Daily Bread - Nov 10 2006
Ephesians 4:22 - "You shall lay aside concerning the former behavior the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful desires."
The old man refers to the condition of a person prior to salvation. The Greek word 'palaion' refers to the ancient state of things or the original condition. In this case it was the original condition of sinful man and his desires, thus, this is the spiritual paleontology of unredeemed man. The term 'old man' is used in Romans 6:6 and Colossians 3:9 in the same way that it is used here in Ephesians 4:22 to refer to the unredeemed and evil state of man. The old man has been crucified with Christ Jesus. It was destroyed so that the body or dominion of sin could also be destroyed. As a result, the redeemed individual who is made a new creation may now walk in newness of life having been freed from sin (Romans 6:4-7).
The very terminology leaves no doubt concerning the view of scripture with respect to the nature of sin; it has been entirely removed from man. However, the fact remains: every child of God must resist the temptations of the former behavior that would draw them back into the realm of the unredeemed. Just because our Savior Jesus Christ came and delivered us from the slavery and imprisonment of the devil does not mean that we cannot return into captivity and be imprisoned once again.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Daily Bread - Nov 9 2006
1 Peter 4:2 - "Beloved, do not be surprised by the fiery trial which tries you as though a strange event happened to you."
Fiery trials are inevitable, and no one should be concerned that something is happening out of the ordinary. We know that God allows the tests that we face, but He does not allow us to be tested above what we are able to bear (1 Cor. 10:13 ). We know that God makes a way for us to escape every trial that we have to go through.
It would be wrong to submit to a trial - just as it would be wrong to submit to a temptation to sin. God expects that we should rise up in faith and bring an end to every opposition that we face; for it is the shield of faith that quenches every fiery trial of the wicked one (Ephesians 6:16).
The way that we escape these fiery trials is to submit to God and resist the devil. Peter also said that we are to resist the devil, "firmly in the faith knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished by your brethren who are in the world" (1 Peter 5:9).
The Psalmist said, "many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all" (Psalms 34:19). James said, "Blessed is the man who endures temptation for after that he is tried he shall receive a crown of life which fades not away" (James 1:12). Jesus said, "in this world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Because Jesus overcame we are also able to overcome through His divine power.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
1 Peter 4:2 - "Beloved, do not be surprised by the fiery trial which tries you as though a strange event happened to you."
Fiery trials are inevitable, and no one should be concerned that something is happening out of the ordinary. We know that God allows the tests that we face, but He does not allow us to be tested above what we are able to bear (1 Cor. 10:13 ). We know that God makes a way for us to escape every trial that we have to go through.
It would be wrong to submit to a trial - just as it would be wrong to submit to a temptation to sin. God expects that we should rise up in faith and bring an end to every opposition that we face; for it is the shield of faith that quenches every fiery trial of the wicked one (Ephesians 6:16).
The way that we escape these fiery trials is to submit to God and resist the devil. Peter also said that we are to resist the devil, "firmly in the faith knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished by your brethren who are in the world" (1 Peter 5:9).
The Psalmist said, "many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all" (Psalms 34:19). James said, "Blessed is the man who endures temptation for after that he is tried he shall receive a crown of life which fades not away" (James 1:12). Jesus said, "in this world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Because Jesus overcame we are also able to overcome through His divine power.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Daily Bread - Nov 8 2006
1 Peter 4:17 - "Because the time of judgment has begun from the house of God and if first from us what shall the end of the disobedient be who do not follow the gospel of God?"
The prophet Ezekiel described how God's judgment begins at His sanctuary. The ones who have been given the responsibility to oversee the house of God are those who are judged first (Ezekiel 9:6). The judgment that is referred to here by Peter has already begun among God's people. This judgment not only began with the house of Israel 2,000 years ago but is also ongoing today. Paul says that if we are chastened then we are judged of God so that we will not be condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:32).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
1 Peter 4:17 - "Because the time of judgment has begun from the house of God and if first from us what shall the end of the disobedient be who do not follow the gospel of God?"
