Monday, January 31, 2022

The Son and The Holy Ghost

 

Text: Mt.16:13: When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I the Son of man am”?  Vs 14: And they said, “Some say that thou art John the Baptist:  some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.  Vs 15: He said unto them, “But who do you say that I am”?  Vs 16: And Simon Peter answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God”.

Many years back I believed that “AD” meant “at Jesus’ death”, and I thought “BC”, was “before Christ”.  I found that AD meant “Anno Domini” (in the year of our Lord) and BC cover the years “before Christ” was born.  But I’ve discovered that there was nothing “before Christ”, because He has always been.  He is, was, and always will be!  Even Jesus was in existence before He was manifested as Mary’s baby. He (Jesus – God in flesh form) as I’ve said before is like a perfect circle, you don’t know where it starts and you don’t know where it ends!

There are a few things I want to touch on in relation to Jesus Christ the Son:  His preexistence, His preeminence, His Deity, and His humanity.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT HIS PREEXISTENCE:

Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.

In is a preposition (a word that connects a noun or pronoun to another word).  In means, contained by, not beyond, employed, enrolled, into, inner, inside, because of.  “In” is letting us know that everything God created was contained by, on the inside of, and because of “the beginning” who is Jesus the Christ!

Beginning is the Hebrew root word re’shiyth (ray-sheeth’), meaning “the first”, in place, time, order or rank (specifically a first-fruit); chief.  It goes to another word “rosh”, defined as the head, top, first, sum. Beginning in the Greek is arche’, which is a commencement (beginning; start); chief (as applied to order, time, place, or rank), principality, corner, power, rule.  Jesus Christ is the “chief corner stone”!

·         Ephesians 2:19-20: Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the “chief corner stone”.

As I’ve said in other teachings that this “beginning” was not a calendar date, but it was a “Person”, the man Jesus the Christ.  Paul mentions Him being “the beginning”:  Colossians 1:18: And he is the head of the body the church:  who is “the beginning”, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.  Jesus said it Himself to John the Revelator:  Revelation 3:14: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God”.

·         Revelation 1:8: I am Alpha and Omega, “the beginning” and “the ending”, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come. The Almighty.

·         Vs 17: Fear not; I am the first and the last.

What we must come to understand is that Jesus is the “first day” and the “last day”.  Outside of Him or beyond Him is no other day!  Everything started in Him and it is all fulfilled in Him.

·         2 Corinthians 5:19: To wit (know), that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.

Again, He is like a perfect circle, you don’t know where it starts and you don’t know where it ends!

What did God “create” in Jesus Christ? Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning (Jesus Christ) “God created the heaven and the earth”.

Created is the Hebrew root word bara’ (baw-raw’), meaning (absolutely [perfectly; completely]) to create; (qualified [fit; competent]) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative [involving formation or development] processes): choose; make; dispatch (to send promptly, as on an errand).

What or who might I say, was “the qualified wood” that God cut down?  First of all “the wood” was a “green tree” and that “green tree” was Jesus Christ.  Green in nature is the color of “life”.

Luke 23:13-26 [Pilate could find no fault in him of which, the chief priests, rulers, and the people accused him, crying, “Crucify him”] [Jesus is condemned and Barabbas is released]:  Then Jesus said:  Vs 31: If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

A green tree is a hugros’, a wet tree, as if with rain; sappy (fresh).  The “sap” in trees is filled with nutrients and minerals.  Sap is the blood of a tree.  It carries energy out into the branches and leaves which fuels the process of photosynthesis (use of sunlight) that starts the sap production process.  Leviticus 17:11: The life is the flesh is in the blood!  If natural blood flowing through our veins carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body causing it to live, how much more the “innocent blood” of Jesus flowing through our veins giving us divine health, perfect peace, eternal life?

The “green tree” Jesus was speaking of was Himself, because He was and is “the Tree of Life” that was spoken of in Genesis 2:9, and also “the Tree of Life” mentioned in Revelation 22:2.  The “dry” were the “dead trees” (or people) that He came to give everlasting life to.  So you see how everything began in Christ and it is fulfilled in Christ!

BACK TO GENESIS 1:1: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth:

It was JESUS CHRIST that God selected or chose to feed or put through formative (developing) processes to prepare Him for the task God had ahead of Him.  That process was via the Cross!  But for Him (Jesus) to fulfill the purpose for which He would be and was manifested for, God had to place Him in certain positions using certain methods.  

·         He was the Word made flesh (John 1:14); Being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8).

Remember the definition of “in”, meaning, contained by, not beyond, employed, enrolled, into, to the inside, inner, because of.  In Christ God “created”.  Some synonyms for created are: make; bring into being; produce; breed; designed; constructed; visualized.  So the heaven” and the “earth were in Christ Jesus. 

First we must understand the “heaven” and the “earth”.  

Heaven is the Hebrew root word shama’yim, meaning to be lofty (high; elevated; exalted).  In Greek its ouranos’, meaning elevation, the abode of God, happiness, eternity, and power.  We know that the sky is a high place where the clouds, stars, planets, etc, are, but “heaven” in relation to God, is an elevated, exalted, or high place in relation to mind set, dominion, authority, and power. 

