Romans 5:3-5

3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

The Bible asks us: how will people hear without a preacher, Romans 10:14? Far too many of us believe that troubles and sufferings come on us because we have done something wrong. That is flat out wrong and we need to preach this Truth! Troubles and sufferings come into our lives so that our Father can become stronger in us. Think about Jesus’ life, what did He do wrong? Jesus was perfect, yet He was constantly afflicted. He healed thousands of people and then they tried to kill Him. They were constantly trying to arrest Him and throw Him into jail. Look at Paul, Peter, John, and James. They were constantly being beaten, imprisoned, and killed and all they were doing was healing people and telling them that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand and that Jesus came so that they could have life and have it more abundantly. 

Paul was sick all of the time, Galatians 4:14. So was Timothy, 1 Timothy 5:23. What did these two do wrong to suffer this? According to Paul what He did was get caught up to the third Heaven and hear powerful things, so our Father sent a messenger of satan to constantly harass him so that he would stay humble, 2 Corinthians 12:7. Paul actually began to rejoice when he was sick and afflicted because he realized that it was making our Father stronger in him, 2 Corinthians 12:10.  

4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

We are plainly told in Romans 8:1 that there is now absolutely no condemnation for us who are in Christ. We are never left alone by our Father to do anything on our own. Our Father never leaves us or forsakes us, Hebrews 13:5. Jesus is always our Shepherd, we are never left alone to make a choice, because Jesus is always our Head. The glorious Truth is that we are persecuted and afflicted to cause us to be strong in our Father’s might. 

Here is the Truth: if we are doing things right, it is only because our Father has empowered us to do them right. This is why we cannot boast. So for this to be true, it also has to be true that if we are doing things wrong, it is only because our Father has not yet empowered us to do them right. This is why there is now no condemnation for us. Don’t ever let anyone, including yourself, tell you anything different. So rejoice in all things, even when you are suffering!

Romans 5:1-2

THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

We are justified through faith and the glorious Truth for us is that we now have Jesus Authoring and Finishing our faith, Hebrews 12:2. We are in right standing with our Father and we will always be in right standing with Him because our Lord and Savior ever lives to insure that we are, Hebrews 7:25. Through Christ we are eternally sure that we are saved and through Christ we now have and enjoy the exact same peace that Jesus has in His eternity, John 14:27. Jesus never doubts that He is One with God and that He always will be and through our Lord’s anointing so do we. 

2 Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God.

Grace goes beyond us just having our Father’s favor, it also means that He exerts His influence on our souls.

It is a reason for pride and exultation to which our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world [generally] and especially toward you, with devout and pure motives and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God (the unmerited favor and merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, and keeps, strengthens, and increases them in Christian virtues). 2 Corinthians 1:12

Our Father actually causes us to be strong and virtuous. He directs us and leads us. He never leaves us or forsakes us, Hebrews 13:5. If you ever hear someone tell you that you have decide which path to take, rejoice in the glorious Truth that you don’t. What Shepherd ever leaves his sheep alone to decide where they should go? What vine ever leaves a branch alone to decide what kind of fruit to produce? What head ever leaves its body alone to decide what to do? Jesus is our Shepherd, He is our Vine, and He is our Head. Our Father never leaves us alone, not even for a second, and because He doesn't we are always and eternally justified. This is why we are able to rejoice and have confidence. 

Merry Christmas 2011

She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus [the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua, which means Savior], for He will save His people from their sins [that is, prevent them from failing and missing the true end and scope of life, which is God]. Matthew 1:22

The gift that our Father gave to us is that Jesus has saved us from our sins. Jesus alone is the power that has saved us. Jesus alone has sanctified us, Hebrews 2:11. Jesus alone has caused us to have faith and love. He didn’t just provide a way for us to do it, He is the One Who is actively working in us, through us, and for us. It is Jesus’ power and abilities causing us to be glorious and sin free. He ever lives to intercede for us and because He does, we are now saved to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25. We are now saved from the power of sin, the presence of sin, the penalty of sin, and the pleasure of sin. This is the gift that we have been given and because our Father gave it to us, we are now free from all guilt, 1 Corinthians 6:11.

