Jesus said, "For I have given unto them the words which Thou hast given Me, and they have received, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me." (John 17:8)
We know from the first chapter of Acts that Jesus -- THROUGH the Holy Ghost -- had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen - to whom also He had 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 1:1-3)
We also recognize "when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, [that] shall He speak and He will shew you things to come." (John 16:13)
But sadly, many believers in Jesus by faith have looked to religious leaders and/or churches for their knowledge and wisdom, rather than our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is almost like we have put a partition between us and God, because we do not believe that Almighty God can or will reveal Himself through His Word.
The question is why? The scriptures are very telling on this point.
First, there is only ONE mediator between God and man. I Timothy 2:5 states: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ..."
Second, the apostle Paul writes: "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom ... and righteousness ... and sanctification ... and redemption -- that according as it is written, "He that glorifieth, let him glory in the Lord." (I Corinthians 1:30-31)
Third, we are given His promise. That is, "if any man [be] in Christ, [he] is a new creature; old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new, and all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation -- to wit that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 2:17-21)
Fourth, "we then [as] workers together with Him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain .. but in all [things] approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned ... by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left." (II Corinthians 6:1-7)
Did you catch that? We who believe in Jesus by faith have been made new. We are made His ambassadors. We are workers together with Him. As such, God has committed unto us -- believers in Him -- the Word of reconciliation. His Word so that we can be confident knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us. That His abundance of love and mercy will follow us all the days of our life.
Therefore, having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (including worldly and religious culture that endeavours to stand between us and our Lord) and rather perfect holiness in the fear of God. (II Corinthians 7:1)
Step out in faith today and believe Jesus to be who He said He was -- the King of kings and Lord of lords, Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and then end.
Because "eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed unto us by His Spirit-- for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." (I Corinthians 2:9-10; Isaiah 64:4; Isaiah 65:17)
Press into Jesus. Read His Word diligently. Stand in the offering plate.
We also recognize "when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, [that] shall He speak and He will shew you things to come." (John 16:13)
But sadly, many believers in Jesus by faith have looked to religious leaders and/or churches for their knowledge and wisdom, rather than our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is almost like we have put a partition between us and God, because we do not believe that Almighty God can or will reveal Himself through His Word.
The question is why? The scriptures are very telling on this point.
First, there is only ONE mediator between God and man. I Timothy 2:5 states: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ..."
Second, the apostle Paul writes: "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom ... and righteousness ... and sanctification ... and redemption -- that according as it is written, "He that glorifieth, let him glory in the Lord." (I Corinthians 1:30-31)
Third, we are given His promise. That is, "if any man [be] in Christ, [he] is a new creature; old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new, and all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation -- to wit that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 2:17-21)
Fourth, "we then [as] workers together with Him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain .. but in all [things] approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned ... by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left." (II Corinthians 6:1-7)
Did you catch that? We who believe in Jesus by faith have been made new. We are made His ambassadors. We are workers together with Him. As such, God has committed unto us -- believers in Him -- the Word of reconciliation. His Word so that we can be confident knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us. That His abundance of love and mercy will follow us all the days of our life.
Therefore, having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (including worldly and religious culture that endeavours to stand between us and our Lord) and rather perfect holiness in the fear of God. (II Corinthians 7:1)
Step out in faith today and believe Jesus to be who He said He was -- the King of kings and Lord of lords, Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and then end.
Because "eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed unto us by His Spirit-- for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." (I Corinthians 2:9-10; Isaiah 64:4; Isaiah 65:17)
Press into Jesus. Read His Word diligently. Stand in the offering plate.
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