"The Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." (Isaiah 52:10)
"O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things; His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. The Lord hath made known His salvation! His righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God .... " (Psalm 98:1-3)
If believers are to be victorious -- conquerors in Christ Jesus -- we will need to learn how to "continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread from house to house, eating our meat with gladness and singleness of heart, and in prayers," -- just like the apostles did when they tarried in Jerusalem for the power from the Most High, as witnessed on the day of Pentecost. Similarly, for the difficult days are prophesied to be ahead, we need to be sharpened in the very Word that is established and confirmed in heaven as truth. (Acts 2:1-47, 36-38; Hebrews 6:1-2)
That is, as Peter (standing with the eleven) declared on the day of Pentecost, Jesus is indeed both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) The son of man is the Lord of glory. God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) God in Christ! And, this same Jesus -- "the Word that was with God and was God" -- was made flesh, dwelling among us in this current dispensation of grace so that we could behold His glory. (John 1:1, 14) For He has sanctified us through His righteousness, wherein we were once sinners, but are now saved forevermore as a consequence of His endless love, mercy and grace. (John 1:1-18)
"For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified, [whereof], the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days," saith the Lord, "I will put My laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them: and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin, having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh." (Hebrews 10:14-20)
If believers are to be victorious -- conquerors in Christ Jesus -- we will need to learn how to "continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread from house to house, eating our meat with gladness and singleness of heart, and in prayers," -- just like the apostles did when they tarried in Jerusalem for the power from the Most High, as witnessed on the day of Pentecost. Similarly, for the difficult days are prophesied to be ahead, we need to be sharpened in the very Word that is established and confirmed in heaven as truth. (Acts 2:1-47, 36-38; Hebrews 6:1-2)
That is, as Peter (standing with the eleven) declared on the day of Pentecost, Jesus is indeed both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) The son of man is the Lord of glory. God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) God in Christ! And, this same Jesus -- "the Word that was with God and was God" -- was made flesh, dwelling among us in this current dispensation of grace so that we could behold His glory. (John 1:1, 14) For He has sanctified us through His righteousness, wherein we were once sinners, but are now saved forevermore as a consequence of His endless love, mercy and grace. (John 1:1-18)
"For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified, [whereof], the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days," saith the Lord, "I will put My laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them: and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin, having therefore brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh." (Hebrews 10:14-20)
This is the very same message prophesied by the prophets of old, who foretold of the Christ to come, who would save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23) The Lord coming forth as a mighty man to redeem His chosen people. (Isaiah 42:13)
As Jeremiah wrote afore, "Behold the days come," saith the Lord, "that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 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!" (Jeremiah 23:5-6; John 7:42; Revelation 22:16; Psalm 72:2; Zechariah 14:11; Romans 3:22; I Corinthians 1:30)
" ... which was the son of David!" (Luke 3:31; Matthew 1:1-6)
At one point, on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink; he that believes on Me, as the scripture hath said -- "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." This spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified." (John 7:37-39; Isaiah 55:1; Isaiah 12:3; Isaiah 43:20; Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 55:1) But I digress somewhat.
When Jesus said unto Philip of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter, "Follow Me!" Philip went to find Nathaniel to confirm to him that "we have found Him of whom, Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:43-51)
As the Lord God had earlier promised: " ... and they shall be My people and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart, and one Way, that they may fear Me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good: but I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul, for thus saith the Lord, "as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them!" (Jeremiah 32:38-41)
It is for this reason that we hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for He is faithful that promised). This is why believers who have repented, and been water baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ can be assured that these have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, as promised by the Lord in times past. (Acts 2:38) The Spirit of the risen/resurrected Jesus who will never leave us nor forsake us. He is faithful beyond measure, and His love everlasting.
So, what did Jesus say? Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth." (John 17:17)
And Paul, in writing to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, about the manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God -- those believers who not only hear but who obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ -- "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thessalonians 5:23)
Why? So that we too can become disciples proclaiming to others the good news gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. So that we can go forward “… teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord!” (Acts 15:35; Acts 13:1) Fully knowing that“… where we have preached the Word of the Lord” the harvest that the Lord so richly desires -- the multitude of lost souls will be reached. (Acts 15:36)
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:1-5)
Stand in the offering plate!
No comments:
Post a Comment