Beholding As In A Glass the Glory of the Lord - Part 1059

"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner [stone] -- in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22)

As I stated in an earlier blog, we --as believers in Jesus Christ by faith -- need to stop believing man-made modern day religious statements of faith, and start diligently seeking Jesus through His Word. Letting Jesus be our teacher in all things spiritual -- in the same manner that "He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen -- to whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." (Acts 1:25)

Studying to show ourselves -- each and every one of us approved, as a workman does. But too often, we expect that the great teachers of this day actually get the Word of God right. A good starting place for discernment can be the numerous requests for money, but sadly again, instead of calling these people out with the scriptures, we become cynical of religion. My message to you today is to tell you that there is a better way.

That is, to read and study the scriptures so that you can understand the truth of His Word. Take hold of the truth of Jesus -- making Jesus number one in your life, seeking Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, so that we can then serve as a flow through -- loving one another.

Jesus said, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

We have a mission. No, rather each and every one of us is given a ministry. Not man-made religion as the world would have you believe but as fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God -- built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets -- JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF being the chief corner stone. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

"Do we being again to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some [others] epistles of commendation to you, or [letters] of commendation from you?Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men [forasmuch as ye are ] manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the heart and such trust have we through Christ to God-ward ... not to think we are sufficient of our selves to think anything of our selves but our sufficiency [is] of God -- who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life. 

But if the ministration of death, written and engraved in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which [glory] was not to be done away -- how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth -- for if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious. 

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech; and not as Moses [which] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished, but their minds were blinded for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament -- but even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.

Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord." (II Corinthians 3:1-18)

How our world would change, when people begin to realize that believing in Jesus by faith is not a list of rules and regulations, or the ten commandments, or a reading of Moses but a life time experience whereby the vail is removed when we turn our hearts to Jesus. We are set free to stand fast in the liberty that is in Christ Jesus.

The other question to ask about religious statements of faith is this. How can a set of statements that is decades old even begin to define the fullness of joy that is found in His Word? Are we not actually limiting God when we tell the world "this is what we believe" in a number of bullet points?

Indeed, Jesus said that the volume of the Book was written about Him, and that if everything that could be wrote was to be written, the world could not contain all of the things He did for us.

Therefore, instead of trying to make God like humanity, perhaps, it is time to seek the One who created humanity in the beginning, and then loved us enough to shed His Holy blood on a cross for you and I -- "knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up [us] also by Jesus, and shall present [us] with you for all things [are] for your sakes, that the abundant grace might though the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God -- for our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory." (II Corinthians 4:14-18)

Set your affection on things above and not on the things of the earth; "for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God -- when Christ [who is our ] life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

Shine unto them that are lost. Preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord. (II Corinthians 4:5) Stand in the offering plate.