(04/17/2016) Filled With The Cross?

Today, Scripture points are shared on worldly pleasure, end time prophecy, sin, and being filled with the cross.  End time prophecies intended to further reveal the character, nature and substance of Deity also describe sacred and secular events that will be brought on by the operations of sin.  Calamity and disaster that are contrary to divine intent and eternal purposes are described in the holy writings as admonitions, cautions, and warnings to further prepare the living for the coming of Christ in glory.  The process of sin is progressive corruption, decay, disintegration, and rot.  Thus, the process of GOD from the cross is one of increase, infilling, and renewal.  Readers are asked to consider the following Scriptures as well as the presentation below:

Romans 6:  16-17, New International Version (NIV):  16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.

Matthew 24:  6-14, NIV:  6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.  9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

1st Peter 1:  13-18, NIV:  13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.

2nd Peter 1:  19-21, NIV:  19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

A writer at “Yahoo! Answers” using “?” as an ID (Level 4 with 4,025 points, a member since September 30, 2011) posted the following:

 

Why does the bible say in the last days some will choose pleasure over God?

2 Timothy 3New International Version (NIV)

3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

 

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.  His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.  Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,  and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  (2nd Peter 1:  2-11, NIV)

 

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  A Guarantee of Judgment? (04/15/2016); Sign of Divine Love? (04/14/2016); Love From The Cross? (04/08/2016); Martyrdom and Tribulation? (09/30/2015); The Endtime and Fear? (01/14/2015); Struggling? (05/11/2013); Through Much Tribulation (05/12/2013)

 

“?”, trust that, despite time and space, through operations of the Holy Spirit, blood and truth from the cross are flowing to here and now.  Through the operations of sin, created beings and living creatures may be thought of as driven, “enslaved” and obligated to a non-spirit, non-material influence that opposes the continued existence of divine law, the Creator, and all the mechanisms for divine order that maintain Creation.  While sin has not been put forth from divinity, and can not be eliminated or removed as an ordinary object, sin has direction, effect, and “presence”, and may dominate awareness and self-will in the living.  The impact of sin is cumulative, progressive and widespread, therefore, sin appears indestructible and unavoidable.

Where sin is taken to be commonplace and an acceptable part of oneself (we also say, natural, normal), sin is not rejected as contrary to existence, self-destructive, or strange.  Sin even is regarded by some as a necessary aspect of life, prosperity, and success.  Death and mortality are effective as divine tools to remove sinners from the earth, however, sin may continue indefinitely as a consequence, an inheritance, and a residue long after the sinner is deceased.  Only where a sinner fills their awareness with sacred knowledge, occupies themselves with sacred practices, and conforms their own will to that revealed and imparted by divinity can they experience the freedom intended by GOD for those created to serve as divine life companions. 

Mature Christian believers understand that living sinners must undergo permanent changes carried out by Deity through the imparted, indwelling Spirit (we say, the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Prophecy, the Spirit of Truth).  As disciples and followers of Christ, believers receive rebirth as though “born again” from divine DNA (i.e., the inseparable spirit substance that is the makeup of GOD; for example, faith, grace, holiness, longsuffering, love, wisdom, and wrath against sin).  Those born again must “grow up again” and become mature upon the earth.  They fill themselves with the cross in the same way plants take rain and sunshine to become “ripe” for harvest, and be taken from the earth at the Second Coming (some say, Advent, the Rapture).  The cross has been to prepare them for their final transformation to live eternally as immortal, incorruptible perfected beings.  Consider how this is stated using language from the New International Version (NIV) Bible:

(1.)  Romans 8:  5-9, NIV:  5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

(2.)  John 3:  6-8, NIV:  6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

(3.)  John 4:  23-24, NIV:  23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
 
There is far more to be said, understood, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (4.)  2nd Corinthians 3:  17-18, NIV:  17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC