Tag Archive: Ministry


Pray That You Are Sent Into The Harvest

Filed under: Faith, Jesus, Ministry, Prayer, Spirituality — 2 Comments
November 30, 2009

Pray That You Are Sent Into The Harvest

Many of us have daily prayer lists that remind us of the items we in which we desire God’s assistance. So, for example, we pray for health and healing of our loved ones, financial security in our personal lives, salvation of family members and friends who do not know Jesus, and so on. Like so many others, I can testify that praying without doubt often results in miraculous answers from God:

The Power of Prayer

Interestingly, in the following passage Jesus tells us that we should also pray to be sent into His harvest:

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

Remember Jesus statement about, “I am the vine and you are the branches?” In this parable the branches that produce fruit are pruned by the Father such that they will produce more fruit in the future. Branches that are barren will be cut off, cast into the fire and burned. We must be sent into the field that was planted by our Lord Jesus to harvest the fruit that is born of the seed of His life and words. If we do not work in the field of His harvest we can not produce fruit that is pleasing to God. Therefore, pray as Jesus recommended. Pray without doubting that you will be sent into the harvest:

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” (John 4:34-38)

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The Divided Christian Heart

Filed under: Christian Love, Jesus — 2 Comments
November 23, 2009

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”  

The Divided Christian Heart

Our divisions as a Christian nation are not simply the differences between denominations (as addressed in our past few postings). We have become ineffective because we have failed to love as Jesus taught us. In many cases our hearts have grown hard to the cries of the poor and defenseless. This certainly is the case in regard to the issues of abortion, which is dividing Christians all across this country away from the love of God. 

Jesus Overlooking Jerusalem

 

Unfortunately, many Christian women stand with their atheist sisters on abortion and even speak against their church regarding its antiabortion policies. Others follow the lead of their political party, claiming that women should have the right to choose. In both cases these people not only stand in defiance of their own church but to their God as well. God’s commandment not to kill is not just a Christian commandment but one that is observed by Jews and Muslims as well. This commandment therefore is acknowledged by eighty percent of the world’s people. 

  

Moses and the Ten Comandments

 

The aborting laws in this country legalize the murder of the most innocent of God’s creatures, the unborn child. Therefore, the United States government stands against the law of God on this issue. This is a sin against our nation! When one looks at the writings in the bible they find that time and again God defends the poor and the disenfranchised and brings down those that oppress them. So I would say to America, change your policies or suffer the consequences. 

  

  

  

The Walls of Jerico fall Befor the Ark

 

On a personal basis, I believe that a similar warning is appropriate to everyone who actively supports abortion. The vast majority of scientists agree that the fetus is in fact a living person. God fearing people can not stand silent on this issue because it would be contrary to having the love and compassion of Jesus in our heart.  

  

Do we as Christians actually put more faith in the freedoms espoused by the women’s movement, our political parties, or event the laws of our nation than we do the commandments of God? Did Jesus send us on a mission to save lives or to kill the poor and defenseless? Can anything be poorer or more defenseless than that of the unborn child? The Christian love is to be a love for others, not a focus on self. 

Let the Children Come to Me

Let the Children Come to Me

 

As a Godly person how can even debate abortion? Oh, there are lots of excuses used to cover up the ugliness of the deeds committed, but quite frankly they are all a sham. One excuse often used is that a child is not alive until it passes through its mother’s womb. How convenient to view things this way despite all the scientific evidence that shows the baby to be alive in the womb. One interesting point is that even the word “abortion”, proclaims the deed to be the killing of the child. The word “abortion” means to end it, or stop. So when the life of a child is aborted it is also ended. The deliberate termination of a life is murder. Abortion also terminates that child’s God given mission and such acts are the work of the devil. These are the activities that we as Christians must fight to prevent, not support. 

