June 2003

RAISING UP A REDEEMER

(Part Nineteen)

“GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD”

[L]

          Why should men learn that Jesus Christ is the Word of God manifested in human form? It is the most crucial knowledge to gain! By prayerfully observing His Life- reading His Words, retracing His steps, beholding His Miracles, following His tragic, but triumphant, course to Calvary; seeing His Life fulfill and interpret the Old Testament- we find the answer to the burning question on every man’s mind, “Why was I born?” As the Holy Spirit shines the Light of Anointing in our hearts, the Word of God comes alive to us and infuses our understanding with the divine purpose for our existence. As our Creator’s plan for our lives becomes clear, our hearts are filled with His Love, Peace, Hope, Joy and Faith- as well as an acute awareness of spiritual things! These treasures were denied our flesh nature since “The natural man cannot receive spiritual things!” (1 Co 2:14)
           Jesus is our “Bread of Life”, for as we “eat” His Word, we receive His Life-giving Spirit and remember that “Our Maker is our Husband!” (Isa 54:5) Also as we “consume” His Word, we see “He has never left us nor forsaken us” (Heb 13:5); but, for a time, we did “forget the Lord our Maker” (Isa 51:13); and that cruel forgetfulness caused us to leave and forsake Him! It is then that our heart accuses and condemns us for our unfaithfulness! But the Word of God comes to our rescue to assure us, “If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart; and He knows all things! (Then as Grace removes the guilt from our consciences, He adds) “Beloved, if your heart does not condemn you, it shows that you now have confidence in God!” (1 Jn 3:20-21)
           The wonderful “Bread of Life” serves mankind as a “Bread of remembrance”. Each man in his own order is fed this necessary food which causes him to regain his memory of Paradise lost.
           All his senses comes to life in the spirit! He begins to see heavenly visions; hear heavenly secrets; smell heavenly fragrances; hunger and thirst after heavenly righteousness; and as they are permitted to humble themselves in the sight of the Lord, they are able to reach out and touch the hem of the Master’s Garment to be healed and made whole! HOW GLORIOUS TO BE ALIVE IN CHRIST!
           Jesus teaches us to pray “Give us this day our daily Bread” (Mt 6:11) That is because He knows our souls need daily nourishing by His Living Word in order to grow in His Spirit! What is the Living Word? It is a Revealed Word spoken forth from the Lips of Almighty God by His Own Saving Anointing- otherwise known as Jesus Christ! It is a Living, Breathing, Grace-filled Word that ennobles as it enables us to do the Will of God! Why would any man shun the Living Word to embrace a dead letter of the Word that has only “the form of Godliness, but denying the Power?!” (2 Tim 3:5) In one word...FEAR! As combustible creatures of flesh and blood, the “straw man” of our humanity is naturally adverse to “fiery trials”! But as Paul wrote to Timothy, “If we suffer with (Christ) we will also reign with Him; but if we deny Him, He will also deny us!” (2 Tim 2:12)
           What a chilling thought- to be denied by our heavenly Father! Yet as immature believers insist they do live Godly lives, 2 Tim 3:12 says, “ALL who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution!”
           1 Pet 4:12-13 says, “Beloved, do not think it is strange that you must experience fiery trials as if something alien was happening to you! These fiery trials come to test you (that is, to reveal the degree of Christ’s manifestation in you, as an assayer appraises the ore content in a piece of mined stone!) Rather, rejoice! For if you share Christ’s sufferings now, you will be overcome with great joy as His Glory is revealed in you!” So, “Cast all your cares on Him Who cares for you. Be sober, vigilant, for your *adversary, the devil (carnal thoughts), walks about (in your mind) as a roaring lion, seeking (spiritual thoughts) which he may devour!” (1 Pet 5:8)

*Adversary (from Gk 476I antidikos) means:“An opponent (as in a lawsuit);
esp. satan”; and stems from 2 roots: 473 meaning: “instead of, or against”
and 1349 meaning: “Rightness, justice, judgment (the principle, the decision,
and its execution); also punishment, vengeance”; and from 1166, “to show,
or make a show of!” Thus the enemy of God- (which is “flesh mindedness”
Ro 8:6) disputes all Righteous Reasonings of the Lord; resists all Righteous
Retributions of the Lord; and especially, refutes all Righteous Revelations of
the Lord- since “(Christ) spoiled all principalities and powers; making an
open, triumphant show over them!” (Co 2:15) Hallelujah! But there is more
“showing” Christ has done and continues to do as seen in 1 Tim 6:14-16,

“Keep the Lord’s Commandment without spot and above reproach until the
Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (in our hearts) Who will be shown in
His due time, by the Blessed and Only Potentate (lit. Worker of Miracles),
the King of kings and Lord of lords! For He, alone, has Immortality, and
He, Alone, dwells in the *Light which no man can approach; which no
man has ever seen; nor can any man see Him to Whom is all Honor and
Everlasting Power. Amen!”

[TO BE CONTINUED]