All posts by Glen Jackman

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Eyes on you Lord

 by Catherine Jackman

This is a scriptural study on the importance of keeping our eyes –, a metaphor for our renewed mind — on the Lord.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people because all sinned (Romans 5:12).

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22). But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you, I take refuge (Psalm 141:8)  “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. (Matthew 6:22 )  

Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? (Mark 8:18).  Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes’? (Matthew 21:42)

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, (Psalm 33:18) Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. (Proverbs 3:7)

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. ( Psalm 119:37) I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)

 

 

 

 

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A Battle for The Human Soul

by Barry W. Bussey

We are at a cultural moment. No further evidence for this is needed than the ideological struggle in Alberta over the right of Christian schools to hold a fundamental understanding of what it means to be a human being. Religious schools are designed to pass on the faith to the next generation of young people. There is nothing strange about that. Since ancient times societies have had schools of learning to preserve and perpetuate the wisdom of generations past while nurturing the intellectual skills needed to grapple with contemporary issues.

Indeed, education, as we know from experience, is a key factor in maintaining a peaceful, productive, and purposeful society. Religion has long been part of that reality. From Isaac Newton to Max Planck, renowned scientists and intellectuals have been inspired by faith; their studies have been aimed at a better understanding of the world and its Creator. Today, however, religion and education are often portrayed as mutually exclusive. According to the thinking of certain secularists, the more educated a society becomes, the more religion will dissipate. Yet, after many decades of predictions, it is now evident that the secularization theory has failed to materialize. Religion still exists despite the educational and technological advances in the Western world. However, according to famed sociologist Peter Berger, there yet remain three distinct areas where the theory has seemed to hold true. Those are Western academics, the legal profession, and the media.

Those three have congregated themselves into an echo chamber – a sort of “filter bubble” – where they constantly speak to one another and reinforce their pre-established opinions of the world based on a shared ideology. They view religion as an anachronism at best and harmful to society at worst. Hence, they are on a mission to “save” the world from the bonds of retrograde religion.

Given this mindset, it is no wonder that the academic establishment in Alberta would seek to interfere with Christian schools, declaring unacceptable any policy which says, for instance: “God created mankind as male and female, equal in dignity and worth, yet with distinct and complementary roles.” Apparently, this statement violates the Alberta School Act which requires a “welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment.”

The Alberta government has sided with the current academic coterie which endorses an ever-increasing menu of genders from which children should be permitted to sample.  The “safe place” mechanism the government is imposing on Christian schools is, ostensibly, to help these young minds sift through an ever more complicated matrix of sexual orientations and gender identities. To teach that humans are binary is to present a very different understanding of human life – one that the secularists have deemed “disrespectful”.

Those religious schools that do not subscribe to the government’s ideology are facing an uncertain future. The provincial government has declared that they will not only defund such schools, they will deny accreditation. The battle lines have been drawn. Just how far will both sides bend to reach an accommodation? Or, are we now at a point where no accommodation is possible?

Behind every Christian school is a Christian community. Such communities can take their religious heritage back thousands of years.  This is no small matter. The age-old Biblical teaching on human nature, including the divinely-given dignity of men and women, stands at the apex of this struggle. The government is not fighting “bigoted” religious communities. It is fighting Christian civilization.

There is now before us a battle over what it means to be human.

 

 

 

 

 

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Divine guidance can save you much grief

“The Lord will guide you into all the truth” applicable to you. (John 16:13)

To live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and be led in all your most beneficial ways one must learn the discipline of ongoing listening for the direction of the Lord and acknowledge His methods of opening up our viewpoint to see the right way to walk. David won most of his battles because he always wanted to hear God’s view first (Psalm 27:7, 11)

We live in a world order which is becoming increasingly difficult to hear God speak to us through His Word, or the “still small voice” (Isaiah 30:21)

This is increasingly true when you are surrounded by excess talking and clamour while facing a choice when in need of information that may be yet unknown or purposely held back from you by men who feel superior in education, religion, or health care. For example, it was found out that many hysterectomies were unnecessary in the 60s yet many a doctor ran ahead with multiple surgeries even when it was known it was unnecessary. No one should hold back pertinent information because money per operation is a primary goal. I see this mindset continues today in some disciplines.