Earth in Hebrew is e’rets (eh’-rets), meaning to be firm, the earth (at large):  land; country; ground; world; field; nations; wilderness [the temporal scene of human activity, experience, and history].  Earth in Greek is ge (ghay), meaning soil; a region or the terrene globe (including the occupants).  This word “ge” implying earth as arable (suitable for plowing) land.

1 Corinthians 15:47: The first man is of the earth, earthy (choikos’) [dusty or dirty (soil-like) / (cho’os) [a heap (as poured out), rubbish; dirt]; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

The “dust” is where the LORD God took Adam from:  (aphar’) dust (as powdered or gray); clay; earth; mud; rubbish; ashes; to be gray [the color of death] or rather to pulverize (to grind or be ground into powder).  This was the forming (the straits, the pressing through the distressing narrow way) process Adam was brought through to be like God.  That’s the “plowing” process.  When my father was farming I never heard the plow ask the ground for permission to plow it.  My father dropped that plow down in that ground and turned up the new soil to ready it for planting seed!  That is how God’s Word works in us to bring deliverance!

In Genesis 1:1: “The heaven and the earth” God created in Jesus Christ was a two-fold process, the thought and the manifestation.

“Heaven” was the God aspect or the Christ of Jesus, the high place, the exalted place, the eternal part of Him, the power, dominion and authority that resided in Him.

·         St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!

“Earth” was the flesh aspect of Him. 

·         St. John 1:14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.

·         Philippians 2:6-8: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

·         Philippians 2:9: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him (elevated above all other; raised to the highest position), and given him a name which is above every name.

HIS PREEMINENCE:  (being foremost) [leading; first; precedent; chief; beginning; superior; supreme].

Anytime you see the prefix “pre” it denotes before in time, place, rank, etc.  Webster defines “preeminent” as eminent (high, lofty, prominent; renown, outstanding) above others; surpassing. 

·         1 Corinthians 15:20: Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept.

“Them that slept” are those that were and are koima’o, fallen asleep, slumber, deceased, be dead. Vs 21: For since, by man came death, by man (the man Jesus Christ) came also the resurrection of the dead.  When Jesus got up, those that were in the spirit realm and those in this natural realm were brought into one place, "in Christ"!  Matthew 28:50-53: Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city and appeared unto manyHebrews 12:1: We are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.

·         Colossians 1:15: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:  vs 16: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers:  all things were created by him, and for him.  Vs 17: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  Vs 18: And he is the head of the body, the church:  who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Jesus being the “firstborn” is not in the sense of being the first to be born, but it’s of Him being the prototok’os, the first-begotten in relation to:  being born of the Virgin Mary:  “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14): His relationship to the Father:  “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17): expressing His priority to, and preeminence over all things , including death:  He is the “first-fruits of them that slept or first-fruits of the resurrection" (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Jesus Christ is the pro’tos, the foremost (in time, place, order, or importance); chief, first day, former, before, beginning, best.

He has a name above every name:  Philippians 2:10-11: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

He was “heir” of all things:  Hebrews 1:1-2: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.

Appointed is the root word telaugos’ (tay-low-goce’), meaning, in a far shining manner, plainly, and clearly / (tel’os) [to set out for a definite point or goal aimed at as a limit, the conclusion of an act or state, result, purpose / (auge’) a ray of light, radiance, dawn; break of day.  Jesus Christ was and is the “ray of light” God sent to dispel the darkness of ignorance, death, hell, and the grave, so as to bring His people into one unit by the Holy Ghost into the fullness of Christ:

·         Ephesians 4:13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

LET’S LOOK AT HIS DEITY:

Jesus was man, but yet He was God.  In the beginning was the Word, and that Word was God, and that Word was with God and the Word was “made flesh” (St. John 1:1, 14), and that flesh man was Jesus who was called Christ (Matthew 1:16).  He revealed the “invisible God”!

Isaiah said, “Unto us a child is born (denoting His humanity), unto us a son is given (showing forth His deity):  and the government shall be upon his shoulder:  and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (vs 9). 

Jesus’ mother Mary gave birth to Him, but it was His Father that “gave Him”, when He sent Him to the Cross.

He was “sinless”:  John 19:4: Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them, “Behold, I bring him forth to you, that you may know that I find no fault in him”. 

·         For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).  We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

He has power over death:  John 10:17: Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again”.  Vs 18: “No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself, I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This commandment have I received of my Father”.  Colossians 2:14: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; vs 15: And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  Romans 8:2-3: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. 1 John 3:8: He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning.  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.

HIS HUMANITY:

·         Galatians 4:4: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.

He came through the womb of a woman just as we did.  Matthew 1:24-25: Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:  and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son:  and he called his name JESUS.

John 12:27: Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour”:  but for this cause came I unto this hour.

So He had a “soul”.  Soul here is psuche’, that which deals with the moral and emotional part of a person, but in relation to humans can become irrational  leaning toward mortality unless brought under subjection to the Spirit of God!  Remember Jesus was in all points tempted and touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).  He conquered that “soul realm”, to let us know that we too can overcome ours. 

