Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Authority of Christ

Ephesians 1:22,23  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The God of our Lord Jesus and Father of glory from verse seventeen, has put all things under His (Jesus) feet. This means Jesus Christ has been given full authority, dominion and control. God made Jesus to be the head over all things to the church. This means Jesus is the owner, the leader of a body of people called the church. The one who has all authority has delegated some of His authority to the rest of His body.  And hath put all things under his feet. Jesus Christ is above all. Everything is under His control. The ministry that Jesus started while on earth is what we call the local church. Jesus is the head of the church and has been given all authority from the Father to rule and reign over all things, but especially the church; His "baby." Jesus Christ is the head over all things to the church.  The church is His possession, He owns it, He purchased it and the church Which is his body belongs to Him. Acts 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.  Jesus purchased it and owns it, but has delegated authority to an overseer (Pastor) to run it in His absence.  As the founder of the local church, Christ has delegated some authority to the Pastor. The Pastor as the under shepherd guides and directs the sheep because of the authority delegated to him from Christ.  Matthew 16:18,19  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Jesus made Peter the second Pastor of the New Testament Church, (Jesus the first) in essence gave the keys to the city to Peter. The authority of the local church supersedes the powers of hell because of it's Founder. Jesus then gave a promise that the local church would be given His authority to bind and loose.  Luke 10:1,2  After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Then when they returned notice the authority and power they had been given by Jesus Christ, the head of the church. Luke 10:17-20  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.  They had authority delegated to them by their Shepherd. (Jesus)  Today the New Testament Church has the Authority of Christ on earth. We are more than conquerors through Christ while living on this earth. Let's pray, walk , witness and stand with the authority we have been given! Amen!


Saturday, October 12, 2019

Above Every Name

Ephesians 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

This great power that is wrought in Christ and now available to us as a result of His intercessory ministry in Heaven is perfected in that name that's Above Every Name! Now that Christ is at the right hand of the throne, there is an exceeding greatness of power. This power is far above all principality. The word principality is similar to the idea of jurisdiction. Jurisdiction is the official power to make legal decisions and judgments in a geographical area. A prince has power over a certain locality. Jesus Christ's power, legal right and authority is far above any other official designation of power. Quite simply Jesus Christ is the Sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords! The name of Jesus Christ is more powerful and mightier than any other name not only in this world, but also in that which is to come!  The name of Jesus Christ has far more dominion or authority than any other person, prince, demon or creature. Yes even the evil princes of this word are under His dominion. Luke 10:17  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. The demons have to listen and obey the name of Jesus!  Acts 16:18  And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.  The name of Jesus has all power! It is a name Above Every Name because God has exalted it as such!  Philippians 2:9-11  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  My dear friend be encouraged! He who has ALL power, dominion and authority is making intercession for you in Heaven. Amen!! As a believer you understand that it's only through His name we can have eternal life. Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. We understand this, but we often forget that it is through that same name that we get everything we need. Our satisfaction comes from the name Above Every Name. Colossians 2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:  We are complete. matured, perfected and satisfied in that precious name! Jesus what a mighty name! Jesus is the most wonderful name I know. Trust in Him today and lean on that everlasting name!

Thursday, September 5, 2019

At His Right Hand

Ephesians 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

As mentioned in the previous devotion, it is through Christ that we have power. Philippians 3:10  says, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" God's mighty power is working in us through Jesus Christ. The mighty power of God was wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead. As believers in Jesus Christ we too have resurrection power available to us. This is the mighty power of God that rose Christ from the grave. Romans 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  One day we too will rise but until then we remain truly blessed to have an High Priest seated at the right hand of the throne of God. In Colossians 3:1, it says,  "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." Our High Priest is in Heaven! We should be seeking Him. What an advantage we have as a result of Christ being in heaven! Let me elaborate on it. First in Hebrews 10:12  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. Then in Hebrews 4:14,15  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. One of the great benefits of having Jesus at the right hand of God the Father is we have an intercessor. Think of it, right now, Jesus is praying that thy faith fail not. He is praying that you would have all your needs met. He is praying and defending you from the accusations that the accuser of the brethren is hurling at you. Jesus never fails! Jesus is praying for you! In Hebrews 7:24,25 the Bible says,  "But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."  Everyday we wake up we need to remind ourselves that Jesus is praying for me today. Any need, any problem, any issue I face throughout the day has the Saviour interceding for me.  Now because He has died and risen again and returned to Heaven we have a great blessing, Jesus is praying for us!  Romans 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Listen my friend, no matter what your facing, realize who's on your side and who is fighting for you in prayer at the throne of God. Jesus never fails! His prayers always get answered!

