Take Heed to Yourselves, You His Disciples!

(Luke 17:1-6)

"Then He said to the disciples, 'It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES. if your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, '''I repent,''' you shall forgive him.' "

"And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' So the Lord said, 'If you have faith as a mustard seed, you CAN SAY TO THIS MULBERRY TREE, '''Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,''' and it would obey you.' " (My opinion: the mulberry tree represents sin unresolved and unforgiveness unresolved in His disciples hearts, which includes us, today.)

As you speak His words to this mulberry tree, you will notice when one sins against you, you will be able to rebuke him as Jesus would; if he repents, you will be able to forgive him as Jesus would; and when one sins against you seven times in a day and returns that many times, repenting, you will be able to forgive him. Right away you can begin this, overcoming over time. As you are committed in the saying of it, confessing His words, the Holy Spirit quickens you to walk in this just as Jesus did. You are now open to transformation in Him. When you fall in various trials, let Him show you how to rise up!

As These Abound, Ask of Him!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, BECAUSE WE KNOW that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation."

"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death IN OURSELVES, that WE SHOULD NOT TRUST IN OURSELVES but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through the many."

(2 Corinthians 1:3-11)

I would say that many of us have found ourselves burdened this way, to one degree or another;
having partaken of the sufferings of this life OUTSIDE Christ, then receiving consolation in Christ. Suffering IN Christ is the feeling within indicative of "the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain". (Hebrews 12:27)

Having recognized the joy and peace in every revelation of His way, we recognize the burden as we are drawn closer. No flesh will glory in His presence! He plans to remove it from us!

The apostle John writes: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

(1 John 5:14,15)

When you are burdened, weak, maybe in despair, ask of Him; not for what you think but for what He knows is necessary! If you will, the burden will give way to life!

You Do Not Have (Yet) Because You Do Not Ask

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, NEITHER CAN YOU, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

(John 15:1-8)

"Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. YET YOU DO NOT HAVE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT ASK. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses!" (James 4:1-4)

Ask for the Father's pruning so that you may bear the fruit of the true vine, Jesus Christ, glorifying the Father in discipleship with His Son. It cuts out the fruitlessness of your pleasures, that He will not honor, so that you may have that which endures: the fruit of righteousness in Christ Jesus. This is the way to cease striving for that which does not fulfill. God adds every good and perfect thing to you!

Take Pleasure to be a Pleasant Offering

"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I TAKE PLEASURE in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

(2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

"For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you."
(2 Corinthians 13:4)

"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then the OFFERING of Judah and Jerusalem will be PLEASANT to the Lord, as in the days of old, as in former years." (Malachi 3:2-4)

There is no question those things Paul has agreed to take pleasure in will make one weak. The body of Christ becomes weak to be strong. We disqualify ourselves when, instead of being crucified in weakness and learning to take pleasure in the Lord in those instances, we voice our displeasure. He is faithful to provide strength when we agree to take pleasure, boasting in Him. We become a pleasant offering to God, by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Bridle Your Tongue to the Word of Faith

"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not BRIDLE HIS TONGUE but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless." (James 1:19-26)

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth BY THE WORD OF TRUTH, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures."

(James 1:16-18)

"But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way,....."

(Romans 10:6)

"But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

(Romans 10:8-10)

Bridle your tongue to the perfect law of liberty (Romans 10:9,10), continuing in it so this confession is made unto salvation. It is enough! Nothing says it like those words (His words). The wrath of man, or sin in action, is brought to nothing by the word of faith, believing, in action.

In The Likeness

"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. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4)

"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:14,15)

"Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 'If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.' " (Luke 14:25-27)

"For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." (Romans 2:28,29)

Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet committed no sin. Jesus requires disciples to bear their cross and follow Him. Do you see the crosses with believers upon them dotting the globe? He came in the likeness of sinful flesh. We bear, in the likeness of His cross, for circumcision of the heart.

Passover Fulfilled; Confession Made

"When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, 'With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.' ". (Luke 22:14-16)

"Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, 'Peace to you.' But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, 'Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.' When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, 'Have you any food here?' So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in there presence. Then He said to them, 'These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that ALL THINGS MUST BE FULFILLED which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.' And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures." 
(Luke 24:36-45)

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus has come IN THE FLESH is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus has come IN THE FLESH is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." (1 John 4:1-3)

Is it your understanding that simply THINKING that Jesus has come in the flesh will honor Him, or please God? Or, must this confession be made in those who think?

"Then He said to them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached IN HIS NAME to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.’ “ (Luke 24:46-48) Necessary for the Christ! Necessary for the Christian, the body of Christ, by the Promise of the Father upon and within.