"Your Teacher will no longer hide Himself,
but your eyes will behold your Teacher."
Isaiah 30:20
All who are believers will have this one desire; to know God, to go further up the road to an understanding of the ways of God. Too often many stop and become comfortable with familiar surroundings and with familiar voices that seem to bring comfort concerning the ways of God. Often times these voices bring confusion and contradicting views about God when compared to the scriptures. Yet many over look these contradicting and confusing views because they trust the human they believe is their shepherd to higher learning, and settle with the confusion because they are too comfortable to move onward.
Yet, in this setting of confusion and contradiction there are individuals who are seeking to know God, with a desire placed in them to move forward. At first fear of ostracism from those they have looked up to holds them back; only until they find themselves dying of spiritual thirst do they realize there is much more to be revealed. Eventually they will test the waters, often only to move on to another camp. Then something in them stirs again, and they move a little further out. As they start to find themselves alone they start to come to the realization that they posses the spirit of the One Who spoke the universe into being, and that spirit is causing them to move on. Eventually they find themselves in the place where they were warned by others (in the camps) to stay clear of, the place of being alone, without the camps leadership, fellowship and guidance, and without accountability to camp leaders. But they soon find in themselves they are at peace, and feel the leading of the spirit in their spirit taking them to places of understanding about God they never dreamed were true. At times they will stray off the road, and once again get comfortable in a camp, but eventually they will feel the hand of God gently move them away from the camp, leading them further up the road into still another deeper understanding of Who He is, and into deeper truths concerning His ways with His creation.
While in the camp their; "ears will hear a word behind them saying: This is the way, walk in it, whenever they turn to the right or to the left." (Isaiah 30:21). As they move forward they soon come to realize few hear those words of Isaiah. And even fewer hear these words from the same prophet: "You are My witness, declares the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He." (Isaiah 43:10) You will find while you move further up the road you are not just learning about God, you are being moved to a place where you are beginning to know Him, and understand Him, as well as totally believe Him. You are being conformed to the image of His Son. [Romans 8:29] (1). This you come to realize is only accomplished by Him; you are coming to realize you are His achievement and the road you are on was made ready beforehand by God. [Ephesians 2:10] (2).
There is this account in John when Peter turns to the Lord and asked: "What is to happen with this man?" (concerning John), the Lord turned to Peter and said: "What is it to you? You be following me!" Jesus is telling Peter He will be the fulfillment in John, He will be the One Who will control all of Johns steps, so don't concern yourself with him, follow Me, I will also be your Guide into truth as well.
So many today have set themselves up as the scripture police, leaders of and to the truth, the only ones who have the keys to understanding the Father, and keepers of the keys to the Kingdom, when Jesus said this understanding is found only through Him and is only in the scriptures: "Search the scriptures, for in them you are supposing you have life eonian, and those are they which are testifying concerning Me. I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one is coming to the Father except through Me." (John 5:39, John 14:6). These words from Jesus are the driving Forces in every believer on the road to knowing God, the Forces that drives us deeper into the scriptures and away from teachings that would cause us to become complacent, away from teachings that contradict and confuse the words of scripture. Only by heeding those words; "I am the Way to the Father. Search the scriptures they testify concerning Me" from Jesus can we come to know the Father, and the Christ who the Father sent, and His coming Kingdom of Righteousness. No one can come to know the Father outside of Jesus; we have to go through Jesus to know the Father [John 14:6] (3). That we might know: "what is the breadth and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ as well which transcends (human) knowledge - that you may be completed for the entire complement of God" (Ephesians 3:18-19).
Unfortunately many look to others (humans) to make them complete in God. Humans can teach, but God reveals.
We are all His achievement, He is the Master Builder. He is the One Who will bring us to spiritual maturity. Paul tells us what is the goal: "Unto the end that we should all attain to the unity of the faith and of the realization of the son of God, to a mature (hu)man, to the measure of the stature of the complement of the Christ." (Ephesians 4:13).
This does not happen by listening to a sermon on Sunday morning, or reading an article once a month, or a daily bible reading plan over the course of a year, or belonging to an organization. This happens by a God given desire to know Him, not just following and learning what others say of Him, but what He says of Himself.
Jesus asked: "Who are the throngs saying that I am?" (Luke 9:18). Read the answers; "John the Baptist, Elijah, some prophet"; all were dead, yet this is what the throngs believed who He was, their understanding was clouded by their own perceptions and traditions, they could not accept Jesus for who He said He was; the throngs were wrong. Those who walk with Him and know Him, and that has always been the minority, will answer as Peter did: "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:15). And no human can reveal that truth to anyone: "For flesh and blood does not reveal it to you, but My Father Who is in the heavens." (Matthew 16:17).
