There Is No Fear In What Our Father Has For Us

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. Romans 5:5

There is no fear in the perfect love of Jesus, 1 John 4:18. The Truth is that we also have not been given a spirit of fear by our Father, 2 Timothy 1:7! This means that we will never be ashamed in hoping for the fullness of our Father to dwell within us. Through Christ, our Father is now fully within our hearts and His Truth’s clearly show us how He is. Heaven and Earth will pass away, but these Truths shall remain, Mark 13:31, and hoping for them, and the fullness of them, will never leave us ashamed! There is no fear in hoping for the greatness of God to be revealed and realized through each one of us! We shall not be ashamed in our hope that our Father will perform His signs through us and that through the power of Christ we will have boldness in the Day of Judgment, 1 John 4:17!

[For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), Ephesians 1:17-18 

The hope of our calling is this: that our Father will be the same within us as He is in Jesus, our Lord and Savior, the First begotten among many brethren! We are now members of Jesus’ body, we are flesh of His flesh, and we are bone of His bone, Ephesians 5:30. We are now one with God through Jesus, and Jesus has made perfect in that oneness, John 17:20-22, and since He has, the world will believe and come to know that God loves them just as much He loves Jesus! We are blessed this day and every day in the power of our Fathers might!

We Are Enriched With All Knowledge

[So] that in Him in every respect you were enriched, in full power and readiness of speech [to speak of your faith] and complete knowledge and illumination [to give you full insight into its meaning]. 1 Corinthians 1:5

One of the things that Jesus does for us is to enrich us with all knowledge! 

Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.Philippians 5-7 

Jesus will enrich us with all knowledge, so that we will actually have His mind. He does this so that we can think like He thinks and so that we may understand God as He understands God! The Truth just keeps getting better and better! We now have the mind of Christ, which means that we can know fully that we are now in God and that He is now in us. Jesus enriches us so that our Father can use us, just as He uses Jesus. We are now the servants of our Father just as Jesus is the Servant of Him. 

We are now dead to sin but alive unto God, just as Jesus is dead to sin and alive unto God, Romans 6:11! Look at Jesus’ life, He just took on His glory and talked with Moses and Elijah for a while, Mark 9:4. Jesus looked right at the devil, even after fasting for forty days and told him to leave, and the devil had no choice but to obey Him, Luke 4:8! Jesus knew that even though He was in the form of a man, that He still was God, that He still was One with God, and that God was still in Him! We now have Jesus enriching us with the knowledge that we too are one with our Father, even though we are here on this earth, 1 John 4:17! We are servants of God just like Jesus and we are by the power of our Father that is within us! Jesus wasn’t hindered by sin, our Father wasn’t hindered in being able to work through Jesus, and we have been born again, so that our Father has the exact same freedom through us that He has with Jesus! This is just down right awesome! Jesus is within us, He is enriching us with all knowledge, and by His power, we have the fullness of our Father, Who is God, within us!

Christ Empowers Us For All Things

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20

Our Father's Anointing, which is Christ, has strengthened us so that there is now nothing that is impossible for Him to do through us! How great is that? Our Father can now tell a mountain to move through us and it will obey Him! To me this shows the greatness of our Father's love for us. Sure He could tell a mountain to move on His own, but He allows and wants for us to be involved! Our Father allows us to enjoy His power with Him. We can now experience life as He experiences it! Our Father hasn’t held anything back from us; He has given us the power of Christ, so that we can be filled with all of His fullness! 

[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Ephesians 3:19

Our Father has given us His glory, John 17:22, just as He gave it to Jesus. Read all of John 17 and you will see how many times Jesus prays for our glory. Our Father wants us to have all of Him and it’s an all or nothing proposition!

