A Four Word Description
\nIf we chose four words to describe the life of a believer–that is, what
\nthe Lord Jesus does for the believer from the first hour we believe
\nuntil we come into final glory–these four words might sum it up:
\nconverted, healed, filled, and raised.
\nIf you will read the ninth chapter of Acts, you will find that in three
\ndifferent people the Lord performed these four things. The Lord Jesus
\nChrist converted Saul of Tarsus. Jehovah Rapah healed Aeneas from his
\nsick bed. The Faithful Son of God filled Tabitha with good works. Our
\nKing, who has taken away the sting of death for his people, raised
\nTabitha from the grave. The names of the people change, but what Christ
\nworked for them and in them tells us what he does for every chosen child
\nof God from the first hour of grace to the last.
\nEvery time the Lord does one of these for us he does all of these for
\nus. When the Lord first converted you, he healed you spiritually, he
\nfilled you with his Spirit, and he raised you from death to life. Every
\ntime he has healed us from our sickness of self-righteousness and trial,
\nhe has converted us from darkness to light, filled us with good works,
\nand raised us from the dungeon of dead deeds. As he continually fills us
\nwith good works, he continually converts us from the lies of our hands
\nto the truth of his, continually heals us from all our sinful doubts,
\nand raises us to behold him and all the good which He accomplished on
\nour behalf. He has raised us over and over, but there is coming a day
\nwhen he shall raise us one last time. Then we will be converted from
\nthis mortality to immortality, healed from this body of death, filled
\nwith knowledge and understanding like we have never had, raised
\nincorruptible to be with our Lord forever more.
\nClay Curtis.<\/p>\n
From Elim to Sinai
\nAnd they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the
\nchildren of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between
\nElim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their
\ndeparting out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 16: 1<\/p>\n
Using Elim as a type of the local church, I see God’s true Israel embark
\non a journey that will be repeated in their experience time and again.
\nThe believer’s life is a journey. It begins to be seen at his conversion
\nand then made known to him over and over every step of the way. What I
\nsee in Israel’s journey to Sinai is the believer’s experience of grace
\nas it is brought to him on a continual basis until he reaches his
\npromised destination. This type fits his first revelation of grace and
\nfits all that will yet come his way.
\nMany professing Christians look at the believer’s experience in parts.
\nThey see a convincing of sin and then a convincing of righteousness and
\nthen a convincing of judgment satisfied. Now, having experienced these
\nthings he moves on to other things such as how to live, conduct himself
\nin the world, duties to his wife and children, and so on. He says
\nconcerning the cross “I get it, now lets move on to other things” This
\nis not how the believer’s life is typified by Israel and it is not the
\nexperience recorded by the New Testament apostles and the saints they
\nministered too.
\nThe believer’s experience of grace and the ministry of the Holy Ghost to
\nhim involves a continual journey from Elim to Sinai. It begins with a
\nthirsty sinner being led to drink from the deep wells of Elim. The
\nchurch is the pillar and ground of the truth. It is in these assemblies
\nwhere the water of Christ is dispensed to Jacob’s chosen sons. His
\nchurches are raised up and carefully placed where his wandering children
\ncan benefit by them. >>>>>>>>>>
\nHaving tasted of the good waters of Elim they are now led to experience
\na wilderness of sin. Sin in them and sin around them. God will have the
\nbeliever to fully experience and know this wilderness. He leaves him to
\nsleep in it, wake in it, walk in it, and live in it. This wilderness
\nexperience is to teach him that salvation is of the Lord. This world has
\nnothing to contribute to the salvation of God’s elect except such things
\nGod has placed in it for a means to that end.
\nThis wilderness experience is to lead him to Sinai. It was out of the
\nwilderness of sin that Israel was brought to receive God’s law. It is
\nout of the spiritual wilderness of our old nature that the apostle Paul
\nbrings us, in Romans 3, to see the law. The law, received in the light
\nof a fallen nature is to shut us up to the sovereign grace we tasted
\nback in Elim. It is to shut our mouths and take away our excuses and
\ncause us to look to the mercy and grace of God in Christ.
\nIt is to this end that each time we hear his gospel we are led down this
\npath. It is the believers constant and continual experience. This, I
\nbelieve, might be a good commentary on Romans 8:1; “There is therefore
\nnow no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
\nafter the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
\nEverything else the believer is taught is taught in the light of this
\nexperience. Duties, ordinances, and service are all born along this
\njourney. God help us to see it, taste it, and profit by it and give him
\nall the glory for it. – Darvin Pruitt<\/p>\n
Proof of Spiritual Life
\nJoe Terrell
\n“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
\nme: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even
\nthe messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall
\ncome, saith the LORD of hosts.” ~Malachi 3:1
\nA believer is a mass of contradictions so when he looks at himself he
\noften wonders if he knows God at all. Is there such a thing as proof of
\nspiritual life? Here it is given: all believers delight in Christ. Much
\nto a believer\u2019s shame, there may be other things which can also delight
\nhim, but none of these other delights can ever fully displace his desire
\nfor Christ. The Lord used this very principle with Peter when restoring
\nhis confidence of an interest in Christ: Peter do you love me more than
\nthese things? Peter\u2019s conscience must have once again burned with shame
\nwhen the Lord asked Him this question a third time for it reminded him
\nof his three-fold denial of the Lord Jesus a little while ago. His
\nbroken heart gushed forth in a proclamation he likely felt unworthy to
\ngive but still could not deny, \u201cLord, you know I love you!\u201d Many years
\nlater, Peter would express that sentiment in his own epistle: To you who
\nbelieve, He is precious.
