John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."







Sunday, June 28, 2015

14th lesson : God's Purpose in loving the Human Being


The Perfect Man in Jesus Christ.



“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me” – Col. 1:28-29.
 
Eph. 4:13 “... until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ”.

Paul makes it very clear the objectives that he as an apostle has. We proclaim Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom. To become perfect in Christ Jesus, we need to be admonished and taught. He goes further and says: To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. So, it is the power of Jesus that works in us, when we admonish and teach with all wisdom. And to the Ephesians Paul writes: until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Jesus served as a model in His life and conduct as a Perfect Man. According to the Bible what is the profile of a perfect man? Paul gives thanks to God for Jesus Christ by the fact that it is Jesus Christ who enables us to walk according to what God tells us. We ought to serve with our understanding the law of God. According to our knowledge we should act as we know what God's law says, this is our obligation. But we have the knowledge like Paul that our flesh wants to obey the law of the flesh. God made us this way and He knows that we struggle with the desires of the flesh. God is aware of the fact that we go through this struggle, but he enables each of us to subdue this to Christ. Glory to God, the Almighty!!

With my understanding I serve the law of God, says Paul, this is how we must learn to think once we are living as Christians, if we decided to give our lives to God. With the understanding, the best I know, I serve my God. AMEN!

Every human being can submit his nature to the dominion of Jesus Christ, to be subjugated to Him in everything. When we make consciously this decision that we will not subdue ourselves to sin and yes, to the Lordship of Jesus, this submission is voluntary on our part. "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”  Ro. 6:16.

The apostle Paul was teaching the people in Rome, to these new Christians who had not yet the knowledge of the fact that to whom you present yourselves as servants, him you obey. In this case, if this is so it becomes obvious we are capable of choosing whom we want to serve and we have the conditions and ability to proceed as we choose. A person can decide to obey the sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness. One day God confronted Esau and told him: "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it" - Gn. 4:7. If I or you decide we want to go after the seduction of sin, in this case, this seduction will have dominion over us. We are slaves of sin only if we submit ourselves to it. We have an option; the right and the ability to choose whom we want to submit ourselves to. J I want to submit myself entirely to Jesus Christ. Paul decided that he would do this. He concludes in chapter eight, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Paul learned that God offers us a better way.

 Life In The Spirit.



"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires" - Rom. 8:1-5.

That which is impossible for the law, is possible for our God. He guides us in love and leads us on our journey in such a way that we can get to the stature of a perfect man. Paul expresses himself by saying: For what the law could not do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did it by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. Jesus paid the price that was set against us. He starts the whole subject referring to the fact that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk after the fleshy desire. Every human being needs to make a decision whether he wants to walk in the desires of flesh or not. Once this decision has been made and declared, we can say as Paul did here.

And then he leads us to have the consciousness saying: "For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."

That which was impossible for the law to do in our hearts, this Jesus did when He died for us; as He enters into our lives he transforms our hearts, and we begin to walk and live in the Spirit and according to the Spirit. It is a radical change in life, oh glory! Can you actually grasp the blessing withheld in this message?  “And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit”. 

Have you ever tried to visualize yourself as a person that has met the righteous requirements of the law?  Well, in Christ Jesus you and I have met it!!! Once we live in Christ, we live in the Spirit, this is the purpose to be lived in the Spirit to meet the righteous requirements of the law. Verses 6-8 of the same chapter we read: "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." 

When we follow our own mindset, our thought line is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. This means according to the laws that rule our spiritual life, we are dead if we follow our own fleshly mindset. Once we submit our thoughts and desires to Christ in spirit, the Holy Spirit will lead us to life and peace: for the Spirit is life and peace. We all have to learn to subdue the flesh unto the Holy Spirit, who leads us in obedience to Christ. We receive a new spiritual life when we invite Jesus into our heart as Lord and Savior. All the apostles started like you and me, learning, slowly growing in their walk with Christ. In every phase of their life with Christ they learned to grow in the stature of a perfect man; no one can reach this stature over night, it is a process.

As we read carefully the Word of our God, it tells us that Jesus lived without sin, he had the nature of God, but as a human being he also had to learn. "Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered" - Heb. 5:8. If Jesus that was God, while he was in human form learned obedience how much more you and I must learn it. And to the Philippians’ Paul writes: "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!" - Phil. 2:4-8.

Let us analyze this text a little bit. The apostle admonishes us to be like Jesus Christ. He explains to us here that we should not be attentive to what is properly ours and yes, which is of the other, of our neighbor. We should have the same feeling that Jesus had. Our attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus had: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” I understand this passage as, Jesus could have come here on earth as God, and show off; but, he did not do this. He, did not make a point of showing how much he could be a hero and so on. He came to show love. He was brought by love, and came to love, and die because he loves us.

