Friday, November 29, 2019
"The New Testament is in the old concealed, the Old is in the New revealed."
Christ is all through the Old Testament of the Bible. We are living in times when all this is being revealed to us. What the prophets could not understand we now are understanding.
We are living in amazing blessings of prophesy revealed as it never has been before. The born again believer can see how prophesy is playing out in real time.
I have always thought how wonderful it would be to visit with the prophets in heaven as we gather around the throne of God to hear stories of Old Testament times.
Then I began to realize that the prophets wrote things of which they didn't understand but now we do. Perhaps they will want to ask us what it was like living in the very times they wrote about.
Col 1:26-28
"26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:"
1 Corinthians 15:51-55
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Very soon born again believers will go home. The misery of this world will be left behind and Christ will come back at the end to make everything right.
Psalm 103:10-18 Hallelujah Amen!
We are living in amazing blessings of prophesy revealed as it never has been before. The born again believer can see how prophesy is playing out in real time.
I have always thought how wonderful it would be to visit with the prophets in heaven as we gather around the throne of God to hear stories of Old Testament times.
Then I began to realize that the prophets wrote things of which they didn't understand but now we do. Perhaps they will want to ask us what it was like living in the very times they wrote about.
Col 1:26-28
"26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:"
1 Corinthians 15:51-55
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Very soon born again believers will go home. The misery of this world will be left behind and Christ will come back at the end to make everything right.
Psalm 103:10-18 Hallelujah Amen!
Denominationalism is Disobedience
Nearly all the denominations are going bad these days. I believe its because they were in disobedience to God when they formed these separations between believers in the first place.
In the New Testament God tells us that He formed church gatherings based on the places where they lived. "The church at Ephesus" the names given to the churches were not based on any particular doctrine but rather on the place they were meeting.
When the church gatherings were based on a particular doctrine they were making one doctrine more important than all the other doctrines. People were evaluated on their belief on that particular doctrine not on their profession of faith in Christ.
1 John 4:21
"And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
Hebrews 11:6
"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Colossians 1:2
"To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father."
We are brothers and sisters in Christ because we have trusted in Christ and He has changed us into a new creation, sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Because we are in Christ through the Holy Spirit we are a family connected by Him to one another.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.…"
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"
2 Peter 1:4
"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."
Romans 8:9
"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."
Born again believers connect instantly to one another, they sense a connection often before they know anything about one another. Sometimes we do not connect with someone who says they are a Christian, this sends up a red flag. The same Holy Spirit is in others who are born again, there should be connection that is Spiritual.
Just as John the Baptist lept in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth at the presence of Jesus Christ in the womb of His mother, Mary. John the Baptist is the only person who was described as having the Holy Spirit while in the womb of his mother. The connection between John and Jesus Christ was the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:44
"44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy."
John was able to sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in Mary and Jesus Christ because he and his mother were also filled with the Holy Spirit.
I always wonder why so many "Christians" are not able to connect deeply with other believers. Is it possible and even likely that many who say they are "Christians" have joined the Christian club but were never born again therefore not having the Holy Spirit they do not connect with authentic born again believers.
Judas had been with Jesus as all the other apostles but was not invested in Him. He was around, he tasted the good fruit of knowing truth by having been with Jesus Christ but was never born again. He was a pretender, hanging out with the apostles, even looking so much like them they didn't know he was the betrayer of whom Christ spoke.
Hebrews 6:4-6 "…4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age— 6 and then have fallen away—to be restored again to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.…'
Matthew 26:20-22 "…20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining with the twelve disciples. 21 And while they were eating, He said to them, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 They were deeply grieved and began to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?”"
During this time Christ had not yet left this earth, He had not yet given the Holy Spirit to the apostles so that they would be able to discern many things. In the case of John the Baptist and Jesus in the womb, it was a special case in which John was given the Holy Spirit along with his mother.
In old testament times the Holy Spirit came and went from people for special purposes but in our dispensation of grace Christ gave us the Holy Spirit when he left this earth. Believers now have the Holy Spirit permanently as the guarantee of our inheritance. He is the Seal upon us, that we belong to Christ.
