And Not to Leave the Other Undone

Matthew 23:23 KJV

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

There are big things, the weightier matters, and then there are the other things. Jesus says that we should do the weightier things, and not to leave the other undone.

I really like that little part: “and not to leave the other undone.”

THE BALANCED CHRISTIAN LIFE

Some believers do not do the big things. They get very detailed in their lives, and they forget the big things, like the Gospel, going out with the Gospel, eternal purpose, finding a church. Finding a church is a big thing.

Receiving the Word is huge. Receiving the mind of God, fellowship with the Body, eternal purpose, and then their vertical relationship with Him.

These are the weightier things.

Then they get into all the other things, like their job, their budget, their finances, and all these other things. Other things.

It is very important that they learn what the weightier things are, so they do not overlook the weightier things and get consumed with the other things.

Those kinds of people might accuse weightier Christians of being hyper-spiritual or something like that. But actually, they have just found the weightier things.

We do not want to be hyper-spiritual and unbalanced, so we follow those things and not to leave the other undone.

Jesus followed the weightier things and did not leave the other undone.

Of course, we have our responsibilities. Jesus was very responsible. We see that even when He was leaving, He entrusted His mother to one of His most trusted and affectionate disciples, someone with a heart for others.

So He did not leave the other undone.

CHURCH PLANTING

It is vitally important, even in church planting, that we have a pattern.

We have a pattern of what is important: evangelism, discipleship, Bible college, fellowship, and the Word.

And of course we believe in all the other things, websites and other things, but the priority, the weightier matters, are very important. Those are primary.

But we are not unbalanced.

We do not want to leave the other undone. Databases and systems and all those things, and Facebook and whatchamacallit, all those gimmicks. That's fine.

We do not need to leave those undone.

But the weightier matters, these are key. But we can always grow in the other things, and not leave them undone. It we have the weightier things. The weightier things are primary. They dont have to exclude the other things. And the other things are useless without the weightier things. We cherish the weightier things. But the other things are not left out too. This is balanced. This is what Pastor called, "Spiritually Professional". Both. Not just one. An unjust balance is an abomination. Prov 11:1.

“These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

A debtor to keep the whole law, or a believer freely fulfilling the righteous requirements of the law by faith not for reward, rewarded.

Ga5.3  a debtor to keep the whole law

• If we do good, picking a commandment to obey, in order to receive merit/ favor/ reward, we should rather/ are obligated to rather be/ a "debtor to keep the whole law". The alternative is tantamount to self starting a new cherry picking part-law religion. This is idolatry.
• But, if a we freely do good/ fulfill any command, NOT to receive merit/ favor/ reward, but freely, without obligation, (ie out of favor/ grace already received), with no compulsion, God in truth and in justice will reward us.  This is fulfilling the spirit of the law by grace. 

The motive is everything.

I think of You & You think of me!

 When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers... what is man that You should recall him?’ (Tehillim 8:4-5)” 

When I think of You... 

I'm in shock that..

You think of me!!!!

We are thinking of each other!!!!!!

Omnipresent Grace, Musical Word

 Your Kindness fills the earth (Your Grace, chesed) - Your Benevolence, Kindness, GRACE (which You prepare for the poor (Ps68) IS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!! Your Grace is Forever (Ps136), Your Grace is EVERYWHERE!!! (Ps119.64 Heb)

And Your statutes were like music to me in my dwelling place (Ps119.54 Heb) Your Word is like music in my home! Protecting, insulating, edifying O God your Word is like music in my dwelling and your Grace is everywhere. I worship you Lord God of Eternity, you overwhelm me with your kindness and your word.

Finger & Waist in Proportion

 Rema today -

— Song of Solomon speaks of balance as beautiful (each one bares twins none missing); 

— Rehoboham lost balance. Little finger Greater than dad’s waist! Finger represents authority. 

Balance in authority is beautiful. 

Interesting meditation, keeping our fingers balanced.. in proportion, not to soon, not too late, many applications 

WE CANNOT BUT SPEAK THE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD. AC4.20

 YOU HAVE A MINISTRY. BUT WHAT DO YOU MINISTER?