In other words, many times instead of repairing errors on others, we will only understand them if we walk in their shoes. If we would go through all they went through, we would think different probably. Jesus put himself in our situation when he took upon himself the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. There was not a single time in the life of Jesus here on earth, where he decided to take care of his own interests first. He always did what the Father said and then and once everyone had been served, then he rested. We can never feel with someone’s situation unless we try to familiarize ourselves with it. We can never understand the pain of our neighbors unless we bear his burden with him. None of us can be perfect as Jesus was, but we can learn to walk with our fellowman and reach the stature of a perfect man; as Jesus teaches us to do so.

Meaning of Perfect =  adj. What unites all the qualities, which has no defects; ideal, flawless, excellent. / Complete, absolute, total. The word perfect according to the dictionary is an adjective that describes, classifies and characterizes the being or object designated by the noun. Collins Dictionary says: “Something that is perfect is as good as it could possibly be”.

Combining these two concepts: A perfect man according to the dictionary would be described as "a man who has all the qualities, someone who is as good as it could possibly be, a perfect man, flawless."  I believe Jesus was even more than that, Jesus was better than any human can possibly be, because we in our sinful nature cannot be perfect.

 
                                                                                                                                In the Lord's Service 
I greet you in His Love
Antonina Penner.
Missionary
Masters inTheology..
 
ISBN- 978-0-9881063-1-4
Copyright 2012/11/26 by: “Ministério Visão de Águias”.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher

TOOLS FOR STUDYING THE BIBLE



This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8

STARTING
Before you get started, think through the following:

• When will you read? Do you have a consistent time?
• Where will you read? Do you have a consistent place? 
• What will you read? Do you have a plan?
• What do you need? Do you have a Bible, journal, pen and highlighter?

PRAYER
You should always approach the Scriptures in a posture of prayerful humility and longing. Ask God to:
• Incline you entirely to His Word.
• Open your eyes to see the beautiful wonders of Christ and the glories of the gospel.
• Unite your heart to fear His name, knowing that your desires are ever divided.
• Satisfy you with His steadfast and unfailing love.

READING

The first step of study is to simply read the passage a few times to get an idea of the content,
context and flow. Highlight particular sections that stand out so that you can come back to them later.


OBSERVATION

What do you see?
Observation lays the groundwork for all subsequent study. Cutting corners in this step can cause the entire process to unravel.
What are you observing? Everything. Your goal is not to determine what is and is not significant. Everything is significant. Observation is kind of like panning for gold. Your goal is to dig up as much as possible and allow the later processes to sift the gold.

1. Mark up the passage. Don’t be afraid to write in your Bible. Circle, underline and highlight. Write in the margins. Get creative.
2. List 2-3 overarching themes you see in the passage.
3. List at least two observations per verse. The more the merrier.
4. Write down questions to think through in the step of interpretation.

INTERPRETATION

What does it mean?
Your observations will most likely lead to interesting and challenging questions about the text. The step of interpretation allows you to sift through the various observations in order to provide answers.


TOOLS FOR STUDYING

THE BIBLE

Who is…
…the author?
…the audience?
…being discussed?
…accomplishing the action?

Where is…
...the author?
…the audience?
…the action taking place?

What is the…
…meaning of this word?
…significance of this phrase?
…implication of this statement?
…overarching theme?

Why did the author…
…choose this word?
…include this phrase?
…use this command?
…connect these ideas?
…not say ____?

1. Consider the context.
2. Compare multiple translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, HCSB).
3. Look up key words.
4. Check out cross-references to see how this passage relates to others.
5. When stumped, list out all the various options and pros and cons of each. After due consideration, use supplemental resources such as the ESV Study Bible or commentaries for helpful insights and background information.
6. Don’t stop until you have considered how this passage fits into the overarching redemptive plan of God – the gospel. How does this passage relate to the person and work of Christ?
7. Make sure to discuss insights and questions with your spouse and gospel-centered community.

APPLICATION

What do I do with it?
Bible study is incomplete until you have thought through how to apply the particular passage to your life. Some passages will be more readily applicable than others, but all Scripture is useful and helpful (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

1. List out a number of potential applications. To get started, here are a few questions to consider:
• Is there an example for you to follow?
• Is there a sin to repent of and/or avoid?
• Is there a promise to trust?
• Is there a prayer to repeat?
• Is there a command to obey?
• Is there a condition to meet?
• Is there a verse to memorize?
• Is there an erroneous view exposed?
• What else is the Lord pressing upon you?
2. Choose one or two particular applications and prayerfully consider how you might pursue greater faithfulness in them. Be specific about what you will do (or not do) and whom you will ask (in addition to the Lord) to help you.


RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

• Living by the Book by Howard Hendricks
• How to Study the Bible on The Village Church website
• Bible Reading Plans on The Village Church website



(This study guide was taken from a PDF file, that has no name of author or website. It had no copy rights on it. But I am passing it on as it is on the pdf file.) 

