It pays to remember

Remember back with me to a few blogs ago about the goodwill of God (peace on earth goodwill towards men). If you haven’t read it, I recommend you read that piece first so it will set you in the right frame of mind to receive the revelation below.

Rom 2:12

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Don’t glaze over – hold on – yes, we’ve heard countless messages on this passage, but there is a GEM in here. Even as I type, I’m still amazed.

Here’s the breakdown so it sits properly in your mind:

No to conform one's self (i.e. one's mind and character) to another's pattern, (fashion one's self according to) to this period of time, BUT change into another form, to transform, to transfigure by a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better the mind, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving and understanding and those of feeling, judging, determining AND a particular mode of thinking and judging, i.e thoughts, feelings, purposes, desires to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy what God wishes or has determined shall be done, the purpose of God to bless mankind through Christ and it is God’s will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure (remember from the other blog). God’s good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, well pleasing, acceptable and perfect will.

Phew – you made it through that big hunk of meat! You guessed it.  That was the actual definition of each word as it translates in the Greek. So here’s a shorter one from the ARV (the Arin Rentz Version):

No to conform one’s self to this period of time, but choose a complete change for the better the mind, your particular mode of thinking, feeling, desiring so that you may deem worthy God’s determination to bless mankind through Christ – God’s good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, well pleasing, acceptable and perfect will.

Here’s the last piece to be covered that caused me to get out of bed while the kids were still sleeping on a holiday – you KNOW this has to be good!

The word “perfect” here is the Greek word teleios.  Why is this important? Because it is the last word Jesus spoke on the cross, “It IS finished!”  “It is teleios!” God’s determination to bless mankind through Christ was finished.  God’s will – God’s goodwill towards men had just been finished.

The trading of places had been made. 

Jesus bore in His own body you sickness and disease (Isa 53: 4- look at it in the YLT translation),.

Jesus bore every curse so you could live curse free. Generational curse free, law of sin and death curse free when He hung on the cross and when He wore the crown of thorns (picture of the curse).

Jesus’ flesh was actually torn to pieces so that your well-being could be whole (Isa 53:4, 5).

Jesus took on Himself our sin so we could take on His righteousness (2 Cor 5:21).

Jesus took our condemnation so we could and would not be condemnable (Rom 8:1).

Jesus took the judgment for our transgressions and sin so that we would be able to take His blessing (many references).

Jesus took our unworthiness so that we would be forever worthy (many references).

Jesus defeated EVERY work of darkness so that we would not live defeated by them (Col 2:15)

That, dear reader, is the finished work.  That is teleios.

Paul is telling us to choose to change our minds – choose to remember God’s goodwill. Change your mind from what your physical eyes see and remember INSTEAD God’s goodwill towards you – Christ’s finished work for you.

The enemy comes A LOT with upset. Being a human on this planet comes with daily things to overcome, but we have the opportunity to choose to completely change our mind for the better in remembering the finished work.

Jesus told us that He came so we might have an abundant life. A life that reflects His abundance, His goodness towards men. Your enemy wants just the opposite. He wants you to live out your days not understanding what Christ did for you in His finished work. The enemy wants you to live like the provision to trade places has not been made. The enemy wants you functioning in a "not-redeemed" state (redeemed means to be set back above in the place of authority)..

Why?

Because it means LIFE to YOU and God's good will in your life! It means DEATH to the enemy's plans for your life.  The enemy know it means not just life for you, but ABUNDANT LIFE.

When things are rough (some days it seems to be all day!), take 10 seconds and remember that Jesus switched places with you. Say it out loud if you can. Call a friend who believes the same and tell them again what the finished work has done.

Open up your mouth with thanksgiving and say, “Thank you Jesus for switching places with me – thank you for bearing all my sickness and disease in your body so I am every wit whole. Thank you Jesus that every curse fell on your head so I live curse free. Thank you Jesus that you gave me your peace – you were chastised so I could have total wellbeing (that’s another blog).  Thank you Jesus that the Scriptures tell me (2 Cor 8:9) that you were made poor so that I would be made rich.  Thank you Jesus I AM REDEEMED! (set back above in the place of authority) Thank you Jesus I am free!  Thank you Jesus for your finished work on my behalf – I believe it today – I receive it on my behalf today.”