We must not trust every word of others or the feeling within ourselves, but cautiously and patiently try the matter, whether it be of God. Do not give ready heed to every news-bearer, for they know man’s weakness that it is prone to evil and deceptive in dialogue. It is supreme wisdom, not to be hasty in action, or stubborn in our own opinions. It is essential wisdom to not believe every word we hear. An obedient life, submissive to the Lord, makes a man wise toward God and gives him experience in many things. The more humility and obedience within and without to God’s will, the more knowledgeable will he be in all things, and the more shall his soul be at peace. 1

Amidst others of rank, where you cannot hear yourself think let alone hear God speak it is hard to make a rational decision. Montaigne noted in his essay on presumption: “occasions surprise me and move me contrary to my premeditation”. The smartest contemplative person can be derailed from original rational thinking in a few minutes of chaos under decisional pressure.

This is particularly true if we replace the guidance directly from God with an: if, then, else flowchart, which I am prone to do because I have been trained in writing computer code. I learned the hard way that this can be like rolling the bones or tossing the dice without rational thought versus the leading of God directing as we pray for guidance in His Word and discern what light He has on the subject at hand. Dreams even if frightening, where warnings can come in the wee hours can save you from a bad decision. If the Spirit of Christ leads in either of these two methods sit up and go to your journal and immediately write down the leading and ask what this means – it is vital to do this before it is lost. Carry your journal and ponder the guidance and take it to heart and change course if necessary.

As a Christian resist the temptation of trying to find things out only on your own.

When the founder of Buddhism was bidding his followers farewell, he said: “You must be your own light”. When Socrates was about to take that fatal cup one of his disciples mourned that he was leaving them orphans. When Jesus was about to ascend to heaven He said of the Holy Spirit, “if I go I will send him to you” (see John 14:18; 16:5-7,13; Luke 1:79; John 10:4)

Divine guidance is only available to Christians, who obey the directives of and rely on the Father in Heaven. Such obedience offers: Peaceful quietude (Psalm 23:2), good decisions (Psalm 25.9, 32:8), lifetime guidance (Psalm 48:14), wise counsel (Psalm 73:24), internal divine directions (Isaiah 30:21, John 16:13), lead amidst uncertainties (Isaiah 42:16,48:17).

Praise the Lord for His amazing grace. May He lead you into the paths of a peaceful life in all your decision making away from the chaos of mankind who can ruin your choices and bring regret for not taking the time to listen in the quiet hour with the Lord Jesus Christ in His sacred scriptures daily.

1 Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Glen Jackman modern edit

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Humility: Exemplified by Jesus

‘I am among you as one who serves.’—Luke 22:27 NLT.

In the Gospel of John, we see Jesus frequently speaking of His relation to the Father, presenting the spiritual motives that guided Him. His consciousness of the power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit linking Him to his Father’s mind — echoed by how He acted kindly and gently among men — proved the clearest picture of humility ever lived among humankind.

Though He is the Son of God in heaven, as a man upon earth, He took the place of entire subordination, giving God the honour and the glory which is due to Him. And what He taught so often was made true of Himself: ‘everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’ (Luke 14:11; 18:14)

Listen to the words by which our Lord speaks of His relation to the Father — see how frequently He uses the words not, and nothing, of Himself. The not I, in which Paul expresses his relationship to Christ, is the very spirit of what Christ says of His relation to the Father: “The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (see Galatians 2:20) Jesus taught self-abnegation by the way He lived. Hover over these texts to see each one of His statements relating how the Father led Jesus as He sought to reconcile humanity to God: (John 5:19, 30, 41; 6:38; 7:16, 28; 8:42, 50; 14:10, 24)