Friday, July 26, 2019

His Mighty Power

Ephesians 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

God has saved us and wants to make Himself known in our lives. The Lord wants to show us how powerful He really is. In the Old Testament God took His people out of Egypt by His mighty power.  In the book of Deuteronomy 4:37 it says,  "And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt;"  Then we also see in Deuteronomy 9:29  Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm. God bringing His people out of Egypt was a display of His mighty power!  Likewise when God brought us out of Egypt (the world) and saved our souls, that too, was a display of His mighty power!   Psalm 106:8  Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. For those who believe and are born of the Spirit, we have an exceeding great power within us. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit gives us power! God wants to show His mighty power working through us. In the Old Testament a man by the name of Zerubbabel was leading the Jews in the building of the second temple. God told an angel to tell Zerubabbel how he was going to accomplish that work. Zechariah 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. When God's Spirit is upon us then we have mighty power to do good and to accomplish great works for Him. It is said about Jesus Christ himself that He did His work in the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 10:38 it says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." As a result of salvation our relationship with Jesus Christ enables us to have power. Philippians 3:10  says, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" God's mighty power is working in us through Jesus Christ. The closer we are to Christ the more power we will have to accomplish great things for God. Today, will you spend time with Christ and yield yourself to His Spirit so that the mighty power of God can rest upon you? As a child of God who has been delivered from the sin of Egypt you have experienced this power, but God wants to make His mighty power known to you in every area of your life. Pray for Power! Surrender to Christ. Yield to the Holy Spirit and watch God work!

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

A Prayer for the Brethren

Ephesians 1:17,18  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

So what was Paul's prayer for the brethren? As we enter verse seventeen we are given a sample prayer that we can pray for all saints. This is how Paul prayed for the faithful brethren. First Paul prayed unto God the Father. Our Father what art in heaven? Yes, of course because of regeneration and adoption He is our Father, but more specifically in this prayer he starts with: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory. So Paul first prayed to the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, we see Paul's understanding that the same God that manifested His glory in His Son, the person of Jesus Christ; would also provide for us and give us what we need through the Son also. Thirdly, notice what is asked for: spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. This is exactly what we should be praying that our brethren would be given everyday. James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. We ask God to give them wisdom and a knowledge of Christ in their heart. Wisdom is the ability to apply biblical principles, therefore making Godly decisions. Then we ask God to reveal or make known in us who Jesus Christ is! To know Him is the most important thing any believer can obtain. To know Christ is to have wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:24 says,  "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." The spirit of wisdom comes from a personal, close, intimate relationship with Christ! We are truly complete in Him! Fourth, we ought to pray that our brethren's eyes would be open to see and understand what God's calling is. When we having a true knowledge of who Christ is, then we will see what God's will is for each and every decision that we have to make throughout the day. God's wisdom, which is found in Christ enables us to make Godly decisions. When you know Christ and fellowship in His presence, then every need you have will be met. You will know what it is to be rich! You will not have any need unmet and at the same time you will have all the resources you may need. My inheritance, my sufficiency, my provisions, my needs are all met in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ!  This is the way we should be praying for the brethren.

