Thank you Jesus!
I was just writing something.... maybe I'll put it up later, about the revelation of the Head and the body, the sheepfold and shepherds, etc. It was along these same lines.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
(Rom 12:1-6)
Overcome..........present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Be ye not conformed to this world
Hidden Manna.........be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God so that you may know what is the hope of your calling(conformed to the image of Christ/sonship), what is the riches of his inheritance in the saints(the promised land; fruitfulness;ministry of reconciliation), and what is the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe. Hidden wisdom-if the principalities had known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory....A body thou hast prepared for me.
White Stone...........fitly joined to the chief cornerstone(tabernacle), placed as a son(keys to the kingdom), fruitful function(body ministry)
Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual(carnal) mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow(according to God's design NEB). (Col 2:18-19)
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, according to the effectual working of each individual part.
(Eph 4:11-16)
If we saw the opportunity to just "BE A PART", to be the MOST GLORIOUS PRIZE. To be a HUMBLE PART- the mark of the prize of the high call of God in Christ Jesus..... wouldnt it be wonderful? How we would speak the truth in love to one another, edify one another, forbear one another, forgive one another- all for the GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY to see the Bride united with the Lamb, a city come down out of the heavens, made without hands, whose builder and maker is God, set on a hill, shining light into all the house.
I saw that the the way of Abel, an "acceptable" offering, is the narrow way that leads to life. It is the entrance into the sheepfold, "in Christ, the Door"-the way of humility and grace, "yielding", the "first key" to the kingdom.
I saw that the way of Cain, strange fire (mixture of self and service), an unacceptable offering- no hidden manna given, no white stone(you shall wander all the days of your life) "marked" (mark those that create factions among you and avoid them)
This the wide gate, leads to death(But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.)
I was seeing this all in the context of Jesus as Head over all things to the church, the fulness of him who fills ALL IN ALL, and how, if we truly loved the head, we would line up, just to be a member :o) connected to him. Just to be a stone, in a greater tabernacle of his building- and that this is overcoming.(But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.)
I think that the revelation of this glorious relationship of love between Jesus and his Bride and the City of Living Stones descending and the Wedding Supper(union of Bride and Lamb) is really more core to the maturing of sons than we know. The Head and the Members of his body, walking as the one new man(giant messenger of Rev 10).
Passing through the verses of Ephesians 4, I see
the courtship of the Bride and the Lamb.
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(Eph 4:1-3)
the marriage of the Bride and the Lamb.
being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
(Eph 4:3-6)
The wedding night of the Bride and the Lamb, leading to conception
speaking the truth in love....... If we don't speak the truth in love, there is no conception, therefore no fruitfulness leading to
the birth of the sons and daughters who are walking in the stature of Christ(Moses struck the rock, got some water, but also got locked out of the promised land) The anger of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God. The faithful husbandman waits patiently for the harvest, for the early and latter rains...first the shoot, then the stalk, then the ear.(God is so good).
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
(Eph 4:12-13)
The finished work of the body/bride/wife to raise up and send out sons and daughters to destroy the work of the adversaries and set the creation free from futility into the "glorious liberty of the sons of God"- which(IMO) is "koinonea en agape"(hope of our calling)
A nation born in a day, a manchild caught up to God's throne, "Rev 21:7 "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. ".
Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed, by the renewing of your mind.
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
(Isa 2:2-4)
One thing I have asked of the Lord, that shall I also seek. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dys of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate in His temple.
