The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer

I am reading through T.L. Osborne’s book, Healing the Sick.  It’s excellent! Although he has recently gone to be with the Lord in Febraury, he saw tens of thousands of people healed in every corner of the earth, during his sixty-five years of ministry.  I absolutely agree with most of what he says, including that it is always God's will to heal us.  You can read more on that in my other post called, "Healing is in the Atonement."

However, he says that suffering is never from God.  I can perhaps accept that sickness is never from God when His children are obedient.  But the Scriptures have much to say about the role of suffering in the life of God’s children.

In the Bible, there are two kinds of suffering, as I see it.  One is suffering for sin and the other is suffering for righteousness. 

Suffering for Sin
Let’s begin with suffering for sin.  The Israelites are a good example of this kind of suffering.  When they sinned, they suffered.  But it was always redemptive.  The Lord was seeking to bring them back to Himself.

The Bible does teach us that God does sometimes try us in the fire, refine us like silver, and that’s painful.  “For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins. You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.” (Psa 66:10-12).

In this Psalm, it even says the Lord laid an oppressive burden upon their loins.  God made men ride over their heads.  He put them through fire and water.  But look at what He did in the end ultimately – He brought them into a place of abundance. 

The only time you need to refine silver is when there are still impurities in it.  You only use this process to remove dross.  It would not be used on silver that is already purified.  So when we need more purification in our lives, the Lord uses the fire to remove the impurities. This comes in the form of painful sufferings.

I think that disobedience can surely bring sickness into the life of a believer (see Micah 6:12-13), which is one kind of suffering.  The way this happens is that when we walk in disobedience to the Lord, we open a door to the enemy and give him a right to get a foothold in our lives.  When the enemy comes in, he can and usually does bring sickness, pain, or disease.  The demons want to gain control of your soul ultimately, but they begin by getting into the body at first.  Satan always comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

In Deut 28:15-68 you can read how the Lord told the Israelites that they would experiences disease and hardship if they rebelled against Him.  You may be thinking that Jesus became a curse for us, and we are free from every curse, according to Galatians 3:13.  You are correct, but when a child of God walks in rebellion or idolatry, they come out from under that protective covering of Christ’s atonement.

There are plenty of practical examples in life.  One is alcoholism, which causes liver disease.  Another is tobacco addiction, which causes lung disease and other sicknesses.  Addiction to injected narcotics leads to disease that enter through the blood, such as AIDS, hepatitis, and others.  Gluttony leads to obesity and its related diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.  The list of examples goes on and on, and there are too many to cite.  The consequences of sin are serious and you cannot escape them if you walk in rebellion or idolatry.

The fact is that even when you're sick or in pain as a result of your own sin, the Lord still desires to heal you.  It's not His will to leave you like that. He wants you whole once again. 

Here is another example from the lives of the Israelites: 

At the end of Is 42 it says, “But this is a people plundered and despoiled; All of them are trapped in caves, Or are hidden away in prisons; They have become a prey with none to deliver them, And a spoil, with none to say, "Give them back!" Who among you will give ear to this? Who will give heed and listen hereafter? Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned, And in whose ways they were not willing to walk, And whose law they did not obey? So He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he paid no attention.” (Isa 42:22-25)

From this passage we learn two things: it was the Lord who gave Jacob up for spoil and Israel to plunderers.  And He did this because they had sinned against Him.  They were unwilling to walk in His ways, and did not obey His commands.

This might cause a person to wonder if the Lord still loved them, or whether He still cared about them.  Was He finished with them and seeking to destroy them?

Immediately after this it says, “But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. "Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life. "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west. "I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring My sons from afar And My daughters from the ends of the earth, Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made." (Isa 43:1-7)

This clearly shows the Lord’s redemptive purpose in suffering.  He says to them, I have redeemed you.  Although they have sinned greatly against Him, He says, “You are precious in My sight, and I love you.”  And He calls them His own. He calls them His sons and daughters.  He promised that though they would go through the fire, they would not be scorched, nor would the flames burn them.  And though they would go through the waters, He would be with them.  He said that when they would go through the rivers, they would not overflow His people.

The Lord promised that although it was necessary for them to be purged, ultimately He would get them back for Himself.  That’s the same way the Lord works under the New Covenant.  When we sin against Him and refuse to walk in His ways or obey His commands, He will refine us in the fire.  He will give us up for spoil to the plunderers.  How could He let the enemy do such things to His chosen people?  How could He lay such an oppressive burden on us, and let the enemy ride over our backs?  Is this a loving God?

Yes, He is loving in all His ways.  In the end, He brings us into a place of abundance.  He knows what He is doing!  The question is whether we know what we are doing.  And do we know what He is doing in all this when it is happening to us?  Or do we panic and think the Lord has forgotten us? Are we surprised by the fiery trials?

The apostle Peter says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” (1Pe 4:12-13)

From Peter we learn that fiery ordeals do come upon the saints of God for our testing.  It’s the will of God.  Being saved is not easy.  It’s a difficult thing.  When we have impurities in our lives, the Lord will burn them up. He will bring judgment to His house, not to destroy us, but to purify us, so we may be saved.

“For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1Pe 4:17-19)

Peter says it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved.  The judgment of God begins now with the household of God. The only way through it is to entrust your soul to the faithful Creator and do what is right.

In all of this, we know that Christ has suffered for sin, but not His own.  He has suffered for our sins. 

Peter says, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1Pe 2:21-24)

Christ suffered for you.  And He bore your sins in His body on the cross.  The Lord has made a way for us to be saved, as well as healed.  We don’t have to earn our salvation. But we do need to follow in the steps of Jesus Christ, according to His example.  That includes dying to sin and living for righteousness.  If you refuse to do that, then you reject the sufferings of Christ for your sin, and you must suffer for your own sin.  If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the sinful nature, you will live.  But if you live to please the sinful nature, you will reap destruction.

Suffering for Righteousness
I said there are two kinds of suffering in life, and I have just explained the first one, which is suffering for sin.  Now we’ll discuss suffering for righteousness.

