A Made Man Is Assured Of Success!

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were MADE through Him, and without Him nothing was MADE that was MADE. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (overcome) it." (John 1:1-5)

"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was MADE through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (MADE OF GOD). And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:6-14)

made- assured of success (one of seven definitions for this word in Webster's College Dictionary)

I could say that all things were assured of success through Him; not just anything would be assured of success, but that which has been assured, could be, only through Him.

What things? "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."(Romans 8:29,30)

The people that inhabit the earth have been "assured of success" because of, through, with and in Jesus Christ. They are more likely to see if we, who are predestined and called, also are justified and glorified through faith in Jesus Christ, believing.

Sparing Not The Son(s)

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge (to ask as a price or fee; to lay a command or injunction upon; to fill or refill so as TO MAKE READY FOR USE) against God's elect (v.29,30)? It is God who justifies! Who is he who condemns? (to judge or pronounce to be unfit for use or service). It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:32-37)

Notice! We are more than conquerors THROUGH Him who loved us. He can/will show us what that means. Who brings the charge? God who justifies! Who is he who condemns? Christ who died! We know that there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1) 

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword separate us from the love of Christ? You ask yourself that! At what price will you turn away? These THINGS (Romans 8:28) come to separate us from He who is HEAD of ALL THINGS to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (these things; Ephesians 1:22,23); and have, and will depending upon what we say to them! (Romans 8:31)

God charges us, bringing the requirement. Jesus Christ shows us the way, the truth and the life IN ALL THESE THINGS! Assuredly, by the Holy Spirit, we know when we are fit for the Master's use. If unfit or unready, our heart, by the same Holy Spirit, condemns us. 

(Definitions within initial paragraph are from Webster's College Dictionary)

Don't Take Your Own Supper Ahead Of...

"Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you and in part I believe it. For there must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore (regarding those unapproved factions) when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, EACH ONE TAKES HIS OWN SUPPER AHEAD OF others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those you have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes."  

(1 Corinthians 11:17-26)

"Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. THEREFORE, MY BRETHREN, WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER TO EAT, WAIT FOR ONE ANOTHER. BUT IF ANYONE IS HUNGRY, LET HIM EAT AT HOME, LEST YOU COME TOGETHER FOR JUDGEMENT." 

(1 Corinthians 11:27-34)

Very important that the church, when we come together, be led by the words of our Master. He told His disciples that they should speak to that which impedes the receiving of His words. (Mark 11:20-26) With the removing of the impediment, the Living Bread, which He was, and is, which the Father made recognizable to man through the life of Jesus Christ, ministers to the hearts of the approved and gives the unapproved the opportunity to receive. Why would Paul admonish the church to wait for one another? There are those who, by reason of use, are ready to receive when they arrive at church. There are those who arrive unprepared, very busy with the cares of this world. At the last supper Jesus had with His disciples, He reminded them that His body was food indeed. Babies cannot receive solid food yet they must learn to accommodate it, one bite at a time.

When you enter the meeting place, speak to the mountain to remove it so you may receive that next bite of Living Bread. The church is a place where we are to learn to discern the Living Bread. Other foods/drinks should be consumed elsewhere.

The Synagogue of Satan

"Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie- indeed I will make them come and worship (God) before your feet, and to know that I have loved you."   (Rv. 3:9)

Jesus said that to the angel of the church of Philadelphia after saying to those in V.8, "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it: for you have a little strength, HAVE KEPT MY WORD, AND HAVE NOT DENIED MY NAME."

So. Just who is it that inhabits the synagogue of Satan? Each of us says, I know! :) But, let us defer to Jesus Christ, the King of Righteousness.