Monday, June 22, 2015

13th lesson : God's Purpose in loving the Human Being

Two Masters, Now make a Choice.

 Choosing between the two masters is required.
 
Humility is an extremely important factor to be a Perfect Man in Jesus. A person who takes a stand beside God will have to decide, just as Peter did one day. Jesus said to Peter, before the cock crows you will deny me, that night after the rooster crowed; the Bible tells us that Peter wept there, and he repented. But after this, Jesus came and spoke to him and asked him: "Peter, do you love me?" Peter had to make a decision and choose whether he wanted to surrender in love to Jesus or not.  Likewise You and I, we will have to choose as Peter what we will follow. Are we going to choose to live in Love, or are we going to follow our own desires and convictions? James writes: “You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” Jm.4:4. Peter knew this truth already, and the question that Jesus asked him, confronted him to make a choice, the world or Jesus. Whom was he going to choose?
Jesus said that no one can serve two masters. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money"- Mt 6:24.  One of the virtues of a perfect man in Christ is humility. In Mathew chapter 18, Jesus called a child in front of his disciples and explains to them that one needs to be like a child in the Kingdom of God.
 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” – Mat. 18:1-4. According to the example of Jesus, whoever follows him and has the same attitude as a child in concerning the Kingdom of God, this one is the greatest in the His kingdom. Jesus at age twelve had already decided to be faithful, and that he would obey from the beginning to the end his Father who was in Heaven.
We have many examples in the Bible where servants and prophets were persecuted. They were placed in wells, like Jeremiah. Daniel was placed in the lions' den. Daniel's friends were thrown into the furnace. Throughout human history, people who put themselves at Gods’ disposition, were harassed and challenged by opponents. The world confronts those who follow and serve the true God. The Word of our God says: Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. One day Adam and Eve were confronted with the decision whether or not they would submit themselves and obey God. We are also faced with this decision. God had told Adam and Eve: “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die", according Gen. 2:17. Eve made her choice and went and made Adam aware of what she just had decided and offered it to him.
If we want to reach the stature of a perfect man in Christ, we have an obligation to walk the same path he walked. We have to be humble, we cannot become rebels, but  be obedient in everything to our God. We must subject ourselves to the Father in heaven who came to dwell in us, so we can achieve the stature of a perfect man in Christ. We need to maintain our thought on the fact that we want to reach the unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God; and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" - Eph. 4:13.
No person arrives at the stature of a perfect man the beginning of his life with God. As we grow in knowledge in the word and we are enriched as Scripture says. "For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge--" 1 Corinthians 1:5 Even Jesus grew before God and men, this is described in the Word of God. If the word tells us: "Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ". This confirms there is a stage where they are not there yet. Something very beautiful is the fact that God gives us teachers in our walk along with Him.
In Old Testament we read in various places where the prophets always had a helper walking with them. Elisha followed Elijah everywhere. When Elijah was taken to heaven, Elisha took his place. The priest Eli he had Samuel as a helper beside him, and after the Elis’ death, God placed Samuel in his position. Jesus had twelve official disciples. These twelve were always with him and they came and joined Jesus. There was one day where Jesus sent 70 people, two by two. Jesus trained his people in their journey, and Jesus also trains myself and you, who are reading this book. God also will use you to train others, what you are reading here. Each word inspired by the Holy Spirit, when it gets to the heart of a human being generates eternal fruit.
So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
In the N.T. we see the apostle train his followers saying:
1 Co. 4: 16 “Therefore I urge you to imitate me”.
1 Cor 4:1 “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God”.
1 Cor. 11:1 “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”.
"Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. " Phil. 3:17. Reaching the phase of Perfect Man indicates that one day we were not at this point, and today as you are reading this book, if you feel that you are not yet at this point yet, do not be discouraged, every human being walks by phases and as we learn we mature to the next level.
There was a time where you were still a child and your parents and family have raised you to the point where you now can walk on your own, and make your own decisions; but now you can take care of yourself. You grew up in natural life and you will grow up in spiritual life as well, and the best news in all this is the fact that we have the Counselor living within us; that is the Holy Spirit. We comprehend that we have to take a stand which Lord we want to serve and belong to. The Word of our God makes it very clear that the world is under the government of the enemy. There are two passages that clarify it. James enlightens us about something very important in his letter.
"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God"- James 4:4. Once we decide ourselves to walk with Jesus, we must submit to His Lordship and this implies not love the things that belong to the lordship of the enemy. Whenever the enemy see that we have taken a stand with Jesus Christ he will confront and persecute us. James describes this as friendship with the world. Many Christians nowadays believe that there is nothing wrong with going to a bar or a restaurant and drinking alcoholic beverages and being there having fun with non-Christian people. We have freedom of choice, God gave us the right, however, we witness which Lord we are serving with how we live.
The Psalmist describes it this time: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night" - Psalms 1:1-2.
We must not:
Ä  Walk in the counsel of the wicked.
Ä  Stand in the way of sinners
Ä  Sit in the seat of mockers.
We should do the following:
Æ  Our delight shall be in the law of the LORD
Æ  Meditate on his law day and night.
This is the difference of a Man Perfect in Christ Jesus. If we are to walk in stature Perfect Man have to position ourselves as Jesus positioned himself, he left no room for doubt who he was. If you observe how Jesus said "I AM." He made it clear who he was and who he represented here on earth. Although Jesus made the universe and our planet he leaves it very clear, who the ruler is of this world, so we must decide whom we will serve. Jesus had to position himself as well; He submitted himself to the Father in heaven. One day he had to say I do not do what I decide, but I came to do what my Father has commanded me to do. Jesus said I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. He said: By myself I can do nothing. It reminds me of the verse where he says: that without Him, we can do nothing from Jn. 15:5. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”.
"Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does"- “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me”.  Jn. 5:19,30.
The reason why we need to make a choice and take a stand which master we want to serve, is because; God wants us to be one with Him, as He is one with Jesus. Jn. 10:30 says: “I and the Father are one". The Bible teaches you and me to take a stand as well, and shows us how we were walking according to the course of this world, when we were not children of God yet. The apostles excelled in wording hard to teach us how to live. "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient" - Eph. 2:1-2.
 This verse makes it clear that when we have not received Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives yet, we were walking according to the ways of this world. Says who walk according to the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit that now at work in the children of disobedience. Once we have decided to be children of God, we must make a decision as well to walk just as Jesus our Lord and Saviour did. And that's why John teaches us that we should not love this world, that is; hang on and love to live the kind of life that the person who is still living without Christ.
 
