Author: Shirley Gohner

How wonderful and encouraging it is to know that our Heavenly Father has made it crystal clear in His Word exactly what His purpose is for each one of us. Now is the time, right in these next few moments to make sure, in the eternal Word, as to His purpose for our personal life.

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

The first Adam, the head of the human race, was made in the image and in the realm of personality, intellect, emotions, will, etc.; so that there could be communication, fellowship and cooperation between them. All this with the God of the universe and man being subject to His will. This is what I call perfect freedom. But we know that Adam was deceived into choosing his own way {Adamic nature} versus God’s way and God’s nature, relying upon himself only, loving just himself. 

As a result, he immediately became self-centered instead of God-centered; dead to God who is our source of all life, dead in trespasses and sin. In this condition Adam begat a son. Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: Thus he brought forth a sinful, ungodly, self-centered race. Ephesians 2:1 And you has he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;  

Here is the image of God back to earth this time in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ-God’s last Adam 1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. Our natural birth made us members of the fallen, sinful first Adam race.  Our transition from the old sinful race to the new Godly race is known as the “new birth”. When we were born or created anew through repentance toward God. Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. Romans 11: 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?  Romans 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Our Heavenly Father is still carrying out His purpose for mankind making them in His image. Although His original purpose is the same, He is not using the original man to bring it about. All is now centered in the Last Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ. Being born into Him through faith, we became partakers of the divine nature, notice 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And as the Lord Jesus is allowed to express Himself through our personality, this poor sick-sin filled world will see Christ in us. Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:  

Paul gives us the heartening promise; 1 Corinthians 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Romans 8:.28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Here is the good for which all things come together–His original purpose of making us in his image, which is centered and expressed in His Son Christ, who is our life. Paul’s determination for each of his converts was. Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you  

The open secret of healthy spiritual growth is to know and settle upon the fact as set forth in Romans 8:28-29.  When we see that all things are working together to make us more and more like the Lord Jesus, we will not be frustrated and upset when some of these things are hard, or difficult to understand, and often contain an element of death. THE OLD MAN MUST DIE! We will be able to rest in our Lord Jesus and say to our Father, “Thy will be done.”  Then our contrasting attitude of faith will be. Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. This is our process to spiritual maturity.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

It is one thing to know what God’s purpose is for our lives, yet it is another to know something of the “how” as to entering into all, right here and now. One of God’s most effective means in this process is that of failure. So many believers are simply frantic over the fact of failure in their lives that they will go to great lengths trying to hide it, or to rationalize about it. This they will do without realizing all the time they are resisting the main instrument in the Father’s hand for conforming us to the image of His Son.

Failure where self is concerned in our Christian life and service is allowed and often engineered by God in order to turn us completely from ourselves unto His source–Christ Jesus–who never fails. He is to be our life.

Remember at the beginning of this article we quoted Genesis 1:26. We focus on the physical so much I think we miss out on the ultimate likeness that we are being formed in the Spiritual realm and Image of the God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Your brother in Christ,

Ron

When we first start our hungry and zealous search for Him, it is often imagined that extensive progress has been made, when as yet we have barely scratched the surface. As our Lord takes us along our journey over the years, it slowly dawns on us that there are vast, almost infinite, areas of development through which He must still guide us through.

Through our journey there are many times we feel as though we are in drought with no spiritual activity. Bible-study is stale and prayer is almost nonexistent. It is times like this that we think that God has not fulfilled His part, and we wonder if we should even carry on. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Many have a problem with not being answered by God. Are we to only love and trust and respond to Him when it seems to be blessing us?  What kind of love is that? Self-love. Our Father strips everything away from us from time to time in order for the opportunity of loving and trusting and responding to Him just because He is our Father, I can share this has happened to me on my journey with Him, and I’m sure many have had this same thing happen to them also. He knows what the Cross is going to mean in our lives; He knows the road of death that lies ahead of each one of us in order that there may be resurrection life; He knows the barren, bleeding hearts to whom He must minister to through us. 

