STEPS TO ACQUIRING DIVINE CHARACTER

'SO THAT..."

Matthew 28:18-20 KJV

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Acts 1:7-9 KJV

⁷ And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

⁸ 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.

⁹ And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Hebrews 13:5-7 NCV

⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. God has said,

“I will never leave you;
    I will never abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

⁶ So that we can boldly say,

“I will not be afraid, because the Lord is my helper.
    People can’t do anything to me.” (Psalm 118:6)

⁷ Remember your leaders who taught God’s message to you. Remember how they lived and died, and copy their faith. 
⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

We know these words of Jesus as The Great Commission.  The writer of Hebrews reminds us of  how and why we should obey Jesus’ instructions…”so that.”  We can boldly, confidently, without fear tell all those we have opportunity as we go about in the world about Jesus because His Spirit is within us to empower and help us…so that, we can tell about Him! 

Jesus said to tell them everything He has told us about Who He is, where He came from, why He came, what He did and why He left.  He also said to tell how knowing Him has changed your life and how He can do the same for them. 

Jesus came from Heaven to earth to redeem mankind from the bondage of SIN.  He ONLY could give His blood as the perfect sacrifice because He was without sin.  He did this by dying on a cross.  Then He rose from the dead 3 days later to a new life He had never known before and would be changed forever!  We are to tell the world that they are redeemed and that they can be set free from the bondage of sin by believing in what Jesus did and asking Him to give them a new life they have never known before that is changed forever! 

He promised He was preparing a place for those who believe in Him and have received His Spirit and would come back for them and take them to be with Him in the place He had prepared.  We are to tell others until He comes!  Scripture indicates that ALL things have been fulfilled and we are the last generation to tell that He is coming SOON!

So…why aren’t we doing what He said we should be doing until He comes?  Not telling is NOT preventing Him from coming, it is only preventing you from hearing “well done, good and faithful one” when He comes!

You know how to tie a gift, Lord!  You are with us in The Holy Spirit “so that” we can do Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8 – Your way for Your glory; “so that” we can give You our best; to boldly witness, teach, disciple and baptize with water and The Word “without fear…” because I have Almighty God as my Helper!

O Lord, I love You, and Your Word sustains me.  Your Word today has become my life handle and confidence.  Thank You for proving Your Presence and for pursuing a Love relationship with me full of reality.  May the passion of loving You draw others in – “so that” You will be a reality to us all!  Amen.

SEEK...KNOCK!

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Luke 11:9

So you've come to The Lord in prayer "asking" and "believing" that you will receive; but so far you haven't received the answer you were looking for.  What's the problem?  Maybe you're not asking... seeking... knocking with the right mind; heart or motive!

A few questions:  Are you asking selfishly?  Are you asking with your whole heart?  Are you coming out of need?  Are you seeking because you haven't found on your own?  Have you given your very best?  Are you knocking at the right door?  

 ^"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up".

James 4:7-10

James says there are some conditions that need to be met if you haven't received results to your asking, seeking and knocking.

A few more questions:  Are you asking for what Jesus would ask for?  Are you seeking because you don't know the way, or you don't like your situation?  Are you coming to God's door with a purified heart and clean hands; broken and afflicted from striving to make things work?  Is there any self-pity or pride in your life?  Are you desiring to satisfy your heart...or God's?

On a personal note, I have experienced asking, seeking and knocking and left discouraged and broken-hearted because God didn't seem to be listening or caring!  God has something much greater at heart than just answering our requests, He wants to give us His Best - that which is perfectly designed to fit my created purpose.  So, He let's us exhaust ourselves until we are ready to desire and receive Him!

This is my prayer today: 

O Lord, I have experienced the knocking of an afflicted life and received cleansing.  I've experienced the knocking of an afflicted faith of self-righteousness and received revelation.  I've experienced the seeking and knocking of an afflicted spirit and received a new life and insight.  Recently I have heard You knocking for me to open the door and invite You to dine and fellowship with me. I have received sweet communion and the delightful life of abiding in Your Presence free of all affliction.  I desire nothing more.

