NEW WINESKINS REQUIRE NEW WINE

The Mosaic Covenant is no longer a functional covenant and the Old Testament Law is not applicable to New Testament believers – absolutely none of it. The Law in post-cross time serves three purposes: The Law is a reflection of the character of the lawgiver, the Law is a prefigurement of Christ and His work, and the Law judges the unsaved world of sin. The “new and better covenant” has new and better commandments to regulate the Christian life on the road to eternity with God. All New Covenant/New Testament doctrine must be based on New Testament writings -- one wouldn’t use a California Roadmap to travel Missouri -- new wineskins require new wine. Any theological principles or precepts drawn from the Old Testament must be filtered through the Cross, the new covenant teachings, which will either accept them, modify them, or reject them. The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed, and the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed; clear types and shadows of the new in the old should serve as substantiating information in support of New Testament doctrine.

Endnote One: Note: Nine of the “Ten Commandments” from the O.T. Law were reintroduced – most in modified form -- in the New Testament as part of the 1050 N.T. commandments that embody the Grace Covenant. Matthew 5:27-28 is an example:  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Here Jesus modifies a legal tenet into a matter of the heart. The only one of the Ten Commandments not reintroduced as New Covenant commandments is “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”, since we observe the first day of the week, Sunday, the day our Lord arose from the dead.

Endnote Two: Matthew 5:18 Has often been misunderstood: “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Jesus is speaking here. In the verse immediately preceding, verse 17, Jesus states He came to fulfill the Law.  Every “jot and tittle” of the whole Law  -- the contract or covenant at Sinai– was fulfilled, ended, and abolished in Christ and “done away” by Him when He made the New Covenant. The Law is abolished for all who are in Christ – all New Covenant believers -- but the Law still judges the unsaved world of sin. The laws and commandments of the New Covenant are just as binding as those were in the Old Covenant. There are over 1,050 commands in the New Covenant, plus many other teachings not expressed in the form of commandments.  Following are some supporting scriptures: 2 Cor. 3:6-15; Acts 15:5-29; Gal. 3:19-25, 4::21-31, 5:1-5, 18; Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14-17; Heb. 7:11-28, 8:6-13, 9:1-22, 10:1-18; Rom. 10:4  

USE THE RIGHT ROADMAP

SO TELL ME THE TRUTH ABOUT LOVE

The manifestation of Christ is and will always be centered on His Cross, for it is here in the agony and the ecstasy of God’s ultimate sacrifice for man -- for you and for me -- that our hardened hearts begin to soften, and we begin to understand our deep intrinsic need for God... and His deep intrinsic love for us. Love without works is dead, mere lip service devoid of reality. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...” no lip service here! The world’s culture is blind to the love of God, having settled for a cheap man-made substitute... the love of Self. This blindness is the darkness that envelopes this age. But to those who have eyes to see – to the whosoever will -- there is no greater love... No Greater Love! 

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”: God’s love for and in us is greater than faith’s conviction, and greater than hope’s confident expectation. You see, in heaven faith will become “know” and hope will become “reality”, but love will still be love throughout eternity.  Love begets love for we become what we behold: “We love Him because He first loved us.” And love... well... love is:

*The first and second “great” commandments...

*The first fruit of spiritual transformation…

*The fruit from which joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control flow forth…

*The key to all Kingdom principles...

*The passageway from death to life...

*The way we know we know God...

*The way we know we are born of God...

*The way we know God abides in us...

*The reason we keep God’s commandments...

*Our access to God’s amazing Grace and endless Mercy...

*The currency of heaven!

There is nothing greater in heaven or earth than God’s agape love. It is what He is. It is what He wants us to be. So:

“KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD...”

(Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 13:13; Gal. 5:22-23; 1 Jn. 4:19; Jude 1:21)

MY UNSCRATCHABLE ITCH

This is my eighteenth year of writing God Stuff and I am blessed that a few folks feel my -- I use the word “my” loosely -- writing has spiritual vitality and transforming value. Writing is, in a sense, not a choice, for woe is me if I do not write. I believe this is my gifting from God, something I never prepared for through education or otherwise, and never did till God put me to the task. The desire to share the good things of God is ever present with me... like an unscratchable itch, beckoning me to pad and paper day and night.

As I have said before, and it bears repeating, most everything I write is for me. My battlefield is my mind for thoughts are the precursor to one’s words and actions, the substance from which words and actions are formed. And, as we know from the teachings of our Lord, thoughts matter... they matter a lot (Matt. 5). It is all too easy for me to meander off God’s spore following other scents fueled by the desires of my still not quite dead Self. Bringing every thought into subjection to the Lordship of Christ is a moment by moment battle. So I spend a lot of time around the Throne of Grace, forever grateful that God forgets everything we ask forgiveness for... Now, isn’t Grace awesome?

