WordSword

“For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing people unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb 2:10, 11). This verse tells both how God’s grace has extended to us; and what became this God to do, in bringing many to glory, into His very presence Who dwelleth in light unapproachable? He was to bring them to glory. Therefore, He must go where they were, and become one with them as to their guilt (Not guilty Himself of course or He could not be the Sacrifice—NC), which He must bear; and become sin on their behalf (become like sin but not sin itself, i.e. “likeness of sin” Rom 8:3). So bringing many children unto glory would involve sufferings—the most terrible of all, to be forsaken of His Father—made a curse for us (sacrificed for the curse but without imputed sin - Gal 3:13—NC)! Nothing else could “become” God as regarding our sin and our sinful state (possessing the old man is sin’s source—NC). 1. It became His being, as God. It was into God’s presence we were to be brought (Heb 4:14, 16). 2. It became His holiness: with an infinite abhorrence He hated sin (Psa 97:10; Pro 8:13). 3. It became His righteousness: He must deal righteously in bringing others to glory (Jhn 17:22). 4. It became the God Whose name is Love (1Jo 4:8) to do this amazing thing—bring to glory many people. Only a God of Love would want us There. 5. It became His wisdom, “of Whom are all things and for Whom are all things” (Heb 2:10). He sees the eternities and has planned for them as it became Him. 6. It became His Lordship over all things (Phl 2:9-11). Knowing all things about all creatures, He could place them all where He would. God chose to place first those redeemed by His Son (Christians are second to the Trinity and are more important than the angels, man being the sole creature in God’s image—NC). 7. It became the Father because the Lord Jesus’ obedience unto death revealed God for all ages. He is worthy to be obeyed, said His Son, even into forsaking, anguish and death! Finally, the Father infinitely loves His Son, the “Captain” of these people. Thus it became Him to plan for that Son a path of sufferings untold and unutterable, in walking in which day by day that Son’s fidelity to God His Father became manifest to all eternity; and God will forever remember the Son’s sufferings, as if they were but yesterday. Thus, it became God to make the Leader of our “salvation perfect through sufferings” (Heb 2:10), and remember, if we suffer with Him, it is because we are redeemed by His sufferings and sacrifice. Satan hates redeemed ones, those trusting Christ’s one offering (Heb 10:10). So he makes them suffer, whether by temptation to doubt the Savior’s sacrifice; or be calling attention to their weak faith, or inconsistent walk (1Jo 2:6). The Lord Jesus accepted work on the Cross (accepted of the Father - 2Co 6:18), and not our grasp of it, is the question! We know that the Father has accepted His Son’s sacrifice (Matthew 3:17), because He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in glory! It became God . . . “to make Him perfect through sufferings.” It behooved Christ to suffer, and to “rise again from the dead.” The very foundation of the Gospel appears in this word, it became God! It became Him to judge sin; it became Him to give His own Son to bear sin (the Father could have come instead of the Word, but the Father wanted it to be the greatest sacrifice of all—NC). It became Him to lay before that Son a path “even unto death” (Mat 26:38).While we now “behold . . . Jesus crowned with glory and honor” (Psa 8:5; Heb 2:9), let us not only see His present place as God’s reward to Him for His path of obedience, but also regard His path of suffering thereto, as the only path which could become a holy God! —William R Newell (1865-1956) MJS daily devotional excerpt for June 5: Circumstantial Evidence The Spirit convicts us of sins that we may be convinced of God’s cleansing. We do not deserve to be forgiven, but the Lord Jesus deserves to be trusted. –MJS (we deserve God’s forgiveness after rebirth-NC) “We find the greatest difficulty often in bringing our sorrow to God. How can I do so, some may be saying, as my sorrow is the fruit of my sin? How can I take it to God? If it was suffering for righteousness’ sake, then I would, but I am suffering for my sin; and can I, in the integrity of my heart towards God, take my sorrows to Him, knowing I deserve them? “Yes: the Lord Jesus has been to God about them. This, then, is the ground on which I can go. There has been perfect atonement for all my sins; Christ has been judged for them. Will God judge us both? No; I go to Him on the ground of atonement, and God can justly meet me in all my sorrow, because Christ’s work has been so perfectly done. “The guilt which the throne detects, the altar removes. If in the light of the throne one object is seen, namely, ruined, guilty, undone self; then, in the light of the altar, one object is seen, namely, a full, precious, all-sufficient Christ. The remedy reaches to the full extent of the ruin, and the same light that reveals the one reveals the other likewise. This gives settled repose to the conscience. God Himself has provided a remedy for all ruin which the light of His throne has revealed.” - John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/day/2025/06/05/