Thursday, July 11, 2019

Grateful For Brethren

Ephesians 1:15,16  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

The apostle Paul at this point in his letter to the Ephesians, expresses his gratitude and love for the brethren.  After I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus... So not only did Paul hear of their faith in Jesus Christ, but he saw the manifestation of that faith in the way they loved other believers. The saints at Ephesus had a genuine love for their fellow saints in other towns and in other churches. A love unto all the saints, blessed Paul's heart. Jesus taught this important principle in John 13:35, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." When believers love each other a great testimony is given to the lost. How sad it is today that there is so much discontent and lack of love among believers today. This is not to say that there will never be disagreement or even division, but it ought always to be done in a spirit of love and humility.  It is that love in hearts that also gives us an assurance of our salvation. 1 John 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Here at this church in Ephesus the saints had a genuine love for ALL the family of God. For this cause Paul took great joy and was moved with compassion and gratefulness as he saw God's children loving each other. I am grateful for the brethren all across America and even the world that I get to share in Christ's love with. The fellowship of brethren has been so refreshing to me over the years. Many times we will meet a Christian for the first time and feel like we've known each other for years. What a great blessing it is to have brothers and sisters in Christ who love each other and encourage each other with prayer. This love and spirit of being grateful for brethren is a maturing of our faith. In 2 Thessalonians 1:3 it says, "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;" Our love for our brethren is the evidence of growing faith. Paul then reminds them of his commitment to them in the fact that he prayed for them faithfully! Nothing can be more loving and more Christlike as when we intercede for a brother or sister in Christ. Are you grateful for your brethren? How much do you pray for them?  It is imperative that we that are Christ's express our love and gratitude to the brethren by ceasing not to give thanks for them, making mention of them in our prayers. Be grateful, be prayerful for the brethren!

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

God's Down Payment

Ephesians 1:13b,14  ... ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Our salvation has been sealed with the Holy Spirit. The other day I put a check in an envelope and sealed it shut. Then I went to the Post Office and mailed it.  As I left the Post Office I had full confidence that the envelope would reach its destination and that the rightful owner of the check would receive it. That envelope that was sealed shut, remained so until the rightful owner broke the seal and opened it up and to obtain the check inside, which was rightfully his. The envelope was sealed in order that only the buyer could open it and take possession. Likewise God has placed us (the check) in an envelope (in Christ.)  At salvation we were placed, created in Christ and were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit is the seal that keeps the envelope shut until the rightful owner receives it and takes possession. The Holy Spirit keeps the check secure in the envelope until God gets it and takes full possession. As believers we are in the mail on our way from one destination to another. The envelope that we are in is Jesus Christ and that envelope is sealed by the Holy Spirit until it reaches it's destination in Heaven. At that point God will break the seal and take full possession of that which He has purchased. Ephesians 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. One day God will unseal the person that He has purchased with His own blood. So if your sealed, your secure until redemption day. Also in this text we see the Holy Spirit is called the earnest of our inheritance. The word "earnest" means a down payment or a promise of full payment to come. The Holy Spirit was given to us as promise from God that He would give us a full inheritance. Of course Heaven is apart of the inheritance put that is just the land God is giving us. He has a mansion and riches stored up for us as well. Everyday we live as believers with the indwelling Holy Spirit is God's guarantee that we are His and He will receive us for good. This is exactly why He the Holy Spirit is called, the Holy Spirit of promise. Have you spent time talking with the Holy Spirit today? What a great friend He is!

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Trusting in Christ

Ephesians 1:12,13  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 

God works all things after the purpose that He has determine in His will. This is what predestination means. Now the reason God does that is so that we should be to the praise of his glory.  God does everything for His glory!  His glory is praised by having an inheritance for His children. He alone deserves all the glory for what salvation brings. We believe, but God does the saving, the sanctifying, the adopting, the conforming, and the reserving of an inheritance. It's ALL for His glory! Now as we look at these two verses we must notice the order upon which someone comes to trust in Christ for salvation. The phrase who first trusted in Christ makes it clear that all the benefits of salvation: blessings, sanctification, adoption, inheritance only come after a person has trusted Christ. Now Paul begins to explain how it came about that they, (the Ephesians believers) received salvation. Here we have the simple order in which someone is saved. First a person hears the word of truth, the gospel of Christ.  Second, that person then accepts it and believes it to be true.  Finally that person then puts their trust (faith) in Christ.  Hearing the gospel, believing it, and trusting in it, is the order and way a person obtains salvation. Contrary to the inaccurate teachings of Calvinists, someone who is dead in their sins can still hear the gospel being preached. Calvinistic false teaching says a person has to be made alive, quicken, regenerated first in order to be able to hear the gospel and believe it. These verses clearly reveal that salvation and the new birth are a result of a person hearing, believing and trusting first.  Can you really believe that these false teachers put regeneration; being born again before faith?  The Bible is clear, being born again is a result of an individual putting their faith in Christ!  Calvinists truly have an upside down and backwards gospel that they preach. A person who is dead in sin (separated from God) has the ability to hear the preaching of the gospel and in conjunction with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, then choose to believe it and trust in Christ for salvation. The moment that happens the believer is then sealed with the Holy Spirit and secure in salvation.  Salvation is ALL the work of God but believing is OUR responsibility!  God does not regenerate us in order for us to believe, rather our believing initiates regeneration.  We must reject Calvinism and just believe the Bible!  Romans 10:14-17  How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  The order is clear they can't call on him (trust Christ) if they have not believed. And they can't believe if they have not heard.  And they cannot hear unless we preach the gospel. If we are faithful to preach the gospel those that hear it, believe it, and trust it, have saving faith.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

