Daily Bread
John 17:22 - "And I have given them the glory that you have given me so that they may be one just as we are one."
John reveals many things specific to the glory that Jesus had received from the Father. He begins with the glory that they beheld in Him "as the glory of an only begotten from the Father full of grace and truth" (1:14). When Jesus turned the water into wine in Cana of Galilee He was manifesting His glory (2:11). When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead it was for the purpose of revealing the glory of God that was in Him (11:4). Jesus was given the Spirit without measure to empower Him to reveal the Father's glory (3:34). The glory that Father gave to Jesus, Jesus has given us as a free gift: the glory of sonship through the new birth and the glory of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit which includes the glory to both speak the words of the Father and do the works of Jesus and even greater works. It is through this glory that the child of God is made one with the Father and with His Son. Paul also revealed to the saints in Corinth that the glory of Jesus was in them when he said, "But we all, with an unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory - even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Friday, August 25, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Daily Bread
1 John 4:4 - "You are from God little children and have conquered them because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."
The Greater One that "is in you" is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ both came in the flesh when He was born into the world and when he was born into the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit. That Christ Jesus dwells in those who are born of God is a well-established doctrine, (1 John 3:24; 14:20, 23; 17:23, 26). Therefore, we may understand that there is a dual meaning to "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh;" for Jesus was both manifested in the flesh when He was born of the virgin Mary and when He came to dwell on the inside of the child of God. Jesus Christ who was manifested to destroy the works of darkness is now manifested through everyone who has received Him. Thus, the Greater One that is in us opposes all that is in the world (Galatians 5:17; John 14:17; 1 John 2:16-16. The power of Jesus Christ in the life of the believer enables us to conquer the spirit of antichrist, the spirit of the world, and the spirit of deception (1 John 3:6-7).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
1 John 4:4 - "You are from God little children and have conquered them because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."
The Greater One that "is in you" is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ both came in the flesh when He was born into the world and when he was born into the hearts of men by the Holy Spirit. That Christ Jesus dwells in those who are born of God is a well-established doctrine, (1 John 3:24; 14:20, 23; 17:23, 26). Therefore, we may understand that there is a dual meaning to "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh;" for Jesus was both manifested in the flesh when He was born of the virgin Mary and when He came to dwell on the inside of the child of God. Jesus Christ who was manifested to destroy the works of darkness is now manifested through everyone who has received Him. Thus, the Greater One that is in us opposes all that is in the world (Galatians 5:17; John 14:17; 1 John 2:16-16. The power of Jesus Christ in the life of the believer enables us to conquer the spirit of antichrist, the spirit of the world, and the spirit of deception (1 John 3:6-7).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Daily Bread
1 John 4:13 - "By this we know that we abide in Him and He abides in us because of the Spirit that He has given us."
Jesus dwells in us by the Spirit which He has given unto us (1 John 3:23; John 14:23). And it is through our love one for another that this union with God is revealed. It is by this divine love that all men will know that we are His disciples (John 13:35). The Holy Spirit has poured the love of God into our hearts (Romans 5:5). It is this divine love of the Father that is the evidences or fruits that the Spirit dwells in us. This kind of love does not have a human origin and is not to be placed on the same level as "love your neighbor as your self." The kind of love that the Father commands us to have for one another is the same love that Jesus has for us (John 13:34). This love is only manifested as we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to love through us.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
1 John 4:13 - "By this we know that we abide in Him and He abides in us because of the Spirit that He has given us."
Jesus dwells in us by the Spirit which He has given unto us (1 John 3:23; John 14:23). And it is through our love one for another that this union with God is revealed. It is by this divine love that all men will know that we are His disciples (John 13:35). The Holy Spirit has poured the love of God into our hearts (Romans 5:5). It is this divine love of the Father that is the evidences or fruits that the Spirit dwells in us. This kind of love does not have a human origin and is not to be placed on the same level as "love your neighbor as your self." The kind of love that the Father commands us to have for one another is the same love that Jesus has for us (John 13:34). This love is only manifested as we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to love through us.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Daily Bread
1 Peter 1:2 - "According to Father God's foreknowledge in sanctification of Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace be multiplied."
