Following in the Steps of Jesus

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”  (1Peter 2:21)

The Gospel of Matthew chapter six verses one through four says,

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”

“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”

“But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:”

“That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” (Matt. 6:1-4)

Jesus is teaching on alms giving. This is one area where many Christians have failed terribly in God’s plan for having a giving life.

The giving of alms, or money for the poor, is very important in the eyes of God.

And once again, there is an apparent meaning and a spiritual meaning. The spiritual meaning reveals the truth in following the example of Christ and entering into “perfectness”.

“Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.” (Prov. 21:13)

The Lord wants us to seek honor and acclaim in His eyes only.

That is why the Lord says that the giving of alms should be in secret, however the Pharisees and the hypocrites were doing it to seek honor in the eyes of men for various reasons.

The Pharisees practiced a vain and defiled religion which they had created by adding traditions and misinterpretations to the Law of Moses.

They practiced it to appease their inward wrong attitudes. They really did not believe in God actively engaging in their lives.

That is why they were so startled when individuals were delivered from demons or healed from diseases. That is why they were so offended when Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath day, even though it was God who did the healing.

They were so intent on the minutia of their tradition they had lost sight of what was important. It didn’t matter to them if it was God who did it or not. They were totally involved in self-satisfaction and gloating over all the religious acts which they observed.

This religious attitude still persists today.

Several years ago, I was leaving a Hospital after visiting a sick individual when I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to hand a Gospel tract to a gentleman who was passing by.

I asked him if he knew that Jesus loved him and he declared that he was a Presbyterian.

I replied, “Great! Have you been born again? Jesus said, ‘except a man be born again he shall not see the Kingdom of God’.”

He replied, “I don’t care what Jesus said. I told you I was a Presbyterian.”

This religious pride is most prevalent in the Church today when it comes to giving.

The emphasis from the pulpit is often upon obedience to the law, the amount of the gift, and honoring the giver regardless of the reason for the giving and the attitude of the heart.

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1Sam. 16:7)

Matthew chapter 25 verses 34 through 40 declares,

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”

“For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:”

“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”

“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?”

“When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?”

“Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?”

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matt. 25:34-40)

First Corinthians chapter four and verse five also says,

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” (1Cor. 4:5)

These Scriptures are talking about when we shall come into the presence of Lord. If we give in secret for God’s eyes only, we shall receive praise from God as we stand before His throne plus He says that He shall reward us openly now.

When we give in secret it is God who receives the glory because there is no one standing in the way to receive the acclaim.

The Bible says that God who sees in secret shall reward openly.

This is a promise of prosperity not only in this life, but praise from God in the life to come. It is hard to imagine being praised by God, but God says He is going to do it.

James chapter 2 verses 15 and 16 says,

“If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:16)

The answer is it profits nothing.

God’s faith is a practical faith. Jesus met the physical needs of the hungry multitudes as well as meeting their spiritual needs.

Love and charity are practical.

And just as faith without works is dead, love and charity must have works also.

The Bible says that faith works by love.

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” (Gal. 5:6)

First Corinthians chapter 13 and verse three declares,

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” (1Cor. 13:3)

There has to be charity, there has to be love involved in the giving, otherwise the giving profits nothing.

Many times people give wrongfully, such as the Pharisees and hypocrites did, because of the pride of self-sacrifice.

There is a certain pride in giving away what we believe we have worked so hard to earn.

There is a pride in believing that since we worked so hard for it then it is a great sacrifice and we should be honored for giving it.

John chapter three and verse 27 says,

“John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” (John 3:27)

And in First Corinthians chapter four and verse seven,

“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1Cor. 4:7)

Everything we have is not because we worked for it but we have it by the grace of God.

Therefore, if God has given it unto us then we can freely give it back to Him by giving it to others.

When we have this attitude of stewardship instead of ownership it takes away all pride and God is able to bless our giving.

First Timothy chapter six verses 17 through 19 tells us,

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”

“That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;”

“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1Tim. 6:17-19)

The Greek word for communicate literally means “to give to the poor”. The Lord teaches us that giving in love is instrumental in receiving back from him.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” (Luke 6:38)

In conclusion, Jesus Christ is, was, and always shall be the same.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Heb. 13:8)

Jesus Christ and the Father are one.

“I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30)

Jesus Christ is perfect.

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Mat. 5:48)

We are to follow the example of Christ and strive for perfectness.

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” (1Peter 2:21)

“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” (Col. 3:14)

We follow in His steps and strive for perfectness through charity, and we achieve charity by following His rules for Kingdom living as Jesus described in His “Sermon on the Mount”.

This can only be done through Christ in us, the hope of Glory, the power of the indwelling Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost.

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Zech. 4:6)

Only then shall we see the manifestation of God’s power in our lives and receive the blessings of obedience.

Next- Memoirs

“The Sound Doctrine Seminar Volume Two: Revelations from the Sermon on the Mount” available now for $4.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices.

The Bond of Perfection

“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”  (Col. 3:14)

In Matthew chapter five verses 43 through 48 Jesus says,

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.” (Matt. 5:43)

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matt. 5:44)

“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matt. 5:45)

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?” (Matt. 5:46)

“And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?” (Matt. 5:47)

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48)

Verse 43 is one example of what Jesus called the “vain traditions” of the Pharisees.

They had taken two unrelated Scriptures out of the Old Testament and had put them together to form a tradition.

Leviticus chapter 19 and verse18 says,

“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.” (Lev. 19:18)

The unrelated verse which they combined to the verse in Leviticus and formed the proverb “Love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy” is found in Deuteronomy chapter 23 and verse six.

“Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days forever.” (Deut. 23:6)

The Pharisees’ great desire was to appear righteous before men but they had no concern as to how they appeared before God, so they would take Scriptures out of context to vindicate their positions.

Over time these “vindications” became traditions which they lived and taught by. Jesus said that in doing so they made the Word of God of “none effect”.

“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” (Mark 7:13)

Another example of this can be found in Matthew chapter 15 verses four through six.

“For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” (Matt. 15:4-6)

The Pharisees had created a tradition that promoted retaliation or hate against their enemies. Retaliation is nothing but fear. It is the attitude of “I have to stop them before they hurt me.” It is an attitude of fear.

However, Jesus said to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.”

He went on to say, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”  

The Bible says in First John chapter four and verse 18,

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1John 4:18)

Charity or love is the doorway to perfection, and the “perfect love” that the Scripture is talking about in First John chapter four and verse 18 is the love that many people call the “agape” kind of love.

This is the “God kind of love” which loves someone even when they may be against us. This is what God did when He sent Jesus. This is what God did when He loved us before we loved Him.

