How to know false brethern

Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
 

 Rom 16:18  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

 

 It would be so easy to know a teaching was false if it just said put yourself first, but that is not how it works. Consider the rich young ruler. Taken at face value he seems to be a God fearing man...after all he does not kill, steal, commit adultery, lie, he honors his father and mother, and loves his neighbor as himself. His life seems right but the motive of his heart is to receive what God can give for himself.
The false teacher may say some biblical things but if you break their message down it is not about obtaining God for who he is but to obtain the blessings of God.
 Hence Paul concludes, though they speak with fair words about loving him, it is in truth their hunger to receive for them self that is their master.
With the rich young ruler Jesus shows him the carnality of his service for God by saying sell all you have...and come and follow me. If he had simply said follow me; this young man would because he was determined to do what was needed to receive.
Yet to sell all he had his heart could not bear...to give to the poor what he had worked to steward over.
So we see a man who to himself, and to those who look on the outward,  lives his life trying to do for others is exposed by actions as one who is for himself.
Don't tell me the things of this world don't matter to you only Jesus...when your outfit cost as much as building a church in another country
Don't teach me about the compassion of Christ... then when a christian is in need speak of how they must not tithe or have faith,
 Jesus gave us the command follow me.
 What we receive from God is not for us if we follow him, it is for others.
Our Lord went to his death because he was giving us everything even his blood and breath and flesh.
 Even on his cross he was giving
his love for his mother to a disciple
forgiveness to those who where killing him
eternal life to a dying thief
a lesson of psalm 22 to his murderers
and even as he breathed his last faith to a roman soldier.
 So of we will call ourselves his disciples we must pour out of us everything that God gives us; holding nothing back for ourselves.
 Do not hear another gospel or another Jesus


Teach us to pray

*[[Luk 11:1]] KJV* And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
 *[[Joh 14:8-11/KJV]]*
 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

 They heard his teaching, saw the miracles,the lame walking, the blind seeing,they could feel his compassion for them and others regardless of imperfection,they had even tasted of his bread as he multiplied a few loaves to feed thousands...how did one attain to such power and favor with God.
What gave him this great favor with God. Surely his prayers where like the incense of the temple; rising up into the presence of God as a sweet smelling saviour. So it was that they would come to ask him to teach them to pray; so they to could show such favor with God, that God might work through them in this way.
With two words he shifts focus 180° from their thoughts.
 "OUR FATHER" the words reverberate through the human soul...they echo across the carnal mind. With just two words Jesus shows the answer; prayer is not to build the self up toward heaven but that heaven may be poured out upon all.
 Isaiah spoke much the same about fasting when God spoke through him that a fast of God was not a day for a man to afflict his soul, but to deal ones bread to the hungry and cloth the naked.
 Everything God speaks comes from him and is him. In this way all he created reflects something of him. Yet man was made to be exactly his image...to that end unlike the rest of the cosmos that was spoken into existence man was formed then breathed into...his life was the life of God.
 Adam was set before two trees to eat of one continued his life being one with Gods life. The other would set the source of his life from himself...God forewarned that self life would generate death.
We know that fateful decision and how Adam has passed onto his children a self life. So man lived for generations deciding what was good and what was evil within self; deceiving themselves that if they did some good mixed with evil they could please God. So it is that even redeemed man, whom Jesus declared by his obedience unto death to be once again able to be one with God, struggles to release the death of self and embrace the life of God as their own.
How do we pray, or fast, or give, or minister, or live...
With no thought or desire for self but that the life of God would be poured out upon every dry and thirsty man.

What if I completely failed God?

*[[Isa 61:1-4/KJV]]* 
1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 
 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 
 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

*[[Neh 4:1-2/KJV]]* 
1But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 
2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

The church speaks about overcoming the flesh, the world, and the devil. They speak about Jesus promises to the overcomer and warn of the fate of those who don't.
So where does that leave those who understand Paul saying wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death, or he who commits sin is a slave to sin?
Consider the people of God who had lost everything because they went their own way and would not keep God in their heart. I am speaking of Israel and the Babylonian captivity. They had lost everything homes, families, their beautiful nation, even the temple of the one true God.
They had not desired Gods ways when Jeremiah had called for their repentance, they had not desired God when his glory left, nor when they and their children where taken captive; such is the power of the flesh and deception.
In time like the prodigal son they came to themselves and desired to return. What they found was the consequence of their sin.
If you have made your life to look like that broken city filled with rubble and burnt stones then be of good cheer!!! Jesus has encouraged us if we believe in God believe also in him.
It is his anointing from God to give us beauty for ashes, joy for mourning,and praise for heaviness and he will not fail. So give your waste to him, don't try to fix things yourself, entrust him to not just take what you give but to give in return what God has ordained him to give.
As Peter has said cast your cares on him for he cares for you.

House on the rock: what is our life built on?

PIN THIS ON PINTEREST

*[[Mat 7:24-27/KJV]]*
 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

The Lord summarizes, in what we call the sermon on the mount, most of his teachings.

• the maturing of the beatitudes
• the purpose of his believers in the earth
• his fulfilling of law to make us be right instead of doing right
• the necessity of agape love living through us to be sons of our Father
• the importance of knowing how to trustl Him in our heart before we can help others
• the need of him being the motive in prayer and good works and fasting
• the assurance of provision of God as we seek his righteousness, the declaration of Jesus as the only way to life
• A warning to beware of false preachers and the devastating effects of living their false way

with a conclusion of these being foundation for a man's house.

