Hello To All:
He is risen!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be,
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
Reflections On Our Journey!
Hello To All:
It has been many months since our last visit. It is not unusual for our Creator to bless me with a time of reflection and refreshment, around the first of each year. The writing is always hard work; and this break helps me to draw closer to our Redeemer - to become more sensitive to His guidance and His direction. In this way, Jesus of Nazareth, prepares me for the next year of writing and teaching. He continually helps me on my personal journey to "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ;" and He continually empowers me to do the work that He has set before me! Amen and Amen and Amen!
There is a most interesting passage of Scripture found at Ephesians, chapter two and verse ten, where it is written: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Most of us, who are believers, and thus followers of Jesus of Nazareth, are very familiar with the preceding two verses. We find written at Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - Not of works, lest any man should boast." These two verses (8 and 9) clearly speak to the reality that everything necessary for our salvation has been accomplished. There is nothing that we can do to contribute anything towards being saved from our sin. Jesus has done it all; and we say thank you Jesus! Amen and Amen and Amen!
But, verse ten has a different focus. Verse ten reminds us of the works that "God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." My beloved brethren, we have work to do. This is not work that we choose for ourselves. This is not work that we think would be fun. This is not work that fits our perception of what we believe we should be doing to serve God. This is not work that we think will bring great glory to God. This is not work that originates from our natural minds and through our natural processes. Rather, this is work that: "God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Through the years, as I have studied and meditated on this reality that "God hath before ordained," our Creator has brought me to a place of willing to wait on Him for an understanding of whatever work I think He might have planned for me. My goal is to only move forward when I have a clear direction that comes from Jesus of Nazareth. My goal is to only do the work that He has "ordained."
Do I always succeed in achieving this goal. No - I do not! All too often my sinful flesh clouds my judgement and I fail to wait on Jesus; I fail in my understanding of the revelation that can only come from Jesus. But, He always forgives me, He picks me up; and we move on; and I wait on Him and by His empowering presence, I turn away from the desires and influence of my natural self; and this moves me further down this path whereby we journey to "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ." Thank you Jesus! Amen and Amen and Amen!
It is because of this conflict between my sinful natural self and my "quickened" spiritual self (please see essay of 4/15/2012, titled: "You hath He quickened: The temple of God"), that many months have passed since the last posting on this blog. Much of that time was a time of refreshment; but, much of that time was also a time of struggle. The revelation of the next work that Jesus of Nazareth had "ordained" for me was not coming. My natural mind was thinking in one direction and I was missing what our Creator was seeking to reveal to me. Praise God for His mercy and His patience. Thank you Jesus! Amen and Amen and Amen!
Just in the last couple of days, the pieces have fallen into place - the revelation has come - Jesus has, once again, empowered me to be victorious over my natural self. Thank you Jesus! Soon, with the help of Jesus Christ, I shall be sharing the details of this revelation with you, my beloved brethren. Empowered by Jesus of Nazareth, I shall share the next work that "God hath before ordained," that I should walk and write in it. Amen and Amen and Amen!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
It has been many months since our last visit. It is not unusual for our Creator to bless me with a time of reflection and refreshment, around the first of each year. The writing is always hard work; and this break helps me to draw closer to our Redeemer - to become more sensitive to His guidance and His direction. In this way, Jesus of Nazareth, prepares me for the next year of writing and teaching. He continually helps me on my personal journey to "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ;" and He continually empowers me to do the work that He has set before me! Amen and Amen and Amen!
There is a most interesting passage of Scripture found at Ephesians, chapter two and verse ten, where it is written: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Most of us, who are believers, and thus followers of Jesus of Nazareth, are very familiar with the preceding two verses. We find written at Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - Not of works, lest any man should boast." These two verses (8 and 9) clearly speak to the reality that everything necessary for our salvation has been accomplished. There is nothing that we can do to contribute anything towards being saved from our sin. Jesus has done it all; and we say thank you Jesus! Amen and Amen and Amen!
But, verse ten has a different focus. Verse ten reminds us of the works that "God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." My beloved brethren, we have work to do. This is not work that we choose for ourselves. This is not work that we think would be fun. This is not work that fits our perception of what we believe we should be doing to serve God. This is not work that we think will bring great glory to God. This is not work that originates from our natural minds and through our natural processes. Rather, this is work that: "God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
Through the years, as I have studied and meditated on this reality that "God hath before ordained," our Creator has brought me to a place of willing to wait on Him for an understanding of whatever work I think He might have planned for me. My goal is to only move forward when I have a clear direction that comes from Jesus of Nazareth. My goal is to only do the work that He has "ordained."
Do I always succeed in achieving this goal. No - I do not! All too often my sinful flesh clouds my judgement and I fail to wait on Jesus; I fail in my understanding of the revelation that can only come from Jesus. But, He always forgives me, He picks me up; and we move on; and I wait on Him and by His empowering presence, I turn away from the desires and influence of my natural self; and this moves me further down this path whereby we journey to "Victorious Discipleship In Jesus Christ." Thank you Jesus! Amen and Amen and Amen!
It is because of this conflict between my sinful natural self and my "quickened" spiritual self (please see essay of 4/15/2012, titled: "You hath He quickened: The temple of God"), that many months have passed since the last posting on this blog. Much of that time was a time of refreshment; but, much of that time was also a time of struggle. The revelation of the next work that Jesus of Nazareth had "ordained" for me was not coming. My natural mind was thinking in one direction and I was missing what our Creator was seeking to reveal to me. Praise God for His mercy and His patience. Thank you Jesus! Amen and Amen and Amen!
Just in the last couple of days, the pieces have fallen into place - the revelation has come - Jesus has, once again, empowered me to be victorious over my natural self. Thank you Jesus! Soon, with the help of Jesus Christ, I shall be sharing the details of this revelation with you, my beloved brethren. Empowered by Jesus of Nazareth, I shall share the next work that "God hath before ordained," that I should walk and write in it. Amen and Amen and Amen!
Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:
Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus
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