Psalm 16:10: For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

He had a “spirit”.  Spirit here is pneu’ma, meaning breath, spirit, in relation to humans the rational and immortal soul.  Luke 23:46: And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit”:  and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (soul).

The “soul” and “spirit” are closely related and the only way to differentiate between them is by the “word of God”!  Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is quick (alive) and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

He became hungry and was tempted:  The human side of Jesus was as ours, yet He was without sin. 

·         Matthew 4:1: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  Vs 2: And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. 

But with each temptation of the enemy toward Jesus:  vs 3, “To command the stones be made bread” (lust of the flesh):  vs 5-6, the enemy takes Jesus up to the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him to cast himself down (pride of life):  vs 8-9, the devil offers Jesus the kingdoms of the world, if He’d fall down and worship him (lust of the eyes), Jesus’ response was:  vs 4, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone”;  vs 7, “It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God”,  vs 10, “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thy serve”.

Jesus didn’t argue with the devil, He used the Word of God or the Sword of the Spirit against him, and vs 11 states, “Then the devil leaves him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him”.

He became thirsty:  John 19:26-28: When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said unto his mother, “Woman, behold thy son”!  Then said he to the disciple, “Behold thy mother”!  And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.  After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled said, “I thirst”!

He slept as a man:  Mark 4:35-41 (Jesus stills the storm):

·         Vs 37: There arose a great storm of wind and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.  Vs 38: And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow:  and they awake him, and say unto him, “Master, care thou not that we perish”?  Vs 39: And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said, unto the sea, “Peace, be still”!  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

When He was asleep, that was Jesus, but when He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, Peace be still, that was God!  He was 100% God and He was 100% Man!

Back to Matthew 22:42, when Jesus asked the Pharisees, “What think you of Christ”?  Whose Son is he?

·         To the blind man, He’s the Optometrist (John 9:1-41).

·         To those desiring health and the woman with the issue of blood, He’s the Great Physician (Jeremiah 8:22; Mark 5:25-34).

·         To the woman at the well, and those that thirst He’s the water of life (John 4:1-15).

·         To those that are hungry and the five thousand, He’s the Bread of life – the hidden manna (Matthew 14:13-21; John 6:35; Revelation 2:17).

·         To the lost sheep He’s the good Shepherd (John 10:11).

So whose Son is He?  He is the Son of the Living God!

We’ve talked about the Father, and the Son, now we’re going to take a look at the “Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit”!  He hasn’t always been given the attention or credit, that He so deserves, but He is just as much a “Person” of the Godhead as the Father and the Son!

TEXT: Matthew 3:11: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:  but he that is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:  he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

TOPIC:  “THE HOLY GHOST OR HOLY SPIRIT”:

Who is the Holy Ghost?  First of all the Holy Ghost is the “third person” of the Godhead.  The Holy Ghost is God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son all in “ONE”!

 He is Holy:  holy coming from the root word hag’ios, meaning, sacred, pure, clean, innocent, and perfect: and Ghost is the root word pneu’ma, meaning a current of air, breath, spirit.

·         John 4:24: God is Spirit.  John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:  vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. 

So you see, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are all ONE!

The Holy Ghost being the third person of the Godhead is because He dwells in people, us, God’s Body of believers making us all one!

·         Acts 7:48: Howbeit the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands.

·         1 Corinthians 6:19: What?  Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?

Paul asked certain disciples at Ephesus, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?  And they said unto him, “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost (Acts 19:2).

The Holy Spirit has a “mind”:   Romans 8:27: He that searches the hearts knows what is the mind (phron’ema) [mental inclination or purpose; thought; content of the process]) of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Romans 11:33: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!  Vs 34: For who hath known the mind (nous [the intellect, understanding; to know (absolutely [completely” and “perfectly]); have knowledge] of the Lord.  Or who hath been his counsellor?

In relation to God and Mind, they’re one in the same!  In the beginning God created (Genesis 1:1).  First He thought it, then He spoke it, and whatever He said manifested!  The “mind” is the seat of perception (apprehension; discernment; observation; comprehension; knowledge) of the things we see, hear and feel.  God knows all things, and nothing is hidden from Him.  He saw the ending (the fulfillment; completion; perfection) in the beginning (what He started).

·         Psalm 139:12: The darkness hides not from thee:  but the night shines as the day:  the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

·         John 16:13: Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:  for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:  and he will show you things to come.

The Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the power of God that dwells in us, His people, the Church, that are to do the greater works that Jesus did when He walked the earth.  The “power” is the dunamis , that enables us to witness and perform miracles that will bring deliverance to those God sends us to.

But to be honest Jesus is still walking the earth, but He’s walking in us His Body, the Church of which He is the Head, empowered by the “Holy Ghost”!

·         Ephesians 5:30: We are members (a limb or part of the body) of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

·         Colossians 1:18: And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning.

Jesus said to His disciples, in Luke 24:48, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father, upon you:  but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem, until you be endued with power from on high” and it happened just as He said:

·         Acts 1:8: But you shall receive power (dunamis) after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

·         Acts 2:1: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  Vs 2: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  Vs 3: And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  Vs 4: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

The apostles preached the Gospel, performed miracles, witnessed for Christ, established churches by the Holy Ghost!  The same Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit that was in them then, lives in us now and gives us the power to do what Jesus did also!  It is in Christ we live, move, and have our being, and are God’s offspring (Acts 17:28).

