Daily Bread - September 10, 2018

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Monday, 10 September 2018 11:28

Ephesians 4:3 - Giving diligence to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Part 2: Keeping the Oneness of Spirit in the Bond of Peace - 1 of 2 Only by yielding ourselves to the miracle work of the Holy Spirit are we able to have unity with God and one another. (John 17:21-23; Ephesians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 1:9-13). The oneness, or unity, of the Spirit has been provided for the believers through salvation and baptism in the Holy Spirit. If the Church is going to function properly, we must guard against anything that would oppose oneness. When anyone begins to function outside of humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, and love, they have stepped outside the will of God, and begin to violate the Body and Person of Christ Jesus. Our responsibility is to guard ourselves against the snares and the temptations of the devil that would lead us astray into self-exaltation and strife. Demonic manifestations directly opposed to the unity of the Spirit are strife, envy, and divisions (James 3:16). We must understand the strategy of Satan is to prevent, or to STOP, the unity that is essential for the Body of Christ to function properly (1 Corinthians 1:10, 12:12-27; Romans 12:16; Philippians 3:16). Therefore, it is essential to resist every contrary thing opposing the ways of God and submit to lowliness and meekness. With all humility, meekness, and patience, bear with one another in love! (Ephesians 4:2)

 

Daily Bread - September 8, 2018

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Monday, 10 September 2018 10:19

Ephesians 4:3 - Giving diligence to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Part 1: Giving Diligence Diligence is a word often used in the Bible, and is associated with discipline and focus. It is unfortunate how many may be diligent and focused with respect to academics, business, and athletics, but as soon as the same kind of disciplines are applied to walking with the Lord and doing those things that our Heavenly Father has called us to do, it is labeled as "religious." That ploy should be easily discerned. Being diligent about the things of God is evidence that you are being led by the Holy Spirit and seeking those things which are above instead of that which is earthly (Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 15:10). The notion of being zealous and passionate about the gifts and callings of God is embodied in the word 'diligence', which may be found in excess of 124 times with more than half of the occurrences existing in the New Testament. Greek words we translate as "diligence" are words like 'spoudazo,' 'spoude,' and 'ekzeteo.' These words are found in the context of Hebrews 11:6, where we are told that the Lord rewards those who diligently seek Him. They are also in 2 Peter 1:5 & 10, where we are exhorted to make our calling and election sure by giving all diligence to the development of the virtues that the Holy Spirit supplies. We can expand the call to diligence even more when we include words like 'zeto,' which is a call to passionately run after or seek (Matthew 6:33, 7:7; 1 Corinthians 14:12). At the heart of these words is a hunger and a thirst for all those things Father has freely supplied through Christ Jesus, but will only be fully realized when we seek after them with all that is within us. As the elect of God, we are to "put on" (enduo) Christ Jesus. We are to be clothed with His virtue, glory, mercy, kindness, humility of mind, meekness, and longsuffering - all of which testify to the rulership of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Colossians 3:12; Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27, 5:22-23; 2 Peter 1:4-8; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Romans 12:19-21). We find that lowliness and meekness, as wonderful virtues and fruits of the Spirit, are central to the message Jesus would have us learn and follow Him in (Matthew 11:29; Philippians 2:3-5). To have these things of the Spirit expressed in our lives demands an active participation of our will with the Holy Spirit's will. He has come to lead, guide, teach, and empower us, but we must follow. If we yield ourselves to Him, then He will provide us with an unlimited flow of all that belongs to God (John 7:38-39; Galatians 5:16, 25; Romans 8:14, 16). Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure, and allow Him to work in you mightily to do it! (2 Peter 1:10; Colossians 1:29)

 

Daily Bread - September 7, 2018

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Friday, 07 September 2018 11:05

Ephesians 4:2 - ...with all humility and meekness -with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. The Greek word translated 'humility' in this verse may be rendered as "humility" or "lowliness of mind." This word is derived from two Greek words: 'tapeinos,' meaning "low degree," and 'phren,' meaning "understanding." The Greek word 'phren' also refers to the faculty of perceiving and judging. God's people are not to have high thoughts of self-exaltation, thinking that they are better than another. We are called to bless and show mercy in this present age (Romans 12). Be clothed with humility! (1 Peter 5:5; Acts 20:19; Proverbs 15:33, 22:4)

