By The Spirit and Not the Letter

.... and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Rom 2:29

What men do by nature is place all their emphasis on their understanding of the written word of God. They say that the 66 books of the bible is God's perfect books. Our faithful church forefathers have it down perfectly for us. Now that this perfection has come healing is finished, Speaking in tongues is finished prophecy is no more (1 Cor 13:9) for they have the bible what more could you need?
WRONG!
We are not to live by the letter but by the Spirit. All those born of the Spirit know Jesus voice for he saved them. For the Spirit in us backs up scripture. Otherwise scripture is meaningless.

No sooner have I said this then in peoples minds they think of chaos and people falling by every whim of doctrine thinking of those heathen Pentecostals and quickly go to 2 Tim 3:16 for consolation. They forget that:

The Word Became flesh and dwelt among us. (Jn 1)

Spirit not the Letter
How often do you hear "I want to know nothing but Christ and him crucified" quoted. However the real punch behind this verse is:

"I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." 1 Cor 2

The Gifts are Now
Cessationalists shy away from this section of the verse for their message is in their perfectly structured doctrines. But Pauls message was not wise and persuasive but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power. A perfectly structured book called the bible could never replace the Spirit for it is Jesus who is our scripture. Who wrote the true word namely Himself in our hearts and minds.

I want to see the lame walk, men and women filled with the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues. I want to see the Spirit's power making the blind see and the deaf hear. For these signs will follow those that believe. For the word of God Jesus Christ is living and active NOW not in a distant dispensation.

True & Only Canon of Scripture

"I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts." Hebrews 8:10

The true canon of scripture: Is something that is given to the believer when they are born again. Every Christian can recognise the true written word of God as opposed to a counterfeit. For they have the living "Word of God" in their hearts and minds.

"No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest." Hebrews 8:11

Unbelievers exalt men in their councils and creeds which is meaningless. Those who have Jesus boast in Him alone for he is our canon of scripture the word who became flesh and dwelt among us.

Jesus Pastors His Sheep

Jesus is your shepherd you shall not want,
Jesus makes you lie down in green pastures ...(Psalm 23)

Jesus says: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." "... and there shall be one flock and one shepherd." Jn 10:11,16

False Shepherds
If another shepherd appears to pastor the flock who is not Jesus then he is a false shepherd and should not be followed.

All Brothers
Let us encourage each other as brothers not by Lording it over each other for Jesus: "...made himself of no reputation and took on the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of Man" (Phil 2:7)

First Shall be Last
Now if our Pastor Jesus had no reputation then what should we be like? Even Paul made it clear which position an apostle would be "For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all" (1 Cor 4:9)

One True Pastor Jesus

The last post "Watch out for Pastors" asked one simple question:
Can anyone show me just one scripture where a man or woman in the bible is called a Pastor?
Jesus said:
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me" John 10:14

Why would you call anyone pastor who is not Jesus?
Jesus is the one true pastor or shepherd of scripture. Jesus says there is one flock and one shepherd.(John 10:16)

God-Appointed Pastors Eph 4:11
They are the opposite to the man-appointed pastors of a church business. God-Appointed pastors would blush if someone called them pastor for they can't help visiting their brothers and sisters in Christ in their homes and inviting them back to their home which they do voluntarily and not for money(1 Pet 5:2). They are perpetually encouraging others in loving their one true pastor Jesus.

Watch out for Pastors

Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely. Mark 12

Watch out for Pastors. They like to walk around in distinguished Pastors clothing and be greeted at church gatherings, and have the most important seats in the churches and the places of honour at church functions. They devour the money from poor women by requesting tithes and offerings with many perversions of scriptures and for show make lengthy prayers about themselves and their church. Such men will be punished most severely.

Can anyone show me just one scripture where a man or woman in the bible is called a Pastor?

Who has the Father?

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 1 Jn 2:23

This key verse has its center in Jesus Christ. All through scripture it is talking about confessing Jesus, coming to Jesus and believing in Jesus. For those who do this have the Father. Scripture never talks about confessing someone else to have the Father for to confess Jesus is to confess the Father and have the Father.

What Little Children Know:
I write unto you little children, because ye have known the Father 1 Jn 2:13

Newly born again children confess Jesus and therefore know the Father. This is because when they confess Jesus they are crying out "Abba Father". They are crying out on the name of Jesus Christ:

.. God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father"... And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."(Gal 4:6 & Acts 4:12)

Even the Wicked for the Day of Evil

"The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea even the wicked for the day of evil" Prov 16:4

"The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing therof is of the LORD" Prov 16:33

Q. What do these verses have in common?
A. They both have the LORD in control and not man.

Most people believe that the Lord gives us many opportunities in our lives and it is up to us to make the most of them. However Jesus dictated word for word to Solomon in proverbs: "the whole disposing therof is of the LORD"

Let me strengthen my words above with a new testament verse:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Eph 2:10

Now if Jesus who created all things both IN, THROUGH, BY and FOR Himself; created a good work for you to do can you resist Him?

Answer: No, for Jesus says also regarding the wicked:
The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea even the wicked for the day of evil"

Q. Surely you will ask then how does he still find fault for who can resist his will?
A. Nay but, O man, who art though that repliest against God? Romans 9:19-20

The Word was With God

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1)

If God is with another who is not Himself then there are 2 gods by definition.

The truth is simple:
Jesus is the word who was with God. This God is "God the Father" for scripture tells us that there is One God the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:6,Ephesians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 8:6)

In the beginning Jesus is not only with God the Father but He was God the Father.
Jesus says:
I am the Alpha and the Omega who was and is and is to come the Almighty (Rev 1:8)

When Jesus was talking about the Father he said this:
"For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sin" (John 8:24)

True CHRISTians want people to believe in Jesus FOR THEIR Lord and God told them:
He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. (John 12:44-45)

The Father is the Messiah the Christ of God:
"But when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is." (John 7:27)

Jesus made it clear that he was indeed this Christ whom no man knew where he was from. He answered their question saying that in the flesh they know where he was from "Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am" but by the Spirit they didn't know the Christ "... But he that sent me is true, whom ye know not" (John 7:28)

For to see Jesus with your spiritual eyes would be to see and know the Father HIMSELF
"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him" John 14:7