How then can this condition endure when 75% of the nation is supposedly Christian? Is it because we are a house divided? If this is the case may God have mercy upon all of us because Jesus said that a house divided can not stand. I say then that all of us who have the fear of God and who have Christian love in their hearts: unite not on the basis of your denomination but on the principals that come from God’s love. Work together across all organizational boundaries toward a policy of life. Work with your brothers to illuminate the truth of this issue wherever you go. Unite with your true brothers in the Lord to tear down the sacred pillars of this evil establishment. Take a stand for what is right in the eyes of God. Remember that the existing policy is a sin against our entire nation.  

Please do what you can and may God bless you for your active contribution.

Read my amazing true life story about how the forces of good and evil battle for my life and the vision that God has given me. My book, “Possess the Vision,” communicates my supernatural experiences and as a result, provides insight into the realm of the spiritual warfare that is raging for our souls and our purpose. This is a must read for all Christians. Learn more by following this link: Possess-the-Vision-at-Amazon

   

 

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Christianity and the Politics of Education

Filed under: Christian Education, Ministry — 1 Comment
November 13, 2009

Christianity and the Politics of Education

jesus-the-shepherd

In a prior posting we discussed the divisions in the Christian faith. We then followed this up with a look at the consequences of these divisions that pertain to the abortion practice in this country. Today we extend this discussion to the politics of education in America.

The educational policies deployed in America have resulted in both religious discrimination and repression. Prayer and religious education have been banned in public schools creating a situation in which religious families are taxed but can not have representation in changing the public school curriculum to one of their choosing.

This taxation without representation can be overcome by the affluent who can pay the tuition to send their children to parochial schools. On the other hand, it leaves the poor and disenfranchised without an alternative. So on the one hand we have the affluent that must pay double for their children’s education (once for school taxes and again for tuition,) and on the other hand we have the poor who are often forced into morally bankrupt environments that seldom offer hope of escaping poverty.

Quite frankly, it is the poor, the underprivileged and the disenfranchised that are the greatest concern. I believe that it is fairly well established that a status quo position will only continue the generational cycle of poverty and crime to continue. These children are the future of America and a potential future generation of Christians it we can take action now. Action that will give these families the choice of a faith based education that can break the cycle of generational poverty. Enabling this choice will strengthen America. A focus on God will help to break the cycle of prostitution, drugs, abortion and crime. The truth is that our current condition has been fostered under the public school system and therefore, there is no reason to believe that these sad outcomes will be different in the future. To the contrary, religious schools seem to be able to overcome these situations (see the Time Magazine story on the University of Detroit High School) when funding can be obtained.

Like it or not our schools are the battle fields for the minds, hearts and souls of our Children. It is in the class rooms that the issues of good and evil are presented. Never before has there been a larger gap in moral teaching and values between the public and religious schools.

violence-in-heaven1

The body of Christ - On Earth as it is Heaven

 

One of the greatest differences in moral teaching between public and religious schools is in sexuality. Public schools teach safe sex and in doing so inadvertently encourage promiscuity, while religious schools teach chastity and the avoidance of sinful activity. Public schools teach children to be accepting of the practice of homosexuality, while religious schools proclaim it to be an abomination to God and a sin. Finally, the public schools encourage “family planning,” which is code word used to encourage young pregnant girls to go to the abortion clinic to eliminate their problem. Of course, religious schools teach that abortion is the murder of the most innocent of all of God’s children. These are stark differences indeed and reason enough for all Christians to seek religious schools for their children even when public schools have high academic standings.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the moral values taught in these schools has to do with basic belief systems. Fundamentally, since public schools can not teach about God their major focus must be on instilling a belief in self reliance. After all, without God there is little sense in charitable service or even team play unless there is something in it for me. Of course in the religious schools they learn to focus on God and that we work in the community of believers and have the favor of God for the service of others. So the basic difference is a fundamental focus on self, or a God focused service of others.

the-twelve-year-old-jesus-among-the-scribes-by-durer

The Twelve Year Old Jesus Teaching the Scribes

 

These are critical moral issues that are forming the culture of our children’s future. Unfortunately there is no alternative for many Americans. Many poor and middle class people can not afford the cost of private schools. Are they not worth fighting for? How many poor neighborhoods loose their children to lives of prostitution, drugs, murder, or crime? Are they not worth fighting for? Do we think that they can work their way out of this cycle without God? Or can we keep things the same and break the cycle? Certainly, all of this has a dramatic impact on the future of America.

