I am currently rereading John's gospel, when I saw this something of interest, follow with me. Come with me to Matthew chapter 27 beginning at verse 51 through 54, beginning at the time space mark of (;) in verse 51, I am using the ESV translation here. "Behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
Now hear the words of Jesus as recorded by John in chapter 5 beginning at verse 19, 24, 25 through 30, "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.
"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.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so HE has granted the Son also to have life in Himself. And HE has given Him authority to execute judgment, because HE is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him Who sent Me."
Now moving on to Ephesians chapter 4 beginning at verse 8 through 10 we have this, "Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men." (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)" From here I will move on to Colossians chapter 2 and verses 13 and 15, where this is fond, "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This HE set aside, nailing it to the cross. Where He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him."
Now 1Corinthians 15 verse 20 through 23's first fruits, "In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, with the firstfruits of those (old testament witnesses) who had asleep. For as by a man came death, so by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits."
Now for the rest of this story, turn with me to Colossians 1 and verses 15 through 20 first where we find this statement; "He (Christ as Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And HE is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. HE is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (Daniel 9:24) For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross."
Now for those who will become His willing ones we have this also in Colossians 1 and verses 21 through 23; "You, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, HE has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister."
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Being a Disciple of Christ
We are coming to the last days of this blog as we will soon learn though in all actually we are but on the brink of a great break through spiritually in the LORD of all lords. What just maybe the last of Pastor Hoekstra's writings on Grace and GOD's wonder and miraculous transition of reformation pulled off, that changed the course of human history right under Israel's and the gentile world's noses. Only those of His kingdom come to know and understand as they are also known by Him. I will leave you with this thought in question form, are you a believer in name only or are you a receiver of GOD's wonder and plan and purposes?
"The Manifold Grace of God"
By Robert Hoekstra
"The manifold grace of God . . . but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . . . Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." (1Peter 4:10; 2Peter 3:18 and Galatians 6:18)
"The manifold Grace of GOD is such an appropriate truth for our concluding meditation. It is both humbling and faith building to be reminded of the majestic diversity of GOD and His wonderful gift of Grace.
GOD's Grace is manifold (meaning having many parts or having portion ports). It is like a heavenly diamond with innumerable facets. Every vantage point reflects a new insight into the gracious resources of our LORD. From some biblical viewpoints, the justifying Grace of GOD is seen: "justified freely by His grace" (Romans 3:24). Yet, our devotional studies have concentrated upon sanctifying grace, grace for growing, grace for life changing. "But grow in . . . grace." Many scriptural vistas display this sanctifying grace in its manifold beauty. It can be seen stabilizing the inner man. "It is good that the heart be established by grace" (Hebrews 13:9). It can also be seen in its edifying ability. "I commend you to GOD and to the word of His Grace, which is able to build you up" (Acts 20:32). From another angle, GOD's sanctifying Grace can be seen for its strengthening capacity. "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2Timothy 2:1). It can also be observed in its fruit producing role: "and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth" (Colossians 1:6). It can also be seen in its ministry developing function. "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1Corinthians 15:10). From still another viewpoint, the sanctifying Grace of GOD can be seen sustaining through the agonies of one's "thorny impossibilities." "My grace is sufficient for you" (2Corinthians 12:9). What heavenly riches await us in a lifetime of observing, and appropriating, GOD's manifold Grace.
What final words would be fitting for us now? The closing benediction in so many New Testament epistles would be perfectly suitable. "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit" (Galatians 6:18). Ultimately and essentially, Grace is found in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and it is experienced through His work in our hearts, as we humbly seek to know Him more and more. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ."
"The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ"
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (2Corinthians 8:9)
"GOD wants us to know His Grace. He wants us to learn about it, and then to experience it at work in our lives. Grace has rightly been described as "unmerited favor," though I prefer benefit verses "merited favor." The acrostic, "God's Riches At Christ's Expense," catches more of its majesty. Grace is GOD freely providing for us (as we trust in the work of His Son) all that we will ever need, all that we will ever yearn for, all that He has commanded us to walk in and to become, realities that we could never produce on our own, could never earn, and could never deserve. Grace offers what every human desperately needs, but what GOD alone can provide. The purpose of the old defunct testament, the word defunct maybe a bit harsh because we still need it as a tool for learning that brings understanding. For grace is at work within these books also but hidden from view. Except the Holy Spirit reveal it to us.
This grace is found only in a person, the Lord Jesus. It is the "grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Thus, it is accessible only through an ongoing personal relationship with Him.