The essence of a Christian is that, although he is upon the earth, he is heavenly; and how could he know and grow in that, unless by the revelation of a heavenly Man who is his Life (Col 3:4)? Who is or could be that heavenly Man but the Man Christ Jesus, Who, after having put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, takes this new place there, Head of a family, and is so revealed to us by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven (1 Corinthians 2:10). Besides having the detailed Word of the Father, we want an object to attach our hearts to; we need it that we be not lost in “the abundance of revelations” of God (2Co 12:7). Here then is One Who can claim every affection, Who can detach us by the revelation of Himself, the worthiest of all objects, an Object worthy of God the Father, and surely of us the children who delight in what He delights in. This is none other than the Lord Jesus, but it is He after all the evil is judged, after all the good is won, after love had nothing to do, nay, even righteousness no other task but to bless us. This is what God now can afford to do as the Father. This is what He is now doing through the infinite sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. But this is what He now reveals, through the Lord Jesus in His presence, and by the Holy Spirit sent down gives us to know. His setting Himself apart at the Father’s right hand is a root of divine truth, yea, and the root of our distinctive blessedness. He is there the Life-Source (Col 3:4) according to Whom the Spirit forms us by the truth (2Co 3:18; Rom 8:29). It is thus essential in order that He fitly and fully should be the means of that wondrous display of truth and love that the Father looks to be reproduced in those that are His here below. This then is the further intimation in the words, “For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” We require the Father’s Word; but we also require the Father’s Son thus set apart in heaven, and in the order too. For the Father’s truth that is made known in the Net Testament epistles invariably precedes our full appreciation of the Lord Jesus (the NT increases our appreciation of the Lord Jesus—NC) at His right hand, thus sanctifying Himself that we might be sanctified through the truth. But then when we have seen the Lord Jesus there in the glory, when we appreciate the all-importance of having Him as an Object before our souls entirely outside the world, according to which the Holy Spirit is carrying us on and transforming us while we are here below (2Co 3:18), the truth is everywhere made more personal and powerful. Not only that the truth abides in the Word, but that it is thus applied with increase of blessing. As He said, “For their sakes I sanctify Myself,” But not stopping at this, “that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” Thus we see, if we begin with the truth and rise to see or personal position with the Lord Jesus, the truth only receives more and more point and reality through it. —William Kelly (1821-1906) MJS devotional excerpt from “None But The Hungry Heart” for May 12 5-12. Trusted Trainer “He knoweth the way that I take; when He hath tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). In every field, whether the arts, industry, sports, or the Christian life and service in general, the necessary training goes far deeper and is much more rigorous than the actual performance. “Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace—namely, righteousness” (Heb. 12:11, Wey.)—MJS “The Father chooses the servant who is suited to carry out His will; but though that servant be endowed by Him with power to do so, yet unless he be controlled and disciplined by the Spirit of God he will continually fall into the devising’s of his nature, no matter how godly and divine may be his intent. For we greatly err if we think that having the divine thought is all that is necessary as to our service; we must truly and efficiently be expressive of the thought; and this subjects us, as servants of God, to discipline which we often cannot understand. “Discipline for known faults or shortcomings we can easily comprehend; but when it is that peculiar order of training which fits a man to be God’s instrument and witness, we can no more understand it than the plants of the earth can understand why they must pass through all the vicissitudes of winter in order to bring forth a more abundant harvest.” -J.B.S. “God leaves us in the world that we may learn the sufficiency of His grace in practice, as we know the triumph of it in Christ.”—MJS “Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter” (John 13:7). http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

Hi, and thanks for your reply! God tests the soul of believers, but never has to takeaway their salvation, because He knows they will love and obey Him (Phl 2:13). He never gives salvation to anyone He knows that does not truly believe in Him.

I would need specific passages to understand what you are trying to say. Thanks for you reply.

Isn't the breath of God just something physical, like a breath into a newborn baby? The Holy Spirit didn't come until Acts 2; in John 20:22 it says "He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. This couldn't mean they actually received the Spirit, but the the Lord Jesus was preparing them for service, i.e. gifts of the Spirit.