Peter called this "suffering unjustly" or "suffering for doing what is right," and taught that we find favor with God when we patiently endure it.

“For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” (1Pe 2:19-20)

If you are going through some kind of suffering for your own sin, and you endure it, there is no credit in that.  You just need to repent and let the Lord have His perfect way in you.  Let Him use the fire to purge and purify you. And if you are sick, you need to call upon the elders of the church to anoint you with oil and pray for you, according to James 5:14.  And if you have sinned, you will be forgiven, according to James 5:15.

On the other hand, there is suffering for the sake of righteousness.  This happens when you do right and suffer for it.  Perhaps you refuse to do unethical things or immoral things that your employer wants you to do. You may lose your job and suffer financially for it.  Likewise, you might refuse to take such a job in the first place, if you know in advance what it will require.  In that case, you may also suffer through a longer period of unemployment and financial difficulty.  But the Lord will see this and be pleased.  He will bless you in the end, and give you something even better than what you would have had, if you had followed the ways of the world.  This has been my experience in life.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called to suffer.  That’s what the Scriptures say.  Peter said, “You have been called for this purpose.” (1 Pe 2:21).  He was referring to doing what is right and suffering for it, then patiently enduring it (see 1 Pe 2:20).  That’s the purpose for which you and I have been called.  The problem today is that many preachers have taken the cross out of the gospel; however, there is a cross for every disciple.

The apostle Paul said, “For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” (Php 1:29-30)

Paul did not run from suffering, but embraced it.  He had lost everything for Christ and considered knowing Christ of greater value than anything else, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;"  (Php 3:10; also see 1Th. 2:9; 2Ti. 2:3, 2:9; 3:12; and 4:5)

Paul said, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Act 14:22). 

The Lord told the church in Smyrna, "Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Rev 2:10).  And I believe the Lord would say the same to us today.  Do not fear suffering!  We have nothing to fear, if God is for us. Rather, rejoice that you suffer for Christ (see Mt 5:11-12).  If this message frightens you, then meditate on Rom 8:28; 1 Pe 5:7; Is 26:3; and Psa 56:3-4.

A preacher named Paul Gabanek, who suffered much for Christ under communism, said in his autobiography, Ministry of the Holy Spirit in My Life: "If we have love of Jesus, nobody can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38 to 39). Yes, God is with us in every situation of life. We need the love of Jesus Christ. Without His love we cannot suffer, we cannot bear tribulations or temptations."

Brother Gabanek stated: "In those last days of my imprisonment they put me in a disciplinary cell for eight days. It was a little room like a tomb in underground. Only a little of light came in. The guard took me down and locked the iron gate. As I lifted my eyes in prayer I had a vision: I saw Jesus Christ with His apostles at the table eating and drinking at the last supper. And immediately I heard Jesus saying to me: 'I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,' (Luke 22:15) and when He was saying: 'before I suffer,' He looked at me. I understood Him, but I was not sorrowful. He suffered much more for us than we can ever suffer for His sake. And our suffering for Him is blessed, because it is for righteousness’ sake. His suffering for us was much harder, because it was for our sins. (1 Peter 3:14)"

Now I am in total agreement with T.L. Osborne regarding the fact that God is not going to send sickness into the life of an obedient believer to refine the person (see Exodus 15:26).  I believe that healing is in the atonement and that we should stand on God’s promises about that.  But there are many other types of suffering that you may have to endure as an obedient believer.  Among these may be persecution and conflict, hardship and difficulty, beatings and imprisonment, troubles and distress, sleepless nights and wrecks, and a host of other possibilities like Paul endured (see 2 Co 6:3-10).  You cannot always make these go away.  And the Lord will use them to further refine you, just as Peter taught. 

Even those who obey the gospel still need to be purified.  There is not one of us who doesn’t need some work of purification in our lives.  We serve a holy God, and He has called us to be holy as He is holy.  We serve a perfect God, and He’s called us to be perfect as He is perfect.  We need to seek His righteousness, pursue holiness, and aim for perfection.  Seek peace and pursue it.  Pray for the holy fire to purify you from everything that will not pass through the fire as purely from God.

For, "The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.” (1Pe 3:10-11)

Peter also said, “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,” (1Pe 4:1).  Suffering in the flesh does bring you to a place where you cease from sin.

Even the archangel Gabriel told the prophet Daniel, "Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days. Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.” (Dan 11:33-35)

This is not about bad people being punished.  It’s about those with insight and understanding falling by the sword and being burned to death.  It’s about righteous people being taken captive and plundered for an extended period of time.  The purpose for it is to refine, purge, and make them pure until the end time.

You see, this is the end time.  We are about to witness the return of Christ.  And the Scripture says “that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Eph 5:27)  He is going to present to Himself the church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing – one that is holy and blameless.

So let’s not be surprised at the fiery trials that come upon us. “But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.” (1Pe 4:13-16)

Putting it All Together
There are basically two kinds of suffering.  One is suffering for sin.  Everyone who sins suffers for it, unless they repent and accept the suffering of Jesus Christ that He suffered for their sin in their place.  Even believers in Christ can suffer for sin, if they walk in rebellion or idolatry.  This could be sickness, disease, pain, financial distress, imprisonment, or a host of other possibilities.  But the purpose is always redemptive.  Though the Lord sends these things upon us, He promises that we will not be destroyed by them. The Lord is always seeking to bring us back to Himself into a place of righteousness, peace, abundance and joy.

The other kind of suffering is for the sake of righteousness.  It’s when you suffer for doing what is right, and that’s unjust suffering.  The Lord is not going to send sickness upon His obedient servant, so we can be sure of that.  I will concede that Job was the most righteous man on earth in his day, and yet he still suffered more than most of us ever have. But consider how God blessed him in the end.

We need to stand on the promises of Deuteronomy 28: 1-14; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24; Ps 103:1-3 and James 5:14-15. We need to walk in the perfect health He has paid for on our behalf.  But there are a host of other things that can happen to a righteous believer, and we cannot possibly list them all here.  That could include dishonor, evil reports, being regarded as a deceiver or imposter, being punished, seeming to be poor or having nothing, imprisonment, captivity, sword, flame, and even dying. So let's not forget that or remove it from the gospel.