 

Daily Bread - September 6, 2018

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Thursday, 06 September 2018 11:13

Ephesians 4:1 - I call to you myself, as the prisoner of the Lord, to walk worthy of the calling to which you are called, The Greek root 'kaleo,' which means "call," is used three times in this verse. It appears in the form 'parakalo' meaning "I call to." Next, it is in the form of the noun 'klesis,' meaning "calling," and finally in the verb form 'eklethete,' meaning "your calling." To walk worthy of the calling should be the desire of everyone's heart who is in love with the Father. To be pleasing and fruitful in every good work is certainly a requirement of following Jesus (Colossians 1:10; John 8:29; Luke 9:23; Romans 12:1). Bringing honor to the Name of the Lord is the disposition of the Son, Christ Jesus, and should be the disposition of every son that has been brought into this glory (Hebrews 2:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12). Paul has described the opportunities God has given to us in the loftiest terms. We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the Heavenlies and brought into a fellowship of love that would allow us to be filled with all of God's fullness (Ephesians 1:3, 3:18-19). To step into this realm God calls sacred and holy demands the greatest response of humility and lowliness on our part. Humility, meekness, and lowliness are the dispositions of the Son (Matthew 11:29). If we are to walk in the heights of God's glory, then we must be willing to allow this same mind that was in Christ Jesus to also be in us (Philippians 2:5). Allow God to work in His calling in you mightily (Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29)

 

Daily Bread - September 5, 2018

Written by Pastor Mark Spitsbergen

Thursday, 06 September 2018 11:12

Ephesians 3:21 - Unto Him be glory in the Church by Jesus Christ throughout every generation, forever and forever. Amen! The Glory of God in the Church (Part 2): Christ Jesus established the Church by baptizing it with the Holy Spirit and fire (Acts 2:3-4, 33; John 7:37-39; Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16). It is this glory of Jesus which only the Holy Spirit can express that is in every generation -not just the first century church! Jesus loves and cherishes His Church, and washes and cleanses it with the water of His Word so it might be spotless, without wrinkle, and clothed with the majesty of His perfection and glory for all the world to see (Ephesians 5:26-27). He stands in the midst of His church with mercy and judgment, yet many would make it little more than a social club (Matthew 18:20; Revelation 1:1-3:22). Every kind of spiritual violation can be found in His holy place, especially the sowing of discord among the brethren, which God abhors (Proverbs 6:16-19). Men defy the authority God has placed in His Church, and think they can treat the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers however they feel like treating them and get away with it. There is anarchy, sedition, strife, and the pride of life ruling everywhere -and yet we dare call it the Church of Jesus Christ? The Church of Jesus Christ is under the leadership of Jesus Christ, and taught and instructed by the Holy Spirit. Men had better learn to fear, for Father will not tolerate this disgracing of His Son for long. If the Church you are in is truly the Church of Jesus Christ, then men eat and drink damnation to their soul when they do not discern the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:29; Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 12:12, 27; Ephesians 4:12). God is jealous over His sacred things. He will not allow them to continually be desecrated. He will glorify the Name of His Son, no matter what it takes. Men must learn to fear if they are ever going to see the glory of God in His House. God is in His House, let all the Earth keep silence. If we are truly the Church yielded to the Lord, then the Holy Spirit builds us up together as a holy habitation for God (Ephesians 2:22; Habakkuk 2:20). God demands that those who have been made the shepherds, the rulers, and the authorities in His House both teach and demand the proper conduct and disposition in the saints (Ephesians 4:11-13; Hebrews 13:7, 17, 24; 2 Timothy 3:16, 4:2). It is by knowing the love of Christ that passes knowledge, that we find ourselves filled with all God's fullness and there may be glory in the Church by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:18-21). It is by being filled with the Spirit that we are given the divine disposition to submit ourselves one to another in the fear of God -and come to value how sacred the Church really is (Ephesians 5:18-32). Let Your glory be fully revealed in Your Church, oh Lord! (Isaiah 40:5, 60:1; Mark 1:15)