Hi, and appreciate your reply. The way I see it is that Adam and Eve did not have God "working in them" (Phl 2:13) as we now do; which is why we no longer want to sin, our sins are no longer "willful" (Heb 10:26), like Paul, he did not want to sin, but still possessing the sin nature or "old man," we still sin. (Rom 7:15, 20).

"For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins." If we are reborn we will not want to sin, but we still sin impulsively or ignorantly, not intentionally (Heb 10:26). Why would a Christian want to sin anyway? Thanks for your reply!

Hi, and true! God knew us from eternity-past.

Hi AdHoc, thanks for your reply! Not sure what you mean, but "faith" is the first and sole means for channeling grace and salvation to the soul(Eph 2:8). Then after faith, "God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

Some Christians believe that God can “Test Run” the soul. God doesn’t save you, then test you to see if you’re going to stay saved. I heard once that “everyone that should be saved, will be saved”—for there is a Book of Life “from the foundation of the world” (Rev 17:8—we were saved when the Lord Jesus said on His Cross “it is finished” - Jhn 19:30) containing everyone’s name whom God already knows He will save (which won’t be many, in comparison to the unsaved—Matt 7:13, 14). Salvation never comes by chance or happenstance, as if it’s something God didn’t already know! Look up the word “Omniscience,” because this alone provides the answers we need. Does it even make any sense that God would give you eternal life, and latter take it back for whatever reason? Christians were saved from eternity-past, because that’s when God foreknew everything. We have always been on God’s mind, and we are second to the Trinity, and above the angels—what father would put his children after anyone? Albert Barns (1798-1870) Rev 22:19—“Perhaps there is here an intimation that this would be most likely to be done by those who professed to be Christians, and who supposed that their names were in the book of life. In fact, most of the corruptions of the sacred Scriptures have been attempted by those who have professed some form of Christianity. Infidels have but little interest in attempting such changes, and but little influence to make them received by the church. It is most convenient for them, as it is most agreeable to their feelings, to reject the Bible altogether. When it said here that “God would take away his part out of the book of life,” the meaning is not that his name had been written in that book, but that he would take away the part which he might have had, or which he professed to have in that book. Such corruption of the divine oracles would show that they had no true religion, and would be excluded from heaven. On the phrase “book of life,” see the notes on Revelation 3:5.” John Gill— Rev 22:19 (1697-1771) “God shall take away his part out of the book of life; by which is meant eternal election, which is the meaning of the phrase throughout this book, in which whoever are written shall certainly be saved. The worshippers of the beast, or the antichristian party, who are chiefly regarded here, are not written in it, Revelation 13:8 wherefore taking away the part of such, is only taking away that which they seemed to have; see Luke 8:18 and the sense is, that such shall be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death, and will be the portion of all that are not written in the book of life, Revelation 20:15. The Alexandrian copy, one of Stephens's, and the Complutensian edition, read, "the tree of life"; and so do the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; the sense is the same; see John 15:2 and out of the holy city; the new Jerusalem, before described, a part in which is a right to enter into it through the gates, and possess the glories of it: what is mentioned here is only a seeming one, which wicked men may flatter themselves with; and the meaning is, that such shall never enter into it, and enjoy the happiness of it, but shall ever be without, Revelation 21:27.”

Hi, and like what you said! I agree, there will be "loving chastisement" (Heb 12:6, 7). You will never see Scripture relating the saint with the sinner (1Pe 4:18).

Hi, and appreciate your reply! To me, sinning is doing it on purpose, willfully (Heb 10:26). This answers to Rom 7:17, 20. God knows we want to please Him (Phl 2:13).

Hi and thanks for the reply! Yes, in our new man we do not sin. To me, sinning is doing it "willfully" (Heb 10:26). It's not our bodies that sin but our "old man" using the body wrongfully (Rom 7:17, 20). The body itself is never guilty, it's the sinner that's guilty. Scripture never relates the Christian as a sinner (1Pe 4:18).

Thanks for the kind reply. It may be a bit difficult to understand what I mean, but being already delivered just means you're already forgive, because it's not like God has to keep forgiving us over and over. That's the intent of 1Jn 1:9; "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." He only has to do it once, and He knows we just want to "please" Him (Phl 2:13). It's "willful" sins that He teaches us to discontinue (Heb 10:26).