The other great Truth of Christmas is that the gift of Jesus working through us and for us will never be withdrawn from us.

For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] Romans 11:29

We now have and are one with Jesus and His anointing, which is Christ, working through us for evermore! This is the gift of Christmas. This is why Jesus came and this is why we are now as He is, even though we are in this world.

In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

Merry Christmas, Jesus loves you! 

There Is No Shame In Being Us

“And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are One.” John 17:22

“As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 9:33

If we were ever left by our Father to do anything on our own we would always be ashamed of ourselves! We can’t stand before God, even if we never sinned, and not be ashamed. However in Christ, we can stand before God, our Father, without any shame at all. We can because as we stand before Him, we stand as His children, born of Him, born from His seed, glorified and righteous because of what Jesus has done for us. We are sanctified by Jesus’ actions and we are glorified with His glory. We never stand before our Father alone, Jesus is with us and One in us 100% of the time. We can be unashamed because we have the Holy Spirit within us and He lets us know beyond any shadow of a doubt that our Father is not ashamed of us!

“For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 10:11 

We are eternally free from condemnation and the shame of falling short! We are now strong in the power of Jesus’ might because greater is He that is within us, then the shame that is in the world! Today is the day of our glorious salvation and now is our appointed time of righteousness and true holiness through Jesus Christ, Who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

You Want Rewarded?

Thus, whenever you give to the poor, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites in the synagogues and in the streets like to do, that they may be recognized and honored and praised by men. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full already. But when you give to charity, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, So that your deeds of charity may be in secret; and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:2-4

Our Father wants us to be rewarded and well taken care of, Philippians 4:19. He wants this for us now on this earth as well as in eternity. This is why He repeatedly tells us how He causes us to be. The first Truth to being rewarded is having faith that it is always our Father in us causing us to give, John 15:5. We reap what our Father has us sow! It is always His grace and His provision working through us that allows us to care about the needs of others. We are never left alone by our Father to give anything on our own. Faith with this Truth comes for us by Jesus Authoring and Finishing it through us, Hebrews 12:2. If we believe that we are the ones acting on our own to give, we will always brag about it. But because it is our Father’s abilities using us and causing us to give, we can keep silent about it and thus be rewarded openly. We now have the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:16. So we think and act as Jesus acts and Jesus always acknowledges that it is our Father working through Him, John 14:10.

We are the very body of Christ, we are flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, Ephesians 5:30. He causes us to give to those who we can receive nothing back from. He causes us to give to the poor, visit the elderly, clothe the naked, and take care of the orphans. Jesus insures that we are blessed and rewarded and He also causes us to not talk about it and bring the attention to us. Jesus is always greater in us then anything that is in this world, 1 John 4:4. We cannot help but be rewarded because we are one with Jesus. We have been chosen to be blessed just as our Head is blessed. We give and never talk about it and our Father blesses us by causing us to give even more. 

Predestined To Be Christ Like

For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29

Before our Father ever said let it be, He knew and loved us. He knew that He was going to choose us and He knew that He was going to make us to be just like Jesus is. He knew that He was going to use us to serve the world. Now there are a lot of people that believe that we will become better people when Jesus returns to the earth, but not many of us actually have faith and believe that we will be just like Jesus. But here is the glorious Truth: Jesus cam so that we could be just like He is right now on this earth!

In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. John 17:21-23

You and I were predestined by God to be just like the best that He has, which is Jesus. Our Father has always known that He was going to choose us and make us one with Jesus. We have a destiny and our destiny is to serve our Father by being one with Him through Christ. It is His desire and His will and our Father always gets His way. We cannot help but be who God has called us to be because His power makes us the way that He wants us. 