This message is not intended to frighten you.  Do not fear suffering, but trust the Lord through it and rejoice that you share in His sufferings.

I close with the words of the apostle Peter, “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1Pe 4:17-19)

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note:  If you know a believer going through fiery sufferings, please share this article with them.  If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Holy Fire Baptism, The Afflictions of the Righteous, The Burning Ones, The Three Elijahs, The Refiner's Fire, Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies, Holy Living in a Perverted World, and Aim for Perfection. You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master." Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Aim for Perfection

These days it seems like most so-called Christians have given up on the idea of perfection.  They are willing to settle for compromise with the world and sin in their own lives, doing so under the excuse of grace.  But grace is not a license for sin.  So I’d like to examine the Scriptural standard for the life of every disciple of Christ.  The standard is perfection.   To be more precise, it is sinless perfection.

You May Not Sin
Jesus spoke to the man whose hand was healed, and warned him not to sin anymore. “Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, ‘Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.’” (Joh 5:14).  Why would Jesus tell him to sin no more, if it were not possible?  Wouldn’t that only frustrate the man? No, the Lord would not command him to do something that was impossible.

He said, “sin no more.” That expression comes from the Greek words “harmatano meketi.”  The word “harmatano” means “to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), that is, (figuratively) to err, especially (morally) to sin: - for your faults, offend, sin, trespass” (Strongs).  And meketi means, “no further: - any longer, (not) henceforth, hereafter, no henceforward (longer, more, soon), not any more.”  “Meketi” comes from the Greek root word “me,” which is a primary particle of qualified negation, such as “not, neither, never, no, none, nor, or without” (Strongs). And the other root word “eti” means “yet”, still (of time or degree): - after that, also, ever, (any) further, (t-) henceforth (more), hereafter, (any) longer, (any) more (-one), now, still, yet.” Therefore, "meketi" emphasizes the discontinuation of an act already in progress and the negation of an act in the future.

After Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, He used that same expression to warn her to leave her life of sin.  “She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.’” (Joh 8:11).  That expression once again comes from the Greek words “harmatano meketi.”

The apostle John wrote his epistle, so that his readers may not sin.  “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”  (1Jn 2:1-2)

John said, "You may not sin." That expression comes from the Greek words “me harmatano” meaning "sin not" just as the apostle Paul used in his epistle to the Corinthians, when he wrote, "Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame." (1Co 15:34). Other English versions say, “sin not” (KJV) or “do not go on sinning” (ESV).

John taught that sin has no place in the life of one who is born again. He said, “We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.” (1Jn 5:18).

I believe the Lord would say the same to us today as He and His apostles said then, "Do not sin anymore."

Depart from Iniquity
The apostle Paul said, "Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.'" (2Ti 2:19). He explicitly said we must abstain from wickedness, which means to refrain from indulgence in it, or to restrain oneself from doing it or enjoying it. Other versions say "depart from iniquity" or "depart from unrighteousness."  This leaves no room for any unrighteousness at all in our lives. We have a responsibility to depart from it.

Abstain from Sinful Desires
Likewise, the apostle Peter said, "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul." (1 Pe 2:11, NIV). It should be obvious from Scriptures like this that all sin is forbidden for the saints.

Do No Evil
The Holy Spirit spoke through the mouth of Isaiah saying, "Cease to do evil!" (Is 1:16b). Likewise, the apostle Paul prayed for the Corinthians that they would do no evil. He said, "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil." (2Co 13:7a, KJV). The Greek word for "evil" here is "kakos", which means that which is  worthless, depraved, sick, injurious, bad, evil, harmful, or wicked. This should be our prayer also for ourselves and others that we would do no evil, in other words do nothing wicked, wrong, bad, harmful, or sinful in any way. This is even more important than praying that we would be spared from suffering evil.

Be Perfect
Jesus said, "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mat 5:48).  The word “perfect” is “teleios” in the Greek, meaning “complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); completeness: - of full age, man, perfect.”  When Jesus said, “as your heavenly Father is perfect,” it clarified that was talking about godly perfection.  Obviously what Jesus referred to was moral perfection of the same kind that our Father in heaven has.  He would not command us to do something that was impossible, so we know this is attainable.

The apostle Paul also said that Epaphras prayed earnestly for the Colossians so that they may “stand perfect.” He said, “Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.” (Col 4:12)

Likewise, that was the way Paul prayed for the Corinthians.  In the context of praying that they would do no evil (2 Cor 13:7), as I mentioned previously, He said, "But we pray also for this, your perfection." (2 Co 13:9b, MKJV). The word “perfect” is “katartisis” in the Greek, meaning “perfection” (Strongs). That is the goal.

How to Attain Perfection
But how do we attain such perfection?  There is a responsibility on our part to be perfect, as Jesus said. We certainly have an active role in submitting to the process. However, the Lord carries out the process, as a refiner does with silver or gold. Peter said that Christ Himself will perfect you through suffering.  “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1Pe 5:10)

Paul also said the Lord will perfect the good work He began in you. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Php 1:6).  Note that Paul says the Lord will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus, which means it is an ongoing work until the Lord returns or until we go to be with Him.

Therefore, while we must actively participate and make every effort to be perfect, it does not depend completely on us. Ultimately it is the Lord's work in us, without which we could never be perfect.

Now But Not Yet
So then are we perfect already, or is it still something we seek to obtain?  The apostle Paul made it clear that he had not already become perfect.  “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” (Php 3:12).  Now I can relate with that! Although he admitted he was not yet perfect, he made it his aim to reach that goal, since that was the reason Jesus Christ laid hold of him.

On the other hand, Paul also referred to himself among those who were already perfect.  He said “Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;” (Php 3:15).  Paul spoke in the first person plural in the present tense, when he said “as many as are perfect.” So we see that although Paul had not already become perfect, he was in fact leading a perfect life to the greatest extent possible at that time.  I call this "Now, But Not Yet ."

