One Thing Lacking ; (PT 2 of 2)

 53:241018

One Thing Lacking

(PT 2 of 2)

IV) A testing command
V22 “.So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”

   Those who would have the ‘Eternal Life’, that is in Christ Jesus must be prepared let everything else go at His bidding …
Matthew 19:24 “again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
“Treasure in heaven” … is the coveted portion of all those heart is right with God. What so many of those who are rich, that can’t take it with them, and have thought ‘ I can’t but me the same life in Heaven’. They look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen & eternal.

“We may possess many good things and yet lack the 

one thing needful”

   All your life you worked hard, toiled and sacrificed so much to get where you are, and all the riches and comfortable life. We have our homes ~ sofa’s ~ beds ~ mobiles phones. Once my wife said ‘we may have these things too, but they have a softer cushion to full back on, as well as a larger to tie things up’. You see what she is saying they don’t worry because of their bank balance. The way we live is on a knifes edge, such is the way we live means it will take just one thing to bring our house/homes down. What treasure do hold up as having the most value? Now give it away, all of it. NO excuses, NONE.

# The one needful thing is a whole-hearted unstaggering [relentless] faith in the Lord Himself #

V) A sorrowful result
V23  "But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich..”
   I’m sure if the Pharaoh’s could see that all their riches, it bought nought, and was left behind for anyone who wanted it. Would they spend it on more fabulous statues and Pyramids? Although Christ gave him the Word of life. But the deceitfulness and the Pharaoh’s riches chocked it.
Matthew 13:22 “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.”
Proverbs 11:28  “He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage.”
   I feel if these 2 verses don’t make it clear that your riches, stat here for others, whom you know nothing of! Most of us have heard of the Chinese ‘Terracotta-Army’, this clearly shows that this got to show his wealth was ripe for grave robbers. It really did the ‘Emperor Qinshihuang' no good. We all come into this World with nothing, and leave this World with nothing.
   So don’t be foolish, and learn from others, don’t get blind and stop held back. It’s time to relieve the burden, most all in the UK here have heard of the broadcaster ‘Chris Evans’. Whose wealth was around 60 million pounds, turned around one day and shocked most by saying I don’t need all this money to live comfortable, thus he gave away 3/4’s of his wealth. Many called him insane/stupid/out of his mind. I’m sure all those calling him these names would not give one red cent, they must have felt threatened, in case they were expected to do like wise. If just these 3, Bill Gates- Oprah Winfrey & Elon Musk gave away ½ of their wealth, imagine what could be done in just the USA. That’s including the Arabs shaqs, the mountain load of Russian million & billionaires and others. NO poverty, Water wells dug for those in the African countries, and the list goes on.

VI) A Forcible Application
24 “..And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”26 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”27 But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”28 Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”29 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life..”

   It is easier for a camel to be unburdened, and to crawl through the narrow side gate into the City, and that would have been no light task. Jesus put it like this ..V25 “ For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle” .. My wife and I say how we would give helping some of our local charity's. Randomly visiting large and small supermarkets, like Tesco's for instance. We’d sit in the managers office, watching the tills out of sight, that is very important, as the blessing is not about us, but God. We would call a till and tell them to let the shopper know their food bill free today, and we pick up the bill instead. There are so many ideas like this we have that is meant to give God the glory not us.
   It may come as a surprise to many that, NO camel, by it’s self, could untie the obstructive bundles from it’s back. As no more, can the rich buy themselves free from their burdens of life, and love of their riches, but .. V27 “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” .. Peters response is one that those whom are rich need to remember their wealth counts for nought when we meet the Lord.

V28 Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

   Not that Christ Jesus needed reminded as He knew the sacrifice His disciples had already gave to follow Him. Our first ever sacrifice we make as Christians, is to turn our backs on the old sinful lives. To sacrifice our selves for the interests of Christ .. is to receive manifold more in this time, and in this World to come life everlasting.

Prayer ...

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your Word, may we take it's seeds into our bossom and grew them. So that we are NO  longer lacking in area of our lives we gave freely to you. Now we are growers lets plant your seeds in others, in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Actions of Sin (pt 2 of 2)

 

Actions of Sin

 (pt 2 of 2)

Prayer:

Heavenly father thank you for saving us, as we embark on the second part of your word may you show us through your tender mercies how lucky we are to made righteous in you. Bless you word to our hearts, in Christ Jesus name, amen.

   I know we are all Human and will miss the mark. That is if your still having your life ruled/controlled by sin. Then you are not only putting your Salvation in jeopardy, but also your life too.

Romans 6:14 . . Because we . . “for you are not under law” . . sin cannot any longer control your fate. When you don’t obey the Law of Moses, sin cannot dominate. Sin can only control you, when you try and keep the Law. Know this, that Satan's power is wrapped up in the Law. For where ever the Law is, it can only add strength to sin.