A Predestined Inheritance

Ephesians 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

In whom (Jesus Christ) also we (believers) have obtained an inheritance. As believers in Christ, who have been adopted into the family of God, we now have an inheritance. As John W. Peterson's song says, "God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, The wealth in every mine; He owns the rivers and the rocks and rills, The sun and stars that shine. Wonderful riches, more than tongue can tell - He is my Father so they're mine as well; He owns the cattle on a thousand hills -I know that He will care for me."  We have a rich Father. We serve a great God who shares the riches of His grace. I know one day I will receive from Him my full inheritance.  Colossians 3:24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. This certainty is based on the fact that I have been predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things. Again Paul mentions here the fact that believers have been predestinated according to God's purpose. Remember nobody is predestined to believe but those who choose to believe are predestined to God's purpose.  What is God's purpose for His children?  It's plain and it's also the same for all believers. Here it is. First, God purposed that all those who trust Christ would be predestined to become His adopted children. So as a result of being predestinated unto adoption by God the Father, we now have the legal right to the inheritance that belongs to God's children. Second, God has a blanket will or purpose for all His children, as well as a specific will for each of His children. God's blanket will, (the will that is the same for all of His children) is found in Romans 8:28,29, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."  God's will for every believer is to be conformed into the image of Christ. Those that God foreknew would believe have been predestined to be adopted and conformed into the image of Christ and also to do good works. Notice, Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  These things have been planned after the counsel of his own will.  God desires all men to be saved but only those who receive that receive Him have the power to become the sons of God. After a person is born again and adopted into the family of God, he has the rights to the inheritance.  I am praising God!  No, I may not have a rich Uncle that's about ready to kick the bucket, but I have a rich Father whose holding onto my inheritance for me. We ought to be giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints. Serve Him today until you come into that inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you!

Monday, June 3, 2019

The Mystery of God

Ephesians 1:9,10  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Not only did God adopt us unto the good pleasure of His will, but He also purposed in His will to gather together all things into one in Christ. The mystery of His will, which He planned for His own pleasure was revealed or has been made known unto us His children. The word mystery means to shut the mouth or keep silent. There are several mysteries in scripture where God keep silent and did not give explicit details about a truth in His will. Notice, 1 Corinthians 4:1  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. At this point let me briefly mention seven mysteries of God.
1.) Mystery of Godliness - this is about the fact that God would come in human flesh and do the work necessary for salvation. 1 Timothy 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
2.) Mystery of Israel's blindness - this is about the fact that Israel is blinded to the gospel for a time while the Gentiles are able to see.  Romans 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
3.) Mystery of the Church - this is about the fact that the church (a local assembly of believers) are the body of Christ to continue on the ministry Christ started.  Ephesians 5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 
4.) Mystery of Iniquity - this is about the fact that Satan is already working in deceiving people to sin and reject Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
5.) Mystery of the Rapture - this is about the fact that one day believers will be caught up and changed in a twinkling of an eye. 1 Corinthians 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed...
6.) Mystery of Babylon - this is about the fact that there is a false religious system that the Antichrist will use. Revelation 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
7.) Mystery of Christ - this is about the fact that Christ would be in us. Now here is where this ties into our text verse. In Ephesians chapter 3 the mystery is described in more detail, but I will summarize it as the Jew and Gentile being one in Christ. Notice what is says, Ephesians 3:3,4  How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) and then verse 6 says, That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: The mystery of Christ is the fact that because God's seed (Jesus Christ) abides in us, we are thus of the seed of Abraham. Being of the seed of Abraham by faith in Christ allows Jew and Gentiles to be one.  In totality Christ is going to one day restore everything in one and perfect unity, undoing the results of the fall. Paul speaks more of this mystery in Colossians 1:25-27  "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"  Think about it! We have the hope of glory living within us! Why be discourage, fearful or dismayed?  We have a glorious hope!!! Christ lives in us! We shall be, nay rather are victorious! Amen!!

