Devotional Series
Cornerstone Magazine
Based on John 17:16 Jesus declares the proper desire and need of being sanctified here.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
Here is that elevated place of being set apart! It is being one with God! HAVING ORIGINATED WITH HIM INSTEAD OF THE WORLD, WE ARE NOW DWELLING PLACES FOR GOD! Further, being one with God is the foundation of sanctification, and is the foundation of being sent! How many ministers lose their way when they lose that sense of being set apart?
that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
One word for glory is dignity! WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIS DIGNITY!! We are also given His divine nature. Yet our own nature often rises above. Take care which food you partake of!
It takes God’s glory to be united with Him and men. That is the basis of our unity. This glory is the foundation of our desire, our elevation and satisfied esteem. Our holiness must come from this elevation lest it be mere human morality. The participation in divine holiness does not include carnal legalism and a personality of elitism and judgementalism. It is the place of a satisfied soul that is full of God’s Word and Spirit. It is fulfilling in a way that completes our intended humanity. Finally, IT IS THIS GLORIOUS STATE OF BEING IN EXALTATION AND HOLINESS THAT RELEASES GOD’S GLORY IN MANIFESTATION. Remember Jesus’ first miracle is identified as a manifesting fourth of His glory.
I John 4
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Jesus said that those of the world will hate you because you are from heaven, not this world. You speak as such, and they hate you. Much of that hate is because you expose their sin. Here, John is saying that we overcome that which is in this world because God in us is greater than he who is in the world. Much of that overcoming is necessary because of the hatred. People will hate you for exposing the evil in them. YOU MUST LIVE BY THE “GREATER IS HE” REALITY AND STOP LIVING BY THE “LESSOR AM I” DECEPTION!
You are set apart by this first principle of living a life that originates from heaven, not from this world. You are not merely following an example of divine life. You HAVE a divine life origin from above. You are not of (from) this world like everyone else!
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
This world will make you bitter if you let it. "Don't have any expectations of your own. Nothing has to be the way you think it has to be." HOW FREEING A LIFE IT WOULD'VE BEEN HAD I NOT CREATED EXPECTATIONS THAT WERE NEVER DESTINED TO BE FULFILLED.
So, John writes here about knowing what is truly of God. What has originated with Him, and what has originated with the world. All of the hatred that is generated by the world that Jesus spoke about is to be overcome. Therefore, in the next breath, John turns from this battle and speaks of the furthest thing from one who is struggling to overcome past scars of this world - love! Love people.
Wait! What? You want me to love when I've barely been able to breath peacefully? Here's what God has taught me about this - "Had you taken more seriously that the world will hate you, and not assigned your own expectations and ego struggles to that...had you not looked to the world's responses to you to determine your own worth and value, you wouldn't have struggled with the call to love as much as you did. You wouldn't be on the defensive, but on the offensive assault of darkness with a pure heart - free from expectations and inner demands of others, and just open to loving people."
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
If there's anything that the church needs, it's to have this love growing in them, and having this vision qualifying their every move and hope. When we see people and issues that rub us the wrong way, we are there to love. WE MUST FLEE THAT INNER AGENDA THAT THE CHURCH IS THERE FOR US. WE ARE THERE FOR THE CHURCH, and if everyone grew in that, it wouldn't be long before all of those things that bothered us about others would no longer be obstacles in our fellowship and intended purposes. For too long we've waited for God to do something to bring us revival and blessing, and too little have we been willing to just give our lives - not for the good in the church, but for her sins! Too many people are looking for a good church, and not enough are going with the attitude to give their lives for someone else's mess.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Jesus' greatest commandment by which we would have answered prayer is love. By His love in us, His image and plan for us is perfected. In other words, the reasons that He loved us have come to completion. We will have fulfilled our destiny and life calling. This is how the indwelling Christ is completed and we are fulfilled by all of the fulness of God.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
WE ALL MARK THE REVIVAL THAT WE DREAM OF BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN MANIFESTATION. John makes it clear right here that His Spirit is given to those who dwell in Him, and those who love like Jesus loved are those who have this indwelling of God in perfect accord with all of His promises. If the manifestation of the Spirit is the mark of revival, then this love is the roadmap to get there. Knowing and living in our divine origin is the power to fulfill the intention to love.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
There is simply no way that we can water down the confession of Jesus as the Son of God to a mere verbal and mental assent. This confession is marked by the sacrificial love that Jesus displayed. It is marked by those living for others instead of for self. It is manifested in a selfless church that is by nature in one accord with all of its members. It is a confession that is described as an overcomer’s life, a life that has not allowed bitterness and despair to grow in the carnal garden of personal expectations that have grown into inner demands and continual let downs.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.
THIS IS WHAT LOVE OVERCOMING FEAR LOOKS LIKE IN COMMON LIFE. Fear is not merely the mark of the coward or one with little faith. It is the mark of one who has been living for self and fears the loss of personal desires, wants, and expectations. The one who does not fear loss is the one who has already given his life over to loving others. If he has done that and cast all of his personal cares and needs upon the heart of God, he has nothing to lose. God will care for him as he determines to love others for God - just as I hope that God will send someone to love my children when I am gone. We are the answer to God's heart cry - "Love My children for Me." There is no fear when love, not want, is our heart's goal.
You see, to me, Christmas is about finding the great roots of my origin and living them out by the inspiration of what that manger means to us. It is discovering again the great power of an overcomer, of the GREATER IS HE, rather than fretting about the LESSOR AM I. It is overcoming the world’s distaste, even when it has tired to creep into my closest relationships, and has tried to destroy me. That is why my heart hungers for yet another Christmas – to rediscover the joy and peace, and to let it overcome my world.