And when the enemy comes seconds later to steal the joy or bring condemnation, let at least one more, “Thank you Jesus I’m free!” cross your lips.

You are effortlessly transformed by remembering Jesus’ finished work.

Your mind is made better by remembering the finished work.  He does the transforming – the Scripture doesn’t say to transform yourself. It says to change your mind for the better by remembering God’s goodwill, the finished work of His Son and you will be transformed.

I’m so glad He does it because I have tried and come up with less than stellar results. I’m guessing you’ve experienced the same thing too.  Sometimes it is a little hard for me to rest and let Him work…I’m working at resting – ha!

Thank you God for your goodwill towards us – thank you Jesus for finishing the work.  Help us Holy Spirit to remember it.  Amen.

Guest blog by Arin Rentz.

Happy Thanksgiving - take a bite of encouragement with you!

Hello!

I'm sure you are preparing for your Thanksgiving celebration.  I'd like to give you one preparation that will better the flavor of your celebration.

We know from Romans 5:17 that those who receive of the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life by the one Christ Jesus. Grace brings abundance into our lives - abundant life, abundant peace, abundant wisdom.  The key word is "receive".

The Word tells us we receive with thanksgiving so I am encouraging you to receive grace by giving thanks.  Don't reject or resist the grace He is so amply supplying by allowing an ungrateful, self-centered attitude.  Instead focus your attention on Christ and others by giving thanks.  You may not feel grateful or feel like giving, you may feel spent and worn out. However, the very choice to give thanks - to be grateful - is the empowerment, the energy that you need.

Receive grace by giving thanks!

Grace and gratitude are inseparable.  One makes way for another.  Thanksgiving is the hand that opens the door to grace and grace brings abundance.

So give God thanks, give people thanks and watch the flow of energy come into you - His abundance flowing to you.

We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Table of Grace

The blog below is something Elizabeth Sutter shared with us in a Thursday Bible study in November. Read and take courage!

"So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, ‘Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him’.”

Mark 14:14 “Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples’?”

As it reads in Greek:

“And wherever if he might enter, say to the master of the house, The teacher says, ‘Where is the guestroom of me, where the Passover with the disciples of me, I might eat’?”

Breaking down from Greek:

Say:  lay it to rest, bring the message to closure, advise

Owner of house/Goodman: head of house

Roots indicate: a dwelling, family, church, race, nation where God is present, one’s entire property. All persons forming one family/household, family of God, Christian church. The house where God is regarded as present.

Authority figure who exercises complete jurisdiction, Lord, master, prince, correlated of a slave where despot (someone) has complete ownership and uncontrolled power.

Further roots: a man who is bound, tied fastened, imprisoned, put or thrown into chains, prisoner, b bound, captive, madman, bound hand and feet with grave cloths, put under obligation, law, duty.

In the Old Testament (Hebrew form of the word) it means the husband is not at home.

Say: lay it to rest, bring message to closure

Where: in what place (Do I lay it to rest)

Guestroom: lodging place, eating room, speaking of the breaking up of a journey.

Roots: to break up, , unharness, loosen thoroughly, to put up for the night, to halt for the night, to remove the straps and packs of beasts of burden, to unbound and take off. To set free, on that has been bound or swathed in bandages, bound with chains, in prison, discharged from prison and let go, to be free, bondage of disease(one held by Satan) by restoration of health, to release one bound by sin, to break up laws having a binding force, to destroy the bonds of death, to deprive of authority, to loose one bound (equals freedom).

To unyoke, tear down, overthrow, destroy, unleash, put end to, loose, untie, release, unbind so that something no longer holds together, to release bandages of feet.

Further roots: to come down from so that it flows down from his head, reaching down into the depth of extreme poverty, place where you join yourself to one thing and separate yourself from another.

To look or lie towards a goal, eye on goal

You are before the face of/in the presence of, before the eyes of Jesus

The idea of putting under denoting victory or rule over

Down from, higher to lower place

Passover:  accustomed to be offered for the peoples deliverance of old from Egypt.  In preparing to depart, Christ’s crucifixion is likened to the slain lamb over the dwelling to destruction passes over.