A Perfect Conscience
The gifts and sacrifices of the Law could not make the worshiper perfect in conscience.  “Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,” (Heb 9:9b). 

But those who accept the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ are not guilty, not only because of destroyed records, but because of a purged conscience.  When your conscience has been purged, it becomes perfect.

This is a glorious gift from God, because a guilty conscience makes a person miserable.  And it only keeps the person bound by sin, so they keep repeating the same thing.  But a clear conscience is liberating and free. It is no longer obligated to sin, but is obligated to righteousness.  Thank the Lord for a clear conscience!

Spirits made Perfect
The apostle writing to the Hebrews said that when you come to know the Lord, “You have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,” (Heb 12:22b-23)

We are one with the entire Body of Christ, including those who have already gone before us into glory.  They are the spirits of righteous men, women, and children made perfect.  That’s what we are, if we know Jesus and obey His commands.  Note that is says we are "made perfect" and the One who made us perfect is the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s what we are becoming, and we’ll soon join that heavenly throng.

Is Perfect Simply Being Complete?
Some people who teach about perfection say that the Greek word for “perfect” simply means being “complete.” They imply that is doesn’t really mean moral perfection as we understand it in the English language. 

But James said, “And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (Jas 1:4)  James uses two different words here, “perfect” and “complete”.  The word “perfect” is “telios” in the Greek, which we have already defined as perfect.  The word “complete” is “holokleros” in the Greek, meaning “complete in every part, that is, perfectly sound (in body): - entire, whole.”  Since James said, “you may be perfect and complete,” we know there is a difference between “perfect” and “complete”.  We know that when the Scripture speaks of being perfect, it does not simply mean “complete.” Since James used both these terms side by side, we know it is God’s will for us to be perfect, and it is possible for the believer.

The Power of the Tongue in Perfection
James described a perfect man as one who does not stumble in what he says: “For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.” (Jas 3:2).  He said the reason such a man is perfect is that the tongue will direct the course of one’s entire life.

Jesus said, "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” (Luk 6:45).  The mouth speaks from whatever the heart is full of.

Since the tongue merely speaks from the overflow of the heart, then the real issue is one of the heart.  Therefore, ask the Lord to give you a perfect heart, as David prayed for his son, Solomon: “and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all, and to build the temple, for which I have made provision." (1Ch 29:19)

What if You Do Sin?
And always remember, “if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”  (1Jn 2:1b-2). If we do sin, Jesus Christ is our Advocate with the Father.

John also said, “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1Jn 1:7). Aren't you glad to know that as long as you walk in the Light as He is in the Light, the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin?

Never forget, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1Jn 1:9). Confess your sins, and He will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

Aim for Perfection
Make it your goal to be perfect.  Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.  Pursue holiness (Heb 12:14).  Finally, brothers, good-by. The apostle Paul said, “Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Cor 13:11)

Putting it All Together
There is no place in the Bible that says God tolerates any amount of sin. The Scriptures teach us that we are to be perfect, even as our heavenly Father is perfect.  That's God's high standard for our lives. We are to sin no more. Depart from iniquity. Committing sin is no longer allowed. If we continue in a sinful lifestyle, then something worse may happen to us than what the Lord originally healed or delivered us from.

He has promised to give us a perfect conscience that is clear and free of guilt.  When you are born again, your conscience is restored and made to be like that of a little child once again.  That sets you free to soar like an eagle and obey the Lord in true righteousness.

You can't do this yourself.  You need a definite work of the Holy Spirit in your life.  That's why we must pray for perfection for ourselves and one another.

The main culprit is the tongue, so watch your tongue.  And ask the Lord to give you a pure and perfect heart, so that the words overflowing out of it through your mouth will be perfect also, and order your whole life in a way that is pleasing to God.

You don't need to go around telling everyone you are perfect.  Just live it.  And the Lord will continue to perfect the good work He started in you until the day of Christ Jesus.  He'll always be working on something in your life, as you continue to pursue truth, righteousness, and holiness.  So if you do sin, repent and confess it, so you may be forgiven.  A daily life of repentance is the shortest path to God's mercy, and that's how I seek to live my life.

Brethren, aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "Let This Mind Be in You" and "Nothing is Impossible" paintings © 2012 are by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note:  I invite you to see these related articles of mine: Christian Perfection, Holy Living in a Perverted World, Called to be Blameless, Following in His Steps, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Is Obedience Optional?, Faith Works!, Obedience by the Spirit, Righteous Deeds and White Robes, Doing What is Right, The Straight and Narrow Path, Walking in the Perfect Will of God, The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer, and Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God. You can access my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Three Elijahs

Elijah Oil Painting by Boris Vallejo

Today I’d like to look at three "Elijah" prophets in Scripture.  You probably knew there was at least one Hebrew prophet Elijah, who lived on the earth and served God during the reign of King Ahab.  He is the Elijah whom the three disciples saw with Moses there on the Mount of Transfiguration, talking with Jesus (Mt 17:3).  In addition, many of you are aware that a second Elijah has already come.  But I want to show you that there is still another Elijah.

“And He [Jesus] answered and said, ‘Elijah is coming and will restore all things; but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.”  (Mat 17:11-13)

Note that Jesus said, “Elijah already came,” and “Elijah is coming.”  By this He showed that there are two prophets.  In addition to the original prophet Elijah, there are two prophets who come in the spirit of Elijah, but do not necessarily have his name.  He acknowledged that Elijah had come, which the disciples understood that He meant John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah (see Lk 1:17).  But He also said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things.”  Since Herod had already beheaded John the Baptist (Mt 14:8), who did Jesus mean when He said that Elijah is coming to restore all things?

This is what the prophet Malachi spoke of when he said, “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,’ says the LORD of hosts.” (Mal 3:1).  This is a double prophecy, referring to both the first and second coming of Jesus Christ.  There is yet to come in the spirit of Elijah a prophet who will prepare the way for the Lord before He returns.

