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The Nature of man hungers for many things. Status, being the big man/woman on campus, fame and fortune, drugs, sex, alcohol, just to name a few. Before our conversion our minds may have been in some of these mind frames.    

God has to bring us out of ourselves so we can see Him. Instead of hungering for the flesh we are to hunger for the Spiritual things of God. Romans 8:7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God; neither indeed can it be. (A Faithful Version) 

G2189 enmity 

Original: ἔχθρα 

Transliteration: echthra 

Phonetic: ekh’-thrah 

Thayer Definition: 

1. enmity
2. cause of enmity 

Origin: from G2190 

TDNT entry: 15:35,3 

Part(s) of speech: Noun Feminine  

Strong’s Definition: Feminine of G2190; hostility; by implication a reason for opposition: – enmity, hatred, against the law of God. 

Total KJV (A Faithful Version) 

Psalm 42:1. As the hart pants after the water brooks, so my soul pants after You, O God. 2. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God? (A Faithful Version) 

This hunger must be created in us before we can feed upon the Lord Jesus Christ.  And this hunger will not come about until we come to see our need for God. 

Many feel they are sufficient in themselves. They may have been in the Church for years and feel they have it all together, when in fact, they may have drifted into complacency and don’t even realize it. The longer we are at it the more chance there is of becoming complacent if we are not careful. 

We can easily get out of focus in how much we need God. If we look at the example in Romans 7:9. For the good that I desire to do, I am not doing; but the evil that I do not desire to do, this I am doing. (A Faithful Version) This is the same battle we are still fighting today brethren. God had to keep showing Paul his need for God, by showing him the danger of his Adamic nature, Romans 7:24. O what a wretched man I am! Who shall save me from the body of this death? 25. I thank God for His salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this, on the one hand, I myself serve the law of God with my mind; but on the other hand, with the flesh, I serve the law of sin. (A Faithful Version) 

But we can easily drift into pride and feel sufficient in our own abilities. This is why God leaves us this example 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) 

Matthew 5:6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled (A Faithful Version) 

Those who hunger and thirst will seek God as they should. But the complacent Christians will not. 

Jesus left us a good example in Hebrews 5:7. Who, in the days of His flesh, offered up both prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him Who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because He feared God. 8. Although He was a Son, yet He learned obedience from the things that He suffered; (A Faithful Version) If Jesus had to cry out in tears in His prayers, what makes us think we can get by with anything less? 

Spiritual hunger is created in us only when we see our need. But we can often see a problem when people try to pressure others into following God; they are pressured into being saved, before they are aware they are lost. This only brings about chaos in their lives. 

Once we see what complete failure we are in spiritual matters-brethren we must come to this state—then it is God who can use us as needed. 

It was not when the apostles proclaimed their loyalty to Jesus Christ and told Him they would not forsake Him that they were ready to be used properly. But after they forsook Him and fled to the hills—then they were ready to be used by the Master. They had to come to see their need; that they weren’t the men they thought they were. An important lesson for us today-ARE WE THE CHRISTIANS WE THINK WE ARE? 

You really have to think about what they went through with all of that. Try to put yourselves in their shoes for a moment. Here was a man that you were with for over three years; you went everywhere together and were close friends. Then on the night the police arrest Him, you not only forsake Him; but you don’t even go back to claim the body after they kill Him. Not like leaving the body in a morgue somewhere, but on the cross for the birds and other creatures to devour.  

 Mark 13:12. Then shall brother betray brother to death, and the father the child. And children shall rise up against their parents and shall put them to death. 13. And you shall be hated by all men for My name’s sake; but the one who endures to the end, that one shall be saved (A Faithful Version)

Brethren there is coming a time in front of us, where our faith is going to be tested as never before, will we turn and run from our brothers and sisters in Christ? 

That had to tear them apart when they thought about it afterwards; even though they knew they were forgiven, that had to be difficult. But God would use this to show them what failures they were in themselves. And after fifty days when Pentecost had arrived, men who acted like cowards, would go on to astound the world with courage, because then, the One who bled and died for them would produce in them. It was after they came to see their need for God that the Master could use them as needed, before that there was too much confidence in themselves. 

God must take us through a similar process if we are going to properly serve Him. After enough training God makes us aware of the vast difference between Christ and self. This is part of the preparation that God uses to create in us a hunger to have Christ produce in us, to become more Christ-like. And this usually takes many years before we go through the necessary training. 

