Life in Christ Jesus Podcast

The Revelation Series - The Feet of Brass V

The Revelation Series – The Feet of Brass V
 In the Book of Revelation Chapter 1 the appearing of the Son of Man in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks must capture our minds.  I am concerned that as many have approached this Book this passed right over their heads.  John saw the Son of Man in the golden candlesticks.  Many approaches the Book with a pre-conceived idea of what the Book is about.  The start of the Book should be the greatest hint, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”  This is what must capture our hearts.  The heart of the Book is the revealing of Him.  Maybe we should consider it as the removal of the Old Covenant that came forth through Moses and the establishment of the new that was sealed in the Blood of Jesus Christ Himself. Maybe this is what John is seeing unfold in his day, an Old Covenant being removed and a new glorious day coming forth.
When John sees Him, John falls at His feet as dead.  This is significant.  John describes His feet as if they were bass burning in a fire.  As I have shared in the prior messages on His brass feet, the brass of the Old Testament Tabernacle was speaking of Him and His death.  It was the altar with the fire that never goes out speaking of His eternal offering of Christ.  In fact, all of the perpetual or continual offerings and works of the Levitical Priesthood were speaking of the eternal work of Christ.  The Old Covenant was the picture and the type of what is real in Christ Jesus.   In Him, this fire of understanding never goes out.  What His feet speak of is eternal with no end.  Here at the altar of the sacrifice sin was put to death.
Jesus died to sin.  Unlike Adam, JESUS did not die in sin. This makes Paul’s statements take on grandiose meaning.  Paul declares to the Romans as one man died and sin came through one man, MUCH MORE grace has surpassed what sin did to mankind.  In Romans 5:20 of the Kings James Version, the scripture reads, “Moreover the law entered that the offence might abound.  But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”  This word much more means to abound beyond measure, super exceed.  To understand this, I must understand Christ.  He supersedes all that happened in Adam.  He supersedes sin.  He reigns over sin.  When He died, we that have received Him died with Him (Romans Chapter 6). Glory to God!
The statemen by grace we are saved takes on a new meaning when we see His death.  Through His death, my prison of death was annulled.  Through His death, me being bound to sin was no more.  Through His death the chains of sin cannot abound.  As Paul declares to the Romans, when Jesus died our old man died, that we would be married to another, who is Christ.  This is so POWERFUL, and goes back to Adam and Even in the garden.  When sin abounded and he curse came, Eve was told by God that the man would rule over the woman.  Hear this by the Spirit.  The man is to rule over the woman.  Christ is our Head.  We have been married to another.  He rules over us. 
In this union we are joined to Him.  His victory is our victory.   His dominion is our dominion.  “As He is so are we.”  We have been married to another.  He has rule over us, not sin, nor the devil!  Glory to God!  Hallelujah!  He is our victory!  He is our Life!

The Revelation Series - His Feet of Brass IV

The Revelation Series - The Feet of Brass IV
 This is the fourth teaching I have done on the feet of Brass of the Son of Man in the seven golden candlesticks.  Again, I want to point out that John sees Him IN the seven golden candlesticks or the seven churches of Asia.  I also want to point out that the churches are the believers that are gathered in the seven cities.  The appearing of Christ in these churches is very specific. 
To understand the feet of bass as if they burned in a fire, we need to search the scripture to see Him.  Our focus in the written Word of God should be to see Jesus.  He is the answer period.  As we have seen before, brass is seen throughout the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple.  Brass is specifically related to the Altar of Sacrifice and the Laver of Washing.  Here in this altar we see God’s judgement of sin.  Here at the altar sin was laid upon the sacrifice.  As an Israelite approached the house, he would bring the burnt offering to the Lord and lay his hands upon it, signifying the transference of his sins to the sacrifice.
We who have received Christ Jesus as our sacrifice have also laid our hands on the sacrifice, transferring our sin to His power over sin.  He took our sin and He paid for all of its penalties.  He is the answer for sin.  Your sin, my sin, and all sin. 
In John 3 Jesus says as the Moses lifted up a serpent on a pole the Son of Man must be lifted up that whoever believes on Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  In Numbers 21 there is a story of the Israelites travels where they had begun to complain of God and walk in unbelief.  The consequence was serpents in the midst.  These serpents begin to bite them, and the Israelites began to die.  As they turned and cried to the Lord, Moses was instructed of God to put a brass serpent on a pole.  Whoever looked upon this serpent would live from the serpent’s bite.  You could say that by looking at the brass serpent lifted up from the ground, there was no power in the bite of poisonous snakes on the ground. 
In Paul’s writings He presents Jesus as who the Brass Serpent on the pole symbolized.  Jesus, who took the sting and power of sin away.  As we turn to Him, we see His judgement of Sin.  In this judgement, Jesus, did not sin, but died for sin.  Jesus, who did not know the nature of sin, being tempted as we are, died to sin.  Here was the defeat of sin. Jesus overcame sins power in the body of His flesh, and judged sin on the cross by taking the man of sin in the body of His flesh to death.  Yes, He judged sin dead or inoperative.  It has no power on us who turn to Jesus.  In fact, Paul writes that we are made dead to sin in Christ’s death.  I don’t know that any have fully heard this. 
“He that is dead is freed from sin.”  Sin’s power, none effect.  Sin’s strength, no ability.  Sin’s death, never again.  Through Jesus we are made free from all of its bite.  We are made free to live unto God in the Heavenly Kingdom He has provided, shielding us from all the works of the devil.  Never again do we have to be subject to sin, but can walk in the power of God, who overcame all things through the death of the cross!!  Glory to God!