He is going to bring us to a place where we don’t care what happens to us; Did anybody watch the Charlie Kirk memorial? This man was totally devoted to the work of God and family. What an example of a Godly husband and Christian man. I’m not saying he had all the truth, I am almost embarrassed when you look at how many people he reached and was able to share his faith with. Yes, he had a much larger platform than we do, but what are we doing with what God has given to us? God was all that mattered! Are we there yet? Look at the masses he reached and look at what the Churches of God outlook is doing, there is a disconnect from the message the Church is sending out. I could do one article just on this subject. This is the discipline to which He is guiding us that Christ be number one and family a close second. The harder He is able to be with us, the stronger in Christ we will become. If God can find enough steel in us to get a grip on, He can pull us through anything, if we would only yield to Him.

Sonship is something more than being a new creature. It represents growth into fullness. It is quite a good thing to be a babe while babyhood lasts, but it is a bad thing to be a babe when that period is past. This is the condition of many Christians. The New Testament has a lot to say about growing up and leaving childhood and obtaining unto a mature Christian.

When first called we are mainly concerned with the externals of our Christian life, and the Lord guides us through this time of growth.  Then in order to get us out of the externals of our walk, so that Jesus can be our All, our Father begins to take away much of what we thought we had. Here begins the long Cross-centered transition from {do to be}. Spend some time and meditate on that.

With our growth comes the greatest fullness of Christ. Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Again, his last day on earth, his last college tent meeting Charlie Kirk’s first response to a question he shared his Lord and Savior with several thousand people not knowing he was minutes from death. He always had a zeal for Christ; it is what drove him. He was always learning, a powerful example for us are we continuing to search out our Lord and Savior? We can’t let complacency dull our zeal for Christ. This is simply a weapon of the enemy. The spiritual life follows closely that course of the natural life, infancy, childhood, youth to manhood, maturity.  It is, however, necessary to note that the word of God makes it very evident that the new man will supersede the babe in Christ. Full growth governs all in the mind and will and heart and finished work of God. All the Lord’s dealing with us in discipline and ordering are governed by the mature Christian-to increase the measure of Christ in us.

He intends that we should reach the fullness of a mature Christian, where we can speak, with or without manifest gifts, because we are the thing we say we are. This is the work in us Philippians 2:13 For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  For the Christian experience, the spiritual things of God are less and less on the outside, and more and more in the inward being our heart and mind. In the long run it is the depth and inwardness of a work that matters.  

As the Lord Himself becomes more and more real to us, our impact on others is very different, manifesting itself in an increasing depth of the spirit’s work within them also.

Thus, we all continue, that we know He continues to work with us through His Spirit. If our hearts are really true to Him, we may be more assured He will lead us on in the knowledge of Himself just as fast as we are able to advance. He knows how much we can take in, and He does not fail to minister to us the very food that is suitable to our present need. We may sometimes feel inclined to be impatient with ourselves because we do not make rapid progress, but we have to learn to trust the Lord with our Spiritual education.  

If our eyes are upon Him, and we follow with simple hearts as He leads us, we shall find that He leads us by the right way and brings us through all the exercises we need, in order to form our hearts and minds in His image and of all those blessing blessed things which are brought to pass in Him.  

We have to trust His love all through, and to learn increasingly to distrust ourselves.  Paul writes to us, as he did to Timothy; 2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore endure hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

We rejoice with you as you continue in Him. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.

Your brother in Christ,

Ron

Jesus left us some wonderful lessons about what happened around Him as He hung on the Cross. We should look deeper into what happened at the time of these events. 

Even the disciples had fled and forsook Jesus. They thought it was over. He was arrested, taken into Roman custody and evenly crucified. 

These were men who were Jesus for over three years, and Jesus had told them many times that He would be crucified and raised on the third day. 

In Luke 23:40. But the other one answered and rebuked him, saying, “Do not even you fear God, you who are under the same condemnation? 41. And we indeed justly, for we are receiving due payment for what we did; but this Man did nothing wrong.” 42. Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me, Lord, when You come into Your kingdom. (A Faithful Version) 

We see the thief on the Cross asking Jesus to remember him when He comes to His Kingdom.  Here was a man who was not even taught by Christ, but he understood what the disciples had failed to understand, was that Jesus would be resurrected!  Where did he get all this insight from? 