Our words should portray these Truths. Our Father has said that for us to have faith, we must first hear His Truth, whether by a preacher or by the Holy Spirit, but faith comes by hearing our Father’s Word! If the only thing that the church does is talk about how greatly our Father moved through the people in the Bible, what good is it? We need to know that our Father is still the same God and that He will still speak through us as He spoke through them. And amen when He speaks, things happen! We have the same strength that the people in the bible had. We have the same Anointing that Jesus has, it’s the same Spirit working through us, and it’s the same Word! Faith for our Father to use us in the fullness of His love and in the active nature of His love comes from us hearing His Words that say that He will! Through the power of Christ in our lives we should speak as Jesus speaks!

Jesus Enriches Us With Perfection

And He will establish you to the end [keep you steadfast, give you strength, and guarantee your vindication; He will be your warrant against all accusation or indictment so that you will be] guiltless and irreproachable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 1 Corinthians 1:8

Jesus will enrich us with His perfection, so that we will be blameless until the end! Jesus guarantee’s our vindication!

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 17:23 

We are enriched to perfection because of our oneness with our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! We have been made perfect, so that the world will know that Jesus is of God. Christ has perfected us so that the world will know that God loves us, just as much as He loves Jesus! Jesus did nothing to be perfect other than to be born of God and we too have been born of God! Jesus’ works did not make Him perfect; He was able to do the works because He was perfect, and because God was perfect in Him! Our Father cannot help but be perfect and we are always in Him. He never leaves us or forsakes us, Hebrews 13:5. 

I have heard Christians say that the human condition is what limits us. Well, before Jesus it use to, but we have been saved and our Father just doesn’t say that we are saved; God says that we are born again. Just like Jesus was born, of a woman and of the Spirit, that is how we have been born again. Our humanity no longer limits God and He is now able to use all of us, just as He used all of Jesus, in perfection and in power and demonstration of His Spirit. He will do it too, so that our faith does not stand in the wisdom of men, but in our Father's! 

The disciple is not above his master: but every one that be perfect shall be as his master. Luke 6:40 

We are not above Jesus; but by His power that is within us and by His Anointing that is enriching us, we have been made to be like Him! We are just like Jesus, 1 John 4:17. Jesus went to the Cross so that we could be. Jesus offered Himself on the Cross so that He might be the firstborn among many brethren and so that we could become joint-heirs with Him in glory!

Our Father Uses Us To Change The World

[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).Ephesians 3:19-21

Our Father can do all things through us and so much more, because greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world! 

Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Our Father will work through us to stop the lies of Radical Muslim Clerics who preach hatred and destruction. He will do this without a shot ever being fired and without a bomb ever being dropped. Our Father can use us to lovingly stop all of the lies of abortion advocates and the deceitfulness and destruction of a worldly lifestyle. He will do this by exhibiting His Love through us, John 17:26 and by using the Holy Spirit to empower us to look only to Jesus to Author and Finish our faith, Hebrews 12:2.

The Holy Spirit will cause the power of the very Love of God to freely and completely flow through us. Our Father can cause the governments of the world to be glorious and honorable. Through Christ we are a royal priesthood and a peculiar people, a united nation of believers, united in the Spirit, one with God through Christ, whose fruitfulness will overflow to every corner of the earth. We are the Temples of God and His Spirit now dwells within us! Our previous consciousnesses of un-forgiveness, of hatred, and revenge have been purged from us, Hebrews 9:14! Our Father now causes us to pray for them that hate us and we now bless them that curse us. Through Christ we have freely received and our Father now empowers us to freely give! 

Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function]. 1 Corinthians 12:27

We Always Triumph

But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere, 2 Corinthians 2:14

The Truth is that we are always triumphant in Christ; there is never any question about it or any doubt about it! It is as an absolute Truth. It is every bit as much of a Truth as the Truth that Jesus is the Son of God! It’s an absolute, because our Father is willing and He is able to always cause us to always triumph! It doesn’t get any better than that! 