Grace is made available to us by Jesus' willingness to take our spiritual bankruptcy upon Himself, that we might be able to partake of His spiritual richness. Before coming to earth below, Jesus enjoyed heavenly riches above ("that though He was rich"). He knew the infinitely rich fellowship of the Father and the Holy Spirit. He received the rich worship of angelic beings. He enjoyed the limitless prerogatives of deity.
Then, for our benefit, Jesus voluntarily became poor ("for your sakes He became poor"). He humbled Himself to walk as a man among sinful humanity. He who was adored above became despised below. He who shined forth in glorious divinity in heaven was clothed in humble humanity on earth. He who created all things was slain by those He created. He who always existed in eternity past died in time. He who was holy took our sin upon Himself.
Through these workings of His Grace, all who receive Him (John 1:14, 16) would become spiritually rich ("that you through His poverty might become rich"). Now, we whose "righteousness were as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) have become "the righteousness of GOD in Him" (2Corinthians 5:21). We "who once were not a people . . . are now the people of GOD" (1Peter 2:10). Now, we have been "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).
"The Manifold Grace of God"
By Robert Hoekstra
"The manifold grace of God . . . but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . . . Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." (1Peter 4:10; 2Peter 3:18 and Galatians 6:18)
"The manifold Grace of GOD is such an appropriate truth for our concluding meditation. It is both humbling and faith building to be reminded of the majestic diversity of GOD and His wonderful gift of Grace.
GOD's Grace is manifold (meaning having many parts or having portion ports). It is like a heavenly diamond with innumerable facets. Every vantage point reflects a new insight into the gracious resources of our LORD. From some biblical viewpoints, the justifying Grace of GOD is seen: "justified freely by His grace" (Romans 3:24). Yet, our devotional studies have concentrated upon sanctifying grace, grace for growing, grace for life changing. "But grow in . . . grace." Many scriptural vistas display this sanctifying grace in its manifold beauty. It can be seen stabilizing the inner man. "It is good that the heart be established by grace" (Hebrews 13:9). It can also be seen in its edifying ability. "I commend you to GOD and to the word of His Grace, which is able to build you up" (Acts 20:32). From another angle, GOD's sanctifying Grace can be seen for its strengthening capacity. "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2Timothy 2:1). It can also be observed in its fruit producing role: "and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth" (Colossians 1:6). It can also be seen in its ministry developing function. "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1Corinthians 15:10). From still another viewpoint, the sanctifying Grace of GOD can be seen sustaining through the agonies of one's "thorny impossibilities." "My grace is sufficient for you" (2Corinthians 12:9). What heavenly riches await us in a lifetime of observing, and appropriating, GOD's manifold Grace.
What final words would be fitting for us now? The closing benediction in so many New Testament epistles would be perfectly suitable. "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit" (Galatians 6:18). Ultimately and essentially, Grace is found in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and it is experienced through His work in our hearts, as we humbly seek to know Him more and more. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ."
"The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ"
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (2Corinthians 8:9)
"GOD wants us to know His Grace. He wants us to learn about it, and then to experience it at work in our lives. Grace has rightly been described as "unmerited favor," though I prefer benefit verses "merited favor." The acrostic, "God's Riches At Christ's Expense," catches more of its majesty. Grace is GOD freely providing for us (as we trust in the work of His Son) all that we will ever need, all that we will ever yearn for, all that He has commanded us to walk in and to become, realities that we could never produce on our own, could never earn, and could never deserve. Grace offers what every human desperately needs, but what GOD alone can provide. The purpose of the old defunct testament, the word defunct maybe a bit harsh because we still need it as a tool for learning that brings understanding. For grace is at work within these books also but hidden from view. Except the Holy Spirit reveal it to us.
This grace is found only in a person, the Lord Jesus. It is the "grace of our Lord Jesus Christ." Thus, it is accessible only through an ongoing personal relationship with Him.
Grace is made available to us by Jesus' willingness to take our spiritual bankruptcy upon Himself, that we might be able to partake of His spiritual richness. Before coming to earth below, Jesus enjoyed heavenly riches above ("that though He was rich"). He knew the infinitely rich fellowship of the Father and the Holy Spirit. He received the rich worship of angelic beings. He enjoyed the limitless prerogatives of deity.
Then, for our benefit, Jesus voluntarily became poor ("for your sakes He became poor"). He humbled Himself to walk as a man among sinful humanity. He who was adored above became despised below. He who shined forth in glorious divinity in heaven was clothed in humble humanity on earth. He who created all things was slain by those He created. He who always existed in eternity past died in time. He who was holy took our sin upon Himself.
Through these workings of His Grace, all who receive Him (John 1:14, 16) would become spiritually rich ("that you through His poverty might become rich"). Now, we whose "righteousness were as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) have become "the righteousness of GOD in Him" (2Corinthians 5:21). We "who once were not a people . . . are now the people of GOD" (1Peter 2:10). Now, we have been "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).