My writing well is pretty shallow and runs dry quickly. There is simply no way I could turn out daily Face Book postings, Blogs, poems and studies, which now number in the thousands, under the power of my own engine. Fortunately God’s well has immeasurable depth, flowing forth as a river of living water, quickening the thoughts and intentions of those so inclined to yield to its limitless resources. Every person that has crossed the threshold into God’s Kingdom is called to foreordained righteous works. That bears repeating: Every saint has a ministry in God’s Kingdom! God has a unique work detail for each of His children, purposed before the foundations of the world. Saints, our job is to find our unscratchable itch -- find out what God wants us to do -- then do it -- pursuing the doing of it relentlessly – unwavering -- with our face set like a flint -- with the tenacity of a junk-yard dog -- till we draw our last breath! Remember, Grace enables what it commands... when our heart is aligned with God’s will, Grace will empower our effort.

FIND YOUR UNSCRATCHABLE ITCH

AND PURSUE IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART

“ABRAHAM … TAKE NOW YOUR SON … WHOM YOU LOVE … AND OFFER HIM AS A BURNT OFFERING”

In 2005 I was in the best physical shape of my life, hitting the gym four days a week and cycling daily, riding about 150 miles a week. I actually had the beginning impression of six-pack abs. One hot humid day I carelessly cycled “free-handed” while pulling my tee shirt off over my head, being too self-assured to stop and take it off. A chunk-hole in the road sent me and the cycle head over heels – my feet locked to the pedals in cycling shoes -- and my shoulder/hip two point landing put an end to my budding but time consuming career as a sixty year old “body beautiful” wannabe. The time I had been spending on my physical makeover was recommitted to studying the Bible and writing.

On that day, at a time when my time and energy was being drawn away by one of earth’s many lovers less wild, a speed-bump on the thrashing floor of life derailed my lustful earthbound intentions and refocused my heart on that which is truly lovely and worthy of my love. Do I think God orchestrated this event? I don’t think... I know! For we are not our own, we were purchased with His precious blood and paid for... made his very own, that we should glorify God with our body. Ownership does have rights you know. What appeared to be bad luck and carelessness was the sovereign God reaching into my sandbox and redirecting my attention. One could say satan put that chunk-hole in my path... intending evil, and God allowed it, turning it into His purposeful good. And one would be right!

Endnote: There are many things in life, desires, pleasures, possessions, family, friends, occupations, hobbies – many things -- which become love-magnets tugging at our heart. But God commands: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” These “things” are not necessarily wrong in and of themselves; they become wrong when our love for them allows them to lay claim to God’s rightful position in our heart. Saints, God will not share His position as the supreme love of our life. Let me repeat that: God will not share the number one spot in our heart with anyone or anything. He knows our heart, and misplaced love which usurps His rightful position as our supreme love is idolatry plain and simple. And, the objects of our misplaced love become burnt offering candidates. Abraham learned this lesson the hard way when he allowed his love for his son Isaac to overshadow his love for God ... some of us will too...

YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER LOVES (GOD’S) BEFORE ME

(Gen. 22:1-19, 50:20; Rom. 9:28; Mk. 12:30)

SPEED BUMPS AND UNCLE VERNON

What should we do during times of difficulty -- when we hit the speed bumps of adversity on the threshing floor of life -- when physical, financial, emotional, or relational difficulties find our address? First and foremost this is a time to draw close to God, to rest in Him and love on Him -- we simply cannot love and worship God enough -- trusting in Him without fear, worry, or doubt. The real test is whether misplaced love for the world’s riches, pleasures, and trinkets -- the desire for non-spiritual things -- has crept into our heart displacing our love for God. And we should draw on all those saints God has placed about us, to unite in prayer for God’s grace and healing power to be released in us - that His Kingdom would invade our circumstances in power. These things we should always do. So we pray for: *A great awakening in our soul of the awesome love of God. *A deep unquenchable hunger for His righteousness to spring forth. *A revelation of God’s heart… and our heart. *That we might become more intimately acquainted with our Lord.  *That we might experience the power outflowing from His resurrection. *That we might so share in His sufferings as to be continually transformed into his likeness (nature). *That the peace that passes understanding would flourish in us. *That unspeakable joy would strengthen us. *That God’s word would bring healing… wholeness… restoration -- the Shalom of God -- to any needs of our body, soul, and spirit. Our goal is simple: First and foremost, we want to be transformed more and more into the nature of Christ: We want His character, virtues, values, and attitude to flow through us as our life, replacing our life with His divine life. This is the real purpose for life’s speed bumps -- the “good” God brings forth out of our bad “things.” And second, we want to become the fragrance of Christ to a lost and dying world, even in the midst of adversity, handing the enemy a resounding defeat.