Malachi prophesied for the Lord: "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse." (Mal 4:5-6).  That was the end of Malachi's book of prophecy and the final portion of Scripture written before Christ.  I believe this final Elijah will restore the hearts of God’s children to the Heavenly Father before Jesus come.

I believe that just as the first Elijah had a holy fire ministry, as did John the Baptist, so will the final Elijah have such a ministry.  Elijah called down holy fire upon the sacrifice on top of Mt Carmel (1Ki 18:37-38), when  he prayed, “'Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.' Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench." Later on another occasion, he also called down fire upon the captains and their fifties (2 King 1:10).

John the Baptist was a fiery preacher like that, who said, "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Mat 3:10-12)

So we know that the final Elijah will also have a holy fire ministry.  Just take a look at the coming ministry of the two, last-days witnesses in Revelation. “And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.” (Rev 11:5). 

As we look at the prophets Elijah and John the Baptist, we can see that the only people who were hurt by them were the wicked and the ungodly.  The poor, the humble, and those who repented of their sin were not harmed in any way.  The same can be said of the last-days witnesses.  The only people who will be harmed are the ones who want to harm them.

My wife and I have pondered whether there will be just two such witnesses, or a whole company of people who will move in the spirit and power of Elijah.  We tend to believe that while these two witnesses in Revelation 11 will operate in Jerusalem, there will be many others operating like that around the world.

An Important "After-Word"
I originally posted this article on September 13, 2013, when the Lord gave me this message.  However, today on October 30, 2013, I received further revelation, as I read the book of Revelation.  I had just read the verse that says, "Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, 'Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!'" (Rev 8:13)

And having read that verse, I was actually looking for a prophetic word that John Paul Jackson once received and shared in an interview with Sid Roth, in which he said that 2012 would be a year of woes. However, the Lord led me to the following video recording of an interview between Paul Keith Davis and Terry Bennett, a prophet of the Lord.

Amazingly, this interview was conducted on September 3, 2013, and covers the same subject that I have covered in this article.  They discussed the coming days along with the subject of Elijah and the Bride of Christ.

From 4:00 to 5:10 in the video, Terry Bennett mentions that Elijah has appeared to him in person on numerous occasions.  At 7:45 he says that in at least one instance, Elijah appeared to him with the Lord and the angel Gabriel.  He was told that the Bride must be made ready for the Lamb, and that Elijah is being released.  This means the actual, original prophet Elijah is being released by the Lord to carry out his end time ministry.  In a recent conference, brother Terry said he has seen Elijah return to earth in a chariot of fire. This explains why he has been appearing to brother Terry and others.

Brother Terry was also told by Gabriel that the time for the release of the Spirit and power of Elijah has arrived.  It was explained to him that this Spirit and power will be upon a worldwide company of men and women, whom God has invited to operate in the Spirit and power of Elijah.

He said that God's invitation to be the Bride extends to all, but it requires total consecration. As James says, the double-minded man must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Note that the Scripture says the Bride must make herself ready, and one primary reason the Holy Spirit has been given to the Church is to enable this.  "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." (Rev 19:7)

The ministry that will occur in connection with the the Spirit and power of Elijah, and the Bride making herself ready will be a very atypical (unusual) time for the Church in most arenas.   This is not going to look like business as usual in the Church. 

The Lord did give a warning to brother Terry that this ministry is not about drawing attention to Elijah or any man.  There must be great humility in all of this, just as Elijah had during his original ministry.  The Lord said that if the message is not about pointing people to the Lamb who is coming, it's going to be judged. The message must direct people to the Lord. 

Brother Paul Keith said at around 16:00 in the video that he believes it's not OK not to believe the Word regarding fullness.  I agree completely.  Some have rejected what the Word says about fullness in Christ, which includes healing and holiness, as well as the baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  The Lord paid a great price at Calvary to make these possible, and it's not OK with Him if people reject these.

This all reminded me of what brother Neville Johnson said in a conference I attended exactly one year ago, on October 31, 2012 in Sheffield, England.  He said that on June 22, 2012, the Lord woke him at 3:00 AM.  He started to pray. Suddenly, people came into his room. It was the Lord and other people -- Elijah and Moses.

The Lord said to Neville, “The day has now come when you will see great anointings come to the earth. Tell my people they are the sent ones to this generation. I am about to release my true apostolic anointing. Many angels are about to come to the earth. They will come and bring this anointing.” Truth will come like never before.

The prophet Elijah said to Neville, “The Spirit that was upon me when I was on the earth will be upon men once again, and He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."  He quoted Malachi 4:6 about this. The church is to reveal the heart of the Father to this generation and show them what God is like." He spoke about redemptive judgments coming to the earth. When God’s judgments are in the earth it will bring righteousness.

God showed him some of the terrible things coming to the earth, and Neville emphasized that we must be there to tell people why they are happening.  Neville said the foundations have been eroded: holiness and the baptism of fire. When a person is baptized in fire, there is an absolute change in their life. The old is burned right out. They need a baptism of Holy Spirit and fire. This is exactly the same message the Lord has been speaking to me and my wife, and which I have been preaching, so this bears witness to my spirit.

I would like to encourage you to watch the Paul Keith Davis and Terry Bennett interview at this link.

Putting it All Together
My friends, it’s time to seek the Lord. Consecrate yourself wholeheartedly to Him. Let the holy, Refiner's fire do its perfect work in you.  Ask the Lord to purify you from everything that will not pass through the fire as purely from Him.  Love the fire of God!  Ask the Lord to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire, as John the Baptist said He would do (Mt 3:8).

If there is anything in your life that is not right with God, get it right with Him.  Clear the way for the Lord, because He is about to return in the glory of His Father with His angels, and he is coming for a Bride without spot or wrinkle.  He will reward every person for his own deeds (Mt 16:27).  Without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb 12:14)

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Boris Vallejo Elijah Oil Painting Original Art (1981). Boris Vallejo presents this stunning vision of Elijah, the prophet of Israel during the ninth century B. C.

