Daily Bread
Romans 9:10 "But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."
When Adam sinned, one of the judgments that came upon him was that his body - which was made from the dust of the earth - would return to the dust. This process of corruption made the body the host of disease and sickness. When the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is being preached it targets as its number two enemy: sickness and disease. When Jesus was anointed of God to preach, His mission was to go about healing all those who were oppressed of the devil. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil - which are not only the activities of sin but also the activities of sickness. When Jesus anointed His disciples He sent them to do the same thing: to cast out devils and to heal every kind of sickness and disease (the same is true of the seventy others also and of us today). In fact the anointing of this Gospel was so strong upon the Apostle Paul's life that handkerchiefs and aprons were taken from his body and placed upon the sick and the demon possessed; as a result, the diseases and the devils would depart out of their bodies (Acts 19:12). The Spirit is life because of righteousness must be understood as the remedy for the body that is under the death sentence because of sin. In the next verse we learn that if the Spirit of God dwells in you then He will make alive your mortal body. This may certainly be applied to the resurrection of the body from the dead but it also includes healing from sickness and disease. Paul said to the church at Galatia, "If you sow to the flesh you shall of the flesh reap corruption, but if you sow to the Spirit you shall reap everlasting life," (Galatians 6). Everlasting life is not only a duration of time but also a quality of life. The Lord Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly. It is a verified biblical fact that a person living in a natural body can live without corruption for 2600 years. Elijah was taken up into the presence of God with an earthly body where he stands at this very time awaiting the time that he will return to the earth as one of the two witnesses in the last days. Peter also spoke of the fact that the divine nature which we have received has resulted in having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4). In fact, what we may understand from these passages of scripture is that walking in righteousness and sowing to the Spirit results in the benefits of divine health. Even in the Old Testament God blessed the people of Israel with protection against "these diseases" (Ex 15:26; Deut 7:15; 28:60). The Psalmist reminds us that we should not forget all of His benefits; for He cleanses all of our iniquities and heals all of our diseases (Psalms 103:3).
Blessings
Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Friday, June 16, 2006
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Daily Bread
Acts 10:36 "The word that was sent to the sons of Israel announcing peace through Jesus Christ who is Lord of all."
The Hebrew word 'shalom' (peace) is far more than just a Hebrew way of saying hello. The expression declares a state of plenty and wellbeing and includes security, empowerment, and prosperity. When God's people walk inobedience to Him they enjoy His blessings and their "peace is like a river, and their righteousness as the waves of the sea" (Isaiah 48:18). Peace speaks of the fellowship and communion that God's people enjoy with Him exemplified in the Peace offerings (Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 3). God both secured Gideon's life and empowered Him with the words "Peace to you" insomuch that Gideon built an altar and called it YHWH is the source of our peace (Judges 6:23-24). God's peace is a "covenant of peace" that causes the wild beast to leave, brings safety in the wilderness, makes His people and their dwelling a blessing, results in showers of blessings which causes the trees to produce fruit and the earth to produce a harvest, it breaks the yoke of slavery and oppression giving God's people the dominion over all other powers (Ezekiel 34:25-29; Leviticus 26:6; Numbers 25:12). The peace that God gives is part of His armor and one of the benefits of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:15; Gal 5:22). This peace comes to us through Jesus Christ who has removed the offence and disobedience and bestowed all theblessing of God upon us.
Blessings
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Acts 10:36 "The word that was sent to the sons of Israel announcing peace through Jesus Christ who is Lord of all."
The Hebrew word 'shalom' (peace) is far more than just a Hebrew way of saying hello. The expression declares a state of plenty and wellbeing and includes security, empowerment, and prosperity. When God's people walk inobedience to Him they enjoy His blessings and their "peace is like a river, and their righteousness as the waves of the sea" (Isaiah 48:18). Peace speaks of the fellowship and communion that God's people enjoy with Him exemplified in the Peace offerings (Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 3). God both secured Gideon's life and empowered Him with the words "Peace to you" insomuch that Gideon built an altar and called it YHWH is the source of our peace (Judges 6:23-24). God's peace is a "covenant of peace" that causes the wild beast to leave, brings safety in the wilderness, makes His people and their dwelling a blessing, results in showers of blessings which causes the trees to produce fruit and the earth to produce a harvest, it breaks the yoke of slavery and oppression giving God's people the dominion over all other powers (Ezekiel 34:25-29; Leviticus 26:6; Numbers 25:12). The peace that God gives is part of His armor and one of the benefits of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:15; Gal 5:22). This peace comes to us through Jesus Christ who has removed the offence and disobedience and bestowed all theblessing of God upon us.
