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 Will you stand up and die for your God?

Phi 2:5 For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
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 Himself 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.

Hi Guys
If we look back in history, we can see countless examples of men who would become gods. These are sometimes men who came from royal backgrounds, or Roman generals or Egyptian Pharaohs. Yet, in all cases, they would be at the very apex of their power and they would demand that men would fall down, under pain of death, and worship them.

It has been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Isn't it amazing that when God the Son comes to earth, his strategy for presenting Himself to the world as God amongst s is exactly the opposite of mere men? We are told that Jesus made Himself of no reputation. That He took on the form of a servant and came as an ordinary man, a man that worked with his hands. He constantly told people not to tell anyone what they had seen, He withdrew Himself from the crowds. How this flies in the face of those who represent God today.

Wiggleworth, that famous man of God, used mightily by him, knew this truth well. One of his workers, while flattering him said "Mr Wigglesworth, men are mentioning your name all over the world." Wigglesworth, with much wisdom replied that he was not long for this world then because God would share His glory with no one, two years later Wiggleworth was dead.

And so, Jesus, being found in the likeness of man, humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. How many of us know that when a friend or a family member is dying, or seriously ill, then we come to them and comfort them? There are doctors and nurses to ease the pain and try and help. In the spiritual realm, when we are called to die, there is no such comfort. And yet we try and minimize the pain. We call on friends and loved ones for help, which they often try to do. We want to die nice comfortable deaths to the flesh. If we could choose, we would choose to "die in our sleeps." A nice clean death, yet there is no such thing in the Spiritual.

Jesus shows us the two kinds of deaths that obedience brings. There is death, then there is the death of the cross. We see the Lords example in the natural. We see the point of obedience in the garden of Gethsemane, where He chooses His Fathers will over His own.How many of us have not even reached this point? Remember Jesus came willingly here to earth, God the Father never compels us, he merely gives us the choice. Have you given the Lord your will? Have you asked the Lord to shape you by the death of your flesh?

The first thing we see is that Jesus loses all His intimate friends, not only loses them but is denied by one of His closets friends. Then we see Jesus suffer the injustice of six trials where He is falsely accused and found guilty, then He is tortured to the point that His body is marred more than any mans body every has been. After that He is compelled to walk the "Via Del A Rosa," a long and arduous climb with the weight of heavy beam on his shoulder. And all along that walk, all the people that he loved are lining the streets and mocking Him and jeering Him. Remember, it was not long before that he had said "Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would ." Now these very people that He loved so much are the one mocking Him and baying for His blood. Even in the state He was in there was no compassion from "His children." Can you imagine that you have been tortured and are about to die, and instead of your loved ones gathering around to love and support you, they have either abandoned you, denied they even know you or are actively taking part in your torment?And all of this is "to the point of death." The death of the cross is still to come.

Next Jesus is nailed to the cross, now the full horror of Calvary is about to play out. The pain and the suffering and the humiliation and the rejection, the torture and the mocking was only the "death," now the death of the cross would come. Jesus would take all the sins of the world on Him and would experience hell for each and every one of us. God the Father would look away from this sin and Jesus would cry out, in the most agonized cry every heard on the earth "Fatherrrrrrrrr, why has thou abandoned me." You see Jesus could take being abandoned by His fellow Israelites whom He treasured, by His friends who He loved dearly, but to be abandoned by His Heavenly Father, to be separated from Him for the first time in all eternity, was a hell we can never comprehend because we think in time and space, we think in linear terms, we do not and cannot understand that the Godhead operates outside the bounds of time. Therefore, what we consider to be a moment of time, no one will ever know to what degree the "separation," Jesus experienced from His Father really cost, not only Jesus, but also His beloved Father who had planned this from the very beginning.