The house of which Jesus speaks is not made of sticks and stones but of flesh and bones.

Do you want to learn more about a proper foundation?

That life built on what he has given in this sermon is on a solid, unchanging, and everlasting foundation. This is God's way.

A "life" based on any other way is a individual, shifting, and temporal foundation. This is man's way

Jesus assertion that both will suffer storms and violence is contrary to the idea held by some. The belief that with proper faith storms do not come.

Though both houses go through the same storms one endures while the other is destroyed.

 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
 24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

Do you know Jesus?

Matt 7:21-23]] KJV*
 21 Not every one that saith un

to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 Jesus warned us to beware of false prophets; he goes on to give a more grievous warning; of the fate of these false speakers and those who submit to their teaching.
Though they say Jesus is their Lord emphatically and list their "good" works done in his name God judges the heart.
Jesus reply shows us that within them he is not their Lord.
This word lord is not a title to be spoken for power, but a position of authority to be submitted to.

h1. G2962 Original: *κύριος*
Transliteration: *kurios*
Phonetic: *koo'-ree-os*
 Origin: from kuros (supremacy)
 Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine *
Strong's Definition*: From κῦρος kuros (_supremacy_); _supreme_ in authority, that is, (as noun) _controller_ ; by implication _Mr_. (as a respectful title): - God, Lord, master, Sir.

 Paul relates this title to the marriage relationship by saying Sarah did not consider it robbery to call Abraham Lord.
God himself at Sinia teaches do not take his name (marriage covenant) in vain(to gather and live in temporal earthly things).
Jesus is more bold to say depart I never knew you(marriage consummation).

For this word know is:
h1. G1097 Original: *γινώσκω*
Transliteration: *ginōskō*
Phonetic: *ghin-oce'-ko*
Origin: a prolonged form of a primary verb
Part(s) of speech: Verb
*Strong's Definition*: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to " know" (absolutely), in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as shown at left, with others not thus clearly expressed): - allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) known (-ledge), perceive, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.

This word know is used in the bible as an idiom for the act of consummation of a marriage covenant i.e. Adam knew his wife and she conceived. If we are to use his name and be his then we must become one with him, a new creation.
 In the way that a earthly consummation makes the two one flesh, so we must enter a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus of the inward man to the end we become one life.
Jesus concludes that, despite these men's confession that he was their master and their claimed works in his name, they where workers of iniquity.
 In the same way God had told Israel through the prophet that if they sacrificed a thousand cattle he would not accept it for their heart was far from him.
Just as Cains offering was the work of his hands instead of a submissive heart; so these men believe their words and their works move God.
God says he is a judge of men's heart.
So if your heart is not his you have been judged before your words or works can come to light.
Paul says the spiritual man Judges(discerns) all things and to believe not every spirit.
However we are not left as orphans with no Father to protect and provide for us. To all who trust him he has given his Spirit which he has said will lead us into all truth.
 In the words of our Lord Fear not only believe, in other words don't fear the lies of men but believe his Spirit to show you the truth.

How do we know if one is a false prophet?

[Mat 7:15-20]] RNKJV*
 15 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.

 It seems these days there are at least ten websites warning that a preacher is false for every preacher that speaks. This is in part because as one seeks truth they begin to see a lot that is wrong, but in larger part men love to say others are wrong and I am right, listen to me. There is much talk of the great apostasy that is coming; or is already happening depending on how one sees it. This comes from the words of apostle Paul when he said

 *[[2Ti 4:3]] RNKJV* For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

This saying of Paul is true and speaks well to a great deal of what calls itself christian, but it did not start with prosperity message, or the acceptance of psychology, its roots go back much further. The scriptures answer this question and its answer is true regardless of our opinions.

[[Act 20:28-32]] KJV*
 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

 And the second witness of John.

*[[1Jn 4:3]] KJV* ...and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

So the falling away took hold long ago. In almost a mirror reflection of the way Israel went after Idols in the place of YHWH as soon as Moses and his steward Joshua where gone; so the church went after the ways of man as soon as Jesus and his apostles where gone.
So how do we know what is right? What is truth and what is the doctrine of devils? Jesus gives us the basic principle.

 *[[Mat 16:22-25]] KJV*
22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

So it is with all doctrines of devils; an exaltation of the self, both of those who preach it and those who receive it. Jesus says that the self must be put away and die. Any teaching which says I must do something to receive the blessings of God, or that because I've trusted him I am greater than other men is a doctrine of devils.
So what does the truth sound like? The truth determines to know nothing in us except for Christ in us, and our redemption into the life of God through his crucifixion.
It does not seek after the temporal things but the eternal things; knowing that temporal things will be added whenever there is a need.
 The truth does not teach one to know God , for the Spirit of God dwells within every believer, instead the truth encourages one to have faith not in self but in our Savior.
The Spirit leads into all truth through the tearing down of every stronghold of the self.
This is why Paul says God has chosen the foolishness of preaching. My words can not teach you but the Spirit speaking through me uses my words to confirm his truth in you.
The fruit by which we can know them is this; do their words produce a trust in Jesus, that forms the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, or does it teach us to do, speak, or act from self which can only produce the works of the flesh in us.