I am reminded of my Uncle Vernon, a powerful man of Faith, who died of cancer. During his final days in the hospital his family, friends, neighbors, hospital staff, and church family gave testimony to the vigor with which he shared his faith with everyone who visited him -- even while approaching death’s door – blessing those who came to bless him. The joy and peace he radiated under such adverse circumstances bore witness that he really knew, deeply and intimately, his Lord. This is supernatural joy and peace that is hard to understand the why for... unless one really knows Jesus. This godly man firmly believed in divine healing and had witnessed many miracles in his life. He told me that it mattered not whether God healed him, that it was totally up to God. If God healed him then his work on earth was not yet completed, and if God choose not to heal him... well then, he was finally going home, the moment he had been waiting for so many years. Uncle Vernon really didn’t care whether he lived or died, he left the important decisions to God trusting in His wisdom and faithfulness. And much like the Apostle Paul understood “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” He believed that death for a saint of God was the doorway into complete restoration of our body, soul, and spirit, the greatest healing miracle we will ever experience, the beginning of forever with God. Life in this world had no hold on Uncle Vernon for he had “seen Him who is invisible” and was looking “for the city ... whose builder and maker is God”, a city not made by human hands. We would do well to emulate him during the trials and tests of faith we all will face. 

SAY HI TO DADDY FOR ME UNCLE VERNON!

(Rom. 8:28; Phil. 1:19-26; Heb. 11:10, 27)

COMMITMENT... TRUST... CONFIDENT FAITH...

Here is a command for all who have hit the speed bump of adversity, be it physical, financial, emotional or relational:

“From henceforth be strong.”  Be strong in what? In our spiritual position... "In the Lord."  We are in Him and He is in us.  Where He is... we are! Where we are... He is!  We are co-joined to Him by the Holy Spirit.  "Be strong in the Lord":  We are to live there. This is not about our opinions or questions of why, and certainly not in our own strength, for we must be strong in Him, in the person of our Lord.  We must have only Christ as our center, as our life, as our strength, and as our power.  It is the Lord, all the Lord: The all-knowing, ever-present, all-powerful Lord -- The Lord mighty in battle -- The Lord who laughs at our enemies -- The Lord who will never ever leave or forsake us -- The King of glory -- The Lord.  Our strength is not in ourselves, not in our position, not in our abilities or the abilities of man, not in our wealth or power, not in our circumstances, not in our place, not in our plans -- not in our chariots, whatever they may be!  We must be strong in nothing else, but “In the Lord".  I will trust the Lord who helps me and keeps me, never slumbering in His watchfulness over me, for I am totally His -- I will trust the Lord!

Endnote: “The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower ... Commit your way to the Lord -- roll and repose each care of your load on Him – trust, lean on, rely on, and be confident also in Him and He will bring IT to pass.” We would not need verses like this if our life “in Christ” was going to be easy!!! Jesus said “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to (eternal) life”: The road to heaven is “difficult” filled with the speed-bumps of adversity and affliction – our life’s circumstances -- that seek to derail our homeward progress. Notice we “commit” our way... our life, to the Lord, and then we “trust”, leaning on His everlasting arms, bring “confidence”... faith in action, that “He will bring IT to pass.” And, notice “IT” is not defined. Whatever our “IT” is, our Lord will work it together with all our other “IT THINGS” for good in accordance with His purposes for us.

BE STRONG IN THE LORD

(NOT IN YOUR CHARIOTS)

(Eph. 6:10 -- KJV; Ps. 20:7; Ps. 18:2, 37:5 – Amp. Bible; Rom. 8:28; Matt. 7:14)

PUTTING ON CHRIST

God demonstrated His great love for us by making Jesus sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him... In Christ. God expects, and commands, that we live in obedience to His word, the scriptures, so the onus is on us to diligently study His word. We must live our life guided by the level of understanding we have received, refusing to practice sin as a lifestyle and doing our best not to knowingly sin. But… we do sin: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Therein lies the need for ongoing grace and mercy: “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness ... Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”God overlooks our sin slips -- our falling short of His mark -- for He does not hold us accountable for our unknown sins committed in ignorance of His standards, or occasional sin “slips” we have put under the cleansing power of His blood through confession at His Throne of Grace.

God looks at us through His imputed righteousness which we wear like a coat... and sees His Son. You see, we really do “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” We are literally sinless before God, not perfect, not spiritually mature yet, still displaying the reality filthy rags of our Self nature... still sinful, but sinless in His eyes. There is no condemnation, no need for introspection that dilutes our faith, we can quit beating ourselves up over our unworthiness. We don't have to make ourselves better to be acceptable or earn favor with God. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and nothing we can do to make God love us less. His amazing unfathomable relentless love is the greatest constant of life… the very definition of unchanging.  And far from being a license to sin, putting on Christ is the best reason not to.

Endnote: It is the Holy Spirit’s job to reveal Christ in us, making our unknown sin known to us as sin, as we mature in the faith. Our choice is always either obedience -- in agreement with the Holy Spirit, or disobedience -- in agreement with Self. Practicing sin... habitually sinning, will eventually lead to death... separation from God. Our cloak of righteousness – Christ --  only protects us in our obedience, so we must always be conscious of sin’s wages – the payment we receive for habitual sinning... death… everlasting separation from our Father!

THE BEST REASON NOT TO SIN 
(Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:27; 1 Jn. 1:8-9; Heb.4:16)