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. Romans 4:21

The Blood of Jesus, which was freely offered for us at the Cross, has opened up the freedom for our Father to be Who He is within our lives! Our Father always triumphs, and as He is so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17, so we always triumph! If we were to fail, it would mean that Jesus, our Shepherd, our Head, had failed. We are His body, we are one with Him, and the only reason we now are alive, is because it is Christ that is alive within us, Ephesians 5:30 and Galatians 2:20!

For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren;. Hebrews 2:11

We are one with Jesus, the One Whom God has sanctified and the One Whom our Father has set apart for His Holy use! Jesus was victorious over sin, He triumphed over it, and we are now united and one with Him! He is the Vine, He is our Shepherd, and He is our High Priest! He is not going to fail with us! If we are saved and baptized with the Holy Ghost, we will never fail! This is a bold statement I know, but if I were to believe for one second that we now could fail, it would mean that I believed that Jesus could fail! Jesus looks at us by faith and not by sight, even if we are messing up. The Truth for us is that Jesus will turn every bad situation around so that we will triumph! It’s actually not only us who are triumphing, it is God as well, we both triumph! Look at what our Father said, “He always causes us to triumph in Christ.” There are no maybes about it; our Father is not a man that He should lie, and He said that we will always triumph! It is finished, those eternal Words will always hold true for us!

So for the saved who were affected by Hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunami’s, dictators, war’s lies and terrorist attacks, they will triumph through Christ and the favor of our Father’s knowledge will be made known! The lost will see it and our Father will be glorified.

Our Father is having me write a daily devotional. He is having me look at several old post's and add things to them that He has shown me over the years. So I am sharing the new ones on this blog. If anyone has an older posting that you believe our Father wants in the devotional please let me know. 

The Power Of Being A Child Of God

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. 1 John 3:2-3

The Holy Spirit has John tell us that right now we are the sons of God. Do you know just how powerful this Truth is? To see exactly what this Truth means let's look at John 5:18.

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

When Jesus said that He was the Son of God, the Jews wanted to kill Him. They wanted to stone Him and throw Him over a cliff! They wanted to do this because when Jesus said that God was His Father, He was making Himself equal with God. That was a capital offense to the Jews. Jesus was breaking their supreme law, and He knew it, yet He still said it. Jesus had to say it because it was the Truth that would set the captives free! Jesus knew how the people would react, yet He still said that He was the Son of God. 

We can really see Jesus' personality in John 5. There is no fear within Him. Jesus is not politically correct, His love goes beyond that. Actually most of what our Lord has to say will offend, yet all that He has to say is love and freedom. This is the Spirit that now abides within us.

For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

God has made us His children and He is our Father and the glorious Truth is that now makes us one with Him. Exactly like Jesus is One with Him.

The Power Of Jesus' Blood

How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God?” Hebrews 9:14

There are so many needs in the world today: fear, sickness, hatred, un-forgiveness, division, and so much doubt. All of these things, and so many more dead works, are flourishing. The world needs the Truth that will set them free, John 8:32. They need to see our Father working through us, through us who have been purged by Christ. The world needs to see God’s active love working through us and we need God to be Who He is within us. So many of us desperately try to do what is right on our own. Yet, even with the best of intentions, we never succeed, Jeremiah 10:23. We will never succeed on our own, we can only enjoy victory when we acknowledge and realize that it is our Father Who always works through us, John 15:5! And A-men, our Father is willing and able to do far more through us than we can even dream of, Ephesians 3:20!

Right now much of the world is being assaulted with the hatred and bitterness of millions of hopeless individuals. These people are killing and destroying themselves, along with so many others. Anger and hatred are overflowing through them. Nations are spending billions upon billions of dollars and thousands of young men and woman are given their lives to try and end this. The news media is in a feeding frenzy of spreading fear. Daily the world's news outlets are bombarding us with hopelessness. The World is deeply divided on the answers and far too many believe that there is no answer. Yet there is an answer. There is an answer for today and the answer is our Father’s power within us. The answer is God doing His works through us; His work of love, His work of power, His work of reconciliation. Money will not solve the hatred and un-forgiveness of man, just look at how many billions of dollars have been spent already? Laws and politicians will also fail to unify us. 