The human mind left to its own imaginations can only speculate on what the scriptures teach, most believe it is like reading a manual to fix a broken appliance, or a challenge to be good or else, and it is by their efforts the appliance is slowly brought into working order, which is not the case. Without the spirit of truth (the mind of Christ) humans will only understand what is in vogue about God.
Before the scriptures were written God was revealing Himself to individuals who were chosen to reveal Him to others. Now He is revealing Himself through the scriptures to those who are His, to those who have the mind of Christ [1 Corinthians 2:16] (4), to those who are led by the spirit [Romans 8:14] (5), to those who will rule and reign with Him in the oncoming eons [2 Timothy 2:11-12] (6).
To know God isn't some random haphazard work of His spirit leading and revealing. And it is never by the will of humans to know Him [Romans 3:11, 12] (7). Your heart has to be open to the things of God, and God is the One Who will: "give (you) a heart to know (Him)... You shall seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 24:7, 29:13) It is not by "our" understanding of the scriptures that God reveals Himself to us; Jesus said that many were transgressing the word of God by their traditions ("THEIR" understanding of the scriptures), and in vain were they revering Him, because in their teachings they were teaching the directions of man, and in doing this they invalidate the word of God [Matthew 15:6-9] (8). This has been true ever since Jesus spoke those words, and before.
It is only by God's spirit of truth that the word of God reveals God to us: "Yet whenever that may be coming - the spirit of truth - it will be guiding you into all the truth, for it will not be speaking from itself, but whatsoever it should be hearing will it be speaking, and of what is coming will it be informing you. That will be glorifying Me, seeing that of Mine will it be getting, and informing you."(John 16:13-14). Most, unfortunately, have been programmed to believe that there are earthly "higher" places of learning set up to reveal only what God can reveal to them.
Paul tells us Christ seats us among the celestials [Ephesians 2:6] (9). That is our place of higher learning; that is where He is revealing His Plan of the Ages to us: "that, in the oncoming eons, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:7)
To the one whose heart has been opened to His teachings, that ones heart will be open to hear His voice: "My sheep are hearing My voice, and I know them, and they are following Me." The voice of another we will not hear: "Now an outsider will they under no circumstances be following, but they will be fleeing from him, for they are not acquainted with the voice of the outsiders." (John 10:5) There may be times (seasons) when a strange voice will sound comforting, but under closer examination it will be recognized as the voice of an outsider. Then the Voice that will be heard above all others will say "this is the way" and move us onward up the road. The one who hears the Voice and understands will be the one whose faculties have been exercised to discriminate between the ideal and the evil [Hebrews 5:13-14] (10). They will move onward.
To walk on the road to Sonship/Daughtership [2 Corinthians 6:17-18] (11) is quite often lonely. Jesus said: "Enter through the cramped gate, for broad is the gate and spacious is the way which is leading away into destruction, and many are those entering through it. Yet what a cramped gate and narrowed way is the one leading away into life, and few are those who are finding it. Take heed of those false prophets who are coming to you in the apparel of sheep, yet inside they are rapacious wolves. From their fruits you shall be recognizing them" (Matthew 7:13-16).
Many have taken these verses to be about the saved and the damned, those who find the cramped gate (narrow way) and those who find the broad gate (wide road) are either destined to heaven or hell. That is not what Jesus meant. This portion of scripture has to do with those who have spiritual insight, those who do not take heed to the teachings of false prophets, those whose hearts are lead by God's spirit, they are the ones (the few) entering the cramped gate which leads to the narrow road of truth and life with very few on it. The wide gate is for the throngs, the many; those who Jesus said will follow the innumerable and diverse human teachings and traditions concerning God and Himself. They will not be able to recognize the fruit (false teachings) of those coming in sheep's apparel; their faculties are not exercised to recognize they are on the broad road, because the road they are on is populated, popular, and comfortable. Everything is done for them, no need to search; someone has been paid to do it for them. They are taught to relax and turn their mind off; they will be told what to believe. I am not being critical, or judging, this is all God's doing as well, He set them on their course, He is the One in control of all, [Isaiah 46:10b (12), Psalms 33:11 (13), Isaiah 14:24 (14), Romans 9:19-20] (15). All on the broad road are there because that is where they are to be [Matthew 13:11 (16), Luke 8:10] (17). Only God can call you through the narrow gate.
