Tag: suffering

Articles

Suffering Outside the Camp

Pete

Suffering Outside the Camp

To give comfort and encouragement to ourselves and to the scattered saints, we share these words with those given to understand.

The walk of Christ’s disciples is a lonely walk as we become increasingly estranged and separated from the carnal world and its priorities.  Our increasing isolation confirms we are following the Lord’s footsteps and the path of the prophets and disciples that came before us.

Rom 11:3  Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 

Rom 11:4  But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 

Rom 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

In every generation, there is an escaped remnant, spiritually signified as the 7,000, which are the Lord’s small, scattered, and separated people.  We are not connected in the physical but are one with the Lord in Spirit. While we may not know outwardly our fellow companions in tribulation, we earnestly await their revealing and restoration of communion.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Our separation and the gap between us and all those of the world is the great gulf fixed; which is our precious faith.  Our faith and the gap between the people of God and the carnal world continues to grow as we are matured through the “three-day” process of salvation.  The Lord’s chosen remnant is always being divided and separated as that is what the Lord brings when He comes.

Luk 12:51  Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 

This occurs both in our mind and thought life (within) but also in our outward physical circumstances (without).  At each of the three steps of “being called of God”, then “chosen of God” and finally being “made faithful” the Lord divides and separates His people through manifest trials.  Being faithful in all things is the conclusion of the inward war and end that is promised when victory over our inward beast is assured.

Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 

Our time of being called and then chosen are the time we are under tutors and governors, being raised up in the things of God awaiting His coming.  These two days are instrumental for preparing us for what lies ahead on the third day wherein we are now being perfected.  This progression brings increasing trials and isolation as we fulfill the Scriptures and understand more of the Lord’s process of destroying all reliance on carnal reasonings and the strength of the flesh.

Being separated is painful to our flesh as it is destroying our former way of life and making all things new within us.  As faithful witnesses, a time comes when we are released from the tutors and governors that have raised us and we are then exiled by our own people who reject our testimony for the Gospel. This was the Lord’s path and one we follow as John shared our entrance into Day 3 and the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Rev 1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

Our exile on an island is our appointment of suffering outside the camp.  This is necessary for God’s work to be completed and for us to become a living sacrifice for the atonement of sin.   Suffering as a living sacrifice in exile [outside the camp] has always been the Lord’s plan for Israel (all men) as shown in the shadows of the law.

Exo 29:14  But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering. 

This spiritual truth was foreshadowed in the law of offerings that required two sacrifices both Christ and His Christ.

Lev 16:7  And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 

Lev 16:9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 

Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 

The separation and isolation of God’s people from the world have multiple layers as the winnowing of Israel progresses from the called, chosen, and faithful.  On one level the camp of Israel is all mankind as “All Israel shall be saved”.  When called of God, we are separated from the camp [the whole of the world] and thus begins the journey that is molding us and making us pure.

Rom 12:1  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. 

Rom 12:2  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.

As we learn by experiencing it and understanding it looking behind ourselves; in our three-day journey, we must be rejected by our own people and made a scapegoat to fulfill the Scriptures and finish the plan of God.  This multiple winnowing of Israel from the world first, then the called of God, and finally, the chosen of God is what was and is still making us faithful.  We must not lose hope and stay the course to the end. Understanding this revelation brings a clearer understanding of just now miraculous is the Lord’s plan in freeing us from the world and the bondman which is our bondage to the law of carnal reasonings.

Deu 7:6  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. 

Deu 7:7  The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 

Deu 7:8  But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 

During each day of our spiritual journey, the Lord’s words are lived out and fulfilled in our lives. Thus, we are caused to learn the meaning that all things present, past and future are in Christ as we are just clay in His hands.

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Christ is the Word and we are living out and fulfilling now [IS], in the past whether we knew then nor not [WAS] and we know we shall live Christ tomorrow [TO COME].  At each stage of the journey, the separating out the remnant from the many is a consistent theme.  The Lord brings division when He comes, which is the constant winnowing and separating of His people and their inward mindset from the carnal world and all bound under the law.  Even back when we were in the world [spiritual Egypt], there are only a few that are called out of the world.   Later in the journey, the Lord further separates His servants the Levites from His priests in distinguishing the Sons of Aaron.

Num 8:14  Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

The Scriptures depict our journey through the process of being born of God and brought onward toward maturity.  The Lord has wasted nothing in His process and the increasing degree of separation outside the camp is all part of the cleansing and remaking process that transforms us into sons of God.

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

Rather than despair our fate, Peter admonishes us that this rejection and isolation should be taken as something to rejoice as it shows the Lord’s mighty hand at work.

Act 5:41  So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name

With knowledge of the Scriptures and the comfort they bring, we now press onward in faith for the mark of the high calling in Christ.  This has us being foreigners and stranger’s in our own land as we are exiled, rejected and spurned just as our Lord.

Joh 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 

Joh 15:20  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 

A daily trial of our faith is to remember that our rejection by Israel, by our own people is because the Lord is causing it for His name’s sake.

Joh 15:21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. 

Reviling not again, we embrace our fate and praise the Lord through a renewing mindset that grows daily in our sufferings outside the camp.

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

We now abide outside the camp of Israel separated from the world and our fellow brethren in faith but connected to our brethren by the Spirit.  Now being made free, no longer bound by the law nor under tutors and governors, the Lord is now our teacher and we are learning to be doers of the Word by the things we are given to suffer.

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 

Our set-apartness has been since birth as we have been predestinated to fulfill the Word of God and by so doing, we are becoming partakers of His righteousness.  We are learning to go to Him alone for our sustenance as we bear the reproach of the whole world which does not understand and cannot partake of our spiritual food.

Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 

Heb 13:14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 

Knowing our isolation is the Lord’s plan by faith brings comfort and consolation so we may endure the further temptations in our life.  We are warned to remain diligent and not to let any man or carnal thought steal our treasure.  Particularly in these last days, with a rapidly declining world, let’s guard our hearts and keep the focus on the Lord.

1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

Your fellow companions in tribulations.