The prophet Ezekiel described how God's judgment begins at His sanctuary. The ones who have been given the responsibility to oversee the house of God are those who are judged first (Ezekiel 9:6). The judgment that is referred to here by Peter has already begun among God's people. This judgment not only began with the house of Israel 2,000 years ago but is also ongoing today. Paul says that if we are chastened then we are judged of God so that we will not be condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:32).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Daily Bread - Nov 7 2006
1 Peter 1:14-16 - "As obedient children not conforming to the former desires in your ignorance. But according to His holy calling you shall also be Holy in all conversation. Because it has been written, Be Holy because I am Holy."
The call to Holiness is an absolute in both the New Testament and the Old Testament (Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 20:7, 26). Everything that God redeemed in both covenants became holy and He demanded then and now that we remain holy.
God ordained from the very beginning that men should be holy and without blame before Him (Ephesians 1:4; 5:27; Rev 22:11). Father desires that we be consecrated to the realm of His righteousness and purity - which is the realm of life and truth. He has washed away our filthiness with the blood of Jesus and empowered us by His Holy Spirit to be exactly what He created us to be: holy even as He is Holy.
It is important to remember that Holiness is something that we have because we have His indwelling presence. As we walk in His presence we walk in Holiness.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
1 Peter 1:14-16 - "As obedient children not conforming to the former desires in your ignorance. But according to His holy calling you shall also be Holy in all conversation. Because it has been written, Be Holy because I am Holy."
The call to Holiness is an absolute in both the New Testament and the Old Testament (Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 20:7, 26). Everything that God redeemed in both covenants became holy and He demanded then and now that we remain holy.
God ordained from the very beginning that men should be holy and without blame before Him (Ephesians 1:4; 5:27; Rev 22:11). Father desires that we be consecrated to the realm of His righteousness and purity - which is the realm of life and truth. He has washed away our filthiness with the blood of Jesus and empowered us by His Holy Spirit to be exactly what He created us to be: holy even as He is Holy.
It is important to remember that Holiness is something that we have because we have His indwelling presence. As we walk in His presence we walk in Holiness.
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Daily Bread - Nov 6 2006
Colossians 3:10 - "And being endued with the new which is renewed unto a full knowledge after the image of the One who created him."
God's predetermined plan was that we be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). When we were created in Christ Jesus having been made a new creature, God endued us with the ability to walk in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; 2:10; Hebrews 12:14).
The most important issue that confronts the believer today is holiness. It is absolutely imperative that those who call themselves the people of God lay hold on the power of godliness.
At the end of our church services and devotions there should be the manifestation and witness of the enduing power of God to walk uprightly. There should be the awesome awareness of the presence and purity that causes us to live consecrated to the ways of the Most High. If these fruits do not exist in our lives then there is something terribly wrong; for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, who is Holy by name, are the sons of God. If we are not allowing God to lead us into all the ways of His Holiness then we must ask ourselves if we are ready for heaven.
It is time for the people of God to rise up in total surrender to the Holy Spirit so that the name of the Lord is no longer polluted in the earth through the unrighteous behavior of His people (2 Timothy 2:19; Isa 48:11). It is important to remember that the Lord Jesus said that those who hear of the word but do not do it are like men without a foundation (Matthew 7:26; Luke 6:49; Luke 8:21; James 1:23).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Colossians 3:10 - "And being endued with the new which is renewed unto a full knowledge after the image of the One who created him."
God's predetermined plan was that we be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). When we were created in Christ Jesus having been made a new creature, God endued us with the ability to walk in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; 2:10; Hebrews 12:14).
The most important issue that confronts the believer today is holiness. It is absolutely imperative that those who call themselves the people of God lay hold on the power of godliness.
At the end of our church services and devotions there should be the manifestation and witness of the enduing power of God to walk uprightly. There should be the awesome awareness of the presence and purity that causes us to live consecrated to the ways of the Most High. If these fruits do not exist in our lives then there is something terribly wrong; for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, who is Holy by name, are the sons of God. If we are not allowing God to lead us into all the ways of His Holiness then we must ask ourselves if we are ready for heaven.