“We love him, because he first loved us.” (1John 4:19)

Colossians chapter three and verses 12 through 14 says,

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”

“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” (Col. 3:12-14)

As Jesus said in Matthew,

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

The Bible says that charity is the “joint tie” or bond of perfectness. The Greek words that are translated “perfect” in Matthew 5:48 and “perfectness” in Colossians 3:14 are the words that mean “complete” or “completeness”.

It is only through charity, or “agape” love, by which we can achieve completeness, or full maturity, in Christ.

There are 3 different Greek words which are translated “love” in the New Testament.

The first type of love the Bible talks about is the Greek word “philio”. This love is the type of love that an individual has with his or her spouse or children. This is a familial love or love for family.

The next Greek word translated “love” in the Bible is “agapao”. This is a moral type of love. This is a general type of love or love for all mankind. This is the type of love that creates a willingness to give. It doesn’t mean that you have given but it means that you have a willingness to give.

This is the love that God had when he “so loved (agapao) the world.”

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

He loved the world with “agapao” love but then He did something about it.

He gave.

God’s general love for all mankind was transformed into perfect personal love when He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.

This is “agape” love.

It is created by and is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is manifested in us when we walk in the Spirit and do the works of God, when we give.

This is perfect love.

The Bible says we are to put on charity. (Col. 3:14)

So many times people pray, “Lord give me agape love. Give me charity.”

God has already given us the love, the willingness, the desire to give, when he gave us a new heart. When we add works birthed out of that love then it is a fruit of the Spirit for all to enjoy.

Faith without works is dead. Love without doing is not charity.

God gave his Son because He loved, and when He did it His love became agape love.

First Corinthians chapter 13 verses four through seven is the definition that the Word of God gives us for charity.

As we read these verses of Scripture we should substitute our name in place of the word “charity” and let it be a gauge to see if we truly are walking in agape love.

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1Cor. 13:4-7)

When we substitute our name in the place of the word charity, is it a true statement? By the time we come to the end of the verses, we can truthfully answer as to whether we walk in charity or not. This is an inward look at our own heart as we come face-to-face with ourselves.

If we have answered truthfully after taking this little test, we can each admit that we all have a lot of work to do in our own lives concerning agape love.

Next- Following in the Steps of Jesus

“The Sound Doctrine Seminar Volume Two: Revelations from the Sermon on the Mount” available now for $4.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices.

We have a New Heart and a New Spirit through Jesus Christ

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”  (Eze. 36:26)

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  (2Cor. 5:17)

One of the reasons why God is able to give us the victory and keep us from falling is because He has given us another nature empowered by the Holy Spirit that we can choose to live by.

It is only because of this new man living inside of us that we can determine right from wrong and have the strength to live according to the principles of the Kingdom of God.

Matthew chapter five verses 31 and 32 instructs us,

“It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” (Matt. 5:31-32)

These Scriptures give us the parameters concerning divorce. However, as it is with all the words of Jesus, there is the apparent meaning and there is the deeper meaning.

One of the things we must realize concerning the principles of the Kingdom of God is that the Lord is talking about living according to the abilities of a new and righteous heart.

He is talking about always living in peace and forgiveness.

In the Gospel of Mark chapter ten and verse five,

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.” (Mark 10:5)

We who have been born again and filled with the Holy Ghost have been delivered from a hard heart. The Lord says,

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” (Ezek. 36:26)

We as Christians have been given a new heart.

The psalmist cries out in Psalms 51 verse ten,

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

As believers in a Christian marriage, God gives us no excuse to head towards divorce. We do not have a hard heart but we have a softened heart. We are able to work things out.

We can come to the peace that God wants us to come to if we are willing to change and forgive.

However, for unbelievers sometimes such is not the case.

In First Corinthians chapter seven verses ten through 17 we read the Apostle Paul’s instructions concerning marriage as given through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

“And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:” (1Cor. 7:10)

“But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.” (1Cor. 7:11)

“But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.” (1Cor. 7:12)

“And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.” (1Cor. 7:13)

“For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.” (1Cor. 7:14)

“But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.” (1Cor. 7:15)

“For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?” (1Cor. 7:16)

“But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.” (1Cor. 7:17)

In verses ten and 11 the Lord through Paul is talking to husbands and wives who are both believers and married in the Lord. He says to “Let them not depart.”

In verses 12 through 16, the Apostle Paul says “but to the rest speak I, not the Lord”. Here he is referring to believers who find themselves married to unbelieving spouses that are not part of the body of Christ.

In verse 14 the Bible says that the unbeliever is sanctified, meaning set apart, by the believer. They are sanctified unto salvation. In God’s eyes that saved individual’s unbelieving husband, wife, or children are set apart from the rest of the world.

It is true that all individuals have to come to a personal acceptance of Christ for their salvation, but when God says they are sanctified it means that He has set them apart for a concentrated ministration of the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin and bring them to Christ.

By living with a changed, born again individual on a daily basis, 24 hours a day seven days a week, the unsaved spouse or children will witness firsthand the reality of God and His ability to transform a life through the power of a new heart and a new spirit.

“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation (Greek: behavior) of the wives;” (1Peter 3:1)

God has not only promised to save us but He is has also promised to save our household.

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31)

These Scriptures go on to say, “But if the unbelieving depart let him depart. A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases.” (1Cor. 7:15) Not under bondage means they have been set at liberty.

First and foremost, God has called us to peace.

The key for a believer to continue in marriage to a non-believer are the verses which declare “be pleased to dwell”,

“But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.”

“And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.” (1Cor. 7:14-15)

The unbelieving spouse must accept and be pleased with the changes in the spouse who has become a believer.

In no way does God condone abuse. The Scripture says, “God hath called us to peace.”

There are many men and women of God who have been anointed and called to preach, but because of an unbelieving spouse that has chosen to leave and divorce them, certain religious institutions have forbidden and hindered them from fulfilling their place in the body of Christ.

There are religious organizations and leaders who say “you can’t do this” or “you can’t do that”, ignoring the fact that it is God who has forgiven and God who has justified, and it is God who calls and anoints.

God says, “A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases.”

Rest assured that if a believer has been divorced from an unbelieving spouse God has not withdrawn his call or anointing because of that divorce. The Bible says that the gifts and the calling of God are unchangeable.

“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Rom. 11:29)

Matthew chapter five verses 33 through 37 instruct us concerning the assurance of our words,

“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:”

“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:”

“Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.”

“Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.”

“But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Matt. 5:33-37)

The apparent interpretation of these Scriptures is that God is dealing with swearing and oaths, but the deeper interpretation is that God is dealing with the attitude of pride.

