace when it is in our power to do so.
It is our purpose to bring ‘living water’ to those around us. These waters speak of the message of the cross. It is James who draws attention to this area of our not being able to share the gospel properly because of a mixed message.
“With it [our tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?”
(Jas 3:9-11 NASB)
Lets continue with the understanding on how bitterness may affect us today. I did not read the earlier statement about how bitterness can create an excessive burden in a believer’s life, and how that bitterness may even result in a discipline of the Lord.
Note the preceding Scriptures:
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful …. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” (vv12,13)
This is metaphoric language. Yet it calls attention to some of the burdens than can weigh a believer down as a result of unforgiveness and resentments. Is it not possible that some of our physical ailments are a result of the bitterness we carry? Is it also possible that some of our health issues can be the result of a connective measure from the Lord? These are things to consider.
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Both Paul and Peter speak to this.
Let’s tie some Scriptures together:
[Paul] “For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.” — The background for this is the Lord’s table, but its directive is to those who were resentful of others. The sicknesses in this case are punitive or corrective judgments from the Lord. — 1Co11:22-34.
[Peter] “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1Pe2:1,2)
We don’t always catch what Peter is saying. Where Peter speaks of the ‘pure milk’ of the word, he is speaking of milk that has not been adulterated by bitterness and other such things.
As a country boy I can give an example of what pure milk is not. In the south we have what is called bitter weeds. A cow will sometimes make these weeds part of her diet. If you drink milk from a cow who had eaten bitter weeds, believe me, you will spew the milk out of your mouth as quick as you can. The milk is filled with bitterness. And yet the milk itself looked perfectly good.
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Failure to make peace with the past.
This is where bitterness can become a defiling thing in our life. Most bitterness is a result of not having forgiven someone. We carry the unforgiveness in our heart. It is not a matter of whether the person deserves forgiveness, or even if they have asked for forgiveness. It is a matter of keepings one’s own spiritual life pure.
We have a perfect example to follow from the cross. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. For they don’t know what they are doing.”
We also hear this with the first Christian martyr. Stephen said, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” In neither case were the peoples asking for forgiveness.
When Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,” was this not the message of the cross? Are we not forgiven on the basis of a life exchange with Jesus? Jesus gave His life up for us. Are we not to learn to live in this flow of forgiveness? Are we not to forgive?
What many don’t realize is that unforgiveness is a sin. Why so? It is a sin because we are under commandment to forgive. We are also under commandment to walk in love the way Jesus walked. The Lord pointed out that a powerful faith walk revolves around forgiveness. He said,
“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25)
And so it may well be that the most crucial matter in a believer’s life is in coming to grips with the past. Until we learn to make peace with the past, we will suffer in the now. Are you free from the past? Is there something you need to let go?
“How to I get started?”
The way to get started is …
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Identify with Jesus.
What does identifying with Jesus mean? John said, “Greater is He who is in you and he who is in the world.”
That isn’t a hard issue to solved. How did Jesus conduct Himself in the gospels. He loved and He forgave. What should we do? Love and forgive. Jesus forgave all our sins, past, present, and future. How can we do otherwise. In fact if we learn to forgive quickly, it gives us the power to jerk the rug out from under the enemy. He will have nothing to work with.
And since the greater One lives in us, Paul give us how all this works. Listen and learn:
“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.” (Gal 2:20 NASB)
Much love to be found in Jesus,
In Christ always,
Buddy
Published April 16, 2010 | “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1Pe 2:9 NASB)
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Journal,
One word remains a constant in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, it is the word ‘call,’ or ‘the called.’ The Greek word is kaleo [kal-eh’-o] which means to call someone in order that they may come or to go somewhere or to follow someone.
In 1Thess2:12, Paul says we should, “…walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
Romans 8:28 says, “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.”
