jazzlover
B.E. Sergeant First Class
It Takes Pressure to Make a Diamond
Posts: 3,912
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Post by jazzlover on Jul 14, 2006 5:06:32 GMT -5
1 Timothy 1:12 and 13 – And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
If I were to ask what are the qualities that the Lord sees as the most important to Him, I would say that faithfulness and a humble attitude are the ones that get top marks. If you look at the Scripture I've quoted above, you will see why I say this.
Here was this guy called Paul, who really thought he was doing everyone a huge favor by wiping out the Christians. He was zealous and had his mind fixed on the goal that he wanted to accomplish. I think the Lord saw his zealousness, as misdirected as it was, and thought, "Hey, I can use that!" So all He needed to do was to turn Paul's direction and correct the way he was going, and Paul continued to be faithful - this time in the right direction though!
The one thing that stood out so clearly in this Scripture was the importance that the Lord places on being faithful. He chose Paul in spite of his awful conduct, because he had the right attitude of heart towards his work. Faithfulness is so important to the Lord, and if you want to progress in your walk with Him and rise up into greater authority, being faithful is the one sure way to do it.
You have likely heard this Scripture from Luke 16:10. It says:
He who is faithful in what is least, is faithful also in much.
As you are faithful in the small things that the Lord calls you to do, He will increase your responsibilities because He can trust you, and He will promote you in His Kingdom.
As I was thinking about this whole subject I found a Scripture in Numbers 12:7 that referred to Moses. God was rebuking Aaron and Miriam for standing against Moses and said that he was faithful in all His house. Now think about Moses for a moment. The Lord was so pleased with him that He spoke face to face with him. The Scripture says as well that he was one of the meekest (or most humble) people, yet he was called upon to have the responsibility of taking the Children of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. That was no small task let me tell you. But can you see the importance of being faithful and humble? Here is an example of real promotion because of it.
So I want to ask you this question now. Are you being faithful to what the Lord has called you to? If He's called you to intercede for people twice daily, are you doing it faithfully and to the best of your ability? The Lord will reward you for your diligence and promote you, but you need to prove to Him that you are worthy of that promotion. Hey, even if you are ignorant in what you are doing, He can still use it to His glory!
Be faithful, maintain a humble attitude, and the Lord will shine His light on you and smile on you. You're His type of person, and He will do anything for you because you have the right qualities.
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jazzlover
B.E. Sergeant First Class
It Takes Pressure to Make a Diamond
Posts: 3,912
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Post by jazzlover on Aug 28, 2006 23:11:17 GMT -5
Ephesians 1:1 "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:"
We immediately see a declaration that this letter is from Paul. He explains that his authority to be an apostle is from Jesus Christ. This is written to the church at Ephesus. Paul explains that he is an apostle of Christ. Paul did not choose to be an apostle, God called Paul to this office. The saints and the faithful in Christ Jesus are the same. "Saints", in this instance, means those who have been set aside for God. "Faithful" means believers in Christ.
Ephesians 1:2 "Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ."
Just as grace was the key word in Galatians, it is prominent in all of Paul's letters. He does want the blessings and favor of God to fall upon these people. True peace, just like true grace, comes from the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:"
In this verse, we see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our way to the Father is through Jesus Christ, our High Priest. The spiritual blessings for the believer are applied through the Holy Spirit. Perhaps in this third verse here, Paul wants us to see the unity of the Father, Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Christians are in Jesus, and Jesus is in the Christian. He is seated in heavenly places, and we are sitting with Him in heavenly places. Notice, the involvement of them all in the blessings for the believer. Take a look, also, the word "all" in the spiritual blessings. Ephesians 2:6 "And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:" John 14:20 "At that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
Ephesians 1:4 "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"
I believe that this is explaining that God {who knows everything for all time}, prepared a plan for the fall of man before He made man. Many call this predestination, I prefer to call it foreknowledge. It is really the omniscient of God. "Omniscient" means knowing all things. It is one of the descriptions of God alone, no human has this attribute. We do know that the desire of God was to fellowship with us. It is His desire for all to be saved. He even provided a Way for that to be possible in His Son Jesus. Mankind is not holy within itself. We are righteous in Jesus Christ. He has clothed us in His righteousness. The righteousness that Jesus has clothed us in, makes us acceptable in the sight of the Father. We are chosen of God. I Peter 2:9 "But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" You do not read anywhere that God has chosen anyone to be lost. His desire is that all would be saved. We, of our own free will, accept the salvation He offered us, or reject it.