 

Studies

We Esteemed Him Not

Pete

“We Esteemed Him Not”

May 12, 2016

The church of Jesus Christ will not come to Him of their own free will and initiative.  We will all first kill the Lord’s prophets sent to us and refuse to come to Christ.

Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! 

Indeed as we quickly learn when dragged to the Truth, we don’t choose Him, He chooses us (Joh 15:16). Flesh hates the real Jesus Christ and His doctrines.  The Scriptures speak clearly of Christ not being esteemed by men and being a stumbling block and a rock of offense. Those that know Christ and are part of the true Body will have an appreciation for the fiery trials we are enduring simply for standing with Christ. It is a battle and a war we must overcome and endure to the very end.

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

To “know” Jesus Christ and His Father is to have ETERNAL LIFE now.

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

And coming to know the Lord only comes by being dragged out of our worldly and carnal ways of life by living through the great judgments of the Lord.

Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

Exo 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

We won’t believe the report (doctrines) of Christ until this arm of the Lord is revealed to us by the chastening and scourging of His grace. This is the “revelation” of Jesus Christ to each of us in our own time and it comes when we can read, hear and keep (i.e. live through) the judgments of the Lord.

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand

Being persecuted and rejected for the sake of righteousness and standing for the Truth is very painful for our flesh. Being crucified with Christ is this process. We, like our Lord, will endure great sufferings as our flesh and old way of living is taken away from us little by little. What this process has taught me is that nobody esteems the real Jesus and His Christ. The audacity of some people to call themselves the Elect of God is truly a rock of offense to those that are carnally minded.

Isa 8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary (for the Elect); but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Both the deceived and the deceiver are Christ’s (Job 12:16). Yet that same Word that snares us in darkness will also grind us to powder (be a gin) in the day of the Lord.

Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

To those few the Lord has chosen, the Body is a true sanctuary of peace but to those He has only called, Christ and the Christ “is, was and will be” a stone of stumbling and very offensive for the people that call themselves the people of God. They and all men must first be snared by false doctrines and spend their appointed times in the snare of the harlot separated from knowing Christ.

Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

The few chosen out of these many called are the chosen generation, the true priests of Christ that the Lord is transforming in this age and dragging into His marvelous Light.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar (redeemed) people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light

The marvelous light is coming to know Christ and partaking of the wedding feast and drinking the true living waters of eternal life. Jesus was not bemoaning the Jews lack of exercise of free will to choose HIM; because He knew they were blind and could not believe even if they had wanted to believe. The fact we are told they could not believe adds to our understanding that they could not come to Him.

Joh 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

Joh 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

So we too will believe not, be yet carnal and not know the day of visitation of Christ. Jesus Christ will stand right in front of us and we will recognize Him not and we will despise and reject Him just like the outward Jews (the religious people of every age) do in every age.

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

The Non Attraction of Christ

The Jesus that is attractive to our carnal minds and to our flesh is another jesus. It is the “jesus” invented by carnally minded men to seek gain for their supposed godliness. We all do this in some way shape or form. We are to separate from those that bring this other jesus and learn to be content, knowing Jesus Christ truly does have the whole world in His Hands.

Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

The false jesus blesses flesh and brings prosperity or outward comfort of some kind. Who does not want their flesh blessed?  Yet contrary to these Babylonian lies, when Christ comes He is bent on destruction of the flesh as that is how the new man is brought forth.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred (destroyed) in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

The long haired handsome Jesus of western society is not the true Jesus. We don’t know what He looked like but we are told Christ had no desirable traits to the flesh that we would naturally seek after Him.

Isa 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

We do not esteem Jesus Christ when we are yet carnal and outside the faith. In our natural carnal state, we despise the real Jesus Christ. The body of Christ, which is “Christ”, is similarly despised by all men and especially those in Babylon that consider themselves spiritual. People will be offended and repulsed at Christ in us and our audacity to call ourselves the sons and daughters of the living God.

The carnally minded will seek to kill the man child that is coming forth from the ashes of our old man. This whole process is set up to make us theater or a real spectacle unto the world. The pride of man will take great offense at Christ in us and will be unable to look past our marred and sinful appearance in these weak vessels of clay.

Isa 52:14 As many were astonished at thee; his (Christ’s) appearance was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

Who do you think you are, you are just Joseph the carpenter’s son we will hear. But know their rejection of us is actually Christ in us as the Lord tells us what to expect.

Luk 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

The Lord chooses the chief of sinners, oh wretched man that we are to be His Body. He does not choose those who need no repentance and think they are not in need of a physician.

Luk 5:30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

Luk 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Those in Christ will be falsely accused of teaching it is okay to sin for sharing these truths of God’s plans for the ages. We by no means go slack on our sins but one has to realize anyone who truly is in Christ will have come to know what they are in the flesh as Paul wrote.  The strange ways of the Lord is to use our own wickedness to correct us (Jer 2:19).

1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

It is those who think they need no repentance and already know God who will reject Christ in us. The Lord does not call the noble to His wedding feast in the Body, here is who He calls.

Luk 14:21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

The true gospel and what we can expect in coming to Christ is the opposite of the false peace and safety message. That lie is shattered when Christ appears to us suddenly in the darkness of our strong delusion. He comes with a sword to make war and bring division by cutting off our old way of life. This is again why we are dragged there and none of us would ever willingly choose Christ.

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 

We would never ever willingly come to and walk into a furnace of affliction!!!!

Isa 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. 

Thankfully the Lord does indeed drag us; He makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us to still waters and in rest. The Lord is perfectly capable of fishing for men to build His Body. It is not big deal for Him to turn the hearts of men, mere pieces of clay in His hands.

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me drag him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Pro 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will

The little flock of Christ is made to be a spectacle, theater, to those in the world within and without. That is the fire that tries us, the furnace of affliction given to the sons of God. Christ and His Body, THE CHRIST indeed look like fools to the carnal minded.

1Co 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

1Co 4:10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

The verses which speak of Christ speak not only of Jesus Christ THE LORD but they also apply to Christ which is His Elect, the little flock HE has chosen. Jesus builds His church, HE CHOOSES who is His Body and who is not. God’s Elect is “The Christ” and all of these prophecies apply to us in due season. The apostate churches men are very appealing to the carnal eye and our lusts and carnal way of life.

