Post by Zac Loh on Jan 30, 2006 3:01:50 GMT -5
CHRIST – IN HIS LOVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER
Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” [Luke 22:39-16]
This was the hour of temptation. Jesus offered Himself to the Father at a heavy cost. Loving God, at times, is being contrary to our own will. This is when the rubber meets the road, the acid test of our love for Him. If we want to live for Him, we got to be willing to suffer for Him.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. [John 14:15]
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” [John 14:21]
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. [John 15:9-10]
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. [John 15:12-14]
Love costs us something. It demands sacrifice. Love that does not cost us something is of little value. Love requires obedience to His will. The greatest joy of God is to exhibit Himself, to manifest Himself – through us. God’s greatest joy is to love through us: the love of the Father in us. Are you asking in your heart, how can the Father manifest His love through me? The opportunity will arrive soon enough. God is quick because this is His greatest will.
I am sure that there were many, many more Gethsemane-type experiences of Christ which were not recorded in the Bible. We must be willing to face the Gethsemane-type experiences again, and again, in our lives. These will surely be life-changing and life-transforming. And these are what it’s all about.
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. [1 John 4:16-18]
Fear and love is opposite of each other. Fear is self-centered. Love is God-centered and people-centered. Fear is of the spiritual darkness. And I don’t mind repeating, that when light and darkness clash: light will win.
HOPE
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
[Colossians 3:1-4]
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, [Philippians 3:18-20]
There was once a devilish statement that appeared in the church scene. It said, “Do not be too heavenly minded and no earthly good.”
The truth is, the more heavenly minded you are, the more you can be used of God in this earthly lifetime. You will have the vision of God, His perspective. You will achieve His purposes.
Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? [Amos 3:3]
There are people who try to achieve something without God. These are not the people who God uses.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. [Romans 8:18-25]
CHRIST – IN HIS HOPE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12:2]
Morris Cerullo used to say that he wouldn’t mind who his opposition is, in the boxing ring, as long as he knows that at end of the match, he would be the winner.
Our future is guaranteed. Our salvation is secured.
Jesus was `despising the shame’.
What shame, you may ask?
• The ridicule of being stripped in the open.
• The extreme agony and pain of being tortured - continuously, indiscriminately, randomly in the public.
• The quiet insult of being spat at.
• The scandal of criminal prosecution.
• The stigma of being a hoax.
• The ultimate rejection of being exchanged for the pardon of a notorious mobster.
Jesus despised the shame because he considered it, counted it – as nothing compared to the after-glory and the after-blessings.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. [Hebrews 2:9-10]
Why is it so hard for Christians to accept suffering?
To Jesus, eternity was very real.
RELATE IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
If we should worship God in spirit and truth; shouldn’t we relate to Him in spirit and truth, too?
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” [John 4:23-24]
Replace the word `worshipers’ with Christians; the word `worship’ with the words `relate to’ or `relate’; and read the above passage of scripture again.
Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” [Luke 22:39-16]
This was the hour of temptation. Jesus offered Himself to the Father at a heavy cost. Loving God, at times, is being contrary to our own will. This is when the rubber meets the road, the acid test of our love for Him. If we want to live for Him, we got to be willing to suffer for Him.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. [John 14:15]
He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” [John 14:21]
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. [John 15:9-10]
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. [John 15:12-14]
Love costs us something. It demands sacrifice. Love that does not cost us something is of little value. Love requires obedience to His will. The greatest joy of God is to exhibit Himself, to manifest Himself – through us. God’s greatest joy is to love through us: the love of the Father in us. Are you asking in your heart, how can the Father manifest His love through me? The opportunity will arrive soon enough. God is quick because this is His greatest will.
I am sure that there were many, many more Gethsemane-type experiences of Christ which were not recorded in the Bible. We must be willing to face the Gethsemane-type experiences again, and again, in our lives. These will surely be life-changing and life-transforming. And these are what it’s all about.
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. [1 John 4:16-18]
Fear and love is opposite of each other. Fear is self-centered. Love is God-centered and people-centered. Fear is of the spiritual darkness. And I don’t mind repeating, that when light and darkness clash: light will win.
HOPE
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
[Colossians 3:1-4]
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, [Philippians 3:18-20]
There was once a devilish statement that appeared in the church scene. It said, “Do not be too heavenly minded and no earthly good.”
The truth is, the more heavenly minded you are, the more you can be used of God in this earthly lifetime. You will have the vision of God, His perspective. You will achieve His purposes.
Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? [Amos 3:3]
There are people who try to achieve something without God. These are not the people who God uses.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. [Romans 8:18-25]
CHRIST – IN HIS HOPE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12:2]
Morris Cerullo used to say that he wouldn’t mind who his opposition is, in the boxing ring, as long as he knows that at end of the match, he would be the winner.
Our future is guaranteed. Our salvation is secured.
Jesus was `despising the shame’.
What shame, you may ask?
• The ridicule of being stripped in the open.
• The extreme agony and pain of being tortured - continuously, indiscriminately, randomly in the public.
• The quiet insult of being spat at.
• The scandal of criminal prosecution.
• The stigma of being a hoax.
• The ultimate rejection of being exchanged for the pardon of a notorious mobster.
Jesus despised the shame because he considered it, counted it – as nothing compared to the after-glory and the after-blessings.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. [Hebrews 2:9-10]
Why is it so hard for Christians to accept suffering?
To Jesus, eternity was very real.
RELATE IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
If we should worship God in spirit and truth; shouldn’t we relate to Him in spirit and truth, too?
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” [John 4:23-24]
Replace the word `worshipers’ with Christians; the word `worship’ with the words `relate to’ or `relate’; and read the above passage of scripture again.