Ephesians 1:5 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"
His plan from the beginning was to make us His adopted children. We see from the beginning, the plan to save the very elect. God did not choose who the very elect would be, He just knew ahead of time who would choose to follow Him. The plan, all along, was for Jesus Christ to be our Saviour. John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:" Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Romans 8:15 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Romans 8:16 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" Romans 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and jointheirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together."
Ephesians 1:6 "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." We must admit that it is to His praise, and not ours. Salvation through grace is none of our doing, it is His. "Grace", as we have said before, is unmerited favor. Even the fact that we are acceptable to the Father, is because we have taken on the righteousness of Christ. Our righteousness was as filthy rags. It is His righteousness that puts us in right standing with the Father. The Beloved, here, is Jesus Christ. It is only in Him, that we are acceptable. Jeremiah 23:6 "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
Ephesians 1:7 " In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"
On day of atonement in the Old Testament when the blood was carried into the Holy of Holies for the sins of the people, the sins were covered over with the blood. This did not do away with the sin, it only covered it up. It did not clear the conscience of the sinner. In the case of the Lord Jesus Christ, His blood does away with the sin. It blots the sin out. It leaves us free of sin. Jesus' precious blood clears our conscience. He not only takes away our sin, but He gives us His righteousness in return. We do absolutely nothing, except repent of our sins and have faith in Jesus as our Redeemer. He redeemed us from the curse of the law. Colossians 1:14 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:" While we were yet in sin, Jesus shed His blood to save us from sin, self, and the devil.
Ephesians 1:8 "Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;"
"Wisdom", in this particular instance, is speaking of worldly or spiritual wisdom. Jesus was full of both. Prudence means mental action or activity. This was not just something that happened, He had given it plenty of thought. We must think on these things, also.
Ephesians 1:9 "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:"
The mystery is how a just God of law could ever justify a sinner, such as you and me. He revealed to us the plan. It is up to us to act upon it. The word "according" here, tells us a lot. With man's reasoning, there would have been no reason for God to give His Son on the cross that we might live. He did it not because it was the logical thing by our reasoning to do it, but because it brought Him pleasure for us to be saved. Notice, also, that this was not someone else's plan, it was His plan. It was not on advice from others, but was His plan from the foundation of the world. All of this is true, because God willed it.
Ephesians 1:10 "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him:"
We are all one in Christ, whether we be Jew or Greek, whether we be male or female. Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." In man's scheme of things, this would be an impossibility. In God's plan, it is not only possible, but will happen. Acts 17:28 "For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." I John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. We Christians are His church, we are His bride, we are His building. He is the head of the church, we are the body. He is the chief Cornerstone, and we are the lively stones which are held together by Him. We are, also, His inheritance. He is Creator God, we belong to Him. We are His creation. Read the first chapter of John to know that not anything was made without Him. The heavens are His and the earth, as well. At the name of Jesus all will bow. Philippians 2:10 "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;" Philippians 2:11 "And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
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jazzlover
B.E. Sergeant First Class
It Takes Pressure to Make a Diamond
Posts: 3,912
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Post by jazzlover on Dec 4, 2006 12:10:08 GMT -5
Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
Jesus Christ our Lord is the Word of God. The Bible is the Word of God. If you hide this Word of God in your heart, no one can take it away from you. They may take the written Word from you, but they cannot take what you have hidden in your heart. Wisdom is a gift from God. The two great powers in the world are the spoken and the written Word. Build each other up in the most holy faith. When friends get together and study the Word of God, it builds them up, and brings perfect peace to them. The Psalms are like warm oil pouring over you. They bring such a peace to all who hear them. Have you ever sat down and just read the words in the beautiful hymns? The people who wrote them were under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. They have such Truth of the Word in them. They are comforting, because they tell truth in a melodious way. Singing this type of spiritual music makes a sweet, sweet sound in God's ear. Singing builds up the spirit of man. The grace, spoken of here, is a thanksgiving for the free gift of grace that God has given us. Notice, this singing is not for performing, this is sung reverently to the Lord.
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