   The first came in the ‘Garden of Eden’. For god told Adam & Eve that there is only 1 (one) rule/Law .. in that you must not eat from the tree of Life. . . Genesis 2:17 “ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”. . . the Law show a clear Action – Reaction, so simple, and was easy to keep. Though God has set us free from sin by doing away with the law, and it’s restrictions and has now given us ‘Grace’.

Question:

“Was sin (Satan) a verb or noun?

IE ~ Is it an action of sin, but will never dominate your life?

OR

“Was it meant to be a noun, a person ~ place ~ thing?

The Prison of Sin [a place]

The Prison of Righteousness [a place]

Romans 6:14 “For sin shall” [noun] . . “For [the prison] sin shall not have dominion over you”

   With the Law now removed, metaphorically speaking, the walls of the prison are down, and you have been given a pardon (don’t squanderer it). In other words “there will no longer be actions of sin”, Wrong you have been delivered from the ‘sin prison’, now your out from under the prison so Satan can no longer rule/control or have hold of you any more , don’t live there no longer.

Question:- “What was the doctrine/ obedience that was delivered to us from the Apostle Paul?” when he preached the following message of grace ..

Hebrews 8:12 “ For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

… What Paul refers to here is the teaching of the ‘New Covenant’. Where god had said .. I will .. I will .. I will. I feel this one of the most important point to get across, Jesus Christ said “most assuredly” to get over His point that was important. It’s like saying today ..’Honestly or I’m telling you truth’. If you believe in God, and you’ll be obedient too God, who have been merciful unto your righteousness, your sin’s and iniquities He’ll remember your sins NO more. You used to be a slave in your prison of sin, but the teaching has come and decided to receive what the blood has done for you, and now that you have received the teaching of Grace. So what the blood has & will do for you.

   This blood, is what has sprung you out of prison, that was the ransom, your now no longer being held a slave/captive in prison any more. You have now moved from the prison of Sin, now your the prisoner of righteousness, if you want to call it that ... Romans 6:18 “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” … we are all sinner because of ‘one man’s’ actions [Adam] to be sinners no longer, all we need to do is .. be born-again’

   It is so unfair that we are all sinners, the moment we leave our mother womb, band draw our first breath. We are tarnished with the same brush, even though we weren’t there when Adam ate from the tree of life.

# I’m the Righteousness of God #

Question:-”Just as we are born in to sin because of Adam,

so have we been made righteous because of one man?” [Jesus].

   His name of cause … Jesus Christ … (The same thing happened here as it did because of Adam). We did nothing when ‘Born-again’ to become righteous. I have now freely; Willingly become a prisoner of Righteousness, through what one man did [for me]. I am now the Righteousness of God, I did nothing (Earthly) to be righteous, but I was ‘made’ Righteous’ because of Christ Jesus actions, glory be to God, for His goodness & mercies. 

Romans 6:19 “I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness”

   When you were in the prison of sin do you remember doing ‘Righteous’ things like giving money to the ‘poor; homeless or needy?’ Even doing good deeds for the less fortunate? Do you think doing any of these good deeds got you out of the prison of Sin? There is, and will always be only one way out, that is to be ‘born-again’. From one man we have received, for what he did (Jesus) did through His blood, then be delivered from Sin and unto righteousness.

   All it seems throughout this is ask questions after questions, so as not to disappoint, ‘If you Sin whilst in the prison of Righteousness, will it not result in you being dismissed? and our Heavenly Father letting it be known His displeasure in you? We are not taught to fear the Lord for nothing …

Deuteronomy 6:2 “that you may fear the Lord your God”

Psalms 33:8 “Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him”

Proverbs 3:7 “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil”

… you have been established in the righteousness of God for all those who believe. You now know that you now no longer want to keep sinning. Because God is going to help you, reach in and change those [sin] desires, so that you no longer have the urge to sin anymore. . .

• God knows the best way to help you become clean ..

• Only God knows how to make you Holy ..

• Only God can help you to doing it right ..

… because once you become the Righteousness of God, after time you will start doing things right without giving it a second thought.

   In the prison of Righteousness, it’s the ‘Change-Chamber’, that will change your heart from old sin nature, and bring you out of being addicted to your old self, to one of only want to doing things right. Now don’t let sin convict or condemn you. Instead now all your heart wants is continue to be obedient to your faith and that God has been merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sin and iniquity, He remembers not one. He our Father God in Heaven has taken care of the Sin factor/actions/problems, and never stops taking care of our sin.

