Called To Be Justified

"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." (Romans 8:28-30)

"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 FOOLISHNESS OF THE MESSAGE TO SAVE THOSE WHO BELIEVE. For Jews request a sign, and 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. For you see YOUR CALLING, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE."

(1 Corinthians 1:18-29)

You see then, brethren, that you are justified as you are partaking of His calling: the message of the cross of Christ Jesus.

Let Your Laughter Be Turned

"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! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, 'The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously'? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' "

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:1-10)

We desire, lust, murder and covet; fight and war, and ask amiss. We must cleanse the hands that reach for anything other than what the Holy Spirit yearns to reveal to us. We must purify the double-minded heart to single-minded faith in Christ. Let the laughter of aimlessness be turned to the joy of the Lord!

No Man Can Tame the Tongue

"For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect (mature) man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things."

"See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and it set on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every king of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. BUT NO MAN CAN TAME THE TONGUE. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. My brethren, these things ought not be so." (James 3:2-10)

Now we see a reason for that spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit: "For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries."

(1 Corinthians 14:2)

"He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself," (1 Corinthians 14:4) He builds himself on the Rock, which is Christ.

But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." (Luke 18:27) So, no man can tame the tongue but God, by His Spirit to our very tongue! We have to desire it and be willing to do it.

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:17,18) No cursing of men: just what our Pilot desires.

Fear Destroys His Message

“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 chief priests heard it and sought how THEY MIGHT DESTROY Him, for they FEARED Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching." (Mark 11:15-18)

Clearly the scribes and chief priests feared Him, for He was overturning what they had made. Their response was to destroy Him.

"Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John (the Baptist) had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said to them, 'Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is NOT OFFENDED BECAUSE OF ME." 
(Matthew 11:1-6)

This is the same John who recognized Jesus, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!" Again the next day, "Behold the Lamb of God!"(John 1:27-37) What had happened? Even those closest followers of Jesus, when faced with questions regarding their fate, have to decide whether to turn from Him or continue with Him.

Jesus' answer? "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to THIS MOUNTAIN (that blocks or routes away from, rather than toward), 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things 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. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." (Mark 11:22-26)

Fear destroys the working of His message. Faith awakens, reminds and quickens His message in us.

Is this Your Confession of Faith?

Philippians 3:1-21

"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless."

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all loss things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, 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 the resurrection from the dead."

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Paul understands that he has not yet been perfected nor that he apprehended this apart from that which "Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." But, he knows the way and is sure of the path! He admonishes us to "join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern", because, "many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ:... who set their mind on earthly things."

No matter what the carnal mind would suggest, the way to eternal life follows this example!
Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus: the hope of His calling; the cross of Christ; and believe. The Spirit of Christ will show you how to fellowship, conform and attain.

By the Hearing of Faith

"I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or BY THE HEARING OF FAITH? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or BY THE HEARING OF FAITH?---just as Abraham 'believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, 'In you all the nations shall be blessed.' So then those who of faith are blessed with believing Abraham."

(Galatians 2:20,21-3:1-9)

The Old Testament is loaded with testimony of God's working of miracles for Abraham and the children of Israel. When Jesus Christ came, he preached the word of His Father AND He healed, delivered and produced provision: manifesting God's will to Israel (and others who pressed in to Him) supernaturally. He supplied the Spirit and worked miracles.

Paul writes the Galatians not to be deceived, but to understand that the Spirit of God in manifestation comes now through faith in Christ, and no other way. If you listen to the crowd of lawyers, who will be glad to say that God doesn't do that any more, you will have no manifestation of God's presence. They don't have it, have explained that absence away, and would be glad for you to join them--excluding you from God's complete, or perfect plan of salvation. Paul writes that 'the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God'-portraying Jesus Christ as crucified!

"By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh if of God" (1 John 4:2) You see that it is commanded that we confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh!

Show Them by Your Works

"Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18)

"You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (James 2:24)

"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.' "

"Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ. From that time Jesus began to SHOW to 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 Jesus 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.' "

"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 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 16:13-27)

You will be able to find your testimony, to date, in these words of revelation and correction for righteousness.