 LET GOD BE TRUE AND EVERY MAN A LIAR.

What is the narrow and broad way?

*[[Mat 7:12-14]] RNKJV*
 12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13 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.
 *[[Pro 14:11-12]] KJV*
 11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.
 12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
 *[[Joh 14:6]] KJV* Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
*[[Joh 10:1]] KJV* Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
*[[Num 15:39]] KJV* And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

 There are over seven billion people; if we add to that every person that has ever written anything down we come to the number of different paths or ways that lay and lie in the broad way.
These ways have one common denominator...the self. Truth be told whether self is esteemed, helped, worthed, loathed, emptied, punished, controlled, shamed, enlightened,educated, denied or any combination of such things the focus remains self.
The only alternative that can be had to these billions of ways is the way of being one. Now it needs to be said that what I am speaking of here is not the being one with God and universe that mind cult religions and new age speak of. despite their language about loosing self ; if one listens for any time at all to their teaching it is exaltation of self to the point of manipulation of everything being possible. In short the same lie as in the beginning "you will be as God"...and in case you missed it that is still self.
To obtain to oneness with God requires the self to die. This death of self is found when we are crucified with Christ. With the self dead it can no longer generate the actions and motives of life; so it is the Spirit that makes alive our mortal bodies.
In this way it is Gods life living through us as we put our belief, trust, and reliance in His life not what we generate.
It is not God added to our life but a new creation who lives the shared life of God. As Paul would say it is no longer I but Christ in me, and the life I now live is by the power(generation) of Christ, and the preaching of the cross(our shared death) is to them who perish foolishness but to us who have been saved it is the power of God, and to them who believed he gave the power to become the sons of God.
This is what our Lord spoke of when he said if a man would gain his (self) life he would loose his life, but if he lost his (self) life he would find his life(generated by God), and if a seed (him) does not go into the ground and die it remains alone, but if it does it makes much fruit, and I am the vine you are the branches, and as I and my Father are one so shall we be one, and that the Father has given him power over all flesh.
So it is that the life of the believer is not something we can do but instead what we must trust him to make us...hence the way to life is narrow( in Jesus) but the way to destruction is broad (in self)

How does Jesus live in us?

*[[Mat 7:7-11]] KJV* 
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 
 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 
 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
We tend to think of receiving the new life, or being saved, or being baptized, or living for God as some event that happened at some given point in our life; the truth is these things are continuous in the same way the Greek verb for asking, seeking and knocking are continuous.
Often these verses, those that speak of asking in Jesus name and those that say if you ask without doubting you shall have what you ask are abused by those who do not apply the full council of the word of God.
James tells us you have not because you ask not and also that we ask and don't receive because we ask amiss to spend on our own lust. In Luke our asking, seeking, and knocking is said to be rewarded with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tells us when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead us into all truth. Also he has said he is the way, the truth and the life. If we combine this with the Spirit not speaking of his own but only that which comes from Christ.
We begin to see that our asking seeking and knocking is to the end of his life being formed in us.
So we ask Jesus to live in us(the way), we seek for his life to be formed in and through us( the truth), but it is knocking (when we see it is His life in us not anything to do with a life we produce) which we obtain by complete trust and reliance and expectancy of his life living through us.
In the culture of Jesus day when someone knocked on your door you would ask who was there. Unlike our culture where we would answer with our name, the answer would be "it is I". They knew their friends by their voice. There are many today using Jesus name to validate what they are saying, but very few use His voice. Trust in Him; if you desire bread or an egg he will not give you a stone or a serpent but His own Spirit(life giving breath) and will as Jesus would promise my sheep know my voice.

Why do we fight God?