The above scriptures reveal insight into Christ’s life and work. They tell us how it was that the Almighty God was able to work His mighty redemption work through Jesus. They show what mindset Christ’s enlightened consciousness viewed His dependence as a man, respectfully reliant as the Son upon the Father. They teach us about Christ’s essential nature and life as a man while His work of redemption was accomplished. He was nothing, that God might be all. Jesus resigned Himself, His will and His powers entirely for the Father to work in and through Him — as He offered us reconciliation, mercy and grace. Of His own power, His own will, and His own glory, of His whole mission with all His works and His teaching,— of all this He said, It is not I; I am nothing; I have given Myself to the Father to work; I am nothing, the Father is all.

This life of entire self-abnegation, absolute submission and dependence upon the Father’s will, Christ found to be one of perfect peace and joy. He lost nothing by giving all to God. God honoured His trust, and manifested all for Him, and then exalted Him to His right hand to administer the kingdom, beside Him, reflecting the majestic glory of this fact: When God reaches out to us to bring us to Himself, by seeing Jesus, we recognize that the Father is waiting in love, to bind you to Him in love. And because Christ had thus humbled Himself before God, and God was ever before Him, Jesus also found it possible to humble Himself before men, and to be the Servant of all. His humility was simply the surrender of Himself to God, to allow Him to do in Him what He pleased, whatever men around might say of Him, or do to Him. The primary purpose of this demonstration of humility was to draw all men to Himself and thereby to the Father.

It is in this state of mind, in this spirit and disposition, that the redemption of Christ has its virtue and potent effectiveness. It is to bring us to this disposition of self-abnegation that we are perceptive to and taking on the mind of Christ. This is the true self-denial to which our Saviour calls each of us: the acknowledgement that self has nothing good in it, except as an empty vessel which God must fill, and that any claim to be or do anything self-warranting may not for a moment be allowed. It is in this, above and before everything, in which the conformity to Jesus consists, the being and doing nothing of ourselves, that God may be all.

Here we have the root and nature of true humility. It is because this is not understood or sought after, that our humility, individually and in the church is so superficial, and lacks vitality. We must learn of Jesus, how He is meek and lowly of heart. He teaches us where true humility rises to find its strength—in the knowledge that it is God who works all in all, that our place is to yield to Him in perfect resignation and dependence, in full consent to be and to do nothing of ourselves.

Christ came to reveal and to impart to us, by example—a life which fully honours God, that came through death to sin and self. If we feel that this life is too high for us and beyond our reach, let this felt inability, drive us to seek it in Him; it is the indwelling Christ via His Spirit who will live in us, this meek and lowly life. Without abiding in Christ, we can do nothing useful in His kingdom. (John 15:5)

If we long for this, let us, above everything, seek the secret of how God works on this earthly plane among humanity. Every moment God works all in all; the mystery, of which, every child of God, is to be the witness — that we are nothing but a vessel, a conduit of lovingkindness, through which the living God can manifest the riches of His wisdom, power, and goodness.

The root of all virtue and grace, of all faith and acceptable worship, is that we know that we have nothing but what we receive from our Creator, and bow in most profound humility to wait upon God for it.

Christ’s life manifested a pure conscience, an existential humility witnessed by the very spirit, demeanour and tone of His whole life. Jesus was just as humble in His intercourse with men as with God. He felt Himself the Servant of God for the women and men whom God made and loved. As a natural consequence, He counted Himself the Servant of men, that through Him God might do His work of love. He never for a moment thought of seeking His honour or asserting His power to vindicate Himself. His whole spirit was that of a life yielded to God to work. 1

It is not until Christians study the humility of Jesus which he taught as the very essence of His redemption, as the very blessedness of the life of the Son of God, as the only true relation to the Father, that we will begin to understand the first and the chief of the marks of the Christ within us.

1 Glen Jackman’s summary edit of Andrew Murray’s thinking. From chapter three of the book Humility: The Beauty of Holiness New York; London; Glasgow: Fleming H. Revell; in the public domain.