All through the scriptures there are those, the few, who have ears to hear, as well as those who don't. To those who have ears to hear Jesus says: "To you the secret of the kingdom of God has been given." (Mark 4:11) Jesus also said: those outside, although they have ears, they will only hear parables, parables they will not understand (Mark 4:12). He says the reason for this in (Matthew 13:11) (16), the secrets of the kingdom of the heavens has not been given to those outside of His immediate circle. Like the cramped gate leading to the narrow road: "few are those who are finding it." To those who are His, the Way (road) they are aware of, it has been given to them to know the Way [John 14:4] (18).
Many (the throngs) recoil at this truth.
"Jesus doesn't show favoritism" they say. "We are all the same in God's eyes."
This is true in part. He shows no favoritism when it comes to His love for us, or His salvation for all, but when it comes to those who will serve with Him in the on coming eons there are many verses that teach this is so. The twelve apostles will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel [Matthew 19:28] (19), those who are chosen out of the nations will serve with Him over the nations and over the messengers [1 Corinthians 6:2-3] (20).
We can also see from scripture when Jesus was with the twelve He had four who were His close companions, Peter, James, Andrew and John, they saw and heard things the other eight were not privy to. They were asked to be with Him on the mount of transfiguration [Matthew 17:1-2] (21), three; Peter, James and John were asked to be with Him at the Garden of Gethsemane when He went off to pray [Matthew 26:37] (22). Also, out of those three John was the closest. John was the one who rested his head on Jesus' chest in the upper room, John is also called the one whom Jesus loved - especially - [John 13:23] (23). John was the one that Peter asked Jesus what was to happen to him, probably because of John's closer relationship with Jesus [John 21:20-23] (24). John was the only one of the twelve at the crucifixion, he was the one that Jesus told his mother Mary to be a mother to, and to John; Mary was to be like a mother [John 19:26-27] (25).
Paul tells us that there are those whom God prefers to be the first to believe in this era, the first fruits of those who will be believing [2 Thessalonians 2:13] (26). Also it is God who opens up the heart of those who hear to be believing in this era [Acts 16:14] (27), and closes the hearts of those who are not to be believing in this era [John 12:39-40] (28). All through the Old Testament God singled out individuals to whom He let know Him, as well as the nation Israel to believe, while leaving the other nations to go their own way [Acts 14:16-17] (29).
Unfortunately this is unknown by the masses (throngs). It is hardly, if ever preached about, and when it is it is taken so far out of context that it makes God out to be a monster. Just because God sets apart a few does not mean He neglects the rest [Acts 14:17] (29), He cares for all. But for now He is preparing a few to know Him.
All will eventually come into an understanding of His grace and love, and all will one day know Him, but for now it is only for those who are set apart [1 Timothy 4:9-11] (30). Those who have been lead to seek His truth are those who have obtained: "not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we may be perceiving that which is being graciously given to us by God, which we are speaking also, not with words taught by human wisdom, but with those taught by the spirit, matching spiritual blessings with spiritual words." (1 Corinthians 2:12-13).
To the masses the few are peculiar, out of step, unlearned in the common and traditional teachings, yet these are the ones God has called to know Him [1 Corinthians 1:26-31] (31).
The first thing that God does with those who are entering the cramped gate is teach us to learn to unlearn what was once believed to be true about Him, the teachings that are taught to those on the wide road, the teachings that don't stand side by side with the scriptures concerning His ways.
When God draws you aside, He takes you just as you are, but now He begins the process of molding you into what you will be: a joint enjoyers of Christ' allotment.
Paul says it this way:
"For whoever are being led by God's spirit, these are sons of God. For you did not get slavery's spirit to fear again, but you got the spirit of sonship, in which we are crying, "Abba, Father!" The spirit itself is testifying together with our spirit that we are children of God. Yet if children, enjoyers also of an allotment, enjoyers, indeed, of an allotment from God, yet joint enjoyers of Christ's allotment, if so be that we are suffering together, that we should be glorified together also."
(Romans 8:14-17).
