Desire Things From Above! By James L Lantz
John begins his gospel by declaring that Jesus (The Word) was with God in the beginning and that everything that was made was made by Him, including man. Life is in the word of God and the word of God lights every man sent into the world. John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. This is the answer to the origin of life and brings comfort and hope to believers who have been separated from their little ones through premature death. Knowing that we were made by the word of God and given life through Him gives us even greater reason to know the word of God. We are not only made by Him and for Him but its through Him that we consist. How we value the word of God and His body effects our health and length of days. Proverbs 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Are you able to say with me, I am one who finds them! Paul refers to the fact that he was alive unto God as a child but sin snared him when he disobeyed God’s command. Romans 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. Paul goes on to speak of the weakness of his flesh in his lost condition outside of Christ redemption. Some have endeavored to magnify God’s grace by belittling the law, but Paul says the the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good. Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment
The Law Of The LORD Is Perfect, Converting The Soul!
holy, and just, and good. Blessings abound through the keeping of the law but the law was unable to make us righteous before God. Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. It is only through Jesus sacrificial death, suffering, shedding of His blood, and rising from the dead that we are alive unto God. Certain laws, like sacrificing the blood of animals to cover man’s sin are no longer in effect in our new and better covenant. Jesus blood has been shed once and for all so that our sins could be remitted and we could be born from above! After Paul laid out the futility of endeavoring to serve Christ from the flesh he masterfully lays out how to walk after the Spirit. Rom. 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. What the last Adam accomplished through His rising from the dead makes tremendous power available for everyone to receive eternal life and to reign in this life. Rom. 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. The word saved in this verse is the word Sozo in the greek, which means to save, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively), to heal, preserve, do well, and to be or make whole. No one has even come close to receiving all of the grace made available through Christ resurrection and the infilling of the Holy Spirit! Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
God’s desire is for all of His children to live and walk in the authority and dominion that was handed us through Christ victory over satan when He arose from the dead! Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; This word destroy in Hebrews 2:14 means to ( render entirely idle or useless, to abolish, cease, to cumber, deliver, destroy, do away, become of no effect, fail, loose, bring to nought, vanish away, or to make void ). We certainly recognize and understand that satan continues to steal, kill, and destroy in the earth until someone resists him by faith in the name of Jesus and with the word of God. Very soon Adam’s lease will expire and the Lord Jesus will return and destroy all of God’s enemies with the sword of His mouth. Our current assignment is to take the gospel of Christ to this lost world while maintaining the victory that is ours by faith. We are to occupy while we wait for our Lord to return and put every one of God’s enemies underfoot. After a war is won the victorious nation or kingdom will maintain a small amount of troops in the conquered nation to prevent them from rising up against us again. Father God turned everything over to His Son Jesus, and we, as His body are the occupying force in the earth. Jesus mentions five supernatural signs that confirms the Gospel of Christ and empowers us to enforce satan’s defeat by maintaining godliness in our own lives, homes, churches, and communities. Mark 16:17&18 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Jesus commanded the early believers not to leave Jerusalem until they were filled with power from on High. We are commanded in the epistles to be filled with the Spirit and to desire the gifts of the Spirit!
There is nothing more important than being right with our Creator and receiving eternal life! It is an awesome privilege to be a child of God and a joint heir with Christ Jesus. It is a gift from God to see things from the right perspective from a sound mind. The right perspective about eternal life is that we were hopelessly lost and eternally separated from Father God because of our rebellion. We were powerless to redeem ourselves and didn’t deserve to be redeemed. Our future was to be one of torment in the lake of fire for ever and ever without burning up. Those with a sound mind recognize God’s goodness and are full of thanksgiving! Upon receiving Jesus as our Lord we died to self but we gained a brand new life in Christ. Gal. 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Our spirit is now reborn with the life of God and our soul (mind, will, and emotions) are to be yielded to the word (will) of God. Our flesh must be crucified, buffeted, or silenced to wrong and selfish desires. Jesus told the the rich young ruler to take up his cross and follow Him. Jesus put His finger on the idol that was keeping him from the kingdom of God. Jesus invited this young man to come and be a part of His team and perhaps become an apostle. Mark 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. Those who walk after the flesh choose what appears to be easiest and most comfortable for them at the moment and disregard the reward of the Lord! God is good and He is a rewarder! God never asks us to do for Him what He is unwilling to do for us! Every command He gives is to keep us from harm and to bring us to a greater place! Jesus wanted the rich young ruler to be increased one hundred fold but he forfeited it all by putting himself first. Mark 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
Mark 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. Desire to please The Father and seek that which is above, righteousness, peace, joy, and the glory of God!
