Simple Faith

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Lk 15:
while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Genuine repentance to achieve reconciliation may not be as easy to achieve with some as it is with others.
It takes spirit to spirit communication for sincerity to be discerned by them. All that can be done is to focus on the fault I have played in the offence, that which truly grieves me inside, rather than on justifying my actions.

Father, when I come to Your altar You convict me of the wrong I have done to others. For the hurt I have caused others Lord, make me hasty in making restitution that they may know your Love, not by me making partial and less than sincere reconciliation, but in being genuinely repentant. That I may also not grieve Your Holy Spirit but shall feel Your forgiveness as well when I forgive myself or others, as You bring these things to mind.

Amen

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

The widow persistantly called for justice but in part the answer was in faith remaining until His return. I wondered why He would link those two things:::

Lk 18:7
now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
8"I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly.
However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
Heb 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

John tells us in his gospel chapter 11 of the frustration that Jesus experienced with the early miniture of the church.
He had withdrawn from those who were trying to kill Him at the end of Chapter 10, but here in chapter 11 we see the opinions of the disciples and the Jews around that lacked in faith toward Him

John 11:8-16
8 The disciples *said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.” 12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” 16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

Mary's and Martha's opinion lacking in faith

John 11:21,32-33
32 Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled,

The opinions of the Jews

Jn 11:37
But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”

Martha's opinion again

John 11:39-40
39 Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus *said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

Opinions are from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, so the Lord, who is the tree of life that will remain, had a job ahead to show His disciples where edification in Him was. And He hadn't long to do it in because they were seeking to kill Him and He knew His time was near.

As His church we persistantly call for justice, may we be as persistantly faithful to Him, waiting for His return.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

I love looking at the church in miniture that was at Bethel. Between when the alabaster jar was broken (symbolizing the the oil of the Holy Spirit within) ((see also the post on previous page)) to the resurrection of Lazarus (symbolizing His power to raise us from the dead) (( see post above)) He speaks much about us, the church.

Jesus ordained that the deed of the woman with the costly perfume in the jar broken for His anointing should always accompany the gospel wherever it went.
Human reasoning says the whole jar full of ointment was too much, that it was really giving the Lord more than His due. In fact, it would be called wasteful.
Yet Jesus tells us that if anyone demands of us to go a mile with them that we should go with them two. Perhaps this is what He had in mind.
The reason Jesus said this was to accompany the gospel wherever it was preached is because He intends for the gospel to produce in people the wasting of themselves on Him. The poor and the sinners will be here, but that is secondary to Him.
　

John 12:4-6
4 Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' followers who would later turn against him, was there. Judas said, 5 "This perfume was worth an entire year's wages. Why wasn't it sold and the money given to the poor?" 6 But Judas did not really care about the poor; he said this because he was a thief. He was the one who kept the money box, and he often stole from it.

　If the Lord is worthy how can it be a waste? Waste is in the underestimation of value. What the world says of worth and waste is not how God esteems it.
　

Mark 14:6
Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why are you troubling her? She did an excellent thing for me.

　Nothing is too good to be wasted on Him.
　

Matthew 26:8-9
8 His followers were upset when they saw the woman do this. They asked, "Why waste that perfume?9 It could have been sold for a great deal of money and the money given to the poor."

　The disciples felt it should have been put to use in ways they could understand. The question is not whether the poor or sinners have been helped. The question is Has the Lord been served to His satisfaction? Is He satisfied with our position at His feet (the place of a disciple) lives laid down, and the anointing of his head, as leadership given up to Him?
　

Mark 14:7-8
7 You will always have the poor with you, and you can help them anytime you want. But you will not always have me.8 This woman did the only thing she could do for me; she poured perfume on my body to prepare me for burial.

　She anointed Him while the oportunity afforded her.
　

John 12:3
Mary brought in a pint of very expensive perfume made from pure nard. She poured the perfume on Jesus' feet, and then she wiped his feet with her hair. And the sweet smell from the perfume filled the whole house.

　The odor from the broken flask speaks of who we are.

The miniture of the church in these surroundings (compare with the post above) speak volumes also of the teaching that the Lord gave to His disciples, that were not that clear to them while He lived, but after His death the Holy Spirit`s job was to bring these things to rememberance
________________
Isaiah 26
[ Song of Trust in God’s Protection ]
In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security. “Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful. “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. ...

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Gradually we are building heavenly foundations. Most basic of all, and to be built most carefully, is that of the conscience. Purifying the clay that is the vessel of our earthly body. As Gideon's army broke the clay vessel to reveal the light within, so must we.

Jer 18:2-6
2 "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

The potters field was purchased by the Pharisees with the 30 pieces of silver that Judas had received from them to betray Jesus. It was used to bury foreigners, those belonging to a different allegiance. Obviously those who killed Jesus were not of the same allegiance as was He.

Matthew 27:3-10
3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4"I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."
"What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."
5So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
6The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." 7So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. 8That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me.

