We Are Tried To Perfection

Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Did you see that Truth: for us to truly be able to rightly divide the Word, we must first be tested and tried. The Word is powerful on its own and it will work for us even in our infancy, but to truly be mature and to understand the Truth, we must first endure trials. Our Father repeatedly tells us this all throughout the Bible.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you. 1 Peter 5:10

For us to be all that we have been called to be we must first be tried. For us to completely discern the Truth we must first be tested. Our glory in this Truth is that we are never left alone in any of the trials that will arise for our benefit. We have become one with our Father through Jesus and He never leaves us and He never forsakes us. No loving parent ever leaves the education of their children solely up to the child and our Father will never leave us alone, we have Jesus continually being greater in us than anything that is in this world. Jesus is empowering us and strengthening us to rightly divide the Word of Truth, and because we are one with Him, we will never be ashamed even though we are continually being lead through trials and tests.

Now if [all these things are true, then be sure] the Lord knows how to rescue the godly out of temptations and trials, and how to keep the ungodly under chastisement until the day of judgment and doom, 2 Peter 2:9

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:5

The same Spirit of power, that our Father gave to Jesus, His Holy Spirit, has been given us.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom that Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring to remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26

Notice that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. There are no limits with God and we can know all things by the power of the Holy Spirit that is now within us! That includes knowing that we will be tried and tested. The Spirit will plainly show us that these trials are for our good and He will empower us to welcome them and to fully expect that our Father will cause us to triumph in all of them. The Spirit will show us that we cannot fail, ever, because our Father will never allow it.

Sermon On The Mount: Part 42

So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a [p]sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great and complete was the fall of it. Matthew 7:24-27

Our house is built firmly and eternally on Jesus, but just because we are one with Him does not mean for one second that we will not endure trials, we will. Jesus however will cause us to be victorious in every last trial and tribulation that ever comes our way. We do not endure hardships because we have sinned or failed, we endure them because of the Word. Our peace with all of the Truth that Jesus preached in His Sermon on the Mount is that He is the power, faith, hope, love, energy, resources, and guarantee that we will be successful and produce much and abundant fruit. We cannot fail, Jesus will not allow it. Too many want us to think that we can fail, but the Truth is we cannot. Even at our worst, Jesus is still at His best within us.  

[You should] be exceedingly glad on this account, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations, So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

We are fully able to rejoice in our trials because we know that we will see Jesus being victorious through us and it proves that He is in us. Trials and Jesus causing us to be victorious through them is more precious than gold. We are blessed when we are persecuted for the Words sake and we are blessed when men say all manner of evil against us, because we will not in any way shape or form fail. Hind sight is 20/20 here. I know that when we are in them it seems tough, but the more victories the easier and easier it gets.

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. Romans 8:28

That you are not [consciously] falling behind or lacking in any special spiritual endowment or Christian grace [the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in your souls by the Holy Spirit], while you wait and watch [constantly living in hope] for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and [His] being made visible to all. 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 1:7-8

We are able to rejoice at the Sermon on the Mount because we know that we can do none of it on our own. We can have perfect peace that we will fail absolutely at every last command that Jesus gave in this sermon. We can have such faith in our failure and rejoice over our inabilities because we have Jesus Authoring and Finishing our faith that He is the One doing it all through us. Our house is built on the Truth that Jesus will establish us and keep us until the end. And amen, there is no end for us!  The burden of the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ and the victory of it is ours. 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 41

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. Matthew 7:21-23

Jesus just told us in the previous verses to beware of false prophets and now He is telling us that many who claim to know Him actually don’t. The Truth is that Jesus knows everybody, He is God, and nothing exists without Him. So what Jesus is telling us here is that He hasn't called these people to be the Bride of Christ even though they are saying that He did. I want you to look at what these people are saying to Jesus to: that they prophesied, that they drove out demons, and that they did mighty works. First of all, these sayings seem to me to be what false religious leaders say to us today. Fake leaders are always bragging about what they have and are doing. This is not the way every day common people talk. Notice how they tell Jesus that they did the works, not that our Father did His works through them. So these people will act just like they acted when they were on the earth, they will trust in themselves and their abilities to serve our Father.

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? For you are [indeed] our glory and our joy! 1 Thessalonians 19:20

This is what Paul tells us that he will be saying when He stands before Jesus, that those who our Father empowered him to serve were his glory. The people who Jesus does not know will want to talk about what they did. True Christians will be celebrating all of the others who are there. The whole reason for life is to serve others and to be humble about it. Think about a great party, the fun and enjoyment is always about going and celebrating with those around you. When people want to talk about themselves and draw all of the attention towards themselves most people will move away from those kind of people. 

Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me. Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You? And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. Matthew 25:34-40

Truly blessed people who are one with Jesus are humble and do not brag or draw attention to what they do, it's juts not who we are, the glory is our Father’s because He does the works through us. Beware of preachers who tell you about their healings, their faith, their prayer habits, and their works. They have their reward already and they are false. 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 40

Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves. You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit. A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration]. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20

But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. Galatians 5:22-23

Jesus tells us to beware of false prophets and that we will know who is of Him and who is against Him by the fruit of that person. Remember that Jesus is our Vine and that we are His branches, and it is the Vine that determines the Fruit. So if the person who says that they are of God is not kind, gentle, patient, forbearing, gentle, and loving towards people, especially wicked intentional and willful sinners, then they are not of God.

Jesus hurled no accusations at the adulterous woman, He did however run off the religious wolves from her. Jesus did not condemn the 9 lepers who did not thank Him for their healing. Jesus forgave those who killed Him, even though they were willfully killing Him. Jesus is our Vine and the only ones who He ever really publicly went after were the religious leaders who did not have the Holy Spirits Fruit.

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

Sermon On The Mount: Part 39

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it. But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. Matthew 7:13-14

These verses have been used a lot in my life to try and tell me that many people will go to Hell. But is that the Truth? 

[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

But God’s free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man’s falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God’s grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many. Romans 5:15

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

On the last day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and that is what the Bible teaches us is needed to be saved.

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

So if everyone will confess Jesus as Lord, what is Jesus talking about here in Matthew 7? He is talking about the destruction of the gift of being the Bride of Christ. Many are called to be the Bride, but only a few are chosen to be. So what are the rest of the people who did not find the narrow gate? 

And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so [the room in which] the wedding feast [was held] was filled with guests. Matthew 22:10

We will have guests in eternity. The Bride is not a guest at her own wedding. The powerful thing for me is that our Father tells us that there will be both good and bad guests there. Jesus goes on to say later in Matthew 22 that only one person will not be allowed to stay, that means the rest will be allowed to stay. Jesus tells us in John 17:12 that the one who cannot stay is Judas. Jesus was very successful at the Cross. He was so successful that even those who are bad will be allowed to stay and this is why they will be allowed to.

But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15

The bad will first have to pass through Hades before eternity. These people will loose their reward of being the Bride of Christ, but they will be allowed to stay in eternity as our guests.

Sermon On The Mount: Part 38

So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

Jesus just told us in the previous verses to keep on shamelessly asking our Father for the things that we want. Verse 12 holds the key, this verse is the Truth that sets us free, this verse is the secret to a great life. Shamelessly continue to bother our Father for the wants and needs of others. There are some wonderful examples of asking our Father for the needs of others in the Bible and we can shamelessly use them. 

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [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 3:17-19

For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things--That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light. Colossians 1:9-12

Shamelessly continue to ask our Father, keep at it, pester Him, don’t let up on asking that others have Christ permanently in their hearts and that they actually know the love of Christ for themselves. Unceasingly ask that they have complete and full knowledge of the Truth that sets them free. Never stop demanding that they are filled with the fulness of God. Continually ask that they are wise, discerning, pleasing, strong, invigorated, and used to bear much and abundant fruit. Ask to the point of being bothersome to our Father in your most secret room, with the door shut, and don’t be as the hypocrites and tell everyone that you are doing it. This is the key to a great life. 

Sermon On The Mount: Part 37

Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. Or what man is there of you, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will hand him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him! Matthew 7:7-11

Jesus tells us that for us to part of the Kingdom of Heaven we have to be like little children. These verses sound to me like Jesus is telling us to be like little children when we ask our Father for something: can we have, can we have, can we have, can we have? 

I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. Luke 11:8-10

Shamelessly keeps on asking! I think that is an awesome thing for Jesus to say to us, shamelessly. This is just how my little kids acted when they wanted something. They had no shame at all when coming to Beth and I. 

ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up). He said, In a certain city there was a judge who neither reverenced and feared God nor respected or considered man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Protect and defend and give me justice against my adversary. And for a time he would not; but later he said to himself, Though I have neither reverence or fear for God nor respect or consideration for man, Yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will defend and protect and avenge her, lest she give me intolerable annoyance and wear me out by her continual coming or at the last she come and rail on me or assault me or strangle me. Then the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says! And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? Luke 18:1-7

Jesus gives us a parable here about the Truth that we are to shamelessly keep asking God for what we want and in His parable  He uses the example of a widow who bothered the Judge that she needed something from. So as little children we are to shamelessly and persistently ask to the point of bothering our Father until we get what we want. 

Now some may fear this thinking, believing that we will ask for a bunch of worldly things. But remember the Truth, we are new creatures in Christ, old things have passed away for us. We now have the Mind of Christ. We are now crucified with Christ and nevertheless we live, yet it is not us who lives, it is Christ in us Who lives. Jesus is now greater in us then anything in this world. So if these are True, why would anyone fear what we are shamelessly and persistently asking, to the point of bothering, our Father for? Jesus will not fail us in desiring and wanting and asking for the things that will lay treasure up for us in Heaven.