Pro 7:10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

The many good works that get done and the outward changes in many people’s lives are real wonderful things. Yet these are also known as lying signs and wonders (2 The 2:9) because they hide the Truth from us and keep the beast comfortably sitting on the throne of our hearts while we await our day of judgment.

 The Foolishness of God is Wiser Than Men

Who the LORD chooses and puts into His Body is those the world would never believe He would pick. God’s wisdom confounds the wisdom of the wise in the flesh.

1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

And the Lord picks a few from every nation, tongue and tribe each bringing a part of what is needed to the Christ. Uniquely we fit together to make a BODY which is complete and has all it needs.

1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is (the) Christ.

I had someone once tell me “those people are weird just look at them” when looking down upon God’s Elect, the little flock, that is the Body of Christ. Those that know the other jesus do not believe that Jesus Christ could be rejected and hated of all men, but that is exactly what must be. These prophecies are about CHRIST, both the head and the body. The Body of Christ is also Christ and will like our Lord be crucified and rise again on the third day.

Mar 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again

The longer we abide in the fire of Truth, we should come to appreciate what being a living sacrifice means (Rom 12:1, Col 1:24). It is a whole lot more than cleaning up the outside of our cups and stopping our drinking, cussing and smoking. The Lord does not generally choose the noble, the esteemed, the great orators or anyone that is looked up to in this world and esteemed of men. He picks people like Moses, a man who stuttered, got angry and killed someone. He picks David, the least likely of Jessie’s sons as Samuel the prophet thought. This story tells us a lot of how the Lord chooses those that confounds our carnal way of thinking.  Samuel was thinking carnally and thought for sure the Lord would choose the grown sons who were outwardly strong and had good looks. But that is not the Lord’s way at all.

1Sa 16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him.

1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Flesh does not inherit the kingdom of God, only the new man does. And in great symbolism, all seven of Jesse’s older sons were rejected.

1Sa 16:10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, the LORD hath not chosen these.

Only the eighth, the new man, will be the Lord’s anointed. That was David in type and shadow. The Lord does not choose whom we think He chooses to be His Elect. And there are a lot fewer chosen than anyone would even imagine as many are called but few are chosen is the hidden message in all the parables of Jesus Christ. Even fewer are to be found faithful.

Even Saul of Tarsus’s story shows us who God chooses. The Lord chooses those who at first think they serve the Lord in their zeal but do not even yet know Him. He chooses the very ones who will first persecute the Church of Christ and oppose His doctrines (Act 22:7-8). Paul like David was not esteemed in the outward appearance when compared to the noble ones the world esteems.

2Co 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

2Co 10:10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

The Lord hides His Truths and does things His ways which are far different than the ways of this world and the carnally minded (Isa 55:8-9). Paul, like all of God’s Elect, ARE chosen vessels that will bear the name Christ and suffer for His Name.

Act 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Act 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

We will live by every word in our appointed times. I have been Saul of Tarsus and now I am Paul being persecuted for the cross of Christ, being called a fool and made a spectacle unto the world.

The little flock of Jesus Christ (Luk 12:32) is a sect that has always been spoken evil about.

Act 28:22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.

2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

Being Crucified With Christ

The preaching of the cross and the need for us to go to the cross and die is indeed foolishness to the carnal mind. But to those given the precious gift of faith, it is the power of God unto salvation.

1Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Despite the sufferings we must endure, the Disciples of Christ are blessed beyond imagination in the spirit. We are the firstfruits unto salvation, the very first ones the Lord has appeared to in order to bring judgment now in this age (1 Pe 4:17, 1 Cor 11:31). We are truly blessed when we are persecuted for standing with Christ and for His doctrines.

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

As the prophets of the Lord we are given honor but not in our own house and kin. As Jesus’s family did not receive him at first so shall it be with The Christ.

Mar 6:4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

If we are not willing (made willing) to take up this cross and give up our life and stand for the doctrines of Jesus Christ; we will have no part in ruling and reigning with Him in the ages to come. We must make our calling and election sure (1 Pe 1:10). These verses tell us of the price we will be required to pay.

Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

To be found worthy, we have to lose our old carnal and worldly way of life. Being “In Christ” will have you rejected and hated of all men and your enemies will be of your own household. Yet this is the Lord’s way of preparing us to be merciful rulers and judges by having lots of practice in forgiving others and being forgiven ourselves. All we have to do is claim to be a son of God and not keep their days, times, and seasons like Jesus did not and the professing church and world at large will turn hard against us. As it happened to Jesus, so shall it happen to His Body.

Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

As Christ is formed in each of us, we in turn will suffer and be rejected of all men just like our Lord. Jesus Christ never will be attractive to the flesh and its lustful ways. The enmity of the flesh vs the spirit will ensure offense is taken for the growing Christ within us. Jesus Christ smells of death to those that walk after the flesh but to us being saved, He is the savor of life.

2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life….

We will be mocked and spit upon and told if we are the son of God to come down off this cross. Yet we know what the Lord is doing and that to every son He chooses, He scourges as the way of remaking us into His image. Lord willing, we will endure it.

Mar 15:30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”

Mar 15:31 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.

But our Lord knew what He was doing and so will we as His Christ. We will stay on our cross knowing that we must die to be raised into newness of life. We must look to that living sacrifice to be saved (Joh 3:14).

Num 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass (copper, i.e. flesh) , he lived

The pain and affliction is greater than we can bear in the flesh with the supernatural strengthening of the Lord and the comfort of Christ. The angels of the Lord, the Body of Christ, will be there to hold us up and give strength and pray in agreement with the prayer of Jesus Christ.

Luk 22:42 saying, Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.

The true Elect of God are in training now for our roles as kings and priest in the future. We will be the instrument of rule and of salvation to all men in the Millennium and the Lake of Fire through which all of mankind will be saved.

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

We are being made into sons of God and are learning the longsuffering and merciful ways of our Father in heaven. This way we can be the instruments of mercy as it is thru us the Lord does His work.