My concern is more about building the buildings not made with hands!  Acts 7:48: Howbeit the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands!

 How do we build (construct; erect; strengthen; bring forth) others for the kingdom of God?  It’s through the Word of God and the power of His anointing, the Holy Ghost!  His anointing is the Christ that dwells in us that we are become by the Holy Ghost!  Christ, in the Greek is Christos’, meaning anointed one”!  Isaiah 10:27: And it shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.  Christ couldn’t be Christ by Himself He had to have us, the body of believers to be Christ.

·         Matthew 1:16: And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.  Acts 2:36: Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom you hove crucified, both Lord and Christ!

CHRIST is the understanding that we that are His Body are fully God and fully man!  Jesus was fully God and fully man!  1 John 4:17: As he is, so are we, in this world!

·         1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body:  so also is CHRIST!

·         Vs 13: For by one “SPIRIT” are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one “SPIRIT”!

We have been “adopted” (huiothesi’a), placed as sons, by the “Spirit” (Holy Ghost) of God into the body of Christ.

Listen, it was the Cross that made the difference between JESUS and CHRIST.  That was the Man Jesus (the body the Father chose to suffer and die in) hanging on the Cross.  But when He got up or was resurrected, that was the “many-membered” body, called “CHRIST”. 

Luke 24:13-35, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus talked with Him and didn’t know that it was Him until they reached their destination and He “blessed and broke bread” with them.  They recognized Him by what they saw Him do! When Mary Magdalene saw Him in John 20:15, after His resurrection, she supposed Him to be the gardener until He spoke to her and called her by her name (vs 16).  She recognized Him by what He said!  Matthew 27:50-53: Jesus when he had cried with a loud voice yielded up the ghost.  And behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.  These appearances were Jesus Himself appearing in the saints that He had brought out of the grave (unseen spirit prison) and they entered the “holy city”.   Not the Jerusalem over in the middle East, but the “Jerusalem” from above spoken of in Galatians 4:26, But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.  The one John saw coming down from God out of heaven (not from beyond the blue), but out of the higher realms of spiritual elevation in Revelation 21:2:

·         I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Jesus is still appearing in His saints and people don’t recognize Him, because religiously they’re waiting for Him to appear out in the sky, but His appearance is in “you” and “me”, His people!  1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him:  for we shall see him as he is!  How do we
see Him as He is?  We see Him as He is when we see Him in “one another”!!

·         2 Corinthians 5:16: Wherefore henceforth, know we no man after the flesh:  yea, though we have known (past tense) Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth (from here on) know we him no more!

We must know Him by the Spirit which is through revelation by the HOLY GHOST!

·         Ephesians 5:30: We are members (limbs; parts of the body) of His body, of His flesh, and of his bones.

Jesus said, Luke 4:18-19: The SPIRIT (pneu’ma) [wind; breath] of the Lord [One supreme in authority; God] is upon me, because he hath “anointed” [to smear or rub with oil; consecrated] me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

That same “SPIRIT” moved on the face of the waters in Genesis 1:2.  That same “breath of the HOLY GHOST” was breathed into man’s nostrils in Genesis 2:7.  That same “breath of the HOLY GHOST” was breathed in the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14.  That same breath of the Holy Ghost” was breathed on the disciples in John 20:22.  That same “breath of the HOLY GHOST” was breathed on those in the upper room at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).  That same “breath of the HOLY GHOST” has been breathed into us, His Body, the Church.  And as we go preaching and teaching the Word of God to His people, that same “breath of the HOLY GHOST” is being breathed into those God sends us to!

The third Person of the Godhead, The HOLY GHOST is that “CHRIST ANOINTING” that will continue forever throughout the ages called the “Holy Ghost” or “Holy Spirit”!

·         Galatians 2:20: I am crucified with CHRIST:  nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST lives in me:  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In Jesus’ prayer to the Father: 

·         John 17:20-23: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me! And the glory which thou gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.  THIS IS ALL THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST, God’s eternal SPIRIT!!!!

Pastor Gracie Perry

Monday, January 10, 2022

GOD THE FATHER

 I did a message back in June 2020 entitled The Mystery of the Gospel”, and in January 2021 The Mystery of God”.  So this is a continuation of those messages.

I’ll call this part 3:  “GOD THE FATHER”!!!  Part 4 will include “THE SON AND THE HOLY GHOST”!!!

We know that “gospel” means “God” (good) and “spell” (tidings)!  It is the “good news” concerning Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God!

The gospel is to awaken man (those that are asleep) out of the sleep of disease, ignorance, obscurity, and death he/she has been in. The “gospel” is to awake the consciousness of man so that he/she can see his/her true existence.  What is man’s true existence!  Man’s true existence is that man is the God who had no form and He takes on that form in man!  Man is God with a form! 

A “mystery” is defined in Webster as something unexplained or “secret”, but in the Greek it is from the root word muste’rion, meaning to shut the mouth; a secret or mystery (through idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites).  In God’s language it doesn’t mean “mysterious” [as something not understood], but that which is outside the range of unassisted natural apprehension which can only be made known by divine revelation only made known by God Himself, the Spirit of Truth.

