Christ, Our Living Hope

DON’T QUIT! PERSERVER, STAND, BELIEVE, BELIEVE. Live this life in spite of the many twists and turns, ups and downs by fully partaking of God’s divine provision. Some years ago, someone printed these words on a card I found and I took it to heart. “If you meet me and forget about me you have lost nothing, but if you meet Jesus and forget about him you have lost everything.” That, my friend, is real. Jesus is the spiritual rock, that is alive and constantly presently.

Christ Our Rock

 The rock in  1 Corinthians 10:4 was  unveiled as Christ.  In addition to that revelation Paul added that the rock "followed " them. This certainly animates the rock, doesn’t it? This rock that supplied water was constantly present with them. Since the rock was alive, it infers that the water which was supplied was also alive. Here the New Testament gospel comes alive with a pre-cursor or harbinger -a person who goes ahead and makes known the approach of another; or  a sign.  The experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness clearly reveals the possibility of accomplishing God’s plan in spite of the many twists and turns, is by fully partaking of His divine provision.

What a lesson for us in New Testament times! Take a look at Paul’s words in Phil. 1:19, 20 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Paul had a revelation of the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The same Spirit Jesus spoke about in John 7:39 would be made available to those who believed into Him, for out of their bowels this flow would never stop, as long as they did not stop believing.

Christ, Our Supply

We must build and develop our spirit to run this life-race. I Cor. 10:3, 4 reads: All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water; for they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. We know that the food they ate was manna and they drank of a spiritual rock. Today our manna is Christ and He gives life to us. The spiritual rock again is Jesus. Likewise, for the New Testament believers, the Rock (Christ) was struck to yield that water. The “drink” supplied is the Spirit, and the act of drinking, is our response. It is our believing into Christ, the act of faith. As we eat, we are exercising our belief in Christ, and the stronger He becomes in us; enabling us to be fit or built up to run this race. We are made to identify with His suffering and his bountiful supply.

Christ, Our Reward

It is essential that we are disciplined by the Holy Spirit. Good athletes discipline their body for a race or any athletic endeavor. One who diligently trains endures much pain and sacrifice in preparation for an important race. True athletes give themselves completely to every endeavor to attain the prize. Nothing is too demanding. He or she cannot afford to give into the comfort of excuses and sloppy living, not if they really want to win. They are mindful to eat foods that build and strengthen the body; they cannot live a life of revelry for they know that such indulgence serves to break down the body. Rest is crucial; mental acuity is necessary. One will push the body beyond its limits… to win the prize. 

Life in the spirit, the love and life of God through Jesus Christ is our reward. Should we live any less unto Him? Is it ok to live sloppy lives? Are we accountable? Will grace allow us slide through with casual or no effort on our part, not even a cry for help?

 The church at Ephesus worked hard and endured patiently without quitting yet they were lacking. They were admonished to return to their first love. If Christ is not our sole love we will not be able to finish the race. . Our genuine love for Him encourages us to yield to the Spirit's discipline which qualifies us to win the race so that we may reign with Him. Our reward is Christ. He is eternal and does not fade or diminish. 

Christ, Our Life

We were encouraged by the word of God to live in and by the Spirit of God in Christ Jesus. Let us not get caught napping, and miss the reward of reigning with Christ. Revelation 2 regarding the angel of the church in Ephesus, God says: “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance.” But you walked away from your first love— "Turn back! Recover your early love.

• Ephesians. 3:19 –Experience the love of Christ and live life in the FULLNESS of God.
• Romans 8:13 – If God has taken up residence in our life, we have no obligation to sin. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. When we put to death the deeds of our sinful nature, we will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
• Col. 3:5 – Our old life is dead and our new life is alive in Christ. Put to death things that are shaped, fashioned, built by carnal thoughts and feelings and live in the spirit through Christ in God.                                                                                                                                             

ARISE

A number of years ago I witnessed a drawing of a soldier as a watchman on the walls of a fortified city, well equipped but sadly, fast asleep. While he is taking a nap you can make out the silhouettes of a great army covering the surrounding hillsides, and converging upon the city with equipment prepared to scale the walls for an invasion. 

That picture depicted the status of many watchmen within the Body of Believers, who were fully asleep to the realities of the kingdom life, purpose, and the assaults against her. 

Regrettably, not much has changed over the years within the Body, for at present we find the same kind of mindset. In reality this has been the experience of the Church since its birthing, as the war has prolonged over the centuries the tendency of those involved in each generation is to become distracted and careless.  

There are two periods of a day that are stressed strongly in the New Testament, and that is the period of Day and Night. To live in the Day means to live or walk in the light, that is to walk in His life. Those who are outside of Christ are identified as those living in the  Night. There is however a state of sleep that is addressed to believers who belong to the Day, yet finding themselves living in a stupor, in a daze and aloof. 