Isa 60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Like our Lord, when speaking Truth to the carnally minded, we will be rejected and falsely accused of exalting ourselves. We must learn to be like our Lord when responding to the inevitable rejection and hatred of all men for simply claiming we are Sons of God and part of the Body of Christ. As He is so are we in this world (1 Joh 4:17) applies to us being rejected and hated of all men and bearing the same reproach our Lord endured (Herb 13:13).

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

The gift of faith and the accompanying ears to hear comes with suffering.

Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake

We have a great calling and we have been appointed to suffer and we must finish the race set before us. We are to be not conformed to this world and its lustful and sinful ways.  Ambassadors of Christ do not engage in the affairs of the land they are sent to be an ambassador.

Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Rom 12:2 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.

It is a narrow way and I hope if anything this study has reminded you of our unique calling and that it comes with a high price of being rejected and us called to suffer. The true communion of Jesus Christ is to be in the fellowship of believers. This is where we eat and drink at the altar of the Lord.

1Co 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful

We once did not esteem the true Jesus Christ and yet the Lord forgave us and showed us mercy.  We will also weep like Christ wept when we are rejected in our attempts to share the truth of God’s Word with those blinded, some of our same household. Those who reject us will not know the time of His visitation and like us before them will not be able to discern the sign of the times.  Lord willing, we will have the same response to our persecution and rejection as Jesus Christ.  We will bear this burden and will forgive them for their ignorance.

Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do

1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Questions and comments are welcome. You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com and I will respond to all sincere inquiries.

Your Brother in Christ,   PETE

 

 

Articles

All Things Are Made New

Pete

There are no truer words the Lord spoke than these from Revelation 21. I hope you believe them, all of them and will wait on the Lord to bring it to pass.

Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

These words below speak of the same basic promise of the gospel and the mysterious process by which the Lord brings it all about in His timing.  Carnal eyes and ears cannot receive the most basic pillar and truth of the gospel that all flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord in due time.

1Ti 4:9This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

Luk 3:6  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Flesh seeing salvation refers to man being born again as that is the only way anyone can see and enter the kingdom of God.  The making of a new baby or a new creation in Christ is a process that takes time which is why travailing in childbirth is a perfect metaphor for how the Lord brings new birth to all men in their appointed times.  Being born again and remade into the image of Christ is a painful drawn-out process that our flesh will never willingly embrace but thank God the Lord brings salvation to us, we have nothing to do with it.  It will come to us suddenly when we think all is well in our spiritual walk.

1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Isa 13:8  And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

We have no idea what “all things” actually means when we read these scriptures at first, being yet carnal, and walking after the flesh. Yet that is the deep mystery of godliness and how Christ is formed in us little by little. With time we can look back and see from whence we have come.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If we are not yet in the true Christ then all things won’t be new and we will be fitting in quite nicely with this world and its traditions. The outside of our cup may be cleaned up a bit but inside we are still full of death which is where sin lives in our hearts.  Our judgment is yet future but it will come and a day comes when our religion will be shown the vanity it truly is.  Here are the words of Christ that never pass away that we will hear in that day.

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

The promise of the New Covenant, that comes first to God’s Elect in each generation and will come to all men in the lake of fire is that they will be changed.  They will be remade into a new creation and all sin and inequity will be purged from their bodies, hearts and minds.  This is all the work of the Lord, it is salvation and it comes through the chastening of God which is HIS TRUE GRACE.

Being Conformed to His Image

Contrary to the lies of Babylon, man was not made perfect and was never intended to inherit the kingdom of God in these fleshly marred vessels of clay. We all have to be remade and that only in the appointed times. Otherwise, you can begin to cut out huge swatches of Scriptures including all of these passages that speak to us being remade and conformed to the image of the Son of God.

Rom_8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

1Co_15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

2Co_3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Col_3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Rom 12:2 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.

This remaking is all the Lord’s work and is done only on His preordained timing.

Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 Being Called Into Babylon

When we are first called of the Lord we often make profound outward changes in our lives. Perhaps we stop drinking, overcome addictions, shut our eyes from looking at dark things like pornography, stop gambling, start going to church, praying; all manner of OUTWARD signs yet our hearts are still not changed. This is really just step 1 of God’s process when one of our beastly heads is wounded by the sword which is the word of God.

Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

But that wound is quickly healed in Babylon and we remain a beast at heart despite our outward changes and profession of faith. Being yet carnal we speak like a dragon speaking blasphemies against the true doctrines of Christ.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast (the religious you and me) coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

But a day will come, in this life or AION if we are God’s Elect when we will know He is the Lord and by His hands we are remade and our old way of life is destroyed from the inside out.

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;

Rom 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Our healing only comes when the lying spirits and false doctrines are cast out of us by Christ speaking the words of truth to us.

Luk 11:20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Those days spent living in the lies and darkness of Babylon are a necessary part of coming to know the real truth in our appointed times but in the meantime, we will think we serve God deceiving and being deceived by the false doctrines and false prophets

Jer 29:4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Jer 29:5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.

Jer 29:6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished.

Jer 29:7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

Jer 29:8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.

Jer 29:9 For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the LORD.

Jer 29:10 For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. .. (make all things new!)

We like Peter and all the disciples will at first think we understand the things of the Spirit.   These are not words for them, they are words of us all as we must live by every one of them in the appointed times.

Luk 18:34 But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

At this stage we will be boldly confident yet still carnal and spiritually clueless to the truth of God’s words, the blind leading the blind.

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.

1Co 3:2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

1Co 3:3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?

Yet Christ will renew our strength once He truly comes in the Spirit.

Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

Of course, this returning to Christ is nothing of our own will or initiative; it is all of the Lord’s doing in His perfect timing. Nobody comes to Christ unless they are dragged there.

Joh 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me drags him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

THE LORD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES

I have been blessed thru many painful trials and tribulations to know at my deepest core how true and faithful these words of Jesus Christ are to the lives of every single man and woman that has or ever will be born. All things will be made new in due time and you can take that promise of the Lord thru His Word to the bank as He is faithful and true.

2Ti 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Psa 89:1 A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.