Monday, May 27, 2019

Redemption's Payment

Ephesians 1:7,8  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 

We all owe a debt that we cannot pay. Jesus came to pay a debt that He did not owe. The Son of man came to give His life as a ransom for many.  The word redemption here in verse seven means "a ransom paid in full." We as a result of the fall and because of our sin nature have been taken captive by Satan and death. The wages of our sin is death and so there was a ransom that had to be paid in order that we might be freed. This ransom payment was much more than a million dollars, or a billion dollars. Truly the ransom payment was priceless, no amount of money in the world could satisfy the debt. These verses tell us redemption is through his blood. The only source of payment that was good enough for the ransom to be paid in full was the precious blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18,19 says, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"   Jesus came to pay sin's ransom and offer a way out for ALL people! Limited atonement is heresy!  1 Timothy 2:6 says, " Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Jesus blood was shed as the payment for the sin of the world. 1 John 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Jesus Christ gave His life and shed His blood in order to pay the ransom that each of us owe. If we reject His offer and do not apply His payment to our account then we must pay it ourselves in hell forever and ever and ever. Don't reject His payment, sign the back of that check and be forgiven, set free and delivered from death and hell! Now when a person accepts Christ's ransom payment, that person has been purchased with His blood. Once that blood ransom payment has been accepted then the debt is satisfied, which results in the forgiveness of sins. We have a rich God! He is the only one who can pay the ransom and when our ransom is paid by Him we are justified. Salvation is absolutely free to us because it is the riches of His grace that offers us a ransom payment. In Romans 3:24,25 it says, "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" Because of the riches of His grace we abound or have in excess the blessings of wisdom and prudence. God has tipped us with wisdom and prudence. Jesus not only paid the bill, but He also left a tip. Hallelujah what a Saviour that truly paid it all and then tips us with wisdom and insight to live as His adopted child!

Saturday, May 18, 2019

A Predestined Adoption - Part 2

Ephesians 1:5,6  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

As we have previously said it is important to keep God's divine order intact. That order is as follows: First Foreknowledge, Second Election, Third Predestination. Why is this the right order? Remember predestination is God carrying out what He has already determined or chosen. Predestination is an action of God but before an act there has to be a decision or a choice. Now we come to the crux of the matter what was behind God's choice or God's election?  Foreknowledge. Before the world was created, before Genesis 1:1, God existed in eternity pass. Since God was perfectly existing with ALL of His attributes, then before He ever performed one act, foreknowledge existed. Foreknowledge has to be first. God's foreknowledge is inextricably linked to His Omniscience and therefore an attribute of God. In other words it is a part of His nature, it is who He is!  Foreknowledge is first! Before the world existed, before God did any act, He already knew each and every believer by name. God simply had prior knowledge of who in their own God given free will would choose to believe given the chance. Now listen, it is impossible for God to go against His nature. God could only elect and predestine in agreement with what He foreknew. God never did elect and predestine someone unto adoption who chose not to believe, nor could He. God acted in total agreement with what He knew beforehand. Foreknowledge was first! Election and predestination stem from God's foreknowledge.  God did not randomly choose who to elect and predestine. No man is a robot pre-programmed by God to believe or made to believed. Calvinism is heresy! It is God's good pleasure and His will to adopt all those who believe and accept Christ. It praises the glory of His grace. His unmerited favor upon us is exalted due to the fact that we are accepted. The reason that a Holy God can accept sinners is because they are in the beloved. In Matthew 3:17, the Father's response to Jesus baptism was: "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  As believers we are in Christ and for that reason are accepted and valued in the sight of God. When we in our own free will believe on Christ we are accepted in Him by the Father. The Father accepts us as His own due to the righteousness we have in Christ. Listen to me now, this world is in a mess! Every individual has a genuine need for love and acceptance, but people go to all the wrong places to find it. It is only in Christ where we can find true love and acceptance! What this world needs in order to deal with the rejection that we all have experience is found in the person of Jesus Christ! He is the answer! Dear Christian friend don't find your identity in your appearance, performance or possessions. Find your identity in Jesus! God accepts those in Christ! What an adoption. Now as adopted children we can experience the love of the Father, which is perfect love. No rejection! He accepts me in the beloved!