The suffering together is identical to the suffering that Jesus went through. Not the suffering of the cross, only He did that, but with the knowledge of who you are in God's family, yet being ridiculed for understanding who you are [John 15:18-19] (32). This is not something that should be boasted about; it is something that humbles us [Romans 12:16 (33), 1 Peter 3:8 (34)]. To think that God has chosen us, weak, flawed humans to be co- rulers in the oncoming eons with His Son, makes no sense in the natural mind, (many believe the only thing we will do in the on coming eons is learning how to play the harp). This is one reason He impregnates us with the mind of Christ [1 Corinthians 2:16] (4), that we might better understand our position and future calling. Paul says we are now ambassadors for Christ [2 Corinthians 5:20] (35), and we know our competency is of God [2 Corinthians 3:5] (36) not of ourselves [John 15:5] (37).
Jesus said: "The Son can not be doing anything of Himself if it is not what He should be observing the Father doing, for whatever He may be doing, this the Son also is doing likewise." (John 5:19). This is the same for the believer, what we observe of the Father (now through the scriptures) is what we are to do. Paul says to: "Become imitators of me, according as I also am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul was the one chosen to be a display of God's mercy [1 Timothy 1:16] (38). Paul had to unlearn what he had learned [Philippians 3:4-12] (39), and God in His mercy and grace brought Paul to the place where He could reveal His heart to Him: "Now, when it delights God, Who severs me from my mother's womb and calls me through His grace, to unveil His Son in me that I may be evangelizing Him among the nations." (Galatians 1:15-16). And this is what God does to the believer; He unveils His Son in us. He is revealing to us His Son in us [Galatians 2:20] (40). He is causing us to know Him [Luke 24:45] (41).
Paul, when on the road to Damascus, saw a bright light, brighter than the noon day Sun, so bright it knocked him to the ground blinding him, and he heard a voice out of the Light, the voice of Christ. Paul at that point became neutral, as far as his spiritual insight was concerned he was blind, he recognized nothing, he was taken to a place spiritually where Christ could now reveal Himself to him, Paul was about to receive the mind of Christ. At first Paul was so helpless he needed others to guide him, teachers [Acts 9:17-19] (42), but only to a place where he was now ready to have the highest truth revealed to him by the One Who was the Truth [John 14:6 (3), Galatians 1:11,12 (43)]
Paul, after Damascus, never saw God the way he saw Him before Damascus, as a God Who demanded allegiance or death, he now saw Him as The God He is, The God Who sent His Son to be the Saviour of all humankind [1 Timothy 4:9-11] (30). Paul never again asked the question: "Who are you Lord?"
Like the two on the road to Emmaus, when they finished hearing the words of the Stranger, said to one another "Was not our heart burning in us as He spoke to us on the road and as He opened up to us to us the scriptures?" It was at that moment they realized they were not listening to the words of a stranger. The words He spoke to them caused their hearts to burn in their chests. The scriptures were made new; they immediately realized that there was more truth in the word than what was on the surface, more than what was being taught by humans. Only those who have experienced the road to Damascus will understand the meaning of those words spoken on the road to Emmaus.
Many it seems have no idea that He is to be the All in all, and that the All He will be All in will eventually know Him.
They seem to only want to learn about Him as tradition displays Him now, and not know Him as the scriptures show us Who He really is.
Those who are on the narrow road are being shown who He is. They spend time with Him; they seek out others who know Him, those who have been given certain truths concerning His way. Many on the narrow road have been given pieces of truth, none have all truth. All on the narrow road know God is the Rewarder of those who are seeking Him out [Hebrews 11:6 (44), Matthew 6:33 (45)]. This drives us onward up the narrow road.
This journey takes an entire lifetime, and there will be times when the road will seem murky, as well as times of unbelievable clarity. God will never let those on the road stagnate, He will always lift the fog of uncertainty and the road will once again be lit [Psalms 119:105 (46), Isaiah 30:20,21 (47]. There will be times when your spiritual growth will seem to come to a halt, this is God's way of assuring you He is your Teacher[Luke 24:45] (41), He won't let you go ahead until you know what it is He wants you to know about Him.
All those on the narrow road are being prepared to accept the truth about God as He really is and not as we thought, or were taught He is. He will adjust our vision. His word will continue to open up and enlighten all who are on the narrow road He set us on--on all whom He wants now to know Him, and that journey doesn't stop until we are standing Face to face in front of Him. To push this point home Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12; "At present I know out of an installment, yet then I shall recognize according as I am recognized also."
As was said, this is not only true for us now; there will come a time when it will be true for all as well. There will come a time when they will no longer see Him as they thought He was, they will know Him for Who He is, but for now He is revealing Himself to those on the road less travelled, those to whom He says: "Are My servants whom I have chosen, so that you may know Me and believe Me and understand that I am He." (Isaiah 43:10)
Rick.