NB: Right Believing = Right Living

# Once you wake up, and smell the coffee, as it were, you will see things in a whole new way. 

You won’t want to sin anymore, and (here’s the best bit) you’ll find you don’t

want to either #

Actions of Sin (part 1 of 2)

 

55:010722

(part 1 of 2)

Actions of Sin

Isaiah 54:14-16 “In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15 Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake. 16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith Who blows the coals in the fire, Who brings forth an instrument for his work; And I have created the spoiler to destroy”

   In these verses he is not only talking about being established in .. Works Righteousness .. when in fact he is talking about Faith Righteousness .. The one factor needed, that will not have a price tag, all we need to do, is believe and whole heartedly then His (our Lord’s) righteousness will be bestowed upon us. If you are not sure, then every Morning & Evening time just before you close your eyes to sleep, then I know you will be blessed in ways you will be confounded by. . repeat the following ..

# I am the Righteousness of God #

   In the times of the ‘Old Testament’ people had to actually ‘earn’ their Righteousness, that was under the old Law of Moses, this only happened by their ‘works’, good deeds, keeping the Laws telling them .. What ..Where when & how things had to be done.

   Here in V14 Isaiah was telling them that under Faith Righteousness sets you free of ..” oppression; fear; terror”. Once you have taken the seed of Faith, and planted into your heart, then let NO-ONE still it. Then Righteousness will bloom from the buds of the seed. Let it then become established just like a mighty Oak tree, that is now by Faith in Christ Jesus.

# I’m the Righteousness of God, by Faith in Christ Jesus #

   Have you ever gone past where workmen are cementing a new pathway, and an animal or person has walked over the drying cement and left foot prints right the through, and dried before the workmen could correct it.

   Establishing our Faith in God, is like writing your name in the wet cement, for when it dries it stays. Where as if you write your name in the sand, when the tide comes in it’s washed away, and have to write it again & again & again, as it is not permanent.

# I’m the Righteousness of God #

Proverbs 11:27 “Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished” … This could be said or meaning your child with time to come back to Christ, or to be saved … Proverbs 10:6 -7 “Blessings are on the head of the righteous .. 7 The memory of the righteous is blessed” It is all well and good to go to Church on a Sunday, to even attend both services, to even go on Wednesday evening to Bible study. This all counts for nought if you don’t seek God the other 96hrs or 4 days of the week. Every Morning, not just when you feel like it, but I have to get the kids ready for School, make sandwiches (make them the night before just mum used to for us kids) .. School bag (night before) .. I don’t have time in the morning (get up 10 mins earlier .. is this sinking in yet? There is no obstacle you can’t over come, if you value your faith in God enough? Do you? We need, yes even me, to remind ourselves of this fact.

   No matter what happens, no matter where it happens, in our lives always remember …

• I am the Righteousness of God

• I am established in the Righteousness

… always bear in mind that, all this is not by your own strength but it has been because of what Christ Jesus did, by His works. I have been made righteous by His sacrifice on the cross, for me, for you, for every Christian.

We need to say .. ‘I’m the Righteousness of God’ .. when …

• When you have fought with your partner..

• When you are in good times..

• When your at peace..

• When your up – or down – or level on the ground

• In every situation & circumstance

… so from hence forth, that no matter what will be fall me, I shall remind the circumstance & situation .. I’m the Righteousness of God.

    After saying this aloud to ones self, the devil is outside your front door, and is coming up with ways to test your metal. He is seeing that if your ‘actually-serious’ about your faith or not? Are you? Are you really or are you just playing, using the Church as a glorified ‘social-club’, which are you? Once, we can show, most assuredly the devil exactly how ‘Established’ you truly are the devil will move, so long as you don’t waver, because you’ll taste foul to him ...

Praise God in the highest

… When the devil comes down your street, looking for whom he can devour-still-rob, there will be demons at the bottom of your drive, telling the devil ways to make us turn away from God. The devil being arrogant goes in anyway, the other demons will warn him of you saying “well don’t say we did not warn you”.

   Your seed of faith, should be planted in your heart, watch over it, nurture it, because it is more precious than Gold ~ Silver ~ Diamonds ...                                # I’m the Righteousness of God #

Romans 6:14-15 “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not”

Question … “How many of you , have become born-again Christian?”  Out of those ‘Born-again’ have not committed sin? Like below or other …

• Speeding, in your car, Motor-bike or Truck?

• Cursed out someone?

• Lied to someone?

• Fornicated – Porn; strip club; on the web; etc.

• Stolen something, accidental or not

… I hope Gods words are being heard, loud and clear …

#If you have honestly answered them, you need to have Gods word planted deep within you#

…(1) if your ’born-again’ and Established in righteousness, many of you will be aware where sin is in your life, don’t you? Yet there is sinning? (2) … How many of you that are ‘Born-again’ and have been made righteous have .. NOT .. sinned since you were born again in Christ?

The Bible tells us to know right and not to do it, sin that is, thats as simple as it gets.

Prayer, May be some of the Rules of. ..../

Prayer,

May be some of the Rules of. .