It also has a dramatic impact of the future of Christianity as well. Is Christianity going to shrink such that only the rich believe? Is this what Jesus taught us? Are we not to ministers to the poor and the widows? Are we not to help the disenfranchised, the sick and the hungry? Well, effective change starts with education and that education is not available because we as Christians do not unite and take the action necessary to change the system. My belief is that we must do all that we can to secure public funding for school choice, such that parents can choose the schools that their children attend.

So, what is it that we need to do? We need to come together to in sufficient numbers, such that we can change the balance of power in our state and county governments, to enable the allocation of educational money for all children in support of the education of their choice.

Many people believe that such a change is impossible because of the constitutional separation of Church and state. While it is true that governments can not provide funding to religious organizations like religious schools, it is no longer an issue because of relatively recent Supreme Court decisions. Notably, the Zelman decision makes it legal to distribute finances in support of a child’s education at the school of choice. The key difference here being the support of child education rather than a religious school.

May God bless you and your family

Papa Joe Gordon

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Christianity and the Politics of Abortion

Filed under: Jesus, spirtual warfare — 3 Comments
November 7, 2009

Christianity and the Politics of Abortion

In our previous posting we discussed the issues surrounding the divisions in the Christian faith. Today we discuss the issues of Abortion as being just one of the implications for this division.


There are many Americans who claim that are a Christian nation, built by Christians using Christian principles. While this may be true I believe that we are in danger of loosing it. Our American pledge states that we are one nation under God, but my concern is that the ungodly have been taking control of our nation. Polls tell us that a vast majority of Americans believe in God but it is becoming apparent that Christianity is becoming impotent in leading the moral direction of our nation.

 

Don’t believe it? How is it then that we have laws that permit, and even in some cases, encourage abortion?  Surely this practice must be the most serious of all offences in the eyes of God. Let’s identify this abomination for what it really is: the legalized murder of innocent children at the request of their parents. This is a practice in which the most defenseless of God’s creatures are murdered at the hands of those primarily responsible for their protection. I am sure that God is extremely displeased by this!

 

Let the Children Come to Me

Let the Children Come to Me

 

 

How can such laws exist if we live in a democratic nation that has a vast Christian majority? Is it because that we are to preoccupied attacking the doctrine of the other denominations (a practice that Paul characterized as a waste of time) that we can not work together? Is it because we are to fat and happy to bothered with these issues? Is it because we as Christians have lost control of our government to those with money and influence? Or is it because there are Christians out there that actively support abortion despite the teachings of Bible? I suspect that all of the above is true to some extent.


Christians, wake up to the decay that is all around you. Take actions to unite with others to change this despicable situation. In my opinion the killing of millions of innocents is a sin that is upon our nation. After all our nation have approved and encourages such actions, and we the people have the right and the ability to change things. Therefore we are all accountable.

 

If our system of government is broken then we as Christians must fix it. If the old guard can’t get it done then they must be replaced by people who can and will.

 

After all, is this not what Jesus did? Jesus turned over the tables of the money changes and chased them with whip made of cords. He confronted the mistaken beliefs of the Scribes and Pharisees with a doctrine of truth that came from the Father. These things He did while demonstrating His love for poor and afflicted. He healed the sick and enabled the blind to see. He raised the dead.

 

Jesus raises Lazarus from the grave

Jesus "The Life," Raises Lazarus from the Grave

He feed the hungry and spread the Gospel of God’s love. In the end He gave everything for our welfare, and then left us to carry out the mission that He started. Jesus was a radical activist and so should we be.