Do Not Love The World
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” - 1 Jn. 2:15-17. When we love something or someone, we hang on to it. It is very hard to let go of it. To love everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. God the Father knows what is good for us, and when He gives us guidelines and rules to live by is only to protect us from becoming governed by it, and it leads to death.
All these things should not be a master over our desires and feelings. Not to love the world and the things that are in the world. That is once we take a stand with Jesus, and alongside with Jesus we will suffer persecution as he suffered. The prince of this world opposes to all that stand with and for Christ Jesus. We see that in the history of the Church of Jesus, all who raised the banner for the Lord Jesus in one way or another were persecuted. The apostles were persecuted, and Jesus said that they would suffer for Jesus' name sake; so will we. When a human being begins to serve God in the phase of perfect man, unto the measure of the full stature of Christ, needs to know that he will be crushed because we must deny our self. It is necessary to give up many things, and just as on the Mount of Olives Jesus was tested, his disciples as well . You and I also will be tested if indeed we are faithful to God or not. Life itself will test us, we will face daily decisions that we will have to make; and on which we need to position ourselves.

WE HAVE THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE.

 
The purpose to be lived is to enjoy the blessings from our Creator the Eternal Father, sharing his company and also being supported by all his Love. God visited the human being in the evening in the Garden of Eden. He came to be there as close friends, with Adam and Eve. God wanted a perfect relationship, with this human being that He had created. God also gives each one of us the choice to accept or not the fact that we were created by “God is Love”. We can see he called Abraham a friend, and this makes me realize that God wants us to be His friends; as well. God gives us this option to receive His love, and live and let his love be evidenced through each one of us.
 
None of us is obligated to do what God in His love has prepared for us, God will never force you to do anything at all. But, if we want to receive the good things God has prepared for His children we must follow His Word and do as He prescribed it.
God gives us the freedom to choose whether we want to be His child or not. God allows us to choose whether we want to do it His way and receive all the blessings with it, or go our own way and pay the consequences of it.
 
We have Freedom of choice!!!

 
 
In the Lord's Service 
I greet you in His Love
Antonina Penner.
Missionary
Masters inTheology..
 
ISBN- 978-0-9881063-1-4
Copyright 2012/11/26 by: “Ministério Visão de Águias”.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

12th lesson : God's Purpose in loving the Human Being


Maturity in Christ Jesus.