It is time for the people of God to rise up in total surrender to the Holy Spirit so that the name of the Lord is no longer polluted in the earth through the unrighteous behavior of His people (2 Timothy 2:19; Isa 48:11). It is important to remember that the Lord Jesus said that those who hear of the word but do not do it are like men without a foundation (Matthew 7:26; Luke 6:49; Luke 8:21; James 1:23).
Be blessed,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Daily Bread - Nov 4 2006
1 Peter 4:11 - "If anyone speaks then as an oracle of God if anyone ministers then as from out of the strength which God directs that in all things God may be glorified through Christ Jesus to whom be the glory and might unto the ages of the ages amen."
Every thing that we do should bring glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who we shall worship and adore throughout all eternity. The noted Greek scholar A.T. Robertson describes the meaning of oracle (logia) as the utterances of God through Christian teachers.
Paul said that when he ministered he would do so by the activity of the Spirit through revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or by doctrine (1 Corinthians 14:6). Paul also said that when he preached it would not be with the words of man's wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and power (1 Corinthians 2:4). When God endued the saints with the power of the Holy Spirit, the first thing that happened was that the Holy Spirit took over what they were saying (Acts 2:4). When Peter spoke to the great crowd of people that had gathered that day, he did so by the power of the Holy Spirit. For the first time the true meaning of the passage of scripture in Joel 2:28-32 was set in its proper context. Through this mighty display of the power of the Holy Spirit speaking through men, God was glorified through Jesus Christ and 3,000 souls were added to the Kingdom (Acts 2:41).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
1 Peter 4:11 - "If anyone speaks then as an oracle of God if anyone ministers then as from out of the strength which God directs that in all things God may be glorified through Christ Jesus to whom be the glory and might unto the ages of the ages amen."
Every thing that we do should bring glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who we shall worship and adore throughout all eternity. The noted Greek scholar A.T. Robertson describes the meaning of oracle (logia) as the utterances of God through Christian teachers.
Paul said that when he ministered he would do so by the activity of the Spirit through revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or by doctrine (1 Corinthians 14:6). Paul also said that when he preached it would not be with the words of man's wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and power (1 Corinthians 2:4). When God endued the saints with the power of the Holy Spirit, the first thing that happened was that the Holy Spirit took over what they were saying (Acts 2:4). When Peter spoke to the great crowd of people that had gathered that day, he did so by the power of the Holy Spirit. For the first time the true meaning of the passage of scripture in Joel 2:28-32 was set in its proper context. Through this mighty display of the power of the Holy Spirit speaking through men, God was glorified through Jesus Christ and 3,000 souls were added to the Kingdom (Acts 2:41).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Daily Bread - Nov 3 2006
Ephesianns 4:24 - "And be endued with the new man which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness."
The new man is the same as the new creation of 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15. It is clearly God’s desire to equip us with a new identity of ourselves. He wants us to see ourselves as His children, and so He says that we are to be born from above (John 3:3), born of the Spirit (John 3:5), born of Word of God (1 Peter 1:23), and born of the resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). The new man is the miracle of the new birth. The new man possesses the nature of God, a divine nature (2 Peter 1:5). It is through this newness of life that we are empowered to walk as the sons of God (Romans 6:4; John 1:12; Romans 8:16; Colossians 3:9).
The new man has a new and pure heart, a new spirit, a purified soul and body that is the temple of God. As the workmanship of God, we have been made a holy dwelling place for God to live in (Ephesians 2:10; Ezekiel 36:26-27; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Matthew 5:8; 1 Ti 1:5; 2 Ti 2:22; Heb 10:22; 1 Peter 1:22).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Ephesianns 4:24 - "And be endued with the new man which is created after God in righteousness and true holiness."
The new man is the same as the new creation of 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15. It is clearly God’s desire to equip us with a new identity of ourselves. He wants us to see ourselves as His children, and so He says that we are to be born from above (John 3:3), born of the Spirit (John 3:5), born of Word of God (1 Peter 1:23), and born of the resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). The new man is the miracle of the new birth. The new man possesses the nature of God, a divine nature (2 Peter 1:5). It is through this newness of life that we are empowered to walk as the sons of God (Romans 6:4; John 1:12; Romans 8:16; Colossians 3:9).