When someone swears an oath such as “I swear on my mother’s grave”, or “I swear to God”, or any other such proclamation, they are really swearing that something “shall be” or “is so” regardless of the circumstances.

By doing such a thing, they are expressing their total dependence upon themselves to make it happen.

This is pride.

We should be saying, “If it is the Lord’s will.”

“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” (James 4:15)

The Lord says not to swear by anything, but let your words be simply “yes” or “no”.

In other words, there should be no need to convince anyone by swearing that what we are saying is the truth. As a Christian, our character alone should be all that is necessary for someone to know that what we have said is “yea” or “nay”.

James chapter five and verse 12 tells us,

“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” (James 5:12)

In this verse of Scripture the Apostle James says, “above all things.” This is a tremendous significance to put upon the words that come out of our mouths, especially concerning whether we are “swearing by” something or not.

Why would the Scriptures put such significance on this?

“For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matt. 12:37)

The condemnation that is being spoken of here is the condemnation of the devil. We read in First Timothy chapter three and verse six,

“Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” (1Tim. 3:6)

The Bible says that God resists the proud.

Pride brings condemnation upon us before the throne of God.

Boastful words come forth from a prideful heart. A non-repentant prideful heart is not walking after the Spirit. We only escape condemnation when we walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1)

Revelation chapter 12 and verse ten says,

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Rev. 12:10)

The devil wants to accuse you. The devil wants to condemn you. The devil wants to hinder your prayers.

When we swear or do anything else to reinforce what we have declared, it is an outward manifestation of the pride of self-determination that is in our hearts.

James chapter four verses 13 through 17 declares,

“Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:”

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

“But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:13-17)

God is beholding and listening to our conversation, for the Bible says, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matt. 12:34).

The words we speak are an indicator to us and others of what is really in our hearts.

Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter five verses 38 and 39,

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Mat 5:38-39)

In these verses of Scripture, Jesus is not contradicting the law of the land.

The Law of Moses had said “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”

People who committed injury or crimes against another were to be brought before the proper authorities and punishment was to be issued by the appropriate judges in their judicial system.

However, during the times of Jesus many people had taken it upon themselves to avenge their wrongs and they were using the Word of God to justify it.

This is what the Lord is talking about in these verses.

Jesus here is talking to individuals who would later become Christians. They were going to know God as their Heavenly Father.

He tells them to resist not evil. He says that if someone slaps you on one side of your face, then offer them the other also. In other words, forgive them and give them another chance.

Jesus goes on to say in Matthew chapter five verses 40 through 42,

“And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” (Matt. 5:40-42)

Jesus is teaching us that instead of avenging ourselves, we should go out of our way to demonstrate to those who would misuse us that, by the Grace of God, we have been changed from someone who would be angry and resist or retaliate.

We have been given a new heart and a new spirit made in the image of His heart and His Spirit. As God’s children, we should act as our Heavenly Father would act.

Next- The Bond of Perfection

“The Sound Doctrine Seminar Volume Two: Revelations from the Sermon on the Mount” available now for $4.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices.

The Words of Spirit and Life

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”  (John 6:63)

Matthew chapter 5 verses 23 and 24 says,

“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” (Matt. 5:23-24)

Now, as Christians we don’t bring a bullock or goat to be slain upon the altar of God. The Bible tells us that we offer the fruit of our lips as a sacrifice of praise.

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” (Heb. 13:15)

God tells us that before the sacrifice of praise is even acceptable unto Him, the ought that we have in our heart against someone or the ought that someone else feels against us has to be reconciled.

I know in my own life, if someone is angry with me or if I have ill feelings in my heart against someone else, I can’t preach, I can’t study, I can’t pray as I should or praise God until I get it dealt with.

That is why the Bible teaches that we have to be washed before we come into the Holiest of Holies with our Lord. In the Old Testament the High Priest had to be cleansed with water, but we must be cleansed by the blood of Christ before we offer our gift.

It doesn’t matter whether we were wrong or we have been wronged, God declares that He will not accept our gift until we have done everything possible to make peace.

There should be no schism in the Body of Christ.

“That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.” (1Cor. 12:25)

Matthew chapter five verses 25 and 26 tells us,

“Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.” (Matt. 5:25-26)

Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63)

The words of Christ have a deeper meaning in these verses than just giving advice concerning civil matters involving judges, officers, prison, and fines.

Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 23 tells us that God is the judge of all.

“To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,” (Heb. 12:23)

“But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Rom. 14:10)

The Lord tells us that we are to come to an understanding with our adversary quickly while we are still engaged in the disagreement, before we part and go our separate ways.

Once we part company and the Holy Spirit begins to convict each heart, the one who repents first of the division commits as it were the other to the chastisement of God.

If my brother in Christ and I were to get into an argument, and I went home muttering against my brother, whether I was right or wrong, and my brother went home and went before the Lord in prayer repenting and asking forgiveness for the argument, then he has delivered me to the Judge.

He has cleansed his heart before God whether right or wrong.

He has forgiven me and asked forgiveness for himself, while as I on the other hand, holding onto my resentment and anger and still having ought in my heart, have been delivered to the Righteous Judge by my brother.

As long as I stay in my bitter and unforgiving attitude, we can rest assured that coals of fire will be heaped upon my head and I will receive the chastisement of the Lord until I turn and repent of my sinful pride and anger.

This is why Jesus says to agree with our adversary quickly while we are in the way with him, lest he delivers us up to the judge and the judge delivers us to the officer and the officer delivers us to the prison.

We will not come out from there until we have paid the uttermost amount.

In other words, we will not come out from under God’s chastisement and conviction until total repentance on our part has come forth.

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”

“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:19-21)

Jesus said in Matthew chapter five verses 27 through 30,

“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:”

“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

“And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”

“And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” (Matt. 5:27-30)

In these verses the Lord is talking about moral and spiritual impurity, and once again we see that is the same punishment for the act as well as the intent of the heart.

Let’s look at the spirit of Jesus words.

He is not saying that we should literally cut our hands off or pluck our eyes out in order to overcome the problem of impurity in our lives.

What He is saying is to mortify or count as dead our members upon the earth.

Treat them as if we had cut them off and it would therefore be impossible to commit the sin.

This is similar to the instance when Jesus was talking about being the bread sent down from heaven:

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:53-54)

Jesus wasn’t talking about His literal flesh and blood. He was talking about partaking of Christ and receiving Him into your being. Jesus went on to say,

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)

However, there were those who didn’t understand, and because they didn’t understand, they no longer followed.

Colossians chapter three and verse five tells us to,

“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:” (Col. 3:5)

The word mortify literally means “to count as dead.” The Lord instructs us to consider our members to be so dead to sin, that rigor mortis has set in and they cannot be revived.