Many Christians are unaware that they are forgiven for all their sins! Otherwise Scripture could not state that we are already like Jesus (1Jo 4:17). Not in His sinlessness but in His guiltlessness! He knows you don’t want to sin, as Paul was delivered from desiring sin (Rom 7:15, 16, 19, 20, 21), he did not want to sin. Such is the Christian, already delivered from all sin, because God knows we do not want to sin, but “please” Him (Phl 2:13). If God is not “working“ this “in you,” you aren’t saved yet—you have not been “born again” yet. Once we are saved God starts “conforming” us to the “image” (walk) of the Lord Jesus (Rom 8:29). This means everyone saved will mature and grow in Christ in the way they live! When we sin we need not ask for forgiveness but instead thank Him for His permanent forgiveness (Heb 10:12). All His “forgiveness” was given at the point of rebirth (1Jn 1:9). He doesn’t have to keep forgiving over and over, it’s “once for all” (Heb 10:10). There is never a time we aren’t forgiven. This of course concerns only not sinning “willfully” (Heb 10:26). If we intentionally sin it manifests we are unsaved, and do not want to give up the sin. God knows we want to “please Him,” and living without intentional sin is His goal for us. Living this way doesn’t gain salvation—it is a free gift of God (Eph 2:8). He will have only holy believers living for Him! It of course is the most marvelous thing that we do not owe God for salvation. The Lord Jesus’ sacrifices makes us deserving and “worthy” (Col 1:10; 1Co 11:27; Rev 3:4; 16:6). Remember, Christians have everything the Lord Jesus has, for they are continually being “conformed to Christ’s “image.”

The Christians “forgiveness” is “once for all,” meaning that God’s forgiveness needs applied only “once” (Heb 10:10, 14), and which is never withdrawn, so it is continually unending and needs not to forgive over and over (unlike the Popish mass supports Christ sacrificing again during communion) but just once, which is eternal. Christians always “please” God (Phl 2:13) because He “works” this in them to maintain obedience, which has no relation concerning His forgiveness because this is related only to His Son’s Cross work. This doesn’t mean sinlessness, but a “hatred” (Rom 7:15) and (“unwilling” desire to ever sin (verse 16). This means Christians are never without God’s “forgiveness,” and this is what Christ’s sacrifice primarily secured for the saints. They may often not feel forgiven but He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins,” which among many other reasons God loves the saint; of course this is considering the “confession” of those who love God and are secured by His Holy Spirit using the Life of Jesus in them (Col 3:4). The “confession of our sin” is what the Christian performs and is repetitious, but not God’s forgiveness. The believer never has to ask for forgiveness, which is always present, but rather thank God for it! Confession just means “to admit,” thus, just tell God you have sinned and thank Him for His ever-present forgiveness! Blessed be God above all! MJS daily devotional for April 13 “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). “Reckoning” on the work of the Cross is the only relief from the carnal burden of self. Then comes the spiritual burden of Christ—to be more like Him. “Reckoning” is the answer there, too. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through [in] Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6.11). If we seek to escape the death, we will not experience the life. “We are not to try to crucify self, but we are to agree (reckon) with what God has said and done. In the lives of most believers self has usurped the place belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a criminal worthy of death, but the trouble is that they do not realize that this self-life has been crucified on the Cross. They do not believe the facts of the Word, and sin therefore reigns in their lives; they live in bondage to sin, praying for deliverance, praying that they may die to sin, but refusing to believe what God says He has already done.” -L.L.L. “The constant tendency is to try to improve the manner of one’s life here below by adopting Christian principles, whereas you will never arrive at it unless you start from ‘crucified with Christ.’ Then it is not thinking of what I am, but of what He is, ‘Christ liveth in me.’“ - James Butler Stoney (1814-97) http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

