I have been delving into GOD our Heritage in a slightly different approach to our being One in Christ. Because as we have seen when we do finally come to the Perfection that God was and is in Christ making Christ GOD which brings about HIS Divine being One within us and our being One in HIM. The next area that I want to look at are actually two but which one to do first, I have just looked at the GOD of Truth and so it is fitting to keep in the same thought. So I will do GODS being Absolutely Trustworthy before HIS being Faithful. Now with that settled I will move on to Pastor Hoekstra's writing on Grace and Christ. And has become my pattern I will use the ESV translation and as the LORD within me gives utterance I will add it as lead.
"The One Necessary Thing"
"That I may know Him . . . Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do . . . one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." (Philippians 3:10, 13, and Luke 10:42)
"Paul's goal in life was to grow in ever more in Intimacy with the LORD "That I may know Him." He wanted to know the LORD so well that his life would be transformed into "resurrected living" in this spiritually lifeless world. Even though one could say with relative certainty that even the negative side is spiritual, being that darkness and lawlessness are spiritual as the deceiver is a spirit. But with Paul he humbly admitted that he had not yet reached such spiritual maturity. "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended." Thus, in light of his own need to grow, coupled with the excellency of that goal, he had a single focus in his life: "one thing I do." This one thing was his ongoing quest to know the Lord Jesus more fully as the LORD more and more. Having only known Him as the ancient LORD from the old witness accounts of HIM. He did not yet have the New Witness understanding the transforming within him.
This focused quest is similar to the heart that Mary demonstrated, as recorded in the synoptic gospel of Luke. When Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, Mary "sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word" (Luke 10:39). Martha was functioning as a busy hostess, desiring to bless her Lord. However, her busy labors distracted her from the one she was attempting to serve. "But Martha was distracted with much serving" (Luke 10:40). The solution was obvious to Martha. She would insist that Jesus send her sister to help. "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me" (Luke 10:40).
How startled Martha must have been when Jesus indicated she was the problem, not Mary. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things" (Luke 10:41). The many concerns of Martha's ministry were causing anxiety and inner turmoil. Her desire to serve the Lord had deteriorated to self-pity and irritation. Then, Jesus offered an astounding revelation that put everything into perfect spiritual perspective. "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42).
What an amazing Truth: "one thing is needed." That one necessary matter is Jesus. Mary chose Jesus. She was at the feet of her Master, getting to know Him, listening to His words of Truth and Grace. This was Paul's heart: "one thing I do . . . that I may Know Him.""
GODS word is sure , Absolutely Trustworthy:
1Kings 8:56-61 and Psalm 93:5 "Blessed be the LORD Who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that HE promised. Not one word has failed of all His good promises, which HE spoke by Moses His servant. The LORD our God be with us, as HE was with our fathers. May HE not leave us or forsake us, that HE may incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His rules, which He commanded our fathers. Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may HE maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires, that all the peoples of the earth may Know that the LORD is GOD; there is no other. Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our God, walking in His statutes and keeping His commandments, as at this day."
Psalm 93:3-5 "The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty! Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits Your house, O LORD, forevermore."
Psalm 111:7-9 "The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent Redemption to His people; HE has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His name!"
Ezekiel 12:21-25 and Daniel 9:12 "The word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, what is this proverb that you have about the land of Israel, saying, 'The days grow long, and every vision comes to nothing'? Tell them therefore, 'Thus says the LORD GOD: I Will put an end to this proverb, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.' But say to them, The days are near, and the fulfillment of every vision. For there shall be no more any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the LORD; I Will speak the word that I Will speak, and it will be performed. It will no longer be delayed, but in your days, O rebellious house, I Will speak the word and perform it, declares the LORD GOD."
Daniel 9:7-14 "To You, O LORD, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which You have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against You. To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in His law, which HE set before us by His servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, refusing to obey Your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of GOD have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against HIM. HE has confirmed His words, which HE spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by Your Truth. Therefore the LORD has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the LORD our God is Righteous in all the works that HE has done, and we have not obeyed His voice."
Matthew 5:17-19 (Jesus is speaking) "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Luke 21:29-33 and Romans 4:16 "He told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away."
Romans 4:16-5:5 "That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on Grace and be Guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"—in the presence of the GOD in Whom he believed, Who gives Life to the dead (spiritually separated from HIM) and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be." He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of GOD, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to GOD, fully convinced that GOD was able to do what HE had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as Righteousness." But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in Him Who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our Justification. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this Grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of GOD. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because GOD's Love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us."
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