I am looking into the Promise of GOD to Restore to mankind Spiritual Health from HIS perspective. And not from that perspective taught by many of mans religious denominations of misguided religious people who remain in the snare of the workings of the flesh by means of deception. Now for Pastor Hoekstra's writing on Grace. And then with the use of the ESV translation, both with some editing as the LORD the Spirit within me gives utterance to me. I will look at examples of mans Awakening, or what is called the Quickening of mans spirit.
"The Crucial Choice: Flesh or Spirit"
"Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh (remain disorderly and in a state of constant confusion), but those who live according to the Spirit, mind the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace." (Romans 8:5-6)
The crucial choice that unbelieving believers face day by day is between living by the flesh or living by the Spirit in Christ. The difference concerns facing Life by our resources and perspectives or by GOD's. "Those who live according to the flesh set their minds (this is the struggle that Paul has within themselves just as we all have before we truly become a believer) on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." Before one can become a believer and a true Christian. They must face off within themselves this unknown battle of spirit (the quickened spirit of Life) verses spirit (the influence of deception, darkness) and deal with life by his flesh, he typically thinks about "what I want out of my life" or "what I can accomplish with my life." Conversely, when a Christian deals with life by the Spirit, he typically thinks about "what GOD wants for my life" or "what GOD can accomplish through my life."
The consequences related to this choice are monumental. "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace." When a believer allows his mind to be set in a carnal direction, he will be thinking about worldly self-indulgences ("what I can get out of this") or religious self-accomplishment ("what I can do for God" and this God should actually be god without capital G but small case g). The result of either carnal perspective is "death" (spiritual deadness, where we started from in the first place with the small letter g for god). On the other hand, when a follower of Jesus (now this is representative of mans flesh nature in which all manners of evil dwells) sets his mind on heavenly matters (the is the Christ nature of spirit), he will be considering issues of humility ("how much I need the LORD, the Christ nature restored") or faith ("how great the LORD Christ is"). The results of such Spiritual thoughts are "Life and Peace" (spiritual vitality and spiritual tranquility).
Another analysis of these two options can be seen in the contrast between the "works of the flesh" and the "fruit of the Spirit." When we put our hope in our own capabilities, our flesh produces deeds such as "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like" (Galatians 5:19-21). Contrariwise, when we place our expectations upon the LORD, His Spirit brings forth through us fruit like "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Consider this fundamental truth. These "flesh verses Spirit" choices are what all of us will face every day of our lives. The persistency of these issues is inherent in the fact that GOD only offers two options for every issue of life; namely, "live according to the flesh" or "live according to the Spirit.""
General References to Spiritual Quickening:
Psalm 80:14-18 "Turn again, O GOD of Hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that Your right hand planted, and for the son whom you made strong for Yourself. They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of Your face! But let Your hand be on the man of Your right hand, the son of man Whom You have made strong for Yourself! Then we shall not turn back from You; give us Life, and we will call upon Your name!"
Daleth.
Psalm 119:25-32 "My soul clings to the dust; give me Life according to Your word! When I told of my ways, You answered me; teach me Your statutes! Make me understand the way of Your precepts, and I will meditate on Your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word! Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me Your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set Your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of Your commandments when You enlarge my heart!"
He.
Psalm 119:33-40 "Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep Your law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me Life in Your ways. Confirm to Your servant Your Promise, that You may be feared (Highly exulted and reverenced). Turn away the reproach that I dread, for Your rules are good. Behold, I long for Your precepts; in Your Righteousness give me Life!"
Zayin.
Psalm 119:49-56 "Remember Your word to Your servant, in which You have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your promise gives me Life. The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from Your law. When I think of Your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD. Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. I remember Your name in the night, O LORD, and keep Your law. This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept Your precepts."
Kaph.
Psalm 119:81-88 "My soul longs for Your salvation; I hope in Your word. My eyes long for Your promise; I ask, "When will You comfort me?" For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten Your statutes. How long must Your servant endure? When will You judge those who persecute me? The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to Your law. All Your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken Your precepts. In Your steadfast (selfless) Love give me Life, that I may keep the testimonies of Your mouth."
Qoph.
Psalm 119:145-152 "With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD! I will keep Your statutes. I call to You; save me, that I may observe Your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in Your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your Promise. Hear my voice according to Your steadfast Love; O LORD, according to Your Justice give me Life. They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from Your law. But You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are true. Long have I known from Your testimonies that You have founded them forever."
Psalm 143:10-12 "Teach me to do Your Will, for You are my GOD! Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground! For Your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my Life! In Your Righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! And in Your steadfast Love You Will cut off my enemies, and You Will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am Your servant."
Habakkuk3:2 "O LORD, I have heard the report of You, and Your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy."
John 5:16-21, 22-24 "This was why the Jews (the political elite, doctors lawyers and the Priest's of a select few) were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." This was why the Jews (those described above, this sect did not include the Hebrew children, in other words it is not all inclusive term) were seeking all the more to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling GOD His own Father, making Himself equal with GOD.
So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all that HE Himself is doing. And greater works than these will HE show Him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them Life, so also the Son gives Life to whom He Will.
The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes HIM Who sent ME has Eternal Life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to Life."
John 6:60-65, 66 "When many of His disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" But Jesus, knowing in Himself that His disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where HE was before? It is the Spirit who gives Life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him.) And He said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him by the Father."
After this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him."
No comments:
Post a Comment