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Sanctification: The Predominant pre-2nd Advent Message to Christ’s church

We are told that to enjoy the presence of the Lord and the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, we must overcome sin in our lives: “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Revelation 21: 7)

Paul articulates the same thinking, “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (Romans 8:9)

In the same context, we find the first mention of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation, conjoined with a compelling warning — the need to overcome sin in our lives. “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name”. (Revelation 3: 12)

Again in the last chapter of Revelation, we find the same direct warning that articulates a period prior to the Lord’s descent from heaven, on the final day of Judgment. A clear preparatory close of probation warning prior to the pre-Second Advent of Christ cautions strongly to not close our minds to this vitally important message:

“Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right, and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” (Revelation 22: 10-11)

Then we hear Jesus speaking directly to us of the coming day when He will sit in Judgment over all creation and mankind: “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End”. (Revelation 22: 12-13)

Once again the blessing of those who overcome sin, and turn from the allurements of Satan, is pronounced by Jesus:

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood”. (Revelation 22: 14-15)

Pay careful attention to this verse. Jesus is indicating the importance of allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify and cleanse your mind body and soul from all sin (see Romans 8:9), using the symbol of washed robes, to depict those who enter the city, and have the rights to the benefits of the work of the indwelling Spirit; have a right to the tree of life, which is the source of all Life.  Those purified among the Christian church’s remnant are contrasted to the ones who have not entered into a relationship with Christ and remain outside of a holy unity with Him, during the time others have entered the gates of the “New Jerusalem”, a term primarily used for the entire church as a temple of people within whom the Lord’s Spirit dwells, individually and collectively.

The message is of such importance that Jesus sent His angel to give this message to the apostle John:

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”  Revelation 22: 16

This is a pre-Second Advent direct warning to the church because warnings make no sense after the divine verdicts are in.

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An important prophecy in Revelation to the church

There is an invitation to those who will hear this message given to the apostle John. It is given to the church of Jesus — anyone that has a true abiding connection to Jesus Christ. We know this because it is a message to the churches that Jesus noted is to be read to the assemblies. Further, Jesus indicates, those that read the message will be blessed. (Revelation 1:1-3) This is because it is clear that those who care about Christ’s message to his church will obey and proclaim and share this message to the members of his church. This indicates that they are in sync with his Spirit.

The message is proclaimed in unison by the teachers and preachers in Christ’s church and is shared in meetings and seminars with interest worldwide among his people. Many people will both hear and heed the call to come to Jesus Christ as Lord to allow Christ’s Spirit to guide their lives to: “take the free gift of the water of life” which He taught is the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, which is the divine Guarantor’s seal of life eternal (John 4:14;7:37-38; Revelation 7:17; 21:6; 22: 1; 17; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14; John 3:5; 20:22) Further it is the Spirit which initiates, and proclaims this message through His gifted teaching evangelist-teachers. The teachers/preachers work in unison led by the Spirit. The term “the Spirit and the bride” means the Spirit and Christ’s church members — who are His disciples who are very involved in this proclamation:

“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17)

The gift of the Holy Spirit is being offered to those who will hear, to those who chose to come into union with the Lord, as One people, prior to his second advent to the earth as both judge and saviour.

“Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” (Revelation 22: 7)

Further, in Revelation 22: 10-11 he makes it very clear that this is an either/or message. Either you are for him or against him which is indicated by an ongoing lifestyle of obedience to the Royal Law: doing right, by expressing loving behaviour, while omitting the allurements of Satan; versus the opposite: doing wrong by expressing harmful motives, while omitting love and kindness towards others, craving the allurements of the world over knowing and obeying God.

The following scripture presents that those who follow Christ, reflect His character and abide in Him via the Holy Spirit. These people are progressing in a lifestyle of holiness obedient to the scriptures. Some may think that holiness is a better-than-thou term for legalistic or fanatical Christians. No. Rather, holiness is only possible when led by the Spirit and we are following the Gospel message of God’s love to man via Christ’s propitiation on the cross for mankind’s sin. (Romans 8:14)

Holiness is a lifetime process of separating from the world’s values and influencers while dedicating your life to walking in the light, with no part dark. This means abiding in Jesus because without him we can achieve nothing truly holy (John 15:4, 5-6).

“Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right, and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” (Revelation 22:11)

Jesus prayed that the church would enter into a sanctification process in order to become one with Him — to live in holiness reflecting his influence. Sanctification is the process of moving into a closer walk with Jesus, of allowing the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, full sway in your life. It also means repenting, confessing sin, and turning to Jesus to abide in Him (John 15:4-6), versus following the wickedness in the world. Here Jesus is praying to his Father prior to his crucifixion — notice Jesus said he is not of this world, being sanctified, and that he is asking the Father in heaven to continue sanctifying his apostles and the members of his church:

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them, I sanctify myself [see note], that they too may be truly sanctified”. (John 17: 16-19 [author’s emphasis])

Truly sanctified ultimately means to be holy as the Lord is holy (1 Peter 1:16) which is a process, not an absolute obtainment of perfection in this world (Philippians 3:12-14)

Note: Jesus expressed sanctified, holy obedience to his Father as a man when going to the cross when he prayed submissively in the garden of Gethsemane: ‘not my will, but thy will be done’.

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You have an anointing of the Holy Spirit

‘But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know’ (1 John 2:20) 

You have received the anointing from the Holy One.

Yahweh is the name of God as revealed to Moses as he was commanded by God to free the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. He also referred to himself as “I am” – “tell them ‘I am’ sent you”(Exodus 6:2 HCSB; 3:14 NLT). Jesus said, “before Abraham was, ‘I am’” (John 8:58). The apostle Paul referred to Jesus as the “rock that followed” or was with the Jews in the wilderness during the miraculous deliverance in the Exodus (1 Corinthians 10:4).  From the Exodus story, it is also evident that Yahweh is the one who gave the anointing though it was symbolically noted as a ritual process. The priests of the old covenant in Moses’ day were anointed when setting them apart for the service in the tabernacle. The oil used then was a metaphor for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, of the Trinitarian God, Yahweh: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus told the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom were wise, having their lamps full of oil, ready and burning, waiting for the groom’s late arrival (Matthew 25:1-13). Only five were prepared to meet the bridegroom, the new covenant’s metaphoric term for Jesus Christ, who will return to earth to receive his bride, his church, sealed individually by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30, 1:13; 2 Corinthians 1:22), symbolic of a mindset born anew of the Spirit, to align entirely sworn allegiant to God. This carries from symbolism of the anointing oil of the ancient tabernacle priesthood to the day of Jesus, to the true antitypical meaning: the anointing of the Holy Spirit given to each brother and sister in Christ.

Holiness does not consist of specific righteous actions, though it may motivate ethical behaviour and good deeds. No, holiness is the unseen, yet the manifest presence of the Holy One resting on His anointed ones. Only gifted from God — issuing directly from Yahweh, the Holy One — is the anointing of the Holy Spirit received. 1 It is evidence of being born again into an abiding fellowship with Christ, resting unified to Christ, abiding in Him: with Yahweh, the Holy One — the Father and the Son and the conjoining Holy Spirit — as the Three-in-One God — now one with each Christian together in God’s family as One. (1 John 2:23-25; John 10:30; John 17:21)

And who receives it? Only the man or woman who has given himself entirely in mind, body and soul to be holy as God is holy. Only he who is wholly consecrated to the service of the Holy One, to the work of the ministering to sinners seeking their God, sharing the Gospel truth, offering reconciliation with God. Holiness is the energy that only lives as holy among those dedicated to Christ via holy living. (Leviticus 11:44-45, 20:26,1 Peter 1:16)

In the time of Moses, the anointing of the Holy One was for the priest, the servant of God Most High. It was given to conjoin in the intensity of a soul entirely committed, given up to God’s glory, God’s kingdom, God’s work, where that holiness becomes an existential reality. The anointing of the Spirit was given from the Father via Christ who breathed the Spirit on the apostles before His ascension to heaven: “he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).

