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Tuesday, August
5, 2008
Return To Sender
James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every
perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with
whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (18) Of his own will begat
he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of
his creatures. (KJV)
When God sends something our way it’s not
only good but it is perfect, complete, supplying all our need, spirit,
soul, and body. When God so loved the world seeing how mankind had fallen,
He sent His Son on our behalf so that the fellowship with Him could be
restored and we could be a kind of firstfruits or one of His offspring,
adopted into the heavenly family in Christ.
Psalms 107:20-21 He sent his word, and
healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (21) Oh that men
would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the
children of men! (KJV)
When you pray to your Father in heaven do
you expect a complete answer and manifestation of that request you made, or
do you expect bits and pieces, a partial answer to your request? In other
words, with all that God has sent our way for our benefit, how much is
being sent back His way in the form of praise and thanksgiving, presenting
yourself to Him as a living sacrifice, thanking Him for what He has done on
our behalf and not a what have you done for me lately attitude? Someday
when you return to Sender and have to stand before your heavenly Father
will you be able to give a complete answer to what you did with His plan of
salvation, or will you be speechless and unable to give a full account of
the gift of life that was given on our behalf?
Ephesians 4:11-15 And he gave some,
apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (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 fulness of Christ: (14)
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (15) But speaking the
truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ: (KJV)
Williams New Testament translation
for Ephesians 4:11-15
11. And He has given some men to be
apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors
and teachers, 12. for the immediate equipment of God's people for the work
of service, for the ultimate building up of the body of Christ, 13. until
we all attain to unity in faith and to perfect knowledge of the Son of God,
namely, to a mature manhood and to a perfect measure of Christ's moral
stature; 14. so that we may not be babies any longer, or like sailors
tossed about and driven around by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery
of men through their cunning in inventing new methods of error. 15. But, on
the other hand, we shall go on holding to the truth and in love growing up
into perfect union with Him, that is, Christ Himself who is the Head.
You know, with all that God has done and
provided for us is there any excuse why there are so many that rather than
grow and mature in the Lord, which is what perfecting is referring to, we
still see many babies who are being spoon fed and still on the milk of the
Word. Know this also, as long as there is still a body of Christ then there
are still apostles and prophets,
they didn’t die out with the early Church people; that is just childish
doctrine. If you truly love the Lord and made pleasing Him a priority in
your life then you would take the time to read His word and rightly divide
the doctrine of Christ and not be so caught up in a bunch of man’s fairy
tales and childish lies and deceptions. If you truly desire to grow up and
mature in the Lord then quit emulating man and go right to the source. You
know, by following some man or imitating some preacher you think is a godly
man you limit and stunt your own growth because this man you are following
is human and limited, where as going to God through Christ you are able to
tap into an unlimited treasure of wisdom and knowledge, having the mind of
Christ yourself.
Romans 6:20-23 For when ye were the
servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (21) What fruit had ye
then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those
things is death. (22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants
to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
(23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)
What have you done with the gift of God,
and what is the first fruit you plan on bringing to His throne someday;
will it be one that is spiritual, or will it be rotten fruit that you are
ashamed of? If someone in your family or anyone else that was close to you
saw that you were starving and your family was in need of food only to find
out later that the gift they provided to feed your family was never used
but rather discarded and rotten, how would that make them feel? Or what if
you gave someone close to you a gift, something that was vital even
lifesaving only to find out it was not put to use but discarded, you
probably would not be jumping for joy either. So today, have you done all
to stand? Standing on the foundation God has provided for you, Jesus Christ
being the only foundation one can build firmly on, or have you forsaken the
gift of life and exchanged it for a cheap knockoff imitation?
Luke 8:14-15 And that which fell among
thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with
cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to
perfection. (15) But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest
and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with
patience. (KJV)
With all that our heavenly Father has
sent our way and desires to send for our benefit, what are you sending in
return? You wouldn’t offer someone rotten fruit, or fruit that hasn’t
ripened yet, but rather something that was fit and ready. The question
today is, when you return to Sender will you be able to bring something to
His table that is good and perfect, you know like the same measure that was
measured your way?
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