Psa 89:2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”

The Lord made a covenant with all men and He is going to be faithful to bring it about in due time. But only a few will be given the faith to believe the Lord now. It matters not the rebellion of sinful flesh and the marred vessels the Lord has created.

Psa 89:31 If they break My statutes And do not keep My commandments,

Psa 89:32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod, And their iniquity with stripes.

Psa 89:33 Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, Nor allow My faithfulness to fail.

Psa 89:34 My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.

One can believe the Lord if they have faith or they can believe the false doctrines of Babylon and the lies of eternal torment and free will along with two hundred million other lies.

When we first begin to see the truth, we have no idea the extent, the breadth and depth and width of what “all things” being made new actually means. It takes much maturing, many trials and tons of patience to learn these spiritual truths and lessons as we endure the chastening grace that comes upon only God’s very Elect in this age

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth (not those he hates, but loves) he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

New Life Thru Death and War

According to Christ, new life comes not until something dies.

Joh 12:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

Joh 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

The Lord has had me in a season of great travail and has been be changing many of things that had represented the old Peter. That old man is sufficiently dead that I can boldly say to those that knew me, that the old Pete is no more.

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Being baptized into his death means a lot more than stopping smoking, cussing and watching TV.  It means ALL THINGS will be made new, the old man will be completely done away with.

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.

We don’t die without resisting. Just like animals our fright and flight instincts kick in and we will strive to do whatever we can to keep our old man and beastly nature alive. Yet when Christ makes war, there is nothing that will stop His will from being accomplished.  LOL the carnal logic that has God Almighty dependent upon pieces of clay to bring about His will!!!!

Job 23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

If we think Christ comes to bring peace to us initially, we have another thing coming. Christ came not to bring peace but war. When Christ comes, He comes not to bring peace or bring unity, but He comes to make war and cause division.

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword 

Luk 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

This is the process of salvation coming to us beginning with the death to our old way of life. That is what true repentance means and whether we repent or not, it is all the Lord’s work, our delusion of free will has nothing to do with it.

Psa 90:3 Thou (GOD DOES IT) turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? 

The war that Christ brings when He appears to us to begin remolding us into a vessel of honor does not take place out there in space, it takes place in heaven which is in the hearts and minds of God’s very Elect.

Rev 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

Rev 12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

The coming of Christ to make war and make all things new separates His Chosen Ones from the rest of the world. The sword that is His word divides us and also divides the old man from our new man (Christ in us). This is a great mystery we must be given the ears to hear and eyes to see by the Lord.  Salvation comes to us by the trials that the Lord in His mercy brings upon His Very Elect in this age. That is how we are refined in the fire and all things are made new.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

My old life has been destroyed by these trials and in that I rejoice because that is how we learn righteousness and come to possess “eternal” aka aionious life right here and right now.

Isa 26:9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Thy judgments are only in the earth of God’s Elect in this life or AION.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God

We don’t possess eternal life unless and until we know the real Christ.  Few do

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

The destruction of our old man in our day of judgment is the very essence of the good news and how the Lord plans to remold us into His image. This mystery has in turn been twisted by carnal men into the lie and false doctrine of eternal torment that is believed by billions of people to this very day.

Rom 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

But to those with ears to hear and eyes to see, we have come to see this is the wonderful works of God to the children of men and is the process, the method by which we all are saved in due time.  Here is the good news coming to us, the fire that is the word of God coming to teach us righteousness thru the process of judgment and suffering.

2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting (age abiding not eternal) destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

 The Two Vessels of Clay in His Hand

The making of all things new is likened to the Lord being a potter and remaking the first vessel of clay He makes into a new vessel. Speaking about Isreal, His Elect and chosen few, the Lord says this thru the prophet.

Jer 18:3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

The Master Potter promises God’s Elect that all things will be made new when Christ comes to a second time for salvation without sin. This process begins when our day of the Lord commences . But first we will spend our appointed time as the false witness, a vessel of dishonor, knowing and serving Him in the flesh. Yet a day will come beginning with Christ’s first fruits or His Elect to remake those marred vessels into vessels of honor in the house of God.

Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

It is by the Lord showing His wrath against our carnal mind and lusts (the old man) that He will make it known to us the riches of His glory. In actuality, contrary to what we learn in Babylon, the mercy of the Lord is actually having this judgment of God fall upon us and living thru the wrath against our old nature. This is a great mystery the world cannot receive in these above verses from Romans 9.

Mankind is indeed clay in the hands of God. It is IN HIM that all men, live, breathe, think and have their very being.

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

A dear sister just showed me and others that being IN HIM is the same as fulfilling this profound statement by Christ. He is the Word.

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The first Adam is the man of sin (in all of us) and was never intended to enter the kingdom of God. The first vessel we all are in the flesh I, was and will be marred and that on purpose by the Lord.

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Some of the plainest Scriptures describing the two step process are right here in 1 COR 15 as is the salvation of all men in due time, but very few can hear what is being said.

1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; (marred, subject to vanity, sinful flesh, corruption, etc) it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the kingdom of God. Our being flesh is simply the first step in God’s two step plan for all men.

Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin (FLESH) did my mother conceive me.

The Last Days Usher in Salvation and all things new

Those who doubt the absolute sovereignty of God do not know what it means to be a potter molding clay in one’s hands and have no appreciation for God’s plan for all men in their appointed times.   This is the “last days” for each of us, our time of Christ coming to us to bring judgment and begin the process of remolding the clay into the new vessel.

Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Dan 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

The time of the end, is a day and hour unique to all of us, it is our personal day of the Lord, the day of judgment, not a literal day but a period of time, the process by which our marred “chief of sinners” vessel of clay is remolded into a new vessel.   This begins when we HEAR the word of the Lord and arise and go to the Lord’s house (the real Body of Christ) and where we see with spiritual eyes and ears that are CAUSED to hear (no free will involved whatsoever). Amazing how prideful carnal babes will be shown such convincing scripture such as this but cannot see it and cannot hear it as the Lord is keeping them in darkness to this most basic plan of God.

Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Isa 64:7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Notice it is not our sins or unrighteousness that is filthy rags, but it is the very righteous things we do that we take credit for and boast about claiming free will that truly deceive us and keep us snared in darkness imprisoned in Babylon. But in the last days for each of us, the Lord will come to be exalted in our heavens.

Isa_2:2 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.

Mic_4:1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

Act_2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

In the appointed times for all, the Lord will return a second time without sin for salvation, which means giving us dominion over sin, setting us free from sins power in our lives.

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Gaining Dominion and Victory Little By Little

The past year has been a life changing season for me. I can now look back and see the Lord’s hand in all of us, doing the very things I have written about in this post. The war in my heavens and the coming of Christ has not brought peace but a war. But Christ is winning and the old Pete and his kingdoms have been destroyed little by little, town by town, city by city, idol by idol. All things are being made new by the shaking. A new way of life has emerged.

 Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Heb 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Christ in me has been feasting on the enemies within me and the kingdoms of the beast, the chief of sinners that gathered against the Lord.  When He to make war in your heavens, to remold and shape you then we will begin to understand what God being a consuming fire really means and it has nothing to do with eternal punishment.  It has everything to do with God bringing salvation to all men by destroying the beast and false prophet within us all.

Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (PRAISE GOD FOR HIS WAYS!)

Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

When Christ comes to us in the AION presdestinated for us all, if we are God’s very Elect, He is going to finish the good work He has started in us. The destruction of our old man and old way of life will indeed be complete. The Lord leaves no stone unturned, no lies in our heaven, the light that is Christ will via His PROCESS of judgment make all things new.

I hope my rambling musings here have helped some struggling with the seemingly slow process the Lord ordains to change us into His image. I encourage you to be patient and wait upon the Lord and you will not be disappointed. The Lord work patiently with us and even tells us why, so we will know He did it and our carnal mind had nothing to do with our salvation.

Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls

Exo 23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.

Exo 23:30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

If we are given the faith to believe, we can then enter into His rest and wait on the Lord to do His great work in us. In due time we shall not be ashamed.

Psa 25:3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed

Following in Christ Suffering

Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

The death of Jesus Christ did not finish or eliminate the need for His Christ to go die with Him, it just showed us the way.  He was sent to suffer and be sacrificed for the people and so shall His Christ follow in that model.

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

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.

Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Rather than lamenting these things, which we will of course all do initially, we should rejoice. Nobody will say it is a blessing to be persecuted or spoken evil about but what sayeth the Lord.  Don’t forget who is blessed so says the Lord.

Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Walking in the light is walking in Christ which is the Word. This is done by being actively engaged and fellowshipping with the true Body of Christ.  This is how we are cleansed being washed by the water of the word and all things are made new. This is the way of salvation and making of all things new.

1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Take heart and wait on the Lord to finish His good work and bring His promises to fruition.  He will do it.

Rev 21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

The new birth is coming to all, it only awaits the times and seasons appointed by God.

 Your brother in Christ,  PETE

Articles

Carnal Questions That Demand Answers

Pete

 

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? 

When we are first exposed to the truth that God is sovereign and is actually causing ALL THINGS, yes even our very sins; we go crazy with all kinds of carnal questions.    This is quite natural and the process of learning the truth of God’s ways takes time.  It takes time for us to grow into knowledge of the grace of God and understanding His ways.  The ways of the Lord are far far different than the ways of  the natural man and indeed we at first think the truths of God’s word as foolishness.

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

We really have no appreciation for these verses until much time has passed and we have our carnality burned out of us.

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The purpose of this post is to address a couple of those “carnal questions” as a follow-up to my post on God being responsible for evil in this world. Paul speaking of the true gospel and the salvation of all by faith thru grace was viciously rejected and scorned by the religious of his day. It has not changed my friends, these are experiences and the words of the Lord that we as God’s Elect will live in our appointed times. By preaching the salvation of all men nobody is suggesting or encouraging anyone to continue to do evil and engage in sin. Yet we like Paul, a type and shadow of all God’s Elect,  will be slandered and accused of doing just that.

Rom 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
Rom 3:6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
Rom 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
Rom 3:8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

God’s Elect will never say any such a thing about sin. It is a false accusation that will come to all of God’s Elect. What we do say is that without the intervention of Christ into our inward heavens we have no chance of obeying God in the weakness of sinful flesh. We will speak the truth that when we do fall into sin or stumble that it is the Lord working that sin in us for His good pleasure and purposes.  That is the truth so very few are given to receive.  But what do the Scriptures plainly teach.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Isa 64:8  But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

While we are still abiding in Babylon, the harlot apostate churches of men that promote another jesus we will not be aware of our sinfulness.  The fact that we are still blind, wretched and naked is far removed from our spiritual vision.  We are blind as bats until the Lord opens our eyes and causes us to see and to hear His word.  We won’t know any of this until our day of judgment arrives and we are given eyes to see the abomination that is causing desolation and our need for a Savior is made perfectly clear to us.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (You, me, the old man within all mankind)

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

While we are blind and held captive in Babylon, we will fool many that similar to us have the outside of the cup cleaned but inside are still full of dead men’s bones, walking in spiritual death and separated from God all the while claiming to know Him.  We may know him in the flesh but at this point we do not know Him in the Spirit.  Those that claim to be in the truth and teachers of the blind, are those for whom Christ saves His harshest rebuke.

Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

It is indeed by grace we are saved and not of our works or any delusion of our free will choosing God. God’s Elect will even be falsely accused of exalting themselves for merely speaking the truths that were GIVEN to them. Such is the narrow way and part of the cross we carry in our times.  We are not better than anyone, all men are sold under sin.

Rom 3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

But we do have one thing they do not have and that is the gift of faith.  This is indeed GIVEN to very few and with that gift comes the gift of spiritual ears to hear and eyes to see the truth of God’s words.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Without further ado let’s look at the questions.

Question #1 – Let’s just live it up and sin like crazy

The first question of the carnal mind is that if all men are going to be saved, why don’t we just go ahead and live it up to the fullest. Let’s eat, drink and be merry is our most immediate thought.  I can’t tell you how many times this has been asked by those that believe the Lord is going to torment most of His creation forever without end.  An obvious rebuke of such carnal mindedness is to challenge the person asking this question why do they say they love God if they don’t have an overwhelming desire to obey Him?