*[[Mat 7:3-5]] KJV*
 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
 5 Thou hypocrite, first take the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
 As with any good sermon, the "sermon on the mount" covers many topics as they relate to a single subject. The subject of Jesus sermon is spiritual maturity and the difference between how men view it by appearances of works and God looks to that which motivates the works.
 In chapter six we looked at the way the flesh desires Gods blessings as proof of acceptance and benefit to self. In opposition to this idea we saw that Gods blessings come to us for the benefit of those around us; for the purpose of distribution not establishment of self but of others.
 In chapter seven we come to the opposite side of that coin. Instead of receiving blessings we now deal with discernment and removal of that which is determined as being wrong.
In the same way that the carnal man considers self first and others very little; for Gods blessings.
He quickly turns God given discernment toward the wrong of others with little consideration of the wrong within self.
Jesus does not say we should ignore what is seen in others but rather that we must first learn how God removes the wrong from us.
 The carnal man uses discernment as a rod to beat his fellow servants with many stripes; in the service of God of course. What he discerns in others is often the very thing that is hidden in him. Or perhaps, like I did for years, he can see where everybody faith is going wrong but wont see his own life is being destroyed by the flesh.
 More times than not their discernment of others is correct... the splinter is there...but they have no answer for how to remove it.
Gods grace of discernment is to find the wrong in us not others.
To the end that we may bring what we have hidden in us and before God. He does not take the wrong away from us but we entrust it to the death of Messiah's cross that we may live in His life.
In Romans Paul said from faith to faith is the righteousness of Christ revealed in us.
 Everything in us we close our eyes of discernment to and refuse to see is a part of our life that we have held back from God. All those who have believed, trusted, and relied on Christ for life will find that the Holy Spirit will show them where they fall short. Not so they will DO better so that they will trust him to live in that area of their life...that no part is held back.
So as we trust him to live in and through us more and more; the righteousness of Christ(which came from who he was not what he did)lives in us more and more.
It is in this way that his righteousness is revealed in us. When we have been through this maturing we will approach our brothers with humility and compassion. Not to tell them to do better but speak assurance to encourage and strengthen their faith.
 Some things about growing up are hard. I wish I could say that as we see things in us that we cast them on the Lord and like scales from Paul's eyes those things simply fall away, some things may fall away that quick and simple, but other things are deeply entrenched.
What entrenches these things? The list is long but most common ones are; we receive something we perceive as good from it(respect of others or self), we are sure we can overcome it with more effort/prayer/study/faith/fasting, or we cant bring our self to believe it is a part of us( surely it is the devil causing it)
 The way these are released to the Lord is comparable to Jacobs wrestling. This fight is between just you and him...It happens in the darkness....despite being tired, winded, and muscle cramps setting in after the first hour this fight has just begun...after an entire night of wrestling your body is pumping more acid than blood...every muscle screams in pain...the flesh surrendered hours ago only the will and heart has kept you fighting...you cant catch a breath...your mind is reeling from oxygen starvation...lungs burning in your chest...heart feeling like it will explode at any moment. Your opponent on the other hand is just as strong and powerful as he was when this fight began.
Then comes a point of decision..."let me go." Everything in your flesh screams yes give us rest...but from your spirit the words come...not until you bless me. God reaches down and with a sickening pop your hip is forever disjointed. You will never again trust in your own strength...for his strengths is made perfect in your weakness. You will never again walk without leaning on your wooden staff(the cross)...I am determined to know nothing in you but Christ and him crucified.
 There is the old man of the flesh and the new man of the Spirit. No man can have two masters. Your life is generated by trust in man(including you) or by trust in God(not including you-since you are crucified with Christ).
Until you learn to be free of the world, the flesh, and all that stands in Gods way your discernment needs to be focused on you not others. Until you have an answer to remove a speck pointing it out is self righteousness. It is vile and putrid before God.
Rick Rosamond
A bond slave of Jesus

How does Jesus judge sinners?

*[[Mat 7:1-2]] KJV*
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again
 *[[Joh 3:17]] KJV*
 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
 *[[Joh 8:7]] KJV*
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

We all know the story of the woman who was taken in adultery and brought before Jesus.
 His adversaries knew they had him this time. Would this peoples prophet who had such compassion that he healed even on the sabbath, even had healed and ate with sinful Jews, had gone so far as to heal gentiles, all the while speaking of the love of God.
 Shaming them for not showing that love, proclaiming the law could be completely obeyed by love. Now what would he do disobey the law ignoring the judgment of God given by Moses or show that his compassion has limits..Either way would do.
Either way would show his ignorance and lack of authority to loose what they had bound.
 When you are in a fight, the punch you don't see coming is the one that knocks you out. In my minds eye I see Jesus' adversaries stumbling away punch drunk. They brought a woman they caught in the act of a stonable offence but with just a few words conviction of their own sinfulness made them unable to wield the stones.
We are judged by God in the same way we judge others. If we think sinners should be condemned...God will condemn us. If we think sinners should be exposed...God will expose us. If we will have nothing to do with them...God will have nothing to do with us. If we think sinners need to be saved, loved, and helped...God will save, love and help us.
One last thing about condemning sinners; Jesus doesn't condemn those who don't accept him. In truth they where condemned before he offered to save them so rejecting him simply keeps them in the same situation. This is how the christian is to deal with those bound by sin without judgment but with salvation.The fear of the Lord may be the beginning of wisdom, but it is the love of God that draws men to repent. We trust that as the Spirit lives in and through us he conforms us to the image of the lover of men's souls.

 *[[Joh 8:11]] KJV*
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Rick Rosamond
A bond slave of Jesus

How does God provide for us?

*[[Mat 6:19-24]] KJV*
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 In the rest of the sixth chapter of Matthew Jesus has set the foundational pieces of trusting in the Fathers Providence.
The word treasure in its definition is not a item as much as it is a storehouse.
When a need arises where do we look for providence; is it in the temporary; things, powers, abilities and knowledge, of this passing earthly place or do we look to that which is eternal and unchanging.
The providence of the earthly storehouse sets up the self; ensuring that the self has all it needs.
The heavenly storehouse distributes to the receiver that providence may be distributed to others; in this way the receiver is provided for though the self is never the focus.
The eye being single speaks of generosity toward others. In the same way an evil eye is focused on the self and its lust.
If we take that which has been given to us from God and spend it on self; we are now in the state of trying to serve two masters.
Our Lord warns us no man can do this.
Consider our Lords own temptations in the wilderness; where they not about
 self need(bread),
 self recognition(throw yourself off temple and when angles bear you up all will know you are messiah),
 and self fulfillment(you come to save the world, I will give it all to you to do with as you see fit)?

