I writing to the Ephesians church, Paul wrote extensively about the differences between believers and unbelievers. This statement comes from the middle of his discussion.
We frequently need reminded of how the Gospel really changes us from the world around us. I would add that we often need to distinguish between the traditions we learned at home and in church and the direct teachings of Scripture.
The story is frequently told of a lady who was cooking a ham and cut the bone off before putting it in her large cooker. Her husband asked her why she was cutting it off. She answered, I learned that from my mother. He then asked her mother the same question. Mother answered, “I learned it from my mother”. Grandma was still available, so he asked her. Grandma’s answer was, “My cooking pot was too small for the entire ham”. Many of our traditions are good and useful, but that one wasn’t useful, even if it once was useful.
Other traditions can be very evil. Pagan practices are of the devil and should be carefully evaluated. If they in any way disagree with the Bible they must be abandoned. Paul already had addressed many of those practices before this statement in verse 27.
Let’s look at this verse carefully, to learn how to apply it.
“do not” is an absolute form of expression. It gives no opportunity for an alternate or compromise meaning. When God’s word says “do not”, we cannot compromise. Some have thought that they could confess a murder to their priest and be forgiven. Then they thought they could go out and murder someone else and be forgiven again and again. The Scripture says “do not murder” just as it says “do not steal”.
“give”, but some may say, that’s not generous. Until we recognize that the Scripture is stating that we have authority and must not exercise it in any way contrary to God’s will. How does this authority really work?
The ‘wilderness’ is not a concept that is understood too well in Christendom, despite the fact that it is all the way through the Bible. From the book of Genesis right through Revelation there are clear references to the ‘wilderness’ as being something God often employs in His dealings with men. The pattern is undeniable.
When we look through the Scriptures we see that the wilderness is often a place of spiritual “crisis” and also preparation. It is the place God sends us before the “real action” begins - before we enter into the full purposes of God in our lives. There must be ‘death’ before there can be resurrection. There must be a desert place before the “promised land”.
The wilderness is a place of trial and testing, of brokenness and full surrender to God. The props and activities that have kept us continually striving to “make things happen” are stripped away. Our self-reliance is shattered and replaced with a total reliance on God alone. Every “idol” in our lives (often including our own ministry) is brought under the piercing searchlight of God. Our selfish motives and ambitions are shown for what they are. This process may take years. Finally we emerge broken, chastened and purified. The process has matured and cleansed us in so many ways. We are now ready for the fulfillment of all that God originally called us to do. But our heart-motives are vastly different from what they were before.
We see this pattern all the way through Scripture. Many lessons can be learned from what we read there. Abraham, Joseph, Joshua, Moses, David, Elijah, John the Baptist, Paul the apostle - and even Jesus Himself - all had to go through this “wilderness” experience. Very often it lasted for years and years. Why then should we be surprised if it happens to us?
Cynthia Brian, host of World Talk Radio, “The Oprah of the airwaves”, interviewed Tatyana Noel about her book “Finding Your Soul Mate“. Autobiographical in nature, Finding Your Soul Mate narrates Tatyana’s story of divine intervention which led her to her soul mate on the other side of the world and reveals a
method of discovering your God-given life partner.
“1 Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.
3 A bruised reed He will not break, And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not be disheartened or crushed, Until He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”
6 I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations.” (NAS Isaiah 42:1, 3, 4, 6)
This introduction to the discussion in Isaiah 42 raised questions in my mind. I have read the earlier parts of Isaiah and they repeatedly discuss the corruption of the Israelites who had just been put into Assyrian captivity and dispersion. Suddenly the tone changes (no wonder commentators treat Isaiah as two separate books) and Isaiah speaks of the “Servant who will bring justice to the nations. I originally thought that any Jew reading this would say that the cruelty of the oppressing nations will be rectified by restoring the Jews to their homeland. I’m sure that some have read it that way, but I believe they never understood the word “justice”.
While my pastor was preaching on this section of chapter 42, it struck me that the key was in the phrase “justice to the nations”. If the Jews were seeking restitution from oppression by other countries, they were forgetting the message of why they were going into captivity. They had a twisted idea of justice to assume they were innocent and all others were guilty. God has explicitly stated the reason for trouble coming on all of Israel and Judah. It was their injustice toward each other.