 “MYSTERY” implies knowledge withheld”!  Its scriptural significance is “truth revealed” (made known; manifested; preached; understood).

·         Colossians 1:26: Even the mystery which hath been (past tense) hid (apokrup’to) [concealed away (fully); kept secret) [from the “wise and prudent”] from ages and from generations, but “NOW” is made manifest to his saints!!!

Jesus often spoke of His “oneness” and our “oneness” with the Father.  In order for God to reconcileman back to Himself, He had to become what “man” is by putting on a flesh body.   And at the same time God was and is showing man that he (man)/(male & female) is God in flesh form!  Jesus was God in flesh form and so are we.

·         St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:

·          Vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

·         1 John 4:17: “As he is, so are we, in this world”.

 John 17:20-21: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:  that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Jesus clearly states and magnifies in this verse the truth of oneness (unity or wholeness) in relation to the Father, Himself, and us the Church, which is through the power of the Comforter, the Holy Ghost that He made mention of in John 14:26:

·         But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

This “oneness” with God was made manifest through several “dispensations” but I’m going to touch on three of those manifestations (a dispensing of time that God uses to accomplish something), revealed in the Godhead:  the Father; the Son; and the Holy Ghost.

When something is manifested it is rendered apparent or readily seen, made visible, evident, or obvious.  John 4:24 state, that God is Spirit, but He has shown Himself in different ways throughout the eons of time, or dispensations.               

Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:9-10, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him”.

DISPENSATION is from the root word “oikonomi’a”, meaning administration (of a household or estate); an “economy”:  stewardship.  [It’s the management of household affairs].

God is like a “perfect circle”, you don’t know where it begins and you don’t know where it ends.  He’s like a molecule which is the smallest particle of an element or compound that can exist in the free-state and still retain the characteristics of the substance – or still retains and maintains its identity!  God is Spirit, but He put on flesh in Jesus Christ and now He is the Holy Ghost, which is the Father and Son all One in us the Church!

TEXT:  MATTHEW 6:9: After this manner therefore pray you:  Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name”.

TOPIC:  “GOD THE FATHER”:

John 4:24, God is Spirit, and in Genesis 1:1, He is Elohim, our Creator, but yet He is also our Father! Father defined in Webster is a male parent; an ancestor; an originator, founder, or inventor; Christian priest; used especially as title. 

The first time “father” is used in scripture is in Genesis 2:24, in relation to “A man leaving his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife:  and they shall be one flesh”. 

This isn’t just speaking to natural men leaving their father (small “f”) and mother and cleaving to their natural wives, but this is a revelation of what Jesus Christ was going to do in relation to His own wife, the Church and did!

Ephesians 5:22-33 (an analogy of family and church):

·         Vs 25: Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

·         Vs 26: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

·         Vs 27: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

·         Vs 32: This is a great mystery:  but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

When He died on the cross, He left both His Father and His mother, during His crucifixion. Prior to Jesus’ crucifixion He never called God, God, not in relation to His relationship with Him, He always called God “Father”, except when He was dying the death of a sinner on the cross:

·         Matthew 27:46: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI”?  That is to say, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me”?

Then He turned right around in Luke 23:46 and said:

·         And when he had cried with a loud voice, he said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit”:  and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

John 19:17-27:  [Jesus' crucifixion - His mother and the disciple John]:

·         Vs 25: Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

·         Vs 26: When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said unto his mother, “Woman, behold thy son”.

·         Vs 27: Then said he to the disciple, “Behold thy mother”.  And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Jesus Christ was willing to leave Father and mother and die for His bride to redeem her unto Himself!

·         Revelation 19:7: Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him:  for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made herself ready.

·         Vs 8: And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:  for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Genesis 17 (the covenant of circumcision) (God speaking to Abraham):

·         Vs 4: As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.  Vs 5: Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

FATHER in Hebrew is ab (awb), meaning father in a literal and immediate or remote application:  chief, (fore) father, patrimony.  Patrimony is from the Latin pater’, meaning property inherited from one’s father or ancestors; principal; [prince]; first in rank, importance, etc.

The “father” is the head of the household – progenitor, precursor (forerunner), the producer of the seed; provider for the family.

As you search through the scriptures you do not find “father” spelled with a capital “f” in the Old Testament.  It’s only when you get into the New Testament that you find “Father” spelled with a capital “F”, and even then it’s found coming out of the mouth of God’s Son Jesus the Christ:

·         Matthew 5:16: Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Father in the Greek is pater’, meaning, a “father”:  Father.  Pater’ is from a root signifying a nourisher (to provide with substances necessary to life and growth; to foster; promote); protector (to cover; to shield from injury, danger, etc; defend); up-holder (to hold up; to keep from failing; support; confirm; sustain).

In this verse, Matthew 5:16, Jesus didn’t just refer to the Father as being His Father only, but He said your Father”.  So that tells us that God is also our Father.  When Jesus was teaching the disciples the “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:9, He started it off with the words Our Father”!  This is giving proper recognition, honor and respect to our Heavenly Father!