Author's note:  I invite you to also read these related articles of mine: Holy Fire Baptism, The Burning Ones, Baptized by Blazing Fire, The Refiner's Fire, Only the Holy -- Three Shocking Testimonies, The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer, Healing is in the Atonement, Covenant Prayer, Baptized with the Spirit, and Your Rewards Are Based on Your Practice. You can also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

You're Better Off Following Jesus

I once spoke to a man on a plane about Jesus, and he said, "My life is already good. Why would I want to add Jesus to it?"  I feel sorry for that man, because he was so enamoured with the world and his earthly possessions that he didn't realize he'd be better off following Jesus. 

Today I want to show you why you're better off following Jesus, so you don't make the same mistake as that man on the plane.

Superior Name
The apostle writing to the Hebrews said that Jesus is superior to those who came before Him.

He said, “The Son has become greater than the angels since he has been given a name that is superior to theirs.” (Heb 1:4).  The name of Jesus is superior to that of any angel.

The apostle Paul said, “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Php 2:9-11)

The apostle Peter said, "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Act 4:12)

Superior Ministry
Not only is His Name superior, but also his ministry.  “Jesus has been given a priestly work that is superior to the Levitical priests' work. He also brings a better promise from God that is based on better guarantees. “ (Heb 8:6, GW)

That Greek word in Hebrews used to mean "superior" is the word "diaphoros," which in this context means “excellent, surpassing.” -- Thayer

“Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For it is attested of Him, ‘YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.’" (Heb 7:11-17)

Jesus clearly has a superior name and a superior priesthood.  So what difference does that make for us?

Since Jesus is superior, the apostle says in Hebrews “…God had provided something better for us...” (Heb 11:40).  Let’s see all that God has provided for us that is better.

Better Tabernacle
First of all, we have a better tabernacle.  “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;”  (Heb 9:11).  As beautiful as the earthly tabernacle was, and although it was made after the pattern of the heavenly one, it cannot compare to the greater and more perfect tabernacle.

“For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;”  (Heb 9:24)

Better Mediator
Jesus is also a better mediator.  “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” (Heb 1:3-4).

Before Christ came, the Word was spoken through angels (Heb 2:2).  But the Lord Jesus is better than the angels, and now the gospel has been spoken by Him (Heb 2:3).

In Hebrews, the word better comes from the Greek word, kreitton.  It means, “1) more useful, more serviceable, more advantageous; 2) more excellent.” – Thayer.  It means “stronger, that is, (figuratively) better, that is, nobler: - best, better.” – Strongs

Unlike the angels, Jesus is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His nature. He upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb 1:3).  He is God's own Son, who sits at the right hand of the majesty in the heavens and His throne is forever (Heb 1:8).  He is God (Jn 1:1; Col 1:15).  All things were created by Him (Col 1:16).  All the angels worship Him (Heb 1:6), and He's a better mediator.

Better Blood
His blood is also better than the blood of Abel, who was a righteous man that was murdered.

“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.” (Heb 11:4 NASB).

Abel’s blood still speaks, but Jesus’ blood speaks better.

"And to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel." (Heb 12:24)

While Abel's blood cries out for justice, the blood of Jesus cries out for mercy. His blood is not only the that of a righteous man, but of God's only begotten Son, who was completely innocent of sin.

His blood is also better than the blood of animals.  “For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:13-14)

Better Sacrifice
The sacrifice of Christ is better than all the sacrifices offered under the Law.  “Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” (Heb 9:23)

Those gifts and sacrifices could not make the worshiper perfect in conscience. “The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.” (Heb 9:8-10)

Jesus has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. “nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”  (Heb 9:25-26)

“For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." (Heb 10:1-4)

"Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET." (Heb 10:11-13)

“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Rom 8:3-4)

Better Hope
Jesus offers a better hope. “(for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” (Heb 7:19)

“nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.” (Gal 2:16)

“Therefore be it known to you, men, brothers, that through this One the forgiveness of sins is announced to you. And by Him all who believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses.” (Act 13:38-39)

Better Covenant
The New Covenant is better than the old.  “… Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.”  (Heb 7:22)

“For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: ‘The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, “Know the Lord,” because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’ By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” (Heb 8:7-13)

“For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.” (Rom 4:13)

Better Promises
Not only is the new covenant in Jesus' blood a better covenant, but it is based on better guarantees -- on promises of better things. “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.”  (Heb 8:6)

“For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,” (Rom 4:16)

Better Possession
Through Jesus, we inherit a better possession than anything this world has to offer! And this possession lasts forever. “For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.” (Heb 10:34)

Better Country
The apostle writing to the Hebrews said of those who walked by faith before Christ, “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” (Heb 11:16).  Even they desired a better country than the earthly and natural promised land of Canaan. 

The country the Lord has provided those who put their faith in Christ is better than any country on earth.  It’s even better than the country of Israel, better than the holy land on earth.

Better Resurrection
For those who follow Jesus, there will be a better resurrection. The writer to the Hebrews said, “Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;” (Heb 11:35)

Some people have received back their dead by resurrection, which must be an absolutely awesome experience!  On the other, other people who have been given the chance to avoid persecution by denying Christ have refused to deny him.  In some cases, their loved one may be in the hands of persecutors, who offer them their loved ones back if they deny Christ. They fear God and know that if they deny Christ, they may get their loved one back temporarily, but at the resurrection they will arise to everlasting condemnation.  And instead they choose not accept their release, so that at the resurrection of the dead, they might arise to everlasting life.

Putting it All Together
So we can see that Jesus Christ has a superior Name and a superior ministry.  His priesthood is superior to the Levitical one.

This is good news for us, because it means God has provided many better things for us through Christ.  These include a better tabernacle, a better Mediator, better blood, better sacrifices, a better hope, a better covenant, better promises, a better possession, a better country, and a better resurrection.  If the man I spoke to on the plane had understood all this, he would have realized that the brief and comfortable life he was living was far inferior to the abundant and eternal life we have in Christ.

If you know the Lord, then be encouraged by these things.  You're better off following Jesus.  Don't trade it for anything.