Actually our English word ‘church’ comes from this same root word ‘kaleo ‘. The Greek for church, that is ekklesia (ek-klay-see’-ah] originally spoke of a herald calling free citizens to a gathering. With regard to the church, it addresses that same idea. The church addresses, ‘the called out ones, called to publicly assemble themselves to Christ.’
Where does the call come from? It comes from Christ Himself. When Jesus asked the apostles who they thought He was, Peter responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then said,
“Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock [the heavenly revelation] I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” (Mat 16:17-18 NASB)
This statement is so often misunderstood. Jesus was not saying that the church would be built upon Peter. He was saying that the church would be built upon the revelation that Peter received from the heavenly Father, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. It is upon this heavenly revelation that Christ Jesus would build His church.
Actually there is much more to the picture of being ‘the called’ than meets the eye. It reaches all the way back to ‘paradise lost.’ The place to begin is to take another look at…
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The lost paradise 
What was the most precious thing that Adam lost when he rejected God’s word? Notice Genesis 3:8:
“They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”
There are three terms in this Scripture that are very significant. Each term describes what Adam lost. For instance the Hebrew word for ‘sound‘ is ‘kole’, which can literally be translated as ‘voice.’ Where the voice of the Lord had been a comfort to them, now the voice of God frightened Adam and Eve.
They were finding out that sin is not merely something people do. Sin is an influence that seeks to govern our lives. Thus Adam and Eve had come under the very influence and power of sin.
Then you have the word ‘cool.’ The Hebrew ‘ruach,’ means, breeze, spirit, or breath. Adam and Eve had also lost the spiritual refreshing that had been a great part of their walk with the Lord. The bottom line was simple – No more hearing the voice of the Lord on a true spiritual level. No more refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Their lives had forever changed.
Finally the word ‘presence.’ The Hebrew word ‘paneh’ literally means ‘face.’ This Hebrew word is often used metaphorically for the entire person. Adam was now cut off from the ‘person’ or ‘face’ of the Lord.
So, in accepting Satan’s lie, Adam’s life became contaminated by sin. His very nature changed. Adam’s former spiritual walk with the Lord was now replaced by sacrifices. Each sacrifice would speak of Adam’s lost estate, that he had been cut off from the direct presence of the Lord. From that moment on there would be a vacancy in the heart of the human race. We can describe this vacancy as a homesickness. There is a cry in the human heart for a return to paradise.
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The call of eternity.
But God left something in place. He left in Adam and Eve a sense of eternity. Solomon draws attention to this in Ecclesiastes 3:11 -
“[God] has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. ”
The sage is pointing out that man cannot find out the redemption work of God, without the aid of God Himself. This redemption work of God would come into place through God’s very own Son. What was God’s time clock of redemption Listen:
“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Gal 4:4-7 NASB)
“And he [the thief] was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom.’ And He [Jesus] said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’” (Luk 23:43 NASB)
Paradise lost was now restored. The cross would for all time become the door to heaven. No religion would ever again take the place of a personal walk with God’s Son. The call from heaven would never change.
What is the essence of the call of heaven?
Listen to these Scriptures. Think about the message that they give -
“After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.’” (Mat 3:16-17 NASB)
“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (Joh 6:40 NASB)
This is why the word church [ekklesia] means ‘the called out ones’. We have been called back into fellowship with the Father through His Son Jesus. We can walk in His presence and enjoy His voice. We are called to live in His grace and in His love. Everything that Adam lost has been restored and much more. The apostle said it has not even entered into our hearts all that God has prepared for us.
So, the questions remain: ‘Have you responded to the call from heaven?’ ‘Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God?’ ‘Have you called upon Him as Lord and Savior?’
While you are thinking on these things listen to this song. The time is short and the hour is late. The Lord is coming soon. Will you be ready?
I have no other message to leave with you. I cannot help but preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
In Christ Always,
Buddy
Posted in Bible Insights | 
Adam and Eve, Emmanuel, eternity in the heart, Jesus Christ, paradise, Son of GodPublished April 4, 2010 | “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.” (Deu 8:3 NASB)
Journal,
The ancients said that when two or more men were studying the Scriptures, they were never to be disturbed. The reason was because the Shekinah was present in their study.