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The Unity of the bride of Christ

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Jesus, Ministry, Spirituality — 2 Comments
November 1, 2009

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

The Unity of the bride of Christ

If we take a look at Christianity today I believe that we would conclude that we are not a united Christian nation as Jesus prayed (see The-Unification-of-the-Bride). Certainly, the church has disintegrated hundreds of religious factions that we call denominations. While these denominations have common beliefs in the truth of the Bible and are united in their belief that Jesus is the Christ; they often differ in their interpretation and meaning of the scriptures and therefore the moral code that reflects their beliefs. As a result there are many differing doctrines on appropriate Christian conduct.

finding-in-the-temple

So for example, some churches believe that the tools of modern civilization are evil and should not be used. The result is that they do everything with the technology of the early 1900’s. Other denominations believe that it is sinful to wear makeup while others believe that dancing is the devils work. Some believe that it is a sin to eat meat on Fridays, while another believes that the works of the Holy Spirit are not for today. The list of these types of issues is extremely long and so I will not try to introduce them all here. For our purposes it is sufficient to understand that it is in deed a very long list.

The interesting dilemma here is that for every item of disagreement there is a denomination that is proclaiming a false doctrine. Continuing on with this line of thinking, since there are so many issues and so many denominations it is highly unlikely that any of them have it perfectly correct. Yet every denomination that I know claims to offer the perfect pathway to God. They claim that they are the one true church often calling the others evil.

I seriously doubt that we as men we are capable of understanding the nature and heart of God. Certainly our interpretations often fall short of the mark because “His ways are higher than our ways.”

The Holy Spirit is to be the unifier of the body of Christ.

the-holy-spirit

The Holy Spirit

However, if He were active in all the denominations then there would not be divisions. But the things of the spirit are difficult to understand and once acquired they are also difficult to accept. So it would seem that we as a nation of God are right back to where we were prior to the days of Jesus, with the followers of God hogtied in the nonsensical doctrines of men.

Since there are millions of Christians who have been misled by the faulty doctrines of men, how will the world know that Jesus was sent by the Father, or that Jesus and the Father are one as Jesus prayed? The world does not see a united Christianity but rather sees hundreds of competing factions.

There have been a number of attempts to unify the denominations but all have failed after considerable work. In effect, the bride of Christ has been blown into hundreds of pieces. There are hands, legs, and other body parts lying all across the earth and the body is severely damaged. This often means that we cannot work together as an integrated unit. Rather, we are fighting over the doctrines of men and competing among each other for the patronage of the saints. This condition would seem to be exactly what Paul warned the Corinthians of several thousand years ago:

st-paul-preaches

Saint Paul Preaching

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:4-27)

Based on this passage from Paul, we find that we are not a single component but rather members of a single body. We each have a unique function to perform and this perhaps explains some of our differing views of right and wrong. But the big picture is that to be effective we are to be coordinated in our actions. To the degree that we can unify, or work together toward the mission of Jesus, will be the degree of our improved impact on the world around us.

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”


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The Spiritual Nature of Jesus’ Words

Filed under: Jesus, Ministry, The Life — 2 Comments
October 16, 2009

The Spiritual Nature of Jesus’ Words

The words of Jesus were sometimes misunderstood by His disciples and others.

Jesus "The light of the World," Heals a Blind Man

Jesus "The light of the World," Heals a Blind Man

This is because Jesus spoke in spiritual terms, of the things that He saw the Father accomplish, and of what He saw in heaven. His communication therefore, had to be in the form of parables:

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”  He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’  But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matthew 13:10)

Parables are comparisons, analogies and descriptions of spiritual truth. However, they are communicated in earthly terms so that we can understand their spiritual reality, which we cannot perceive:

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?” And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’” (Luke 8:9-10)

Jesus "The Way, the Truth and the Life," Rises from the Dead

Jesus "The Way, the Truth and the Life," Rises from the Dead

The Purpose of Jesus’ Actions

It is only when we look at the purpose of Jesus’ actions that we begin to see God’s purpose for our own existence upon this earth. His actions reveal the heart of the Father to us, His children. Jesus’ purpose was to demonstrate the Fathers’ love. This being the case, everyone who earnestly seeks God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength will seek to demonstrate this love as well, and in doing so become like Jesus.

‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. (Mark 12:30 )

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The Prophesy of Christ is found in the Tabernacle

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, Ministry, Tabernacle — 1 Comment
October 14, 2009

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

The Prophesy of Christ is found in the Tabernacle

In our previous posting we laid out a plan that will help us to identify the nature of Jesus. The purpose of this is to get a better understanding of Jesus because we are called to do the works that He did, and even greater. The plan we presented identified one major task as being an adequate understanding of the proclamations that Jesus made about Himself. This then would be followed by presenting a case that God the Father supported these proclamations of Jesus with unmistakable miracles, and that they in fact, directly prove the truth of Jesus’ words.

Jesus "The Life," Raises Lazarus from the Grave

Jesus "The Life," Raises Lazarus from the Grave

Today we are going to extend this plan quite a bit as we plan to also present a considerable information pertaining to the Tabernacle of Moses. The reasons for this are present below, but for now let’s just say that the Tabernacle is prophetic of Jesus in every way.

Jesus, Moses Discuss the Fulfilment of Tabernacle Prophesy

Jesus, Moses Discuss the Fulfilment of Tabernacle Prophesy

By learning about it we will find that there are surprising revelations about the nature of Jesus. In addition, these revelations will help us in understanding the gospels about Jesus in more thoroughly. We will also gain a better understanding our own potential in Jesus.

From this point on we will present the reasons for our focus on the Tabernacle as a method for truly understanding Jesus.

To start with, God told Moses to build a Tabernacle so that He (God) could dwell on earth with men:

And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. (Exodus 25:8)

To this end, God provided Moses with the specifications for this Tabernacle:

According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. (Exodus 25:9)

In addition, every detail of this specification can be found in scripture. In examining the artifacts produced from these specifications we will find that the Tabernacle and all of its components are prophetic of Jesus, who also came to earth to dwell with us. In essence, the Tabernacle is a model or a blueprint of the Christ who would come in human form thousands of years later:

But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:11 – 12)

Jesus Sheds His Blood on the Cross

Jesus Sheds His Blood on the Cross

The scripture above is only a single reference to the correlation between the Tabernacle and Jesus. As we progress we will uncover that there is a direct correlation in every instance between them. We will find that the nature, attributes, functions and purpose of the Tabernacle precisely predicts the nature, attributes functions and purpose of Jesus the Christ.

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”


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Our Call is to be like Jesus

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle — 1 Comment
October 7, 2009

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

Our Call is to be like Jesus

In our last posting we introduced the following scripture:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (John 14:12)

Can you imagine doing greater things than Jesus? That would be a truly awesome thing to experience. Just think about doing things that are greater than walking on the water,

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. (Matthew 14:25)

Jesus Pulls Peter From the Water

Jesus Pulls Peter From the Water

feeding a multitude with a few fish and loaves,

So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way. Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?”  Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.”  So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala. (Matthew 15:32-39)

raising the dead,

And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”  Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”  Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”  Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”  And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” (John 11:37 – 44)

or rising from the dead Himself.

Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ (Luke 24: 3 – 7)

The Resurrection

The Resurrection

All the same, if we believe that He calls us to do what He did and more, then we must look to Him as our Teacher who will enable us to be perfectly trained to accomplish what He has promised. In the following example, we see that training has an impact on our ability to be like Jesus in this way:

And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:39-40)

One of the objectives of this work is to look at the life of Jesus as never before so that we can see the prefect model that the Father has sent to us. The next few passages further communicate God’s desire for us to become like Him. Now it is up to us to take action by moving toward this goal:

Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48)

I (Jesus) in them, and You (God)  in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (John 17:23)

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,…  (Hebrews 6:1)

Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime.

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THE BRIDE OF CHRIST REVEALED

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Jesus, New Jerusalem, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 1 Comment
September 22, 2009

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST REVEALED

The preparation of the bride and her work is the essence of the vision God reviled to me (see: Inside-the-Bride-of-Christ). At this point in time I believe that it would be good to present some additional information about who the bride is. The bride is the cumulative body of Christ, formed of the redeemed of the Lord:

But, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:15 – 16).

