The Message Of The Cross

1 Corinthians   1:18-25

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us, who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.' Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishnes of the message (of the cross) preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but WE preach Christ crucified: to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks, foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

The initial nine verses of the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul rejoices in what God has made available to the church, there and everywhere. Without question, they have been set apart in Christ Jesus, "called to be saints". The initial four verses of the third chapter, while calling them brethren, Paul upbraids them as babes in Christ and carnal, not able to receive solid food. Babies, given too solid a food, will void that food, producing no benefit to their bodies nutrition.

The message of the cross of Jesus Christ, Him crucified THEN exalted on high next to His Father, will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Jesus Christ completed it in front of the foundation of the world. Now, through Paul, God awakens the church to it. If we speak this very same thing, having a uniform testimony, carnality will be swallowed by spirituality in Christ Jesus. We will be "of the brethren who have the testimony of Jesus". Not babes but mature, becoming complete. I would say that this is the definition of praising Jesus to the glory of God!

What Then Shall We Say To These Things?

Romans 8:28-39

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. 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."

"What then shall WE say to these things? If God is for us (it is understood that He is showing the way in/through this justification), who can be against us? He (the Father) 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 (in this justification that works in all those who believe it, to be multiplied through each soul moved accordingly)."

Please read verses 33-36.

Yet IN ALL THESE THINGS we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. We don't evade as it comes, but listen as He shows us how to turn away from our confidence in the flesh. He refines us to Himself in this furnace. Job, Isaiah, Peter are examples.

So, what shall WE say to these things? Amen, so be it!  "Arm yourselves also with same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin."(1 Peter 4:1,2) The Father, now through His Son (made head of all things to the church) knows where our fleshly confidence lies and will allow that which serves to remove it! He freely gives us those things that served to glorify Jesus Christ, not sparing His brethren the chastening that makes His sons!  

The Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, does not want to spare you that which works for righteousness! It is He who justifies! Trust and be sealed in it!

To Be With Me Where I Am

John 17:24

"Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me WHERE I AM, that they may behold My glory which you have given Me; for You have loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me, and I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

"WHERE I AM" is not refering to a physical place (not earth; nor heaven, not yet) but the place of oneness in spirit, soul, mind and strength with the Father. Where Jesus was when He made that statement was here on earth. Therefore, our becoming "one" with "Them" produces the same fruit that Jesus produced right here on earth. Truly, He is the Firstborn (first made) of many made brethren! 

He was predestined to be the Savior of mankind: the Jew first and then the Greek; He was called, and He heard that calling, learning odedience BY the things which He suffered, becoming what the Father had in mind in the first place: the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Man was blessed to behold the glory of God on His life and still talk about it two thousand years later!

The Father loved Him, showing Him what love IS in front of those who love themselves: the poverty of soul in every man and woman. The Father showed Jesus how to keep His commands; how to lay down His life for His friend; how to become "the called" according to the His purpose. Jesus wants those who the Father gave Him in the present day church to understand that the Father intends to love them just as He loved Jesus, in front of the the foundation of the world and how it works, so they (those in the world) may have the opportunity to decide to receive.

Of The Wife or The Harlot?

Revelation 19:1-9

"After these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, 'Alleluia!  Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgements, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her'. Again they said, 'Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!' And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the thrown, saying, 'Amen!  Alleluia!'  Then a voice came from the throne, saying, 'Praise our God all you His servants and those who hear Him, both small and great!'  And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of many thunderings, saying, 'Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!'  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.' "

It seems that both the harlot and the bride begin equally equipped: one has taken what she was given and used it for her own purposes, rendering unrighteousness; the other has taken what she was given and prepared, MAKING HERSELF READY for marriage with the Lamb of God, rendering a testimony of righteousness.

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate (esteem) His name. 'They shall be Mine,' says the Lord of hosts, 'on the day that I MAKE THEM MY JEWELS (special treasure). And I will spare them as a man spares his own son WHO SERVES HIM.'  THEN YOU SHALL AGAIN DISCERN BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED, BETWEEN ONE WHO SERVES GOD AND ONE WHO DOES NOT SERVE HIM.' " (Malachi 3:16-18) 

The harlot has a form of godliness but denies the power of godliness: that which the Father knows would MAKE HER READY to produce fruit discernable by those who "eagerly wait for the revealing of the sons of God". (Romans 8:19) 

Rage In The Synagogue

Luke 4:25-28; 11:8; 18:5

"But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and sixth months, and there was great famine throughout the land; but to none of them (those widows) was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow."

"And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed (healed of leprosy) except Naaman the Syrian. So all those in the synagogue were filled with wrath......" at Jesus' words.

With certainty we understand the allure of providing for those who may not be able to take care of themselves and are showing signs of the same. Western society has built massive programs to try to meet that need. How is it that it seems God turns a deaf ear to many of those people. We know that our's is the God who healeth thee; that His son, Jesus Christ, ministered to those people effectively, perfectly; He being the Great Physician!

"I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his PERSISTENCE, he will rise and give him as many as he needs." (Luke 11:8)

"yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her CONTINUED COMING she weary me." (Luke 18:5)

Those who persist in their coming to Him, for Him, crying out to Him for Him day and night, even though He bears long with them, shall receive OF HIM, which saves them to the uttermost. The wrath in the synagogue after He had spoken showed signs of their hardness of heart. Their lack and disease had a deeper cause.

   

Can Anything Change What You Are Confident In?

I currently reside in the foothills of Appalachia. Pick-up trucks are numerous here. Many who own and operate them become emotionally attached to one particular brand. Some go so far as to place stickers on their vehicles coarsely jesting about a competing brand: whether those other brands are able to do what they think their brand of pick-up truck will. This approach is almost certainly without merit. 

In recent years, some automakers which previously had not manufactured pick-up trucks began to. Although they made reliable cars, they have had some difficulty breaking into the pick-up market: meaning they did not sell many. The thing those new to that market must do is this: continue in their attempt to increase the performance of their manufacturing. Then, they will eventually begin to influence those who are MOTIVATED BY EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE, even if they had been motivated easily by emotion.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (emotional approaches that may cause us to reject HIS MOST EXCELLENT WAY), casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience WHEN YOUR OBEDIENCE IS FULFILLED."  

When our Lord's obedience is being fulfilled in us, all confusion and unfruitful emotion is overcome!

The Captain of Our Salvation

Hebrews 2:10,11

"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, IN BRINGING MANY SONS TO GLORY, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings, for both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren..."

I experienced captaincy through my high school basketball days. The head coach would select those who he wanted represent the team. Those players would gather at center-court and the referees would explain the prerogative of the game and any oddities of the court. They expected THOSE PLAYERS TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO THE TEAMMATES. One older referee would even ask the captains just before tip-off IF THEIR TEAM WAS READY TO BEGIN PLAY. Truly, Jesus is the captain, and His example remains and fulfills.

The Father made the captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ, perfect through sufferings. He was able to do so because Jesus wanted nothing more than to be one with His Father, evidenced in that He said only what He heard the Father say; did only what He saw the Father do.

"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that THROUGH death (while in flesh and blood), He might destroy him (his works of unrighteousness) who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:14,15) The Father, through Jesus Christ, destroyed Satan's stronghold of deception: the temptation to serve self by exalting self above God. Our Father, through Jesus Christ, went deeper than the mind Satan tempts. By the indwelling and increase of the Holy Spirit He saves the souls of man who will allow His sanctification. Death to self, according to the Head of all things to the church, Jesus Christ, results in the Father's understanding of exaltation.

Our Captain has demonstrated His readiness. What about His team?