Jesus said in John 6:44. No one can come to Me unless the Father, Who sent Me, draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day (A Faithful Version) God answered the prayers of Jesus and drew this man and opened his mind to WHO was crucified next to him. 

Remember, at the first both thieves were ridiculing Jesus Matthew 27:44. And the two robbers who were crucified with Him also reproached Him with the same words. (A Faithful Version) But as Jesus prayed for them one of the thieves came to repentance. 

This must have been a humbling experience for the disciples when they thought about it afterwords. They had been taught by Jesus and was around Him for over three years and yet they had failed to get the message. Here were men who had run like cowards when things got tough. I think we should let this be a lesson for us as we see world events unraveling around us. 

But God would use this, they had to learn of the Adamic nature that they were born with, as Paul relates to us in Romans 7:14-24. After they had reached failure of the greatest kind, then 40 days later men who acted like cowards would go forth to astound the world because the power of the One who was crucified would be dwelling within them to produce many amazing feats. 

God would work it all out for the good. Before that they would not have had the humility to do the work with. But when they found out they were not the men they thought they were, then they were ready to be used by the Master. 

The thief on the Cross was allowed to see that Jesus would be resurrected before the disciples were allowed to see this. God always works to create humility in His servants. And this matter would be no different. 

Luke 23:43. And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you today, you shall be with Me in paradise”. (A Faithful Version) Christ reassured this man that he would be with Him in paradise. 

I feel A lot more was spoken to these two men that what was recorded here in Scripture for us. Can we imagine God giving you revelation that the One crucified next to you is going to be resurrected? Although it was recorded that he asked Jesus to remember him when He was resurrected, there’s no telling how much conversation went on before that. Remember, this man was brought to repentance while on the Cross.  There’s no telling how much Jesus shared with this man to bring him to repentance. One day we will know. But what’s most important is recorded for us, and it’s an important lesson for all of us. 

It was the One who was crucified with Jesus who received revelation of who He was. Is there a lesson for us here? 

There are some vital lessons in this for us. Many of us have debated and fought over doctrine but have failed to examine our lives before God. I can hear Paul saying to all of us when brethren bragging over different doctrines. 1 Corinthians 2:2. For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (A Faithful Version) 

That’s what I have been trying to share in this article brethren. Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The Churches in Revelation 3:14-20 through they were full and in need of nothing.  Five of the seven churches in these messages were told to repent or face serious consequences. I have been in this Laodicean attitude myself through my own calling, and the only way I ever came out of it was by repentance.  And I pray and hope not to slip into this dangerous attitude again. 

Although these attitudes are rampant in the Churches of God today. I know that most of the readers of this article won’t think it applies to them, because human nature is so deceptive that many will not give heed to these spiritual warnings. And it can cost them their spiritual lives before it is over with. We think we are good people and fail to see the danger of our state of being. 

In Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me (A Faithful Version) But we have to open the door {and seek Him out}. He has never and will never force the door open if a person is unwilling to receive Him. 

While many bicker over doctrine and what Church leader to follow-you do it differently brethren. Ask God to pull you into His bosom so that you can have an everlasting intimate growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Revelation 2:7. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes I will give the right to eat of the tree of life that is in the midst of the paradise of God. (A Faithful Version) 

Praise be to the One who bled and died for us. 

Your brother in Christ, 

 Ron 

I’m sure everybody would have a story or two they could talk about their favorite teacher, or a teacher that they did not care for. I went to a Catholic school, and I can tell you all the rumors or stories you heard about nuns are true.   

Success in teaching is respecting the students. We are called to be teachers of God’s Word. Do we respect the students God has given us?  As a teacher of God’s Word, we must learn just as the students. 

If the students are to learn properly, they must respect the teacher. Through my years in school, I respected most of my teachers.  The ones you respected were the classes you learned the most from. Students and teachers can thrive under the proper conditions. 