At this phase we already have knowledge and awareness of good and evil. We know when we are doing right or wrong. To be aware and conscious of a wrong act or fact is the opposite of innocence of guilt. Let us check out a passage that John writes, teaching us something about this. The purpose to be lived is to reach consciousness of the fact that God wants each one of us to grow. John the Baptist said I must become less, "He must become greater; I must become less" - John. 3:30. Our "I" must decrease so that Christ may grow within us. Our will and desire needs to decrease, our ego needs to learn to humble itself before our Lord and Savior, because HE gave us an example as He prayed: Not my will, but Thy will be done O Father.
“If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1 John 1:6-10.
The word here describes the fact that if we are saying that we are having fellowship with God, yet walk in darkness, that is, disobeying the commandments of our God, we lie. John while he was a disciple of Jesus, he learned to walk in the light as, as Jesus walks in the light. And it was the day that Jesus spoke to them about the New Covenant in his Blood, when they were eating supper with Jesus; he actually learned what it was to have fellowship with one and other.
There in that night, Jesus showed them the blessing it is to live in communion, as the Church of Jesus. The body of Christ, who is here on earth, must be in communion with Jesus. And when in a local church one of the members or church leader is out of the light, and does not walk in the light as Christ is in the light; he deceives himself and those who are with him. If one member suffers, the whole body will suffer says the Word of God. John tells us what he received from Jesus.
He shows us that if anyone sins, he must correct himself. He teaches us: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Many people might never say it out loud, but might think it. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.  Does this happen to every human being? I do believe to a certain point, until we receive the understanding from God about it; yes it does.
Being pure before God is to be in his love, is to walk in the light. I think he makes us aware of the fact that we still live in this body, in the earthly life in which we still have the sinful nature; therefore we ought to learn to walk with Christ in the light, as He is in the light. He goes on teaching that: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. This does not mean that the Bible says that all of us, always have a sin in ourselves and yes, that we are still in this human body, and while we live on this earth we are subject to the fact that we are faulty. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
It is so wonderful to read that God is faithful and just and that He purifies us from everything. Neither I nor you manage to purify ourselves no matter how much we try to be holy; we will fail in this life, often without wanting we sin without even realizing it. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. Paul teaches us that God helped him to learn. Paul was aware of the fact that he, as a human being could not be the apostle that Jesus called him to be. He was aware of the fact that he needed God for this. When he was working with the Church in Rome, he wrote a letter to them explaining to them the struggle he was going through, and how he managed to have victory over it.
Let's check in Romans 7:14-24.
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing.
20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law;
23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
In this passage Paul expounds seven points to clarify that in human nature exists the innate factor to act sinfully. He gave his clear opinion and idea on it; a detailed explanation of it. He knew already what was right before God and what was not right before God. But, he saw that in his life there was still the old sinful nature. The human being has in himself the fallen nature of God's grace. Adam lost the blessing of being protected by God after having acted against the commandment of the Creator had given him. The human being exposed himself to ignominy. Within every human being is the struggle that Paul describes. Adam should have taken a stand: no, I am staying in the statutes of my Creator, if he wants to give this fruit for me to eat, he will. If it's good for me to eat it, the Creator will give it to me.
Collins Dictionary says:
... Stand: 8  N-COUNT  usu sing, oft N against/on n
“If you take or make a stand, you do something or say something in order to make it clear what your attitude to a particular thing is.”
Paul explains that we are actually unable to act correctly before God on our own efforts. We likewise already have the understanding that the law is spiritual, and that we are fleshly. I, that is, my own personality has no desire of being wrong. But as we decide our way of life based on the law under which we are sold, we sin. Every Human Being goes through the struggle which Paul describes above. He reaches the conclusion in his struggle that our Lord Jesus Christ is the One who gives us the victory in all this. He continues writing in the following chapter that there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ. Even though as a human being living in the flesh, we tend to err, if we are in Christ, we are no longer condemned for it; because Christ has already justified us. Take a moment to read these verses of Romans 8:1-17 and see what is expected from all of us, once we are in Christ Jesus. J
In the letter to the Ephesians he explains as follows: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." - Eph. 2:1-2.
Comparing this with the verses of Rom. 8.
The apostle Paul explains that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life sets us free from the law of sin and death. What does this mean other than the fact that as long as we lived without Jesus, we were living in sin; and it causes spiritual death. In the Old Testament God gave the law how to teach His people to live properly, but the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature.
God had a far better plan which went way beyond what the law could not do. Paul explains that God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. The price to be set free from the sinful nature that we should have paid, was paid in full by Jesus Christ. And furthermore he goes on saying: Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds are set on what the Spirit desires. Let me ask you some things: Do you declare to be a Christian that does have God in his heart? On a daily basis what is your mind set on? Do you think mostly of all the movies and shows you watch on television? Is your mind still working in the flesh? Or, have you already switched to the mind of Christ and His thoughts? 
Is there quarrel and strife in your conversation in a daily bases? Do you have life and peace within you? So, furthermore, he makes it very clear that the mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.  Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.  You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. So, have you ever invited Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of your life? Does God have a dwelling place in you? According to John 14:23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Some translation say will make our dwelling place in him.  If God is in us, as John writes in his letter and we are in Him, in this case we are no longer controlled by the sinful mind and its nature.