Blessings
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Daily bread
Acts 4:12 - And there is no salvation in any other one, indeed neither is there another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.
The Greek word 'soteria' is the corresponding noun to 'sotzo' (save, heal) and may be translated either salvation or deliverance. It was used for the first time in Exodus 14:13 when God was about to part the Red Sea so that the children of Israel could escape from the power of Pharaoh. The meaning of 'soteria' is deliverance from evil, whether political, physical, moral or cataclysmic and subsequently coming into a state of wholeness. The Greek word 'soteria' translates the Hebrew word 'Yeshuah' or 'Yasha' a total of 138 times from which the name of Jesus is derived 'Yehoshua' which means Yehoah's (Yahweh) salvation. There should be no question in anyone's mind as to God's intention when He uses the word salvation. It is the word that describes the complete and total deliverance from the power of sin and Satan. Let Jesus be your saviour!
Blessings
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Acts 4:12 - And there is no salvation in any other one, indeed neither is there another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.
The Greek word 'soteria' is the corresponding noun to 'sotzo' (save, heal) and may be translated either salvation or deliverance. It was used for the first time in Exodus 14:13 when God was about to part the Red Sea so that the children of Israel could escape from the power of Pharaoh. The meaning of 'soteria' is deliverance from evil, whether political, physical, moral or cataclysmic and subsequently coming into a state of wholeness. The Greek word 'soteria' translates the Hebrew word 'Yeshuah' or 'Yasha' a total of 138 times from which the name of Jesus is derived 'Yehoshua' which means Yehoah's (Yahweh) salvation. There should be no question in anyone's mind as to God's intention when He uses the word salvation. It is the word that describes the complete and total deliverance from the power of sin and Satan. Let Jesus be your saviour!
Blessings
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Daily Bread
Romans 8:4 "That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit."
Paul provides insight to the facts regarding the righteousness of the Law and man's inability to walk in it in Romans chapter 7. He proves those who were depending upon the Law for righteousness were, in reality, under the law of sin and death and, therefore, unable to fulfill the righteousness of the Law. Paul argues that the Law was just, good, and holy but that those attempting to keep the Law were themselves sold under sin and, as a result, the law of sin was at work in their members (Romans 7:14, 21, 22, 23, 25 also 5:14, 17, 21). Now through the new birth which has brought the believer into Christ Jesus and thus into the life of the Spirit the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us by the divine ability that has been given to us. The righteousness of the Law is fulfilled because the believer does not depend upon human ability dominated by the law of sin but the Spirit of God reigning over a new creation. Now that the curse of the law of sin and death has been broken and the Spirit of God has come into the life of the believer sin has no more dominion. The child of God has been lifted beyond their strength and human discipline to the realm of the operation of Holy Spirit who is at work in their members (Romans 6:4-14). Obviously, we must choose to be obedient and walk in this grace that empowers us to please Father in all that we say and do. If we justify disobedience and friendship with the world we will find ourselves as defeated as those who were under the Law.
Be Blessed
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Romans 8:4 "That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit."
Paul provides insight to the facts regarding the righteousness of the Law and man's inability to walk in it in Romans chapter 7. He proves those who were depending upon the Law for righteousness were, in reality, under the law of sin and death and, therefore, unable to fulfill the righteousness of the Law. Paul argues that the Law was just, good, and holy but that those attempting to keep the Law were themselves sold under sin and, as a result, the law of sin was at work in their members (Romans 7:14, 21, 22, 23, 25 also 5:14, 17, 21). Now through the new birth which has brought the believer into Christ Jesus and thus into the life of the Spirit the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in us by the divine ability that has been given to us. The righteousness of the Law is fulfilled because the believer does not depend upon human ability dominated by the law of sin but the Spirit of God reigning over a new creation. Now that the curse of the law of sin and death has been broken and the Spirit of God has come into the life of the believer sin has no more dominion. The child of God has been lifted beyond their strength and human discipline to the realm of the operation of Holy Spirit who is at work in their members (Romans 6:4-14). Obviously, we must choose to be obedient and walk in this grace that empowers us to please Father in all that we say and do. If we justify disobedience and friendship with the world we will find ourselves as defeated as those who were under the Law.
Be Blessed
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
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