“BE SEPARATE FROM THEM!”

 2 Corinthians 6:16-18                   (ESV)

“[16] What agreement has the temple of GOD with idols? For we are the temple of the living GOD; as GOD said, 

    “I will make MY dwelling among them and walk among them,

        and I will be their GOD,

        and they shall be MY people. 

    [17] Therefore GO OUT FROM THEIR MIDST,

        and “BE SEPARATE FROM THEM”, says the LORD,

    and TOUCH NO UNCLEAN THING ;

        then I WILL WELCOME YOU, 

    [18] and I will be a father to you,

        and you shall be sons and daughters to me,

    says THE LORD ALMIGHTY.”

THE LORD ALMIGHTY used writings from Moses and stored in the heart and mind of Paul thousands of years later to enunciate that we who are BELIEVERS should “BE SEPARATE FROM THEM”!  When you look up SEPARATE, one synonym is to “divide”, while the antonym is listed as “unite”!  

We, the “ecclesia”(“gathering of those summoned”), are to “BE SEPARATE FROM THEM”, not to be similar to them.  ALMIGHTY GOD has CHOSEN us to be “different” than the rest of the world, not to walk in unison with them.  It would behoove us to NOT be similar to “this world”, but to DIVIDED from them!  

I don’t need to do what others do to fit in with “the crowd”!  I need to live as though I have been “called out” from those who are headed in the same direction!  I need to “BE SEPARATE FROM THEM” as my eternity has been prepaid by JESUS CHRIST!!!!

“OPEN THEIR EYES!”

 Acts 26:12-18                          (ESV)

Paul Tells of His Conversion

“[12] “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. [13] At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. [14] And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ [15] And I said, ‘Who are YOU, LORD?’ And the LORD said, ‘I AM JESUS WHOM you are persecuting. [16] But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, [17] delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you [18] to “OPEN THEIR EYES”, so that they may TURN FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT and from the power of Satan to GOD, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in ME.’”

Paul (formerly known as Saul) WAS known as someone who was educated in the law and things of “this world” to a degree that set him apart from others in his surroundings.  In Philippians 3 he writes who he WAS before JESUS, but then JESUS “OPENED HIS EYES” to SEE THE THINGS OF GOD rather than what Satan was displaying to him.  

In verse 15-18, JESUS, the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES, says to Paul, ‘I AM JESUS WHOM you are persecuting. but rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—TO WHOM I AM SENDING YOU to “OPEN THEIR EYES”, so that they may TURN FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT and from the power of Satan to GOD, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in ME.’  

JESUS MUST “OPEN THEIR EYES” before ANY of us can SEE, otherwise Saul would have remained persecuting members of The Way!  Unless the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES has CHOSEN us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), we are BLIND and cannot SEE TRUTH!

“THE TRUTH!”

 John 8:31-38                      (ESV)

The Truth Will Set You Free

[31] So JESUS said to the Jews who had believed HIM, “If you abide in MY WORD, you are truly MY disciples, [32] and you will know “THE TRUTH”, and “THE TRUTH” will set you free.” [33] They answered HIM, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

[34] JESUS answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. [35] The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. [36] So if the SON sets you free, you will be free indeed. [37] I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill ME because MY WORD finds no place in you. [38] I speak of what I have seen with MY FATHER, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

Briefly this morning, many people these days are like these Jews conversing with JESUS over two thousand years ago.  They were so busy trying to adjust and formulate “THE TRUTH” that they couldn’t enjoy SEE the benefits of living in “THE TRUTH”!!!

FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to demonstrate in my life that TRUST in “THE TRUTH” is the ONLY hope that we have!!!

“CONFORM!”

 CONFORM

Unless you KNOW JESUS, you CANNOT know TRUTH!