\nWe delight in Christ\u2019s Person. Yes, we love his doctrine and we love His
\nchurch; but we love Him more. His doctrine is dry without Him, His
\nchurch a disappointment apart from His presence. Is there anything you
\nlong for more than to behold His face? Does not every rival attraction
\nfade to insignificance in His presence? Is there any burden of your
\nheart that will not find relief when you see Him? Does not His presence
\nsignal to you, \u201cAll is well\u201d?
\nWe delight in Christ\u2019s Lordship. It is the Lord who comes. In this case,
\n\u201cLord\u201d is not a translation of God\u2019s name, Jehovah, but is His title,
\n\u201cAdonai\u201d: Lord, Master, Owner. He is our Lord and we love to have it so!
\nHe is Lord of all, and we find comfort in His sovereign rule over all
\nthings.
\nWe delight in His message. He is the messenger of the New Covenant in
\nHis blood. To hear His name spoken; to hear His work described; and to
\nhave those things sealed to our hearts by His Spirit is heaven. Indeed,
\n\u201cHis lips with grace o\u2019er flow\u201d. We say “You who dwell in the gardens
\nwith friends in attendance, let me hear your voice!” (Song of Songs 8:13)
\nOur delight in Christ is not our boast, neither before men nor before
\nGod; but it is proof in our hearts that we are, indeed, born of God. If
\nJesus Christ is not our delight, then we are yet dead in trespasses and
\nsins. But if He is our delight, then we are alive unto God.<\/p>\n
Clothes And Shoes For Life
\nTommy Robbins
\n\u201cI have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not
\nwaxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.\u201d
\nDeuteronomy 29:5
\nThis miracle wrought by God for the children of Israel as they journeyed
\nthrough the wilderness represents a far greater miracle of grace.<\/p>\n
The forty years in the wilderness represents the believer\u2019s life in this
\nworld.<\/p>\n
Their ageless clothes represents the righteousness of Christ by and in
\nwhich we adorned before God as He leads us to our predestinated abode.<\/p>\n
The shoes upon their feet represents His sustaining grace in Providence
\nas we walk by faith through this world of adversity.<\/p>\n
Every day, for forty years, as they grew and persevered, their clothes
\nand shoes remained new and suited for them. He has lovingly clothed His
\nchildren with an everlasting righteousness – \u201cThy righteousness is an
\neverlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth\u201d Psalms 119:142 and
\n\u201cshod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace\u201d Ephesians
\n6:15. – And His mercies are new every morning – \u201cIt is of the LORD\u2019S
\nmercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They
\nare new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness\u201d Lamentations 3:22-23.<\/p>\n
Our Lord in love, mercy and grace has provided for His people all that
\nwe will ever need for time and eternity in His blessed Son. We are kept
\nby the power of God through faith in Christ Jesus as we journey through
\nthis valley of the shadow of death. We are clothed with the
\nrighteousness of Christ to one day stand in His glorious presence. My
\nfriends, nothing grows old in Christ. He is the same yesterday, today
\nand for ever. That which is in Christ remains the same, yet is always
\nnew! – \u201cThe thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that
\nwhich is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing
\nunder the sun\u201d Ecclesiastes 1:9. This verse speaks specifically of
\nChrist and His redemptive work in its infinite purpose and perfection.
\nThe salvation of the Lord is as old as God Himself, yet will remain new
\nand enjoyed by the elect for all eternity.<\/p>\n
Calling the Dead to Live
\nIf you\u2019re going to command a lame man to take the first step . . . If
\nyou\u2019re going to call upon dead sinners to live . . . If you\u2019re going to
\ninsist that a maniac make a right decision . . . you\u2019d better have a
\nGospel that is the power of God unto salvation, or else you mock the
\nsouls of men. You\u2019d better be speaking for the One, of the One, and with
\nthe power and blessing of the One Who is able to save to the uttermost
\nthose who come unto God by him. Salvation is not in the ability of the
\npreacher, nor is it contingent upon what men will do, but it is sure to
\nall of God\u2019s elect, because of Christ and what He did do. Christ does
\nnot taunt the lame with the bargain that if they will only take a step,
\nHe will save them. He saves them, by the preaching of the gospel, and
\nthen they leap and shout and praise God. Chris Cunningham<\/p>\n
Behold me
\nWe come into this world crying for attention, literally. As we grow
\nolder and more independent, our desire for the eyes of men only gets
\nworse. We have perfected the art of calling attention to ourselves with
\nmodern day social media. It all goes back to our perverted desire to be
\nlike God. (Gen. 3:5). For God says, \u201cBehold me. Behold me.\u201d Is. 65:1.
\nWhat is the difference when God says, \u201clook at me\u201d and when we say it?
\nFor us it is a desperate attempt to shore up our feelings of insecurity
\nwith the approval of men. It is filled with pride and
\nself-righteousness. When God says, \u201cBehold me\u201d, it is a gracious call
\nfor sinners to be saved. -Greg Elmquist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A Four Word Description If we chose four words to describe the life of a believer–that is, what the Lord Jesus does for the believer from the first hour we believe until we come into final glory–these four words might sum it up: converted, healed, filled, and raised. If you will read the ninth chapter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4802"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4802\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4803,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4802\/revisions\/4803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}