John 16:7-8 "7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:…"
John 16:12-14 "…12 I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. 13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
The Holy Spirit dwells in every born again believer, every born again believer is connected to one another by His union in each of us.
John 13:34-35 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” "
Romans 8:8-10 "8 Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.…"
Romans 8:7-9 "…7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.…"
This is how we know if someone is born again by the Spirit who lives in them. We will also see the fruit of Christ in every born again believer. They are not works that can be seen outwardly but rather character qualities that can be seen with Spiritual eyes. The very character qualities of Christ will be seen in us, but only discerned by others believers. Those who do not know Christ are offended by these qualities, they will interpret them as hostile for not conforming to the world.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
In the New Testament God tells us that He formed church gatherings based on the places where they lived. "The church at Ephesus" the names given to the churches were not based on any particular doctrine but rather on the place they were meeting.
When the church gatherings were based on a particular doctrine they were making one doctrine more important than all the other doctrines. People were evaluated on their belief on that particular doctrine not on their profession of faith in Christ.
1 John 4:21
"And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
Hebrews 11:6
"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Colossians 1:2
"To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father."
We are brothers and sisters in Christ because we have trusted in Christ and He has changed us into a new creation, sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Because we are in Christ through the Holy Spirit we are a family connected by Him to one another.
Ephesians 1:12-14 "…12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory. 13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth— the gospel of your salvation— you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.…"
2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"
2 Peter 1:4
"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."
Romans 8:9
"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."
Born again believers connect instantly to one another, they sense a connection often before they know anything about one another. Sometimes we do not connect with someone who says they are a Christian, this sends up a red flag. The same Holy Spirit is in others who are born again, there should be connection that is Spiritual.
Just as John the Baptist lept in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth at the presence of Jesus Christ in the womb of His mother, Mary. John the Baptist is the only person who was described as having the Holy Spirit while in the womb of his mother. The connection between John and Jesus Christ was the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:44
"44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy."
John was able to sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in Mary and Jesus Christ because he and his mother were also filled with the Holy Spirit.
I always wonder why so many "Christians" are not able to connect deeply with other believers. Is it possible and even likely that many who say they are "Christians" have joined the Christian club but were never born again therefore not having the Holy Spirit they do not connect with authentic born again believers.
Judas had been with Jesus as all the other apostles but was not invested in Him. He was around, he tasted the good fruit of knowing truth by having been with Jesus Christ but was never born again. He was a pretender, hanging out with the apostles, even looking so much like them they didn't know he was the betrayer of whom Christ spoke.
Hebrews 6:4-6 "…4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age— 6 and then have fallen away—to be restored again to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.…'
Matthew 26:20-22 "…20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining with the twelve disciples. 21 And while they were eating, He said to them, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 They were deeply grieved and began to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?”"
During this time Christ had not yet left this earth, He had not yet given the Holy Spirit to the apostles so that they would be able to discern many things. In the case of John the Baptist and Jesus in the womb, it was a special case in which John was given the Holy Spirit along with his mother.
In old testament times the Holy Spirit came and went from people for special purposes but in our dispensation of grace Christ gave us the Holy Spirit when he left this earth. Believers now have the Holy Spirit permanently as the guarantee of our inheritance. He is the Seal upon us, that we belong to Christ.
John 16:7-8 "7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:…"
John 16:12-14 "…12 I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. 13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…"
The Holy Spirit dwells in every born again believer, every born again believer is connected to one another by His union in each of us.
John 13:34-35 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” "
Romans 8:8-10 "8 Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.…"
Romans 8:7-9 "…7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.…"
This is how we know if someone is born again by the Spirit who lives in them. We will also see the fruit of Christ in every born again believer. They are not works that can be seen outwardly but rather character qualities that can be seen with Spiritual eyes. The very character qualities of Christ will be seen in us, but only discerned by others believers. Those who do not know Christ are offended by these qualities, they will interpret them as hostile for not conforming to the world.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
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