Even though you don’t see “father” with a capital “f” in the Old Testament, yet the “Father” with the capital “F” was there all the time!  That’s why He was able to tell Abraham that he would be “a father of many nations” because the aspect of “Father” was already applicable to God Himself!

 In Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God (Elohiym) created, yet the Spirit or character of the “Father” was present!  The Father aspect of God has always been present!  The “father” passes the seed and the “mother” receives and reproduces the seed and brings it forth.  God said “Let there be” and there was!

We realize that from the beginning God (Elohiym the Creator) established and desired to have a family and a home for His children to dwell.  We His people that believe in Him are a part of that family.

How do we know that we are a part of God’s family?

Family in Webster’s dictionary is defined as a household; parents and their children; relatives; all those descended from a common ancestor; lineage; a group of similar or related things.

Ephesians 2:19: Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; vs 20: And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; vs 21: In whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto a holy temple in the Lord:  vs 22: In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

·         St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

·         Vs 2: And the same was in the beginning with God.

This word “same”, is the root word “hou’tos”, meaning the he (she or it), ie these, this man, she, they, this (same, woman).  We were there with the Father in the beginning along with our Big Brother Jesus the Christ and the Holy Ghost.

·         Vs 11: He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

·         Vs 12: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

·         Vs 13: Which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

·         Vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. 

Jesus was manifested in flesh form in the fullness of the time (Galatians 4:4), so were we manifested in flesh form at the set time the Father produced and brought us forth.  But we were all manifested in flesh at different times.  The time Jesus was manifested He came as Savior of the world, though He has always been.  [That’s another teaching].  Now in Christ, we too have become “saviors” to other people:

·         Obadiah 21: And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

We the sons of God (male & female) are those “saviors” that are come and are standing with Him on the mount Sion (the Church triumphant) right now in Christ Jesus, according to Revelation 14:1: “And I looked and lo, a Lamb (Jesus Christ) stood on the mount Sion (the church triumphant) and with him an hundred forty and four thousand (lambs or sons of God multiplied by the thousands), having his Father’s name written in their  (our) foreheads”.

What is the “Father’s namewe have written in our foreheads?  It is the Word of God”!

·         Revelation 2 (the message to the church at Pergamos): vs 17: To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written [the Word of God], which no man knows saving he that receives it.

This “stone” is the root word pse’phos, which is a pebble (as worn smooth by handling; by water or polished (to rub), ie (implication of use as a counter or ballot), a verdict (of acquittal). 

The verdict of acquittal for God’s people isnot guilty”!  Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  The definition of a ticket (of admission) is in relation to admission into the Kingdom of God!  Luke 12:32: Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom:  Luke 17:21: The kingdom of God is within you.

·         Revelation 19:13: And he was clothed (arrayed, dressed) with a vesture dipped in blood.

We, the church, His Body, is the garment or raiment Jesus was arrayed or clothed with that had to be “dipped in His blood” to be forgiven of our sins so that He through His death, burial, and resurrection could move us from darkness to light, from sickness to health, from torment to peace, from death to life, etc.

·         Ephesians 5:30: We are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.

·         Hebrews 9:11-12: But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

·         Vs 22: Without shedding of blood, is no remission.

 

OUR FATHER HAS PROVIDED A HOME FOR HIS FAMILY

This is because we had to have somewhere to dwell and it’s not beyond the blue.  The earth is the scene of activity for humankind. 

·         Psalm 24:1: The earth is the LORD’S and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

·         Isaiah 45:18: For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited (dwelt or lived in):  I am the LORD; and there is none else.

Fathers always make provision for their family, their children, especially those that came out from them.  Acts 17:28: For in him we live, and move, and have our being:  as certain also of your own poets have said, “For we are also his offspring”.

 Luke 8:11:  The seed is the Word of God.

SEED is the root word spor’os, meaning a scattering (of seed), ie seed (as sown).  It goes to another root word spei’ro, meaning to scatter, sow, sower, receive seed, or spa’o, meaning to draw: draw out.

Our English word is “SPORE” from Webster meaning a small reproductive body produced by algae, ferns, etc. and capable of giving rise to a new individual.

Take a brief look at how God designed the human body:  (1) DNA – the cell’s control center containing the genetic code:  (2) RNA and protein provide the means by which this code can be expressed within the cell of the body: (a) precursor messenger RNAwhich is altered within the nucleus to form mRNA:  (b) messenger RNAcontains the code for the synthesis of specific proteins:  (c) transfer RNA – which is needed for decoding the genetic message contained in mRNA:  (d) ribosomal RNA – forms part of the structure of ribosomes (the site of protein synthesis).  Proteins are the building blocks of the physical body.  This information is from Concepts of Human Anatomy and Physiology by Kent M. Van De Graaff and Stuart Ira Fox.

The DNA (God Himself):  the RNA (Jesus Christ):  transfer RNA (the Holy Ghost):  ribosome (the Church).  God is Eternal and He will forever replicate Himself in and through man – the INVISIBLE GOD MADE VISIBLE!

The “nucleus” is surrounded by a nuclear envelope composed of an inner and an outer membrane; these two membranes fuse together to form thin sacs with openings called nuclear pores. Look at how awesome our Creator God (Elohiym) is: These pores allow RNA to exit the nucleus (where it is formed) and enter the cytoplasm but prevent DNA from leaving the nucleus.      