Romans chapter six verses 12 through 14 declares,

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”

“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Rom. 6:12-14)

I have literally had to stand sometimes as if I was looking sin right in the eye and say, “Sin, you do not have dominion over me. You cannot cause me to have this evil thought. You cannot cause me to have this evil attitude. You do not have dominion over me.”

The Word of God tells us that sin shall not have dominion over us if we will not allow it.

James chapter four verses seven and eight says,

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:7-8)

James says to “cleanse your hands ye sinners.” I believe that some Christians might need to clean their houses also before they can have victory in their lives. They might need to get rid of certain magazines with immoral pictures or certain unrighteous television programming, for the Bible says:

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” (Rom. 13:14)

I have counseled people who tried to quit smoking by trusting in the Lord for His help and yet were still unsuccessful. I counseled them that it takes not only faith to experience God’s power, but it also takes obedience to His Word.

I advise them to do as the Word of God says and make no provision for the flesh.

Remove the ashtrays, break them, get rid of them, get rid of the cigarettes, have your clothes cleaned, and fumigate your home if necessary.

Do whatever it takes to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof, and you will have the victory that you are seeking from God.

He wants you to have that victory more than you even want it.

Jude chapter one verses 24 and 25 tells us how much he wants us to have it.

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25)

God is the one who is able to keep you from falling. God is able to do it.

Next- We have a New Heart and a New Spirit through Jesus Christ

“The Sound Doctrine Seminar Volume Two: Revelations from the Sermon on the Mount” available now for $4.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices.

The Sin of Self-Righteousness

“Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”  (Mat. 16:6)

“Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”  (Mat. 16:12)

Matthew chapter five verses 17 through 20 declares,

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.”

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:17-20)

In these verses of Scripture, Jesus begins to warn us of being like the scribes and the Pharisees.

“And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.” (Luke 11:39)

The Pharisees were clean on the outside but they were wicked on the inside.

There was another time when Jesus told them that they were like a whited sepulcher full of dead men’s bones. In the book of Isaiah chapter 64 and verse six we read,

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isa. 64:6)

The Pharisees, who were the religious leaders of the day, refused to recognize that their thoughts were evil and they were unrighteous.

Like the religious folk of every generation, they failed to acknowledge that they were prideful. They failed to acknowledge the fact that they had evil attitudes towards one another and others.

They thought that by physically obeying the rules and regulations of their religion then their thoughts and attitudes didn’t matter. They thought they had attained righteousness by keeping the letter of the law when in reality they were failing miserably.

The Pharisees believed that they were righteous in the eyes of God. They went about making their own righteousness with their works and traditions and they ignored the fact that God had concluded all under sin.

The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory,

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom. 3:23)

This is why many of the religious leaders and crowds followed Jesus and His miracles. They believed that because of their righteousness and holiness God was finally rewarding them by sending a deliverer to remove the Roman oppression and restore the Kingdom of David.

Their self-righteousness had blinded their minds to the words of the prophet,

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9)

They believed that because of their religious deeds they had no sin and did not need the suffering Messiah described by Isaiah,

“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)

When Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, the people went before him laying Palm branches on the ground and crying “Hosanna to the son of David”.

They believed that He was going to use His miraculous power to destroy the Roman armies and restore the Kingdom of David physically upon the earth.

They failed to realize the need for a suffering Messiah to die on a cross and bear the penalty for their sins.

The Pharisees and religious sects of the day had come to the conclusion that they had no sin because of the religious traditions which they fulfilled.

Therefore, when it became apparent that Jesus was not going to remove the Romans and set Himself upon a throne, those who followed Him for that reason turned against Him.

The same crowds that a few days before had been crying “Hosanna” now were crying “Crucify Him.”

They refused to believe they were sinners and needed a Savior. Their pride and self-righteousness blinded them to their need for a redeemer to pay the penalty for their sin.

They did not understand that they were sinners in the eyes of God. No amount of religious works and traditions could establish their righteousness in God’s eyes.

Second Corinthians chapter five and verse 21 says,

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Cor. 5:21)

Jesus came to establish His righteousness, and then to give us His righteousness in exchange for our sins at Calvary. He came to give us a new spirit, a new heart, a new attitude and will.

“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:” (Eze. 11:19)

Jesus said,

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)

The Pharisees were concerned only with the letter of the Law and their appearance unto men.

God is concerned with the spirit of the Law, our attitudes, our hearts, our will, and our emotions.

Hebrews chapter ten verses 16 and 17 tells us,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 10:17)

The Bible tells us that God speaks to us.

Jesus said,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” (John 10:27)

If we have been born again, then God speaks to us. He impresses our hearts and speaks into our minds. We don’t have to go through someone else to hear from God.

God is our Father.

He will speak to us and deal with us personally. He will give us strength in our inner man to overcome the flesh and the carnal mind.

“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” (Rom. 6:12)

There is a wrong and evil doctrine going around. This doctrine states that we as Christians are not supposed to follow anything that Jesus spoke about in the Gospels because it says that He was speaking to unsaved Jews.

This doctrine declares that Jesus was speaking to people under the Law and therefore doesn’t apply to us who are no longer under the Law.

It also states that we should only pay attention and follow the commandments that are contained in the Epistles.

However, the Bible says:

“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” (1Tim. 6:3-5)

We are to follow the words of Jesus.

These are the principles of the Kingdom of God.

He wasn’t just speaking to unsaved Jews but He was speaking to individuals who would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, accept Him as their Savior, be born again, and become His body, the Church.

We are to follow the words of Jesus. These are the principles for walking in the Kingdom of God.

This is the righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees.

Matthew chapter five verses 21 and 22 tells us,

“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:”

“But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matt. 5:21-22)

Let’s look at the spirit of the words of Jesus. In these verses we see Jesus presenting the double standard of the Pharisees.

The Pharisees had come to a point where they said if a man commits murder then he is in danger of the judgment, but if a man just says Raca or vain fellow then he would have to go before the Sanhedrin Council and receive a minor reproof.

In other words, instead of making spiritual and moral decisions, the Pharisees had become civil and criminal judges issuing physical punishments.

But Jesus judged the issues of the heart that could lead to eternal consequences. Jesus said if a man has anger without cause he is in danger of the judgment, and if a man goes on to say thou fool he is in danger of hell fire.

Jesus was showing that it is the same consequence for either action or attitude.

God is concerned with the heart. We must have a new heart. Man’s righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees.

The Pharisees had a double standard. Jesus was illustrating the spirit of the Law.

In First John chapter three and verse 15 the Word tells us,

“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1John 3:15)

God equates hatred with murder. This is God’s standard.