It was the plan or foreknowledge of the Father that we should be chosen by being set apart or sanctified by the Spirit. The foreknowledge of God in every case has to do with God's plan and not the individuals in the plan. We may be confident that it is God's will that all men be saved for, "He is not willing that anyone perish" and, therefore, "the grace of God has appeared to all men" (1 Corinthians 1 Peter 5; Titus 2:11). The Greek word 'prognosis,' was used by the ancients as a medical term which is still in use today; and may be defined as "a prediction about how a given situation will develop." This word, which is derived from the compound word 'pro-ginosko,' may be literally translated to "know before." It is only used twice in the New Testament, here and in Acts 2:23. The tragedy of the misunderstanding of God's foreknowledge cannot be said better than John Wesley said it so many years ago," but the doctrine of predestination is entirely changed from what it formerly was. Now it implies neither faith, peace, nor purity. It is something that will do without them all. Faith is no longer, according to the modern predestinarian scheme, a divine "evidence of things not seen," wrought in the soul by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost; not an evidence at all; but a mere notion. Neither is faith made any longer a means of holiness; but something that will do without it. Christ is no more a Savior from sin; but a defense, a countenancer of it. He is no more a fountain of spiritual life in the soul of believers, but leaves his elect inwardly dry, and outwardly unfruitful; and is made little more than a refuge from the image of the heavenly; even from righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
1 Peter 1:2 - "According to Father God's foreknowledge in sanctification of Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace be multiplied."
It was the plan or foreknowledge of the Father that we should be chosen by being set apart or sanctified by the Spirit. The foreknowledge of God in every case has to do with God's plan and not the individuals in the plan. We may be confident that it is God's will that all men be saved for, "He is not willing that anyone perish" and, therefore, "the grace of God has appeared to all men" (1 Corinthians 1 Peter 5; Titus 2:11). The Greek word 'prognosis,' was used by the ancients as a medical term which is still in use today; and may be defined as "a prediction about how a given situation will develop." This word, which is derived from the compound word 'pro-ginosko,' may be literally translated to "know before." It is only used twice in the New Testament, here and in Acts 2:23. The tragedy of the misunderstanding of God's foreknowledge cannot be said better than John Wesley said it so many years ago," but the doctrine of predestination is entirely changed from what it formerly was. Now it implies neither faith, peace, nor purity. It is something that will do without them all. Faith is no longer, according to the modern predestinarian scheme, a divine "evidence of things not seen," wrought in the soul by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost; not an evidence at all; but a mere notion. Neither is faith made any longer a means of holiness; but something that will do without it. Christ is no more a Savior from sin; but a defense, a countenancer of it. He is no more a fountain of spiritual life in the soul of believers, but leaves his elect inwardly dry, and outwardly unfruitful; and is made little more than a refuge from the image of the heavenly; even from righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Monday, August 21, 2006
Daily Bread
Ephesians 3:17 - "That Christ may dwell in your heart through faith being rooted and founded in love."
There is a double allegory in this thought: being rooted as a tree and founded as a building on a good foundation. Both express the stability and commitment to what our primary responsibility is as God's people. We are called to walk in love, a love that is in fact supernatural because it is divine love or the same love that Father has for us. Jesus said that by our love one for another all men would know that we are His disciples (John 13:35; 1 John 4:7). It is in knowing and believing that Christ dwells in us that the faith of God is released to produce all of the benefits of His divine nature.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Ephesians 3:17 - "That Christ may dwell in your heart through faith being rooted and founded in love."
There is a double allegory in this thought: being rooted as a tree and founded as a building on a good foundation. Both express the stability and commitment to what our primary responsibility is as God's people. We are called to walk in love, a love that is in fact supernatural because it is divine love or the same love that Father has for us. Jesus said that by our love one for another all men would know that we are His disciples (John 13:35; 1 John 4:7). It is in knowing and believing that Christ dwells in us that the faith of God is released to produce all of the benefits of His divine nature.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Daily Bread
Ephesians 2:2 - "According to that which you once walked in the age of this world according to the ruler the authority of the atmosphere the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience."
The "spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience" is the demonic realm which has dominated men since the day that Adam sinned. The spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience is also the god of this world that blinds the minds of the unbeliever (2 Corinthians 4:4). This is the same power which Paul spoke of in Romans as "the motions of sins", and "sin that dwells in me" (Romans 7:17); the power of sin entered into the world through Adam's transgression and then passed upon all men (Romans 5: 12). Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil and for all those who will believe in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus this power and dominion of the Satanic realm has been destroyed (1 John 3:5; John 12:31; Hebrews 2:14). Jesus conquered Satan and now the church is commissioned to enforce His conquest.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Ephesians 2:2 - "According to that which you once walked in the age of this world according to the ruler the authority of the atmosphere the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience."
The "spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience" is the demonic realm which has dominated men since the day that Adam sinned. The spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience is also the god of this world that blinds the minds of the unbeliever (2 Corinthians 4:4). This is the same power which Paul spoke of in Romans as "the motions of sins", and "sin that dwells in me" (Romans 7:17); the power of sin entered into the world through Adam's transgression and then passed upon all men (Romans 5: 12). Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil and for all those who will believe in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus this power and dominion of the Satanic realm has been destroyed (1 John 3:5; John 12:31; Hebrews 2:14). Jesus conquered Satan and now the church is commissioned to enforce His conquest.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
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