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Life's Journey, Purpose and Meaning, Spiritual

Will of God – Manifestation of God’s Will (Part 2 of 4)

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Introduction

The previous post clarified that God’s will has some flexibility and is presented as a continuum. It ranges from perfect to acceptable, with good straddling in between.

This post explores the manifestation of God’s will. It is about how God communicates His will.

 

Manifestation of God’s Will

God Manifests His will by His Word

2Tim3:16 and Psalm119:105 shed light on the purpose of His Word.

His Word also can mean Scripture as per 2Tim3:16 reveals that – “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

While Psalm119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

The Word, the will of Yahuah, is to give clarity to the immediate situation (lamp unto my feet) and guidance for moving forward in life (light unto my path) for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.

However, the Word is generic; there are about 780,000 words in the English Bible. Only some of the 780,000 words are relevant for any one circumstance.

How would one know which of His words are relevant?

The answer to this question has two parts.

a. Part of the answer lies in life circumstances and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

b. The remaining part of the answer lies in how one confirms God’s will, which is the focus of the 3rd post.

 

God Manifests His Will by Life Circumstances

Jam4:14 describes man’s life: “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.”

James describes man’s life as insignificant and enduring as vapor. 

James then says this in Jam4:15 –

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

James is implying that God’s will and life circumstances are intertwined.

The Lord Jesus (Yahusha) affirms Jam4:15 in Jhn5:19 – “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”

The part in Jhn5:19 that says, “what He seeth the Father do” is what this post interprets as life circumstances. Abba Yahusha expresses His will in the form of life circumstances. 

It is helpful to realize that one’s lifespan comprises the sum of all life circumstances over that lifespan.

It is also important to realize how one observes and interprets their life circumstances affect how they can or cannot see God at work.

 

The Carnal Mind and The Spiritual Mind

Broadly, there are two ways for one to interpret their life circumstances

  1. By carnal means, to love the world, seeking after the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life mentioned in 1Jhn2:16. 

Such a person would indulge in the idolatry of Col3:5; of sexual immorality, extravagant excessive lifestyles, depraved unrestrained passions-cravings that God forbids, and the insatiable desire to have more.

Rom8:7 says such a person hates God’s will. The root cause of the carnal mind is the carnal-earthly treasures that reign in the heart (Mat6:21). The common carnal-earthly treasures are self-worship (pride), earthly possession, and earthly relationships. 

A carnal mind cannot see God in their life circumstances as their carnality consumes them.

2. By the leading of the Holy Spirit. This person has a spiritual mind that prioritizes the will of God. This subject is elaborated as the 3rd category of the manifestation of God’s will.

 

God Manifests His Will by the Leading of His Holy Spirit

This leading of the Holy Spirit can take place as follows.

a. In the reading of the Word.

The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in Eph1:17. Eph1 says that the Holy Spirit reveals precise knowledge (in His Word) about Abba Yahuah and His resurrection power that raised the Lord Yahusha from the dead.

The Holy Spirit can offer comfort, instruction, and help in the Word (Jhn 14:26, 15:26). 

 

b. In life circumstances.

The Holy Spirit can assist one to speak God’s will, and help and comfort in trials and tribulations according to God’s will.

Spirit-led Speech as per Mat10:18-20 

“And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”

 

Spirit-led Trials and Tribulations as per Mat4:1–

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”

In trials and tribulations, the Holy Spirit can be a source of comfort (to bring to the remembrance of the hope of the resurrection and eternal rewards) and help (usually to endure to do God’s will) in life circumstances as per Jhn14:26 and Jhn15:26.

The help of the Holy Spirit can involve sensing where to go or not go (Acts21:4, 21:11).

1Co12 about the gifts of the Spirit will not be covered in this post as God decides what gifts to give as it pleases Him (1Co12:18).

 

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit leads only mature sons of God according to Rom8:14. Mature sons eat meat truths of the Word, discerning to do good and avoiding evil according to Heb5:14.

The Spirit-led mature sons of God can see God’s will in their life circumstances. Such will not be carnal (Gal5:16) and will produce the fruit of the Spirit of Gal5.

The Spirit-led man prizes God, His will, and eternal goals as their heart treasures. 

 

End Times, Spiritual

Witchcraft in the Church

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The video talks about witchcraft in the church drawing from Gal3.

Gal3:1 – “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?”

One aspect raised concerns the tension of obedience led by the Spirit after the Law of the  Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and the obedience after self-works and legalism after the Law of sin and death.

It offers a flavor of what this tension is all about and not how to navigate it.

At the heart of this tension is the central focus, or lack thereof, of Christ, crucified, His death, His resurrection, and His dominion in His return.

It is based on this central focus that the Christian fulfills the Law of Christ of bearing each other’s burdens (moral faults) mentioned in Gal6:2, and not by focusing on the rules themselves.

To do the latter is falling into the Law of Sin and Death, which would make one a victim of witchcraft.

Life's Journey, Purpose and Meaning, Spiritual

Truth about Faith

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Faith is not limited to religious persuasions but is universally embraced by man. However, faith’s purpose, meaning, and significance are not universal. This post explores the purpose, meaning, and significance of the Christian faith; The truth about faith.

Imagine the following two private conversations-

“Have faith,” my best friend offers me these consoling words, with a lump forming in her throat while gently brushing my hand at my husband’s funeral.

“Have faith,” the father smiles with encouragement while his eyes convey worry, comforting the family as his wife undergoes a major operation.

These scenes are repeated worldwide, albeit in different ways but centralized on the issue of faith. Regardless of which religion, this kind of faith is directed at something or someone that transcends the earthly realm.