Monday, May 6, 2019

A Predestined Adoption - Part 1

Ephesians 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Here in verse 5 there is a continuation of thought on the teaching of Divine Election. So let's review. God chooses or elects according to His foreknowledge. (1 Peter 1:2)  At this point we should define the word foreknowledge because there are some Calvinists who like to give it a different definition than what it actually means. Some inaccurately equate foreknowledge with forelove as a way to get around the true Bible teaching on Election. Foreknowledge simply means a prior knowledge or to know beforehand. In order to properly interpret scripture God's divine order must be kept intact: First foreknowledge, Second election, Third predestination. God determines who to sanctify (verse 4) and who to adopt (verse 5) based on His foreknowledge. God divinely elects to sanctify and adopt only those whom He knew before hand would trust Jesus Christ as Savior. Now in the current verse we are looking at there is, "A Predestined Adoption." Let's first define predestination. Predestination is God carrying out what He decided based upon His foreknowledge. All believers were destined by God to be made saints (sanctification) and to be made sons (adoption.) The Calvinistic false teaching says that God predestines some to believe. That's heresy! God does not predestine some to heaven and some to hell. Notice verse 5 again, "Having predestinated us (believers) unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ...clearly only believers are predestined to adoption by receiving Jesus Christ. John 1:12 says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:".  It is absolutely clear that God would only adopt us as children due to the fact He knew we would accept His Son Jesus. When we believed and received Jesus Christ, God gave us the ability (power) to become the sons of God by giving us the Holy Spirit. Notice Romans 8:15,  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. God has simply predestined that all who would receive Christ would be adopted.  Again in Galatians 4:5,6 we have these words:  "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."  How exciting it is to know that God has adopted me into His family! Now I am a joint-heir with Jesus Christ and He is my Brother, Savior and Friend!  I'm so glad I am a part of the family of God, for I have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. As a result of "A Predestined Adoption," I have every right to call God the Father, "My Daddy!" Amen!!

Friday, April 26, 2019

Divine Election

Ephesians 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Now let's carefully examine our next verse in Ephesians chapter 1. This verse says, According as he (God the Father) hath chosen us (saints, believers) in him (Jesus Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we (saints, believers) should be holy and without blame before him (God the Father) in love: (sanctification as saints.)  So what is this verse saying?  It is saying that before the foundation of the world God chose to sanctify His saints; those who believe on Jesus Christ. Notice what this verse is not saying. It is not saying that God picked certain people before the foundation of the world to save them. Some like to interpret this verse like this: According as he hath chosen (to put) us in him before the foundation of the world...that's not what it says, so don't add to scripture!! This verse is simply saying that before the foundation of the world God chose to set apart ALL believers as saints. That's it. God did NOT elect certain people to be saints, but rather God simply sets apart those who in their own free will believe on Jesus, to be His saints.  Before the foundation of the world, this is called foreknowledge, God already knew who would be in Him (Christ) and chose to sanctify or set apart all those who are in Him (Jesus.) Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ puts you in Him and then God does the making of you into a saint. God gives man the free will to choose to believe and in return God makes those who believe, saints by sanctification. God never forces anyone to believe. God does NOT predestine people to believe. God does NOT predestine some to heaven and thereby send others to hell. God does however, predestine to make saints out of believers, but God does NOT elect certain people and pre-program them to believe. Calvinism and Sovereign Grace are false teachings! You were not chosen before the foundation of the world to be a believer. YOU decided whether or not to believe!  God chose to save those who would believe.  It is God's foreknowledge that tells Him who will believe and thus God elected or chose you as a believer in Christ to be sanctified. Divine Election is only possible through sanctification of the Spirit and only those who believe can be sanctified. Notice what 1 Peter 1:2 says, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied." This verse is teaching that through the blood of Jesus Christ we are saved and then sanctified by the Holy Spirit. God elected us through sanctification of the Spirit, which He had prior knowledge of before we ever were cleansed by the blood of Christ. Much more will be said about the proper view of predestination and the false teachings of Calvinism. Let me just warn you to be aware of this Calvinistic false teaching that hides behind the label Sovereign Grace!  God does not make anyone believe or not believe in Christ. God's Divine Election is only for those who have already believed.