YOU KNOW YOU ALWAYS HAVE A MESSAGE. THE WORD OF GOD. THE BIBLE.
BUT WHAT IS THE MESSAGE FOR THE HOUR? THE "PRESENT TRUTH"?

ACTS 4.20 SAYS "WE CANNOT BUT SPEAK THE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD".

THIS IS THE HIGHEST MESSAGE. BECAUSE IT IS WHAT GOD HAS PERSONALLY MINISTERED TO YOU. AND MANY TIMES, IT'S FOR MORE THAN JUST YOU. IT HAS POWER. POWER TO MOVE OTHERS.

THINK OF THE THINGS GOD HAS SHOWN YOU, THE THINGS GOD HAS MINISTERED TO YOU. THE THINGS GOD HAS DONE IN YOUR LIFE, SPOKEN TO YOU, HIS WORD, INTO YOUR SITUATIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, STRUGGLES, YOUR CARNALITY. 

THE THINGS HE HAS ENCOURAGED YOU WITH, BUILT YOU WITH. THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU HAVE SEEN AND HEARD. 

THIS IS YOUR TESTIMONY, YOUR WITNESS.

HOW DO I EVANGELIZE? YOU SIMPLY GIVE PEOPLE THIS. YOUR PERSONAL EYE WITNESS OF THE LIVING RESURRECTED WORD OF GOD TO YOU, THROUGH YOU, TO THEM. 

THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, DEAD LETTER AND LIFE. AN ANOINTING, AND GOING THROUGH MOTIONS, LIMITED INFORMATION AND UNLIMITED ENDLESS LIVING RHEMA. A COMPELLING EYE WITNESS REPORT, OR SOMETHING WHICH DOES NOT MINISTER TO YOU, WHICH USUALLY WON'T MINISTER THROUGH YOU TO THEM. WE CANNOT BUT SPEAK THE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD. AC4.20

"These Words" - Deut6.6 -mmm

"These Words" - Deut6.6 -mmm

Take of your shod shoes

Imagine Joshua, bowed to the earth, humbling himself, sincerely, the best he knows how. He has abdicated to the One whom he has encountered, an Authority Higher than himself in this battle, as he meets the True Captain of the Lord's hosts. But he has a question. We have so many questions. Peter had many questions, in God's presence. Today we have many questions. Job had many questions. What saith my Lord unto His servant? It's a good question. Imagine it, a king, bowed down to the earth. Like Saul asking his Lord, What do you want me to do for you? We Christians have almost an arsenal, a volley of things to say before God. We have been told to have our feet shod with the gospel, with the message, and we are used to opening our mouth, boldly before man. Our mistake comes in when we bring this before God. Don't get me wrong, there is a time to speak before God. And contrary to popular fables, He does accept our grocery lists of requests. But this loquacious spirit of keeping our shod shoes on, ready to say something before the world.. that all changes in God's presence. Yes you're bowed down to the earth, but take off your shod shoes. Be still. Let Me speak. How. When. And What I will. You no longer have a message in your mouth, ready to carry it with your feet. Be quiet. Joshua 5:13-15 

Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear!

Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear!

What is this verse? Who is this guy? Gazing at Goliath, he asks:
Who is this ... uncircumcised Philistine that dares to defy the armies of the living God?!!
Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear (Ps27.3)
What kind of viewpoint is this? This is Divine viewpoint, under pressure.
This is David. And this is a normal Christian.
Not extraordinary. Normal.
Not hyperspiritual.
Spiritual.
Ordinarily he's afraid, and no better than others.
But the Spirit of the 2nd Adam, is in him.
And he's not backing up, putting up or shutting up.

I don't care if it's the Communist party or Darius or Nero or the Ayatollah or a host encamping against us.
Who is this that dares to defy the hosts of the living God.

The resurrective Spirit of Christ keeps quickening us.
You can lock us up, we'll write an epistle.
You can ban us, we'll go underground.
You can threaten us and having done all to stand, we stand.
You can knock us down but not knock us out.
We're not backing up, putting up nor shutting up.