We often wonder after we apply ourselves—why is it that we still don’t have the victory we were looking for. One may increase their prayer life and Bible study, then wonder why they don’t have deliverance from their problems. Certainty we need to be diligent in our Bible study and prayer—this must be in place. But we often fail to understand the lengthy process that God has taken us through. It is not our zeal that will get the job done; but after we have been through enough training and GOD’S PREPARATION—then we will be ready to be used by the Lord and become vessels of His mercy. 

Hebrews 10:36. For you need to have endurance, so that, after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise (A Faithful Version) 

Your brother in Christ,

Ron

God’s plan for us is to get our foundation down first so that we can be taken through the proper growth process. Our Spiritual growth is no different than a plan to build a building, first you lay the foundation, then you go up with the rest of the building.

That foundation is Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

As we grow, we develop all kinds of imbalance with our growth process. But if God can get our foundation down where we rely on Him and not ourselves–then He can go up with a spiritual temple. But not until then because we won’t be building upon the Rock.

This is the vital lesson God is trying to instill and teach all believers–to break reliance upon ourselves and learn to rely upon Him.

God must take us through a process to learn that we cannot do the works of God with the flesh. Once we have learned this vital lesson then God can begin to teach us to look to Him as we should. This process usually takes years as we develop. Years of frustration and failure, until we come to see the vast difference between Christ and our Adamic nature.  

Once we see that we cannot produce, then it is then that God can teach us to learn dependence on Him. But till then we will always think that there is something good in us.  

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

There are many kinds of imbalance that have come along to hinder us from getting our foundation down this way. Many of the Church organizations have taught us a form of religion that did not help us get grounded in God, but we only had religion. What imbalance do you have in your life? Is it family, job, exercise, sleep, entertainment, diet? Did I leave anything out? Well, yes, I did.  

The question that must be asked here is—WHERE DOES GOD FIT INTO OUR BUSY SCHEDULE? Does He just figure into an hour slot on Sabbath, when we gather for songs and a message? IS THAT ALL GOD DESERVES? We should come to understand that God does not deserve our leftovers. We must have the proper balance in our lives–that gives God reign over us as He becomes the balance that we seek.

There have been ministers in the Body of Christ that didn’t have their foundation down in Jesus Christ and have failed to lead the brethren to Christ, but the brethren look to them for their foundation. Pride has taken its toll because many are confident in their own abilities.  

No matter how talented and eloquent a speaker or teacher may be, he will have to be laid aside by God because God cannot work with proud hearts. How many times have we seen this happen?  

It will be a lifelong process of many mistakes and failures. And it is through this process that God tries to teach us the vast difference between the two realms.  This is the process where we come to learn to rely on the source, and not self.

One of the problems is we think we are good people. We must be taken through the process that Paul had to come to learn – Romans 7:14-24, where he came to see that nothing good was dwelling in him. Here Paul says even 20 years after his baptism, he kept doing the evil that he didn’t want to do. Even the good we do, no matter how good in appearance our service is, to God it is like filthy rags.

As God takes us through this process, we will then see our need to pray about every matter.  

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Will become a way of life for us, where God tells us not to rely on our own reasoning but take it to Him and he will guide you and me. We then learn not to rely on own understanding for we have seen the failure of years of trying to do it our way. Then God begins to get the foundation down in Jesus Christ—then we begin to have victory in our walk as we never had before during our reliance upon ourselves.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Christ is our wisdom, and as we learn to go to the Source in deep respect and awe in Him–then it’s the beginning of a walk of wisdom. We will then be directed by His Spirit because the hindrance to His guidance (self-wisdom and reasoning) are then held out of the way by the (stake).

God always works to get our foundation down first. Let us hold fast in our trials and God will establish us in Him.  

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. All of those words relate to getting our foundation down through suffering.

As we allow Him to teach us to get our foundation down in Jesus Christ, then we can go on to maturity.  

Your brother in Christ,

Ron

What do we think of when we mention the word freedom?

Freedom, what is it?

Think about how much time freedom often takes up in our mind. Look at how many songs have been written about freedom. And how many wars have been fought in the name of freedom. Millions have lost their lives in war trying to assure their freedom. History has shown an incredible track record shed in blood with man trying to obtain their freedom.