The Revelation Series - The Feet of Brass III

The Book of Revelation - His Feet of Brass III
The Brazen Altar was the first piece of furniture in the Israelites approach as they entered the gate into the Temple courts. If you consider Psalms 100:4 in relationship to the altar it may be eye opening.  “I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my mouth.”  I will enter His courts with praise.”  As an Israelite in the Old Covenant, once you entered the gate you would be face to face with the Priesthood and the Brazen Altar.  Here at this altar would be as far as you could go.  God would remain hidden within the Temple that you could see but not enter into.  You could see His mighty works.  You could see the cloud of His presence, but you could not access it.  There was a continual remembrance of sin.  There was a continual remembrance that you did not stack up or meet the requirement. 
 Now through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have access.  This alone should cause believers to shout for joy.  We have access into the divine presence of God through the offering of the body of our Lord Jesus and His resurrection from the dead.  Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life.  No man comes to the Father but by me.”  For just a moment think of this in relationship to the Temple.  The offering the Israelite's came to could not give them access to the Temple of God and the presence of the Lord.  They could see the building that Housed the presence of God, but they could not access it.
I am certain they may have imagined what His presence was like.  Maybe they even asked a friend who was a priest what it was like serving in the Temple.  However, even the priests could not access the Person and Glory behind the veil.  Consider closely what Jesus says.  I am the way.  I am the access to the Father.  Through the power of my offering you can enter all the way into that which was veiled away and access the very presence of God.  Not only do we now access the building, the Apostle Paul writes we are the building built upon the foundation stone of Jesus Christ.
Now this glorious offering removed stains of guilt, sin, and shame that we can reside in the presence of God.  Our very conscious of sin is taken away.  Isaiah says he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows.  Jesus was described as a man of grief and sorrow.  The sorrow and sin and decay of mankind was what He carried in the Body of His Flesh, and He crucified it, freeing us from its bondages.  We are now free to enter into the presence of God.  We are now free to live and abide in Christ Jesus our Lord.  We are now free to be called Sons of God.  What an access this ONE OFFERING has made.
We should set our hearts to understand this ONE OFFERING for sin.  We should set our hearts to know Him in His fullness.  We should know Him from the glory of creation to His humanity and to His exaltation.  We should know His depths, His heights, His Glory.  I pray you enjoy!
 

The Open Heaven - James Register

For many years I have had the privilege of knowing James and Hazel Register.  A saying I have is this is as good as it gets.  These are two of the most beautiful people I have ever known.  I love and respect them both tremendously.  Both hearts are two know and walk before the Lord, and to love His people fervently.  What a great witness of Christ they share!
 
In this sharing from Brother James, he brings into view the Open Heaven.  At the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, Luke writes the Heaven was Opened and a voice spoke from Heaven.
 
“Luke 3:21&22 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”
 
From the open Heaven the voice declared This is my beloved Son.  Here is God pleased.  Similarly, there was a voice that came on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus took Peter, John and James with Him into the Mount.  There Jesus was transfigured before them.  The Glory Cloud covers the Mount, Moses and Elijah appears, and Jesus was declared of God.  “This is my Son, hear Him.” 
 