 A note on the word mammon; commonly we insert the word money there, but mammon is a confidence in riches not just seeking to obtain them.
Jesus goes on to explain that the humblest animals and lowliest plants are greatly provided for by our heavenly Father.
 How much more will he provide for his children?
The conclusion of these things is; the orphans of the gentiles seek these things as they have only themselves as a provider.
The sons of the family of God know their Father provides every need; so we seek and trust only to be made as our Father.


Rick Rosamond
A bond slave of Jesus

What can I do to do Gods work?

*[[Eph 1:3]]* Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

*[[Eph 1:20]]* Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

*[[Eph 2:6]]* And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

*[[Eph 3:10]]* To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

A thought about Messiah in us. We often talk about what our part of living out our Christianity is. When God speaks to us it is Christ in us who does the work. The scripture tells us this in verses saying it is no longer I but Christ in me, or the life I now live I live by the power (source) of Christ, or that It is God who both wills and does in us. So it is true that when YHWH speaks in our life that He fully expects us to trust and allow Yeshua to do the work in and through us by the means of His Spirit.
What to me gets less attention is this principle works in the opposite direction also. When YHWH speaks to Yeshua He expects we are to do what is said.
Since his resurrection God has given Yeshua one command which we must fulfill. "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool."
So as Jesus works in and through us on the earth, we are to rest in and through him in heaven.
We enter this rest not by our strength or will or authority or action but we are placed there by faith.
 A note on faith; it is not a force that is wielded.The Messiah is its author...He plants a seed in our heart and Gives it increase until it bears much fruit. So YHWH says rest until I make your enemies your footstool and as we trust YHWH to do his word he does what he says; we frustrate this grace when we try to do some part.

Why are there so many denominations and which one is correct?

*[[1Co 3:3-9]] KJV* 
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 
 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 
 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 
 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

The question of why are there so many denominations and which is correct is not uncommon. It is posed by men who approach the problem from three distinct directions.
The worldly man sees the divisions as proof that he is just as right to not believe or make up his own way. Like Pontias Pilot he ask what is truth as if it can not be known.
The religious man takes the matter much more seriously. He like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus asking  what must I DO to gain eternal life. He believes the right one or combination of teaching will show him how to  be acceptable to God.
The third is a believer who sees a great difference between what is and what is in the scripture.
Paul dealt with this problem in the first book of Corinthians and he would later say, before his passing, that when he and the other apostles were gone men would rise up within the church seeking to draw away disciples unto themselves.
This is the basis of the problem of all the divisions within his church.
It is the carnality of men that makes them strive and fight to draw all men to their side, into their teaching, to their understanding.
We are told in scripture that we may have ten thousand men who attempt to instruct us in Christ but few fathers.
Their is a great difference. An instructor wants to teach you; a father wants you to learn. An instructor wants you to obey; a father wants you to mature. An instructor wants to show you how you should; a father wants you to know why you would. In short an instructor draws you to himself but a father commends you to God.
 Paul is very clear that no man, including himself, was crucified for you.

*[[1Co 2:1-5]] KJV*
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God

That when we come to Christ it is Jesus who gives us the Spirit of God, the same Spirit that teaches us all there is.
We are also told that it is by the foolishness of preaching that God has chosen to spread his gospel. So a man may deliver the seed or water the seed, but it Is God who has tilled your heart, made the seed to grow,  given it fruit and God who will harvest the same.
 So though his teaching was correct Paul says you ate not of me but Christ. We are God's building and we are his husbandry. It is him that is making us.

*[[1Co 2:9-13]] KJV*
 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

So the answer to the question is; carnality and leaven within men is what has caused us to be so divided.
 Sadly even those who can see that all believers should be unified; when we try to come together make special promises that we will not try to dissuade someone for one church or another. How can we find unity if we support the division; "a house divided can not stand"
We make ourselves false when we do not encourage and strengthen our brethren with Christ in them; the expectant desire of Gods glory. Do we not also make our Lord the minister of sin when we tell those who walk in darkness they have fellowship with the light. Any teaching must be judged as from men or from God, Until we are ready to have a unity of being one with God we will never break the bondage of men's darkness from our lives.
Our master and brother warned us if the light in us becomes darkness How great is that darkness. He is the light of the world if our trust is based on what a man has taught we are doubly blind and how great is our darkness.

Why do we fast and should we do it?

*[[Mat 6:16-18]] KJV*
 16Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

The modern church says a fast is to abstain from anything you enjoy for a set time. The purpose for fasting and its effects are different depending on who you ask; most of those answers at best allude to scripture but few are cemented into the word.
Jesus said when you fast (not if), so it is important that we understand the hows and whys.
The word translated fast is specifically about not eating food but I have heard it said some people "fast" from doing certain things. I will leave that between the saint and God; for the motive to fast must come from your Father and you in the secret place(what Paul called the inner man).
That being said the word does not mean, necessarily, a complete abstinence from food. Daniel is an example of this; in chapter one Daniel and his friends have been taken into the house of the king of Babylon.
The king had given a portion of meat and wine for each but the friends not wanting to violate Gods word asked to be given only vegetables and water. The eunuch in charge of them was scarred that they would be drawn and unhealthy but found that they actually looked healthier than those around them.
 Jesus tells us that the hypocrites disfigure their face in order for men to notice their fasting; as such the honor of men is all they seek and all they can receive.
Our Lord goes on to say that we should not appear to fast on the outside but instead, as with prayer, it is to be unto God in your secret place.
 Isaiah chapter 58 verse 1-7 are a great source for proper fasting.