First John chapter three and verse ten says,

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (1John 3:10)

According to the Word of God a person who hates their brother, hates a fellow Christian, has ought against them, will not relinquish that ought, or will not forgive them is not of God.

The Bible tells us that if we are of God we will love and forgive our brother.

Jesus teaches that a man who would say “thou fool” is revealing the anger or judgment that is in his heart.

It is an outward manifestation of an inward wrong attitude.

Jesus says in the Gospel of Luke chapter six and verse 45,

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” (Luke 6:45)

Whatever is in abundance in our heart we will speak. We may try to deceive, but what is really in our heart will come out in an unguarded conversation or emotional words.

Ephesians chapter four verses 26 and 27,

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” (Eph. 4:27)

Notice the colon mark after wrath. The Bible is telling us that if we close our eyes in sleep without repenting of our anger and forgiving others, then we have given the devil an opportunity. We have sinned.

There are two ways to anger unto sin. One is to act upon our anger in a sinful way. The other is to do nothing about our anger and let it fester and become hatred.

The Scripture tells us that the devil is the accuser of the brethren. (Rev. 12:10)

He is standing before the throne of God continually and likes nothing better than to see unrepentant sins in our lives that transgress the Word of God so that he can accuse us before our Heavenly Father.

He wants to accuse us as to why God shouldn’t answer our prayer or meet our need. He is the accuser of the brethren.

The Bible says he accuses us day and night before God.

This is why the Bible says, “Let not the Sun go down upon our wrath: neither give place to the devil.”

Take care of it quickly, because if we let the sun go down upon our wrath, if our head goes to the bed pillow still angry at someone, we can be assured that the devil is standing by to report what we have done before God’s throne and argue against our righteousness.

However, when we repent of our sins and forgive others their trespasses, we are washed in the blood of Christ and the devil has no case against us. We stand in the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:31-32)

This is the righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees.

Next- The Words of Spirit and Life

“The Sound Doctrine Seminar Volume Two: Revelations from the Sermon on the Mount” available now for $4.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices.

The Strength of Faith

“He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;”  (Rom. 4:20)

The Gospel of Matthew chapter five and verse 13 tells us,

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” (Matt. 5:13)

In the days of Jesus, salt was used mostly as a preservative instead of a spice. It was used to preserve meat.

Here Jesus says that if the salt has lost its savor (strength or ability) and can no longer do what it is supposed to do, then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and walked upon.

Now our strength, our keeping power, our preservative is our faith.

The Bible says “the just shall live by faith.” If our salt is faith then this Scripture is saying that if we lose the power of our faith it is good for nothing.

Our faith can become vain and useless by taking it and putting it in something other than Christ. (Gal. 5:1-6)

“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” (Mark 11:22)

There is only one direction for our faith, and that direction is not in ourselves, our abilities, our accomplishments, our commitment, our holiness, or anyone or anything else.

The only direction for our faith, the only place where our faith can be deposited, is in God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;” (Col. 1:21-23)

There are those who think they have faith but they have let their faith die. The Bible says faith without works is dead.

“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20)

Faith is active. Faith is going. Faith is doing.

Ephesians chapter six and verse 13 says,

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Eph. 6:13)

Many people believe that if they become a Christian then their life will become boring with nothing to do. However, there is so much that God will give us to do if we really want to get close to Him, that we won’t have time to worry about things that we shouldn’t do anymore.

Being a Christian is very active.

A Spirit filled Christian who is drawing closer to Jesus is very active in the kingdom of God.

Faith is active.

When faith ceases to be active, it can die.

The Gospel of Matthew chapter five and verse 14 declares,

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” (Matt. 5:14)

We cannot hide, we cannot afford to hide, our faith and dedication to God.

Romans chapter two and verse four tells us,

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4)

People are going to see God in our lives. They are going to see God in our lives and they are going to see the goodness of God in our lives.

It is that goodness of God that leads men to repentance.

We cannot allow ourselves to be a light that is turned off.

The Bible says the city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

John chapter 18 verses 20 and 21 says,

“Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.” (John 18:21)

Nothing that Jesus did was hid behind closed doors. Jesus Christ was openly and freely proclaiming the counsel of God.

God is open. God is clear. God is light.

The Bible tells us in John chapter one and verse five,

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5)

Our witness for God has to be as God.

It has to be clear. It has to be light. Our witness to the world has to be pure, unadulterated, and without compromise.

God will use the light of His love in you and through you to draw sinners to repentance.

I’ve seen ministries and outreaches fail and go down the drain because they dimmed the light. They compromised. They may have succeeded in the world’s eyes but they lost the anointing of God.

The people of the world do not need a ministry or a gospel that looks like what they have already tried in the world. Those who are seeking a change in their lives have already found that what the world offered was empty and unfulfilling.

They have already found that the world and all that is in it is no help at all for their problems. The people of the world are hungry for something that is different, something that is pure, and something that is true.

They are tired of what they’re living in and they are not going to want anything that looks and feels the same. They want something different. They want something clean.

They’re tired of the degradation and they’re tired of the uncleanliness that the world offers. They want something that is pure, clean, and true.

Without realizing it, their souls are craving the anointing and the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our witness has to be pure and unfeigned.

Second Corinthians chapter four verses three and four declares,

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2Cor. 4:4)

If someone does not get saved, let it be because they rejected the truth. Don’t let it be because they never heard the truth.

The apostle Paul says my gospel wasn’t hid to anyone except to those who didn’t want it. It was hid to those who were blinded by the prince of this world.

Matthew chapter five and verse 15 says,

“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” (Matt. 5:15)

Our witness should not just be on a hill so the world can see it, but our witness should also be in the house of God so the church can see it. Don’t let your light be put under a bushel in the house of God and in the family of God.

The Bible tells us that every one of us is a “member in particular” of the body of Christ.

“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Eph. 4:16)

Each of us is an important individual in our local assembly and among the believers that we associate with in our lives. We are like a link in the chain and it has been said many times that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Each one of us has our place in the body of Christ. Each one of us has individual gifts that have been given to us by God that are useful to the building up of the entire body.

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1Cor. 12:27)

No one is a “nobody” in the eyes of God. Each of us is a “somebody” in His eyes.

God has created each of us, saved us, anointed us, and deposited within us that certain “something” that no one else can duplicate.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)

For God to be glorified our works must be a result of faith in God and love.

Belief alone is not enough to please God.

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19-20)

God wants to see the active result of our belief and faith with works.

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” (Gal. 5:6)

If our faith is going to be working it has to be working by love.

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” (1Cor. 13:2-3)

Faith and love together comprise good works which men will see and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Next- The Sin of Self-Righteousness

“The Sound Doctrine Seminar Volume Two: Revelations from the Sermon on the Mount” available now for $4.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices.

