KINGDOM LIGHT THAT CHANGES US INTO
HIS IMAGE
MF
BLUME
JANUARY
2, 2011, am
Matthew
7:13-14 KJV
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: (14) Because strait is the gate, and
narrow is the
way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Notice He is speaking about ENTRANCE THAT LEADS TO LIFE.
Think of the Garden of Eden.
- There were
two trees and two ways, so to speak.
- The tree
of the knowledge of good and evil would bring death.
- The fruit
of life would give life.
- Entering
the WAY OF LIFE is ENTERING THE KINGDOM.
Matthew 7:21 KJV Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of
my Father which is in heaven.
Entering the way of life and entering the Kingdom.
MANY go the way of destruction, since many eat the knowledge of good
and evil.
- You can be
eating knowledge of good and evil and call Jesus
“LORD”.
- You can
even perform miracles in His name.
- But you
cannot enter the Kingdom and you do not gain LIFE.
Sandwiched between the note to enter the way of life and entering the
Kingdom are these word about wolves:
Matthew 7:15-20 KJV Beware of false prophets, which come to
you
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
(16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes
of
thorns, or figs of thistles? (17) Even so every
good tree
bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil
fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil
fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
(19)
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast
into the fire. (20) Wherefore by their fruits ye
shall know
them.
A FOCUS ON FRUIT.
Just like the KINGDOM GARDEN of Eden.
- Two trees
and TWO WAYS.
- GOOD TREE
AND CORRUPT TREE.
1 Peter 1:3-5 KJV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus
Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again
unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, (4) To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled,
and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
(5)
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to
be revealed in the last time.
Recall that the Word says we can INHERIT THE KINGDOM.
- INCORRUPTIBLE
INHERITANCE.
1 Peter
1:23
KJV Being born again, not
of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which
liveth and abideth for ever.
CORRUPTIBLE SEED AND INCORRUPTIBLE SEED.
He is speaking about entering the KINGDOM.
Notice what Peter says:
1 Peter 1:24-25 KJV For all flesh is as grass, and all the
glory
of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower
thereof falleth away: (25) But the word of the Lord
endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached
unto you.
He is quoting from Isaiah 40.
- Look what
Isaiah 40 says.
Isaiah 40:5-11 KJV And the
glory of
the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together:
for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (6) The
voice
said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all
the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
(7)
The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD
bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. (8)
The grass
withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for
ever. (9) O
Zion,
that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O
Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength;
lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your
God! (10) Behold, the Lord GOD will come with
strong hand,
and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his
work before him. (11) He
shall feed
his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and
carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with
young.
He speaks of the GLORY OF THE LORD being revealed to us, and like the
house on the rock, the WORD STANDS FOREVER.
- And he
refers to LEADNG HIS SHEEP.
- We have
been stressing HE KNOWS HIS SHEEP, and they enter the Kingdom which is
like entering the SHEEPFOLD.
Let us now speak more about how this is related to REVEALING HIS GLORY.
Luke 9:29-31 KJV And as he prayed, the fashion of his
countenance
was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
(30)
And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and
Elias: (31) Who appeared in glory, and spake of his
decease
which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
They were speaking about THE CROSS AT JERUSALEM.
- Last week
we spoke of how Peter was still not willing to hear of this.
Luke 9:33 KJV And it came to pass, as they departed from him,
Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us
make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for
Elias: not knowing what he said.
So the sequence of revelations is once again given to Peter.
Luke 9:35 KJV And there came a voice out of the cloud,
saying,
This is my beloved Son: hear him.
First revelation is Jesus’ identity.
- Second is
WORDS OF JESUS about the CROSS AT JERUSALEM.
Notice his countenance is altered, but Matt 17 gives the details.
Matthew 17:2 KJV And was transfigured before them: and his
face
did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Keep the thought of His face shining like the sun in mind.
- Isaiah 40
said the GLORY FO THE LORD SHALL BE REVEALED, and then spoke of flesh
fading like grass and the WORD standing forever.
- Jesus said
HEAR MY SAYINGS AND DO THEM and be like a man building house on a ROCK.
- The WORD
OF CHRIST is the ROCK the house is BUILT UPON.
- If that
WORD stands forever, then the house built on it will likewise stand
forever.
2 Corinthians 3:6-18 Complete Apostles' Bible (6)
who also
has made us efficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the
letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes
alive. (7) Now if the ministry of death, having
been
engraved in letters on stones, came to be with glory, so that the sons
of Israel could not look intently into the face of Moses because of the
glory of his countenance, the glory which was passing away,
(8) how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more
glorious? (9) For if the ministry of condemnation
had
glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in
glory.
(10) For even that which has been glorified has not been
glorified in this respect, because of the surpassing glory.
(11) For if that which passes away was glorious, then that
which
remains is much more glorious. (12) Therefore,
having such
hope, we use great boldness of speech-- (13) and
not as
Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could
not look intently at the end of what was passing away.
(14)
But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains
unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is
removed in Christ. (15) But even to this day, when
Moses is
read, a veil lies on their heart. (16) But whenever
one
turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (17) Now
the
Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom. (18) But we all, with unveiled face,
beholding as
in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same
image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
HE WILL REVEAL or UNVEIL His GLORY.
- Our hearts
have VEILS ON THEM until we turn the heart to the Lord.
- Peter
would not turn His heart to the Lord, even though he knew Jesus was the
Son of God and Lord.
- Peter
would not receive the revelation OF THE CROSS.
Luke 6:46-48 Complete Apostles' Bible (46) "But why
do you
call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?
(47) Everyone who comes to Me, and hears My words and does
them,
I will show you to whom he is like: (48) He is like
a man
building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the
rock. And when a flood occurred, the stream burst upon that house, and
could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
To ask why we call Him Lord and not do the things He says is like
asking, “Why do you get the revelation from the Father and
know I
am Lord, but refuse to get the further revelation from me, the SON OF
GOD?”
- “The
reason you got a revelation of WHO I AM – LORD – is
so you
would then be ready to hear my revelation, and realize you must obey IT
AND DO IT, because YOU ARE MEANT TO OBEY A
‘LORD.’”
But those whom the Lord does not know refuse to receive His revelation
and do it.
- So their
hearts are NOT UNVEILED.
The wonderful thing about the unveiling of the heart and the revelation
of Jesus’ glory is that UNVEILING is SIGNIFCANTLY PART OF THE
CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS.
- Jesus
preached the CROSS.
- When we
turn our hearts to Him he removes a veiling and GLORY SHINES TO US.
- When the
Lord died on the cross, the veil over the holiest of holies ripped.
Matthew 27:50-51 Complete Apostles' Bible (50) But
Jesus,
again crying out with a loud voice, released His spirit.
(51) And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from
top
to bottom; and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split,
Isn’t it wonderful that receiving Jesus’ revelation
(unveiling) occurs when we turn our hearts to Him and BELIEVE WHAT HE
SAYS AND TAKE IT TO HEART, which are words about the cross and denying
self, and an UNVEILING occurred when He died on the cross, where GLORY
WAS CONTAINED IN THE HOLIEST OF HOLIES from the time of Moses!