If we love Jesus Christ, we will allow His Word to change us (Eph 5:25-27; James 1:22-25); for indeed, HE IS THE WORD, (John 1:1-4; 1 John 1:1-4). We do not need to be theologians or learned men and woman to comply with this basic principle! Yet, we can by no means adhere to this important principle if we do not KNOW the Word of God, and we can only know the Word by reading it regularly and studying it in context of its full coverage.
In reality, the foundation of any building determines the stability of what will be built upon it. A firm foundation will render a stable building. On the other hand, a shallow or compromised foundation will inevitably render instability in the building. It is thus a mutually exclusive equation! Moreover, Scripture states clearly that whatever is being built on the foundation WILL BE TESTED . . .
God has prepared a city for us. We cannot see it, yet this city is real. Moreover, this city belongs to a country and is ruled by a King, (Phil 3:20; Ps 2:6). Even though we have to wait for it, this reality should affect our worldview, and keep our focus on the future, yet the glorious appearance of the Kingdom we belong to . . .
Humility is not a sentiment and does not originate in an emotional hype. Humility is an act of obedience, a willingness to walk in submission to the will of God. To walk in humility will thus enquire a willingness to walk in the light, for ‘God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all . . .
There are three very important elements in this covenant phrase, namely to leave, to cleave, and to become one. If a man and a woman would adhere to these basic covenant principles, they would not only ensure security in their personal relationship, but they would also create a family environment with an emotional safety net for their children . . .
We are not under law, neither do we serve our Lord through religious rites. We are not boundless either, for we are called to worship in Spirit and in truth, (John 4:23-24). To worship in Spirit and in Truth is indeed a call to walk in obedience . . .
There is an ongoing battle in the unseen world over the minds and the hearts of people. We are admonished by the apostle Peter to be sober and on the alert, for ‘our adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour,’ (1 Peter 5:8). The apostle Paul states that we cannot fight this war with physical weapons, for the battle is first and foremost on ‘the mind’ . . .
If the Word of truth, the two-edged sword of the Spirit, is being used by the Father as a pruning knife and by Messiah as a water bath, then we simply have to conclude that the Word should be central in our daily walk of faith. Israel was commanded to gather manna daily, but they were not allowed to secure manna for the next day – indeed not! They were commanded to gather fresh manna for that specific day in the wilderness of testing, (Ex 16:4; 16:14-21). Then, Messiah claimed, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger’ (John 6:35), and further on in the same chapter, ‘It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing, the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life,’ (John 6:63).
Working in perfect unity with the Father (John 17:7-11; 17:22-23), our Bridegroom, Messiah, takes the responsibility on Himself to adorn us, to assure that our garment (righteous acts) will be blameless and without a spot or wrinkle (Eph 5:26-27), in preparation of the ‘great day of our glorified wedding feast,’ (Rev 19:7-8). He works together with the Father to gradually clean our garments from every single ‘spot and wrinkle,’ thus every lie and form of disobedience, (2 Cor 10:5-6), by the washing (pruning) of His Word (John 15:3; John 17:17).
Being transformed from an immature baby to a mature man in Christ is not a matter of striving, indeed not, for even if one has a zeal for God, striving establishes self-righteousness (Rom 10:2-3), and self-righteousness leads to hypocrisy, (Mat 23:25-28). On the contrary, maturing in Christ through the renewal of my mind needs to be rooted in relationship, (Col 2:6-7). We are part of ‘the household of God . . .
Conquering our archenemy, Satan, and overcoming darkness is an unseen battle which has to be fought, first and foremost, in the inner person of the heart. It is sad, but true, that truth is often proclaimed by people who rarely applies it to their own lives, making their voices hollow and their testimonies shallow. Lies conquered by truth bearing fruit in obedience are the building blocks of integrity. This is the one who becomes ‘the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ in every place,’ in fact, it is the one who becomes ‘a fragrance of Christ,’ (2 Cor 2:14-16).
The onslaught in the body of Messiah is not on the size of the congregation, neither is it on the way we worship, or the relevance of the church – the onslaught is without doubt on the truth. Truth determines everything, for truth is the foundation of our faith. Without truth we cannot measure, for the plumb line is distorted! Messiah is ‘the way, the truth, and the life,’ (John 14:6), and He said, ‘If you abide in My WORD, then you are disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free,’ (John 8:31); and, ‘If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed,’ (John 8:36). (See also John 1:1-5 & Rev 19:13.) Destroying truth destroys our foundation (Ps 11:2-3), and the foundation of our faith is Messiah, (1 Cor 3:10-11).
About Liezel
Liezel is a motivated and passionate student of the Word with a strong zeal for the truth. Her end time study on the book of Revelation developed into a few Women’s Study Groups, mainly in Jerusalem. Eventually, after 16 years of study, the teachings were transcribed into a study book; Autumn Feasts in Revelation – Unveiling the Glory of God. The book encourages a self-study, guiding the reader through the book of Revelation in the light of the Old Testament prophecies, and New Testament predictions of the end times. Under the authority and covering of her husband, she has taught many Bible studies since the Lord has led them to minister in Israel. She also counseled many people, guiding them back to biblical principles.