What I believe is being said is all the law and prophets are summed up here in Christ.  No longer would the law be declared.  No longer would the prophets of the Old Covenant declare one who is coming.  He had come.  Hear Him!  Now before all was the Word of God that would shake the Heavens, being declared of God.  This Word was THE WORD, Jesus Christ Himself.  When we see the Heaven Opened we see The Word of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 
He is the Word we come to.  He is the Word of the New Covenant.  We do not come to the Law of Moses.  We come to the Word of Christ.  This Word that was given to us.  When we hear this Word we are saved.  Listen and hear the Word from Heaven speaking of the offering of the Blood and Body of the Lord Jesus.  Hear what this Word speaks, all thy sins are forgiven thee.  You have been crucified with Him.  When He died you died. 
                                        
Now listen to the Word of His Resurrection.  When He was made alive from the dead you were made alive with Him.  When He was raised you were raised with Him.  You are a New Creation in Christ.  God dwells in you.  You have come to the living Temple of the living God.  What a glorious place you have come to.  The place that God now dwells.  God dwells in you.  Glory to God! Hear the WORD from Heaven!

The Revelation Series - The Feet of Brass II

The Book of Revelation - His Feet of Brass II
In John’s seeing of the Son of Man the sacrificial system is immediately brought into view.  Jesus was described with a garment down to his foot, wearing a golden girdle, with feet of brass as they burned in the furnace.  Immediately, our hearts should go to the Old Covenant and begin to look at the sacrificial system. 
 
As Israel entered the Temple Courts the first piece of furniture to be encountered was the brass altar.  Here was the sacrifice offered.  Here the judgement took place.  In a symbolic way the sins of the offeror were transferred to the sacrifice.  Jesus our great lamb was where all sins of mankind was finally transferred.  He offered himself once and for all, completing the requirements for the redemption of all mankind.  Man would now simply have to respond to Christ’s offering.  Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord is now saved through the work and effort of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself for all men.
 
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans that if we confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in our hear that God raised Him from the dead we would be saved.  I’ve heard it said many times that confession is good for the soul.  Usually, that implies confessing our bad deeds.  I want to preface this.  I do believe you should confess to the Lord your sins.  I do believe you need to believe unto Him for salvation.  I do believe you must be born again.  All of this I do strongly believe.
 
However, much of our confession after we are born again is not according to Christ’s work.  Paul wrote in his epistles that we are the righteousness of God through Christ.  Much of the time we do not confess this but confess our short comings.  Consider with me that when we confess our short comings, we are not confessing the Lord Jesus.  If I confess Him, I could say that through one offering for sin you have sanctified forever those who are saved (Hebrews 10).  I could say that I have been made full or complete in Him (Colossians 2:10).  I could confess I have been cleansed and made free through the blood of the Lamb, and that Jesus Christ now lives in me as He declared He would in John 14:20. 
 
I could confess His work and reality in my life.  That is what I could learn to confess and then boldly say that confession is good for my soul!  Glory to God.  I could say this is my judgement, the offering of the body of Jesus Christ and His resurrection.  As God judged Israel’s sins through the offering of the animals.  He has judged us in the offering of Christ, and through His resurrection He judges us complete in Him, having obtained the atonement. 
 
The brass altar is a place of judgement, and is the entranceway into the Temple of God.  No one comes to the Father but through the offering of Jesus.  Jesus is now our entrance way and the only way to the Father.  Here through his work, as we eat the lamb and come to know Him we will find that He has judged us righteous and complete.  We will find that we now live in and through Him that loved us and saved us with His own precious life.
 
I hope you enjoy these podcasts as we follow the leading of the Spirit for the unraveling of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  It is a privilege to share with you what the Lord is teaching and showing me.  Glory to God in the Highest!!!

The Revelation Series - The Feet of Brass - The Brazen Altar

The Book of Revelation - His Feet of Brass - The Brazen Altar
John turned to see the voice that spoke with Him and being turned he saw.  This is a powerful statement.  John turned.  Without turning He may have not seen.  We as believers must turn to see the voice who is speaking, and when we turn and come into that state of being, as one turned, we will see Him who is IN the church.  This turning will most likely be from all other voices.  We will turn from our belief system.  We will turn to only see Jesus. 
 