Luk 6:46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

At the end of the day, the love of God has a definition and that definition is based on obedience.

1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

When we ask these questions we do not understand or believe God’s plans for the ages and the purposes and function of the Elect. Yet without going into that in this post,  the primary causation we ask this carnal question in our walk is that we do not yet understand what God’s grace really is and its function.  We have yet to learn that grace is what chastens. Grace is what scourges us. Grace is the righteousness judgment of God against all our ungodliness.

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching (Chastening) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

The word translated TEACHING in Titus 2:12 is the greek word paideuo and it means TO CHASTEN. So sure when we are chastened we learn so the word teaching is not that far off, but it does obscure the real meaning and waters down the point.

G3811
ðáéäåṍù
paideuō

Total KJV Occurrences: 13

chastened, 3
1Co_11:32, 2Co_6:9, Heb_12:10

chasteneth, 2
Heb_12:6-7 (2)

chastise, 2
Luk_23:16, Luk_23:22

chasten, 1
Rev_3:19

instructing, 1
2Ti_2:25

learn, 1
1Ti_1:20

learned, 1
Act_7:22

taught, 1
Act_22:3

teaching, 1
Tit_2:12

So we learn when we are taught, and we are taught when we are chastened. That is the function and purpose of grace, it is how we are CAUSED to obey God in due time.

Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Being scourged is not fun. Yet that is what we are told the Lord does to every son He loves and receives unto Himself. We saw it above but it needs to be pounded home thru thick carnal minds.  EVERY SON God loves is scourged and that is actually a blessing because the old man must be killed for the new man to come forth.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

So when you understand all men are saved and if true faith has come to you, then judgement has fallen upon your house. You are now under grace and not the law.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

When this happens in our life, we will not take the attitude of let’s eat, drink and be merry. We will quickly learn that we indeed reap what we sow. DO NOT BE DECEIVED.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

We will learn, be taught, when we are caused to sin and then God bring judgment upon us and we are scourged with great trials and afflictions.

Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you (BY GRACE) to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Grace MAKES us obey God in the appointed times.  It is how the old man is put away and the new man arises.

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Once we know this and God’s ways, we should not think it strange when these trials come.  We should count them all as joy, knowing their purpose.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

That is the purpose of the furnace, it is the purpose of the afflictions, that is the true grace of God in action. That is how the old man is decreases and the new man is increased in us. This is how the beast is destroyed by the fire that is the word of God.

Isa 48:10Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Act 14:22Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Let’s keep in mind that fire is the WORD of God.  Fire is what saves us (baptism of fire) when it work in us and burns the sin and inequity out of our hearts and minds.  We are saved BY THE FIRE, yet Babylon teaches us salvation means avoiding the fire.  All men will be purified by the fire that is God’s word in the appointed times, which is our ordained day of judgment.  When grace is poured out upon us thru faith,  the old man is not going to make it much longer.  No man or beast can stand.

1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
Mal 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

The beast is no match for Christ and will be destroyed by the fiery grace of God.  So we will learn to truly tremble at the word of God, knowing of His absolute sovereignty. So the carnal reasoning that we will say let’s just go ahead sin so grace may abound is flawed. That is the last thing God’s Elect will be doing or teaching to anyone. We will learn that when we sin, the Lord simply turns up the heat. The Lord will simply ratchet up the grace dial and will keep on doing it until we get it. Eventually, we will learn to fear God and will be given the faith to stop sinning. That is how it works friends and it is a long process.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

I guarantee you will not have the attitude of let’s sin so grace may abound once you are given ears to hear and eyes to see. When you understand free will is strong delusion you will be crying and sighing over all the abominations and sin committed in your spiritual house. Because you know this is against the commands of the Lord and you have the certain expectation of ongoing fiery judgment, there is no escape, we reap what we sow.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation (IE GRACE POURED OUT UPON YOU), which shall devour the (inward) adversaries (of sin and rebellion)
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

When you truly understand grace, then you will begin to be taught the fear of the Lord.  You will know that the Lord will have vengeance and you will get away with no sin.  If you sin, the dial on the furnace is simply increased.  Oh thank God for these wonderful works of God to the children of men,  they will teach you to fear God in due time.

Deu 4:10  Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

Isa 33:6  And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

These verses above from Hebrews 10 are used by many that are blinded to the truth of the salvation of all men. These are used to support the lie of eternal hell but what this is speaking about is the righteous judgment of God and that is the way we are saved. Understanding that salvation is the method we are delivered of our sins, meaning we no longer commit them and are given power to rule over sin is key. God’s plan has never changed, it was always the way we are to be redeemed and remade into children of the most high God.

Exo 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments (MUCH CHASTENING GRACE, MUCH SCOURGING OF THE OLD MAN):

It is this process of having God’s wrath poured out upon our sins and inequities, i.e. GRACE that chasten, that teaches….. that we learn the fear of the Lord. We won’t learn this until we are in the midst of God’s Elect and the chastening grace of God’s judgment is upon His house. Knowing these truths about grace will eliminate any carnal thoughts that we might as well eat, drink and be merry.  It is indeed a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Now let’s consider a second yet related question our carnal minds focus on when hearing of God’s truths.


Carnal Question #2 – Then Why Does God Find Fault

The second carnal question is why does the Lord judge us and bring punishment upon us when He is the one that is causing us to sin.  Since He is the Potter and we the clay, why does He still find fault with us when we stumble? A very good questions which demands an answer and one we best know to walk the narrow way.

This section of Romans 9 addresses this question and provides the proper answer. We are told the Lord has mercy on some and hardens the hearts of others against His ways and His word.  Why does He then find fault since nobody is resisting God’s will. God’s will is being done all the time, we truly are the works of His hands.

Rom 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

The Lord has a method to His seeming madness.  As I wrote about in the post Who Is Responsible For Evil,  our purpose in this life is to learn good and evil, that is a necessary step to become like God.