Satan was foiled in his attempt to turn the King aside from His divine path, but he succeeded with the servants (Satan can cause a believer to commit sin—but the sin will not be willful, as a sinner’s is—NC); and so the highest and best gift of God (salvation—NC) has been the occasion for the development of the worst evil (the greater the gift, the greater the wrong by not receiving it - 1Pe 4:18—NC). For man under the responsibilities which flow from this dispensation of grace has done worse than during that of law (because more information has been given in the New Testament about God’s will than in the Old Testament, thus making Christians more accountable—NC). The wickedness of Israel caused the heathen to blaspheme the name of Jehovah (via poor examples of obedience to God—NC). But now, within the sphere of Christian profession, a worse thing is found. The Jews always professed reverence for the Law, though he practically disobeyed. What do we see now in the lands of Christendom? The Word of God is esteemed by some no other than a myth, classed with the legends of paganism. By others the Lord is spoken of as a good, though mistaken man, esteemed as a Hero who really wished to raise man morally, but who allowed His disciples to believe and propagate a lie to accomplish the end He had in view; as an enthusiast who suffered death rather than withdraw His offer. And the literature of the present day teems with writings containing this terrible doctrine, a blasphemy as absurd as horrible. Nor is this confined to such writers as are professed infidels; for the truth of the Word is undermined, if not openly denied, by those who take the place of being theological teachers. All such books, by traitorous professors, are far more pernicious and dangerous than the vulgar infidelity of the last century. A distinguished feature of the present-day is that every shade of infidel thought has its representative and teacher. Theism is made the groundwork of science and taught in its halls, and being exalted to the rank of science, is applied as a corrector of God’s Book; it stops not at material things, but enters boldly the moral domain, and dares to judge what God must be, and what He must not be; decides how much—rather how little of the creation belongs to God and how much to “evolution.” God bears with this, for the present day is salvation, not judgment, and His longsuffering is the proof. The kingdom of heaven (whenever the word “kingdom” is used it almost always refers to the New Earth, i.e. ”Thy kingdom come,” we never see the word “kingdom” when referring to the New Heaven—NC) is the rule of Christ the King over this world. But how does He reign when He is rejected? The principles of the kingdom were in grace made known to man (Eph 2:8), and after he had cast out the King, he used His name and the inherent subjugating authority belonging to it, to establish a system for himself, where the name of the King is freely used, but His rights practically ignored; where instead of righteousness reigning, all the worst corruption of nature is dominant, the name of Christ is on their lips, the truth of Christ in its life-giving power is all but unknown. Hence the present time discloses the mystery of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom as the scene of Christ’s power and glory was no secret; it was abundantly and clearly foretold by the prophets. Godly Jews were waiting for it, rejoicing in the hope of it (Jews who believed in God for the coming kingdom on the earth—NC). Further, it was predicted, though perhaps imperfectly apprehended, that the coming King should be despised and rejected, wounded in the house of His friends, valued at thirty pieces of silver—the price of a slave. But it was not revealed that the King should be more than nineteen hundred years absent, and that during His absence men should arrogate to themselves His authority, and establish human power buy its use (human power not God’s power); still less, that the Jews rejection of their King should be, in the wisdom of God, the occasion for the calling out of a people for a heavenly portion, who, while here passing through a path of predestined suffering, would be of all men most miserable if in this life only had they hope in Christ (1 Co 15:19). It is these two things we see now—the absence of the Lord from the scene of His future glory, and the hidden working by which He secures to Himself a people who, in spite of suffering, nay, using it rather as a means, are destine for a higher than kingdom glory (2 Co 4:177—the New Heaven will be far greater and glorious for the believers in Christ than the New Earth for the Jews who presently believe in God but not in Christ—NC). —Roger Beacon (1220-1292) MJS daily devotional excerpt for March 31 “Romans Six reveals our position as having died unto the principle of sin; Romans Seven teaches us our position as having died unto the principle of law. Both must be counted upon if we are to abide in Christ, and walk in the Spirit, as set forth in Romans Eight. “We have to look at ourselves and see how far we are devotedly following the Lord Jesus, with full purpose of heart—how we can say, ‘This one thing I do’; but we must take care at the same time not to get into legal bondage by this standard. If I say, ‘Here is a rule of conduct: follow it,’ this cannot reach the heart, the affections. The ministration of the letter brings only failure, and condemnation; for it prescribes a rule which man, being a sinner, can never follow. It does not change a man; it proves him ‘ungodly and without strength’ (Christians should love God, not because of salvation, but just because of who He is. Thus having eternal gratitude to Him—NC). “We may turn even Christ into that letter of condemnation; we may take His life, for instance, and make it our law. Nay, we may turn even the love of Christ into into our law; we may say, ‘He has loved me, and done all this for me, and I ought to love Him, and do so much for Him, in return for this love,’ etc. Thus if we turn His love into a rule of life, it becomes the ministration of condemnation” (loving God for Who He is, is the greatest of all—NC). —Miles J Stanford http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