Scripture References.
1. Whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29)
2. For His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
3. Jesus is saying to him, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one is coming to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. And henceforth you know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6,7)
4. But, according as it is written, That which the eye did not perceive, and the ear did not hear, and to which the heart of man did not ascend - whatever God makes ready for those who are loving Him. Yet to us God reveals them through His spirit, for the spirit is searching all, even the depths of God.
For is any of humanity acquainted with that which is human except the spirit of humanity which is in it? Thus also, that which is of God no one knows, except the spirit of God. Now we obtained, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we may be perceiving that which is being graciously given to us by God, which we are speaking also, not with words taught by human wisdom, but with those taught by the spirit, matching spiritual blessings with spiritual words. Now the soulish man is not receiving those things which are of the spirit of God, for they are stupidity to him, and he is not able to know them, seeing that they are spiritually examined.
Now he who is spiritual is, indeed, examining all, yet he is being examined by no one. For who knew the mind of the Lord? Who will be deducing from Him? Yet we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2: 9-16)
5. For whoever are being led by God's spirit, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:14)
6. Faithful is the saying: "For if we died together, we shall be living together also; if we are enduring, we shall be reigning together also. (2 Timothy 2:11,12)
7. Not one is understanding. Not one is seeking out God. "All avoid Him: at the same time they were useless. Not one is doing kindness: there is not even one!" (Romans 3:11,12)
8. And you invalidate the word of God because of your tradition. Hypocrites! Ideally Isaiah prophesies concerning you, saying, this people with their lips is honoring Me, Yet their heart is away at a distance from Me. Yet in vain are they revering Me, Teaching for teachings the directions of men." (Matthew 15:6-9)
9. And rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6)
10. For everyone who is partaking of milk is untried in the word of righteousness, for he is a minor. Now solid nourishment is for the mature, who, because of habit, have faculties exercised for discriminating between the ideal and the evil. (Hebrews 5:13, 14)
11. Wherefore, Come out of their midst and be severed, the Lord is saying. And touch not the unclean, and I will admit you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.
(2 Corinthians 6: 17,18)
12. My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish My good pleasure.
(Isaiah 46:10)
13. The council of Yahweh shall stand for the eon, the designs of His heart for
generation after generation. (Psalm33:11)
14. The Lord of hosts has sworn saying: Surely, just as I have intended so it has
happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand. (Isaiah 14:24)
15. You will be protesting to me, then, "Why, then, is He still blaming? for who
has withstood His intention?" O man! who are you, to be sure, who are
answering again to God? That which is molded will not protest to the molder,
"Why do you make me thus?" (Romans 9:19,20)
16. Now, answering, He said to them that "To you has it been given to know the
secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, yet to those it has not been given.
(Matthew 13:11)
17. Now He said, "To you has it been given to know the secrets of the kingdom
of God, yet to the rest in parables, that, observing, they may not be
observing, and hearing, they may not be understanding. (Luke 8:10)
18. And where I am going you are aware, and of the way you are aware.
(John 14:4)
19. Yet Jesus said to them, "Verily, I am saying to you, that you who follow Me,
in the renascence whenever the Son of Mankind should be seated on the
throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)
20. Or are you not aware that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world
is being judged by you, are you unworthy of the least tribunals? Are you not
aware that we shall be judging messengers, not to mention life's affairs?