I might eat

To eat meat, live, feed, use,

Roots: to give one something to eat, to bring one something to eat, to dine, to feast in company of one

With one providing the meal at his house, to enjoy the blessings of salvation procured by Christ likened to a banquet with the people full of joy and reveling.

 

Insight:

The Holy Spirit orchestrates each word of the Bible - it all has meaning.  We see in Mark 14:13 that there are two disciples that he is speaking to and he tells them to follow the man carrying a jar of water.

The two is symbolic meaning “the matter is established as truth”, then we see a man carrying water. Water being symbolic of the Spirit. Then we see in vs. 14 that wherever he enters (the man carrying the water) you are to speak to the owner of the house.  The two disciples sent were said in the historical records that I referenced earlier to be Peter and John. Symbolically speaking of the exchange Peter meaning stone or the law and John meaning Grace.

In Mark 14, we see the master of the house being addressed.  This word has great depth in the Greek.

Jesus is showing us that this owner of the house represents many things. From the master of a dwelling place to nation, anywhere one has fixed his residence, one’s settled abode—any place where God is regarded as present. This is important because wherever the Holy Spirit enters is regarded as the place where God is present. So God is addressing the “goodman” and in studying the roots of this word, it refers to the fact that the Holy Spirit/God the Father/Jesus the Son as King may not have entirely established dominion over all his land due to the fact that the actual transforming work of the Spirit at any given moment is limited by our choice, thus we can withdraw ourselves from it. The roots of good man refer to a man who is still bound/ (reference to the definition). He is still under obligation and duty of the law.

The Old Testament form of the word means “the husband is not at home”!  . He is our total provider and He wants to provide for us in the areas of our needs/lacks/weaknesses.  He is provision. As we take the communion bread we recognize that at that point of our lack, He has what we need even if we do not yet experience it in our reality.  We are agreeing with this truth of provision by Faith, seeing and believing with eyes of Faith, calling it into manifestation with words of Faith.

The Holy Spirit leads us (all that call on His name as believers) into the guestchamber.

So as we follow along, Jesus is saying:    which means Laying it to rest, bring the message to a closure.

Where:     is the place (of rest).  I believe as Jesus sees us in those places of being bound, or those we are believing for being bound that He calls us to this guestchamber. “Where” is the place you are or others around you are in need/lack/sick.  He wants to bring us to this lodging place or guest room. Where we eat with him face to face, eye to eye, our audience of one, an intimate place with the Master.

The definition of guestroom (refer to definition).  This word again has great depth. It is the place where Christ has finished the work on cross procuring all our benefits in sonship /securing our inheritance. The guestroom is an open invitation, as is the cross for wholeness if we will receive and believe.  It is a place of rest for the believer, and it is where the exchange happens. 

When Adam and Eve were in the garden and Eve ate of the fruit, she did so based on the lie of Satan that God was withholding something good for her.  That partaking of the lie resulted in death for us all in spirit, soul and body,  Just as the fruit represented death, and the lie that God withholds good from us, causing us to doubt his goodness.

There is a correlation that when we partake of his “finished work” through the bread and the wine, we partake of the truth of life and that God withholds nothing from us. Rom 8:32  “ He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things?” Believing this truth affects us spirit, soul, and body and a lamb for a household, as we pray and believe on behalf of others that they would receive of this truth.  Its all about the exchange, the exchange of the bound man (goodman-where the husband [source of provision] is not home) to the man who rests in the freedom of the finished work and is fully provided for.  AMEN!!!

I might eat:  I see Jesus giving us something to eat, bringing us something to eat often, serving us with Himself – wow!!!! Jesus is bringing us food, His food.  He is Provision, Deliverance, Salvation. His intention is that we feed on Him / take from Him as He is Life - that we put to use the food and provision.  That it brings us satisfaction (of our hunger and thirst) and that we are completely provided for when we feast in the company of One.  And what a place of feasting - what a place for celebration, when we recognize that the work is complete, all our needs/lack met. That would be the cause for rejoicing.  That every manifestation of death is swallowed up in His Victory!  1Cor 15:54. Swallowed in the Greek “to drink down, be devoured, destroyed, consumed. As we swallow the blood of Jesus, while taking communion, we are celebrating the victory that Christ won as every enemy has been consumed, or swallowed in Victory!!