   Most everything in life is governed by it’s own set of rules. For example, I would not use the rules for ‘Ice-Hockey’ to play Football/Soccer. It would be impossible to the same for ‘Prayer’, without them we might as well talk to the fridge.

   Whether kneeling or standing, the individual either lifted up their hands. . .

Ø Psalm 28:3  Do not take me away with the wicked And with the workers of iniquity, Who speak peace to their neighbours, But evil is in their hearts.

Ø   113:7  He raises the poor out of the dust, And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,

Ø Lamintation 2:19  “Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him For the life of your young children, Who faint from hunger at the head of every street.”

Ø    3:47  Fear and a snare have come upon us,  Desolation and destruction.

. . .or spread them out. . .

Ø Exodus 9: ²⁷ And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked.

Ø Isaiah 1: If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land

Ø 1Kings 8 ; ²² Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven;

Ø Ezekiel 9; ³ Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side;

. . .Originally, no doubt, to the Alter, but afterwards to Heaven. There were indeed expectations to this, (as) when to express deep contrition a man would smile his hands on his breast. No matter to the consequence. Daniel prayed 3 times a day, even though if caught he would have put to death.

  Through prayer (which is the only way) we can communicate with God. There are different types of prayer. . .

o   Prayer of Faith – is the payer of petition, or, to change things,  “. .who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear. .” (Hebrews 5: 7)

o   Prayer of Consecration – is the prayer Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.  “. .Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. .”  (Luke 22 : 42)

   There are in fact many different types of Prayer, here are just some examples. .

1.     Commitment .. 1 Peter 5:7

2.   Worship          .. Acts 13 : ¼ - Luke 24 : 52/3

3.   Agreement      .. Mathew 18 : 15/20

4.   United Prayer ..Acts 4 : 23/31

5.    Intercessory    .. Romans 8: 26/27 – Ephesians 6: 18

   So, how is it that we can achieve such prayers, and many others? Well may be we need to Persist in prayer.

Well may be we need to Dwell in prayer.

Well may be we need to Reside in prayer.

   Because the devil convinces us that, God won’t our answer prayers, so we just don’t even bother to pray. How many victories were never won , because we failed to go to God for help in our time of need. Realise that it is not God won’t even bother, but rather that ‘WE DON’T EVEN BOTHER GOING TO HIM’.

   There is this 2 lettered word ‘IF’. It is such a small and insignificant word, but don’t be fooled it actually has the power to undermine the best of prayers. It carries such a punch that it can ‘make’ or ‘break’ your prayer life, and with your connection with God.

    A most important note here is the one He gave to His disciples is a short specimen of a fitting prayer, to show that He Himself of prayer… “..So He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven’..” (Luke 11 : 2)… Prayer was not an occasional thing to be used under pressure of urgent need, Or, when you have exhausted everything else before hand. Today it would be like having a mobile-phone permanently connected to God.

   This World of ours is far more populated than in Jesus time. I bet your wondering how on Earth, you can be heard above all the others praying praying and seeking God at the same time, Let alone God knowing what it is your praying for? You God today needs ne telephone – Voice mail – e-mail, because God truly knows every hair on your head, and your voice is as unique as your finger prints.

   We can see now that our prayers should be like breathing you can’t live without it. One type of prayer is that of Faith, this prayer is one that can change things, a prayer of Faith should never contain the ‘IF’ word.

# Big revelation coming#

   Jesus has given you the authority to use His name. .“. .And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. .”  John 14:14  …When you have the authority to use His name, it is as if Jesus is there in person. That exactly what happened in . .Acts 3:6 

“. .Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. .” . .the man had been in the same place for a very long time, on hearing the command rose up and was able to seize his bed, and was able to walk and dance.

   When you actually see this, and only then, you will truly grasp the fullness of the power of Jesus Christ’ name, and remove the ‘IF’ then your life will take on new meaning. When all is said and done, where does it leave us, once we realize the full power that is in our Saviours name, your life will change forever, and thus becoming more Spiritual led. 

“. .He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. .”  (John 7:38  )

   To receive such a blessing, God needs to see, that when we pray we revenge and authority, God will guide you and place on your heart what He needs you pray for. In Acts 12:5 . . .  “. . Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. .” . . .we can see what can be achieved when with reverence and authority we pray. With such force was the prayer realized that the prison physically shook to its foundations, that the prison doors burst open . .”. .The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. .” (James 5:16) . . . so when praying always make sure that your prayers come from the heart, and NOT the head.

   Always remember to never underestimate the power of prayer. It is truly full of promise, that it has the true power to heal the sick, and can set those free under bondage. The power of prayer, it can part the Sea, the only boundaries of our prayers are our Faith and how much we believe we can make a difference.

   God’s word always returns to Him fulfilled, but never let our failures keep you from wondrous thrown of Grace. So arise and seize the moment and discover the awesomeness that can be available in prayer.