Gen 3:22  And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

When we complain and grumble to the Lord about what He is doing in our lives, we are contending with God.  He knows what He is doing and we need to have faith and to believe and know that whomsoever will wait on the Lord will not be ashamed in the end.  He will be faithful to His promises and will indeed finish the good works He has started in this age in the lives of His Elect.  We all like JOB will contend with the Lord but it is thru these very contentions that we will be judged and will learn the truth.

Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

To convert us from carnal Christians to the new man that walks in the Spirit a lot of lies have to be burned out of us.  We have to learn that the Lord really is the Lord and that we of ourselves can indeed do nothing.  This is such a pivotal verse I often cite and I do hope you are beginning to get it.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

The real answer on why God finds fault is so He can bring judgment upon us.  It pleases Him to crush His sons, in the flesh and to destroy the old man and carnal nature of the first vessel made from the clay.  The Babylonian lie of the fall of mankind also is blown up by the truth of knowing and believing the Lord really is the Potter and has a two step process in store for all men.  The Lord has to cause your ears to be open to hear it.

Jer 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

Jer 18:3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Jer 18:5  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Jer 18:6  O house of Israel (God’s Elect)  cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

So Paul continues in Romans 9 and tells us the mystery of how Christ is formed in us and the old man is destroyed and the man brought forward.  This is the purpose of God finding fault.

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Lord of Heaven & Earth

The purpose of God finding fault is to bring judgment and the purpose of judgment is to teach us His ways and to reveal Himself to us and remake us so that we are partakers of His Holiness.

Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 

Flesh and blood is not entering into the kingdom of God.  Experiencing fiery grace is for our profit just as this Scripture tells us.  It must go and thus the requirement for all of us to be remade and go through the fiery judgment of God against our flesh.    During this process, we are going to learn that being Lord truly means He is the Lord of all things and most certainly the inward heavens and the earth that represent each of us lumps of clay made of the earth.

Deu_4:39  Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

Perhaps you can begin to apply these physical words in the spirit and look inside where the kingdom of God actually resides.

Isa_66:1  Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

1Ch_29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

This process of judgment starts with the house of God (the Elect or the House of Israel etc) but all men will in due time learn righteousness when judgment is fallen upon them.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

It is a good thing the Lord finds fault, otherwise we would not learn His ways.  Think about how a child in the natural learns or we learn on the job.  We learn by doing, by making mistakes and being corrected.  It is no different in the spiritual.  When we fall down and sin, the Lord brings chastening which is judgment and that comes in the form of afflictions and tribulation.

Psa 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

These judgments of the Lord bring afflictions to the old man and are necessary to destroy the beast and our carnal nature that puts, ME MYSELF and I as numero uno, all the while we claim to serve the Lord.  What will help align all Scripture is your coming to see that judgment is good, very good. It is the process by which we are changed into the likeness and image of Christ. Without it we could never learn obedience and let’s remember how we learn obedience.

Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Psa 119:7  I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

Christ, meaning His Body, the Elect;  all learn obedience by the things we suffer. This is the mystery of how Christ is formed in all men in their appointed time.  It starts with the Body of Christ filling up in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of the church.  This comes about by judgment and that is why the Lord is in the fault finding business, to teach us.  This is a great mystery, a secret that few are given the spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear yet it is right in our Bibles.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Col 1:25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Whoever said the finished works of Jesus Christ on the cross means you don’t have to suffer and die is a liar and knows not the Lord.  Anyone telling you about a rapture and that you are saved from God’s judgment is blind as a bat.

Judgment is good, very good, sweeter than honey and it is how the new man is formed and the old man is decreased in all of us.

Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Judgment is how we learn the fear of God and this is what causes us to obey in due season.  So God finding fault with us and bringing judgment is a very good thing.   Psalm 119 has many verses that tell of this mysterious truth.

Psa 119:39  Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

Psa 119:66  Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

Psa 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

With God’s judgment, comes afflictions and these are designed to benefit the new man.  Those wise in the ways of the Lord will come to see how the Lord works His mysteries and brings forth Christ in us thru much tribulation and afflictions of all kinds.

Psa 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Psa 119:76  Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

We may not know it now or feel joyful now in the midst of our trials and afflictions when our Loving Father brings His wrath and fury against our sins and wicked nature.  One day though we will be able to look back, once salvation has come to us and be very glad the Lord loved us enough to bring His wrath and anger against our sins. I just saw this gem over in Psalms.

Psa 90:15  Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

Which also reminds us of what the purpose of this life is all about.

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens:it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

Some of these things are hard to understand at first so please ask if you have sincere questions.  The scriptures are not broken, they tell this wonderful truth from Genesis to Revelation.

The only way to come to know the Lord is thru the process of judgment. I have written extensively on this topic but if you will just search for the phrase “know the Lord” or “know I am the Lord” you will see the context is always, 100% of the time, the old man within us, the beast that all flesh is, being judged by having the wrath of God poured out upon us.

Pressing Onward To the Highest Calling of God

So I hope you can now understand the purposes of the Lord in finding fault when we sin and stray from His ways.  Even though He is the one causing it and working that in our lives;  it is by the process of Him bringing judgment upon us that we learn His ways and become like Him, knowing good and evil.  The Lord works evil for good and that really is the mystery of how Christ is formed in us and we learn good and evil.

Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

All men will go thru this process.  The only thing that separates the Elect is that we will be judged in this life while still in fleshly bodies.  We will experience our death to the old man and carnal mind first.  We will then be in the first resurrection and will be used to bring the rest of mankind thru the process of judgment at the second resurrection.  It is a very good thing that we are judged now, it is far better than being judged later with the rest of the world.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Far greater honor to be a priest and king of the Lord and to rule and reign with Him for the Millennium Reign and then be the judges of the world and bring the knowledge of Christ to all mankind.  That is why we press onward and upward for the higher calling of God.  That is why we as God’s Elect depart from inequity and strive to not be disqualified for such a great reward.  Here are three scriptures that speak of the critical role and function given to the very few that are God’s Very Elect.

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (all mankind in the end)

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Sincere comments or questions are welcome.  You can also email me at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

Your brother in Christ,  Pete