Only love, the love that our Father has for Jesus, the love that now abides within us, will change the world. The very Love and Glory of God, which have made their home within us, will change the world. Through our unity with Christ, the world will believe!

I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them. John 17:26

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 17:23

The Lamb's Book Of Life Is Full

But nothing that defiles or profanes or is unwashed shall ever enter it, nor anyone who commits abominations (unclean, detestable, morally repugnant things) or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Revelation 21:27

I want to talk about the Lamb’s Book of Life here. If your experiences were anything like mine you were taught that not very many people will ever have their name written in this Book. But yesterday at Bible Study the Spirit asked me this question: Whose Book this was? I answered Him that it is Jesus’ Book. He then brought to my mind several scriptures.

Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages). Hebrews 13:8

[Just as] You have granted Him power and authority over all flesh (all humankind), [now glorify Him] so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. John 17:2

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. John 3:16

For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. Romans 14:11

The Lamb’s Book of Life is Jesus’ Book of Life. Jesus never changes, He is always the same, so His Book cannot change either. The Truth is that Jesus has been given the power over all flesh. He was given this power so that all that He has been given may have eternal life. Jesus tells us in verse 2 that our Father has given Him all of us, so His Book must include all of our names. If the Book doesn’t, then John 17:2 is a lie, because that would mean that Jesus was only given some of us. 

Our Father loves the world, not just those of us in the world who understand that He does. We know this wonderful Truth now, others will come to know it later, but all of us will one day understand and when we do, we will all bow and acknowledge the Truth that will set us free. The recorder of the Lamb’s Book of Life knows this Truth and every name, but one, has been recorded in it, John 17:12. 

Look at Revelation 21:27 again, notice that things can be washed? We all need washed! Notice also that we are told that no one who commits abominations, not who committed abominations are allowed in eternity. We all have committed abominations, but in eternity we will all have been washed and none of us will commit them. The Lamb’s Book of Life is full, Jesus was that successful!   

Philippians 4:18-19

18 But I have [your full payment] and more; I have everything I need and am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. [They are the] fragrant odor of an offering and sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights.

19 And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

I was raised in a Full Gospel, you better tithe and offer church. Every sermon somehow revolved around us giving money to the church. The sermons would typically go like this, give and God will multiply your seed a hundredfold. The scripture used for this preaching can be found in Mark 10. But what was amazing to me is that no one was a multi-multi-billionaire. I mean if it were true that if we gave a dollar, then we would receive $100 back, there would have been a ton of people making billions. So it was either the preaching was wrong or the Bible was wrong and I choose to believe that it was the preaching. 

Look at Jesus’ life, was He super rich? Did Jesus have a huge home or His own private boat to take Him to preach, Matthew 8:20? Did He have His own pure breed donkey to ride upon to show people that He was blessed by God, Matthew 21:2? Was Paul, John, or Peter super rich? Did they have huge homes and massive amounts of worldly things? They didn’t and yet every one of their needs were fully met by our Father and they had far more than a hundred fold of what they had when they first started. They had more fellowship, more love, more faith, more hope, more joy, and more peace. They had so much peace they could be imprisoned and sleep like babies, Acts 12:7-8. They had so much that when the jail doors miraculously flew open, they stayed so that the jailor wouldn’t be killed, Acts 16:27-28. They raised the dead, healed the sick, made trips to Heaven, and all without money and worldly possessions. 

If you believe that our Father wants a bunch of rich worldly people, where is the example of Him doing it in the Bible? Did all of these people over all of the years just not have faith? Or, is our riches not of this world? The people in Acts sold everything that they had to share with each other and they did not become super wealthy because of it, Acts 2:45. They actually were so poor Paul would raise money for them as he traveled, 1 Corinthians 16:3. We are in this world, but we are not of this world and neither are our riches, John 17:14. 