If God the Father, in His infinite wisdom, allowed His Only Begotten Son to suffer death, and the death of the cross, how does this compare to your situation? Believe me, I am not trying to minimize anyone's suffering, but there is purpose in the death of the flesh. We too must bow to the will of God in the Garden, or not. If we do, then we will certainly experience rejection and abandonment from friends, relatives and loved ones. We may not be tortured physicaly(many brothers and sister down through the ages have been) but we will certainly experience the torture of the death to the flesh. We too will walk the via del a Rosa, we will be burdened down by our own cross which will lead to our own Calvary. Once we have been through the crucible of death, and the death of the cross, then we will begin to become truly useful in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is not for the fainthearted and many are called but few will be chosen.
Phi 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted Him, and has given Him a name which is above every name,
Phi 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of heavenly ones, and of earthly ones, and of ones under the earth;
Phi 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

After the process it is God the Father who exalts who He will. The powers that be are subject to those who walk in an exalted position. Those who walk in this path are not afraid of death, they are not afraid of authorities, they seek no limelight. They realize that they must allow Jesus to go before them in the power of the Holy Spirit. If they have a reputation that goes before them and that reputation is worth 50% then they are only 50% useful to God. If their own charisma is 60% of their ministry, then they are only 40% useful to God.

In verse 5 of Phillipians chapter two it says "Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus." What mind is Paul talking about? Lets go back to the first chapter and see.

1:27 Only let your conduct be as becomes the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you, or else am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, striving together with one mind for the faith of the gospel,
Phi 1:28 and terrified in nothing by your adversaries. For this is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
Phi 1:29 For to you it is given on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
Phi 1:30 having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

The mind that we are called to brothers and sister is to "Stand fast in one Spirit, striving together with one mind for the faith of the Gospel." Also, we are not to be terrified by our enemies, for they see this as evidence of false faith. And lastly we are called not only to believe in Jesus but we are called to "suffer for His sake."

The Kingdom of Heaven arrived and was delivered by the Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of heaven is not America, nor is it my homeland of Scotland, the Kingdom of heaven is to be found in my heart and the hearts of believers all over the world. Do not get caught up or entangled in the affairs of this world brothers and sisters, for there's a war. Even the politicians and the generals know that they can never truly win a war in the middle east unless they win the war for the "hearts and minds," of the people. This is where the American war will be fought, we fight for the hearts and minds of those around us and we do it by allowing ourselves to die to the flesh, to take up our cross and walk the narrow torturous road that leads us to the ultimate death of our flesh. When people around us begin to see Jesus, then we are winning the battle. We must make ourselves of no reputation. Our philosophical or political backgrounds must diminish and Jesus must shine through. Do not be dragged down a broad road and be written of by the world as a "right -winger." When they see us acting out of fear, fear for our society, fear for our children fear for our institutions, they laugh and believe that our faith is false. As Christians we should fear nothing, even death, for in this Jesus is exalted in our lives, may He increase and may we decrease.

In the beauty of Holiness
Frank

 2006/1/14 20:10









 Re: Will you stand up and die for your God?

Quote:
Our philosophical or political backgrounds must diminish and Jesus must shine through. Do not be dragged down a broad road and be written of by the world as a "right -winger." When they see us acting out of fear, fear for our society, fear for our children fear for our institutions, they laugh and believe that our faith is false. As Christians we should fear nothing, even death, for in this Jesus is exalted in our lives, may He increase and may we decrease.

Thank you for putting scripture to this very powerfully. I confess to have been very frightened in the past, but, as God has healed and strengthened me, I believe I do "stand fast in one Spirit, striving together with one mind for the faith of the Gospel" with those who are likewise minded.

 2006/1/15 7:13
Smokey
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Joined: 2005/2/21
Posts: 417
Edmonton Alberta Cda.

 Re: Will you stand up and die for your God?

Frank
Very powerfull insights. I have been becoming more and more aware, that as we accept the finished work of Christ at the cross, we must accept that we are surrendered totally to the will of God. Our very life is in God's hands to do with as He sees fit.
Greg


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Greg

 2006/1/15 17:49Profile
IRONMAN
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Joined: 2004/6/15
Posts: 1924
IN HEAVENLY PLACES WITH JESUS

 Re:

brethren
AMEN! we belong wholly to Christ as He bought every bit of us by His blood. We are slaves to Him but i far our society has so poisoned us (as well as the poor preaching of the gospel) such that we abhor the idea of surrender to Christ. the outer man, or self must die, nailed to that cross that Christ may live in us.