How is this possible you may ask? This state of sleep finds its origin from a lethargic attitude towards the truth or the spirit of God's word, in turn, that kind of attitude encourages a deliberate intent to circumvent the "law of life" and concurrently re-energizes the self-life. That is, should any who are called to be in Christ choose any other way of living apart from the law of the Spirit of life, is simultaneously sentenced to a life of futility, waste, non-fulfillment, ongoing internal conflict, groping in darkness, just to name a few. Irregardless of being fully appointed to eternal life and being fully equipped, that person can be so out of touch of reality (not man's reality but God's reality), that they live far below their God-given grace. 

As an example, a person who is out of touch of God's reality can only understand and accept that receiving eternal life is something to come in the here-after, they view eternal as numerical or quantitative and not as qualitative, thus they refuse the God given ability  to live the Zoe life, the God given life even while present in time (John 10:10). 

The same attitude surfaces when it comes to understanding the full equipping at the new birth; everything that's needed to live victoriously and godly comes at the receiving of Christ, for it is all in Christ. It is not given in relation to man's abilities exercised but according to God's ability being exercised is received and enjoyed by man. 

Whenever the self-life is exercised opposed to the God-life the adversary has legal rights to invade, steal and captivate. It is on account of a legal infringement that gives the enemy access to our lives or the camp; whenever the law of the spirit of life is broken, the law of sin and death rises again to bring fear, condemnation, blindness, loss of freedom in Christ. 1Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

  The scriptures in The Message translation 1 Thess. 5:4-8 helps us to understand more clearly, "But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation."
Following are the words of an old hymn that is and will be ever relevant for everyone that's enlisted in this great army of the ages:Soldiers of Christ, arise,
And put your armor  on,
Strong in the strength which God supplies,
Through His  eternal Son;
Strong in the Lord of Hosts,
And in  His mighty pow'r,
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts
Is more  than conqueror.
II Timothy 2:3-6 emphasizes my point  "Take [with me] your share of the hardships and suffering [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him. And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down). [It is] the hard-working farmer [who labors to produce] who must be the first partaker of the fruits. " Amplified Version  

Stand then in His great might,
With all His  strength endued;
And take, to arm you for the fight,
The  panoply of God,
That, having all things done,
And  all your conflicts past,
Ye may o'ercome through Christ  alone,
And stand complete at last.

Leave no unguarded place,
No weakness of the  soul,
Take every virtue, every grace,
And fortify the  whole.
To keep your armor bright
Attend with  constant care,
Still walking in your Captain's sight
And  watching unto prayer.

Pray, without ceasing pray,
Your Captain gives the  word;
His summons cheerfully obey,
And call upon the  Lord:
To God your every want
In instant prayer  display;
Pray always; pray, and never faint;
Pray, without  ceasing pray.

From strength to strength go on;
Wrestle, and  fight, and pray;
Tread all the powers of darkness down,
And  win the well-fought day:
Still let the Spirit  cry
In all His soldiers, "Come!"
Till Christ the Lord descend  from high,
And take the conquerors home.

Source:  http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/888#ixzz1XT5tRtWf

Can you hear Him?

Can you hear the Lord saying "Arise, let's move on from here, there is more to experience"?
Then you must push past your inhibitions and rise 

For HE is with you.

What you cannot see from your present angle

On the other side of adverse storms and winds that expose your fears 

Someone sitting in desperation...awaiting the words of freedom from your journey.

Listen carefully 

Do you hear His voice "Come, let's go over to the other side"?
You will not be alone

But you must push past your inhibitions...for HE is with you.
On the other side of the gnats, little nuisances, that are designed to deter you..a soul awaits 

Trapped in the tomb of deception, 

Bound by lies weaker than vapor.
But you must  conquer your inner fears and defeat the thoughts of a corrupt nature that rises to disable you.

Has the Lord of the Harvest spoken,

Then rise to the call

All others voices are irrelevant. 

Go forth and He will cause you  walk upon the high places and to reap were you have not even sown.

One movement leads to the one goal

There is one movement from the Living God on the earth today. For there is one throne from which the authentic flow and movement is birthed and borne, and that is the Throne of Grace.
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb.. Rev. 22:1
This water is filled with life to produce a twofold work in each one who partakes, a) the divine life will dispel the poison of the serpent, every lie, every doubt, every fear, every bit of self-sufficiency b) simultaneously this living water (the Spirit) will make us to be living stones, cut and perfectly fitted for His building here on earth.
Do you feel the FLOW, are you in the flow?
FLOW RIVER, FLOW!
In spite of our reluctance or cluelessness...FLOW Spirit flow!!