It may seem obvious, but I must ask, “What is justice?”
At first I thought it was the removal of injustice (crime, sin, etc.)? This led me to understand that all evil in this world is a form of injustice. Logically, then it appeared to me that Justice would be removal of all of my sin and its effects(sickness, death, etc.). Then God could use me as an example to draw others to seek this good result.
It’s going to be a lot of chaos, especially for those who live in the natural. The opposite of that and the plan of God for our life is to experience peace wherever we are at.
Isaiah 32: 15-2015 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. 16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field. 17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. 18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; 19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place. 20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.
The manifestation of God’s promises is not so much in an appointed time in history as much as it is for the righteous of God to understand that these things belong to them, they are a part of the inheritance and the violent is going to take it by force.
The promises of God today are “yes” and “amen”. They are for us to get a hold of.
2Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
It is part of our inheritance and the violent take them by force. The people who do not really want it will not get it.
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If you are not excommunicated from the group that you used to belong to, then what are you be a part of? Who are you trying to please and bring glory to? “These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.” (John 9:22)
Here is almighty God made a great miracle for their son, but they are afraid. The Lord put some pressure on them.When I had a baptism of the Holy Ghost, I lost fellowship with most of my family. We need to go outside the temple following Jesus.
Hebrews 13:12-13: 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
We don’t want to lose fellowship. Fear keeps people inside. To go outside the camp means to go outside the walls of the church. 1 Peter 4:12-14: 12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial [excommunication - K.C.] which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
You know why some of you don’t have joy? You still try to get inside those walls.
You will either submit to your thought life or it will submit to you. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7). If you think you are a failure it will come to pass. You will either submit to pride or pride will submit to you and humility will come. You will either submit to lack and poverty or they will submit to you.
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Many people became accustomed to problems in their lives and don’t do anything about them. But it is still a problem you go to bed with and get up with. If you don’t deal with it now, it will get bigger. People used to work around some things. Why do you work around it? You learn to live with failures. But God gives us power and dominion over situations and get them out of the way. We are waiting for God to do something about them, but God is waiting for us to do something about them. Either you will overcome it, or it will overcome you.
My favorite formula is about peace of mind: KJV Isaiah 26:3: ”Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6…Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more (John 8).
In preparation for the future Jesus said, “Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt 6:31-33). If you focus on those things you’re going to lack something. How to get a foundation of confidence?
The are keys: 1) Purposes of God.
Foundation of everything is in Genesis 1. If it is not valid in your heart you won’t be able to stand. Rom 4:15-16 “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all”.
There are lots of things in the Kingdom of God that are available to us that are really beyond all comprehension and we don’t grasp them for a lack of knowledge. Things that you can comprehend you can trust in, or get a hold of. You have to get rooted and grounded in love. You are going to get your strength from your love.
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen (Ephesians 3:17-21).
Revelation 12:1 - 13: And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. (more…)
I asked the Lord to give me something to held Christians to win without going through the whole Bible in order to dine proper verses. And He showed me verses, and if you drill this verses in your heart, you can not loose. If you want to go through the time of trouble which is coming upon the earth, these formulas are absolutely necessary.
The Lord not only expects His children to have victory, but He has given them the Word to show them how to have victory. Unfortunately, many are like Gideon who asked, “…Oh my Lord; if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites” (Judges 6:13). Many people wonder, “Why did this happen to me?” or “Why did this turn out the way it did?” or “Why don’t the promises of God work for me?” One day, while praying, the Lord gave me seven exciting formulas for victory, which I want to share with you. Although many people have confessed these verses, the formulas make each confession more personal and profound. By placing these confessions together, they become unique and bring greater victories. After I shared this program with others, they testified of greater victories - some in just a few days. The purpose of this program is to help you get a revelation of the Lord helping you and being with you through every situation. Keep in mind that the promises of God’s Word are not for the rebellious or disobedient. They have been given to God’s children to help them have victory. You will notice that many of the verses have qualifications for the person who receives the promise.
Everyone of us faces failure in some area of our life at one time or another. It might be failure in marriage or finances or in everyday battles like our weight or habits. Whether it’s addictions or mistakes, the reasons for failure are remarkably the same and the solution is always Jesus.
“Do Not Give A Place to the Devil”