We are not careful to answer in this matter..
if it be so, our God is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand O king. But if not, be it known unto thee [I like that part - be it known unto thee].. O king, that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image.
You just ain't going to get Mordecai to bow.
We are not even careful to answer in this matter!
It's a no brainer. No administrative deliberating of pros and cons and risks and cost.
This is dead simple. Not even careful to answer; whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more that unto God, judge ye. [Ac4.19]
This is super simple. Nothing complicated about it. No rationalizing, contemporizing, reasonableizing, not capitulating.
My Bible still says, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some if [I like that part because there were some Hebrews that were forsaking],.. but MORE SO as you see the day approaching. Maybe if there weren't so many "some's", maybe if we did it "more so", instead of cowering like petrified little Saulish conscripts, the enemy would think thrice before daring to defy the armies of the living God.

Lastly, the only one who has anything to fear are those who dare to defy the hosts of the living God.
Look what happened to David's enemies. Look what happened to Goliath. Look what happened to the leaders of Communist Russia, Romania, Rome, Darius and Nebucadnezzar :) And look what happened to Uzziah when he dared to do what appertainethed not unto him by presuming to tamper in the things of the temple. He got Corona Virus in his forehead.. sorry leprosy. And he died of it.  

God has a way of dealing with those that dare to presumptuously exceed the bounds their authority and presume to dictate to the church how, when and if the church can meet, whatever reasonable non-biblical good excuse they give.

Though a host encamp against me I will not fear.
This is not fluff, nor empty words, nor fake, nor inauthentic flesh, nor anything else, this is a real, simple, childlike, spirit-filled, normal, genuine, faith-filled, confession of dynamic spiritual optimism that offends Satan, and sends a message that we actually do believe that it's better to obey God than man -- no matter how reasonable and rational and costly and inconvenient it is.

Honoring authority, not rebelling nor reviling authority, is a matter of the heart attitude, which we maintain at all times;
Obeying God rather than man is a matter of the feet. We believe in both principles, and this might be just one of those rare instances where we practice both.
Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear

2 kinds of Biblical Birthdays...

Recently I celebrated by 40th birthday. 

We celebrated the years of God's faithfulness to us.

For Moses, 40 was the 1st of three 40-yr chapters.

Jesus was crucified before he reached 40.

They said to him, "you're not even 40 years old".

In the Bible we find 3 notable birthday celebrations.. of 3 kings.. 

"Pharaoh, Herod & Ahasuerus"

On their birthdays, much was lost:

• Pharaoh lost his butler, 
• Herod lost his preacher, 
• & Ahasuerus lost his wife. 

We also find 3 devourers:

• Pharaoh's butler was eaten by birds, 
• Herod was overcome by a young dancer and her mother, 
• & Ahasuerus lost his wife due to drunkenness.

Ultimately these 3 kings made rash, bad decisions. 

The 1st Adam's birthday celebration:

With all of his glory, with his king-like authority of free-will, the 1st Adam cannot escape the futility he has been subjected to. He appears so strong, yet he is weak. In seeking to celebrate self, and glorify his 1st birth, he is reminded that since that day, he is losing. He has lost God, and ultimately will lose everything he possesses. 

There is also another, quite different birthday celebration in the bible.. 

The 2nd Adam's birthday celebration:

This birth is one of a simple, impoverished child: 

Of royal decent, this king is laid in a cattle trough.

He is, the "2nd Adam".

The purpose of His birth: is our 2nd birth.

At His birthday celebration, are despised impoverished shepherds... 

and 3 kings. 

And at His celebration, nothing is lost. 

Rather He is added to. "Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh". 

Humbly, He has condescended so low, and already "laid aside" the use of everything.. 

all the external glories of Divinity (Php2).

Now, having "added" humanity to His Divinity, He brings with Him, not futility, but Glory...

"Glory to God in the highest", this is not man-glorifying, but God's greatest glory; 

And man receives the benefit of Divine "peace and good will".

And now, this "last Adam" will be increased, and the "increase of His government" shall know no end. 

For, the "devourer" is "rebuked", and we are still celebrating His birth, today :)

"Mortify" - what does it mean?

Mortify = don’t allow the Flesh to live, to express its life (/death). Aka experience the finished work!!!!
It’s not counterfeiting/ adding to the FW by attempting to kill/ or accomplish/ to add to the finished work.. it’s applying what’s finished by (effortless) faith!