The Skekinah had various meanings, depending on how this word evolved over time. But it comes from a word which means ‘to dwell.’ It spoke of God’s presence. 
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reroof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
The word “inspired” is ‘theopneustos,’ which literally means ‘God breathed.’ Paul’s point is that the Scriptures are God’s speaking directly to us. Theos is God. Pneustos comes from pneumaticos, which translates as ‘spiritual.’ Pneumaticos carries the idea of invisibility and power. Paul is telling Timothy that the Scriptures are God’s ‘powerful’ speaking place for His people.“The Law [Torah means God's instructions] of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” He adds, “Moreover by them Your servant is warned.” (Cf. Psalm 19:7-12)
of the Spirit, it reflects the glory of God in Christ upon our minds and souls. The more of this reflected glory we see, the more our lives transform into the likeness of the One we are looking at. This is what makes up the continual transformation life that causes us to be more like Jesus as we travel life’s highway.
What is ‘the‘ revelation that we are to believe. It is the truth of the textbook, that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; that He was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures; that He is now the judge of the living and the dead.x
Oh yes, before I forget. God would like a Word with you.
Your friend in Christ,
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Buddy
Published February 4, 2010 | x
Journal,
John chapter 13 through 17 is a stand alone portion of the gospels. There are no crowds. No blind men. No lame men. No woman at the well. No John the Baptist. No debates with Pharisees and Sadducees. There are only a handful of Hebrew men chosen to be the apostles of the Lamb. It is now time for the Lord to pour His heart into these men. His journey to the cross is near at hand.
It is in these chapters that we hear the heart of the new covenant. Thus when we read John 13:1, we hear, “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
Did you catch it? “He loved them to the end.” Did you know that this statement applies to every believer. The apostle said that nothing would ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is found in Jesus Christ. Let’s talk about it.
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What began as a fledgling movement…
… in a tiny country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea mushroomed into the largest in-gathering of people this planet has ever known. Even in all its diversity, there is one thing that makes Christianity unique in the world. The love of God is the secret to the phenomena of Christianity. To discover Jesus Christ is to discover God’s love.
Most believers can quote John 3:16, which says,
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
But John 3:17 is equally important. It says,
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
But can we leave it there? John 3:18 continues with,
He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
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The apostles were given a message.
So the apostles were given a message to carry into all the world. The message was a message of love. This is why the subject of ‘love’ is found so much in their writings. Paul says it best when he wrote,
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom8:38,39)
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So the great mystery of the Christian faith is really the mystery of God’s love.
He loved us before we ever knew Him. He never stops loving us. This is why our faith can rest firmly on John 13:1, which says, “He loved them to the end.” God’s love is an eternal love.
We catch a tiny reflection of God’s love when we think of our love for our children. Stop and consider. Did you love your baby the first time you saw him or her? Why? The love was in your heart. This baby belonged to you. Did you love your baby before it was actually born? Sure you did. And how about when you and your spouse were talking about having a baby? Did you love the very thought of having a baby? The answer to all these questions is ‘yes.’
These thoughts are miniature reflections on God’s love for us. The Bible says that God is love. The apostle said that we were not saved because we loved God, but because He loved us. All of this belongs to the mystery of God’s love.
When Paul said that nothing can separate us from the love of God, he may have been reflecting off of something the prophet said. The prophet Isaiah gives us a glimpse into the very heart of God. The Lord said,
Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will never forget you.” (Isa49:15)
Notice that the Lord said His love far exceeds the love that a mother has for her nursing child. There is no greater picture of love than that of a mother for her child. In fact it is so strong a picture that it eventually evolved into a form of worship among many. (Mariolatry)
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Such knowledge is too wonderful for me.