All of the above attitudes must be in place in the Christian setting if God is going to bless the meetings as needed.  God placed the Body together as He sees fit. I Corinthians 12:23. And those members that we regard as less honorable to the body, upon these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty. 24. But our more presentable parts do not have this need. Rather, God has tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to those members that are deficient, 25. So that there might not be any division in the body, but that the members might have the same concern for one another (A Faithful Version) And gives His gifts to whom He will Ephesians 4:11. And He gave some as apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; 13. Until we all come into 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; (A Faithful Version) 

But what if one of the students begins to surpass the teacher? This has happened before. If the teacher has true humility, they will direct the people to listen to the student. They will see that the Holy Spirit of God is working in the student to help the group.   

But this kind of humanity is rare indeed. In a situation like this, much {not all} of the time what happens is we find jealousy in the teacher. Human nature wants to bask in the glow of being up front. And human nature will not take a back seat if they think they are losing the limelight. And the peers of the student will usually be jealous also. Yet, for proper learning humility must be in place. All we must do is look at human nature and it will be no mystery to you why there is so much chaos in the Churches. 

For a teacher to act this way he brings disrespect to the student and may we add to God. And his ministry will surely suffer. God cannot work with this kind of pride. James 4:6. But He gives greater grace. This is the reason it says, “God sets Himself against the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.” (A Faithful Version) So here we see a lack of respect coming from a lack of humility.  No matter how talented that a teacher is, God will have to resist their ministry because of pride. 

But one who sees reality will want to respect the increase they see on one of their students. The right attitude {one of humility} will praise God when they see the increase of Jesus Christ in one of their fellow brothers or sisters. And they will surely be blessed for doing so. 

When and if this mutual respect is learned it will make for harmony in the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:25. So that there might not be any division in the body, but that the members might have the same concern for one another. (A Faithful Version) We then see the reality that it is God who puts the Body together as He sees fit. And if the teacher cannot accept that God is moving in one of the students and the student is surpassing them, then they will surely suffer loss. And not only will it affect the growth of the teacher, but it will affect the other students who are under the care of that teacher. 

Those in teacher positions have to be careful, because they can easily defile God’s temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16. Don’t you understand that you are God’s temple, and that the Spirit of God is dwelling in you? 17. If anyone defiles the temple of God, God shall destroy him because the temple of God is holy, which temple you are (A Faithful Version) 

The lack of humility is one of the greatest problems in the ministry today.  Paul did not walk in this pride; he saw the danger. This is why he walked in fear AND TREMBLING. 1 Corinthians 2:3. And I was in weakness and in fear and in much trembling when I was with you; (A Faithful Version) 

The following Scriptures show the danger of anyone ministering in God’s temple and not doing it the right way. Jeremiah 23:1-2, 1 Corinthians 3:17, Ezekiel 34, James 3:1. Those Scriptures should make anyone tremble who is in a teacher’s position; but it seemed few ever saw the seriousness of these Scriptural warnings. 

Too many trust in their natural talents and abilities. The very thing they think qualifies them to minister in God’s temple is the very thing that has become a hinderance to their ministry, because they depend on self and don’t see the need for the Holy Spirit. 

If the one teaching is not under the discipline of the Holy Spirit, then they will surely bring problems to themselves and the group.  Sooner or later serious problems will develop, and mostly sooner. 

As we begin to bring this to a close. To all those in teachers’ positions, may we give heed to these Scriptures. If we will seek God as we should in prayer and learn the humility necessary for growth not only individually but as a group. Then we will be in a safe position that Paul told Timothy, in 1 Timothy 4: 16. Be diligent with yourself and with the doctrines; continue in them. For in doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you. (A Faithful Version) 

Your brother in Christ, 

Ron

What is more important than all the physical healing around today—is that which heals the spirit in man. This is what Jesus meant when He said in John 14:12 Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me shall also do the works that I do; and greater works than these shall he do because I am going to the Father. 13. And whatever you shall ask in My name, this will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (A Faithful Version) 