Romans 8:26-30                    (ESV)

“[26] Likewise the (HOLY) SPIRIT helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the (HOLY) SPIRIT HIMSELF intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. [27] And HE WHO searches hearts knows what is the mind of the (HOLY) SPIRIT, because the (HOLY) SPIRIT intercedes for the saints according to the will of GOD. [28] And we know that for those who love GOD all things work together for good, for those who are called according to HIS purpose. [29] For those whom HE foreknew HE also predestined to be “CONFORMED” to the image of HIS SON, in order that HE might be the firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those whom HE predestined HE also called, and those whom HE called HE also justified, and those whom HE justified HE also glorified.”

The WORD CONFORM came to my mind recently, but I didn’t have the opportunity to research it in THE WORD to SEE what GOD was speaking to me regarding it.  The next phrase “Unless you KNOW JESUS, you CANNOT know TRUTH!” came to my mind at the same time.  So I decided this morning to discover what was revealed in THE WORD OF GOD regarding “CONFORMED”!

In a dictionary, the word CONFORM is defined as “to bring into agreement, correspondence, or harmony”.  In the same dictionary, the word INTERCEDES is defined as “in·ter·ced·ed, in·ter·ced·ing.

1. to act or interpose in behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble, as by pleading or petition:

The HOLY SPIRIT acts without our consent or permission many times.  When I was placed into the coma in 2007, my brain was healed from the hemorrhage, but I didn’t have anything to do with it. I didn’t know what was going on!  The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD was in CONTROL, and I was simply at HIS disposal!

The HOLY SPIRIT of GOD still is in CONTROL!  Sometimes I have to be reminded of that!  HE continues to mold me into HIS IMAGE, to act on GOD’s behalf, to cause me to be in the image of JESUS CHRIST!  Apparently HE CHOSE ME TO display HIS ability to save the worst of HIS creation, and to “CONFORM” me to HIS IMAGE!!!

“THAT THEY KNOW YOU!”

 John 17:1-3                               (ESV)

The High Priestly Prayer

“[1] When JESUS had spoken these words, HE lifted up HIS eyes to heaven, and said, “FATHER, the hour has come; glorify your SON that the SON may glorify YOU, [2] since YOU have given HIM authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to ALL YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM. [3] And THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, “THAT THEY KNOW YOU”, the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST whom YOU have sent.”

“THAT THEY KNOW YOU”, the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST WHOM YOU have sent” is near the beginning of The High Priestly Prayer offered by JESUS to HIS HEAVENLY FATHER.  JESUS CHRIST left HIS throne in Heaven and suffered the agony of being separated from HIS HEAVENLY FATHER just so we could experience LIFE!  

This prayer was offered by JESUS just before HE was arrested, tried, and condemned for the sins of mankind.  HE had to have known that torture would be immensely tortuous, but HE was willing to be “separated” briefly from THE FATHER in order to purchase my salvation.  And yet I act as though I am HIS most prized asset, when I am really “the chief of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15)!  

The fact that I am even included in the list of people who can declare “THAT THEY KNOW YOU” something that humbles me greatly!  Let me BOLDLY proclaim “THAT THEY KNOW YOU” includes a brain-damaged reject from the wrong side of the tracks!  However, I am BLESSED to proclaim “THAT THEY KNOW YOU” includes me, and YOU are the only reason!!!!

“FILTHY RAGS!”

 Isaiah 64:6                        (KJV)

“But WE ARE ALL  as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as “FILTHY RAGS”; and WE ALL do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

There are several KJV Scriptures that I remember from my youth that are implanted in my brain for seemingly eternity!  The words “FILTHY RAGS” (or “polluted garments”) demonstrate to me how GOD SEES ALL people!  There isn’t a person EVER born from Adam who is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!  Only JESUS CHRIST is and HIS “substitutionary atonement” (Romans 6:23) is our ONLY HOPE!

WE ALL are as an “unclean thing”, we have no option than to rest in GRACE provided by OUR SAVIOR!  We can either live as “FILTHY RAGS”, or allow JESUS CHRIST to make us WHOLE people!!!