The Bible, especially the New Testament (NT), reveals many nuances concerning the Christian faith. This post will explore the truth about faith to determine if this truth supports the above two imaginary conversations.

Hope, faith, and love are the pillars of Christianity (1Co13:13). Love has greater clarity and a defined focus. 1Co13 is a whole chapter dedicated to what love means to God.

Moreover, the NT’s only Law is to fulfill the commandment of love (Rom13:10), also known as the Law of Christ in Gal6:2.

The Christian faith and hope in the two conversations have an earthly focus. Does the NT truth about faith and hope support an earthly focus?

Spoiler alert – As this post examines the scriptures for the truth about faith, the truth about hope will also be revealed.

Let’s start with two relatively well-known scriptures concerning faith and two lesser-known ones.

  1. 2Co5:7 – “We walk by faith and not by sight.”
  1. Heb11:6 –“But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
  1. Rom14:23 – “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
  1. 1Pet1:7 –“ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

Without going into the context (the context will be explored later), the 4 verses above describe faith as a walk (conduct, living the Christian life) that is absolutely essential to please God. Else it amounts to sin. Furthermore, when this faith is tested, its eternal values increase for the Day of the Lord.

To avoid this post becoming an overwhelming Bible study experience, these 4 verses, contextually (meaning when one read the whole chapter), all share one contextual thing in common. They all share the context that this faith is about the belief in the resurrection of Christ and the believer’s resurrection.

The central focus of the resurrection common to all 4 verses is returning to the roots of Christian salvation, which is found in Rom10:9-10 –

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The belief or faith that saves is meant to have the singular focus on the resurrection of Christ. These 4 verses reinforce the paramount importance of this faith of the resurrection in the Christian walk on the earth that has eternal significance.

As if God is concerned that the importance of the resurrection escapes the Christian awareness, Paul said this in 2Co13:5, where he urged the believer to self-examine whether one is in faith, living by the power of God as displayed in the resurrection of Christ (2Co13:4). Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit then says this in 2Co13:8 –

“For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.”

What truth is Paul alluding to? This truth is the truth of the resurrection mentioned a few verses earlier. In other words, paraphrasing 2Co13:8 – to live by the faith in the power of the resurrection is God’s truth concerning the Christian faith.

For those interested in a deeper dive to support the above claim, below explores the supporting context.

  1. 2Co5:1-6 shows the context of the walk of faith in 2Co5:7 is an eternal heavenward’s focus of the resurrection vs. the temporary earthly body (2Co5:1-6).
  1. Heb11:16 shows the context of faith that pleased God in Heb11:6 is the faith in the hope of a better heavenly country (Heb11:16) vs. being a stranger and pilgrim on the earth (Heb11:13). Moreover, the reward mentioned in Heb11:6 would likely be referring to the eternal rewards of the out-resurrection of Phil3:10-11 and 1Co3, derived from the good works of gold, silver, and precious stones.
  1. Rom14:8-9 talks about whether the believers live or die, it is done unto Christ who died and rose again. As the believers are not eyewitnesses to the Lord’s death and resurrection, the believers require faith in this regard for the Lord’s death and resurrection to be real for them.

Therefore, Rom14:23’s “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” has contextual support. This faith is the faith in the death and resurrection of Christ that He loved us. Thus when the lesser faith about eating certain foods is disputed, know that FAITH of the Lord’s death and resurrection compels one to respond in love.

  1. 1Pet1:3-5 talks about the faith in the living hope of the resurrection. 1Pet1:6 discusses how suffering can be experienced in unspeakable joy because of this hope. Therefore, it stands to reason that the context of the faith tested in 1Pet1:7 is the testing of the faith in the living hope of the resurrection on the Day of the Lord.

It should be more apparent now that Christian hope is the hope of the resurrection and not an earthly hope.

Conclusion

The above narrative offers compelling evidence that the Christian faith in God is not about hoping to be healed, to get a better job, or for a soul mate, any earthly needs-wants.

While these are legitimate earthly need-want, this faith that pleases God of the Christian walk focuses on the heavenward goals, especially the resurrection, and not on earthly need-want.

Life's Journey, Relationship, Spiritual

Freedom from Slavery- Yes, and No

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https://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/main/default/id/3692/ver/NKJV/2-timothy-3-1-5.htm

This article that expounds on 2Tim3:1-5 ended on this note-

“The idea of “servant” becomes clearer when we understand it as “slave.” Slavery is another metaphor for what self-satisfaction produces. Sin puts us in bondage to the cruelest taskmaster in the universe, Satan, the one who generates this host of self-centered attitudes. 

We are completely unable to break free from this bondage without supernatural help, (as said in) Hebrews 2:14-15.”

It is a little appreciated truth that the new man in Christ is still enslaved. 

God describes this freedom from bondage in Jhn8:36 to mean being set free from the old man’s slavery, but the new man remains a slave to righteousness (Rom6:16,22).

The shift of the slave realm of the old man (Rom6:6) subject to the law of sin and death (Rom8:2) to the new man subject to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Rom8:2) is a clear sign that this new slave relationship with God is not a relationship where anything goes.

For this reason, God says He is not mocked in Gal6:7, for any man that sows to not bear the burdens (moral faults) of others of Gal6:2 and to not bear his own burdens of Gal6:5 (this burden is God’s will for the individual manifested in life circumstances) such shall reap what they sow. (paraphrase of Gal6:7).

It goes back to the article’s focus that man is enslaved by their obsessive entitled sense of “Self Satisfaction.”

The new man operating under the new law of enslavement is the solution for this old disease.