Friday, December 30, 2016
Becoming a Disciple of Christ
Carrying on with our look at how we acquire the Christian Life with the Lord Jesus and grace as He moves us on to maturity in the truth and knowledge of Him and His being restored as the LORD of Genesis through Revelation. All being accomplished by revelation, the same revelation that the Prophets of old received in the same way. Because from the very begin Grace was in operation with the people of God as they walked daily with Him and were known as being righteous, or by walking with the LORD or hearing His voice....etc. Today looking at Pastor Hoekstra's writing on Grace and how we all start our own faith walk, having received Him as our Grace resource.
"More on Walking with Jesus the Way We Received Him"
By Robert Hoekstra
"As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7)
"The manner in which we received the Lord Jesus is the very same manner in which we are to walk in Him. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." We received Him by grace, we must walk by grace. We were born again by the Spirit, we must walk by the Spirit. Furthermore, when we first received Christ, He was our only hope at Redemption. Now, we are to walk with Him the same way.
It is good to recall how Jesus was the comprehensive focus of our beginning with Him. When we received Him and His forgiveness by Redemption, we knew He had to provide all that was needed for our salvation. We agreed with the word GOD, that there is no other hope than Jesus. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me' . . . Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). (Here "saved" is to kept from destruction that is to say removed as Noah and his family were removed from destruction, it also means to be restored to mans original condition, that is to say healed.) We knew that we could supply nothing ourselves. We were spiritually dead, having no righteousness at all: "dead in trespasses and sins . . . all our righteousness are like filthy rags" (Ephesians 2:1 and Isaiah 64:6). We had entered the blessed condition of being convicted of our own spiritual bankruptcy and stark nakedness. (Nakedness because we were not yet clothed in Christ as revelation shown by the Spirit within us. Causing us to wont more of Christ and His salvation.) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). Jesus was our comprehensive focus, our only hope.
This is how we are to walk in Him daily. We need the Lord Jesus as much now for living the Christian life, as we needed Him at the beginning to be born again in Redemption on to His salvation. For growth and victory and fruitfulness, He is the one we must focus upon. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the LORD, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." We need to be rooted in Him, having our faith reaching out to Him for nutrition and strength, even as the roots of a tree reach into the soil. We need to be built up in Him, having our lives developed by His work in us. We need to be established in the faith, allowing Him to stabilize us through the study of His word. This will lead to lives of overflowing appreciation, grateful that "Christ is all and in all" (Colossians 3:11). Truly, we need the Lord Jesus the LORD as much now for living the Christian life, as we needed Him at the beginning to be born again into it."
Tomorrow we shall bring this all to a conclusion, the LORD willing.
"More on Walking with Jesus the Way We Received Him"
By Robert Hoekstra
"As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7)
"The manner in which we received the Lord Jesus is the very same manner in which we are to walk in Him. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." We received Him by grace, we must walk by grace. We were born again by the Spirit, we must walk by the Spirit. Furthermore, when we first received Christ, He was our only hope at Redemption. Now, we are to walk with Him the same way.
It is good to recall how Jesus was the comprehensive focus of our beginning with Him. When we received Him and His forgiveness by Redemption, we knew He had to provide all that was needed for our salvation. We agreed with the word GOD, that there is no other hope than Jesus. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me' . . . Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). (Here "saved" is to kept from destruction that is to say removed as Noah and his family were removed from destruction, it also means to be restored to mans original condition, that is to say healed.) We knew that we could supply nothing ourselves. We were spiritually dead, having no righteousness at all: "dead in trespasses and sins . . . all our righteousness are like filthy rags" (Ephesians 2:1 and Isaiah 64:6). We had entered the blessed condition of being convicted of our own spiritual bankruptcy and stark nakedness. (Nakedness because we were not yet clothed in Christ as revelation shown by the Spirit within us. Causing us to wont more of Christ and His salvation.) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). Jesus was our comprehensive focus, our only hope.
This is how we are to walk in Him daily. We need the Lord Jesus as much now for living the Christian life, as we needed Him at the beginning to be born again in Redemption on to His salvation. For growth and victory and fruitfulness, He is the one we must focus upon. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the LORD, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." We need to be rooted in Him, having our faith reaching out to Him for nutrition and strength, even as the roots of a tree reach into the soil. We need to be built up in Him, having our lives developed by His work in us. We need to be established in the faith, allowing Him to stabilize us through the study of His word. This will lead to lives of overflowing appreciation, grateful that "Christ is all and in all" (Colossians 3:11). Truly, we need the Lord Jesus the LORD as much now for living the Christian life, as we needed Him at the beginning to be born again into it."