Philippians 4:14-17

14 But it was right and commendable and noble of you to contribute for my needs and to share my difficulties with me.

15 And you Philippians yourselves well know that in the early days of the Gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church (assembly) entered into partnership with me and opened up [a debit and credit] account in giving and receiving except you only.

16 For even in Thessalonica you sent [me contributions] for my needs, not only once but a second time.

17 Not that I seek or am eager for [your] gift, but I do seek and am eager for the fruit which increases to your credit [the harvest of blessing that is accumulating to your account].

These verses show us that it was the Holy Spirit working through Paul. We can see this because Paul was excited about what our Father would do for the Philippians for helping the Gospel be preached. This kind of talk was pretty rare for Paul. I don’t know if it because no one else was helping him, or he just didn’t write about people giving to him. I know that today it’s hard to get an evangelist to not talk about giving them money, but for Paul it was very rare. There are many times though that we do see Paul writing about glorying in others rewards and that type of glorying is the true sign of our Father using a person to serve. 

For what is our hope or happiness or our victor’s wreath of exultant triumph when we stand in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? you are [indeed] our glory and our joy! 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

There is a blessing when our Father uses us to give to others. Unfortunately false religious wolves know this and prey on the people. However don’t fret about it, our Father let’s this happen because money is not very important. We can look at Jesus and see this; He knowingly placed a thief in charge of His money, John 12:26. We all believe that money will help us, it won’t, our Father’s power is the only thing of any value. Our Father made man from clay, fed thousands with table scarps, turned water into the best wine, and used two men to thwart thousands of armed warriors. Our Father knowingly allows people to prey on our money, because He is causing us to loose all trust in it. Our Father will remove all of us from Babylon, which is the worlds system, before Jesus returns.

I then heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins, neither participate in her plagues. Revelation 18:4

Philippians 4:12-13

12 I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want.

13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

Jesus always empowers us, whether we have worldly wealth or don’t. The Truth is that Jesus empowers us in whatever state we are: whether we are sick or healthy, young and old, wise or foolish, Jesus is always our Strength. We may fully understand this and then again we may not, but it does not change the Truth that Jesus is always and in every situation Leading us.

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

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] Hebrews 13:5

So many preach and so many fear messing up. They believe that if they do mess up then our Father will abandon His grace on us until we repent. That is so wrong! We always, 100% of the time, exist through our Father. The Truth is our Father will never relax His hold on us and He will never leave us. 

When the Holy Spirit causes us to understood this Truth is when we actually stop doing the things that we fear doing. Faith comes from hearing the Truth and that is why our Father has us preaching and fellowshipping in it. This Truth is what allows us to be content in everything. 

Jesus was perfect. He served perfectly. He was perfectly united with God and He was always One with God. Yet He was attacked and hated by men. He had no place to lay His head and He was tortured and killed. It is a lie that says when we are right we will be prosperous in the world and when we aren’t we won’t. The Truth is our Father has us all over the place to serve a world that is all over the place. 

Philippians 4:10-11

10 I was made very happy in the Lord that now you have revived your interest in my welfare after so long a time; you were indeed thinking of me, but you had no opportunity to show it.

11 Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.

The Holy Spirit did a very powerful thing through Paul and it was that He had him continue to work while He used him to minister. Our Father did this so that the Gospel could be preached without any hinderances. 

So, being thus tenderly and affectionately desirous of you, we continued to share with you not only God’s good news (the Gospel) but also our own lives as well, for you had become so very dear to us. For you recall our hard toil and struggles, brethren. We worked night and day [and plied our trade] in order not to be a burden to any of you [for our support] while we proclaimed the glad tidings (the Gospel) of God to you. 1 Thessalonians 2:8-9

Paul did not have to rely on money from a congregation to preach the Truth. This allowed our Father to use him greatly. If we are reliant on a pay check from a body of believers, we will tend to not become too controversial and hold back. Our Father never had Paul under such restrictions and it allowed the Gospel to be spread all over the Middle East. 