Our state of being and our heart must come to this place that “I may know Him.”  We must be willing to leave everything else behind.  When the rich young ruler encountered Jesus, Jesus told him there is one thing lacking, “sell what you have and give to the poor.”  The ruler possessed many material things and did not want to give them up.  When we read this story in the Gospels, we may only attribute it to our natural goods.  However, we ought to see our goods can be all those things we hold on to.  Our goods can be our beliefs.  They may be those things we set our hearts to whether we call them good or bad.  From these we must to Him.
 
In John’s seeing of Christ in the candlestick He gives an extraordinary description one like the son of man.  The Jesus he sees is unique.  He does not say he saw his old friend in whom He had walked with in the earth, but the one in the midst of the candlestick has a powerful description that we plan to break down over the next few weeks.  Get this!  He has feet of brass, as if they burned in a fire.  What does this mean?
 
Revelation 1:12 “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.”
 
Every part of this description of Him must be broken down.  What does God mean His feet are as brass?  If I search this I must go back to the brazen or brass altar in the Old Covenant.  I must search that altar out and see how it fits in Christ Jesus.  What was the purpose of the Altar?  It was the place of sacrifice.  What did the sacrifice speak?  The cleansing of sin, and the sweet aroma towards God. 
 
What this brass altar is a picture of is our sacrificial lamb who is Jesus Himself.  In the Old Covenant these sacrifices bore the sins of those who came to the Tabernacle or the Temple.  There was a laying on of hands where the sins that was committed was transferred unto the sacrifice (Leviticus Chapter 1: 1-5).  This is what was done in Jesus (Isaiah 53).  He bore our sins.  All we had done was transferred to Him. 
 
Jesus was the fulfillment and sweet savor of the sacrificial system.  He made one sacrifice for sins and set down in the authority of God.  No other sacrifice can or will be made which can take away sins.  If someone is pointing to another, please do not pursue it.  Jesus has fulfilled it for all time.  Glory to God in the Highest!

Behold He Cometh with Clouds - The Destruction of Jerusalem

Behold He Cometh with Clouds V – The Destruction of Jerusalem
 When Jesus was born and began to Minister in Judah and the surrounding countryside what Covenant was in force?  It is imperative that we understand this.  The law was in force.  Jesus himself had to submit to its ordinances.  After Mary’s purification according to the law Jesus was brought to the Temple that an offering to the Lord might be made.
Luke 2:22-24  “And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. 23  (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), 24  and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 
 
My point in showing this in this study is to bring our attention to the fact that the Jewish people were still under the First Covenant when Jesus spoke.  So, when Jesus spoke of the coming destruction as recorded in Luke 21 and Matthew 24, he was speaking in relationship to the what had been declared under the first Covenant.  In Deuteronomy God spoke sharply to Israel in regard to not keeping his law, and having other God’s before Him.  He set before them blessing and cursing and told them they would be blessed to the uttermost, but if they did not keep his law they would be under the curse.  I challenge us all to read Deuteronomy 28 and to grasp that this Covenant was in force when Jesus came on the scene and when he declared the destruction of the Temple in Luke 21 and Matthew 24.
 
In Deuteronomy 28 we can see absolute parallels to what Jesus says in Luke 21 and Matthew 24, as well as what John writes in the Book of Revelation.  For example, in verses 49 and 50 of Deuteronomy 28, it is declared that the Israelites will be destroyed by a fierce nation.  When Jesus is born in Bethlehem, the fiercest of nations is in power in Jerusalem, with Rome having rule over them.  Verse 52 is one of the most powerful parallels to Jesus saying, “But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand,” you will find in your Bible.  This verse declares that a siege will be laid to the walls of Israel, and that they will come down.  According to history Rome did this to Jerusalem. 
 
The scriptures are so powerful when we see them line up in accordance with one another.  Deuteronomy 28, also says that Israel will be destroyed with the sword, with famine, and pestilence.  This sounds very familiar if I compare it with the four horses of Revelation, which John sees riding through the land.  Deuteronomy 28 declares plagues upon Israel.  The Book of Revelation is full of plagues.  Deuteronomy 28 declares that their carcasses will be fed to the fowls of the air.  Jesus speaks that where the carcass is there the fowls will be gathered together.  There are so many similarities to what Jesus declares in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, what they Book of Revelation says, and what Deuteronomy says that it would be hard pressed to simply call them a coincidence.  In fact, I believe we should rather take a closer look at what is said.
 