 *[[Isa 58:1-7]] KJV*
 1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
 3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

 We see in verse one and two that to the outside appearance Israel seems to be eagerly serving God. However the judge of men's hearts sees things quite differently.
In verse three we see them complaining against God that they have fasted and he has not noticed, but our God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek HIM not what they can be rewarded
A wicked motive for fasting is to:
 attempt to make God react
Take pleasure from forcing or convincing others they should do as you do
To show piety and draw men to their side of a dispute, create contention, as a way to wound others.
A fast God will not recognize:
Is to weaken the body by affliction
To bow ones head as worthless Or with false humility
In my own words: a fast to God is not to degrade oneself...do we really believe God is pleased by this. God determined we were worth the life of our Lord.
C.S. Lewis said "humbleness is not to think less of oneself but to think of oneself less" and I think that says it pretty well.
What fast does God approve of:
That which is not for self purpose but for others sake to break every yoke, free those who are bound, relieve heavy loads, see the delivery of the oppressed, share our bread with the hungry, bring the poor to our house, cover the naked, that we pour out our life for others.... All these things both in the natural and spiritual.
In the rest of chapter 58&59 show us the results of such a fast. As with all things: it is about giving not receiving. Our providence is in our trust that the Lord will provide what is needful.
Rick Rosamond
A bond slave of Jesus

How can I pray correctly?

• 
• Matt 6 5-13 KJV 

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 

11 Give us this day our daily bread. 

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 To pray is to supplicate (humbly request) and worship (submit to and show awe for ones strength to accomplish). 

A note on humbleness, while it is to be aware of ones own shortcomings, it is not belittling or self seeking. It is to put confidence in God to be your strength; by awareness of your own need and weakness.

 The Lord's warning to not pray as a hypocrites is well known but not greatly understood in personal prayer. A hypocrite is not a failure or one who has desired the standard of the word of God but not lived up to it. 

A person who does that may be a hypocrite or they may be one who sees and agrees with who he should be, but has not yet learned to accept and not frustrate the grace of God. 

A hypocrite is an actor who gives a performance to obtain a reaction from others (or YHWH). His goal is simply to create a perception in the mind of others (or YHWH) that will bring him attention. 

When a believer prays it is in his inner chambers, it may be spoken or silent, but he is alone with God even in public.True prayer is always done in a honest and naked place of the heart where only God sees. It is an intimacy.
Keeping these basic principles in mind let us look at our Lords prayer; of which He has said pray in this way (not necessarily these words).

1)Our Father who art in heaven:
  begins from the place of relationship; and as our Father we recognize him as the generator of who and what we are. By setting God at a specific place in space and time (in heaven) serves to remind us we must be moved as he is constant.

2)Thy kingdom come,thy will be done:
 Not only is he our Father but also our king. so we pray from a place of recognition and desire of his reign of our heart. Once He reigns fully in our heart we see clearly his rule in all His creation. This sovereignty is leading toward the determined result of all things becoming as he intended. 

3)On earth as it is in heaven:
  Gods long suffering heart to save men has allowed this earth to continue despite the hurts caused by men's sins.This mercy is given that some may be saved from death.  He has offered his life to replace our darkness; for when He brings this earth into his full presence all darkness will be consumed in the brightness of his glory. Only those with his light in them will remain.

4)Give us this day our daily bread:
 This day is still surrounded by the darkness as such there is a need for us to be refreshed every day; also we know in part now so it is needful to learn of him.
 Gods life is in us but we must learn to live in it fully. 

5)Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors:
 If we don't forgive others we can not be forgiven is central to Gods salvation. Yeshua has said with what measure you mete it is measured unto you. If I hold a sin done against me I have testified that I have not died to sin. If I stand outside the forgiveness and passing of sin found in Messiah's cross then I can have no fellowship with His life. The judgment of God is do we have His life in us.

6)Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
  We ask that he help us not lean upon our own ability and dead works but instead that we rely, depend, and expect Him living in us.

7)for thine are the kingdom and the power and the glory forever:
all we receive and all we to emanate of His life belong to Him. If we do not become one with His shared life we will have no part in Him.

One thing of note to consider about the Lords prayer is the use of pronouns. There are no me ,I, my only our, us, we why is this? 

When we pray, even for God to show us wisdom or to tear down strongholds or any other thing, it is so we may come into oneness with God to strengthen and encourage the faith of our brethren.

We are often encouraged to pray for Israel. Jesus came to establish his covenant with Israel. Paul says we as gentiles where grafted in. 

The Spirit through Paul also speaks to us that if by their unbelief( for a time) we have received this glory of Jesus in us then how much greater glory will it be when they come into belief. 

So pray for your brethren who have given you both the written word and the living, after the flesh, and do not boast against them; remembering you are grafted in and if found in unbelief also cut off.
 We have the privilege of praying to the Father in Jesus name. Consider the sons of Sceva who learned it is NOT a talisman.
 It is the privilege of a spouse of to act in the name of their husband. We ask of the Father because we are one with His Son; never for self but that we might be a helpmate of our Husbands purpose.

The authority of a name is dependent on the knowing and being one with the one who bears that name.