1 Chronicles 4:21-23 it says the descendants of Judah "were the potters" who "dwelt with the king in his service" and were " the house of those who worked with fine linen."

Rom 9:21
Or has not the potter authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour?

But God says this clay does not act as clay should but rather tries to work things that are not intended by the potter.

Isa 29:16
You turn things upside down,
as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!
Shall what is formed say to him who formed it,
"He did not make me"?
Can the pot say of the potter,
"He knows nothing"?

It seems the clay is not always as resilient as the potter would have it be. I can almost imagine God's idea of the city He is creating to look like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s__SDgXyNxI

How many people have actually said to the Father of the All, the creator of you and me
"You are the creator, the Potter, the Husbandman of the Your garden that is me, I yield to You ALL of me so that You may mold me as You would have me be"?
The rewards are in the thankfulness for each and everything God has placed on your plate each day. Nothing can hurt a thankful heart. God does ALL for your good. His ways are high above our own.

Isaiah 64:8
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

2 Corinthians 4
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Gradually we are building heavenly foundations. Most basic of all, and to be built most carefully, is that of the conscience. Purifying the clay that is the vessel of our earthly body. As Gideon's army broke the clay vessel to reveal the light within, so must we.

The potters field was purchased by the Pharisees with the 30 pieces of silver that Judas had received from them to betray Jesus. It was used to bury foreigners, those belonging to a different allegiance. Obviously those who killed Jesus were not of the same allegiance as was He.

1 Chronicles 4:21-23 it says the descendants of Judah "were the potters" who "dwelt with the king in his service" and were " the house of those who worked with fine linen."

But God says this clay does not act as clay should but rather tries to work things that are not intended by the potter.

It seems the clay is not always as resilient as the potter would have it be. I can almost imagine God's idea of the city He is creating to look like this:

How many people have actually said to the Father of the All, the creator of you and me
"You are the creator, the Potter, the Husbandman of the Your garden that is me, I yield to You ALL of me so that You may mold me as You would have me be"?
The rewards are in the thankfulness for each and everything God has placed on your plate each day. Nothing can hurt a thankful heart. God does ALL for your good. His ways are high above our own.

Gradually we are building heavenly foundations. Most basic of all, and to be built most carefully, is that of the conscience.
How many people have actually said to the Father of the All, the creator of you and me
"You are the creator, the Potter, the Husbandman of the Your garden that is me, I yield to You ALL of me so that You may mold me as You would have me be"?
The rewards are in the thankfulness for each and everything God has placed on your plate each day. Nothing can hurt a thankful heart. God does ALL for your good. His ways are high above our own.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Genuine repentance to achieve reconciliation may not be as easy to achieve with some as it is with others.
It takes spirit to spirit communication for sincerity to be discerned by them. All that can be done is to focus on the fault I have played in the offence, that which truly grieves me inside, rather than on justifying my actions.

Father, when I come to Your altar You convict me of the wrong I have done to others. For the hurt I have caused others Lord, make me hasty in making restitution that they may know your Love, not by me making partial and less than sincere reconciliation, but in being genuinely repentant. That I may also not grieve Your Holy Spirit but shall feel Your forgiveness as well when I forgive myself or others, as You bring these things to mind.

Amen

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

the devils also believe, and tremble James 2:19

When we speak of faith, there is a distinction that should be borne in mind. There is a kind of belief that is wholly distinct from faith. The existence and power of God, the truth of His word, are facts that even Satan and his hosts cannot at heart deny. The Bible says that "the devils also believe, and tremble;" but this is not faith. James 2:19. Where there is not only a belief in God's word, but a submission of the will to Him; where the heart is yielded to Him, the affections fixed upon Him, there is faith--faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Through this faith the heart is renewed in the image of God. And the heart that in its unrenewed state is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, now delights in its holy precepts, exclaiming with the psalmist, "O how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day." Psalm 119:97. And the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, "who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1.

There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, "These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, "The Father Himself loveth you." John 16:27. He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance.

The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. This is evidence that Satan's delusions have lost their power; that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you.

No deep-seated love for Jesus can dwell in the heart that does not realize its own sinfulness. The soul that is transformed by the grace of Christ will admire His divine character; but if we do not see our own moral deformity, it is unmistakable evidence that we have not had a view of the beauty and excellence of Christ.