Walking with a Pure Heart in the Peace of Christ

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”  (Mat. 5:8-9)

Matthew chapter five and verse eight declares,

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8)

Something that is pure, such as pure gold, has no variables in it. It is unchanging. It is steadfast.

Blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the steadfast in heart, for they shall see God.

First Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 58 tells us,

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1Cor. 15:58)

The Book of James chapter one verses six and seven tells us why this is to our advantage to be steadfast and unmovable.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” (James 1:6-7)

Have you ever known anyone in the body of Christ who this week believes in the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues and next week they don’t believe in it at all?

This week they believe that we are supposed to be baptized in water this way and the next week believe we are supposed to be baptized another way. They are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine.

There are many winds of doctrine today but God says “stand fast”.

The Lord says to “stand fast” in what I have put in your heart and the revelation that I have given you. “Stand fast” in what the Holy Spirit has borne witness to be truth unto you.

We are not to be tossed to and fro as the wind tosses the waves, for the Bible says “we shall not receive anything from the Lord.”

Second Peter chapter three and verse 17 says,

“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.” (2Peter 3:17)

God wants us to be steadfast.

The Gospel of Matthew chapter five and verse nine tells us,

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matt. 5:9)

Romans chapter eight and verse 14 says,

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:14)

The children of God and the sons of God are those who are led by the Spirit and are peacemakers.

When the Spirit of God is involved we are going to be peacemakers. We are going to spread peace between man and God. We are going to show men how they can be reconciled unto God.

Acts chapter eight and verse 29 declares,

“Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” (Acts 8:29)

These Scriptures in Acts tell us of a time when Philip was led by the Spirit of God to go down to Gaza and there he met an Ethiopian eunuch whom he led to the Lord.

Philip was led by the Spirit of God.

This is the witness of the gospel that we are talking about: being a peacemaker.

James chapter five and verse 20 says,

“Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20)

Ephesians chapter six and verses 14 and 15,

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” (Eph. 6:15)

Being a witness is very important to God. It is an attitude of heart. Many people know that they are supposed to witness but they do not exercise that attitude of heart.

This attitude of heart is just like the Bible says, having “your feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

It means to be ready.

The Bible says that we are to always be prepared and be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within us.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (1Peter 3:15)

We are to be ready to give an answer as to why we don’t run to the same extremes of excess, the pleasures of sin, or the worry and panic that other people do.

This is an attitude of heart. To always be prepared to give an answer. To always be prepared to speak out for the Lord Jesus Christ and not to be ashamed.

Jesus said that if we are ashamed of Him in this wicked and adulterous generation, then He will be ashamed of us when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:38)

There is a lot more to the Word of God than just John 3:16.

It has been said that Thompson, the man who put together the Thompson Chain Reference Bible, said on his deathbed to the man who was consoling him as he was dying, that if we really believe everything contained in the Word of God, then there are going to be few who enter into eternal life.

This is just exactly what Jesus said.

“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:14)

Matthew chapter five verses ten through 12 declares,

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matt. 5:10-12)

Persecution is a gauge or an indicator of our godliness. The Word of God tells us in Second Timothy chapter three and verse 12,

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2Tim. 3:12)

Jesus said in John chapter 15 verses 20 and 21,

“Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” (John 15:20-21)

Here Jesus lets us know exactly what we’re getting into when we decide to follow Him. It is not all a bed of roses being a Christian.

There are things we are going to encounter as a Christian that might not be very pleasing to the flesh.

But Jesus said also said that great is the reward when we do live godly.

The Lord wants us to count the cost. Luke chapter 14 verses 28 through 30 says,

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” (Luke 14:28-30)

There will be persecutions. He says there will be divisions.

There will be a mother-in-law against a daughter-in-law and a father-in-law against a son-in-law. There will be a brother against a brother and a sister against a sister.

But the Lord says that if we stand fast and hold onto the faith, if we continue to go on and not turn back, we shall reap in due season if we faint not.

“And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30)

Many preachers preach about the 100 fold return, but oftentimes there are two words that they leave out when they preach about this Scripture. The words that are left out many times in preaching about the 100 fold return are the words “with persecutions”.

The persecutions are going to come as we live godly.

If we are able to live in this unrighteous world, work side-by-side with ungodly individuals, listen, laugh, or go along with the immoral jokes and philosophies and never receive any type of persecution for our faith and belief in Christ, then we need to ask ourselves “What kind of witness am I for Christ?”

Jesus told the Church at Laodicea,

“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:16)

Next- The Strength of Faith

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The Empowerment of Christian Mercy

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”  (Mat. 5:7)

The Bible tells us in the Old Testament book of Hosea that,

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea 4:6)

If we as God’s people are going to experience the abundant overcoming life that Jesus provided for us at Calvary, then we need to hunger and thirst to not only know God’s Word but also to understand it as well.

As we study the Word of God and seek after wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, we begin to see that often there is the apparent meaning of Scripture, and then there is the revealed meaning of Scripture that only the Holy Spirit can give.

In other words, we are to seek after and follow the whole Word of God, not just part of it. The Bible says,

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)

As God reveals these principles unto us, then we can have victory in them as we daily strive to walk according to His word.

We not only have the righteousness of God in Christ, but the Bible also says,

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1John 1:7)

Jesus Christ cleanses us from not only all of our sin, but also everything that stands between us and Him that might interfere with receiving His best.

We see then that it is the whole Word of God, not just a few Scriptures, that provide for victorious Kingdom living.

So many times people have taken just a few Scriptures and built the entire doctrine of their Christian Faith around them, however the Bible says,

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4)

The Gospel of Matthew chapter five and verse seven says,

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matt. 5:7)

God wants us to be merciful so that we can be blessed of Him.

Second Chronicles chapter six and verse 42 tells us,

“O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.” (2Chron. 6:42)

The Bible teaches that David was a great example to us of how we ought to be merciful.

We can read in First Samuel chapter 24 verses one through eight and in First Samuel chapter 26 verses seven through 16 of how David was merciful unto Saul.

Twice David was in a position to thrust his spear into the heart of Saul and exact vengeance for himself.

David had the opportunity to kill the man who, for no reason, was chasing him and trying to kill him, but yet David was merciful. David said, “I will not touch God’s anointed”.

We can also read of David’s mercy in First Samuel the 25th chapter. These are the Scriptures referring to Abigail and her husband Nabal.

Nabal rightfully owed provisions to David’s men because they had protected Nabal’s servants while they were in the field.

However, Nabal mocked David’s men when David sent them to him and refused to give them the provisions they needed. David was furious and set out to destroy Nabal and all the men of his household.

