Wednesday, February 29, 2012

FOUNDATION




A PERSON’S IDEA OF PROSPERITY IS ACCORDING TO WHERE HIS HOPES ARE FOUNDED; ON GOD OR ON A HERESAY GOD; ON THE LIVING GOD, OR ON IDEAS OF GOD.   (Oswald Chambers)

It is written in Isaiah 55:9-11 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not  return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I send it.”  If you have been born from above having accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you are a new creation and have come into the kingdom and new dominion of God; the dominion of light, peace, joy and salvation.   

We have been studying Abraham and Lot in the Old Testament.  Abraham heard from heaven and was awakened to his destiny which, from that point forward was always working in him. It is so important for the Body of Christ to understand that when the Word of God comes to us and we accept it, a transformation begins.  The Word is revealed to our spirits and it begins to transform the way we think, the way we see things and the way we speak. We have a new outlook.  To understand the process you enter into when you are born again turn to John 17:14 where our Lord clearly states, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” 

Two men are traveling together; Abraham is traveling by the Word he received from God and Lot is traveling by his soulish instincts, will, mind, and emotions.  One has been taken hold of by the Word and heavenly call. The other is being drawn and driven by the earthly sights.  It took a crisis to expose these two completely different natures and attitudes.  We see how God made it impossible for the two to live together. Abraham denied his right to be the first to choose land and gave that right to Lot.   Lot chose according to what he saw.  The Jordan plain looked like the Garden of Eden to him, but Lot failed to remember that a curse was placed on the earth when Adam disobeyed.  Lot was deceived by what he saw.  Many in the church today have also been deceived by what the world has set before them. When you go through circumstances where you must choose and make decisions; do not be deceived by what you see.

 Lot and Abraham both traveled in physical tents but let’s symbolically apply that to the spiritual and distinguish the soul tent from the spiritual tent.   The spiritual man and the natural man are always looking for stability and security.  The extreme difference is that the natural man turns to the physical matter to find his stability and the spiritual man sets himself in the Word.   These two biblical men are presented with a critical situation of building their habitations.   The choices became evident as we read how Lot was drawn to the city life and pitched his tent toward Sodom while the spiritual man took hold of God’s word and made his habitation in God’s promises.  Paul says in Galatians 5:16, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”  This is the process God wants us to understand.  God is preparing us.  We are a heavenly people, not of this world.   Christianity has become organized with earthly programs that are limiting the operation of the Holy Spirit in the members of the Body of Christ.  We have a responsibility as servants of God to help God’s people realize we are not of this world and must not be drawn to this system or be influenced by it when we are making decisions.   We must warn one another and prepare for what is coming. 

Have you considered the situation in the world today?   The world environment is drastically changing. If your habitation is built on sand, when the storms intensify and temptations come, your house will fall.  Jesus himself spoke the parable in Luke 6:46-49 which says if you build your habitation on the rock which is Jesus Christ, it will stand.  Paul said in I Corinthians 3:12-15 that man’s foundation will be tested. Born from above means we have received the new life of Jesus Christ.  We have a new nature, a new disposition and a new consciousness all coming from the new life of Christ Jesus. It’s our responsibility to always direct everyone to Christ Jesus, not to a principle, program, or method; He is the answer.  Our destiny is our life in Christ in God and God in Christ in us for eternity.  Our Lord said very clearly in John 14:20, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”  He is talking about the day the Holy Spirit, the True Spirit comes and enters His chosen children.  Paul says in Colossians 3:3, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”   How is it possible for the enemy to touch you; he first has to go through God, through Christ to get to you.  We are all unique and God has chosen us out of this world. He knew us before the world was formed and He put us where we are for a divine purpose.   Destiny begins to unfold in Genesis 12 as we see the Word take hold of Abraham; “God’s word will not return to Him void.  It will accomplish the purpose for which God sent it.” Now, the Word is coming to you; to transform you, to set you on course to your destiny.


 WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS SERVANTS OF GOD TO HELP GOD’S PEOPLE REALIZE WE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD AND MUST NOT BE DRAWN TO THIS SYSTEM OR BE INFLUENCED BY IT WHEN WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS.

  

The greatest revelation we need is unity in the spirit; united with God in Christ by the Spirit.   We have received His peace.  If the thoughts of our Father are greater than our thoughts, let His Word transform the way we think and see things.  I must warn the church that we are about to witness a shaking. The same way a crisis was brought before Abraham and Lot to cause them to separate, a crisis will expose those in the church who are living in the flesh. God will not allow His children to be deceived any longer by the world’s solutions to sustain His children.   II Peter 2:7 mentions Lot as a righteous man, but even though he traveled and surely worshipped with Abraham, he was more inclined to follow the natural.  We see the conflict of the temporal with the eternal; the battle between that which is seen and that which is not seen.  You and I are in a process of being transformed by the revelation the Holy Spirit is bringing us.  This is confirmed by Jesus in John 16:13, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you.”  He’s guiding each one of His children.  We are all pilgrims and not of this world so don’t be deceived by it.  Study the life of Abraham and Lot.  Read what Jesus says in Matthew 16:25, 26 regarding trying to save your life. Lot sought to save his natural life while Abraham was losing it.   The fact that he lived in tents tells me he was a man who’s constantly moving, he never settled in one place. I’m not talking about those who are moving from one church to another because they are discontent with the Preacher or the programs.  I’m talking about destiny drawing you closer to knowing your God, Jesus Christ.   Many in the Body of Christ have settled with their spiritual state of being.   This man wanted to spiritually progress. Abraham moved into the habitation where God promised he would grow spiritually.  That’s the difference between being discontent and moving on even when you make mistakes.  Those are the things we must see in Abraham and see in ourselves.   When we make a mistake, admit it, confess it and keep moving.   Let the word bring adjustment to your life.   Let the Holy Spirit reveal to you those areas that must change or be abandoned.  God didn’t wipe mistakes out of the scriptures; He left them in so you and I can differentiate between the natural and the spiritual.  Examine yourself.  When you make a mistake do you remain there in self pity or are you willing to confront the mistake and go forward, like Abraham? 

Soon we will know more clearly why Jesus spoke in John 17:16, “They are not of this world, even as I am not of it.”  Check your decisions by these words, “My children, my disciples are not of this world.”  Regardless of the persecution you’re going through, you are on the right track.   The antagonism, the attack is not against you personally, it started way before this world was formed when satan rose up against God;   he is now going against His children.  I say to you, as God’s servant and your brother in Christ there is no temptation - no test that comes our way that does not have the approval of our heavenly father.  Our Father has made the way to go right through these testing’s, temptations, and persecutions and come out in Christ.   You have entered with Christ, in Christ and have come out in Christ’s victory when he overcame, sin, hell, death and the grave.  HE CONQUERED IT ALL!!!  He now makes sure we are a partaker of that victory.  

We are living in a glorious day.   I’m not speaking of a 24 hour day; but moment by moment in which God is bringing many sons into glory, into full manifestation.  This is the time for the SONS OF GOD to be revealed; our heavenly Father will be honored and glorified. This is the time Jesus Christ will be magnified and exalted through His children who will not fear ridicule, rejection or persecution; but triumphantly walk in the glory of the Son of God. This is your time, child of God; this is your time brother and sister.  Let the Holy Spirit minister and set you in your position of power to bring glory and honor to Christ Jesus.


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