Paul goes on to say to them in his letter that if we do not have the Spirit of Christ, we do not belong to Christ.  But if Christ is in us, our body is dead because of sin, yet our spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in us, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in us. Now, is it then worthwhile to invite Jesus to be our Lord and Savior? I believe it is more than worthwhile!!!
After all this he explanation Paul shows us our obligation. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Praise God, hallelujah. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him we cry, ""Abba," Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Glory to God, it is impossible to be mislead if we search for the truth that sets us free. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Now in the letter to the Ephesians he explains as follows: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
This is one of the greatest blessings for the life of a Christian because we belong to Christ, no longer walk according to the ruler of this world. Now in Christ, the power of the air, that is the spirit that operates in the world, has no more power over us. This is a tremendous blessing that God gave us. Therefore we have the confidence, when we walk in Christ; we are safe from the affronts and attacks of the enemy against our lives. We have many blessings and privileges when we are Gods´ children. We inherit with Jesus the blessings of a heavenly citizen. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient”. Eph. 5:6. The wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience, but once we are in Christ, we are children of obedience.
 "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." - Cl. 3:2-6.  We have this promise of life as a child of God; we are not under God's wrath. He talks about those whose live in the lifestyle of those who do not have Jesus in their life. He tells us mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. I learned that when my flesh lusts something, God gives me strength to resist which is not from God. Paul writes to the Ephesians: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have the blood of Christ brought near" - Eph. 2:13.
“You who once were far off”, this describes all of us before receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior. But, Now that you have Jesus as Lord and Saviour in you, and have a new faith, you are close to God. Having a close fellowship with Him in this life in the flesh and learn to live as Jesus did. Well, now Jesus lives inside of you and me. Jesus and the Father came to make dwelling place in us. He lives within us, and with us. Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him”.  John 14:23
"... and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit" - Eph. 2:16-18.
All that separated the human being from God, eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, brought separation to between our Creator and us; but now in Christ Jesus, this separation no longer exists. Now, we are even better than at the time in the Garden Eden. If we live in Christ Jesus, and do not go after sin; we are free set of it.
It seems easy to quote and read this here, but how do we make it become reality in our daily life? It is possible to live in the presence of “God is Love”, for the fact that Jesus Christ has reconciled us all with God; on the cross by killing with it the enmity that existed between us. We were reconciled, and now we are children of "God is Love". Hallelujah, praise our Almighty God; the only one worthy of praise and glory forever and ever.
I would like to quote David Wilkerson, in one of his devotional letters (World Challenge ) I receive on a daily bases we find written:
Here are the other blessings of the joyful sound of Jubilee:
1.  "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance" (Psalm 89:15). The Hebrew meaning here suggests, "They shall walk in cheerfulness, secure in God's promises, at ease in His presence." Simply put, we no longer have to walk in darkness or confusion, because we will behold the light of His face.
2.  "In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted" (verse 16). We know our own righteousness is as filthy rags and so we are to take courage by rejoicing in His righteousness — which is ours by faith alone.
3.  "For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted" (verse 17). We know that Christ alone is the source of all our strength and we do not have to live under the devil's thumb anymore. All we have to do is look upon Satan's back, where we will see the heel print of our Savior. Jesus has crushed our enemy!
4.  "For the Lord is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is our king" (verse 18). We are utterly helpless in our flesh and so we totally trust in the victory of Jesus' cross. He defends us against every enemy.
God has given us everything we need to be victorious as HE wants us to be; He provided everything for it. Hallelujah, Our Triune God is the only one worthy of praise and glory forever. Let us make a quick review: recapitulating is wonderful way to remember. When God created human beings in his Own Image And Likeness, the essential thing God placed into them was LOVE; for them to be LOVE as HE IS LOVE. We, the human being are creation of LOVE.
But, thereafter came the fall of the human being, and we lost the great blessing that had been placed in us. With the coming of Jesus, this Love was given back to us. Now this love has been given back to us; through Christ Jesus, Hallelujahs. Without God we are not children of true love. Everything that is in the human being is expressed through his breathing, gestures and his movements. What is inside of us will be shown outwards. The human being in fact only shows what's on the inside of him. God clearly says that we were made in His Image; we are created in His likeness.  The purpose to be lived is to allow God to exteriorize Himself through us. If the Love lives within us, therefore love will be seen through us, amen?
For this to exist in us though, there are a number of things that need to happen. We need to:
Ø  Become aware of: if we are children of God or not
Ø  Recognize that we are sinners, and receive the gift of Life that is Jesus, as our Lord and Savior of our lives; repenting from sin. As was explained before.
Ø  Identify ourselves in God, as who we are.
Ø  Reshaped. When God shapes us from the clay, and we get marred in his hands; God the potter forms us into another pot, shaping it as it seems best to him; Jer. 18:4.
What does it mean that God externalizes Himself through us? In my comprehension, this means that he comes and expresses his love to our neighbors through us. Thus is the Evidence Of His Love, which is obtained by observation. The evidence comes within the persons reach, to the one who needs it, as we allow Him to guide us in our journey and using us through our actions and life. We have several verses that show us in the Word of God that once the human being fell short of the glory of God; he is the son of disobedience. In another words they were deprived of the pleasure of being in fellowship with God. But in Christ we are children of Obedience.
 
