Sunday Report
In the letters to Ephesus and Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira, a fundamental principal is before us. Our Lord Jesus desires us to agape love Him, not just phileo love Him! When we bring ourselves into His intimacy, we fellowship into His loving grace; His glory leads us into another level of glory as we engage the lover of our soul! This is the Son of God in Thyatira!
In the letter to Ephesus we found a fundamental principal laid out before us. Our Lord Jesus desires us not to phileo love Him but agape love Him! When we bring ourselves into His intimate worship, we fellowship into His grace; His glory leads us up into another level of glory! We are engaging the lover of our soul! And He is also the Son of man in Smyrna!
Here we are, close to the rapture and Jesus is still walking among the lampstands, giving us yet another chance to grow in grace and be whom He has already created us to be! The issue is agape love, love on His level! I suspect learning about agape love will be an eternal quest for those of us in His Kingdom, those of us who will be living in that heavenly abode, within the majesty of God’s everlasting glory and Light! - Vic
The letters to the seven churches are written by Jesus Himself, by the hand of John. John is sitting in Jesus’ heavenly office taking dictation! These are personal notes Jesus wants John to deliver to seven local churches whom John knows personally. All of these churches have their own unique character representing issues common to all bodies of church believers. These are bodies of believers living during the reign of grace prior to the rapture, which is where we are today!
This behavior is from The Persona who loves our souls. He left His place in heaven to provide participation for created humanity in pure, righteous truth in love! Now in heaven, He is here seen walking among those still on earth. This is the essence of God Himself, walking on earth in love with truth and righteousness in us. This is the nature of Lampstand Light compared to the darkness of man! Light sows the seed of righteous truth, this is our calling!
In our last GraceNotes we took a brief view of the “Son of Man.” Jesus, our redeemer, became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. This is the reason Jesus came into human flesh, in a body like ours, so that we might be qualified for His fellowship! It is a question of love and righteousness! It is a question of God’s purpose and plan!
Have you ever heard a sermon on the “Son of Man?” Perhaps, but I don’t recall a study or a talk on the “Son of Man.” Not in my Christian upbringing, a Christian High School, a 4 year Bible College and many expository churches, do I recall an importance stressed on this unique element of God’s gift to us. My memory, of course, may be limited and lacking!
“At issue is our Spiritual maturity. Our natural orientation is temporal and carnal but our new creation in Christ Jesus is Spiritual. Growth of our new Spiritual identity is not only our calling but nurturing Spiritual desires is the only wise choice for mortals to make!
This should be our highest priority as long as we are walking in sandals on this earth. The outcome of our salvation is at stake. No, we won’t lose our salvation, but by neglect we will suffer much loss! Maturity in Jesus Christ requires sharp focus and due diligence.
The logos Word of God is given to our eyes to feed our soul with God’s absolute truth and righteousness. Our Spiritual person, created by our Lord Jesus, is at risk in this wicked world. In other words, by allowing sin in our life, our Jesus Light will dim, putting ourselves at risk in this apostate world. But, on the other hand, our Father God provides His indwelling Holy Spirit’s two edge Sword making us “overcomers” within this dark hostile, worldly planet.
Below are a few Faith-Habit high points from our last GraceNotes.
Redemption is God’s foundation for our faith. God’s character of love comes into us as grace; we respond in faith!
Redemption is the means to install our faith into a life-style as a believer; faith is the habit we wear!
Faith is using our grace connection to walk in Christ Jesus.
Living faith is walking in the Spirit!
(Faith) is using God’s resurrection power thru the Spirit!
Redemption is God’s foundation for our faith. We have seen redemption laying the foundation for God’s grace, our faith comes out of God’s grace. God’s grace continuously is nurturing a person who is born-again, who is created new spiritually in Christ Jesus. Faith is hearing God’s constant presence and acting in spiritual obedience. Grace is our connection, our life-line but faith is using God’s life-line; faith is our response to God’s gift of love. God’s character of love comes into us in grace and we respond in faith!
Pastors should take an oath when they step into the pulpit, the one requiring them to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God! When we get partial truth we walk away vulnerable not knowing “the rest of the story.” Oh, it was true enough but partial truth is very dangerous and deceptive. We end up being dragged in the water to our heavenly port while missing out on blessings we never knew we had!
Right now, as I am writing this GN, Thru The Bible (TTB) with J. Vernon McGee is going through 1John. Dr. McGee is in chapter three and focusing on the believer’s “two natures.” I recommend McGee! He is a good source for learning and understanding the Word of God. However, there is a hazard in the dogmatic way He asserts, as fact, that we have “two natures,” even though it is God Himself who births us a second time in Christ Jesus
Breathe into Behavior was our last GN and we are working on The Life of Peter. This piece, BORN of GOD,, is borrowed from 2015. Inserting it here freshens it into its practical theme of fruit production. Fruit is what we will be examining in the Life of Peter. Behavior is “our” fruit from breathing into our soul the logos Word of God.
