Daily Bread - July 8, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Saturday, 08 July 2017 09:17

Matthew 6:33 - Make the Kingdom of God and His righteousness your primary objective, and all these things will be added to you. To "seek first" (zhteite proton) in this context means "primary objective," or to "earnestly desire above everything else." God desires us to align our wills to be in agreement with His will in everything that we do. We are not looking for something that was lost, or attempting to obtain something that has not been supplied to us as a free gift. God is simply calling us to turn from earthly things to the things that are heavenly (Colossians 3:1-17). He wants us to recognize that He is the supplier of all that we need; and that if we will take care of the most important thing necessary for our eternal well being, He will take care of all our needs. God is calling us to make His will and purposes the foremost objective and motivation in all that we do. If we pursue our Heavenly Father's interests instead of our own, then we will discover the keys to success in this life and in the one to come (Matthew 6:19-34; 1 Timothy 4:8; 2 Peter 1:3-11). There are two important issues that come to bear in every task that we set out to do and interaction that we have. They are: the Kingdom of God and the righteousness of God. These are the two "bigger issues" to everything that we are involved in. When we consider the meaning of the Kingdom of God (as it is presented by the Lord Jesus) we observe that it is the display of the power of God, which demonstrates the love of God for all mankind (Matthew 12:28; Mark 1:15, 9:1-4; Luke 4:43, 9:2,11, 10:9, 11, 11:20, 16:16, 17:20-21). The righteousness of God (which we are both made and supplied with through the operation of the Holy Spirit) is the revelation of the nature and conduct of God expressed through our lives (2 Corinthians 5:21, 6:7; Ephesians 4:24; Romans 3:21-22, 10:3-4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Galatians 3:21; Philippians 1:11, 3:9; 2 Peter 1:3-11). In general, we may view righteousness as the actions of love. Our every concern should be both for the revelation and the advancement of the Kingdom of God through the preaching of the Gospel. We should give ourselves over to the expression of the Holy Spirit so that the love and purity of God may be felt by all those around us, and especially those of the household of faith (John 13:35; Galatians 6:10). If we will make the things of the Spirit our primary concern, then God will make our needs, and even our wealth, His results for our lives (Mark 10:29-30, 16:20). Men make their success and achievements the number one priority and their "bigger issue." The Lord tells us that if we are willing to make those things concerning His will our number one priority, then He will give us all the things that men sell their souls to have. Men labor to make themselves rich only to be consumed with the sorrows of it, but God will make a person rich absent of the sorrow (Proverbs 23:4, 10:22; Deuteronomy 8:18). The wealth that God desires to lavish upon His people is greater than all that was given to Solomon, and to all of creation combined. The most important riches are those things belonging to the "true riches" -which are the spiritual blessings given to us in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 8:9; Luke 16:11; Ephesians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Colossians 1:27). If we will set our affections on the things of the heavenly realm (the Kingdom of God and His righteousness) and not on things of this earth, we will discover all of the glories and wonders of abundant life (John 10:10); and there will be a witness to Father's goodness revealed through our lives (Matthew 7:20)!

 

Daily Bread - July 7, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Friday, 07 July 2017 10:45

John 10:10 - The thief does not come except that he may steal, slaughter, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. The life that Jesus has given to all who will receive is one full of the Holy Spirit. The abundant life is an extraordinary life, as the Greek word 'perissos' indicates (1 John 3:24, 4:13, 5:12; Galatians 2:20; John 14:23, 17;21). The contrast is so great between the life in God and the life without the Spirit that it is like life and death (John 5:24; 1 John 3:14). Whereas before we were under the law of sin and death, now we are under the law of the Spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). The life that is in Christ Jesus is the life that Father intended all men to have when He created Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:26; Ephesians 1:4, 2:10, 4:23; Colossians 3:10). It is a life that not only reveals His glory, but enjoys all of His goodness (John 17:22, 1:16; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11; Romans 15:13, 14:17). This life that is in Christ Jesus has joy unspeakable, peace that passes understanding, and divine love (1 Peter 1:8; Philippians 4:7; John 13:34, 15:12). All of these glorious expressions of life flow out of us like rivers of living water. The life of God produces the righteousness of God and the Holiness of God (Galatians 3:21; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 14:17; Ephesians 4:24). The abundant life that is in Christ Jesus is eternal life, which is not only a duration of time, but a quality of life. Eternal life is not only for the future, it is something that God's people possess now; and it is this life that is a light to the world and the salt of the earth (1 John 1:2, 3:15, 5:11, 13, 5:20; John 3:15; 6:54, 17:3; Romans 5:21, 6:23; 1 Peter 2:9; Matthew 5:13, 14).