"From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. THEN PETER TOOK HIM ASIDE AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM, SAYING, 'FAR BE IT FROM YOU, LORD; THIS SHALL NOT HAPPEN TO YOU!' But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, FOR YOU ARE NOT MINDFUL OF THE THINGS OF GOD, BUT THE THINGS OF MEN.' "(Matthew 16:21-23)

Peter, at that moment was an agent of Satan: his mind was full of what he thought was best, not the things of God. Nevertheless, Satan's assignment was against Head. If the Head stumbled at this temptation, the body (what we are, if we are) would be doomed. As for our calling, as the body of Christ: if your head, attached to your body goes somewhere, does your body stay behind or do something different? Not if you are alive! Dismemberment of head from body means death.

Therefore, a synagogue of Satan gathers "in His name" yet is inclined, as Peter in that time of immaturity, to dismiss/reject the calling of the Lord based upon what seems best to them. Convincingly,the apostle John understood and was willing prior to, he being stationed AT THE CROSS while his Savior, and Lord, was finishing His Father's command.

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and FOLLOW ME. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works."(Matthew 16:24-27)

Peter's "exchange" would have kept Jesus Christ off the cross. A Satanic synagogue would "work" to keep us from following Him as His body.

We Heard, So We Now Have, The Prophetic Word Confirmed

"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' And WE HEARD this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. AND SO WE HAVE THE PROPHETIC WORD CONFIRMED, which YOU do well to heed as a light in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation (origin), for prophecy never came by the will of man (should never come that way) but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:16-20)

"Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John, and led them on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah' -  because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, Hear Him!' " (Mark 9:2-7)

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, 'Write. Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'  And he said to me, 'These are the true sayings of God.' And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'See that you do not do that. I am your fellow servant, AND OF YOUR BRETHREN WHO HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of (intent, reason for) prophecy.' "(Revelation 19:7-10)

Notice that the owner of the voice in RV. 19:7-10 is not capitalized. That means the speaker was not God nor Jesus Christ. The voice belonged to one of the  brethren who had been willing to hear and obey the testimony of Jesus Christ! That one rejoiced in those who were willing to "make themselves ready". The good news is, Peter continued to HEAR the Father's voice and align himself with the testimony of Jesus. So we should.

What Makes For Our Response?

"Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples: and He said to them, 'Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. And if anyone says to you, "Why are you doing this?" say 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here. So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. But some of those who stood there said to them, 'What are you doing, loosing the colt?' And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded, SO THEY LET THEM GO." (Mark 11:1-6)

"So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, 'Is it not written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations"? But you have made it a den of thieves.' And the scribes and the chief priests HEARD IT AND SOUGHT HOW THEY MIGHT DESTROY HIM,..." (Mark 11:15-18)

What makes for such a dramatic difference in response to His words?

Recently, my sister bought me a car. When I received the car, I didn't immediately digest the operator's manual. Why? Because I have driven cars for about 40 years. As long as it operated well without the manual information, I would be ok. BUT, any intricacy for this model I would be without, yet still driving the car. Jesus has been manifested to us, from the Father, for intimacy with Him. 

Those who stood around the colt when Jesus' words were relayed to them through His disciples responded favorably and immediately to His words. Clearly the scribes and chief priests thought better than what Jesus said. The difference is a heart responding from the measure of faith God has given as opposed to those whose measure has been covered over by the traditions of men, confident in what they think they know about Him. We must speak to this confidence as God reveals it to us, "Be removed and be cast into the sea!" 

Entering The Kingdom of God (Through The Eye Of A Needle)

"Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!' And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children (see verses 14,15), how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With men IT IS impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.' "

Jesus' disciples were astonished: not only was a camel too big to pass through the eye of a needle, they were, too! If we make ourselves TOO BIG, through the prideful things this world admires, it is impossible. John the Baptist said, 'He must increase, but I must decrease' (John 3:30). Without question, no man can make this happen in you, only help you to see it. These words from God are made alive to us by the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ. All glory to God!

Jesus addressed His disciples as children. Eleven of the original twelve who had left all and followed Him were continuing to receive the kingdom as little children would, following the Master. As they learned from above how to decrease themselves, they would fit neatly through the eye of a needle.