All that Jesus did, all the miracles of healing and water turned into wine etc; this was all in the physical or sense realm. But now He is inside of us to heal the spirits of men. Through the ministry we are given we bring spiritual healing to people. We are given the ministry of reconciliation 2 Corinthians 5:18. And all things are from God, Who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (A Faithful Version) 

So many of us look to physical, I am guilty of this also. Great crowds gather around ministers who claim that God is doing a powerful work in their church and through them. {I am not trying to say that some people aren’t healed at some of these meetings because some may be healed.}  But people don’t realize how much they are drawn to the physical. This has nothing to do with spiritual healing. Many of those people who are healed physically can go on losing their salvation.   

But the healing of the spirit can better lead to having that person be brought to eternity if they stay with that healing. I am going to ask a hard question here—When you go to church do you go to a physical church, or do you go to church to meet Christ? There is a big difference. 

When I see those healing campaigns as people flock to these ministers for healing—it reminds me of  when Christ said you seek Me because of bread John 6: 26. Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly I say to you, you do not seek Me because you saw the miracles, but because you ate the bread and were satisfied.  He went on to tell them in verse 27. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give to you; for Him has God the Father sealed.” (A Faithful Version)   

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not suggesting that it is wrong for people to seek physical healing. Christ did not rebuke people for seeking such. And many will be healed as they come to God for this healing; and He may want you to seek physical healing. But I’m trying to share the vast difference between physical and spiritual healing, few people see this difference. One can take place {physical} and may not have anything to do with the other {spiritual healing}. 

It is difficult for us to sometimes understand the difference between the two. Having physical thorns in our lives can be used by God to understand the lesson of Paul’s thorns in 2 Corinthians 12: 7. But in order that I might not be exalted by the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me, so that I might not be exalted. 8. I besought the Lord three times for this, that it might depart from me; 9. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you; for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly will I boast in my weaknesses that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10. For this reason, I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (A Faithful Version) Here we see Paul asking three times to be healing of his physical affliction, but God told him that He was using this affliction for Paul’s growth pattern. Although Paul’s physical torment continued—so did his spiritual healing continued. So it can also give us spiritual healing through the physical torments we endure daily. Many may have to endure physical torment so that their spiritual healing can continue. 

If we take a closer look at Paul’s example, we will see that God allowed Paul to have this physical affliction because He was concerned that Paul would get proud. Therefore, the physical affliction led to 5: spiritual healing! Once Paul understood that God was using it in this manner then he said I would rather glory in my infirmities. He came to the place that he stopped asking for healing because he saw that God knew what was best for him. 

Paul grew to the point where he learned to glory in his weaknesses. Have we? Many of us pray to be made stronger, but we fail to see that we are praying to be made stronger in ourselves. This is not the way to victory in Christ. This lesson of Paul’s thorn is that he came to see that it was through weakness that Christ’ power was able to rest upon him more fully! But how many people do we see praying for weakness? It works the opposite that most of us have thought! 

We fail in that we pray to be made stronger in ourselves and God will not give power to the old Adam. His answer to the problem is not to make us stronger, but to take self out of the scene of action by holding it in place of death on the cross—Galatians 6:14, 2 Corinthians 4:10, Romans 6:1-6; TO CRUCIFY THE {OLD MAN-Adamic nature} Then we can be brought to the glorious victory of the resurrected life in Christ {New man-Christ Jesus}.  

God may not heal a person; just like He didn’t with Paul. Timothy wasn’t healed of some of his physical afflictions either—1 Timothy 5:23. No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities. (A Faithful Version) Here were two servants who never received physical healing by God. We can drift into a mind set and think God isn’t blessing us if we are not healed of some physical affliction in our lives. But if we aren’t it may be for a reason that only God knows and not because they don’t have the faith.   

Over the years I have seen some brethren judge others who were not being healed.  As if they were more righteous than these brethren because they weren’t suffering these afflictions. Brethren, let us not drift into this type of mind set.  Remember brethren, we are not the final judge, have mercy and compassion for our fellow brethren. 

