"The Kingdom of Heaven is Like..."

"The kingdom of heaven is like"...........a buffet restaurant, where everything you think you like to eat is so perfectly done that you are willing to TASTE EVEN THOSE DISHES THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULDN'T WANT, and. because you couldn't possibly taste EVERYTHING OFFERED on any one day, you go back DAILY.


Now that my family is done laughing due to my affinity for buffet - style restaurants, we may proceed. For sure, physically and spiritually healthy people eat!

"I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and FILL UP IN MY FLESH what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church." (Colossians 1:24) Yep, just what I was thinking about when I received salvation to God through Jesus Christ- "filling up in my flesh the afflictions of Jesus Christ" for the sake of others!   No, I was interested in helping ME with what I thought was GOOD. It is imperative to understand that we christians CANNOT help others with what we have not partaken of.

I heard a minister say, "we must be willing to believe what we read, not read what we believe."
(John Bevere, Messenger International)

He Chooses The Fast

 Isaiah 58:1-14; 59:1,2; Revelation 3:17-19

"Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear........."(Isaiah 59:1,2)

"Cry aloud (God commands Isaiah), spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

                   

YET THEY SEEK ME DAILY, AND DELIGHT TO KNOW MY WAYS, AS A NATION THAT DID RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND DID NOT FORSAKE THE ORDINANCE OF THEIR GOD. THEY ASK OF ME THE ORDINANCES OF JUSTICE; THEY TAKE DELIGHT IN APPROACHING GOD.

 

 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls and You take no notice? In fact, in the day of YOUR FAST, you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers. Indeed, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. YOU WILL NOT FAST AS YOU DO THIS DAY, TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD ON HIGH. Is it a fast that I have chosen," (paraphrase) for a man to choose how he fasts?

"Because YOU SAY, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing - and DO NOT KNOW that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked - I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be eager and repent (in the fast that God alone chooses)".


The words capitalized above represent the understanding Israel's children had regarding their approach to God - and the words written sound good. They thought they knew the way, which resulted in their questioning of God as to why He wasn't noticing. They needed the eye salve only He can bring. If you fast, by your order, you become the lord of your fast - ending it when you think it's over, or, you may compromise to escape your fast. The fast that He chooses won't end until you hear what He is saying and are willing to surrender: with it He "looses the bonds of wickedness, frees us from oppression, breaks every yoke. He shows us how to do things His way: how to "hide not ourselves from our own flesh".

When we have received what He wants us to understand through the fast that He chooses, "your light shall break forth as the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, your righteousness (in Christ Jesus) shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard".

When you find yourself in an uncomfortable place, cry out to Him in the faith He has given you. You are in the fast that He has chosen.

What Makes "Stony Ground" Stony?

Mark 4:3, 5-6; 14,16,17

"Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow, (and it happened as he sowed) some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away."

"The sower sows the word. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, IMMEDIATELY THEY STUMBLE".(Luke 8:13 states "in the time of TESTING fall away")

How is it that, after having received the word of God with gladness, one falls away? What has changed about that which has made one glad?

"For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'this man began to build and was not able to finish". (Luke 14:28-30)

"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple."(Luke 14:33)

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate ......HIS OWN LIFE, (they) cannot be my disciple".(Luke 14:26)

"And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be My disciple."(Luke 14:27) Jesus DIED on HIS cross.

People receive God's salvation because, by the Holy Spirit to our souls, we understand that it is right. Entering in is joyous; so is every victorious step of God's proving it in us! He writes that persecution arise FOR the word's sake, not against it. It may seem like it is against because each step requires a dieing to ourselves, as we see life, for what He knows is so. Stumbling will not prevail if we understand this as we approach salvation in Jesus Christ.

Strengthened By His Spirit For Increased Faith And Love

 

"To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus..."
(Ephesians 1:2)

"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers..."
(Ephesians 1:15,16)

A good report card for these folks!

"For this reason I bow my knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth has been named, (so) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT THROUGH HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN,(so) THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS THROUGH FAITH, (so) THAT YOU, BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE, MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND WITH ALL THE SAINTS WHAT IS WIDTH AND LENGTH AND DEPTH AND HEIGHT- TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST WHICH PASSES KNOWLEDGE; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations , forever and ever. Amen."
(Ephesians 3:14-21)

We should consider that, even though these saints of God clearly were upright and blameless in that they were faithful in what they had heard from Paul and others, there was more to be done. Although they had faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all the saints, Paul was encouraging them that there was a strengthening through the Holy Spirit available for increased understanding and even more love resulting in a glorious church by Christ Jesus- walking, through intimacy with He and the Father, just as He walked!