(1 Corinthians 6:2-3)
21. And after six days Jesus is taking aside Peter and James and John, his
brother, and is bringing them up into a high mountain, privately,
and was transformed in front of them. And His face shines as the sun, yet
His garments became white as the light. (Matthew 17:1, 2)
22. And taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He begins to be
sorrowful and depressed. Then He is saying to them, Sorrow-stricken is My
soul to death. Remain here and watch with Me." (Matthew 26: 27:28)
23. Now one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying back in the bosom of
Jesus. (John 13:23)
24. Now Peter, being turned about, is observing the disciple whom Jesus loved, following, who leans back also on His chest at the dinner and said to Him, "Lord who is it who is giving Thee up?" Peter, then, perceiving this one, is saying to Jesus, "Lord, yet what of this man?" Jesus is saying to him, "If I should be wanting him to be remaining till I am coming, what is it to you? You be following Me!" (John 21:20-22)
25. Jesus, then, perceiving His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing by, is saying to His mother, "Woman, lo! your son!" Thereafter He is saying to the disciple, "Lo! your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own. (John 19: 26-27)
26. Now we ought to be thanking God always concerning you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, seeing that God prefers you from the beginning for salvation, in holiness of the spirit and faith in the truth, into which He also calls us through our evangel, for the procuring of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2Thessalonians 2:13-14)
27. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira, revering God, heard whose heart the Lord opens up to heed what is spoken by Paul. (Acts 16:14)
28. Therefore they could not believe, seeing that Isaiah said again that He has blinded their eyes and callouses their heart, lest they may be perceiving with their eyes, and should be apprehending with their heart, and may be turning about, and I shall be healing them. (John 12:39-40)
29. Who, in bygone generations, leaves all the nations to go their ways,
although He leaves Himself not without the testimony of good acts, giving showers from heaven and fruitbearing seasons, filling our hearts with nourishment and gladness." (Acts 14:16-17)
30. Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching. (1 Timothy 4:9-11)
31. For you are observing your calling, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh; not many powerful, not many noble, but the stupidity of the world God chooses, that He may be disgracing the wise, and the weakness of the world God chooses, that He may be disgracing the strong, and the ignoble and the contemptible things of the world God chooses, and that which is not, that He should be discarding that which is, so that no flesh at all should be boasting in God's sight. Yet you, of Him, are in Christ Jesus, Who became to us wisdom from God, besides righteousness and holiness and deliverance, that, according as it is written, He who is boasting, in the Lord let him be boasting. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
32. If the world is hating you, know that it has hated Me first before you. If you were of the world, the world would be fond of its own. Now, seeing that you are not of the world, but I choose you out of the world, therefore the world is hating you. "Remember the word which I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his lord.' If Me they persecute, you they will be persecuting also. If My word they keep, yours also will they be keeping. But all these things will they be doing to you because of My name, seeing that they are not acquainted with Him Who sends Me. (John 15:18-21)
33. Being mutually disposed to one another, not being disposed to that which is high, but being led away to the humble. Do not come to pass for prudent with yourselves. (Romans 12:16)
34. Now the finish; Be all of a like disposition, sympathetic, fond of the brethren, tenderly compassionate, of a humble disposition. (1 Peter 3:8)
35. For Christ, then, are we ambassadors, as of God entreating through us. We are beseeching for Christ's sake, "Be conciliated to God!" (2 Corinthians 5:20)
36. Not that we are competent of ourselves, to reckon anything as of ourselves, but our competency is of God. (2 Corinthians 3:5)
37. "I am the Grapevine. You are the branches. He who is remaining in Me, and I in him, this one is bringing forth much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
38. But therefore was I shown mercy, that in me, the foremost, Jesus Christ should be displaying all His patience, for a pattern of those who are about to be believing on Him for life eonian. (1 Timothy 1:16)
39. And am I having confidence in flesh, also? If any other one is presuming to have confidence in flesh, I rather: in circumcision the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, in relation to law, a Pharisee, in relation to zeal, persecuting the ecclesia, in relation to the righteousness which is in law, becoming blameless. But things which were gain to me, these I have deemed a forfeit because of Christ. But, to be sure, I am also deeming all to be a forfeit because of the superiority of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, because of Whom I forfeited all, and am deeming it to be refuse, that I should be gaining Christ, and may be found in Him, not having my righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God for faith:
to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, conforming to His death, if somehow I should be attaining to the resurrection that is out from among the dead. Not that I already obtained, or am already perfected. Yet I am pursuing, if I may be grasping also that for which I was grasped also by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:4-12)
40. With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)
41. Then He opens up their mind to understand the scriptures. (Luke 24:45)
42. Now Ananias came away and entered the house, and placing his hands on him, he said, "Saul! Brother! The Lord has commissioned me (Jesus, Who was seen by you on the road by which you came), so that you should be receiving sight and be filled with holy spirit." And immediately fall from his eyes as if scales, and he receives sight. Besides, rising, also, he is baptized, and obtaining nourishment, is strengthened. Now he came to be with the disciples in Damascus some days. (Acts 9:17-19)
43. For I am making known to you, brethren, as to the evangel which is being brought by me, that it is not in accord with man. For neither did I accept it from a man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)
44. Now apart from faith it is impossible to be well pleasing, for he who is coming to God must believe that He is, and is becoming a Rewarder of those who are seeking Him out. (Hebrews 11:6)
45. Yet seek first the kingdom and its righteousness, and these all shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
46. Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105)
47. Your Teacher will no linger hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your bears will hear a word behind you; this is the way walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left. (Isaiah 30:20-21)