The more you study the gospels the more your understanding will be opened to the love of God and to the wonders of redemption. Not only were we chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, but our entire life was set before God at that time. And not only that, but our times on earth – where we would be born, what our nationality would be, and many many more factors – were determined beforehand. And behind all this stands the love of God.
The Lord gave David insight into this awesome area of spiritual realities. What is said by David is to be said by every child of God. David said,
Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.” (Psa139:4-6)
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A love that is incomprehensible.
Paul concurs in saying that God’s love for us is incomprehensible. Incomprehensible simply means that the mind cannot grasp it. Believers soon come to realize that there are things we can perceive with our hearts, that cannot be fully expressed to others. Why? They are things of the heart, incomprehensible things. Paul said,
“Who 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.”
Things of the heart are things that God opens our hearts to perceive. They are instilled within us by the Holy Spirit.
But what is it about God’s love that is so incomprehensible? We know the answer to that only so well. We have all found that God’s love is not static. His love surrounds us. God’s love reaches into our pits and draws us out. How often have we been ashamed of a misdeed, wondering how God could ever love us still, and yet, in our turning to Him, we found Him ever there.
I have never met a Christian who could not look back on their childhood, and say, “Lord, You were there even then.” Not even the prophets understood this. And even when they were issuing stern pronouncements, in a moment of time a love song would burst forth. This song was about God and His children.
A good example is with the prophet Micah. After dealing with issues of judgments, the prophet writes,
“Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love … You will give truth to Jacob and unchanging love to Abraham…” (Micah 7:18-20)
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God’s unchanging love in Christ Jesus.
Unchanging love to Abraham is the catch phrase. All true believers have been made children of Abraham through our faith in Jesus Christ. Paul says that we are the children of promise.
Then we have this from Jeremiah, which again speaks of God’s love for His people;
The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.’” (Jer31:3)
Again we hear a call of eternity. Jesus expresses this eternal call in saying,
Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you, abide in My love.” (John 15:9)
Did you know that the single greatest testimony that God is your very own Father is the testimony of your love for Jesus Christ? Jesus said to certain of the Jews,
If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.” (John 8:42)
Now couple this with how the apostle Peter described the heart of a true believer;
And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” (1Pet1:8)
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The greatest love story ever told.
And so the gospel is actually the greatest love story ever told. This is why Christians sing love songs to Jesus. We sing love songs to the Father. We sing of His love to us. We sing, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.” We sing, “Love lifted me. Love lifted me.” We sing, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
But why? Why do we Christians have such passion over the love of God. After all, you don’t hear Muslims singing, ‘Mohammed, lover of my soul.’ It can be summed up in the cry of the human heart. This cry can only be met in an encounter with Jesus. Paul describes it as the ‘Abba! Father!’ cry. We have found our Father.
Abba, Father, is an expression of true sonship. It speaks of intimacy. It is a cry of recognition. It is a cry that goes far beyond religion. It is the cry of a child’s whose heart has been filled with ‘Father consciousness.’ But it is a cry that goes both ways. We say, “My Father.” God says, “My beloved child.”
Did you know that more and more Jews are discovering the Father’s love in Jesus. I must not leave this journal entry without a song from the heart of the Hebrew believer, Jonathan Settel. Listen as he sings, ’Amen.’ It carries the heart of the gospel in Hebrew. (Subtitled in English.)
So we ask, ‘How much to you love us, Jesus.’ He stretches out His arms, and says, ‘This much.’ So, does He love us to the end?
I believe that with all my heart. What say you?
Blessings,
Buddy
Published January 6, 2010 | 
I read an article in the LA Times entitled, ‘Searching for the Divine.’ Scientists were doing research into why in an age of reason, people still insist on believing in God. After considerable research they finally reached a conclusion: “You can’t simply think God out of existence.”
Isn’t that interesting. A simple reading from the Scriptures would have given them that answer. According to the Bible, man is spiritually wired to believe in the reality of God. This is why people have all sorts of spiritual experiences. And this is why the Bible says, ‘The fool has said in his heart ‘There is no God.’”