The Lord’s desire for His people is not that they should be taken out of the world, but that they should be kept from the evil of it (though the Christian commits sin, God keeps them from ever desiring it - Phl 2:13—NC). In John 15 we looked at as here for the Lord Jesus in three aspects. The first as servant—fruit bearing, this is our aspect to men, as He says of Himself. “My goodness extendeth not to Thee but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all My delight” (Ps 16:2, 3). You are to be a fruit tree, bearing ripe fruit, properly for the owner of the garden, but in reality for every one whom He had ordered to be supplied. Whatever you supply of Christ to anyone as ordered by Him is fruit. You are a fruit tree for everyone to derive from you something of Christ as He appoints. The second aspect is that of a friend to Himself. You are to prove to Him that His concerns are your chief interest, and thus you are His friend—“he was called the Friend of God” (Jam 2:23). The third is a witness. This aspect is not necessary for man, but it is against the world. You are maintaining Christ where He has been rejected, and thus encountering opposition from the world. The first is that of a donor of Christ’s grace to man; the second that of a heart living in His heart; the third that of a soldier of martyr, standing boldly for Him is refused and hated. All these factors belong to you as kept is this scene for Him. You might say, your health hinders you very much. But doubtless crippling you in your health is the means by which the Lord is keeping you for Himself. In each of these aspects there is an order of suffering that is keeping with its peculiar duty or place. The tree passes though winter before it bears fruit. The friend is tested before he is an established friend, and the witness is persecuted to prove that he is a faithful witness. I compare you to a singing bird in a cage. If you were released, you might turn to your native woods, and your song would be lost in the desert air. Your liberty is limited to your health, but you may sing all the live-long day—and maybe night too. Singing is what you are called to do, “making melody in your heart to Lord” (Eph 5:19). Thus it is always summer, the fruit season; happy and abounding in your heart, before you are able to contribute to others. May we all abound yet more and more. —J B Stoney (1814-1897 MJS daily devotional excerpt for March 19 “Just think! Our Father has placed us in eternal and living union with His Son, that He, not we, may “be.” “Moreover, He has placed His Holy Spirit eternally within us that He, not we, may “do.” Further, He has given us the necessary faith and Scripture that we may rest in this wonderful reality, trusting Him “to will and to do of His good pleasure.” This is a far cry from futile struggle and frustrating self-effort! “Christians in the main groan and strive and struggle largely on the basis of human effort where the grace of God, though acknowledged, is scarcely operative—only to come to grief. Even at their best, they find the purpose of the Lord Jesus remains an ideal infinitely beyond their reach. The trouble lies in the fact that they are proceeding on the wrong basis. “God does not expect them, as a result of their own endeavors, to be like the Lord Jesus. He expects them to realize the utter impossibility of such a thing (as in Romans Seven, where Paul comes to the end of himself – Gal 2:20; Col3:4). He expects them to know the Lord Jesus as their very life, disowning any other. He expects them to realize their position of absolute oneness with Christ, for He ‘has blessed them with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ’ (Eph. 1:3).” -F.J.H. http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