 
In the Lord's Service
I greet you in His Love
Antonina Penner.
Missionary
Masters inTheology..
 
ISBN- 978-0-9881063-1-4
Copyright 2012/11/26 by: “Ministério Visão de Águias”.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

11th lesson : God's Purpose in loving the Human Being

 Second part of Lesson:

Adolescence in Christ. It Is the Maturing phase.


A classic example of this is the fact that many Christians know better than to walk in an unequal yoke with an unbeliever, and then appears an opportunity to make a business with a person who does not walk with God, on the contrary; he is as far from being equal yoked as possible. Then the person begins to reason within himself, I prayed to God to send me someone, and then this person came. We begin to analyze, this person has everything I need to open a business and is everything else all is in place to work out right; and the person prays and says: “If this is Your Will Lord bless me”. Then he goes and starts the company before listening to God whether he speaks: "yes" or "no". This would be to live in Spirit and to walk in the flesh.

God will never send a person to us in an unequal yoke, for us to partner with them. In Gods’ Word it says: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” 2 Co. 6:14.
 
In Amos 3:3 we find a question, which is: “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” This verse is not in the Bible just regarding marriage, it also applies to work, partnership and so on. In all areas of life, we must guard ourselves with whom we associate; and in what situation, without consulting God and His Word. When God gives you the peace that surpasses all understanding, is because He approves it. God will never approve something when the Bible says; it is not of God. God cannot contradict Himself.

Let us analyze the context.
In 1 Corinthians 15:29-34 the author enlightens us about the resurrection regarding practical life.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?
30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?
31 I die every day--I mean that, brothers--just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.
32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."
34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame. 1 Co. 15:29-34.

Prior to this passage he says:

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive”.

Teaching to the Corinthians Paul explains: For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man; which is Christ. (1 Co. 15:20-22). In verse 25 He continues to teach that "For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet". Living in the flesh in a way is an enemy of ours, and this one Jesus will also put under his feet. It is impossible to walk perfect and accurately on our own efforts, and whatever causes us to stumble in our life’s’ journey; needs to be put under the feet of Jesus.

We can take all things that surround us or that are in us, captive to the obedience of Christ; everything that hinders us. These enemies to which he is referring here are the ones who fight against the children of God, and he speaks here of the last enemy; that is spiritual death. Death is the last enemy to be defeated by Jesus. Jesus, he fights for us. You see, Jesus had already died on the cross, and ascended to heaven when this was stated by the apostle. This death that he speaks of is a spiritual death of which every human being on this earth is part of, and this death is the last enemy to be defeated when Jesus takes His Church, all His children to heaven. Once we are in heaven we never need to fight this battle again, than it will be over forever; in heaven we will have eternal life.

At the maturing stage, we do have an intimate walk with Christ. The apostle highlights a great truth in this teaching, and he was used by the Holy Spirit of God to admonish us in the truth. In verse 34 he tells us: "Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame".

In the King James Version, it says: "Awake to righteousness and sin not." Watch and do not miss the target. Analyzing these two versions, we see that in context God is teaching us to be careful with whom we speak, and how to proceed not to sin. Why does he say that some Christians do not have knowledge of God? Surely because they are still children, mere infants, in their walk with the Lord our God, not having yet learned or understood this fact yet that we need to grow up spiritually as well. As we mentioned before: Our life with God starts as spiritual children, as the Apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth saying that he could not address them as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ. He explains to them that he gave them milk, not solid food. In his letters he says to them: for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed you are still not ready. You are still worldly.

When a person’s mindset is still worldly he cannot understand the spiritual lessons contained in the Bible. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?” (1 Co.3:1-3). God uses his Scriptures to admonish us that we must become sober. This is because, we are not aware of the fact that we are asleep or unconscious of the fact that we are acting or walking in accordance of a sinful life; that leads to spiritual death.

"Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God -- I say this to your shame". To come back to your senses in another words is: Becoming sober, indicating that there was a time where we were not sober, or a time where we were not in our senses; as it ought to be. As long as we walk worldly as the apostle names it, we do not have yet the mindset of Christ, and at this time the apostle calls our attention that we must come back to our senses; become sober. Waking up to the fact that once we are in Christ we must begin to think and reason as He taught us to think. This is the stage of childhood and adolescence in the spiritual life with God; receiving knowledge of what the difference is in walking with God or without Him.
According to the Collins COBUILD Dictionary Mindset is: “If you refer to someone's mind-set, you mean their general attitudes and the way they typically think about things”.

So if our general attitudes and the way we typically think is the way were thinking when we still were not in Christ yet; in this case we are worldly. The Apostle asks them: Are you not walking like mere men? Some people after receiving Jesus as their Savior still do not have the knowledge of God; and this he says, is to their shame. He refers to mere men who live according to their general attitudes and thoughts in daily life just the same as prior to coming to Christ. When we are infants in Christ, we conduct ourselves as someone who does not have the maturity in his knowledge of God. Paul says that some people after they become God's children they still walk in their own way, as if they are not aware what God teaches us; he concludes emphasizing that this is to the shame of the person who does so.
 
