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).

 

Daily Bread - July 3, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Monday, 03 July 2017 11:11

Amos 5:24 - Let judgement flow down as the water, and righteousness as an ever flowing stream. We should all find it amazing that we want the sinners to stop sinning while all the time sin and iniquity runs rampant among our ranks. The churches are filled with people who sing great songs and listen to sermons geared towards their success and self-importance. Yet, how often are they confronted by the stern rebuke of a watchman who demands that they turn from their sins and follow after God. We were transformed from sinners to saints by the power of the Holy Spirit to live in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus set forth our primary focus: to place the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first in all that we desire and do (Matthew 6:33). If the church does not walk in the Spirit -Who alone produces righteousness and true holiness- then we are powerless. Our decaying society around us reveals that the wall against iniquity was daubed with untempered mortar, and the hinderer of iniquity forsaken (Ezekiel 13:10-15). God is not interested so much in all the niceties that we present to Him in our churches. He redeemed us from sin and darkness so that we might walk in the beauty of His holiness and the majesty of His righteousness (1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 2:1-10, 4:17-24, 5:1-2; Philippians 2:1-10; Romans 6). If we think that somehow God is going to be pleased with all the things that we supposedly do for Him while all the time we continue in sin, then we are wrong. God wants our lives to be filled with His Spirit and with His ways (Ephesians 5:17-20; Colossians 3:12-17; 2 Peter 1:3-11). He wants us to stand in the place of Jesus and declare to the world around us the goodness and beauty of His mercy, love, and glory. All creation is crying out to see the Kingdom of God revealed in our lives through judgment and righteousness (1 Corinthians 15:34; Romans 8:19-22; Psalms 33:5, 37:6, 103:6, 106:3; Proverbs 8:20; Isaiah 5:16, 16:5, 33:5, 56:1, 26:9; Jeremiah 9:24, 33:15; John 16:8-15)!

 

Daily Bread - July 1, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Saturday, 01 July 2017 10:28

Jude 24 - Now to the One Who is able to keep you from stumbling, and present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. God is the Maker of our salvation. It is Jesus Who is the Author and Finisher of our faith. All we have to do is to be willing; for should we only be hungry and thirsty, He will fill us. If our hearts leap like the priest Zachariah at the announcement of the Savior, knowing that now we can live without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives, then we will discover that God will both will and do of His good pleasure in us (Luke 1:74-75; Philippians 2:13). We must learn to depend upon Him, and to receive all that He supplies. Once we have been born of the Spirit, then we can receive all of those things that are freely supplied to us by the Spirit (Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 2:12). When we consider that His grace supplies us with those things that reach beyond what we are able to think or ask, according to the power that works within us, we should be able to be confident of His perfecting power in our lives (Ephesians 3:20-21; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Psalms 18:32; Hebrews 13:20-21; 1 Peter 5:10-11). Jude says that He will keep us from stumbling. Although there are many translations that use the word 'falling', the difference between the two words is demonstrated for us in Romans 11:11. He not only will keep us from falling, but will also keep us from stumbling; so that we may be faultless (Colossians 1:22; Ephesians 1:4). Peter also revealed this truth to us, and made it clear that since we have been born of God and made partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4), if we would now give ourselves to the eight pillars of divine success that he named in 2 Peter 1:5-9, then we would never stumble! The one transition that seems hard for many to make is the transition from human effort and discipline, to relational dependency upon Jesus. We will never be able in our own ability to walk so perfectly before our God; but there is One Who will work in us by His power, and will keep us from stumbling. All we must be willing to do is to learn how to be led. If we are going to learn how to be led by the Spirit, then we must learn how to yield to Him (Romans 6:13, 16, 19). Jesus made it very clear that without Him we can do nothing; but if we dwell in Him, then we can do all things through the strengthening power of Christ Jesus (John 15:1-5; Philippians 4:13). How do we learn to yield to Him and rely on Him? Through a love relationship where we, as the redeemed, adore the Redeemer. It is here we discover the very meaning of our life, and the exceeding greatness of His power that is at work in us (Ephesians 1:17-20; Colossians 1:29; Philippians 1:11; 2:13, 4:13; Philemon 6). It is through this relationship that we receive from Heaven, and learn to yield to the Holy Spirit, Who teaches us all things; and shows us how to make the transition from human dependence and self-reliance, to a dependence upon Him.

 

Daily Bread - June 30, 2017

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Saturday, 01 July 2017 10:28

2 Peter 1:8 - For these things being in you and abounding, you shall not be barren or unfruitful in the complete knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, there seems to be little focus today, both in sermons and individual application, to our responsibility to give ourselves to the practice of the eight pillars of divine success: Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Self Control, Patience, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Divine Love (2 Peter 1:5-7). Each of us need to become familiar with practical applications in our life to the conduct that God demands. After all we have been given the nature of God -the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4)! And thus, these are not virtues that we must acquire; rather, they are virtues that we need only walk in. There is no question that Peter demanded such application; and furthermore, made it essential in order to ensure our calling and election in Christ Jesus (2 Peter 1:10). In fact, Peter says that if we lack these things, we are blind and cannot see, and have forgotten that we were purged from a sinful nature (2 Peter 1:9). We have been given the divine nature and the help of the Holy Spirit so that we may walk in the highest level of expression of these virtues. If we give ourselves diligently to walking in the ways of God and conducting ourselves properly in the divine nature, then we are promised that we will not stumble (2 Peter 1:10; Jude 24; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 John 5:18). The Spirit of God will uphold us and strengthen us to live in the way that pleases God. The light of His nature and the beauty of His ways will be seen in the midst of our lives, and we will not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of God. There is most certainly a realm of relationship in God that we enter into as we mature in God. This maturity is a result of our willingness to be obedient to His will and to His ways (1 John 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:1; Hebrews 5:14; 2 Peter 1:11; Ephesians 3:18-19, 4:12; John 14:21, 23, 15:16).