·         Malachi 3:6: For I am the LORD, I change not.

·         Hebrews 13:5: I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

A cell can be divided into three principal parts: (1) Cell (plasma) membrane: [the outer, differentially permeable cell membrane gives form to the cell and separates the cell’s internal structures from the extracellular environment]:  (2) Cytoplasm and organelles: [the cytoplasm is the content of a cell between the nucleus and the cell membrane].  Organelles are minute structures within the cytoplasm of a cell that are concerned with specific functions:  (3) Nucleus: [the nucleus is a large, generally spheroid body within a cell that contains the DNA, or genetic material, of a cell].

In the “cell cycle”, unlike the life of an organism (any living thing), which can be pictured as a linear progression from birth to death, the life of a cell follows a cyclical pattern.  This cyclical pattern being a “circle”, or a period of time, within which a round of regularly recurring events are completed, or there’s one complete period of the reversal of an alternation current from positive to negative and back again.

Each cell is produced as a part of its parent cell; when the daughter cell divides, it in turn becomes two new cells.  In a sense, then, each cell is potentially immortal as long as its progeny (children; offspring) can continue to divide.  OMG!!!  This is how God who is Spirit and invisible, visibly continues on, in His people!

In Genesis, God said "Let there be” and it was!  His Word reproduced and brought forth whatever God saw in His mind.

Adam was created and made God’s “son” or “converted” into God’s son, but Jesus was born His Son.

Matthew 1 (genealogy of Jesus on His father’s side):

·         Vs 16: And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Luke 3 (genealogy of Jesus on His mother’s side back to Adam):

·         Vs 38: Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.  [You can see even here the manifestation of the “Father” in Genesis].

CREATED is from the Hebrew word bara’, meaning absolutely to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes); choose, make, cut down, dispatch [to send promptly on an errand], done, make fat [give increase].

Make is from asah, meaning to wrought; execute; keep; prepare; perform; dress; accomplish; advance; appoint; apt (appropriate; fitting).

Adam was the “man” (male & female) that was qualified to be the (wood) tree that God chose or selected out of the many peoples or nations of people that were already on the earth, that He (God) would “cut down” and put him/her through a process of development that made him/her into His image, after His own likeness”, and appointed them and advanced them into a position to be in charge of the creation or to rule and reign over the creation!

·         Genesis 1:26: Let us make man (Adam) in our image, after our likeness:  and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

·         Vs 27: So God (Elohiym) created man (Adam) in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Being their “Father” (nourisher, protector, up-holder), He blessed them real good:

·         Genesis 1:28: And God blessed them and God said unto them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:  and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth”.

ADAM was the son the Father chose to be the “tree” (wood) He would use at that time to cut down and then raised him back up through a formative or developmental process of pressure being applied to him (male & female), so that he could overcome in every area of his being (mind, heart, soul, body) and be productive in the earth spiritually and physically for the glory of the Father.

Vs 29: And God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat”. 

With the Adam race of people being “fruitful and multiplying, and replenishing the earth” wasn’t applied to them having babies and physically bringing forth children only, but it was them being in the position to reproduce and bring forth other sons of God to glorify the Heavenly Father in the earth!

As a matter of fact between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 there were world’s here before the one we’re in now.  Hebrews 11: 3: Through faith we understand that the worlds (age; perpetuity (also past) were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.  And in those worlds were sons of God”, people, males and females, nations, kindred, tongues, and governments in existence.  Ecclesiastes 1:3: “There is no new thing under the sun”.

·         Job 38:4: Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?  Declare, if thou hast understanding.

LAID is the root word siym, meaning to put; make; set; lay; appoint; give; set up; consider; turn; brought; ordain; place; show; regard; mark; dispose; care; call (a name); determined; disguise; commit; preserve; purpose; reward; hold.

FOUNDATIONS is the root word yacad’, meaning to set; to found; to sit down together, ie settle, consult: ordain; counsel; established; appointed; instructed; set; sure.  Then it goes to another root word, yecud’, meaning a foundation (beginning); began.

These foundations of the earththat God laid were not constructed of “cinder blocks” or “bricks”, but these “foundations” were people that God had appointed, ordained, marked, called a name [sons of God], disguised [made in His image after His likeness], preserved, purposed, rewarded with His wisdom, knowledge, dominion, power, and authority that He “sat down together with” in the beginning.  That’s why in Genesis 1:24, He said, “Let us make man”, because we were there with Him in the beginning as well!  God is replenishing what had existed before.

·         Job 38:6: Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?  Or who laid the corner stone thereof?  [There’s Christ our “chief cornerstone”]!  (He’s has been all the time)!

FOUNDATIONS in this verse is the root word eden (eh’den), defined as a basis (of a building, a column, etc): socket (s).  It goes to another root word adown (aw-done’) meaning in the sense of strength; to rule: sovereign, controller (human or divine):  Lord, lord, master(s), owner.