Tomorrow we shall bring this all to a conclusion, the LORD willing.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Becoming a Disciple of Christ
Not long ago I looked at our being in agreement with GOD and by that we walk with Him as being One. This is in Amos 3:3 and Ephesians 4:1-7. Through this we fond out that we are restored to GOD and the Godhead is become One within us as is known by the Holy Spirit, there no longer being any division in this Oneness, as we live daily 24 / 7 / 365, the rest of our lives. With that being a fact and truth of Grace and our living by Grace. I want to look at what Pastor Hoekstra shares about this little known fact in our daily walk with the Lord Christ Jesus who is the LORD of both the old and New Covenants. Or put another way, HE is the Word always has been and will always be. By what Jeremiahs word or message states in 31:34.
"Walking with Jesus the Way We Received Him"
By Robert Hoekstra
"As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him . . . Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (Colossians 2:6 and Galatians 3:3)
"In this vital matter of relating rightly to the LORD, one common mistake is attempting to develop our Christian walk in a different manner than we began it. Our present verse points us to the proper outlook, one of unity. We are to build our life with the LORD upon the very same terms that we began in Newness of His life. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." We are to walk with Jesus the same way we received Him. Not as a babe but as an adult, perfect, mature and ascended as the Spirit, HE has always has been. Keeping in mind that He went into the wilderness as spirit restored to man after His baptism by John in the wilderness in living (flowing) waters. Water being a symbol of all humanity as also seen in the phrase "seas."
We received the Lord and His great salvation as part of the gifts of Grace. "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! . . . For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (2Corinthians 9:15 and Ephesians 2:8). We must, therefore, walk in Him with a "grace-receiving" mentality. "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for [upon] grace" (John 1:16). We must never attempt to treat the Christian life as something we can manufacture or earn. Sinful, earthly fathers were created with a desire to give beneficial gifts to their children. Even more so, our Holy, heavenly Father, the Father of spirits, has a heart to give all that is needed to those who are willing to ask and receive. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11). By this statement alone Jesus placed all of humanity on a level playing field be they Jew or Gentile removing any doubt that His word is not one of separation as so many believe. Who profess distinction between the nations as having some things spoken to but a few selected people. Therefore leaving separation as division or a compartmentalization, the vary sin of the flesh and man corrupted thinking.
Galatians 3:3 reinforces the necessity of keeping our pattern for beginning a walk with GOD the same one we use for developing this walk: "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" These rhetorical questions warn of the deadly danger of having our approach to Christian growth differ from how we found spiritual birth. The Holy Spirit alone is able to bring us spiritual birth. The flesh (mans earthly worldly wisdom of continued separation) of man can avail nothing. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). The Holy Spirit must bring us spiritual progress and growth to maturity of perfection. The flesh can contribute nothing. "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing" (John 6:63). Any change in approach from spiritual birth to growth is foolishness. It is doomed to failure.
We began by grace, so we must continue by grace. We began by the Spirit, so we must continue by the Spirit. Yes, we are to walk with Jesus the way we received Him. Any changes in approach are unacceptable, ineffective, impossible."
Tomorrow I will continue with this though.
"Walking with Jesus the Way We Received Him"
By Robert Hoekstra
"As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him . . . Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (Colossians 2:6 and Galatians 3:3)
"In this vital matter of relating rightly to the LORD, one common mistake is attempting to develop our Christian walk in a different manner than we began it. Our present verse points us to the proper outlook, one of unity. We are to build our life with the LORD upon the very same terms that we began in Newness of His life. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him." We are to walk with Jesus the same way we received Him. Not as a babe but as an adult, perfect, mature and ascended as the Spirit, HE has always has been. Keeping in mind that He went into the wilderness as spirit restored to man after His baptism by John in the wilderness in living (flowing) waters. Water being a symbol of all humanity as also seen in the phrase "seas."
We received the Lord and His great salvation as part of the gifts of Grace. "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! . . . For by Grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (2Corinthians 9:15 and Ephesians 2:8). We must, therefore, walk in Him with a "grace-receiving" mentality. "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for [upon] grace" (John 1:16). We must never attempt to treat the Christian life as something we can manufacture or earn. Sinful, earthly fathers were created with a desire to give beneficial gifts to their children. Even more so, our Holy, heavenly Father, the Father of spirits, has a heart to give all that is needed to those who are willing to ask and receive. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11). By this statement alone Jesus placed all of humanity on a level playing field be they Jew or Gentile removing any doubt that His word is not one of separation as so many believe. Who profess distinction between the nations as having some things spoken to but a few selected people. Therefore leaving separation as division or a compartmentalization, the vary sin of the flesh and man corrupted thinking.