Now how does this relate to Coming in Clouds.  In the Old Testament Cloud Comings speaks of the Glory Cloud filling the Temple as we have also seen, but also speaks of judgement to destruction.  The Book of Joel makes this clear.
 
Joel 2:1-6  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 3. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. 4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. 6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness. 
 
“A day of clouds and thick darkness, a people great and strong.”   This is speaking of the looming destruction of Jerusalem.  Blow the trumpet and tremble for what is coming upon the land.  So, when Revelation speaks of great judgements, and plagues, and destruction, could it be that it goes along with the rest of the Bible and the First Covenant?  Could it be that God does what He says He will do? 
 
Israel as a nation rejected Him.  They were not keeping Covenant.  When Messiah came, they did not receive Him as a nation.  As many as did became sons of God, but as a nation they turned from him and rather declared “Let His blood be upon us.”  In other words, they were responsible for His death, and they did not receive it as the sacrifice.  They did it from a vengeful heart.  Had they known they would not have crucified the LORD of Glory, for their power and place in the land was taken.  Jesus was glorified and raised from the dead with all power and glory.  He was then and now is the King of Israel and the King of the whole earth.
 
Let all the earth declare His Glory!

Behold He Cometh with Clouds IV - Every Eye Shall See Him

Behold He Cometh with Clouds - Every Eye Shall See Him
In Zechariah 12 a prophecy of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the looking upon the LORD is given to Jerusalem.  In this sharing, we are looking into some depth of this seeing of the LORD through the Spirit of Grace declared by Zechariah.  Notice below what is said, the Spirit will be poured out on the house of Jacob and they will look upon me whom they pierced.
 
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born.”
 
On the day of Pentecost this very thing happened.  Gathered in Jerusalem in an upper room was 120 believers waiting for the promise of the Spirit.  Upon them the Spirit was poured, and the wonderful works of God began to be proclaimed.  When Peter preached the message on Pentecost to the multitude who was gathered to hear, what happened?  They were pricked at the heart, or began to mourn for Him that was pierced, and cried out what do they do to be saved.  Peter proclaimed, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
 
In the name of Jesus, all power now resided.  No one could come anymore to repent through the offerings of heifers and turtle doves.  Now in Jesus was all power and authority for the remission of sins.  In His name had all authority been placed.  No longer was salvation through the Law of Moses, or through the Priesthood of Aaron.  All power had been gathered up in our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is Lord of all.  From here Jerusalem and Israel now had to bow to Him, and Him only!  He was anointed King and Lord, and had raised from the dead, pouring out the gift of God to all who would receive!
 
Not only would Jerusalem and Israel mourn for the destruction that came upon them in 70 AD.  Every eye of the heart that saw him would mourn or be convicted of sin and see their salvation in only Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit came to convict the world of sin and to show us Jesus.  This seeing of Jesus causes the heart to turn from ourselves to him, and find salvation in no other name. 
 
 Jesus makes a profound statement in John 15 when He says, He is the true vine.
 
John 15:1-7  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 
 
The vine related to Old Covenant Israel.  They were known as God’s choices’ plant.  They were known as God’s vine.  God says to them through the prophet Isaiah, recorded in Chapter 5, “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?”  What more could be done?   Jesus speaks to Jerusalem in Matthew 21 in the parable of the winepress and says the Kingdom will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits thereof.
 
Jesus himself is the answer to what more could be done.  He came to Jerusalem to save them and was their answer to the fruit of the vine.  Without Him they would be lost, which many were in that day because they would not receive Him.  He that abides in Him bears fruit.  Now you can no longer bear fruit unto God by being born a natural Jewish man or a natural Israelite.  You must abide in the true vine.  This is the nation that bears fruit unto God, those who are in Christ Jesus.  We who are planted into His death and brought forth in His life are the holy nation unto God.  This is also the word we must keep, the word that Jesus reveals. 
 
He is the true vine.  We cannot give this word away.  We must keep it.  His word is established in us by the revealing of Him by the Holy Spirit.  We are the City on a hill whose light (JESUS) cannot be hid.  We are the Temple of God, the House that God would build to fill with Himself.  We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.  This is the Word we must keep.  The Word He reveals and shows us in Himself!  This is how we abide in Him, by keeping His Word!  Glory to God!!