SACRAMENT

 March 10, 2014 during My Daily Delight

“Have a Message and be One!” ~ “GOD INFLESHED”

*Dictionary definition:  Religious action or symbol in which spiritual power is believed to be transmitted through material elements or the performance of ritual. 

*Oswald Chambers states it this way:  "The natural heart will do any amount of serving, but it takes the heart broken by conviction of sin, and baptized by the Holy Ghost, and crumpled into the purpose of God before the life becomes the sacrament of its message."

*My impression:  The practices of Christ evidenced by the outward display of a changed life empowered by The Holy Spirit of Almighty God.  ("an outward sign of an inward grace gift/transformation.")   A Child of God demonstrating the Word and Presence of God as a living message and as a witness unto Him. 

Paul, who demonstrated so well said to preach the Word in Spirit and life.  Hear his words:

2 Timothy 4:1-5   I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:

 ² Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 

⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 

⁵ But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

John 1:12 “to those who believe and receive He gave the right to become children of God.”

Children of the Word that became flesh are “GOD INFLESHED”!

When we are born again in the Spirit we become a child of God…and, as the Father sent The Son, so has He sent His children!

  ~ to be a witness unto Him

  ~ to be a messenger to the world that they are redeemed from the payment of sin – by

     living proof; the message demonstrated.

  ~ to be a Child (Daughter) of God just like Jesus – in Spirit and life.

SACRAMENT (definition from Oswald Chambers statement)

 ~ the heart broken by conviction of sin

 ~ baptized by the Holy Spirit

 ~ crumpled into the purpose of God –

Then, the life becomes the sacrament of the message.

DAUGHTER ~ MESSENGER ~ WITNESS OF GOD       

Lord God, I am listening with a pounding heart and searching for clarity to what I’m hearing – “God infleshed!”  Why does that paint a different picture to me than “Spirit filled” or indwelling Spirit”?  That’s POWER!  And with it, the life is to be the Message…the power of resurrection and Pentecost living in me!?  I’m overwhelmed.

MARY & NEW BIRTH

Mary, the mother of Jesus ~ The Holy Spirit came upon her and created a new life of God in flesh.  When we are born again it is the Holy Spirit coming upon us and creating a new life of God in flesh.  We are just like Jesus when we become born again.  He was a baby having all the needs of a baby.  He needed someone to take care of him; providing his mental, emotional, spiritual, physical and social needs…until he could do for himself.  As a newborn Christian we need the same care until we learn how to love God our Father with all our heart (emotional), soul (spiritual), mind (mental), and strength (physical) and to love one another (social). 

We are given The Spirit of God to live within us to help us; but we also need others who are mature spiritually to help us learn how to live in the faith and discipline of a Child of God.

Jesus was 100% man and had all the temptations such as us, but he didn't sin.  He didn't sin because He listened to The Holy Spirit of God, His Father and said "no" to sin.  If we listen to the same Holy Spirit that lives within us, we also will not sin.

Do we truly believe that it is the same Holy Spirit of God that lived in Jesus that lives in us?  If so, what is the evidence?  Do we need some help?  Ask The Lord to bring you to someone who will nurture/mentor you.

My Prayer:  Thank You, Lord, for the new life in You – it is new with every new day.  Thank You that my sinful life is dead, and I don’t want to revisit it even in a memory. Thank You for bringing so many into my life to teach and nurture me.  I desire more intimacy with You and the joy it brings, so that I can be more like You.

February 18, 2013 My Daily Delight

PUT GOD FIRST!

My Daily Delight ~ May 31, 2014

Today as I delighted in time with my Lord, He shared some insight into trusting.  Using the words John recorded for us, He tells us that He trusted no man!    Life experience tells us that if we put our trust in human beings, we will end in despairing of everyone and become bitter.  Why?  Because I have insisted and believed that people will do what is absolutely right.  “Jesus knew what was in the heart of man.”

Jesus put God first and trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for anyone!  (See John 5:19; 8:28-29 for His Words.)  Our Lord’s obedience was to the will of His Father.  He only trusted God!