Each member of the church is called to holy living, to work to guide others into God’s kingdom, and as such, are a royal priesthood. Christians are the antitypical reality of the anointing preparation of the old covenant priests referred to in the wilderness tabernacle. These men were the symbolic representatives as a type of today’s ministers of reconciliation to the Lord. Today, abiding in Christ we are the new priesthood, each one.

“You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know” (1 John 2:20) Yes, Oh Lord we know this truth, our calling and election is certain, we are your royal priests, we are set apart as your holy kingdom, your church, your reconciling connection to your redemptive calling others as your children. You are the Holy One, and we are your very own possession, your children. We are grateful to your Son’s redemptive calling to Himself via the Holy Spirit working among your minsiters; and concomitantly to you Father, as we abide in your anointing of the Holy Spirit, to join our souls supernaturally to you as One.

“You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light”. (1 Peter 2:9 NLT)

1 The Greek word for anointing would be rendered in Acts 10:38: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, whom God christed with the Holy Ghost and with power.’ In the Hebrew prophecy of Christ in Psalm 45: ‘God has messiahed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows’. Andrew Murray, Holy in Christ

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Understanding Regeneration by the Spirit

“If you are not born again you cannot enter the kingdom of God” Jesus (John 3:3–8).

Regeneration enables being born again

The doctrine of Regeneration is a Calvinistic term used by the reformers inspired by John Calvin, early Puritans, and today among many Baptists, Presbyterians, and Reformed churches. It refers to a secret act of God in which he imparts new spiritual life to us. This is more often known by the biblical term used by Jesus: “being born again” of the Spirit’s motivating influence (John 3:3–8).

Regeneration Is the entire work of God

Though we play an active part in sanctification and perseverance; in the work of regeneration, we have no active role at all. Rather it is in entirety the work of God. John teaches that Christ calls people into His church at a specific time in their life to reconcile with God. He enables them with the power of the Spirit to become children of God (John 1:13). Those who are “born … of God” are not operating by “the will of man” to bring about this kind of birth.

Our passivity in regeneration is indicated in Scripture by referring to the occurrence as being “born” or being “born again” (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3; John 3:3–8). We did not choose to be made physically alive, and we did not choose to be born—it is something that happened to us; similarly, “these analogies in Scripture suggest that we are entirely passive in regeneration”. 1

The necessity of regeneration by the Spirit

Jesus noted that the entrance to the kingdom, is opened by the Spirit’s power causing this effective experience (John 3:3, 5); there is an equipping of a new heart and new motive to serve God which circumvents death (Ezek. 18:31). Those who do not receive a new heart will die spiritually.

The Bible never reveals one saved person without being born again. Civility, knowledge, tact, living by the golden rule or being externally religious will not achieve it. Nicodemus who was taught about being born again by Jesus was a teacher in Israel without objection (John 3:3–8). Paul, blameless according to the law, experienced conversion pivoting his viewpoint from the hateful murdering of Christians to preaching Jesus with persuasive power. He wasn’t motivated to preach the gospel until he met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9:4) He was on the way to arrest and persecute Christians.

No one can have true heartfelt communion with God without regeneration by the Spirit. Initially, before being born again we are at enmity with God (Romans 8:7). God, resides in unapproachable light and holiness (1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 1:5) while the ungodly cannot be in His presence (Psa. 5:5–7). Therefore, in order for a person to have fellowship with God, he or she must be born again and led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14).

1 Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrine – The Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith

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Biblical Success Priciples 1.1

I succeed abundantly in business.