I live in a physical home that has been finished completely. No element of weather is able to get in. There is furniture and other amenities for comfort. The yard is neatly kept. It looks like someone lives there. I see other structures that are in the process of building - those structures look like they are being well-built but are not yet ready for complete living.  

"Coming to Him, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, ARE BEING BUILT UP A SPIRITUAL HOUSE, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
(1 Peter 2:4,5)

Bear With This Exhortation

 

Hebrews 13:20-22; 12:5,6

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. And I appeal to you brethren, BEAR WITH THE WORD OF EXHORTATION, for I have written to you in few words."

Webster's defines bear as "to carry in mind and heart".
(One of many definitions)

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews, presumed to be Paul, informs them in chapter 12:5,6:

"And you have forgotten the EXHORTATION which speaks to you as to sons: 'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives'." Exhortation is used only twice, within the space of two chapters, in the epistle. We must consider that Paul is admonishing the Jewish believers, as well as latter day Christians, to carry this truth in mind and heart. Why? Because if we don't, we are more likely to reverse ourselves in "the race that has been set before us"(12:1) as we are confronted with "various trials"(James 1:2).

The Jewish believers had been tempted to reverse their course in Christ when their countrymen began to persecute them. When a threat to comfort or fellowship arises, carry this exhortation in your heart (and don't forget it); looking to Him Who is able to make you complete in every good work to do His will! His fellowship and comfort never wanes!

Whatever Things You Ask, Believe!

Mark 11:22-24

"So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea', and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things that he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK WHEN YOU PRAY, BELIEVE that you receive them and you will have them."

Jesus tells us in the second sentence of this portion of scripture that we must have faith and then believe it. We MUST have the/a revelation of Jesus Christ and then work out that portion of our salvation to bring it to pass. Can't do it without the revelation for "without faith it is impossible to please Him".  Can't fulfill it without the working that is of that revelation for "faith without works is dead". All of it comes forth from Jesus as He is the "Head of all things to the church". He inspires you; gives you the tools; shows you how to use them. It is everlasting truth brought to manifestation by our willingness to hear and obey! With it we glorify the Father through and in Christ Jesus!

Now. Jesus goes on to say that WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK WHEN YOU PRAY, BELIEVE. Again, what makes one a believer is the desire to hear and willingly obey. Ananias shows us this with his hearing and willingness to minister to Saul/Paul by the admonition of Jesus Christ, even though he knew only of Saul's persecution of Christians. I ask you to consider that Jesus Christ, One with the Father, wants to tell you what to ask for and then give it to you, proving He and the Father are able to keep what we have given over to Them! It is God's desire to show us the way to righteousness in Christ Jesus, all the while adding what we need and giving what He knows we desire. It is the way to oneness with the Father and the Son who are one!

A centurion came to Jesus for the sake of his servant. The servant was said to be paralyzed and dreadfully tormented. Jesus offered to come and heal him. The centurion KNEW that Jesus had only to SPEAK A WORD AND IT WOULD BE DONE; that Jesus had all authority to do whatever was good in the sight of the Father. Jesus responded, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel". Jesus rejoiced in the centurion's understanding and willingness to act accordingly, saying, "go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done to you".

Pray That Their Faith Shall Not Fail

Luke 22:31,32


"Simon!!!!!! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."


What faith was Jesus talking about? We know that Peter had left his trade as a fisherman and followed Jesus. We know that Peter had received the revelation from the Father that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the Living God". Peter had seen and heard enough of Jesus to be willing to follow Him. What Peter did not yet understand was that Jesus had come to make a way for man to become the righteousness of God, in Him, through His death. There was a gap between what Peter understood and what would happen next.


We know that Jesus, on occasion, corrected Peter for his faulty assumptions regarding the life that Jesus lived in the flesh, and how it would end. We saw how Peter denied that he even knew Jesus or walked with Him. God, Who knows the end from the beginning; and Jesus Who is one with Him, warned Peter. Although surely falling into despair regarding his actions, Peter returned to Jesus and strengthened the brethren! What was revealed to Peter stood through the fiery trial. What Peter had formulated about the Jesus was burned up by the trial. He was now in a position for Jesus to continue to build a place to dwell in His fullness.


"God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Romans 12:3). Who is each one? Every human or just those who have entered into the Lord's salvation. I am impressed that this "measure" precedes the new birth as the scripture reports that we "are saved by grace through faith". This measure is the template by which God predestines, calls, justifies and glorifies.


We know that there are people who have not responded to this measure of faith. We see people who have responded falling short of the glory of God. Just as the educational process begins in pre-school and finishes when you have satisfied what is required to meet the standard, so is it in God's Kingdom. What about praying for all men, outside and in the church, that the faith that God has given them would not fail? When faith fails not, more will be given, and ultimately they could have in abundance, just like Peter did in the end.