Galatians 3:3 reinforces the necessity of keeping our pattern for beginning a walk with GOD the same one we use for developing this walk: "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" These rhetorical questions warn of the deadly danger of having our approach to Christian growth differ from how we found spiritual birth. The Holy Spirit alone is able to bring us spiritual birth. The flesh (mans earthly worldly wisdom of continued separation) of man can avail nothing. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). The Holy Spirit must bring us spiritual progress and growth to maturity of perfection. The flesh can contribute nothing. "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing" (John 6:63). Any change in approach from spiritual birth to growth is foolishness. It is doomed to failure.
We began by grace, so we must continue by grace. We began by the Spirit, so we must continue by the Spirit. Yes, we are to walk with Jesus the way we received Him. Any changes in approach are unacceptable, ineffective, impossible."
Tomorrow I will continue with this though.
Friday, December 23, 2016
Becoming a Disciple of Christ
We are looking at our becoming disciples of Christ and what is required of us in the prose as Pastor Hoekstra has covered it in his teaching on Grace and how Grace works within those receptive beings.
"More on Following Jesus as a Disciple"
By Robert Hoekstra
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (Luke 9:23 and John 10:27)
"As we have been considering, following Jesus as a disciple is another way to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith. The terms of discipleship are renouncing the self-life and confessing death for that self-life. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily." Initially and continually, these humble and trusting responses to Jesus dealings with self, are the basic obstruction to our following / walking as one with Him.
Three simple words express the very heart of discipleship: "and follow Me." All of the Christian life can be summed up and fulfilled in this profound relationship of pursuing a humble and trusting walk with the LORD. It is the Will of GOD that we grow in His all-sufficient Grace. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ" (2Peter 3:18). Jesus came overflowing with that grace. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). As we follow Him in humble dependency, He gives His grace to our lives.
Jesus has all that we need. In Him, the complete resources of the Godhead that we need for personal wholeness reside. "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him" (Colossians 2:9-10). In Him, all wisdom and knowledge are contained: "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). Jesus is the very life that we are called to live: "Christ who is our life" (Colossians 3:4). He is our "all and in all" (Colossians 3:11). If our life is His than I am HE and HE is me. We are One.
We need the Lord Jesus like sheep need a shepherd. In fact, our discipleship is a daily walk with Christ as portrayed in scripture as sheep following a shepherd. Those who are in the world are like sheep without a shepherd. What a needy picture that is. "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). Jesus, our shepherd, is the ultimate shepherd. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep" (John 10:11), herein His life becomes our life because we have received His Life. Having died for us, our shepherd wants to lead us throughout our lives. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27). In humble dependency, we can hear His voice through His word and be led by His Spirit. Thereby, we enter into the fullness of the grace that GOD has for us during our pilgrimage here on this earth."
"More on Following Jesus as a Disciple"
By Robert Hoekstra
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (Luke 9:23 and John 10:27)
"As we have been considering, following Jesus as a disciple is another way to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith. The terms of discipleship are renouncing the self-life and confessing death for that self-life. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily." Initially and continually, these humble and trusting responses to Jesus dealings with self, are the basic obstruction to our following / walking as one with Him.
Three simple words express the very heart of discipleship: "and follow Me." All of the Christian life can be summed up and fulfilled in this profound relationship of pursuing a humble and trusting walk with the LORD. It is the Will of GOD that we grow in His all-sufficient Grace. "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ" (2Peter 3:18). Jesus came overflowing with that grace. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). As we follow Him in humble dependency, He gives His grace to our lives.
Jesus has all that we need. In Him, the complete resources of the Godhead that we need for personal wholeness reside. "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him" (Colossians 2:9-10). In Him, all wisdom and knowledge are contained: "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). Jesus is the very life that we are called to live: "Christ who is our life" (Colossians 3:4). He is our "all and in all" (Colossians 3:11). If our life is His than I am HE and HE is me. We are One.
We need the Lord Jesus like sheep need a shepherd. In fact, our discipleship is a daily walk with Christ as portrayed in scripture as sheep following a shepherd. Those who are in the world are like sheep without a shepherd. What a needy picture that is. "But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). Jesus, our shepherd, is the ultimate shepherd. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep" (John 10:11), herein His life becomes our life because we have received His Life. Having died for us, our shepherd wants to lead us throughout our lives. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27). In humble dependency, we can hear His voice through His word and be led by His Spirit. Thereby, we enter into the fullness of the grace that GOD has for us during our pilgrimage here on this earth."