I once lived for myself without Christ, and I personally "...spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry."  I can testify that I'm better off now following Jesus.  If you don’t know the Lord, then I invite you to put your trust in Him today.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note:  I invite you to also read these related articles of mine: Is Jesus God?, Supremacy of Christ, The New Wine, and Supernatural Power for All Disciples. You can also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Image credit: The "All Hail King Jesus" painting © 2012 by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Lifting Your Face in Prayer

Does your posture or the direction you look in during prayer really matter?  I believe it does, as I've written about previously in my post called Lifting Hands in Prayer. I believe the Lord honors every act of faith, and certain postures open you up to receive from the Lord more readily. One of those is lifting up your head and eyes to God in prayer.  Here is the Scriptural basis for it:

David lifted his eyes to the Lord in prayer
David lifted his eyes to the Lord in prayer. “To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens!” (Psa 123:1)

David also wrote of the generation who seeks the Lord’s face.  He spoke metaphorically to indicate that we are like gates or doors, which have the ability to open up and let the Lord come in or remain shut. “This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face--even Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.”  (Psa 24:6-10) If we gates want the Lord of hosts, the King of glory, to come in, then we are invited to lift up our heads.

Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Rev 3:20)

Jesus told us to lift up our heads in expectation of His return. "But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luk 21:28). This is a way of loving the Lord with your strength, as well as your heart and mind.  You change your whole posture to open up with joyful expectation for the Lord to come.

Sin Keeps Men from Lifting Up Their Face to God
Ezra told the Lord it was sin that kept him from lifting up his face to God.  “And I said, ‘O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.’” (Ezr 9:6)

This was the reason the sinful tax collector would not lift up his eyes to heaven.  "But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'  (Luk 18:13)

If there is sin in your life, you should not lift your eyes proudly to the Lord. You should humbly confess your sin, repent, and ask the Lord to forgive you. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  (1Jn 1:9)

Then you can lift your eyes once again in prayer, and come before the Lord with clean hands.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  (Heb 4:16)

Nebuchadnezzar raised his Eyes Toward Heaven
When king Nebuchadnezzar was judged by God for his great pride, he experienced seven years of living outdoors like an animal.  He had the mind of an animal and could not rule his kingdom.  The Scripture says, "Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.” (Dan 4:33).  I assume he could not even speak normally, but maybe grunted or growled or even howled.

But notice what happened at the end of that time.  He himself testified, "But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. “ (Dan 4:34).  He said, “I…raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me.” The Lord honored that one, simple act of humility and faith on his part.  Then he blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him. 

Our God is awesome.  And when we will raise our eyes to Him in childlike faith, adoration, and total dependence, He takes notice.

Jesus Lifted His Eyes in Prayer
Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven in prayer.  "Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people." (Luk 9:16)

He didn't look down or stare at His navel when He prayed. “Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You…’” (Joh 17:1)

Putting it All Together
Let me encourage you to lift up your face when you pray.  This is pleasing to the Lord, when you come to Him with clean hands and a pure heart.  As I've written about in my article called, The Link Between Two Realms, there is a definite link between the physical and spiritual realms.

Lift up your eyes to the Lord.  He's the One from whom your help comes. David prayed this way, Ezra did also, and so did Jesus.  The Bible teaches us to lift our heads up to God in prayer, and to love Him not only with all our heart and soul, but with all our strength, too.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. "Seek My Face" and "My Beloved Son" paintings © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Lifting Hands in Prayer and The Link Between Two Realms.  You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Walking in the Perfect Will of God

I want to address the matter of God’s will, since there are so many misconceptions and misunderstandings about it.  Both non-believers and believers alike have some negative connotations surrounding the expression “God’s will.” 

Some people think the will of God for their lives must be dreary, boring, or too difficult.  I used to think like that before I knew the Lord. Others think that if they do God’s will, then it will require them to do something they don’t want to do.  Some question God’s will, saying things like, “If God were a God of love, why would He allow this to happen.”  Still many don’t even know what the expression “God’s will” even means!

So let’s look at the truth about God’s will, so that we can properly understand it and know it.

The Nature and Meaning of God’s Will
First of all, let’s consider the very nature of God’s will and what it means when we refer to the will of God.

God’s will is that Jesus would lose none of those whom He has given to Jesus. "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.  (Joh 6:39)

It’s God’s will to give eternal life to those who believe in Jesus. "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."  (Joh 6:40)

God is a Mighty Savior, and it’s His will or desire for all men to be saved. “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  (1Ti 2:3-4)

It’s not God’s will that anyone perish in hell.  "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.  (Mat 18:14)

His will is for everyone to come to repentance. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  (2Pe 3:9)

Since God cannot repent for you or force you to repent, sometimes it is God’s will for us to be made sorrowful for a season, in order to bring us to repentance. “I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.” (2Co 7:9)

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2Co 7:10)

Will (Greek, thelema)
When speaking of the will of God, the word for “will” is thelema, which means “A determination (properly the thing), that is, (actively) choice (specifically purpose, decree; abstractly volition) or (passively) inclination: - desire, pleasure, will.” – Strong. The will of God is what He has determined should happen.  It’s His desire or pleasure.

Another word that is used much less often for God’s will is boulomai, which is a verb that means “1) to will deliberately, have a purpose, be minded; 2) of willing as an affection, to desire.” – Thayers.  Some examples in the New Testament, where this is used for God’s will are 2 Peter 3:9 (where it is used in the negative sense about what God does not desire), Matthew 11:27, 1 Corinthians 12:11 and James 1:18.

It was God’s will to beget us and give us new life by the Word of Truth. “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.” (Jas 1:18)

If you have given your life to Jesus, then you were born again by the will of God. “Who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  (Joh 1:13)

Certainly it’s God’s will for you to give yourself to the Lord and to the brethren. “and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.” (2Co 8:5)

It’s God’s will for you to be made pure and holy.  “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;” (1Th 4:3)

It’s God’s will for you to give thanks in everything.  “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Th 5:18)

It’s God’s will for you to silence the ignorance of foolish men by doing what is right.  “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (1Pe 2:15)

Doing what is right usually involves some kind of suffering by the will of God, which requires you to trust God. “Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1Pe 4:19)

It’s God’s will for elders to shepherd His flock voluntarily, not because they have to, or because they are being forced to, or for the money. “Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; (1Pe 5:2)

Now that we have established the true meaning of God’s will and its benevolent nature, let’s see why it’s so important.