The new man has a new and pure heart, a new spirit, a purified soul and body that is the temple of God. As the workmanship of God, we have been made a holy dwelling place for God to live in (Ephesians 2:10; Ezekiel 36:26-27; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Matthew 5:8; 1 Ti 1:5; 2 Ti 2:22; Heb 10:22; 1 Peter 1:22).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Daily Bread - Nov 2 2006
Ephesians 4:23 - "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind."
God desires that we think differently about ourselves. If we continue to think of ourselves as anything less than co-inheritors with Christ then we are not thinking according to God's plan. Through the weapons of our warfare we are able to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4). By the power of the new man, the former behavior and the lust may be laid aside so that we can walk in God's image.
The corollary scripture in Colossians 3:10 informs us that we have been renewed in knowledge after the image of God. To continue to view oneself as weak, carnal, and unable to please God is the wrong way to think. We are to move in faith and say as Mary did, "be it unto me according to your word." If we are unwilling to obey God and think of ourselves as new creatures who are called to the fullness of the maturity of Christ then surely we will never realize such maturity and will find ourselves being tricked and mislead by deceivers (vs.14).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Ephesians 4:23 - "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind."
God desires that we think differently about ourselves. If we continue to think of ourselves as anything less than co-inheritors with Christ then we are not thinking according to God's plan. Through the weapons of our warfare we are able to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4). By the power of the new man, the former behavior and the lust may be laid aside so that we can walk in God's image.
The corollary scripture in Colossians 3:10 informs us that we have been renewed in knowledge after the image of God. To continue to view oneself as weak, carnal, and unable to please God is the wrong way to think. We are to move in faith and say as Mary did, "be it unto me according to your word." If we are unwilling to obey God and think of ourselves as new creatures who are called to the fullness of the maturity of Christ then surely we will never realize such maturity and will find ourselves being tricked and mislead by deceivers (vs.14).
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Daily Bread - Nov 1 2006
Acts 1:3 - "To whom also He presented Himself alive by many convincing proofs after He had suffered being seen by them for forty days and speaking concerning the Kingdom of God."
Jesus continually presented the message of the Kingdom of God throughout the period of His earthly ministry. Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven 87 times. The first thing that Jesus said about the Kingdom of God was that it had to have first place in our lives if we wanted to be blessed, "seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). Jesus testified that His power over all of the works of the devil was proof that the Kingdom of God had come (Matthew 12:28; Luke 8:1; Luke 9:11; 11:20). He also commanded the apostles and the seventy others whom He sent to demonstrate the authority of the Kingdom of God. They did so by exercising dominion and authority over every oppressing power of darkness that had afflicted man with devils, sickness, disease, and even death (Luke 9:2; 10:9).
Paul makes known to us that we have been translated from the kingdom of the world into the Kingdom of the Dear Son (Colossians 1:13; 2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:14). We may understand the Kingdom of God as the realm of the Spirit - the place from which the Lord Jesus Christ reigns supreme and the will and blessings of God are fully realized.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
Acts 1:3 - "To whom also He presented Himself alive by many convincing proofs after He had suffered being seen by them for forty days and speaking concerning the Kingdom of God."
Jesus continually presented the message of the Kingdom of God throughout the period of His earthly ministry. Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven 87 times. The first thing that Jesus said about the Kingdom of God was that it had to have first place in our lives if we wanted to be blessed, "seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). Jesus testified that His power over all of the works of the devil was proof that the Kingdom of God had come (Matthew 12:28; Luke 8:1; Luke 9:11; 11:20). He also commanded the apostles and the seventy others whom He sent to demonstrate the authority of the Kingdom of God. They did so by exercising dominion and authority over every oppressing power of darkness that had afflicted man with devils, sickness, disease, and even death (Luke 9:2; 10:9).
Paul makes known to us that we have been translated from the kingdom of the world into the Kingdom of the Dear Son (Colossians 1:13; 2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:14). We may understand the Kingdom of God as the realm of the Spirit - the place from which the Lord Jesus Christ reigns supreme and the will and blessings of God are fully realized.
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
www.abidingplace.org
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