Solomon wrote,
“[God] has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.” - Ecc 3:10-11 NASB
Paul had this to say on Mar’s Hill,
“… and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.” - Act 17:26-28 NASB
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Let’s take a closer look at the issue of eternity as a matter of the heart.
Don Richardson wrote a book called ‘Eternity in Their Hearts.’ In this book he shows how the cultures of the world have been prepared beforehand for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even the various religions of the world have in them a stage set for God’s message of His Son. The key in true missionary work is to find this ‘setting.’ (I recommend Don’s book to anyone considering mission work.)
Actually the Biblical word for religion literally means ‘dread (fear) of the gods.’ The world is filled with religions of all stripes. India is a prime example with her millions of gods. But this in itself speaks to the ache of the human heart.
Of course Satan knows how far the human race has fallen from its original glory. He sets about to create replacement religions. He takes a little from here and a little from there to create an additional new religion. This is what new age is about. Islam is also a classic example. The religion of Islam combines elements of Talmudic Judaism with forms of Christianity, along with pagan elements, and from this comes a religion that has captured a quarter of the world’s population.
But in each of these religions, whether new or old, there is a setting aside of Jesus Christ as the only way to the Father. What many may not realize is that while Islam accepts Jesus as one of the five major prophets of Islam, one of its basic tenants is that God has no Son.
What’s the problem with that? Take note:
“Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.” - 1Jn 2:22-23
The Message sent from Heaven.
It doesn’t matter how many books the world’s religions offer, there is only one message that can bring healing and peace to the aching heart. This is the message that God has a Son, and that His only begotten Son took the place of humankind, and that His Son took away our sins by the sacrifice of Himself on the cross.
Out of the cross would come the message of heaven. This is why Jesus could speak to the aching heart of a fallen woman, and say,
“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” - John 4:10
Here is the message of eternity in its simple form, and it will never change:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” - John 3:16-17
So now we have a message to bring to the whole world.
It isn’t hard to share the message. All you need to do is make yourself available to God. Here is a short story. I’ll title it…
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Sabes tu que Christo te ama?
I’ve been in and out of Latin America on mission trips a number of times. This time we were among the Mayan Indians in the mountains of Belize. Walking down a mountain trail with some of our group, I noticed that an old Indian gentleman had stopped at the side of the trail to let us pass. He was carrying a bundle of wood. That’s when it happened.
I stopped and said to the old Indian, “Sabes tu que Christo te ama?” The elderly gentleman put his hands on his face and began to weep. I could hardly believe my eyes. Indians are generally very stoic [not showing emotion]. Instantly I did my best to consol him. I assured him of God’s love. His eyes were still wet with tears as we parted.
What I said to him in Spanish is, ‘Do you know that Jesus Christ loves you?’
It was my turn. My heart was broken. How could one simple statement have such an effect on anyone. But now I understood why the Holy Spirit impressed me to use that phrase. The love of Jesus is the message of the cross.
The old Indian did not need to hear a message of condemnation. These Indians were steeped in idolatry. Fear controlled their lives. They had mountain gods, and witches, and dark spirits at work in their lives. The old Indian lived in a state of confusion and fear and condemnation. He needed to know that Jesus Christ truly loved Him.
You see, once you share the story of God’s love, the Lord will take care of the rest. He may have much more for you to say, but you have said enough for the door of salvation to open wide.
By the way, Nathan speaks Spanish fluently. I mangle Spanish fluently.
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And so…
The message of eternity is clear. Jesus is the way of eternity. Jesus died for all of humankind. Take this message to heart. According to the apostle Paul, the Lord Jesus is very near to every man and woman on the planet. Our job is to let the Lord use us to bring the message of God’s love to this planet.