The body of Christ

The body of Christ

The bride is pure and holy. She is a gift to God, perfect in every way:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25 – 27).

Jesus spoke to His disciples about the bride in the following passage:

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:2 – 6).

In this passage Jesus states that He will come again and take His disciples into Himself. Therefore, the two become one and this is in essence the same as marriage. In addition, Jesus proclaims to be the Tabernacle in stating that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (see my previous post on this subject Jesus-is-the-Way-the-Truth-and-the-Life).

The Glory Cloud Covers the Tabernacle

The Glory Cloud Covers the Tabernacle

The Tabernacle is the place where God dwells with His people on earth. Jesus also talks about many mansions which are buildings that are often found in a city of many people. This presents the concept of the bride being a great city of people, even the holy Jerusalem, which is clarified in this scripture:

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me saying, ”Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God (Revelation 21:9 – 10).

the bride of christ

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Preparing the Bride of Christ for Jesus

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Covenant, Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Jesus the Tabernacle Courtyard, Ministry, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 4 Comments
September 20, 2009

Preparing the Bride of Christ for Jesus

We introduced the Bride of Christ in a previous post (The-Bride-of-Christ-Revealed) and now attempt to expand on this subject a bit. Our understanding of the bride is critical because Jesus is coming back for His bride and therefore, we should do all that we can to prepare for this event. To this end an understanding who the bride is and knowledge of how to prepare for the second coming of Jesus is of primary importance to those of us who are truly seeking Jesus.

The New Jerusalem - The Bride of Christ

The New Jerusalem - The Bride of Christ

We as Christians must all seek to be a part of the bride of Christ. Doing so means that we all become a part of something much bigger that ourselves. We become a part of the collective body of all the saints who followed and worshiped Jesus. By becoming a part of this body we become eligible to also become one in marriage to Jesus and to live forever in His care. This is the ultimate goal of regaining the garden and dwelling there with God in the cool of the day.

But are we ready? Are we even members of the bride? If so, are we ready for the marriage feast? Has the pathway for our Lords return been made straight? Is the bride of whom we are a member matured and ready for this most scared union with God?

On an individual basis we must examine our lives to determine if we have done the things that Jesus did when He walked the earth? Did we say the things that He did? Have we emulated His life in everything that we do? Have we achieved the individual purity and holiness required to being a part of the bride?

In doing these things the body of Christ (which is the bride in waiting) grows and matures. Jesus has sent us to prepare a way for His return. He has put us in charge of His ministry and He wants us to finish the work that He started. It is in the completion of this work that the bride is matured. Only when the bride has sufficiently matured will the bridegroom come for His bride.

Now let’s take a look at a scripture that foresees the coming of the bride and the bridegroom:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:2-5)

The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ in this passage. Firstly, she is adorned as a bride and is seen coming down from heaven. She therefore is the body of all the saints of Jesus. As Jerusalem is a city comprised of many people, so the New Jerusalem (the bride) is comprised of God’s saints.

The scripture above also communicates that the Bride is adorned for her husband and therefore she has prepared herself for the wedding feast. On an individual basis this adornment is initiated as we are cleansed in the Blood of our Lamb Jesus on the cross (Jesus-is-the-Way).  It is completed by the washing in the water of His word (Jesus-the-Brazen-Laver), which matures us as we seek to become like our Lord (Becoming-like-Jesus-the-Way). Finally, our adornment comes by being victorious in the spiritual warfare of Jesus (Jesus-is-the-Golden-Altar-of-Incense). In achieving this we enter a closer relationship with God where as we are empowered to know our mission and pathway, as we develop a familial relationship with the Father and as we bring down the evil strongholds of the devil with our prayers (The-Victory-of-Jesus-Empowers-Us). Once we have entered into this relationship of empowerment we can stand before the Lord adorned with the good works done in the name of Jesus His Son. It is at this time that we become ready to move on to the next level of relationship with God, a relationship of covenant (Jesus-is-the-Ark-of-the-New-Covenant). It is in the covenant relationship that the bride and the bridegroom can become one.

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