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Becoming a Disciple of Christ
Jesus in His Divine earthly ministry called those who would choose to walk in His way to become a disciple of Him. So the first thing is what is a disciple? Webster's 1828 Dictionary has this to say about this term: "1. A learner; a scholar; one who receives or professes to receive instruction from another; as the disciples of Plato. 2. A follower; an adherent to the doctrines of another. Hence the constant attendants of Christ were called his disciples; and hence all Christians are called his disciples, as they profess to learn and receive his doctrines and precepts." So a disciple is one who is disciplined in the learning of Him as Jesus stated in Matthew 11:29 where we find this statement in the ESV translation, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." But to get the full impact allow me to show the whole of this passage beginning at verse 25, 25-27, 28-30; "At that time Jesus declared, "I thank You, Father, LORD of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Now why did He state this in this manor do you suppose? Because as He asked me in an audible way as a question, 'Are you ready to take My yoke upon you and learn of Me?' Could be the answer.
Over the past seven years of this blog I have been looking into the secret things of GOD also called mysteries. Now I will look at becoming a disciple with the help of Pastor Hoekstra's writings beginning now.
"Following Jesus as a Disciple"
By Robert Hoekstra
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . Follow Me . . . If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Matthew 28:19; John 1:43; and Luke 9:23)
"Living daily in GOD's Grace depends upon getting to know Him and then walking in the humility and grace that are consequences of growing in communion and fellowship with Him, again. We have reflected upon four ways to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith: living by the Spirit, living by resurrection power, living by the sufficiency of GOD, and living by the promises of GOD. Another example is our following Jesus as a disciple.
When our Lord was about to leave His disciples, He gave them the marching orders that were to guide the lives of His people until He would return. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." Jesus had been calling out people to follow Him as disciples. Now, they were to continue doing the same. A disciple is a follower of a Master (a key meaning fond within the term, LORD), who guides and shapes the lives of His followers. Jesus is the ultimate Master, Who gives us a new life in Him — life eternal. Jesus' invitation to discipleship was "Follow Me." Along with this invitation, Jesus often explained the terms of discipleship: "If anyone desires to come after Me." This would inform the willing and interested about how to respond. These terms dramatically depict the necessity of relating to the Lord in humility and faith. As it did with the first disciples and those who stood out who became Apostles, as those who were sent out.
The first aspect of being a disciple of Jesus is renouncing the self-life. "Let him deny himself." This amounts to a refusal to attempt to develop a life that can be produced by natural human resources (which everyone inherits from Adam through physical birth). This is a repudiation of self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, self-help, self-sufficiency, self-exaltation, and the like. Our willingness to embrace this term of discipleship will be seen by a humble agreement with similar biblical pronouncements. "Make no provision for the flesh" (Romans 13:14). Those denying self are not wanting the flesh to have opportunities to indulge itself. "The flesh profits nothing" (John 6:63). Those who renounce self confess its total spiritual bankruptcy. We "have no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3). Those who repudiate the self-life do not want to place any hope in the spiritual resources of the flesh. "That no flesh should glory in His presence" (1Corinthians 1:29). Those denying the self-life agree that nothing of the flesh can ever boast in itself before the LORD GOD almighty.
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me . . . But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Luke 9:23 and Galatians 6:14)
Following Jesus as a disciple is one way to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith. The first aspect of following Jesus involves renouncing our natural self-life. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself." It is certainly humbling to admit that any life we could develop by our own natural resources is unacceptable to the LORD and must be repudiated. The next aspect of being a disciple is also humbling.
This second issue in discipleship is the cross: "and take up his cross." When Jesus spoke of the cross, He was speaking of the ultimate instrument of execution in His day. Consequently, after renunciation of self, we are to confess death of self. The means of this death is the cross of Christ. Those who want to follow Jesus as disciples are to take the cross of Christ as their own personal cross. In doing so, they are admitting to GOD that they deserved to die upon that cross. "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Furthermore, they are agreeing with the word of GOD that Jesus died upon that cross on their behalf. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures . . . who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree" (1Corithians 15:3 and 1Peter 2:24). This gospel (which brings forgiveness of sins and a circumcision of the hearts flesh covering (an outer shell of resistance) in which there was a hardness for all who would believe in faith, this covering restricted faith from being faith. Much like mans many forms of religions do as they all express a type of self within them) includes the essential truth of the resurrection. "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you . . . that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1Corithians 15:1, 3-4).
Another wondrous benefit of the cross is that we who believe Jesus also died there with Him. "Knowing this, that our old man (the shell of resistance) was crucified with Him" (Romans 6:6). The old self-life that we were developing while "in Adam" (1Corinthians 15:22) was executed on the cross with Christ. Yes, the cross is the way out of this world of dead sinners, and we can rightly boast in that truth. "But GOD forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Meanwhile, the attitudes and resources of the old man persist in our flesh (our natural humanity that remains in the outer flesh). Thus, we are to renounce self and confess death to self day by day: "let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily."
Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Now why did He state this in this manor do you suppose? Because as He asked me in an audible way as a question, 'Are you ready to take My yoke upon you and learn of Me?' Could be the answer.
Over the past seven years of this blog I have been looking into the secret things of GOD also called mysteries. Now I will look at becoming a disciple with the help of Pastor Hoekstra's writings beginning now.
"Following Jesus as a Disciple"
By Robert Hoekstra
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . Follow Me . . . If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Matthew 28:19; John 1:43; and Luke 9:23)
"Living daily in GOD's Grace depends upon getting to know Him and then walking in the humility and grace that are consequences of growing in communion and fellowship with Him, again. We have reflected upon four ways to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith: living by the Spirit, living by resurrection power, living by the sufficiency of GOD, and living by the promises of GOD. Another example is our following Jesus as a disciple.
When our Lord was about to leave His disciples, He gave them the marching orders that were to guide the lives of His people until He would return. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." Jesus had been calling out people to follow Him as disciples. Now, they were to continue doing the same. A disciple is a follower of a Master (a key meaning fond within the term, LORD), who guides and shapes the lives of His followers. Jesus is the ultimate Master, Who gives us a new life in Him — life eternal. Jesus' invitation to discipleship was "Follow Me." Along with this invitation, Jesus often explained the terms of discipleship: "If anyone desires to come after Me." This would inform the willing and interested about how to respond. These terms dramatically depict the necessity of relating to the Lord in humility and faith. As it did with the first disciples and those who stood out who became Apostles, as those who were sent out.
The first aspect of being a disciple of Jesus is renouncing the self-life. "Let him deny himself." This amounts to a refusal to attempt to develop a life that can be produced by natural human resources (which everyone inherits from Adam through physical birth). This is a repudiation of self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, self-help, self-sufficiency, self-exaltation, and the like. Our willingness to embrace this term of discipleship will be seen by a humble agreement with similar biblical pronouncements. "Make no provision for the flesh" (Romans 13:14). Those denying self are not wanting the flesh to have opportunities to indulge itself. "The flesh profits nothing" (John 6:63). Those who renounce self confess its total spiritual bankruptcy. We "have no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3). Those who repudiate the self-life do not want to place any hope in the spiritual resources of the flesh. "That no flesh should glory in His presence" (1Corinthians 1:29). Those denying the self-life agree that nothing of the flesh can ever boast in itself before the LORD GOD almighty.
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me . . . But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Luke 9:23 and Galatians 6:14)
Following Jesus as a disciple is one way to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith. The first aspect of following Jesus involves renouncing our natural self-life. "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself." It is certainly humbling to admit that any life we could develop by our own natural resources is unacceptable to the LORD and must be repudiated. The next aspect of being a disciple is also humbling.
This second issue in discipleship is the cross: "and take up his cross." When Jesus spoke of the cross, He was speaking of the ultimate instrument of execution in His day. Consequently, after renunciation of self, we are to confess death of self. The means of this death is the cross of Christ. Those who want to follow Jesus as disciples are to take the cross of Christ as their own personal cross. In doing so, they are admitting to GOD that they deserved to die upon that cross. "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Furthermore, they are agreeing with the word of GOD that Jesus died upon that cross on their behalf. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures . . . who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree" (1Corithians 15:3 and 1Peter 2:24). This gospel (which brings forgiveness of sins and a circumcision of the hearts flesh covering (an outer shell of resistance) in which there was a hardness for all who would believe in faith, this covering restricted faith from being faith. Much like mans many forms of religions do as they all express a type of self within them) includes the essential truth of the resurrection. "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you . . . that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1Corithians 15:1, 3-4).
Another wondrous benefit of the cross is that we who believe Jesus also died there with Him. "Knowing this, that our old man (the shell of resistance) was crucified with Him" (Romans 6:6). The old self-life that we were developing while "in Adam" (1Corinthians 15:22) was executed on the cross with Christ. Yes, the cross is the way out of this world of dead sinners, and we can rightly boast in that truth. "But GOD forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Meanwhile, the attitudes and resources of the old man persist in our flesh (our natural humanity that remains in the outer flesh). Thus, we are to renounce self and confess death to self day by day: "let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily."