Closure & True Liberty. (Philemon)

"It is Finished" (Jn. 19:30) speaks of Closure, finality, a debt paid, once for all, in full. God wants us to fully experience that, in life. Onesimus, a runaway thief, had now become a Christian, but he had a checkered past. It is possible to be saved, yet experientially have things which are not closed, in our thinking. Onesimus met Paul. And through Paul's ministry, he met Christ, Love, Forgiveness, a New Identity, and a New Position. All this is true. Yet Onesimus has something that is unresolved, something he feels guilty about; a relationship that is broken; and a past that he is still running from. He is forgiven but still feels condemned. He is loved, but he still is afraid, the past is gone, but there is no experiential closure. Paul desires that he be not just saved, as wonderful as that is, but liberated and experientially restored, with total closure from that chapter in his life. Interestingly, this postcard is one of the shortest Epistles in the New Testament. Eternal forgiveness can become practical / "effectual" in a moment. By faith, Onesimus will take the note back to his former employer, whom he wronged. Grace, mercy, and forgiveness, when applied to the practical situations of life experientially, brings Closure, and True Liberty. Church history tells us that this was real closure. Onesimus would be restored, and go on to become a pastor and great leader in the early church. 

5 people in every society (1Ki21)

In the passage (the story of Naboth, who refuses to put his inheritance up for sale), we see a few groups, which are in every society:

1. The Pivotal force - like Naboth - remnant believers with sound doctrine, who have backbone, convictions, don’t compromise, live by principle, and stand up for truth, against wicked authority, at great personal cost.

2. The Princes of this world - like king Ahab - they are promoted by Satan as pawns, but allowed by God to rule. Their heart is in the hand of the Lord and we should pray for them because they can be influenced for good or evil.

3. The Pernicious wicked influencers - like Jezebel, these are evil, infectious, energized peoples, often behind the scenes, like Haman, who are not only wisked themselves, but try to spread it to others in power.

4. The People - like those that had Nabal killed, those who fall like dominoes with a letter from Jezebel. They wander around like sheep having no shepherd and these masses can be swayed easily. Jesus did not trust Himself to the masses because He knew what was in them. They are fickle, and generally simple, “not knowing their left hand from their right”.

5. The Preachers - like Elijah - Spirit filled messengers of God, preachers, evangelists, on fire believers who are called by God, under the authority of God, on the mission of God, with a mystery to them, can’t be predicted, get words from their Father, speak the word with authority and conviction that resinates in the ears of this world’s people and leaders. The salt of the earth, they highly frustrate Satan’s purposes, because though He may kill some, others keep popping up all over the place and are totally destructive to His progressive purposes. 

Chafer/ The Terms of Salvation/ Incorrect requirements/ Part 1: "Repent and Believe"

This post is the first in a series and has moved to:
http://www.makeamericabornagain.com/2017/05/chaffer-terms-of-salvation-incorrect.html

Millenial Authenticity

Be not conformed (Grk signifies outward confiormation) to the world, but be ye transformed (outward representing who you really are inwardly, like Christ on the Mt of Transfiguration), through the renewing of your minds. (Rom 12:2.

Authenticity, not being a hypocrite, is NOT revealing your flesh, being "honest" by revealing your inward depravity, outwardly, and acting like the world, dropping bombs in the pulpit.. in the hope that being "real" will win people to Christ... Not at all! Authenticity is simply displaying outwardly who we really are inwardly in the new man. That's authenticity!

Great quote from Wuest on the subject (taken from Wuest's Word Studies, by Kenneth Wuest):

The English word "masquerade" fits this Greek word exactly. When Christian women adorn themselves in the coiffures of the world, copy the world's lavish and gaudy display of jewelry, and don the apparel of the world, they are masquerading in the garments of the world. They are playing the part of another. They are, in the language of the Greeks, hypocrites, acting the part of another on the stage of life. They dress like the world and act like the world, and the world thinks them to be people of the world. Then when they come with the news of the gospel, their message

What are the 3 witnesses? - 3 Major Divine Initiations on earth (1Jn5.8)