Nabal’s wife Abigail was told of her husband’s foolish act so she loaded provisions and went to David to plead for his life. David saw the provisions and Abigail’s humility and decided to show mercy to Nabal for Abigail’s sake.

David committed Nabal unto God.

David committed Saul unto God.

And God wrought His sovereign vengeance on both Nabal and Saul in His time.

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19)

Acts chapter 13 and verse 34 says,

“And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.” (Acts 13:34)

David was merciful and not only obtained mercy, but he obtained a promise from God that his descendent would sit upon his throne forever.

“The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.” (Psalm 132:11-12)

God fulfilled this promise through David’s descendent Mary when she gave birth to Jesus Christ the Son of God.

Having mercy and being merciful are monumental in the eyes of God.

Galatians chapter six verses seven and eight says,

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Gal. 6:7-8)

What we plant we are going to reap. The Bible says “God is not mocked”. In other words, make no mistake about it. It does not matter how spiritual we think we may be.

What we sow we are going to reap.

Job was a merciful man. In Job chapter 42 and verse ten the Bible tells us,

“And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10)

Job was delivered when he prayed for others. When he offered sacrifices for the false comforters who had come against him, then he received his deliverance from God.

Jesus was merciful from the cross.

He said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Because of the mercy He showed to those who persecuted Him, tortured Him, and railed against Him, He received mercy as the Son of Man.

The mercy He received was the forgiveness of our sins.

In the Book of Zechariah we read,

“And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.”

“And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”

“Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.”

“And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”

“And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.”

“And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,”

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.” (Zech. 3:1-7)

In these Scriptures found in the Book of Zechariah, we are reading a prophetic vision which the prophet had of Jesus Christ standing before the Heavenly Father after His ascension into heaven.

We know that there was a Joshua that returned from captivity and was a High Priest in the Old Testament, but the Bible also tells us that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

This is a perfect example of the apparent meaning of Scripture and the revealed meaning of Scripture.

To fully understand this portion of Scripture, we need to understand that the Hebrew word for Joshua is the same for Jesus: Yeshua.

Since Jesus said,

“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.” (John 3:13)

These Scriptures are not referring to any Joshua from the Old Testament, but here the word of God in prophecy is talking about Jesus Christ as He ascended from the depths of hell and came before God the Father clothed in the filthy rags of our sins.

“And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”

After Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, He appeared to Mary and said, “Touch me not for I have not yet ascended unto my Father.” (John 20:17) Jesus could not allow Mary to touch Him for He still had the sin of the world upon His body.

He had to go and have the filthy spiritual garments removed. He had to be given the robes of righteousness to replace the filthy rags of our sins once they were taken away.

In the verse where the Lord says, “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee”, He is talking about our iniquity. The Bible says that Jesus knew no sin, therefore He had no iniquity.

Jesus Christ was without sin, spotless, and blameless.

However, the Bible says

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Cor. 5:21)

The filthy garments that were upon Him and the iniquity that was upon Him were our sins and iniquity which He took upon Himself at the cross of Calvary.

There He made the atonement for us. The Greek word for “atonement” is katallage (pronounced kat-al-lag-ay’) which means “the exchange”.

This is why Jesus had to be separated from the Father and had to die a spiritual death.

What is spiritual death? It is being separated from God.

This is why in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was in agony, not over the physical death, but he was agonizing over the spiritual death of being separated from the Father, something He had never known since the beginning.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

In the garden Jesus was praying “Father, if there be any other way let this cup pass from me.” He was sweating as it were “great drops of blood”, not because of the physical death he was going to endure but in anticipation of the spiritual death that he was going to endure.

The Bible says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20)

The death this verse is talking about is spiritual separation from God, something that Christ had never known. Even before he came to this earth and was born in a manger, Christ had always been with the Father.

That is why He was in terrible agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

In Zechariah chapter three verse five the Lord said “Let them set a fair mitre upon his head”, meaning a “crown” or a “diadem”, signifying His restoration as the King of Heaven.

The angel was given a charge to speak unto Joshua or Jesus. He was speaking to the body of Christ. This is the charge given to the spiritual body of Christ. This is the charge given to us as Christians.

He says,

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.” (Zech. 3:7)

The Bible says we shall judge the house of God. The Bible says we shall rule and reign as kings and priests with God. The Bible says “if you will walk in my ways”, and this is what we are talking about: walking in the ways of God.

We are talking about keeping the principles of the kingdom of God.

Next- Walking with a Pure Heart in the Peace of Christ

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The Empowerment of Christian Meekness and Righteousness

“Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.”  (Psalm 45:3-4)

Matthew chapter five and verse five tells us,

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5)

Matthew chapter five and verse three instructs us concerning pride and humbleness, verse four instructs us concerning repentance, and now verse five instructs us about walking in that repentance and humility.

“Blessed are the meek.”

The Greek word for meek is “praus” (pronounced prah-ooce’). It literally means mild. Many people interpret the word meek to mean someone who is cowardly or afraid.

Jesus was a very meek individual and a very mild individual. The Bible says that He was led before His accusers as a Lamb led to the slaughter, meek and not opening his mouth.

However, He was anything but cowardly or afraid.

Jesus was a man among men.

He rebuked the Pharisees and religious leaders to their face.

He drove the money changers and sellers out of the Temple.

He willingly went to the cross knowing in advance what pain and suffering He would endure.

The “mildness” that God tells us to walk in is not a cowardly or timid meekness, for the Bible says the righteous are “bold as a lion”. (Prov. 28:1)

The “meek” that are blessed of God are those who determine in their hearts to completely do away with all vengeance and retaliation.

It is a meekness whereby we commit everything into the hands of our Heavenly Father.

He is the One who will rise up as a mighty Parent and protect His injured child.

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19)

He is the One who will make sure that all things will work together for the good of His child.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

First Corinthians chapter six and verse seven says,

“Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?” (1Cor. 6:7)

God is able to sovereignly bless.

How many times have Christians deprived themselves of the tremendous blessings that God would have returned to them after they had been defrauded or wronged if only they had committed it to God instead of trying to obtain justice themselves?

God can cause men to give back to us good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over when we allow Him to be our avenger.

“Vengeance is mine” saith the Lord, “I will repay.”

Here He says we are “utterly at fault” because we go to law one with another instead of trusting God. The Lord says, “Why do you not rather endure being wronged?” I believe here the Lord is literally saying, “Don’t you know that you are robbing yourself of a blessing?”

By trying to be our own avenger and to force our own recompense, we miss out on the Lord being able to “…do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Eph. 3:20)

Trust God.