And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] Romans 8:30-31

We cannot mess up! We have been predestined to be the Bride of Christ. We have been chosen before the foundation of the world to be a royal priesthood that goes into all of the world and preaches the Gospel to every creature. We have been destined to lay hands on the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. 

God Insures That We Are Healthy

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

For which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted, or to say, Get up and walk? Matthew 9:5

Our Father is not a man that He should lie. With that Truth in mind read what He had written in 1Thessalonians 5 and in Matthew 9. Jesus tells us that if our sins are forgiven then we are healed and our Father tells us that He Himself will wholly consecrate us. We are plainly told by our Father that He will completely separate us from profane things and that He alone will make us pure. According to Jesus this means that we are healed. Faith comes for us from hearing the Truth and the Truth sets us absolutely free! 

There is no doubt that our Father is trustworthy. It is totally His responsibility to make sure that we are healthy. This is not waiting for us in Heaven, this is for us right now, because now is the Day of our Salvation, not tomorrow.

For He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance [of you from God]; behold, now is the day of salvation! 2 Corinthians 6:2

Our Father sent Jesus to save us and as is written in 1 Thessalonians 5, He has saved our spirits, our souls, and yes even our bodies. There is no now condemnation for us, Romans 8:1. There is now no law in place to convict us of sin, Romans 7:6. We no longer serve by obeying rules, we serve because of our Father’s grace, Romans 6:14. Our Father has separated us from profane things right now and the consequence of His mercy is our health. We have been set free and those who are set free by God are free indeed.

Devine Medicine

Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. Galatians 6:7

One of the first things that happens when we are sick is that we want the focus of others to be on us. We want helped, we want a doctor, we want medicine, chicken soup, but most of all we want attention. The exact opposite of this self directed attitude is the secret of Devine Medicine. When we get sick, the first thing that we should do is focus all of our attention to others and to their needs. When sickness comes, through the power of Christ that is in us, we should sow the gift of laying our hands on others. The secret to an abundant life of health and peace is achieved by our Lord causing us to lay our hands on others to release our Fathers Divine Medicine on them. Jesus will cause us to lay both of them on people and in His glorious Name tell sickness to leave them. This act of love releases Jesus’ health on them, it binds demons from them, and it empowers them to be whole. The act of laying on of hands does all of this because greater is He that is in us and through Christ we are always more than conquerors. The power that flows from us is a Living River of Life. The Spirit that abundantly flows from us heals the sick, forgives sin, and covers a multitude of sins. 

The Truth that sets us free is not to focus on ourselves when we are sick, but to focus on others and we will reap what we sow. Our Father will not be mocked about this Truth. Look at how Jesus acted on the Cross. He had been tortured and was about to die and He was telling John to take care of His mother. He was praying for the forgiveness of those who had done and supported His death sentence. Paul had been beaten and was wrongfully imprisoned and he was only concerned about the jailer and his family. Stephen was being stoned to death and as he was he was seeking the well being of those who were killing him. 

Our medicine is not carnal, it is spiritual and it is mighty to the bringing down of strongholds. Our medicine heals all sicknesses and even raises the dead. Our Father will cause us to lay hands on the sick and they will recover and He will cause us to reap His healing power as well. Everyone wins! 

Relax: We Were Made To Mess Up

And all mankind shall see (behold and understand and at last acknowledge) the salvation of God (the deliverance from eternal death decreed by God). Luke 3:6

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

There is no condemnation in Christ, Romans 8:1, and there is no boasting in Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:29. Now the glorious Truth is that everything is in Christ.

For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. Colossians 1:16

Our Father has a plan that has consigned all of us to totally and completely rely in Him. We all mess up. He made us that way! He made us that way so that we could not brag about what we have done or condemn ourselves for what we haven’t done. It is all our Father’s glorious power and grace that is operating in our life’s. Our Father even operates in the life’s of those who don’t acknowledge Him or believe in Him, Acts 4:27. Our Father controls everything, He has too. Nothing can be that He doesn’t bring into existence and control. Our Father is everything, He is the Alpha and the Omega and the Beginning and the End.