One of the mistakes of the Laodicean Church Revelation 3: 17. For you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’; and you do not understand that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. (A Faithful Version) They thought they were being blessed because they were increased and filled with goods that they were being blessed spiritually.  Look around us brethren, we all have so much stuff—dose this mean that God is blessing us spiritually? 

We can’t fall into this trap that we can’t see the difference physical and spiritual; many fall into the trap because they have many physical blessings that everything was alright spiritually. 

Think about these matters, brethren. Think on these Scriptures in this article how God will use physical torment to bring us to spiritual heights.  

Let us seek God diligently that we may look to the {new man-Christ Jesus} and move from the physical to the spiritual healing and see the glory of God working within our lives. 

Your brother in Christ, 

 Ron 

 I hope the title didn’t have anyone thinking I am so well versed in the Law this article is for someone else. I would encourage you to spend a few minutes and read through it and see if there is anything new for you to contemplate on. I will share with you that I learned something new myself in my research. I shared that I have been talking with two guys I work with who give messages at a Sunday keeping church and I shared this with them and thought it was worthy of sharing with everyone who reads it. What is the main conscience of most ministers and so-called theologians? Most believe the law of God is done away with. But is that true? What does God’s Living Word share with us on His law?  

First, let it be known that no one can obtain salvation by keeping the “Law.”  {Unless they do so perfectly}.  Nevertheless, the conclusion is that God’s “Law” or Torah has not been abolished. The Messiah plainly says so.  

What should the duty of mankind be?

Ecclesiastes 12:.13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Let’s start in Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  What is so hard about the passage?  Seems pretty straight forward as to what it says. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 

Luke 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; From Genesis a thread runs all the way through Scripture to the book of Revelation and it says the same thing, or the Word of God is no better than any other religious book out there.  

This may sound a little sarcastic, but do not take it that way; Next time you walk outside, look down and you’ll see the earth, and then look up, you’ll see the heavens. Does this say anything to anyone? This is just one way you can know that God’s “Law” is still in effect.  As the above Scriptures tell us this.

In the New Testament Strongs #3551 for Law is nomos, and the Hebrew Word Torah in the Old Testament Is Strong’s #8451, Torah is derived from the Hebrew root word yarah, which means “properly to flow as water {that is, to rain} to lay or throw {especially an arrow, that is, to shoot} to point out, to teach,archer,cast, direct, inform, instruct, lay, shew, shoot, teach”  Strong’s Hebrew # 3384.

We even in the church limit the Torah to just {LAW}, but it also means teaching or instructions. It is God’s instruction for how He wants His people to live and has little to do with the western view of secular law.

 I want to focus on the root word of Torah strong’s #3384 yarah. Notice the part of the definition that states, “to flow as water. Have you ever looked at God’s law as pertaining to flowing water? Are we damned or backed up and have become stale from lack of activity? We as brothers and sisters in Christ are commanded to come to the fountain of living waters, and the waters should be active within us showing a sinful world living in darkness the light of Christ.

Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

Here we see God is called “the spring of living water.”

Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  We all have to ask ourselves do we have rivers of living water flowing from us? 39 (But this spoke of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.

In both of these verses, the word water was translated from the Greek word hundatos meaning “water {as if rainy} literally or figuratively.”  Do you remember Torah is derived from the Hebrew root word Yarah, which means; Properly to flow as water {that is, to rain}.

Proverbs 13:14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

With the concepts of the Messiah being God’s way, truth, life, Word and washing us with the water that will make us never thirst, it would appear that the Messiah is the Torah.

The Father does not want us to superficially obey His commandments, but He wants us to embrace them into our hearts and minds.  He wants us to obey out of love and respect, just as a child who obeys his/her parents for the same reason.

As we close this article, the culmination of the fountain of life is in the following Scriptures. Don’t take this water for granted, if your walk with Christ is filling sluggish and unfulfilled, go to Him and ask for that LIVING WATER to cleanse you and bring the river of life flowing from within you again.