The Importance of God’s Will
The reason Jesus came was to do God’s will.  "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'" (Heb 10:7)

The only person Jesus considers part of His family is the one who does the will of God. "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother." (Mar 3:35)

The apostle Paul lived according to God’s will. “But taking leave of them and saying, ‘I will return to you again if God wills,’ he set sail from Ephesus.” (Act 18:21)

Paul prayed that he would visit the Christians in Rome by the will of God. “Always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.” (Rom 1:10)  As we know from Luke’s account in the book of Acts, when Paul was on trial for his faith, he appealed to Caesar.  This required that he be sent to Rome for the emperor’s decision.  Therefore, he did go to Rome, but it was as a prisoner.  There he lived in his own rented house, where he welcomed all who came to see him, and preached the kingdom of God to them.

The Spirit intercedes according to the will of God.  “And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom 8:27)

That’s why the Spirit’s intercession is so vital, because the only prayer God hears is the prayer according to God’s will.  “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”  (1Jn 5:14)

We must know and confirm the will of God. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:2)

You need to be fully assured as to what God’s will is, and this comes through prayer.  “Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.” (Col 4:12)

The prayer and declaration that Jesus taught us to pray is “Heavenly Father, Your will be done.” When His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, he said to pray to the Father in heaven: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”  (Mat 6:10). There is no resistance to God’s will being done in heaven, but there is resistance to it on earth.  That’s why we need to be praying that it will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  And when the saints around the world are praying that way continually, then the will of God will be accomplished.

That’s the way He Himself prayed in the midst of His suffering.  “He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.’"  (Mat 26:42)

Now that we see so many reasons why the will of God is so important, let’s move on to how that applies to our lives from a practical perspective.

The Necessity of Doing God’s Will
Not only is God’s will benevolent and very important to us, it is absolutely necessary for us to do the will of God.

We must live our lives only for the will of God.  “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”  (1Pe 4:1-2).

You only receive what was promised when you have done the will of God. “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” (Heb 10:36)

We must do the will of God from the heart. Paul taught slaves to obey their earthly masters “not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” (Eph 6:6)

To avoid passing away and perishing with the world, you must to the will of God.  “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”  (1Jn 2:17)

Only the one who does the will of God will make heaven. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.  (Mat 7:21)

Doing God’s will is not the same as saying you will do it or having sincere intentions. It must be evidenced by action.  "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They *said, "The first." Jesus *said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.  (Mat 21:31)

Anyone who knows God’s will, and does not act according to it, will be punished severely in hell. "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,  (Luk 12:47). So there is a great responsibility to live in the perfect will of God once you know it. 

And those who don’t act upon it, because they don’t know it will be punished, too, although less severely. (Lk 12:48)

For Jesus it was as nourishing as eating food to do God’s will.  “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.’”  (Joh 4:34)

Jesus only sought to do God’s will.  "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  (Joh 5:30)

Jesus only came to do God’s will.  "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.  (Joh 6:38)

You come to know the will of God experientially by doing it. It’s not just an intellectual head knowledge that you need.  "If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.  (Joh 7:17). 

God knew that King David would do all His will, and He called him a man after His heart.  "After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, 'I HAVE FOUND DAVID the son of Jesse, A MAN AFTER MY HEART, who will do all My will.'  (Act 13:22).  We need to be men and women and children after God’s heart, who will do all his will.

“So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”  (Eph 5:17).  We need to understand what the Lord’s will is, in order to avoid being foolish.

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,”  (Col 1:9).  Paul prayed that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.  That’s the kind of wisdom we need.

Once you know God’s will, He will give you all you need to do it.  “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Heb 13:20-21)

Putting it All Together
As we’ve discovered in God’s Word today, the will of God is not something to be dreaded. It’s nothing to run away from or resist.  His will is always good, perfect and pleasing. 

Before I gave my life to Jesus, I was considering the claims of the gospel that a friend had shared with me.  I was considering giving my life to Jesus, and I thought that if I gave my life to the Lord, I would no longer have those hilariously fun times I had enjoyed in the world.  But after I gave my life to Jesus, I realized how wrong I was.  I have experienced greater highs of joy and excitement and fun in the kingdom of God while serving the Lord Jesus that I ever experienced from any of the many worldly pleasures I indulged in while I was in the world. He knows what is best, and wants the best for us.

He desires all men to be saved. It’s not His will that any perish, but that all come to repentance.  Yet you must repent and give your life to Jesus, or else you will perish. But since He cannot make you repent, He sometimes allows godly sorrow into your life to bring you to repentance, which leads to salvation.

The will of God is for you to be sanctified, holy, righteous, and living according to the truth, doing what is right, and giving thanks to Him in everything.   God’s will is very important to us.  It affects every aspect of your life -- including where you live, work, go to school, what you do for work and recreation, who you marry, how you dress, how you treat your parents, spouse, children, and neighbor, and how you spend your money.

The only ones who are punished are the ones who don’t do the will of God, either because they don't know His will or because they know His will and make a choice not to do it.  Yet the ones who know His will and don’t do it will be punished more severely.  It’s important to know and understand what His will is!

However, we don’t seek to know the will of God for informational purposes only.  We seek to know it, so that we can do it.  It’s not enough to simply call Jesus your Lord.  It’s absolutely necessary for you to do the will of God, in order to become part of Jesus’ family, to enter heaven and live forever.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "Thy Will Be Done" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note:  I invite you to visit these related articles of mine: "Is Obedience Optional?", "Obedience by the Spirit,"  "Righteous Deeds and White Robes,"  "Faith Works!," and "Doing What is Right," and Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth? You can access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."  I also recommend the booklet by brother Sadiq Ibraham, called Walking in God's Perfect Will.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.