 

Daily Bread - July 6, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Friday, 07 July 2017 09:55

John 5:19 - Jesus, therefore, replied and said to them, "With absolute certainty, I tell you: the Son does not have ability to do anything of Himself; for whatever He sees the Father doing, all these things the Son may also do likewise. This confession of Jesus is very close to what Moses said in Numbers 16:28, "And Moses said, By this you shall know that Yahweh sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind." Strong's identifies this word for 'ability' 210 times in the Authorized Version which renders it: can (could) 100 times, cannot (w/not) 45 times, be able 37 times, may (might) 18 times, able 3 times, misc 7 times. The same word occurs 327 times in the Septuagint, and first appears in Genesis 13:6. The Hebrew equivalent is 'yakol', which is primarily translated 'could' or 'able'. Jesus was totally dependent on the Father and the Holy Spirit for everything that He did (John 5:30, 8:28, 12:49, 14:10). One of the outstanding features of the relationship between the Father and Jesus was announced in the opening statement of the Gospels: "This is My beloved Son" (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22). Jesus said that, because of His love relationship with the Father, He would be shown greater miracles (John 5:20, 10:17-18, 37-38). Jesus helps us to further understand the operation of the Father in His life when He revealed to us that the Father dwelled in Him (John 14:10). The Holy Spirit is teaching us total dependency on Him so that we may fulfill Father's will for our lives (John 14:12; Mark 3:35; Ephesians 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:18; Hebrews 10:36; 1 John 2:17). This is not a forced dependency, but a relationship that is born out of love and honor for the Father. We know that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are at work preparing us unto every good work (2 Timothy 2:21; Philippians 2:13). We have received His divine ability that springs up out of a sonship relationship, because we have been born of God (John 1:12; Romans 8:14; Galatians 4:6; Philippians 2:15; 1 John 3:1-2). Having been made sons and heirs, now the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit dwell in us (John 14:23, 17:22; Colossians 1:27; 1 John 3:24; Romans 8:17; Titus 3:7). Jesus said to all who will hear, "as My Father has sent Me, even so I send you" (John 20:21-22). Paul's cry to us is to, "Let this same mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). We must learn to speak only God's Word by living what we read from the Bible. We must be willing to lay aside our own will, and delight to do the will of the Father (John 4:34; Hebrews 10:9; Matthew 7:21). This, of course, is not some legal formula for success in God, but a truth that becomes real to us through the relationship that we have been granted in Christ Jesus (John 17:13-23; 2 Peter 1:3-11).

 

Daily Bread - July 5, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Wednesday, 05 July 2017 10:56

Philippians 2:2 - Fulfill my joy by thinking the same, having the same love, being one in Spirit, being of one mind. There was nothing more important to Paul than for the church to be perfectly knitted together in love (Colossians 2:2; Ephesians 4:16). It was through this love and fellowship in the Spirit that those in the church would walk in this perfect unity described by Paul in this verse. When we consider that the Spirit was poured out upon a church that was gathered together with one purpose and submitted to the one calling, then we may understand that this is the environment and state of the heart in which the Holy Spirit is empowered to lead the meeting (Acts 2:1, 1:14, 4:24, 32, 5:12; Romans 15:6; Philippians 1:27). Furthermore, if the church is going to function as one body, then being submitted to the same Spirit that gives the body life and movement is absolutely essential (James 2:26; 1 Corinthians 10:17, 12:13, 20; Ephesians 4:4). If we are going to have such a submission among those who are in the church, then God's people are going to have to humble themselves and walk in lowliness of mind instead of being so opinionated. For those who have trouble humbling themselves and following the instructions of those who are in charge, as well as being in submission to those they feel less qualified than themselves, they should consider Jesus. Jesus was equal to God (being God); and yet, He became a servant and humbled Himself to death on a cross to purchase the church with His own blood (Philippians 2:5-8; Acts 20:28; Revelation 1:5). The cry of Paul's heart is for everyone to do likewise, so that the glorious church can be manifested to a lost and dying world (Philippians 2:1-18; 1 Corinthians 14:25, 1:10; Ephesians 5:27).

 

Daily Bread - July 4, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Tuesday, 04 July 2017 13:09

1 Corinthians 2:15 - He that is spiritual judges all, but he himself is judged of none. In order to begin to understand the meaning of this verse, we must look to the contrast that Paul gives in the next few verses. One of the more important contrasts is between being spiritual and being earthly (or carnal -thinking as mere men) (1 Corinthians 3:1-4). A person who thinks after the manner and reasoning of men will never be able to think according to the wisdom and insight that is given by the Holy Spirit. Secondly, and even more important, is to recognize that the spiritual mind is the same as the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5). The mind of Christ (that is, the thinking and disposition of Christ Jesus that is supplied to us by the Holy Spirit) allows us to understand things that had never before entered into the heart of man (Philippians 2:1-11; John 16:13-15; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10). These are the things that are taught to us by the Holy Spirit, and not by man or by our own developed natural instincts and reasoning (1 Corinthians 2:13). If we will be taught by the Holy Spirit and receive His instruction and insight, then we will be able to know everything regarding the judgments of God (1 John 2:20, 27). However, we have to make a transition from dependency upon human faculties to the guidance and instruction of the Holy Spirit. Faced with divine revelation, the carnal mind is like a donkey in a physics class. The ability to be led and governed by the Holy Spirit, so that one may judge all things and know all things with respect to the will of the Father, is developed each time we say 'yes' to God and obey His word. When we refuse to walk after our own understanding, and we cry out to the Holy Spirit for direction, God enables us to hear and understand the things of the Spirit with greater wisdom and insight (Psalm 36:9, 119:105). Each time we refuse the voice of sin and iniquity, the voice of God's divine judgments sound out that much louder (Hebrews 3:13; Psalm 95:8; Mark 13:22; Matthew 13:15; Jeremiah 6:10). The Holy Spirit desires to fill us with the knowledge of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, but at some point we have to refuse to walk after our own knowledge, so that we might receive His (Colossians 1:9; James 1:5-6).