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

It is my hope that this short article on the law of God will not diminish the work of the Messiah in anyone’s eyes but rather will ultimately lead to a more fulfilling relationship with the one true God.  

Brethren, stay thirsty for that pure water proceeding out from the throne of God. Don’t become stale and unusable with contaminated water.

Your brother in Christ,

Ron

Does God send His Spirit to anyone?  Let’s go back and look at an early lesson from Scripture that is still relevant for us today.

Genesis 8:7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth .8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; 9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.  10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; 11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.  Did human nature change after the evil world was destroyed by the flood?  A pretty simple answer, look around you, we are heading down the same path as the world was in the times of Noah. 20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had to be offered on the cross or altar for a world that loves corruption.  

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other:  The raven and the dove are warring within our hearts and minds-so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  Has the flesh {raven} been crucified in our lives?  The door has been opened and the {dove} is waiting to land on the new creation.

The dove returned to the ark with an olive branch. It is an image of peace and restoration. The dove has a few interesting qualities. Doves are often associated with purity and innocence, making them a fitting symbol for the Holy Spirit,  Who is considered holy and pure, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The raven, a symbol of the unclean, when it did not come back was it feeding on dead and decaying flesh?  When Noah released the dove from the ark, it could not land upon the old creation and returned to the ark until it returned with an olive leaf.  Noah knew it was time to go forth from the ark and build an altar and give thanks to God.  Is there a spiritual lesson in this teaching for us today?  

The dove is symbolic of life.  The dove {Holy Spirit} feeds us through the truth of God’s Word.     This carnal world of Satan reflects the raven, which ate upon the dead bodies floating on the waters.  People are satisfied with what this fallen world has to offer.  The raven has the mindset of the world it feeds on death.  The world is spiritually feeding on the teaching of dead religions.  We should be like the dove–we live for the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  We all must ask ourselves, are we living the nature of the old world {man/woman} raven, or the new life of the new world {new man/woman} in Christ?

Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The lesson from the ark, we must put off that old man/woman.  That dead nature of the raven must be put to death.  So the dove {Holy Spirit} may land on its new creation and bring life.

Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.  The “new spirit” is our spirit and the “my spirit” is the Holy Spirit.  Were there no new spirit in us there would be no Holy Spirit within us.  We would be like the raven feasting on this dead and decaying world.  To have His Spirit we must have a new spirit united with our spirit.

Do we have peace?  Is the new spirit dwelling within us?  John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  This peace can only become a reality when the dove {Holy Spirit} descends upon us. 

Remember the only thing that would satisfy the dove is something from the new creation.  She found an olive leaf.  Noah knew, the new creation was ready to go out into it.  When God sees the dove {Holy Spirit} sitting on the new creation, He knowsHis end time temple is ready for habitation.  

Look at those around us, the world feeds their minds and hearts on the dead rotten garbage of Satan’s  world, this is what fills their hearts and minds.  Just like the world at the time of Noah, this world is under God’s judgement, the door is open to all. Will they come to the open door?  Will those we come in contact with listen to the end time preachers of righteousness?  

The dove could not feed itself on the dead and decaying like the raven did.  The dove had to continue to return to the ark until it found evidence of a new creation.  We have to continue and return day after day after day to the Word of God till we find Spiritual food and the green olive branch.  

Dove had an olive leaf in her mouth, we are to have the nature of the DOVE. We are to have the Word of God in our mouths.  The RAVEN is an unclean bird that feeds on dead and decaying flesh.  The dove is a clean bird symbolic of the Holy Spirit.  We are to have the nature of the dove that finds no rest in a corrupt world.

If the last days are going to be like the times of Noah, is there a last day of safety that believers need to enter into now–even today. We enter into a place of safety that is far greater and more long-lasting than the safety of Noah’s ark.  Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Outside of Noah’s ark, terror and sin reigned.  As we look outside of God’s ark today, we see the same thing going on today, terror and sin reigns throughout the world. Just as in the days of Noah, the door of the ark stood open for a season, inviting whomever to come into the ark of safety.  2 Peter 2: 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;  Today God’s church is also preaching the righteousness of His Word just as Noah did.  Are those around us listening to the message that the dove {Holy Spirit} has put within our hearts and minds?