Rick Rosamond 

A bond slave of Jesus

What are alms?

[Mat 6:1-4]] KJV* 
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand kn

ow what thy right hand doeth: 
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus teaches on alms, prayer, fasting, and our Fathers provision for us. The first of these is what I would like to talk about today: alms. Alms are any compassionate act of giving whether to the poor, a widow, an orphan, or the destitute.
It is the compassion of God within us that must be the driving and motivating force behind our acts of alms giving. Giving alms without a God given compassion, while still helpful to those in need, is hurtful to the one giving the alms. Our giving can never be for obedience sake alone but instead because the Father lives in us. His compassion, alive in us. making an overwhelming urge to help those in need.
There are other places that speak of our giving in first and second Corinthians, Philippians, and Galatians. There are three types of giving in the new testament support of ministry, providing for our brothers lack, and the giving of alms.
The first two are about fellowship with our brothers and our Lord; the last is about being like our Father; and is to all in need. These ways of giving all have two things in common; motive and effect.
Paul writes in Corinthians we must submit ourselves to God first then to our giving. For we are his and not our own; we are crucified in His crucifixion and the life in us is by his Spirit. Therefore if we act out of duty, guilt, or greed it becomes a work of the flesh and a path to separation from the life in us.
 One note before getting back to Matthew; for those who ask others for a gift, always encourage them to follow the leading of the Lord. If we "ask" Gods people to give by extortion..i.e. God will not bless you if you don't. Not only do you offend God yourself, but also you share in the offense of each person who gave by their own motives of fear or greed.
Which brings us squarely back to Jesus teaching that if we do our alms before men to be seen and honored of men; whatever they think of us is all we receive.
So what is this left hand right hand...it deals with the weaker part of us and the stronger.
 The Spirit and compassion from the agape( detailed yesterday) living in us is your strength. The carnal mind is your weakness...so don't take council from your mind about what the Spirit is leading you to do.
If the question in ones mind at this point is; what will God reward me with? You missed the point of agape and compassion.
Neither can be walked in with thought for self. That being said with what measure you meet God measures to you. Pour yourself out toward Him and others with His agape and compassion; which He places in you by faith in his grace.Knowing He will act in the same way toward you. 
For the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail

What is the love of God?

[[1Co 13:4-8]] KJV*
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoice in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believes all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

*[[1Co 13:13/KJV]]*
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these  is charity.

Why the translators chose to use charity instead of love is not known to me, but in the original Greek the word is agape which they translated love in most other passages.
 This word love it is so central to the scriptures, and so pivotal to the New Testament that wisdom should tell us to make no assumptions about its meaning. Many may know already, but for clarity, there are three Greek words translated as love. The third is a desire for something, but it is the other two which I plan to look at; as these lend themselves to relationship.
1) agape- it is commonly said to be unconditional love. That statement is true but not as people tend to use it.
 When thought of as "God loves me just like I am" or "This is the way God made me" the true meaning of the word is lost.
 This word means to have a benevolence toward, or put more simply to desire completely that another will posses and become what is wholesome for them to be and do.
A related word is agapao which is the actions that come from the motive of agape. we will come back to this word shortly.
Before we move on think of this; because we where in darkness, lost and bound by sin we where dead waiting on deaths physical manifestation in our existence. God by his agape(which has no benefit for self only for the one it is toward) sent his Son.
Jesus through his act or his agapao at the cross provided everything needed for us to have the light of His glory, an eternal home, set us free from the chains of disobedience, and bring us to a new life that never ends.
All Jesus provided is available but we are required to give up our life to obtain his. God had agape for Pontias Pilot but when the saviour was presented to him in the midst of his agapao (though he could see his innocence) had only two things to say..."what is truth?" and "I have authority over you" Gods agape and Jesus agapao where of no effect or profit to this man.
 He is not alone.
If Pilot is representative of the world that has no belief in God then the rich young ruler is the religious man. This man did not mind doing things to be right with God, he even seems zealous for such. Yet when Jesus looks at him with agape he tells him to abandon all that was his and take part in our Lords agapao; he turns and leaves.
The things of this world that he considered blessings for his obedience held more place in his heart than the true provision of God.
 The agape of God toward us(the motive to make us have life with no benefit to himself) is provided that we can have agape toward him.
 The conclusion of these things is yes God loves us, so much he provided a saviour, but if we don't trust in the life he offers we will only know death despite Gods love.
 2) the second word translated love is phileo which is to be fond of, have affection for, or an attachment to like a friendship.
Peter trusted that he would never betray Jesus even if it meant prison or death. He had heard Jesus say again and again that they must have agape for him and the Father and by Peters statements and actions I am sure he thought he did.
There is no record of any other disciple of the Lord being crushed quite like Peter.
 He was no coward, he attacked an armed group of men in defence of the Lord, but found himself rebuked by Jesus that the sword is not the way of salvation.
 We know the story of Peters denial.  But let us look instead on the sea shore where Jesus comes to restore Peter.
Peters wound from his failure had started to heal the wrong way, by going back to what he had done before he met Jesus, so it was necessary break him just a little more that he could heal correctly.
Jesus ask him Peter do you have agape for me more than these, but Peter responds I have phileo for you Jesus instructs feed my lambs. Next Jesus ask him do you agape me, leaving off the more than these. Peter again responds with phileo to which the Lord responds feed my sheep. You can almost imagine all thing becoming silent as our Lord asks do you phileo me?
 The snap inside Peter is almost audible as the memory of his denials a month earlier flood back with a tidal wave of grief. Peter knows that the greatest love he can produce is phileo and it is all he can confess and yet Jesus response is still feed my sheep.
The conversation doesn't end there. Jesus goes on to tell Peter that as he has yielded himself unto death for Peter so Peter will one day yield himself unto death for the glory of Jesus.
It was not many days later at Pentecost that the Spirit would take up residence in Peter and make him one with the Lord and the Father living agape through him. For neither we or Peter are able to have true agape without God making and living it through us.
 Peter realized this have we?

