Hey All, Just some thoughts and would like some input as this is going out to a few people who need some help. Thanks.
They Would Have Repented
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the workers are few: pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth workers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the Son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the worker is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaves on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be you sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell. He that hears you hears me; and he that despises you despises me; and he that despises me despises him that sent me. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? How do you interpret it? And he answering said, You shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, You have answered right: this do, and thou shall live. LUKE 10
Picture the disciples as new fresh insight (light or thoughts) to our beings (every city and place). Picture the Son speaking light into our darkness. The Holy Spirit acts much like John the Baptist did, He prepares the way for the Word. If the way is open the Word will be received. No one can receive anything unless the ability to receive be given to him from the Spirit. Picture Chorazin and Bethsaida as that within us that is still darkness. If the Spirit holds back it's prep work, then the Son (Word) cannot do it's job. Salvation is God's work in all it's fullness. Capernaum is like the rich man who 'had it made' in this life. That which is within us, or around us, for that matter, that stinks of self works will be cast into hell. It is only because of and by the grace of God that anything lives.
Consider Paul's salvation. The first part of Paul's salvation is when Jesus died on the cross, the second part is when the work of the Spirit and Son are realized (resurrection). Paul's salvation is the pattern of all salvation 1tim1.16 & Galatians1.15-16. The Spirit works, the Son works and the Father is ecstatic. The Father enters into a state of overwhelming emotion and rapturous delight when beholding the work of salvation by the Spirit and Son.
What Jesus speaks into our beings will run roughshod over all the garbage that pollutes our hearts and minds. It will trample the junk down. Nothing can stop the Word once it goes forth or is sent into our being (world) John3.16. We must watch out that we never take away from God's grace by thinking that we, in and of ourselves, did anything. It is so easy to think we at least initiate the salvation process when we are told that we must repent and believe and then we will be saved. This is extremely subtle, misleading and deadly. Yes, we must repent and believe, yet if done in and of ourselves then it is donkey fodder, good for nothing but to damn us even more than we are (or were before Jesus). But if we, because of the work of the Spirit and the Word, repent and believe, then we are on our way to the Party.
God, I love how the Word responds to that 'certain lawyer' who asks what he can do to be saved. My version of what Jesus says is "Hey it's simple, just love God with everything in you. While you're at it, love your neighbor perfectly too. Quit looking at his wife like you'd like to do more with her than eat her muffins and quit using your lawyerly ways to rob from the poor to line your pockets. In other words, be perfect! Should be no problem for a smart ass like you!" Jesus definitely got mad sometimes, you got to admit. What He is telling us in this exchange is that there is nothing in us that will produce salvation in any way, shape of form. If not initiated by the Holy Spirit and activated by the Spoken Word then salvation is nonexistent and impossible!
The Grace of God. It's all by sheer unadulterated, bizarre, ridiculous, absurd, phenomenal, and zany grace. Man resists it like crazy by trying to add to it only to his hurt but try he does. We hate law but we are scared to death of grace! Go figure. Man likes control, even a little bit of control is better than none.
Grace!
QuoteWe must watch out that we never take away from God's grace by thinking that we, in and of ourselves, did anything. It is so easy to think we at least initiate the salvation process when we are told that we must repent and believe and then we will be saved. This is extremely subtle, misleading and deadly. Yes, we must repent and believe, yet if done in and of ourselves then it is donkey fodder, good for nothing but to damn us even more than we are (or were before Jesus).
Been there done that got the tee shirt (and the scars and bruises) to prove it.
One concern I feel as I read your missive -- and this could be just me, I'm weird like this -- is I find it highly frustrating that there is this clear distinction made between what God brings vs. what human beings manufacture in our flesh -- and yet no clear instruction as to how to HAVE what God brings, how to experience THAT instead of the other. Without such instruction the ONLY response a person can make is to redouble their efforts -- and as you have astutely pointed out, damn themselves further.
How to have what God brings, how to experience what God brings. How to differentiate between God giving and the flesh producing.
Good questions. I have only thoughts.
We can only have what God gives and He has given us His Son and Spirit so we have Him. Now how to experience Him. Paul said it. When God feels like it He reveals His Son in us.
How to tell if what we are experiencing is of the flesh or of the Spirit?
Just go with what you got. Really. Be who you are. I got to think that God hates fakes. He'd rather have a real BS'er than a fake saint is what I think. Just go ahead and if you are afraid of being too nasty just go ahead and try to be nasty. If the Spirit is brooding in and upon you you will be functioning along His line of thinking real soon or eating with the hogs is going to seem like dining in the Ritz compared to the misery that will come upon you. But beware, I think God is more real than we give Him credit for. In other words, our Father is not the 'saint' we think He is, if you get my drift.
Here's an example of what I'm trying to say. I live now as I please. I am free by God's grace. OK, now I did some God awful thing a few hours ago. I said to myself a bit after the incident...."Boy what a screwup I am. Lord I know what I did is totally covered by what you did on the cross but I feel like I added a stripe to your already eternally bleeding body. I'm sorry and thanks. I feel like crap. I want to do better. Grow in me please. And Spirit, I need more action and less brooding please. I say all this with great respect."
I kind of hear God saying to me "Boy, you're really a pip. I look at you and I like what I see, mostly. You'll make it. Hang in there. I'm with ya. Keep being real. You amuse me. Don't worry about my pain, I can take it. Hey watch the language too especially on that Tentmaker thing you do. The TM police are gonna get ya. Later."
Does this answer your questions?
Claypot