The open door possibly made people feel there was plenty of time to accept the offer, because it was always open.  It is no different today; many are not making their calling sure Matthew 25:1-11, and the world looks at it as tomorrow is going to be the same as today. The world is ever more comfortable living in sin and rebellion against God’s truth.

Brethren, we have to make our calling sure.  Don’t get put to sleep spiritually in this Godless society.  Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, {condemning God’s Word}  turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, [means a license to sin} and denying  { not to accept, to reject, to refuse something offered}   {what has mankind rejected and refused and offered?  The Word of God for the traditions of men} the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.   Walk through the door while it is open.

Your brother in Christ,

Ron

Our first valid faith we exercised toward God was by means of reckoning {to acknowledge that something is true on the basis of established facts}. We looked upon Christ Jesus as our personal Savior and therefore saved {delivered}. Nowhere is this principle more explicit than in Colossians chapter three. Let’s see if we can tie Romans chapters 6,7,8 together with Colossians chapter three in its fullness.

Colossians 3:1 KJV – If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 

“If since then you were raised together with Christ.”  Paul shares this same truth in Ephesians 2:6.  

Reckoning ourselves alive in God in Christ amounts to our taking our position in Him. Since the heavenly sphere is now our true position, it follows that we are to seek there the things of Christ–spiritual realities. Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

1 Peter 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. Our Father yearns for intimacy and fellowship with His Church.

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  Our mind is set upon the One in whom we live, not upon self and this world unto which we have died.  

The Holy Spirit ministers life exclusively from the true heavenly Source, Christ. It is the Spirit of the Father given by Christ. We must reckon upon our having died unto sin at Calvary, the old earthy source {our Adamic nature} within will continue to produce its life of carnality.  We must take our minds off the things of this world. When we set our minds upon Christ and abide in Him as our risen life, we become increasingly conformed to His image. Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

“For you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”  Paul compresses the entire finished work of Romans Six, the whole truth of our identification with Christ.

Paul is dealing mainly with our relationship to the world and things earthly. Our having died on Calvary not only separated us from the reign of sin and self, but also from the deadly influence of this present world. “By means of the Cross”  Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

“FOR YOU DIED” The only way we can escape the influence of the earthly sphere, the very element in which the self-life thrives, is to count upon our having died unto it. The death that we passed through now stands between us and the world.

Colossians 3:3 For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Our life is anchored in, and maintained by, our risen Lord Jesus. The reason so many Christians are not living for their heavenly position in the Savior is that they are not established in the truth of their freedom from the influence of the world.

When we learn to fix our mind upon Christ and rest in Him in the heavens, we will not be oppressed by self, circumstances, and situations here on earth! Our spiritual position is not down here, praying and pleading for help from Him at the throne of God, just the opposite! We do not go to Him for help, but we rest in Him as the all-sufficient One. We do not bring Him down to our level for our use; We abide in Him at His level for His use.

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  Christ is our Christian life, therefore, as we grow spiritually, we become more like Him.  

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: :21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.   

Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; When was this accomplished? At Calvary! It is there we were separated from the old man by our death in Christ. 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  The new man was put on when we were re-created in the Lord Jesus. This new nature is the very life of the One who is the express image of God.  Therefore, our growth in the knowledge of Him results in the manifestation of His life.

The old man, we seek to suppress self or crucify the old nature. The new man, we plead with God to change us for the better, and we try to be more Christ-like. But in all, we never seem to emerge from Romans Seven–total defeat.

Finally, we learn to meet the problem indirectly, by reckoning. We see in the Word that the old man has been effectively “put off” at the Cross; and we also see that the new man has been “put on” through our resurrection in Christ. Instead of being taken up with the problem, we now set our mind and heart on God’s answer: The crucifying Cross and the Risen Christ.

Your brother in Christ,

Ron