As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
Here is that elevated place of being set apart! It is being one with God! HAVING ORIGINATED WITH HIM INSTEAD OF THE WORLD, WE ARE NOW DWELLING PLACES FOR GOD! Further, being one with God is the foundation of sanctification, and is the foundation of being sent! How many ministers lose their way when they lose that sense of being set apart?
that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
One word for glory is dignity! WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIS DIGNITY!! We are also given His divine nature. Yet our own nature often rises above. Take care which food you partake of!
It takes God’s glory to be united with Him and men. That is the basis of our unity. This glory is the foundation of our desire, our elevation and satisfied esteem. Our holiness must come from this elevation lest it be mere human morality. The participation in divine holiness does not include carnal legalism and a personality of elitism and judgementalism. It is the place of a satisfied soul that is full of God’s Word and Spirit. It is fulfilling in a way that completes our intended humanity. Finally, IT IS THIS GLORIOUS STATE OF BEING IN EXALTATION AND HOLINESS THAT RELEASES GOD’S GLORY IN MANIFESTATION. Remember Jesus’ first miracle is identified as a manifesting fourth of His glory.
I John 4
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Jesus said that those of the world will hate you because you are from heaven, not this world. You speak as such, and they hate you. Much of that hate is because you expose their sin. Here, John is saying that we overcome that which is in this world because God in us is greater than he who is in the world. Much of that overcoming is necessary because of the hatred. People will hate you for exposing the evil in them. YOU MUST LIVE BY THE “GREATER IS HE” REALITY AND STOP LIVING BY THE “LESSOR AM I” DECEPTION!
You are set apart by this first principle of living a life that originates from heaven, not from this world. You are not merely following an example of divine life. You HAVE a divine life origin from above. You are not of (from) this world like everyone else!
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
This world will make you bitter if you let it. "Don't have any expectations of your own. Nothing has to be the way you think it has to be." HOW FREEING A LIFE IT WOULD'VE BEEN HAD I NOT CREATED EXPECTATIONS THAT WERE NEVER DESTINED TO BE FULFILLED.
So, John writes here about knowing what is truly of God. What has originated with Him, and what has originated with the world. All of the hatred that is generated by the world that Jesus spoke about is to be overcome. Therefore, in the next breath, John turns from this battle and speaks of the furthest thing from one who is struggling to overcome past scars of this world - love! Love people.
Wait! What? You want me to love when I've barely been able to breath peacefully? Here's what God has taught me about this - "Had you taken more seriously that the world will hate you, and not assigned your own expectations and ego struggles to that...had you not looked to the world's responses to you to determine your own worth and value, you wouldn't have struggled with the call to love as much as you did. You wouldn't be on the defensive, but on the offensive assault of darkness with a pure heart - free from expectations and inner demands of others, and just open to loving people."
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
If there's anything that the church needs, it's to have this love growing in them, and having this vision qualifying their every move and hope. When we see people and issues that rub us the wrong way, we are there to love. WE MUST FLEE THAT INNER AGENDA THAT THE CHURCH IS THERE FOR US. WE ARE THERE FOR THE CHURCH, and if everyone grew in that, it wouldn't be long before all of those things that bothered us about others would no longer be obstacles in our fellowship and intended purposes. For too long we've waited for God to do something to bring us revival and blessing, and too little have we been willing to just give our lives - not for the good in the church, but for her sins! Too many people are looking for a good church, and not enough are going with the attitude to give their lives for someone else's mess.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Jesus' greatest commandment by which we would have answered prayer is love. By His love in us, His image and plan for us is perfected. In other words, the reasons that He loved us have come to completion. We will have fulfilled our destiny and life calling. This is how the indwelling Christ is completed and we are fulfilled by all of the fulness of God.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
WE ALL MARK THE REVIVAL THAT WE DREAM OF BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN MANIFESTATION. John makes it clear right here that His Spirit is given to those who dwell in Him, and those who love like Jesus loved are those who have this indwelling of God in perfect accord with all of His promises. If the manifestation of the Spirit is the mark of revival, then this love is the roadmap to get there. Knowing and living in our divine origin is the power to fulfill the intention to love.
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
There is simply no way that we can water down the confession of Jesus as the Son of God to a mere verbal and mental assent. This confession is marked by the sacrificial love that Jesus displayed. It is marked by those living for others instead of for self. It is manifested in a selfless church that is by nature in one accord with all of its members. It is a confession that is described as an overcomer’s life, a life that has not allowed bitterness and despair to grow in the carnal garden of personal expectations that have grown into inner demands and continual let downs.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.
THIS IS WHAT LOVE OVERCOMING FEAR LOOKS LIKE IN COMMON LIFE. Fear is not merely the mark of the coward or one with little faith. It is the mark of one who has been living for self and fears the loss of personal desires, wants, and expectations. The one who does not fear loss is the one who has already given his life over to loving others. If he has done that and cast all of his personal cares and needs upon the heart of God, he has nothing to lose. God will care for him as he determines to love others for God - just as I hope that God will send someone to love my children when I am gone. We are the answer to God's heart cry - "Love My children for Me." There is no fear when love, not want, is our heart's goal.
You see, to me, Christmas is about finding the great roots of my origin and living them out by the inspiration of what that manger means to us. It is discovering again the great power of an overcomer, of the GREATER IS HE, rather than fretting about the LESSOR AM I. It is overcoming the world’s distaste, even when it has tired to creep into my closest relationships, and has tried to destroy me. That is why my heart hungers for yet another Christmas – to rediscover the joy and peace, and to let it overcome my world.
The Joy "Of" Christmas