Lord crucify our flesh that you alone may live.AMEN


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Farai Bamu

 2006/1/16 13:04Profile
kobilove
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Joined: 2006/1/16
Posts: 21


 Re:

We must totally submit ourselves to the power of his spirit. Crave for more of Jesus and less of us.When we are full of him, then we can give our lives as a sacrifice to him. The great men of old were full of Him. They loved him with all their heart mind and soul. That is the level of love we should long for.

 2006/1/16 13:10Profile
dullrainbow
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Joined: 2005/8/10
Posts: 98
Iowa U.S.

 Re: Will you stand up and die for your God?

Acts 4:32
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:

Frank,
I am in whole hearted agreement to this powerful message of truth. Deep within us is a yearning that aches for this death that only the Father can bring by the Sword of His Spirit. We really must have this death. We must be one in heart, one in mind, one is soul.
None having an interest of our own, every thought from each mind, every act from each person, every word spoken from each mouth, being from the will of God the Father. Yes, this is the Body, the Bride of Christ.
I am beginning to see her


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Eileen Teitsworth

 2006/1/16 18:20Profile
Christinyou
Member



Joined: 2005/11/2
Posts: 3710
Ca.

 Re:

The believers death has already occurred, it happened at the Cross when we were crucified with Him. How are we to see ourselves or reckon ourselves, we are dead and were crucified with Christ. It was each one of us on the Cross with Christ. When His Perfection hang on the Cross, and that perfect Head fell dead on His dead shoulders, we were in Him and with Him. Gal 2:20, I am crucified with Christ, and yet I live, (When He died We died) when He was resurrected we were resurrected in and with Him--it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me, (Our lives are Hid in Christ) and the Life we now live we live by the Faith, (and in the Faith) of the Son of God. Yes we could die for another man and take his punishment, and you might call that person good, But this goodness would have nothing to do with the Goodness God requires for us to enter the Kingdom of God, only Christ and His Goodness will give us that. So how do we reckon ourselves? Dead to sin in Christ and alive to God in Christ because of the Work Christ Has Done on the Cross. We should be determined to know nothing except Christ and Him Crucified and all that Christ is, is given to those that are birthed into this life of Christ in you the Hope of Glory.

Romans 6:8-14 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon (Reckon ye yourselves. Judge, or esteem, see yourselves.) ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive (Born Again)unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, (Born Again) and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

This is our death unto God, believe that Christ did it for each one of us, and our lives are now in Christ as a living testament to the World that the Father's Glory is alive in each of us, Jesus Christ our Lord and Life. The Seed that was planted in the Ground, has come forth and is producing the abundance of fruit unto the Father and that Seed being birthed in the Born Again believer is never to die in our spirit and soul, (MIND of CHRIST), Only this flesh body is to be planted and it will be just like our soul and spirit, which is in Christ, the Body of Christ whose glorious Body, "we will be just like Him."
Amen, not to end the prayer, but to agree and continue in Christ who is our prayer by the Holy Spirit to the Father.

In Christ: Phillip


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Phillip

 2006/1/16 23:02Profile
crsschk
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Joined: 2003/6/11
Posts: 9192
Santa Clara, CA

 Re: Will you stand up and die for your God?

Dear Frank,

Truly remarkable brother.


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Mike Balog

 2006/1/17 0:13Profile









 Re:

Ah brother Philip, it is all in the reckoning. A very understated word. Dear Philip, Abraham was pronounced righteous, and then came his own reckoning. We will never know the pain and the agony of taking his son up the hill and raising the knife. We come to know Jesus, but if we will go on with Him, if we will reckon our selves to be dead, each and every one of us will have the oppertuntiy to to take our journey, to lift the knife on our own personal idols and then God can say to you and me "now I know this man or woman will hold nothing back from me." In the beauty of Holiness........Frank

 2006/1/17 9:34
myfirstLove
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Joined: 2005/11/26
Posts: 496


 Re: Will you stand up and die for your God?

very Spirit filled words from frank. let us eat the meat set before us!


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Lisa

 2006/1/17 11:04Profile





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