2 Timothy 3:10-17
"But you (Timothy) have carefully followed my (Paul's) doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra - what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you (Timothy) must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
"But you must continue in the things you have learned and been assured of....", not like those who have a form of godliness but deny the power of godliness (the understanding of and willingness to continue in that which serves to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus) who are always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; who will progress no further due to their unwillingness. (The discussion in this paragraph comes from 2 Timothy 3:5-9)
Interestingly, Paul mentions Jannes and Jambres - magicians in Pharoah's court. They worked sensational supernatural acts. The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses devoured, literally, those supernatural activities. Why would Paul mention these men to Timothy, a young pastor? Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so will people resist the power of godliness: the willingness to continue in that which Paul writes in verses 10-17, 5-9. Timothy must understand that Satan uses unholy sensation to wrest our attention from the our God's calling to us in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 11:23,24
"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.' "
As we head to our Thanksgiving celebrations, many are brought to consider what we are thankful for: family, health, more than enough, friends, are common responses. But, when Jesus GAVE THANKS, He BROKE THE BREAD as a symbol of He Himself, the "bread of God", the "bread of life" (John 6:33-35), about to be BROKEN to make salvation to God available to all!
Be thankful for those good things that God has provided to you. Be thanks-GIVING to the Father by allowing Jesus Christ to show you what you must do, in remembrance of Him, so others may see Him!
James 1:2-4; Philippians 3: 4-6, 8-11; 15,16
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith (in Christ) produces patience(perseverance). But let patience (perseverance) have its perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) AND complete, lacking nothing." (James1:2-4)
"Yet indeed I also count all things (v. 4-6) loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things (v. 4-6), and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to (arrive at) the resurrection from the dead."
(Philippians 3: 8-11)
Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind."
(Philippians 3: 15, 16)
Mature. Perfect. Complete. In the dialect which I am familiar, perfect holds the most intense meaning. In fact, many times have I heard ministers say "you are never going to be perfect". "Perfect" to those who say such things means "entirely without any flaws" (Webster's). Another Webster's definition for "perfect" is "assured".
Assured to become complete. Perseverance, through its perfect work, causes the one who is assured (through faith in Christ) to become complete. That one will lack nothing. Even Paul says that he has not already attained completion, but presses on! That one is assured by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and that assurance holds those who will persevere through to completion! Must be some revelation.
This is where I will mention what I am impressed that the Lord made real to me. Paul says, "the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." (Romans 8:16,17)
Suffer how? Count anything you have accomplished (training); the pillars of your opinion; even YOUR RELIGION as rubbish at the revelation He brings; His way, His truth, His life; as He brings it! Paul greets the Philippian church and rejoices in their "fellowship". They were assured that they must count as rubbish what they thought they knew, attaining what Jesus knows and becoming complete in Him.
Matthew 16:13-19
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven, and I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will BUILD My church, and THE GATES OF HADES SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Jesus surely is building His church, "sanctifying and cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
(Ephesians 5:26,27)
God the Father raised Jesus Christ up from the dead.........."and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
(Ephesians 1:22,23)
If you ask a wood craftsman to build a piece of furniture, he would gather the necessary components for completion of the task, and with the wisdom which he had attained through experience and successful completion of other projects, he would finish the task. He has the understanding to make a nice piece of furniture from spiritless components. As Jesus builds His church, He works through the spirit for the soul. We have a decision to make. Wood, nails, glue, stain or paint have nothing to say about their future. We must agree to receive Him as He comes; to surrender so He may build.
What He is able to build in us individually and corporately, by way of our understanding and willingness to surrender to Him completely, will sustain us just as the Father did Him as He finished at the cross. All know that the gates of Hades could not keep Him from finishing!
1 Corinthians 11:27-33
".....strengthened with might according to His glorious power......" Colossians 1:11
".....that you may be in health even as your soul prospers." 3 John v.2
No question regarding these New Testament promises. Good things available to His church!
"Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and 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 (which was broken for the salvation of mankind). For this reason many are weak (not strengthened) and sick (not in health) among you and many sleep (die). For if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged. BUT WHEN WE ARE JUDGED, WE ARE CHASTENED BY THE LORD, (so) THAT WE MAY NOT BE CONDEMNED WITH THE WORLD. Therefore, MY BRETHREN, when you come together to eat, wait for one another."
With the communion elements that remind us of what Jesus Christ did in obedience to the Father for mankind, we should wait as each examines himself. Communion, or common union with Him, means we aim to understand and willingly surrender ourselves to Him, also for the sake of man, to the glory of God! He will speak as we wait in examination of ourselves.
I am impressed His judgement comes to make us aware of where we are falling short. Weakness and sickness are not where He wants us to stay, but those circumstances SHOULD make us WAIT and EXAMINE ourselves. No question - communion with Him, partaking worthily, brings forth the righteousness of God. He wants us to be strong, healthy and alive as bondservants of His!
Mark 11:22-24
.......because if you will believe this that Jesus is introducing to us, meaning that you devote yourself to it consistently, your prayer life will be changed as "this mountain" is removed. We know that it is possible for us to "ask amiss" (James 4:30). His counsel to remove "this mountain" takes away that which causes us to ask from a foggy perspective. Let me ask you: has everything you have asked the Father for, in the name of Jesus Christ, come to pass? What about what you say, have those words become fruitful? If not, our understanding may need refining. What it took Jesus three verses to explain turns out to be lifelong endeavor for His church! The good news is this: "this mountain" shrinks as you devote yourselves to this passage!
"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 (for this HIGH THING is in you), but believes (so) that those things he says (the removal of THIS MOUNTAIN) 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 and you will have".
I think we should consider to understand it this way: Therefore, Jesus says to us, in whatever things you ask for when you pray, believe that which you have received from Me in verse 23 and you will have it! Could He be saying: no matter what THING you think is important enough to ask for, THIS that I am attempting to get across to you is more/most important! With it you will be able to see Him more and more clearly and, eventually, face to face. Thanks and praise be to God in the name of Jesus Christ- this is a daily devotion and a faithful saying for me.
Mark 11:23
"For assuredly, I say unto you (Jesus assures those who have inclined their ear to hear what He was saying: His disciples and ANYONE else who will listen), 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." Clearly, having whatever you say is contingent upon removing "this mountain". It seems that "this mountain" refers back to the scribes and chief priests unwillingness to receive Him (Mk.11:18) when He came - their unwillingness to humble themSELVES under His ministry.
If we say to "this mountain" that would stand between us and becoming a fruitful branch in Him: "be removed and be cast into the sea", and doubt it not in our hearts but believe so that "this mountain" shall be removed, we will have whatever we say because what we will be saying will be what He is saying! For those who are willing to receive Him AS He comes to them and willingly humble themselves under His mighty Hand, that which impedes us from knowing Him as He knows us will be removed and His way to us(and our's to Him) will be made straight! "This mountain" stands between us and becoming one with He and the Father who are One! (John 17)
We know that Jesus said nothing unless He heard His Father say it, and whatever He said came to pass. Jesus commended the centurion for understanding that Jesus need "only say the word and it will be done". In fact, Jesus said that the centurion's understanding of the matter was greater than what His people(Israel) had come to understand.
You can reach the writer of this blog at ngm0811gdh@gmail.com.