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Our Spiritual Richness is our Receiving within the GOD of all Grace
As we together have been on this trail and trial of discovery of all that pertains to Christ and GOD we are about come to an end. But do not loose hope or faith as GOD by His Grace will keep on training and revealing even more meaning and purpose of Himself now having been restored within us as the LORD's prayer of John 17 reveals. In which we learn that the lost fellowship is restored as Promised and upon which all scripture is based, when rightly divided, that is to say understood. Now for Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace as our resource of all things needed upon which we are to be dependent while we journey on this earth and its limited life upon which we are not to depend. But sin and flesh say otherwise.The LORD in His wisdom has provided us with good resources to assist in our learning of Him. And it would be foolish not for us to make use of them.
"Even More on Relating Rightly to the God of All Grace"
By Pastor Robert Hoekstra
"The God of all grace . . . Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God . . . He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (1Peter 5:10; 2Corinthians 3:5; and Hebrews 8:6)
"If we are going to live by grace as GOD intends, we must get to know "the GOD of all grace." As we get to know Him, humility and faith develop in our lives. They are relational realities. They become real in our lives as a result of getting to know the Lord, Who is the LORD, better and better. As we walk with the Lord in humble dependency, we are living by the grace of God. The Lord gives grace to the humble (1Peter 5:5 and James 4:6), and faith accesses grace (Romans 5:2; 4:16). The scriptures indicate that there are many ways to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith. In our previous meditations, we saw that living by the Spirit and living by resurrection power are two examples of this truth. Now, we will consider two more examples.
Living by the sufficiency of GOD is a profound opportunity to relate to the LORD in humility and faith. This heavenly perspective begins with a declaration of our own inadequacy. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves." It is true that we as disciples of Jesus Christ are so inadequate that we are unable to produce any of the Christian life ourselves. Jesus Himself taught this radical fact. "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). If we embrace this humbling truth, we are walking in humility before the Lord. The corresponding declaration points us to the source that we need. "But our sufficiency is from GOD." Only GOD's resources are sufficient to produce the kind of fruitful spiritual life that GOD calls us to live. Jesus taught this great truth as well. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit" (John 15:5). If we accept this encouraging truth, we are walking in faith ever toward the LORD.
Living by the promises of GOD offers another significant opportunity to relate through the LORD in humility and faith. "He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." The promises of the old covenant of Law (which are basically, "Do these commands, and you shall live" — see Leviticus 18:5) depend on man's ability and faithfulness. The better promises of the New Covenant of Grace depend upon GOD's ability and faithfulness. Abraham was "fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform" (Romans 4:21). Sarah "judged Him faithful who had promised" (Hebrews 11:11). It is humbling to know that we can't perform well enough to enjoy the promises of the Law. Contrariwise, it is faith building to know we can trust in the LORD to fulfill all His promises of Grace."
"Even More on Relating Rightly to the God of All Grace"
By Pastor Robert Hoekstra
"The God of all grace . . . Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God . . . He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (1Peter 5:10; 2Corinthians 3:5; and Hebrews 8:6)
"If we are going to live by grace as GOD intends, we must get to know "the GOD of all grace." As we get to know Him, humility and faith develop in our lives. They are relational realities. They become real in our lives as a result of getting to know the Lord, Who is the LORD, better and better. As we walk with the Lord in humble dependency, we are living by the grace of God. The Lord gives grace to the humble (1Peter 5:5 and James 4:6), and faith accesses grace (Romans 5:2; 4:16). The scriptures indicate that there are many ways to relate rightly to the LORD in humility and faith. In our previous meditations, we saw that living by the Spirit and living by resurrection power are two examples of this truth. Now, we will consider two more examples.
Living by the sufficiency of GOD is a profound opportunity to relate to the LORD in humility and faith. This heavenly perspective begins with a declaration of our own inadequacy. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves." It is true that we as disciples of Jesus Christ are so inadequate that we are unable to produce any of the Christian life ourselves. Jesus Himself taught this radical fact. "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). If we embrace this humbling truth, we are walking in humility before the Lord. The corresponding declaration points us to the source that we need. "But our sufficiency is from GOD." Only GOD's resources are sufficient to produce the kind of fruitful spiritual life that GOD calls us to live. Jesus taught this great truth as well. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit" (John 15:5). If we accept this encouraging truth, we are walking in faith ever toward the LORD.
Living by the promises of GOD offers another significant opportunity to relate through the LORD in humility and faith. "He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." The promises of the old covenant of Law (which are basically, "Do these commands, and you shall live" — see Leviticus 18:5) depend on man's ability and faithfulness. The better promises of the New Covenant of Grace depend upon GOD's ability and faithfulness. Abraham was "fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform" (Romans 4:21). Sarah "judged Him faithful who had promised" (Hebrews 11:11). It is humbling to know that we can't perform well enough to enjoy the promises of the Law. Contrariwise, it is faith building to know we can trust in the LORD to fulfill all His promises of Grace."
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