When Jesus was tired and exhausted the disciples sat Him down and went to get Him some food. As Jesus was sitting He began to preach and when the disciples returned they found Him refreshed and energized, John 4:32. Our Father calls money filthy, 1 Timothy 3:3. What our Father uses to bring us peace, joy, abundance, and prosperity is serving others. This is our Treasure. Abundance comes for us not through money, but through being used to serve those around us. When we are enlightened to understand that wherever we are is because that is where our Father wants us to be, there is peace and abundance. We may have a ton of money when He enlightens us and we may not have a dime to our name, but either way, we will have and enjoy abundance. 

Philippians 4:9

9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.

Do you think that our Father is just with us, or do you believe that He is active through us? I can’t imagine God, the Creator of All just hanging out and waiting on us. Jesus tells us that those who are of the Kingdom are as little children, Luke 18:16. Think about it, what kind of parent would a person be if they just stood around their little children and didn’t do anything for them unless the child first did something to earn it? Our Father is not passive and He is not reactive to us, we are reactive to Him. That is what Grace does for us. 

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 will cause us to practice and He will cause us to think on what He wants us too. He will never leave us and He will never forsake us as He does these things for us. Our Father is faithful and He is always willing to do exactly what we need.

God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9

Philippians 4:8

8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].

How can we only think this way? We live in a world that just doesn’t lend itself to such thinking. This seems like a huge burden for us and it is, but it sure isn’s for Christ Whose yoke we now wear. 

For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne. Matthew 11:30

We are now new creatures in Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17. We have died, yet we live, yet it is not us who lives it is Christ in us Who lives, Galatians 2:20. Jesus is now our Head and we are now His body, Ephesians 5:30-32. This means that the burden of what we think on is Jesus’ and not ours. One of the great Truth’s of salvation is that Jesus causes us to think on what we need to think on. 

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Now here is even a greater Truth, as we live in this world, or what the Bible calls Babylon, we will become weaker. The world and all of its evil will continually attack us and our flesh will weaken. Sin is going to abound all around us as this happens, yet as it does, Christ will grow in strength within us.

So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). 2 Corinthians 12:10

Jesus will absolutely cause us to think on our Father’s Truth. He will grow within us. He is the Word and the Word ever lives to intercede for us so that we are saved to the uttermost! 

Philippians 4:7 Peace With Eternity

7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Look at what the Holy Spirit tells us: that we are to fear nothing from God! I sure do not hear that Truth preached enough. Keeping peace in mind, let’s talk about the punishment of Hell here. How is it that we are not to fear eternal punishment? How is it that we can have perfect peace and be tranquil when we think of Hell? If it is true that most of our family, loved ones, friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and co-workers are going to be thrown into Hell and suffer for all of eternity, how can we be tranquil and have peace that passes all understanding? We couldn’t. The only way that we could even begin to have peace is if we are selfish and only concerned with ourselves. And amen, Jesus just doesn’t let us be concerned with ourselves. Our whole life in Christ is about others and we could not have any peace or tranquility if most everyone in our lives is going to suffer for all of eternity. Ask yourself, how could we have any joy in eternity if a majority of everyone that we ever knew was suffering as we were living it up? That would be like living under a dictatorship and prospering and celebrating while he was torturing the masses. 

The only way for us to have any peace and tranquility is if Jesus’ sacrifice is so powerful that it covers even those who were unaware that it does. The glorious Truth for us is that His sacrifice does just that! 

Nor is the free gift at all to be compared to the effect of that one [man’s] sin. For the sentence [following the trespass] of one [man] brought condemnation, whereas the free gift [following] many transgressions brings justification (an act of righteousness). Romans 5:16

Well then, as one man’s trespass [one man’s false step and falling away led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man’s act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men. Romans 5:18

Look at what our Father had written, Jesus’ act of righteousness leads to the acquittal and life for all men. How many men? All men! Jesus was that successful. Grace is that powerful. The only way for us to not have any fear of the things from God is to know that Jesus will make sure that all men make it to eternity. If it were true that He doesn’t do this, then we can’t help but be scared and there sure can’t be tranquility. We may not all be chosen to be the Bride of Christ, but our Wedding is filled with guests and that allows us to have perfect peace and be tranquil regardless of what our physical eyes see. 