                                                                              Rick Rosamond
                                                                         A bond slave of Jesus

Who does God want me to be?

33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 
34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne
35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 
37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 
41And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 
44 But I say unto you, Love youyr enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Matthew 5:33-45

That is quite a list of does and don'ts; or is it? How quickly do we throw up the veil of our flesh? We look for a way to obtain right standing with God and miss that he is describing who we will become when his life is living in is.
In describing how we will act toward others Jesus is describing how the Father acts toward us. It is a description of the Father living in us; for when Jesus brought us grace he gave us the ability by faith in him to become the sons of God.
When someone meets my son they see me in him. It is more than the way he looks; it is also the way he speaks, stands, and mannerisms. This is a picture of my relationship with God; a parable which helps  me to see the truth.
If I would be as He is then he must be the source of me. It is not possible for me to bring about this nature, but if I rely and expect Him to be my life then His word becomes a promise not a burden.

What did Paul mean by the flesh?

Heb 10:20 KJV
 By a new and living way, which hath consecrated for us, through the veil that is to say, his flesh;

Mar 15:37-38 KJV 37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

2Co 3:7 KJV But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

 Exo 34:35 KJV And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Deu 10:16 KJV Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

 I have heard it said that we are a soul that lives in a body. This is an idea that has its origin in Plato, not the scriptures. The Christianizing of Plato's ideas come under Neo-Platonism and is found among the writings of the early church fathers. Ideas such as a perfect spirit in a corrupt body created a dualistic concept of man.
This idea had acceptance in the gentile world for centuries before the spread of the gospel; so as the church leadership passed from Hebrew to gentile the understanding of the scripture gained a new leaven.
If the leaven of the Pharisees was that one could act well enough to please God, then the leaven of Greek thought was it does not matter how one acts if they believe correctly. I have said this so our understanding of the teaching of Jesus,the apostles, and specifically Paul can be made clear.
None of them taught a duel nature of man; in Hebrew thought the life(soul) is in the blood so it is not independent from the body any more than the body is independent. This makes clear the need of resurrection(a foolish thought to the Greeks).
When Paul speaks of flesh and Spirit it is not duality but a generative source of actions. In other words is the power source of our actions from what we have received from fallen Adam or from the Spirit we have received from trust and reliance on Christ.
Many of Paul's day and also of our day have tried to put Paul in opposition to Moses, sadly this misses that Paul was teaching us what was given to Moses with the veil removed.
The veil in scripture is a covering or separation, the removal of this separation between God and man is promised to Abraham with a token of remembrance of this promise being the removal of the flesh by circumcision. The truth of the token was given to Moses(the circumcision of the heart)but the glory which came from what God had given Moses shown so bright that the children of Israel placed a veil over Moses face when he spoke to them.
They did not see the glory but instead only the separation; they would carry the token of removal of the flesh while trying to obtain righteousness by their own generative power. The veil remained...in the tabernacle and later the temple separating the personal presence from the people.
This is not to say God was not present, He was and mightily so, but the God who desired to be one, who longed to be in his people, the God who foresees prepared through Israel a temple made without hands who is our Lord.
On that day when Jesus was hung on a cross, when his perfect flesh was torn, when He breathed his last and said it is finished the veil of Moses was removed. Moses had given us the teaching but not the attainment. Jesus gave us the truth and the gift of God living in us.
When I gave up my own works and ways and put my trust in what Jesus had done for me he baptised my corrupt flesh into his death. I died with him on the cross. The life in me from that moment was not my own...it was God living in me.
Since this is true; then how did I sin after that event? Jesus took me at my hearts desire but I could not see the glory because I placed the veil over it. So I set out to live for God better than any other man ever had...I was learning but not coming to knowing.
Sometimes you have to muck around with the pigs and wish you had as much as them before it occurs to you that your gracious father is still where you left him.
With this understanding we see Paul teaching us their is no duality either we are generating our life and frustrating the gift or he is generating our life and it is no longer I but Christ in me.
The flesh is deceitful and its way seems right so how do we know...if we see its works in our life then it is not dead. Be cautious. If we fight our flesh it is like Brear rabbit and the tar baby we just get stuck more. Jesus said if Satan cast out Satan his house can not stand...in the same way the flesh can not defeat the flesh....but Jesus has been given power over all flesh....if we put our trust and reliance on him he will bind our flesh and spoil its goods tearing down every stronghold and making captive every thought to the glory of God.
If you want to be an overcomer then let Him live in and through you.
                                                                   Rick Rosamond
                                                              A bond slave of Jesus

Feel free to share this post if it has blessed you.