The final symbolism for me was found in the reference of Mark 14:14. Biblically the numbers point to a double cycle of completion. The complete destruction and disarming of our enemies, and the complete and total freedom and wholeness we have when we have Christ!! I believe it is not by chance that these numbers are arranged like this, the Holy Spirit was making His point clear!!

So take communion today with the understanding that you are feasting with an audience of One who already provided for your every need.  Your very act of partaking His provision shouts the truth you have believed –  God withholds nothing good from us – and you have come to receive from Him.

God's Will is ALWAYS good towards me!

I encourage you to read EVERY word, every definition - it will change your perspective.

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Or literally "good will towards men").

Peace in the Greek is (eirēnē), but remember who the angels were talking to! It was not Greek-speaking shepherds. It was Hebrew-speaking shepherds. So when the angels proclaimed to the shepherds peace – it was the Hebrew word "shalom".

Peace – shalom, shalwom

1.    completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

1.    completeness (in number)

2.    safety, soundness (in body)

3.    welfare, health, prosperity

4.    peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment

5.    peace, friendship

1.    of human relationships

2.    with God especially in covenant relationship

6.    peace (from war)

7.    peace (as adjective)

So the angels were saying there was now Peace on earth (a person).

They were also saying because of this event (God made flesh, what was going to transpire, the good will of God that had just kicked off) there is now peace / shalom on earth because that IS God’s will towards men.

It doesn’t stop there!

What did Jesus do right before his death?  What did He leave to us here on earth?

His peace – His shalom.

John 14:27

“Peace (eirēnē) I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

So what came to earth with Him did not leave earth with Him.

And remember again, Jesus is speaking Hebrew, not Greek to those listening so the word spoken was "shalom". God made a point to let us know that peace/shalom was now bestowed here on earth and Jesus made a point to let us know that peace was staying because He was leaving it with us.

How? Keep reading in John 14 just a few verses down.

John 14:31

“…but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.”

What was that command Jesus is talking about? To carry out God’s will. To carry out God’s good will.  Hold onto your hat…it’s about to take off.

Remember back to Luke 2, peace – shalom was the first part and then is the good will.

Good will in this portion means just what we think:

1.    will, choice

1.    good will, kindly intent, benevolence

2.    delight, pleasure, satisfaction

3.    desire

But remember again – it would have been proclaimed by the angels in Hebrew. We see an almost identical definition for good will in Isaiah 53.

Isa 53:10

"Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."

"Pleased"

1.    to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with, be pleased to do, to bend down.

"Bruise"

1.    to crush, be crushed, be contrite, be broken, to allow oneself to be crushed.

"Put him to grief"

1.    to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry

So in putting Luke 2:14, John 14:27 and Isa 53:10 together it looks like this:

It was God’s good will towards men to send His Son to be crushed, contrite, broken. It was God’s good will towards men to cause His Son to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry. Jesus knew He came to carry out God’s good will towards men.

Did you just take that in?

God’s good will towards you was to have His Son trade places with you so that you have completeness, soundness, welfare, peace and Jesus could become weak, sick, diseased, grieved, sorry, broken, crushed and contrite.

Jesus traded places with you! Say it out loud right now, “Jesus traded places with me!”.

Your enemy would have you think otherwise. He would have you believe that God’s will is NOT good towards you. Or believe that His will is good towards you based on your performance. Or believe that His will can change towards you.

Guess what?!? That’s a LIE. Look at the scriptures again. Look at the truth. Let it sink in. Let that new pathway in your brain be formed. 

GOD’S WILL IS ALWAYS GOOD TOWARDS ME.

Post it somewhere, tattoo it somewhere if need be – this is LIFE to you. Don’t allow your enemy to suck it from you. Don’t let him lie you out of it. Don’t let him condemn you out of it. It’s yours for the taking. It’s yours for the believing. It’s yours to hope in. It is literally your life.

Guest blog by Arin Rentz.