The invisible God needed someone visible to connect Himself into or plug Himself into to perform in the earth realm what He wanted done and they were called “morning stars” and “sons of God”!  They were sovereign, meaning above all others, chief, supreme in power and rank because they were God’s ambassadors, representatives in the earth!

·         Vs 7: [God asked Job] – Where were you when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

In Isaiah 14:12, Lucifer was a morning star, but he fell because of pride.  Lucifer was not some decorated angel with wings but he was “a man” that got the “big head” and God brought him down to the pit.

·         Isaiah 14:12: How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 

·         Vs 16: They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, “Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms”.

 I believe that he fit right between Genesis 1:1 & Genesis 1:2.  In Revelation 12:3-4, mention is made of a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads, and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth.  Lucifer became part of the religious system from the beginning that caused others to miss the mark and fall from the place of power God had placed them through pride, lies, deception, vain deceit, traditions of men as is happening to God’s people today. 

The “dragon” you see in Revelation 12 is the same “serpent” in Genesis 3:1 that lied to the woman (the church of that day).  When you see him in Revelation he has progressed to a “dragon”, but operating under the same guise of lies and deceit today through the religious system of philosophy, vain deceit, tradition of men, rudiments of the world, and not after CHRIST (Colossians 2:8), that Paul warned us about.

Back to Abraham being a “father” of many nations:

And out of Abraham came “the family” of God or “son of God” called Israel.  Exodus 4:22-23: And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, “Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:  and I say unto thee. Let my son go, that he may serve me:  and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn”.

Genesis 17 [God’s covenant of circumcision with Abram, He told him]: vs 4: As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee and thou shalt be a father of many nations.  Vs 5: Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.  Vs 6: And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.  Vs 7:  And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

We are included in this covenant promise because the “seed” God mentioned was “CHRIST”: 

·         Galatians 3:16: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.  He said not, “And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is CHRIST”!   Vs 27-29: As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:  for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you be Christ’s, then are you Abrahams’s seed, and heirs according to the promise HALLELUJAH!!!

John 4:24: God is Spirit!  [Christ’s Spirit, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth]!

God without “man” is Spirit without form or Spirit without a body!  We His people give Him His form.  We are the invisible God made visible.

1 John 1:5: “God is Light”, and everything in creation came out of the “Light”, and anything that opposes Him becomes “darkness”.

We are the product of our Father!  He is Spirit so we are spirit first because we were with Him in the beginning, but we are also flesh.  But our flesh must be brought under subjection to the Spirit of our Father, so that we can totally overcome as Jesus did!


·         John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:  vs 2: The “same (that’s US, His people, His sons) was in the beginning with God.

·         Vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

We know that that Word that was made flesh was God who was born Jesus, but called Christ!  Jesus was the Son of God and we are also sons of God!  Yes, in the natural we were born of a woman as Jesus also was, but because of the “new birth” we know that we are “born of God”!

·         Romans 8:16: The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children (tek’non) [as produced; to beget] (sons) of God: 

·         vs 17: And if children (sons), then heirs (kleronom’os) [a sharer; possessor]; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

·         1 John 3:1: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:  therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not.

·         Vs 2: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that when he shall appear (this appearance is IN US), we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

When I look at other members of the Body of Christ, or even when I look in the mirror, I am seeing Him as He is in flesh form right here and right now in each of us!!!  Ephesians 5:30: We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones!!!

But the fall of man in Genesis 3, brought about a separation between God and His creation. 

·         Genesis 3:6-7: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

The “Father” instinct of God didn’t let what man (His sons /male & female) had done totally annihilate (completely destroy) them from Him but it alienated (separated) them from the Father.  Though He became angry:

·         Genesis 6:5: And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

·         Vs 6:  And it repented (nacham’) [to sigh, breathe strongly; to be sorry, (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself):  comfort; ease].

It repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him: (atsab –aw-tsab’) [pain or anger: displeased; hurt].

It grieved him at his heart:  

Vs 7: And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repents me that I have made them.

But God  the Father had a plan to restore the fallen creation back unto Himself through His Son Jesus the Christ!

He started with Noah building the Ark (Genesis 6).  This is the Father aspect of God at work making preparation to take care of His children, His family.

Then He made promise to Abraham how He would bless him and would make him a father of many nations.  And under the covenant of circumcision God made covenant between Himself, Abraham, and his seed for an everlasting covenant (Genesis 17).  But the “seed” God was talking about was not Abraham’s “seeds as many” but it was in relation to the one seed” and that “seed” was Christ (Galatians 3:16). 

Then He used Joseph (Jacob’s son) whom Pharaoh made ruler under him in Egypt (Genesis 41) to “save the seed” and preserve them in a time of famine. 

Then God the Father used Moses to deliver His children (son) out of Egyptian bondage from Pharaoh (Exodus 12). 

And in Joshua 1, He used Joshua who is now leader of the children of Israel to carry them into the promise land.

Even though the Father had gotten angry with His children, yet He said He wouldn’t hold that anger forever:

·         Psalm 103:8-9: The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  He will not always chide:  neither will he keep his anger forever.

So to resolve the anger issue within Himself the Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to demonstrate His true nature to the world, which was and is “love”!

·         John 3:14-16: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal (quality) life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting (unending) life.

Pastor Gracie Perry