We must put God first!  We cannot trust God until we know Him; until we have a real and personal love relationship.  Jesus said:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God…and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father.  He came unto His own, but His own received Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God., even to them that believe in His name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”  (John 1:1; 14; 11-13.)

When we trust God, He trusts us!  God’s trust is that He gives me Himself by the indwelling life of the Son of God.  God’s ultimate purpose is that His Son might be manifested in my mortal flesh...born of the Holy Spirit of God!  He promises to be with all who trusts Him forever!  For assurance of this trust, read chapters 14-16 of John and learn all about the Holy Spirit and what He will do to, in and through you!

So, as I trust God and He directs my life, can I ever trust man?  I would say:  only the person that has His Holy Spirit.  Not the one who says he does, but the one who shows the evidence! 

My Life Handle of Trust:  Jesus said:  I will never leave you, nor forsake you, so that we may boldly say, “The Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”   (Read Hebrews 13:5-6)

Lord, empower me according to Your will to resist the clever tactics of the spirits of darkness.  Open my eyes to see and my heart to trust in Your will.  Bring Your glory fuller  into my life so that I can glorify You.

ABANDONMENT

My Daily Delight ~ April 28, 2014

*Notes from My Daily Delight for several years

"Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee."

Scriptures:  Mark 10:28; John 3:16; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20; Jeremiah 45:5

ABANDON ~ A-BAND-ON ~ “A Band On” another life - Jesus!”

ABANDON ~ Leaving ALL; giving up ALL to be identified with another life!

“BRAND” ~ Mark of Ownership

THE MARKS OF A CHRISTIAN (Bro. Billy Southerland’s Sermon 3/1//2012 with my impressions)

 ~ BIRTHMARK (I.D.) ~ LOVE

 ~ BOOK MARK (Passport/Ownership) ~ BIBLE/GOD’S WORD

 ~ COLLAR MARK (Partner) ~ YOKE OF JESUS/HOLY SPIRIT

 ~ KNEE MARK (Power/Strength) ~ PRAYER

CHRISTIAN’S ABANDON ~ Romans 12:1-2

   “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Galatians 2:20 ~ “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless…”

Identified – Activated

“…nevertheless, I live…and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.”

Set apart for God – Holy by the Holy Spirit

~The identical faith of the Son of God

~The life I now life

~The life man can see

~The Holy Spirit of God living in me ~ activated!

GOD’S ABANDON ~ John 3:16

 ”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

   God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (ALL)!

   God gave up ALL of Heaven to be identified with another life!

   A BAND ON ~ Identifying Marks of Jesus:

      He was named JESUS  (Savior)

      He had all the marks of a Christian more profoundly because –

          HE IS LOVE  

          HE IS THE WORD OF GOD

          HE IS THE SPIRIT THAT WALKS WITH US & GIVES US POWER

      He was BRANDED with the nail prints in His hands and feet & pierced side.

      He ABANDONED Heaven to be identified with us and was branded so that we could be identified with Heaven/God/Jesus!

SEALED with Delightful Life!  ~ Jeremiah 45:5 HCSB

”Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. But I will allow you to escape with your life wherever you go.”

Oswald Chambers says in My Utmost for His Highest ~ “If you abandon entirely to God.  He says at once, ‘Thy life will I give thee for a prey.’  The reason people are tired of life is because God has not given them anything, they have not got their life as a prey.  The way to get out of that state is to abandon to God.”

O Lord, thank You for the revelation that ABANDON is the sealing of my life by the indwelling Holy Spirit; it’s Romans 12:1-2 “a living sacrifice…transformed by the renewing of the mind.”  I am abandoned and my “band” is the Holy Spirit, and as I go…to the ends of the world being a witness and making disciples, teaching God’s Word, there is no fear ~ I have delightful Life! 

Prayer:  O Lord, as I meditate on these marvelous truths, I realize that I can’t comprehend enough to relate to Your abandonment for us – to be identified with mankind so that we can become identified with Almighty God.  Our life should be branded with Jesus so that it is very obvious who the owner is!  Grant that I may prove Your ownership with abundant Love to You and Your Body for Your delight and mine.  Amen.