Man often leaves one kind of bondage only to slip into another. Look at the Israelites, they were freed from slavery of Egypt, but they were slaves to their lust which caused them not to go into the Promised Land.1 Corinthians 10:1 KJV — Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be you idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur you, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. This is a good lesson for us, this scripture tells us not to complain as they did. We need to remember this scripture and how it tells us that the complainers never went into the Promised Land. Like verse 11 shows us; 11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

The kind of freedom that God talks about will free us completely. Jesus said in John 8:32 KJV — And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  He is the truth, and getting to know Him will give you true freedom. You will be delivered from every kind of bondage through your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you will seek Him diligently as you should, then every trial that you have to go through He will give you the strength of His Spirit to look at it with the right attitude, so you won’t complain. This is of major importance in learning to endure till the end. How can you grow as you need to spiritually if you are complaining about the difficulties you encounter in life? Because God has allowed us to be on this planet for this training, and by complaining you are throwing a wrench in the machinery that God is using to try to create the character of Christ within.

Think of the freedom that is in the ability that He will give you to stay at peace with the trial. No matter what the trial or problem is He promises to give us His peace to endure it if we will stay with Him in prayer. Philippians 4:6 KJV — Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

He allows us to have these trials in this life so that we will have an opportunity to get to know Him. The whole reason for our existence is to get to know our Creator. This is eternal life. As we get to know Him, we are moved more into that realm of freedom. John 17:3 KJV — And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

God has allowed mankind thousands of years of trying to do things its own way, and the track record is strewn with torment and suffering. Man can only struggle to find a certain liberty that he calls freedom, but the kind that God tells us about will free us completely.  

And this is where the cross comes in. Look at Paul’s words in Galatians 6:14 KJV — 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. Here we see Paul relating to how the inner crucifixion of the Holy Spirit will apply the cross to the self-life so we can be free from the temptations of the world, “THE WORLD IS CRUCIFIED TO ME” and also freed from the self-life, “AND I TO THE WORLD.”  

That covers everything. The cross will truly free you from all of this so you can walk with God. Without it we will surely stay in spiritual slavery. This is the way that God has done the work to bring us freedom–through the finished work of the cross.

To know the blood is to know freedom from the penalty of sin. But to know the cross is to know freedom from the source of sin–the Adamic nature we were born with. God has not only given us the answer to sins once committed, but to also get at the source so there will be less and less sins committed. As we grow, we are progressively freed from the Adamic nature we were born with. This is true freedom.

The problem is we come off the cross to resume our sinful reign, and then we are once again brought into bondage. This is why someone who has been in the church for fifty years can still mess up and sin like they did fifty years before. It’s important to understand that we are only held in place of death, and that we can come off the cross to cause havoc in our lives.  This is why Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:31 KJV — I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

The true plague of our lives, the biggest enemy is the Adamic nature we were born with. Until we come to see this, we will never see the need for the cross in our lives. And we will continue to think that there is something good inside to serve God with. And self–righteousness will continue to plague us.

But God has given us a way to deal with the problem–the crucifixion of the cross. What we need to do is seek God out diligently as we should, and the more we do the more the Holy Spirit will apply the cross to the self-life so that we can be free to serve God. As death works in our body so does life. 2 Corinthians 4:10 KJV — Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Pray. The cross works through prayer. Pray that you don’t enter into temptation. Our fleshly nature will react in ways that will bring us into bondage. Only if God’s Spirit is there will we have true freedom in Him.

Brethren, think on these matters. Think about why Paul used the terminology he did when he talked about the cross. The way God has done the work on our part is through the finished work of the cross. Some believe this finished work on the cross was a substitute for us, so we don’t have to put our Adamic nature to death. Nothing could be future from the truth, where we already showed our old man must be put to death. Do we understand what the finished work of the cross is? Meditate on this. Once we understand this, this is the way to true freedom.

Romans 6:6 KJV — Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

As we learn fellowship with the cross, then God will free us from ourselves, and we then also learn the freedom of having Christ manifest in our mortal bodies. 2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV — Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

My prayer is that the Church will come to find what the true freedom in Christ is!

Your brother in Christ,

Ron

God wants to fill us with His wisdom, but our wisdom stands in our way. We should apply our hearts to wisdom. In our lifetime we can only receive a fraction of the wisdom that God has in store for us.