When we read the epistles to the Romans and to the Ephesians carefully, we cannot but see the difference between where the Gospel places us on earth, and where knowledge of our position puts us. In Romans I am a justified man going on to glory, fulfilling (because walking is the Spirit) the righteousness of the law (Rom 8:4)—all that God had required of a man, magnified in our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence such an one presents the body as a living sacrifice, and serves according to the gift given him of the Father, known by the measure of faith (Rom 12:3). As a believer, he is hated by the world (Jhn 15:18, 24). There is nothing of position in all this, though no one could walk in the truth of the mystery (concerning Christ and the Church - Eph 5:32—NC), if he had not all this. I am through grace as much an Ephesian saint as I am a Roman saint; but I must be the lesser, or I could not be the greater (Mat 23:12). In Romans I am a delivered one on the earth, walking in the Life of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:4), by the Holy Spirit dwelling in me (Jhn 14:16; Rom 8:11; 1Co 3:16). In Ephesians I am a member of the Body of Christ, in union with Him who is the Head in heaven (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23) and a member of His Body set there where He is, by the same power that placed Him there (Eph 2:6). The power that positioned me there works in us here (Eph 3:20), and now I am united wih the exalted Man: and by His Life I grow into a manifestation of Him where He has been rejected. The Body of the glorified man is down here on the earth is to “grow up unto Him in all things” (Eph 4:15), “till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13). Now we are not only opposed by the power of Amalek, who cut off the weak ones (Deu 25:18), but the whole subtlety of Satan is arrayed against us, in order to prevent our being in heavenly beauty down here (the devil can delay a believer’s growth in the faith in Christ, but never effect salvation, nor prohibit faith—NC). The Enemy cannot deprive us of our heavenly position, but he tries to prevent the manifestation of it from us. This is the scope of the grace given to us in the whole, though we grow into it in parts (in position saints are everything Christ is - 1Jo 4:17, but are learning its application and fullness gradually—NC). The only way to grow is to be conscientiously true to what we so see. “He that hath, to him shall be given” (Mar 4:25). The more separate I am from the world (some separate themselves more than others—NC), and the less I am conformed to it, the less am I warped, and the better I can “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:2). Every true heart knows its own world. My world may not be the world to you. Music is one man’s world; painting, another man’s world; politics another’s, riches another’s, his family another’s and so on. Whatever is most difficult to surrender is your world; (“surrender” - place after God—NC) and as you advance, according as you seek separation to the Father, you have to separate from what you are most bound by (“bound” worldliness that means too much to you—NC), for it is that which influences you the most. It may even be a paltry thing. Isaac was warped by his son’s deception. Peter wanted to stand well with those who “came from James” (Gal 2:11-14 - these were Judaizing Christians believing in Christ, but were zealous of the law - Act 21:20—NC). The Lord give you to see the whole scope of His grace, and give you grace to lay aside every hindrance, dealing honestly and truly with the one next to you. Many occupy themselves with the branches instead of with the root. The root is the seat of the evil, and the Spirit of God always leads to it (to put it off at the source—NC). —J B Stoney MJS daily devotional excerpt for November 27 “The Lord Jesus Christ is the only object for faith, the only One that satisfies us, as indeed He is the Father’s Object; and if we have got but one mind with the Father about Him, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” If you are walking in the Spirit, the Lord Jesus is the Object before you; when you are walking in the flesh, yourself is your object.” William Kelly (1821-1906) http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/

Note: Please let me know if you ever decide you would rather not to continue receiving these messages. I realize viewing something that may be difficult to understand might not be very encouraging, so I don’t want to chance confusing anyone. Thanks and God bless. -NC Clear Communion There is often only occupation with Christ for the relief of the conscience, and if so, where does it stop? It stops when the relief is met. But if He is the Object of the heart, you will never be satisfied but in association and fellowship with Him where He is. If there is simple occupation with Christ, you cannot enjoy it but in association with Him where He is, and in communion with Him about things here. In Psalm 23, there is lying down first, and then I come forth refreshed for the responsibilities of life here, and to walk in “the paths of righteousness.” I “fear no evil.” I must first know Him where He is; if I do not know Him where He is, I shall not rest in Him for my life down here. True, He accomplished everything down here, but you never get satisfied rest in your soul until you know that the Father has glorified Him up there. You never find a truly restful soul who does not raise the question—where is He? Mary Magdalene says, “They have taken my Lord” (Jhn 20:13). The two disciples in John 1 asked, “Where dwellest thou” (Jhn 1:38). The heart is set on the discovery of where He is. It is vain for a man to tell me his heart is on a person, if he is indifferent as to where that person is. “If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth” (Col 3:1). I stand on simple grace. I am entitled to nothing, but I count on what is in my Father’s heart for me. When I come to discover what is in that heart for me, that is grace. It is an unspeakable comfort to my heart to say I know He will do something, though what He will do I know not. I would not venture to dictate to Him what He should do, but I know my Father’s heart. The Lord says to me, if you come to Me, you will find My Word working in you to remove the shade of reserve that has come between you and Me; the first great desire of My heart is that there shall be nothing between you and Me. I will make it My business that there shall be no break in our intimacy (there’s never a time when we are not “forgiven”—NC). He wiped the disciple’s feet after He had washed them; the towel is to give the soul the sense that there is nothing between, nothing of defilement left. The moment I begin to walk in His path (1Jo 2:6 – concerned only of the Father’s will—NC), I find out all my contrarieties. For the right road there are ninety-nine roads wrong, and the heart is ever inclined to go up one of those roads. When it does, the Lord says, I will send My Word after you and draw you out of it. The washing of my feet sets me free from the wrong road, and, the moment I get on the right one, I have the confirmed sense from the Lord Himself—I am with you, I bear you company. If I am not aware that the Lord sympathizes with me, that He is looking after my concerns, I cannot turn around and think of His affairs. But if I have the sympathy of the Lord Jesus I shall not be worried (John 14:1, 27), I know that He is thinking about me and my affairs, and I leave them all to Him (Mat 11:28). —J B Stoney MJS daily devotional excerpt for November 20 “It takes us a long time to realize that all is darkness outside the Light of heaven and earth.” -MJS “The moment we begin to rest our peace on anything in ourselves, we lose it. And this is why so many saints have not settled peace. How can you have settled peace? Only by having it in the Father’s way. By not resting on anything, even the Spirit’s work within, but on what the Lord Jesus has done entirely outside you. “Then you will know peace—conscious unworthiness, but yet peace. In the Lord Jesus alone, the Father finds that in which He rests; and so it is with His saints. The more you see the extent and nature of the evil that is within, as well as that without and around, the more you will find that what the Lord Jesus is and did, is the only ground at all on which you can rest.” “When the eye is turned away from the Lord Jesus, darkness must set in. It is only as the eye is single that the body is full of light. And what is a single eye but having Him for our Object? It is thus that light divine pours in upon us, until every chamber of our moral being becomes lighted up, and we become light for others. In this way the believer is kept happily free from obscurity, perplexity, and anxiety. He finds all his springs in the Lord Jesus.” “It is having the Lord Jesus as our Object which alone gives us the power of truth. When we have anything of our own as an object, so far we slip aside, for the Lord Jesus alone is the full truth. It is only in proportion as we are filled with Him, and have Him to the exclusion of our own evil, that we ourselves walk in the truth. Let us have our hearts fixed on any one thing or person save the One who is our life, and evil results.” William Kelly (1821-1906) http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/day/2024/11/20/