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Heavenly Blessings

Ephesians 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

When Paul addresses these "Faithful Saints," he reminds them of the special blessings they have due to their testimony of being a saint who is faithful. Our faithfulness to the Lord brings about many blessings in our lives. Notice Proverbs 28:20 which says,  "A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent."  God rewards our faithfulness with spiritual blessings that can only come from Him above, in heavenly places. As a saint we have the blessings of being saved, sealed and secure. God looks at us and see's the righteousness of Christ and He has given us the Holy Spirit as our seal and has promised to keep us saved. Psalm 97:10 says, "he preserveth the souls of his saints;" thank God for eternal security. True spiritual blessings come from just being saved. We are seated in the heavens as a result of being in Christ and get to enjoy all the spiritual blessings that accompany salvation. The joy, the peace, the power, the victory and on and on we could go with the benefits of such great a salvation! However, in addition to the blessings that come with salvation, we find in Psalm 68:19 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah."  Every day our great God dumps out a truck load of benefits from heaven upon His saints.  These blessings from Heaven and the eternal blessings of the Spirit make for a truly blessed life. We use to have a couple who attended our church that wore t-shirts that said, "To blessed to be stressed!"  I like that. As we deal with the stressful events in life, the blessings of God overshadow them all. As faithful saints who tithe we have a promise that we can count on, for Malachi 3:10 says,  "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." The Christian who is faithful to church gets a blessing! The Christian who is faithful to tithe gets a blessing! The Christian who reads the Word of God gets a blessing!  Revelation 1:3 says, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."  What a great, generous and magnificent God we serve!  It's time that we count our blessings one by one and we will surely see that our God has sent some Heavenly Blessings our way! Amen. God is good!

Friday, April 12, 2019

The Faithful Saints

Ephesians 1:1,2  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul when writing to the church of Ephesus called the born again believers in that church "the saints." There has been confusion over the term "saint" over the years, primarily because of the false teachings of the Catholic church. If you ask someone to name a saint, they tend to think in terms of a select few devout figures in the history of Christianity. However, when the Apostle Paul addresses the members of the church of Ephesus, he calls ALL believers "saints."  The moment a person is born again his title is changed from Mr. Sinner to Mr. Saint. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church he said in verse 2 of chapter 1, "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours::"  The simple truth regarding who a saint is found in the operation of initial sanctification. When you were saved God sanctified or set you apart from being a sinner to being a saint. Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."  When you were saved, you were washed, sanctified and now are no longer view in God's eyes as a sinner condemned, but rather a saint sanctified. When God's children assemble together at church it truly is when the saints come marching in.  In addition to addressing the Ephesian congregation as saints, Paul complements them for their faithfulness: "and to the faithful in Christ Jesus."  The church of Ephesus was made up of "faithful saints!"  This is what we need today.  We need church members (saints) who are faithful to ALL the services of the church. We need church members who are faithful to read their Bible. We need church members who are faithful to praying, witnessing and tithing, The greatest ability is dependability, but most church members you can no longer depend upon. If God's saints that have been saved by the blood of Christ would just be faithful to the mission of the local church then we would see a great move of God in our churches. Faithfulness is not dependent upon whether it's convenient! True faithfulness is when something else interferes with your obligations to the Lord and yet you still choose the Lord. That's being faithful.  Hebrews 10:25 says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." It's getting late! The return of Christ is near so get to church! Let's be faithful! Our churches need "The Faithful Saints" to stand up and come marching in!