Job 14:1 KJV — Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

From the above Scripture I looked up the word “trouble” in Strong’s concordance, and it related to commotion and restlessness. Is this not a good description of human nature?

Like a passing flower man is on the earth but a short time and he is full of restlessness and commotion. Man is rarely at peace. He may have his good times and obtain somewhat of a settled life–at least what this world considers peace—but man usually goes from one problem to the next and from one fear to the next. The few people that I have ever seen at peace with any kind of regularity are the ones who had a close intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. They were the happiest people I knew.

Many people consider happiness as being free from pain. But pain is an inevitable part of life; and if this is your definition of happiness or peace then much of the time you will not be happy.  And if we don’t seek God first it will only add to our pain because our needs are not going to be filled as they should be. Matthew 6:33 KJV — But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Paul learned to be at peace amidst the pain and affliction. At first, he cried out for healing, and then he came to learn that God was using his suffering for his growth. I think we can all relate to asking to be relieved of some affliction. Notice; 2 Corinthians 12:7 KJV — And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

What we understand from these scriptures is that Paul got relief—although the physical pain stayed–it was through the peace of mind that God gave him that relief he desired. I have gone to these Scriptures many times over my walk with God for comfort, although our physical pain continues, but so does our spiritual healing.

Much of our restlessness comes from a lack of understanding. We need to ask ourselves; What is God’s will in this matter? What do I really feel about this?  What do I really want? What are my true needs?  By doing it this way it will help us make our own decisions.

Most people are not that positive about the decisions they make. They live their lives in a state of vagueness. Much of the time a family member or friend will say something positive to help make them make a decision about the matters they are facing. Even about little things like what shirt or dress to wear when in doubt but someone will say something to encourage you in your thoughts, and therefore make a decision. And you can imagine the more important matters of life they are facing–but they often go about it the same way they did about the shirt or dress; and someone will say something to encourage their thought to make a decision.  And it may not be a well thought out decision; and some decisions can cause a lifetime of pain.

God wants us to have peace in this life; but we have to do as He says and seek the wisdom that will lead us to a full life. The book of Proverbs tells us many times to seek the wisdom of God.  

Proverbs 2:1 KJV — My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you; 2 So that you incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shall you understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

Proverbs 3:13 KJV — Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you can desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

We are on this planet to learn vital lessons that will teach us how to live in peace, something that is not inherent to mankind. There is only one way to become settled from the restlessness that the above Scriptures talk about. Christian or non-Christian, we will all have to go through this struggle to learn; but there is no reason why we have to continue to remain in this state of restlessness and dissatisfaction.

Many believers live in a state of dissatisfaction. They are troubled about many things; even what God has called them to become. This takes place because they have not yet learned to rest in Christ Jesus. Just because we keep the Holy Days, Sabbath, and clean and unclean meats does not mean we are at true rest in Christ Jesus.

Man is rarely at peace. He may have peace for an hour, a day, or a week. But something will usually come along to have him concentrate on his misery. And he goes from one problem to the next, and from one fear to the next.

The only answer is God’s answer–to have the satisfaction of the Bread of Life. Jesus Christ and a close personal relationship with Him will give us the peace necessary. Ephesians 2:14 KJV — For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

There may be something that will come along to give us some semblance of peace. But the kind that I’m talking about here is the peace that passes all understanding. And this is what will give us the peace necessary to walk through this life in peace.

God says in Jeremiah 29:13 KJV — And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. It is not enough to be a part of a Church organization; or to follow some leader who is close to God (or seems to be). We must learn to seek God diligently to receive the peace necessary. This is the only way I know to deal with the restlessness of man.

Many things will continue to happen in our lives and with the Church organizations that will test us. The world is going to constantly throw things at us. But the more we will seek out God the more we will be able to handle these harried moments with the peace that passes human understanding; and the more we will be able to deal with the restlessness of this life until we are taken home by God.

A big earthquake in Japan, among other places across the world, wars going on around the world. People are on edge. As times become filled with more and more troublesome things happening people will be searching for the peace that we have in Christ. Will we be able to relate that peace with them? 

How does the world see you?

How does the Church see you?

Ephesians 2:14 KJV — For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Does the world see peace in you that passes human understanding? If not, why not?

Your brother in Christ,

Ron

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

² Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

³ Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

⁵ For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.