I confidently trust, lean on, and rely on Yahweh, that I will be supported when I declare His righteousness in His entire kingdom on earth among the nations; because He will not hide His face from me, as He listens to me when I cry out to Him, who alone is my help. (Psalm 22: 4, 5, 9, 22, 28-29; 30)

I joyfully dance in the Lord being established with strength and boundless prosperity. Psalm 30: 6, 7, 11; Psalm 122: 6-7 

I am calm and courageous speaking wisdom from an understanding heart, submitting godly thoughts to musical meditations expressing my inherent redemption as He guarantees to receive me into my inheritance of eternal life.  Psalm 37: 30-31; 40: 3, 9-10; 49: 3-5; 7-8; 15 

The Lord increases my family’s peace, protection, and firm prosperity increasing in proportion as we trustingly take refuge in Him; He makes our right and just behaviour shine like the noon-day sun in all effects of causation. Psalm 37: 4-7; 11, 19; 22-24; 25-26

I am committing my works unto Yahweh and my thoughts and plans are established and succeed. Proverbs 16: 2-3 

I order my thoughts, conduct, conversation, and actions in the will of Yahweh’s Word and his entire revealed will, and manage my decisions to not wander from his commandments; and I, therefore, am rewarded by inheriting all your promises. Psalm 119: 1-3; 5-7 

I am succeeding, increasing my business sales, selling continuously and vigorously in the marketplace, making entire penetration in my field of business expertise, because as a partaker of the divine nature, all my natural springs issue from you and you are able to make all grace abound toward me that I may have abundant provision in all good things. 2 Peter 1:4, Psalm 87:7, 2 Corinthians 9:8

God reveals my moment of timing with regard to my life purpose with all the plans clear before me as with Moses, including what I am to preach regarding His current truth. John 9: 3, 4, 22, 13-34; Jeremiah 29:11

God keeps His secrets and protects my business and life purposes from idea-theft of ungodly men. 1 Sam 21: 12-13

I trust Yahweh to give me Spirit led insights like David when he said “I knew it” regarding anyone who would tell one of my business secrets. 1 Samuel 22: 22; 23: 9-12

I am waiting to see what God is going to do for me in all my business ventures. 1 Samuel 22:3; Genesis 31: 10-16, 50: 18-21

As a sinner, I have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 1:9

I am a son of Yahweh attested to and confirmed by Jesus Christ. Psalms 82:6; John 10: 34-36; Romans 13: 1-2

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Ask God’s Spirit to Guide: Turn problems into solutions

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16:13)

You think “problems” are roadblocks to achieving what you want when in reality they are pathways. One of the wisest Roman Caesar’s, Marcus Aurelius 1 — he was also a deeply insightful Stoic philosopher noted: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Facing a “problem” forces you think calmly, discern wisely, pray for guidance, to take action to resolve it. That action will inevitably lead you to continue to think differently, behave differently, and choose differently. The “problem” becomes a catalyst for you to actualize the life you always wanted. It pushes you from your comfort zone, that’s all. Facing a problem takes deliberate deep thinking, deep focus while praying trustfully for God’s direction.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

Write your problem down honestly. Get rest, pray and work on seeing the real obstacle, the bottlenecks, the restraints, the corroborating gaps that halt progress, that bind the problem to a fixed stalling point. Then disassemble the causative forces, one by one with all the attendant grace you can apply. Rest, meditate, maintain a sober clear mind, continue to face the problem until it disperses or is arrested to your mind under the Spirit’s control.

My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. (Proverbs 4: 10-13 NLT)

Jesus faced great challenges. Yet He said I must achieve my cause in the will of the Father. I must work while it is “Day”. “Night” is coming when no one can work. Problems can mean facing dark forces of temptation, stress-induced substance reliance, fears, political bullies, business worries, family troubles, marital discord, yet we must engage our heart and minds to overcome each problem we have, face them, and surmount them, or sidestep them.

Why bring Jesus into facing our problems? Because He said, “My Spirit will lead you into all truth”. Determining truth is conducive to all reason and good judgment; to all discerning judicial evaluation. Jesus also said very clearly, “without me you can do nothing” and “…the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things”  (John 14:26 – Jesus teaching)

1 Marcus Aurelius was a man who was so open-minded he could see the power of God when Christian prayed for the rain to stop on his battlefield. He then exacted laws to protect Christians.