3 Times God says in Jer. 22.29, "Earth Earth Earth, hear the word of the Lord!!!"
Sometimes people have it the wrong way round.
They emphasize man "desiring God".
The Bible sets the record straight, "not that we loved God".
In fact our planet is quite fallen, entirely given over.
Yet God, 3 in heaven, which are one, strongly initiates towards us. He is not a God afar off. He is not far from each one of us. He has penetrated our world. He peers through the lattice. He desperately desires us. He pleads for us to be reconciled to Him.
He stoops down into our stock, and initiates 3 major witnesses, on earth (1Jn5.8)

The 3 Major* Divine Initiations on Earth:

1. GOD HIMSELF - The Spirit - The Holy Spirit - Different, Divine, Holy, Deeply, Penetrating our inner man, witnessing, showing, revealing, shining, touching, communicating, expressing, contacting us with nothing less that the Presence and Person of God Himself. This is God's Real Agent in the world today. Making men new. Convicting. Working. Connecting us to heaven.
2. THE PREACHERS - The Water - The Message (& messengers) - this is the clean, true, word - preachers, inspired prophets and apostles, contradicting the narrative of Satan and this world and our flesh's lies, this is heaven, reaching right down, penetrating our world, and strongly desiring us, trying to get our attention, getting really close, in our very ears and consciousness, in our native language, Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, English, expressing the very thoughts of the God who is in love with us
3. THE CROSS - The Blood - The Divine Blood of Christ - If the Holy Spirit and the inspired preachers (apostles and prophets) aren't enough to persuade us, get this.... God's greatest and most profound initiation - the Eternally Existent Son, entering in the human race, with the Perfect Blood of God, revealing the Perfect Divine Nature, pleasing to God, the only Perfect One here, offered, on earth, by heaven, on behalf of earth, back to heaven, appeasing heaven, freely for earth, a blood sacrifice - Calvary- which could cleanse and purge the conscience of men, bringing them to God, in one mighty powerful initiation, that in one drop, is enough to save the whole world. This blood, shed on earth, still affecting earth, was taken to heaven, standing against Satan and for men, forever.

These 3 Divine initiations, are enough to make us so full of faith, make us so God conscious that He is for us, with us and has blessed us because He desires us.

*There are many other incredible initiations of God to man, including general revelation, special revelation, angels etc (see Ps 19), but we focus on these 3 right now, as pointed out by John in 1Jn5.

What is communion?

The word AYRUB [Heb translit] has the idea of sharing communal bread in a communal place [Lightfoot, Talmud]. The place would be a common public place like a court or forum or barn. They would all bring their common/ shared bread into the common/ shared public location and eat it together. In John 21 we see this, except now, we're sharing the bread which He Hinself has privided (we didn't contribut anything), we just come and He provides the bread (which speaks of Him giving Himself). Christ, is what we have in common with each other, and communion is the coming together, in a public open forum of fellowship (KOINONIA) such as a service, meal, q&a rap session, or home bible study, to enjoy and express that Bread of Life.

You think you're special? 1Co 4.7

In the flesh, that is, in ourselves, summed up in all we are naturally, or all we received at our first birth, we are no different than anyone else. Nope. Nobody. What maketh thee to differ from another? The person who knows the cross knows that in his flesh, he's nothing special. In himself he is no more special than anyone else. Yet he glories. But not in himself. In the worthy Lamb. The unique, only, special, objective, well pleasing, perfect Son of God.

It's probably true, but I'm crucified! 1Co 4.3

With me it's a very small thing to judged by you. 1Co 4.3. CROSS CHECK!!! Being accused, judged, asked to justify yourself.
The finished work believer has already been crossed out, condemned, sub'd, replaced, crucified. Nothing is left to condemn! Jn 5.24! He's so "in Christ" that he know's he's nothing outside Christ. And when he's accused, his natural reaction is like David's with Shimeai... It's probably true... I'm actually worse than you're saying... I agree with you mr adversary... But it's really a small thing because there's just one thing you overlooked... You see, you came a bit late! I'm already crucufied! Buried! Raised! No more to be condemned. That's the part you forgot! And that's why it's a small thing to be judged by you. 1Co 4.3

Crucified fools with derived wisdom 1Co 3.18

Never mistake fools with divine wisdom for crossless wiseness. Pseudo intellectuals have nothing to say before a crucified fool. Crosslessness renders world wise people to clever for missions, and having too much natural cleverness for ministry. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 1Co 3.18