The less we see to esteem in ourselves, the more we shall see to esteem in the infinite purity and loveliness of our Saviour. A view of our sinfulness drives us to Him who can pardon; and when the soul, realizing its helplessness, reaches out after Christ, He will reveal Himself in power. The more our sense of need drives us to Him and to the word of God, the more exalted views we shall have of His character, and the more fully we shall reflect His image.

from bibleuniverse

I was just rereading this thread (I know, cheep shot at getting simple faith simply there blush)) but I think this post quoted from bible universe answers a lot of questions people have today about their relationship with Christ.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

This was my first post when I joined CF 14 1/2 years ago. It was disapproved by the Pharisees, er-um disciples, at that time because in their words “It would make them have to look at their own worth as a spouse of God’’ and so they tried to dissuade ever since. But I still believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that what we must face is being

‘The True Bride of Christ’

The church came out from Jesus as Eve came out of Adam's side. Not created but built up. God is interested only in building His eternal dwelling. This is the governing vision, God's heart's desire, to dwell among us as His People built up into a royal priesthood to be His temple where He is not ashamed to be called their God. Deuteronomy 14:2, 1 Peter 2:9, Hebrews 11:16

The bride is submissive to her Husband, goes to Him with all her questions, is as mute as a lamb having only the Word of God as her only weapon.

The seed of the promise was to come thru Sarah (grace) and not Hagar (law) Galatians 4:21-31

The Bride is also representative of the disciple of the Lord 1 1 Peter 3:5-6

As over-comers, the bride, are the daughter's of Sarah: Galatians 4:28

Not just children of Grace (through Sarah) but of Faith (through Abraham) Galatians 3:29

Not the children of the law (Hagar) but children of grace (Sarah) both being children of Abraham (Faith) Romans 4:13

Who is the Bride? Look to Galatians 3:28 Not nationality, not based on gender, but the simple division, a new creation.

Abraham looked for a city whose builder and maker was God. That was his faith and we are Abraham's (thru Sarah) children and therefore rightful heirs when we look to the builder of faith to overcome Hebrews 11:10

That is the true New Jerusalem, the Bride.

We are the NEW CREATION 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Corinthians 6:16 , Galatians 6:15-18

I love the verses about Hagar and Sarah. Both had promises from God, but only one had the spiritual inheritance given to their offspring. Keep in mind that Abraham was granted descendants as the sand of the sea, and as the stars of the sky. My belief is that new creations share in same inheritance as Daniel Daniel 12:3 But for now we are in the world yet not of it.

THE MOTHER AND GRACE ARE THE SAME THING

Galatians 4:21-31
The Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother, the metropolis of Christianity, or rather the state of liberty into which all true believers are brought.​

Jerusalem above is the spiritual Jerusalem, the true church of God.

The word rendered "above" (anw) means, properly, up above, that which is above; heavenly, celestial,

Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

John 8:32
But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world​

Here it means, the heavenly or celestial Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:2
”And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God, out of heaven.”​

Here it is used to denote the church, as being of heavenly origin.

Hebrews 12:22
”Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.”​

Is free. The spirit of the gospel is that of freedom.

It is freedom from sin, freedom from the bondage of rites and customs, and it promotes freedom for all in Christ.

Galatians 4:7
So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.​

The House Being Built = New Jerusalem.

1 Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.​

Such a life constantly proclaim his praise in their hearts as a bird sings from it’s heart—as the sun, the moon, the stars, the hills, the streams, the flowers do, showing what God does.

The consistent life of a devoted Christian is a constant setting forth of the praise of God, showing to all that the God who has made them such is worthy to be loved.

What do you think ye disciples? Is it a bit overboard? Or should we serve Him 24/7? We should at the very least treat Him as we wish to be treated.

For that is the sum of the law and the gospels. Matthew 7:12


This is now my last post on CF after 14 1/2 yrs of preaching the gospel. I have proved over and over again beyond any shadow of a doubt that the spiritual application is the substance and Paul’s contrasts are to the shadow for references purposes that define Christ in comparison to His church, which we are if we follow the path of Christ and not of our own making. Jesus said that we must all go and preach what He has commanded but the only thing He literally commanded to be preached was the anointing that the woman did in preparation for His death. When He broke the bread the Lord declared His flesh as the body broken and His blood as the cup to drink. May we all connect the dots from what He died for and what He is giving us life to commemorate.


Ambassadors for Christ

…15And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again. 16So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!…


Redemption through His Blood

…13For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, 14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God! 15Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.…

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

oh and ps, maybe make a little list of what you expect from your spouse and then apply that to what you may be held accountable for as His.

 

[xxkingskidlmxx]

With holy awe and reverent pace
the priest approached the Holy Place;
attired by garments that became
the place where God had set His Name.
His ephod shone with gold and gem,
while softly from the wreathed hems
the mellow music rose and fell
from a pomegranate and a bell,
from a pomegranate and a bell.

Today there’s still a Holy Place,
an altar and a priestly race.
A godly order still obtains,
The “Pattern of the House” remains.
Shall I invade that sacred shrine
and jangle through it’s calm divine,
with clamorous notes that plainly tell,
No pomegranates, but a bell-
another bell- and another bell?

O for the grace that knows to suit
the outward sound to inner fruit;
that knows how well the music blends,
when lips confess and life commends;
that, though with boldness coming, brings
no reckless touch to Holy Things;
but hems the priestly garments well,
with a pomegranate and a bell,
a pomegranate and a bell.

(J.M.S. Tait)​