Don’t worry. He will give you what you need to speak at the proper time. Take time to listen to this song…
Much love coming your way,
Buddy
Published December 31, 2009 | Journal,
Here we go again – Another new year. Seems like we just went through this. My, what ever happened to time. Am I imagining things? Has time moved over onto a fast track. Also seems like things are pretty much going cattywampus (awry, askew, out-of-sorts).
Every time I think about how fast time seems to be moving, a certain Scripture pops in my mind.
Maybe all this about time being shortened is a good thing, at least for the people of God. Anyway, let’s have a bit of fun to end out 2009. How about a song by Ray Stevens, entitled, ‘We the People.’ == Jest funning ==
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OK, that was all in fun. Now let’s move on past the funny part and talk about the forthcoming year.
Is it time for prosperity to come knocking at your door?
Think about it. Is there a way for the good blessings of the Lord to come to your house? I believe there is. Let me begin by sharing a personal story.
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It is called ‘Miracle Land’
In 1974 we were the typical American family living on ‘Barely Squeezing By’ street. This is when something happened that forever changed the way we lived. The Lord opened my ears to begin hearing some solid Bible teachings on God’s platform for the prosperity of His people. I listened intently. The more I listened, the more I studied to see if these teachings measured up to God’s Word.
Measure up they did. One of the first things I came to realize is that making debts always serves as a incumbrance to a walk of Biblical blessings. It would not matter how much money a person made, living with debts would be like trying to fill a bucket with water when the bucked had holes in the bottom.
What many of God’s people do not realize is that Biblical prosperity is not about how much money you have. Every thing centers on the blessing of the Lord. A person can have hundreds of thousands of dollars coming in and not be living in Biblical prosperity. And a person can have a very limited amount of money coming in, and it tallies up to Biblical prosperity.
Yes, this does sound very strange, but it is true nevertheless. The prophet said that God’s ways are not our ways. The sage said, “It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, and He will add no sorrow to it.” (Pro10:22)
I discovered that the debtor is always servant to the lender, which means that part of the debtor’s life is owned by someone else. This is why God said to His Old Testament people, “You shall lend but you shall not borrow.” The one who owes debts is not a free man. He is in the debtor’s prison
After searching this thoroughly, I came to the conviction that my financial straits were of my own doing. Thus I asked the Lord’s forgiveness for the debts that I had made. I also asked Him to show me how to clear up this area of my life.
The Lord began showing me how to live with a view to righteousness, which most certainly included how we were to give in accordance with kingdom business. I studied this through throughly. My wife and I came to a decision. We began to sow with a view to righteousness. (According to what the Lord put into our hearts.)
This issue of sowing with a view to righteousness is not some deep secret. Jesus included it in His sermon on the mountain, when He said,
“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Mat 6:31-33)
Here is what happened. Because our hearts had turned to God’s way of living, and because of our repentance, and because we began sowing with a view to righteousness, and because we desired to live under the rule of Christ, the Lord spoke into my heart. This is what He said, “Because you have believed Me, in six months you will be completely out of debt.” (God speaks through impressions of the heart.)
Did it happen? Absolutely! It was like the Lord had opened the door to miracle land. So many things happened that I can’t take the space to share then. We were beginning to draw on God’s good treasure from heaven. Did not the apostle say that we had been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ?
Yes, in six months we were completely out of debt, we were back into the full time ministry, and we were living on a level of life that I never dreamed was possible. We had passed through the gate of miracle land. (I also like to call this the land of sanctified faith.)
From that time to this time we have made living with a view to righteousness our primary view of life. We learned the great lesson of ‘sowing with a view to righteousness.’
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Does any of this have meaning for you?
Who can say. This is not something that I could teach another person. There is no formula to apply. Perhaps some of what I shared will serve to stir your heart. What I do know is that learning to live with a view to righteous living is deeply personal. It is a thing that can only be taught us by the Lord Himself. Much will depend on how serious you really are about walking in the ways of the Lord.