God expects from His children that they have thirst and hunger of God's righteousness, word and love; so that we conduct ourselves as spiritual in accordance with the Word of God. It is necessary that each of us "Awake to righteousness and sin not." WE need to have the desire and hunger for the Word of our God, and to learn how to walk worthy of our Him.

While we are in the spiritual maturing phase many times we still speak and walk in the practices prior of knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. The verse in 1 Jn. 1:7 explains that many still do not have the knowledge of the whole truth. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanse thus from all sin". Whenever we find the word “if”, it means that there might be a situation that it might not be. It says: but, if we walk in the light.

We ought to walk in the light as God is in the light to see all things as they are patent before the Light, which is Jesus. One of the things that Jesus teaches us and taught his disciples is the fact that if we want to be like Him, we must walk of faith, as He did. Jesus clearly demonstrated that he as the Lord and Savior of the World could have taken over the position as absolute leader; but this was not how He did it. Jesus left us a beautiful example, he had complete power and authority over the entire Universe; and even though being God he subjected himself to a servant’s position. Jesus washed feet, fed the poor, healed the sick, rose the dead, and preached the good news unto all.
 
According to Collins Dictionary absolute is:
Adjective: An absolute ruler has complete power and authority over his or her country. He ruled with absolute power.”

Let's read the following passage:
Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet
1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
7 Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand".
8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet". Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me".
9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well"!
10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."
11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.
13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.
14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.
15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Jn. 13:1-17.
 
As we read in this passage: It was just before the Passover Feast. I find it interesting that God makes a point of stating it here that Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Then it says: Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. When I observe Jesus’ life I think He always loved them since the beginning. So, why at this point the emphasis: that having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love? It says there at the supper, He showed them the full extent of his love. Does He mean with this, that He showed how important it is to have this close relationship with Him?

Then John goes on to say that: Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God. Jesus was aware if everything that He was doing, and what was going to go on. He knew what was going to happen the upcoming days. So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. Jesus was an example as well as how we should do things; when we are persecuted, even though we know and are aware that some people mistreat us; we need to submit to God the Father who is in heaven through Jesus Christ all things.
Once you and I have received Jesus into our lives as our Lord and Savior; we do not need to be washed anymore as the whole body. Since Jesus has already washed us, we only need to become clean in areas where we still walk in our worldly custom; when we were not yet in Jesus.
1 Jn. 1:9 it says if we confess our sins He will purify us. It can happen to all of us that we do mistake; and we do. Than we need to be purified, be washed as Jesus washed their feet. In verse 10 Jesus said to Peter: "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you". I believe that in our days not everyone is clean either; Jesus would probably say to us as well; it is necessary that I wash your feet.
As we mature we need to allow Jesus to cleanse our lives. God knows everything that goes on in our lives, in our hearts and therefore we must seek Him so that He can purify us and wash us thoroughly. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose”- Php. 2:13. If we allow God to work in us, He will work according to his good purpose. We learn in every stage which we go through, and God teaches us step by step in His Word.
 
In every situation we need to learn to leave the childish things behind us; and start to act like adults. “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me”- 1 Cor. 13:11. As long as we are truly infants, we do not have better knowledge; and God does not expects us to act upon something we do not know. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me; says Paul. In our life with God it is expected that we grow up spiritually and we start to act as a grownup person. Every time a sentence starts with the word “when” that means there was an occasion where it was different. Insofar as we achieve knowledge in the Word of God, we learn to walk in love as "God is Love" and not in our selfishness.

The psalmist teaches us this in a very interesting way. He says: Make me know thy ways! "Make me know thy ways, O Lord: teach me thy paths. Lead me in Your Truth and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation, I'm waiting for you all day" - Ps. 25:4-5. Make me know, is an affirmation that expects the other party to do so. God make me know. In my understanding you can only make the person by leading him whether he wants it or not. According to the Collins COBUILD Dictionary: To make means: If you make someone do something, you force them to do it.
 
So in this case, the psalmist is asking God to force him to know... Teach me... Lead me... I am waiting.... How beautiful it is to pray with the psalmist: Make me know thy ways "God is Love"! "God is love" leads us throughout our journey, and we may be convinced of the fact that God never abandons us, he never leaves us alone. In Hebrews 13:5b we read: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you". So it does not matter where we are, or what circumstance we go through, God is with us, and He makes us know His way, His will.

In the Lord's Service
I greet you in His Love
Antonina Penner.
Missionary
Masters inTheology..
 
ISBN- 978-0-9881063-1-4
Copyright 2012/11/26 by: “Ministério Visão de Águias”.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher

Rev. Billy Graham