November 2001

Part Forty

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (E)

“A great, effectual door is opened to me
and there are many adversaries!”
(1 Co 16:9)

               Paul’s revelation is a true legacy to all overcomers; and to this we add the following truths. First, Jesus Christ declares in Jn 10:9, “I AM THE DOOR!” This Son of God, the Living Word, God’s Saving Anointing, is the Door to all spiritual things in the Kingdom of heaven! Let us learn more about this wonderful Door.
                David says, “Lord, I cry to You! Make haste to me and hear my voice, when I cry to You. Let my prayer be set as incense before You and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord; keep the DOOR OF MY LIPS!” Col 4:3 also speaks of a “DOOR OF UTTERANCE!” Hos 2:15 talks of a “DOOR OF HOPE” as Acts 14:27 talks of a “DOOR OF FAITH!”
                Then Jesus Christ adds, “He that is Holy; He that is True; He that has the Key of David [lit. Love]; He that opens and no man shuts; He that shuts and no man opens, He tells His angel to write to the church in Philadelphia [lit. brotherly love”], ‘I know your works and behold, I have set before you an OPEN DOOR NO MAN CAN SHUT! Although you have had little strength, you have kept my word and have not denied my name!” (Rev 3:7-9)
                Here we see a clear link between the doors called “lips and utterance” and the doors called “faith and hope”- which lead to the declaration of the soon-to-be-crucified Christ that He, Himself, is “The Door”! Then later the resurrected, glorified Christ says our holy, true and Loving Father has the power to open and shut the “Door” to His Saving Anointing (lit., Jesus Christ)! Contrary to all the curious and spurious doctrines taught in religious systems, it is not up to “Natural man- who cannot receive spiritual things” (1 Co 2:14) to open or shut “The Door” to God’s Kingdom! Our Creator made that sovereign decision from the foundation of the world when He predetermined the span every man’s night season- his natural life- when God has him shut to “Eternal Life- the knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.” (Jn 17:3) To the vexation of men’s ministries, no amount of fire-and-brimstone rantings and ravings, no preaching or teaching, nothing can open what God has shut! But it is also true that when the day arrives for God to open each man’s Day Season- or spiritual Life, nothing can shut what God has opened!
                If we understand this truth, we will see how it accounts for the long, dark, bloody history of all those who have “suffered for Righteousness’ Sake”! If suffering seems abhorrent to your flesh, you are a normal human being. Natural man has a survival instinct that makes him defend himself against all forms of suffering. But we are not addressing your natural man, beloved one, we speak to your spiritual man which is a Tree of Life that must bear the Fruit of the Spirit including: “LONG-SUFFERING”!! This is only possible when the Life-giving Christ inhabits and empowers our heavenly nature with His Blood of Life! To run from this, is to run from Life, itself! It means to choose death over life! God defines death and Life differently than our human understanding does.
                He says, “To be carnally-minded (that is, flesh-minded) is death; and to be spiritually-minded is Life and Peace!” (Ro 8:6) Jesus amplifies this still more in Jn 17:3 saying, “This is Eternal Life- that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ (God’s “Saving Anointing”) which You have sent!”
                Our true lives don’t even begin till we “know the one true God and His Saving Anointing”! Col 3:3 declares, “Your Life is hid with Christ (Anointing) in God!” Only as we are made aware of, acknowledge, and access this wonderful knowledge are we truly alive! The life of flesh is all death! The sooner we see this, the sooner we enter Eternal Life! Pr 14:12 says, “A man’s ways seem right in his own eyes, but the end of them all is death!” Mortal man (flesh man) lives in self-deception, self-gratification and self-justification; whereas Eternal Man (man of spirit) lives in complete Truth, self-denial and Divine Justification!
               If we would behold the Face of Christ as our soul’s mirrored image, we must surrender that old face of Antichrist which has caused our carnal reflection! It is vain to try to “act” like Christ- as many books suggest. Second-guessing what we “think” Jesus would say or do in a situation is a poor substitute for relinquishing our will to let Him say or do what He knows to be right!! There is not a single moment of any given day or night since the beginning of Creation that Christ hasn’t known and predetermined what would be! It is up to Him to open or keep Himself shut to us! But if the desire stirs in our heart to “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness” (Mt 6:33) He promises, “When that desire comes, it is a Tree of Life” (Pr 13:12); and it must bear His sweet Fruit of the Spirit!” (Gal 5:22-23) And the“Firstfruits” of that Tree were demonstrated in the Life of Jesus Christ- the Head, which is followed by the true Church- His Body! And all who believe on His Name, and have surrendered their hearts to Him- they are the true Church and Bride of Christ.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Notice: this ministry will be in LONDON, ENGLAND the week of Dec 9-16

[except 2 one-day trips to Dublin, Ireland and Paris, France]. Any Kingdom group interested in hosting a meeting must please contact us as soon as possible by email: Sonrise1@aol.com, or telephone: 702-647-2131. Our itinerary is filling up quickly.

[P.S. We are not in need of lodgings as all our accommodations are prearranged.]