Amazon.com
e-Book & paperback
e-Book & paperback
Volume 5 ... #24
Child of the flesh ... Child of the promise of God
Ishmael: born of the flesh of man by the will of man by the natural flesh of man
Isaac: born of the promise God made to Abraham and to Sarah when they were both dead in their flesh.
*****
Man says, "Be baptized," and we go forward and are baptized.
God says, by HIS Spirit, "Be baptized," and we go forward and are baptized.
One is the flesh and the other is the Spirit for it is authored by God.
*****
Jesus says: It is the spirit that quickeneth (makes alive); the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Jn. 6:63
The flesh: our own ideas
The Spirit: that put into our mind by God
*****
To endure to the end, we must focus and cling to that which God has said to us by HIS Spirit.
3 things I know God has put into my mind by HIS Spirit during the past few months.
- "in the air" ... I Thess. 4:17 ...
- II Tim. 3:5 ... Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:from such turn away.
- "kept by the power of God ... through faith ... unto salvation" I Peter 1:5
Often as I awake in the morning, I direct my mind to think on one of these concepts given me by God.
*****
Another concept which has been very important to me which I think on:
The rain falls on the ground from heaven by the will of God. It accomplishes God's purpose. The earth does not say to God, "I do not need the rain." The earth does not try to ignore the rain nor to send the rain back to heaven. The earth drinks in the rain given it by God and is thankful for the rain.
Isaiah 55 ...
8 For MY thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are MY ways higher than your ways,
and MY thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down,
and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither,
but watereth the earth,
and maketh it bring forth and bud,
that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth:
it shall not return unto ME void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12 For ye shall go out with joy,
and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree,
and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree:
and it shall be to the Lord for a name,
for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.