Always remember what I said about Biblical prosperity. It is not about money. It is about the blessing of the Lord. God spoke to Israel through the prophet Isaiah, Listen with your heart:
“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says the LORD, ‘Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land.“ (Isa 1:18-19)
Did you see it? Repentance and obedience belong together. With that in mind…
Is prosperity knocking at your door?
Take to yourself one more portion:
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.” (Psa 1:1-3)
In Christ,
Buddy
Posted in Bible Insights, Musings | 2010, blessings, Buddy Martin, Christian Challenge, Jesus Christ, new year, prosperity, Word of GodPublished December 26, 2009 | Journal,
Ever had a burn out hearing about ‘paying’ tithes? Actually no one in the new covenant is supposed to ‘pay’ tithes. Though the word tithe is a Bible term, it cannot be applied to the new covenant in the same sense as it is found in the covenant of Moses. I think this area of ‘paying tithes’ is likely one of the most misunderstood issues today.
Here’s snippets of the Scriptures most often used for the ‘paying’ the tithe:
“Will a man rob God … You are cursed with a curse … ‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’” Mal3:8-10)
Now that I have your attention, let’s look at another term that speaks more in line with how believers can honor the Lord in the new covenant. The term ‘first fruits’ speaks to honoring the Lord, but it must be understood correctly.
The struggle folk often have is wondering where a tithe fits in the new covenant. Actually it doesn’t fit, not in the sense of what it relates to under the law of Moses. No one has to tithe to be saved. Next we hear, ‘But wouldn’t NOT tithing put us under a curse?’ The simple answer is, no. The Law of Moses is not the instrument of righteousness for God’s people of the new covenant. Jesus alone is our righteousness.
Yet, the apostle says that the Law of Moses is good if we learn to use it lawfully. Using it lawfully speaks of learning to view the Law through the lens of the new covenant. This simply means that the Law does contain certain principles of guidance that we can appropriate into our walk with the Lord. These principles of guidance pertain to life itself. They are not simply a matter of which covenant they belong to.
A place to begin is where Paul says that the curse placed upon a non-performance of the Law of Moses is removed in Christ. The Law of Moses was a separate covenant given only to the nation of Israel. Even at that, the Law was nailed to the cross. This means that the Law as a covenant is no longer in effect.
If the curse has been removed, what then remains? What remains is the blessings of the Lord, that is, the blessings that belong to a walk of righteousness. But even the blessings have to be understood properly.
This is where the term ‘first fruits’ takes on a special meaning for new covenant believers. Listen to the Sage:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes … Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.” (Pro3:5-10)
Did you catch it The issue of first fruits is an issue of honoring the Lord from one’s heart. This is what the first fruits is teaching. The apostolic writer said that in the new covenant, God places His laws into our minds and writes them on our hearts. What laws is he speaking of. Certainly not the Law of Moses. (Heb8:10)
The laws the Holy Spirit writes in our hearts are the laws of learning how to live. They are laws of life. Listen to these New Testament Scriptures: (Pay close attention to the words in ‘CAPS’. They are for emphasis only.)
“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure–pressed down, shaken together and running over. FOR BY YOUR STANDARD OF MEASURE IT WILL BE MEASURED TO YOU IN RETURN.” (Luke 6:38. Notice how the Lord says our returned ‘blessings’ are measured by our own measure of giving.)
Another:
“The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” (Gal6:6,7. God expects His servants to be provided for. To be a receiver of good teaching with no regard to blessing the teacher is something God does not overlook.)
And again:
“This I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. EACH ONE MUST DO JUST AS HE HAS PURPOSED IN HIS HEART, NOT GRUDGINGLY OR UNDER COMPULSION, FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” (2Co9:6-8. In this case the giving is in regard to helping others who belong to the Lord.)
What we need to key in on is that giving must always be in accordance with our heart. Our giving is never to be grudgingly, or under compulsion.