He is the one who owns everything. The Bible says that “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills; the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”

Hebrews chapter ten verses 30 and 31 says,

“For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:30-31)

If we think that we can hurt someone because they have hurt us then we are wrong.

God is our avenger. God will judge to determine who is right and who is wrong and then He will punish or reward.

There were times when Jesus looked at the Pharisees and said, “Because of the traditions of men you make the Word of God of none effect.” Many times we literally tie God’s hands by taking it upon ourselves and not committing the situation unto Him.

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5)

Matthew chapter five and verse six says,

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6)

This is the attitude of a regenerate heart. This is the attitude of someone who has genuinely been born again. Romans chapter seven verses 18 and 19 says,

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Rom 7:18-19)

The Apostle Paul says, “I know that in this flesh dwells no good thing.”

This flesh is not who we are.

It is how we appear to others, but it is not who we are on the inside. The flesh may look ugly but inside can be a beautiful person.

Jesus makes us beautiful when He gives us a new heart.

Here the Apostle Paul says “to will” is present with him. He wants to do what is right. However, he says “how to perform that which is good I find not.” This is a description of someone yearning for righteousness.

The Bible says in Romans chapter seven verses 24 and 25,

“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Rom. 7:24-25)

Jesus said, “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.”

Jesus said in Luke chapter 24 and verse 49,

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

The Bible goes on and says in Acts chapter two and verse four,

“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4)

The Holy Ghost is the only way to overcome the flesh.

A person who has not received the baptism of the Holy Ghost more than likely will be found going forward a little and then falling back even more, not having victory in their life.

The Holy Ghost is the power that God gives us to overcome the flesh.

Jesus says if we thirst, if we hunger and yearn, we shall be filled. We will not only be filled with righteousness but we will be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Ephesians chapter five and verse 18 says,

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (Eph. 5:18)

Now all of these attitudes and principles that we are talking about have to do with living a blessed life in the eyes of God. It is not only our faith towards God that is important to Him but also our obedience to his word.

The Bible tells us in the book of James,

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)

Let us walk in the light as He is in the light.

If we walk in the light as He gives us the light, then the Bible says He will cleanse us from all sin.

Next- The Empowerment of Christian Mercy

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The Empowerment of Humility and Repentance

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”  (1Peter 5:6)

The Bible reads in the fifth chapter of Matthew verses one through three,

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 5:1-3)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Here Jesus is talking about humility or a contrite spirit. He is not talking about being financially or physically poor, spiritually starving, or poverty-stricken, but He is talking about having a humble spirit before God.

In James chapter four and verse six the Bible says,

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)

Grace is not only unmerited favor, but it is God’s power manifested in us to be able to carry out the will of God.

To have the grace of God is to be enabled by God.

The Bible says He gives grace unto the humble. He gives the humble the power to live an overcoming and abundant life in Christ.

The prophet Isaiah declared in Isaiah chapter 66 and verse two,

“For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2)

In other words this verse is saying,

“This is the man that I’m going to look at,” says God. “This is the man I’m going to recognize. I’m going to consider and take note of the person who is of a poor and contrite spirit and trembles at my word.”

Psalms 51 and verse 17 says,

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, or we might even say the kingdom where God rules.

The Gospel of Luke chapter 17 verses 20 and 21 reads,

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

For us to begin seeing the kingdom of God manifested in our life, the first step is getting rid of pride and embracing humility and humbleness before God.

In Matthew chapter five and verse four we read,

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4)

On the surface it would appear that the “mourning” which the Lord is referring to here would be the type of “mourning” that is experienced upon the loss of a loved one. However, in the context of the Scripture we realize there is a deeper meaning.

The “mourning” that the Word of God is talking about here is referring to the repentance that comes into someone’s heart when an individual mourns and is sorrowful over their sins.

First Corinthians chapter five and verse two tells us,

“And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” (1Cor. 5:2)

The Church at Corinth had allowed blatant ungodliness and immorality to come into their midst. Instead of mourning and repenting that this sin would be taken from them, they allowed it to continue.

In other words, they okayed it by overlooking it.

In James chapter four and verses eight through ten the Bible says,

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:8-10)

Notice that mourning and weeping go hand-in-hand with repentance of sin.

The Bible is talking about repentance before God. It says to “let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness.” It says to “humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up.”

Humble yourselves.

In Second Corinthians chapter seven and verse ten it says,

“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2Cor. 7:10)

Godly sorrow produces repentance. Godly sorrow is being sorry that we have sinned against a holy God and disappointed Him. Worldly sorrow is being sorry that we got caught, or that our sin didn’t work out as we had planned.

Once again, the Bible talks about mourning over our sins. In other words, Jesus is saying “Blessed are those who repent and mourn and are sorry for their sins for they shall be comforted.”

If we want to see a manifestation of the Holy Ghost moving in our life, then we must stay in a repentant state before God.

We must always keep an inward look at who we are, what we’re doing, and how we stand before God.

We must strive to attain the attitude of repentance.

It’s an attitude. Repentance is not something that we do one time and then it’s over, but it is an attitude and a continuance.

When I was a young Christian, my Pastor preached a message entitled “Living under the Altar of God” which was about living in a state of repentance.

In my pride, I thought “That’s wrong. I repented when I became a Christian and I don’t have to do that anymore.”

I wasn’t praying daily as I should and allowing the Holy Spirit to search my heart and reveal to me the presumptuous sins that were continuing in my life. The Bible says,

“Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” (Psalm 19:13)

And again in the New Testament,

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1John 1:10)

The Bible also says in First John chapter one verses eight through nine,

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:8-9)

Satan loves to condemn us when we sin. He loves to cause us to walk around in a state of heartbreak and defeat for days and keep us from having any victory.

Yes, we need to be sorry and mourn for our sins once they are revealed to us, but then our repentance must be mixed with faith.

God cannot lie.

When God says that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, then that is exactly what He will do.

The Bible says that He is faithful.

That means He will do it every time. The Bible says that He is a just God. He will not only cleanse us from our sins but He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now it is time to believe it, receive it, and rejoice because of it.

There is a period of mourning and being sorry for our sin. There is a time to repent and change from what we were doing wrong and begin to walk in the opposite direction.

Once we have confessed our sin and forsaken it, God will cleanse us and we are to walk in that newness of life. We are not to drag ourselves around in an attitude of defeat.

We must rise up and walk in victory according to the Word of God.

When we determine to get pride out of the way and repent of our wrong attitudes, then we can begin to walk in the fullness of the Holy Ghost.

Next- The Empowerment of Christian Meekness and Humility

“The Sound Doctrine Seminar Volume Two: Revelations from the Sermon on the Mount” available now for $4.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, the iBookstore for the iPad, and Lulu.com for the PC and all other e-reading devices.