Philippians 4:4-5 Serving Others

4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

5 Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon].

The Holy Spirit will cause us to show all people our Father’s Grace. When Jesus was here 2000 years ago He was used to do the same thing. Think about Jesus’ life, did He go around and tell everyone that He was the Lord and that they must worship Him. Or was He used to heal the sick, raise the dead, feed the hungry, make wine for parties, and run off religious bullies who were placing rules on people that no one could keep? Jesus was used for the latter. Our Father never changes and He will use us the exact same way today, Hebrews 13:8.

There are non-believers everywhere today who are lost and need help, just as there were when Jesus was here. They do not need to hear that they are wrong, most of them know that already. What they need is to see love in action and that can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit working through us, without Jesus we can do nothing, John 15:5.  

6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

We do not have to fret about being used to serve. We never have to be anxious about it either, because we cannot help but to be used by our Father. We are Jesus’ body and the body of Jesus will be used.  

But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you are to speak; for what you are to say will be given you in that very hour and moment, Matthew 10:19

So please join with me in making this request to our Father: use us just as You use Jesus, 1 John 4:17. We want all of the power, love, grace, faith, and hope that Jesus has. We want to be used to do the same works that Jesus did and even greater works, John 14:12. We want to be removed from all of the concerns of this world and totally realize and trust in You Father just as Jesus does. 

Philippians 4:2-3: Women Leaders

2 I entreat and advise Euodia and I entreat and advise Syntyche to agree and to work in harmony in the Lord.

3 And I exhort you too, [my] genuine yokefellow, help these [two women to keep on cooperating], for they have toiled along with me in [the spreading of] the good news (the Gospel), as have Clement and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the Book of Life.

There is a ton of debate today over can women be the leaders of a church. So let's look at what we are told through our Father's Word to see what He has to say about it.

In the same way you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God’s unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]. 1 Peter 3:7

I allow no woman to teach or to have authority over men; she is to remain in quietness and keep silence [in religious assemblies]. 1 Timothy 2:12

Our Father also describes to us in 1 Timothy 3:2-13 what a leader or an elder of a church should be. As we talk about this I want you to look at what our Father has Peter write, it is honoring a woman to treat her as if she is weaker, it is not demeaning her. This is called an act of love and we are told that it actually empowers our prayers. Our Father had Paul glory in having women help him, we see this with Eudia and Syntyche. But our Father did not suffer these women to be leaders. The question is  why doesn't He?

I have been used by our Father to lead several Bible Studies around Columbus over the last 20 years. I can tell you that when you are called and chosen to lead a truly Christian gathering there are a ton of attacks that our Father allows to come with it. I have been attacked, not physically, close though, but verbally at all of them. It has come to the point that I do not feel that I am truly being used if I am not being attacked, Romans 8:17. So it is not that our Father is being mean to woman or belittling them by not wanting them to lead, He is honoring them. A true leader will be attacked, right to your face and behind your back. Our Father does honor women by using them though. Look at how He used Mary to tell the Apostles that Jesus was risen. Our Father uses woman all of the time to further our Kingdom, but He does not suffer them to be the leaders. Actually our Father has Peter write that it is honoring women to act as if they are the weaker gender, while acknowledging that they are not lessor in any way.  

In todays world we are told that we are chauvinists or bigots, but it is actually love when we do not want women to lead. It is a position that brings with it great trial and tribulation. Why would we ever want that on our mothers, daughters, or sisters? That does not mean that we do not want woman to help and be there at every step, we do and they are used powerfully and miraculously as they are there.