See where the struggle comes in? The laws of life don’t swing back and forth according to the covenants. Spiritual laws are always in place. One of the greatest of God’s laws is the law of sowing and reaping. The difference in the new covenant is that the Holy Spirit teaches us how to give, what to give, where to give, and when to give. It will always be a thing of the heart. If it is not in your heart to give, then don’t give.
However, you also need to be forewarned. Don’t expect the blessings of the giver if you have not learned to be a giver yourself. So ask yourself these questions; ‘Am I having all sufficiency in everything?‘ Or, ‘Do I have an abundance for every good deed?’ ‘Or am I living on barely get along avenue?” Keep in mind what Paul said about not being deceived.
A young couple in our church shared this testimony. They were into tithing on a regular basis. But things were slipping. They would wait until everything else was paid, then they would write a check to Christian Challenge. Even at that, some times they would hold on to their tithe checks for a while just to make sure things balanced out right.
Their ears perked up over something that Nathan or I had said by way of a passing remark. They went home and talked about whether they were honoring the Lord, as they should. This is where they made a decision. From that moment on the very first check they would write would be their first fruits. It would be on the gross and not on what ever was left after taxes. (I’m simply relating a testimony. Not telling you to do anything.)
Guess what? They got so excited. The very next week the blessings began to roll in. They started naming the things that began to happen to their finances. It was as if the windows of heaven had opened.
Here is the lesson. What the Bible teaches is that we should always sow with a view to righteousness. Jesus told us not to judge by appearance, but to judge with righteous judgment. This means that we must let the Lord lead us in what is right in His sight. We do this by learning to listen to Him.
So what do we have left? Perhaps this – It is crucial to understand that righteousness is not simply a confession we make because our salvation in Jesus Christ is completed. Yes, our salvation is complete in Christ. However, righteousness is also a path that we learn to walk in. It is a way of living. Do you want to be a wise man or woman? Learn to walk in the ways of the Lord.
With this in mind, never think that simply giving from first fruits is going to be a cure all for everything in life. It does not work that way. There may be other issues that need to be considered. The apostle said that we must examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith.
Why not begin by counting your blessings. And in doing this, ask the Lord if He has any special directions for your life. He has promises to lead you in the paths of righteousness. After all, He is your Father.
So I will simply leave you with what the apostle told his young disciple:
“Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” (2Ti 2:7)
Here is your song for today:
Your servant in Christ,
Buddy
Published December 24, 2009 | 
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Greetings from Heaven
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God’s love for His people is eternal. He made that very clear when He sent His Son to bring redemption to planet earth. Paul said that there was nothing that could ever separate us from the love of God that is found in Christ Jesus.
God’s love for the fallen family of Adam cannot be measured. 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 NASB)
The love of God is the Story of Jesus
As Jesus is facing the cross, we hear this statement concerning those who belong to Him:
“Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” (Joh 13:1 NASB)
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And God’s Word was made Flesh
The apostle John said that the Word of God came to tabernacle among us. Jesus is the very embodiment of God’s message from heaven.
The moment you open the Bible you begin to sense that there is an underlying message. The message starts with these words: “In the beginning God…”
Then we read, “And God said, ‘Let there be Light’; and there was Light.”
Here is where we begin our journey of discovery. God spoke and His Word went forth. When God said, ‘Let there be Light’, according to the ancient Hebrew belief, this was the Light of Life, also known as the Wisdom of God. It was the Light that Adam was to walk in.
When Adam turned from God’s Word, the Light of Life was taken away. But the sages said that the Light would return with Messiah. Any Jewish person would have understood what Jesus meant when He said,
“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of Life.” (John 8:12 NASB)
And so the discovery continues. What we begin to realize in the discovery is that the Light of Life had to do with God’s love.
The Light of God and the Love of God cannot be separated. The apostle nailed this down when he said, “God is Love.” Then he also said, “God is Light.”
John went further in saying,
“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1Jn 4:9-10 NASB)
Remember…
There is much love to be had in Jesus
May the Lord richly bless you in your discovery of Him.
Buddy
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