The most difficult thing Christians go through are the “temptations” they are to endure—and a Christian will endure every single one. Know that God uses everything—especially the trials, for the benefit of believers (Ro 8:28). This promise alone is enough to use to deal with the hardness from a trial, but God goes further, in that “God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1Co 10:13. No matter what the hardness, God will cause you to endure it, esp. when you don’t know how or what to feel, for His “grace is sufficient” (2Co 12:9); and trials are tests that will manifest whether or not one is reborn, so you will eventually know for certain. There are three promises here that God uses to take one through the difficulties that will “suffice.” 1. God doesn’t allow the trail to be beyond the believer’s ability to endure it. If one thinks it’s too much, then you have yet to believe and learn this lesson, but He will always take you through it anyway. 2. God “makes a way” we can endure it, but it requires the trust and faith to use it. It just requires being patient as possible while you are waiting for the resolution (Rom 12:12). 3. This promise is part of which one receives when waiting, even if you can’t learn patience in it yet, He will take you through it regardless. Our Father knows the extent of our ability, and keeps it within one’s level of maturity—so that you will “be able to bare it,” that is, the ability to deal with it. Again, it just requires patiently waiting on, and trusting God for the deliverance. Even if one doesn’t know what or how to think or feel concerning the difficulty, He will still deliver you through to its end; and you will learn something after the trial. Often the trial involves the Enemy attempting to bring you to an agreement of guilt concerning something—when you fully know you have not intentionally sinned anywhere; or the trial might just involve a feeling of not caring about anything. Nothing means anything to you, even eating and sleeping, one is just empty—except for loving and trusting God for everything, which is the main purpose of the trails! It’s my belief that believers learn most of God’s love through the trials, because these are the hardest times, which is like a fire, that burns away the doubt and leaves the faith; and a stronger faith at that, through every trial! May the Father of all trials guide you to continue “to be conformed to the image of His Son;” (Rom 8:29; 2Co 3:18). NC

The oneness of the Father and Son is in the sense of being in the same accord, or same choices; they agree together and are one concerning everything. To me, "the Father will send in My name" is the same as the Lord Jesus sending Him. Everything Jesus does is from the Father and for the Father, i.e. the will of the Father.; "Thy (the Father) will be done."

Yes, the Lord Jesus is equal to the Father and Holy Spirit in essence and power, even while He was in the flesh on earth. But concerning order, Jesus said the Father is greater than Him (Jhn 14:28); thus the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the Spitit--from the Father (Jhn 15:26). This means the order of authority is the Father, then the Son, then the Holy Spirit.

Of course it's ok to believe what you choose because it will not affect salvation. God bless!

Amen, God is "working" in all who are saved to cause us to please Him (Phl 2:13).