"ENGRAFTED WISDOM"
(WHAT ARE THE ASHES OF THE RED HEIFER?)
April 16, 2000 pm
MF Blume
Proverbs 8:1-10
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
She
standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
She
crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the
doors. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding
heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my
lips shall be right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and
wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth
are
in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them
that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge
rather than choice gold.
Proverbs 8:14-15
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I
have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Proverbs 9:1-6Wisdom
hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her
seven pillars: She hath killed her beasts; she
hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished
her table. She hath sent forth her maidens:
she crieth upon the highest places of the city, Whoso is
simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding,
she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the
wine which I have mingled. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go
in the way of understanding.
James 1:21 Wherefore
lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with
meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
This morning we spoke about the Red Heifer representing the Church
in her death with Christ.
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The Red Heifer is a female beast.
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Not a male.
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She does therefore not represent Jesus Christ, but the Church, for the
Church is a feminine entity in the spiritual world.
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It is the BRIDE of Christ.
In Proverbs, we find wisdom personified as a woman.
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We see wisdom called a "she" and a "her".
Many have used scriptures about wisdom and claimed they speak of the Son
of God and prove His eternality.
People quote these verses to prove the Son is eternal and existed before
the creation.
Proverbs 8:22-30 The LORD
possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was
set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When
there
were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains
abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills
was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens,
I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When
he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of
the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not
pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then
I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily
his
delight, rejoicing always before him;
But this is not talking about the Son of God, it is talking about WISDOM,
and WISDOM is a she.
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Does this mean there is an eternal "she"?
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Not literally.
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This refers to "entity" of wisdom that God would later use in the then-future
"church".
The Church is a "she".
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The purpose of the Church is to not just be a "mother" to birth children
of God (Hebrews 10:22-23, Gal 4:26), but to raise the children and nurture
them, also.
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And she does this through teachings .
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Some "churches" have absolutely no teaching.
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All they are concerned with is birthing children.
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It is imperative to birth children, and see new souls saved.
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But a mother's job only BEGINS there.
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That is just the start of her purpose for her children.
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She then must NURTURE that child and HELP IT TO GROW.
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Some Churches supply no growth because they do not teach.
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Jesus told the disciples to go into all the world and TEACH ALL NATIONS.
The red heifer speaks of the Church (See this morning's sermon).
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The SPRINKLING OF THE ASHES OF THE RED HEIFER in water speaks of teaching
the Christian truths and giving WISDOM to a person.
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Sprinkling water on someone APPLIES that water to that person.
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There is the idea of application of something to a person's life.
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SInce there are ASHES OF a red heifer in the sprinkled water, we must include
the thought of the teachings regarding the red heifer's death when we think
of teaching truths through this sprinkling.
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The Church is comprised of the people who in faith died, were buried and
resurrected with Christ.
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So the sprinkling of the red heifer's ashes, with cedar hyssop and scarlet,
in water, speaks of GIVING UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING THE TRUTHS OF BEING
DEAD AND BURIED WITH CHRIST.
The truths of being dead and buried and resurrected with Christ are all-important
to a Christian.
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I said before that there are so many things that happened to us when we
died with Christ, that unless a person is TAUGHT these things by a minister
of the Gospel, that person WILL NOT KNOW THEM ALL.
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We are co-crucified with Christ where He was crucified outside the city,
when He was crucified.
The ashes were always kept OUTSIDE the camp/city.
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Priests would go to them, if at any time they had to deal with someone
who touched a dead body.
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This "remedy" was there for God's people.
We often think of sinners who need the blood of Jesus, but there is also
that aspect of saints who need the blood when they err.
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Every now and then we dig up our pasts and experience the condemnation
that only belongs to sinners who do not know Christ.
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We forget we were purged from our old sins (2 Peter 1:9).
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We begin to think like the sinner we were before we died with Christ.
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We forget what the cross did to us.
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ANd we thereby TOUCH THE DEAD MAN who has been crucified and is buried.
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Talk about digging up the past!
So we have to be reminded and we have to go back to the cross where we
died with Christ.
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We have to take a visit outside the camp again.
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To the hillside of Calvary.
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NOT TO DIE AGAIN!
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You can only die ONCE.
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But we go there to be REMINDED that we are dead.
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We go over that understanding again and apply it to ourselves.
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It is the sprinkling of the ashes of the red heifer that this is figuratively
represented by.
We died once and for all with Jesus.
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We never have to die again.
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Someone said we die daily.
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WRONG.
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We remind ourselves DAILY that we are dead, but we do not die daily.
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When Paul spoke about dying daily, he referred to actually accepting the
fact that he might physically die each day, due to persecution.
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It is appointed unto man ONCE to die.
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That is already accomplished.
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But we are renewed a bit more in our consciences and understandings by
being reminded that we died with Him.
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It was wrong for us to think of ourselves in the same context we existed
in before we died with Christ.
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We are totally new creatures now.
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All of that is dead and buried!
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And misunderstanding that DEFILES our consciences.
When Paul taught about our eyes of understanding, in Ephesians 1, he noted
two things that are represented by the reference to "eyes."
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We already mentioned eyes of UNDERSTANDING.
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But read this:
Ephesians 1:17-18 That the God of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of
wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your
understanding
being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and
what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
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We must UNDERSTAND properly about Him.
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Receive some WISDOM about Him.
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He was God's ONE-MAN PLAN.
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He became all of us when He died on the cross.
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His death was our deaths.
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That is why we need to understand HIM.
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We need to have knowledge of HIM.
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What was HE all about?
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HIS death and HIS crucifixion.
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Understanding and wisdom teaches you that we were included IN HIM when
HE died.
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We were UNITED TO HIM in His death.
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So when we understand HIM on the cross, then we see OUR experiences.
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And we must understand that the experience of dying due to sin HAS ALREADY
HAPPENED TO US who have believed.
Be WISE concerning this truth.
Matthew 7:24-25 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: 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.
To DO the sayings of Jesus after hearing them is to be a WISE man.
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To build your house on the rock is to STABILIZE YOUR LIFE.
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It is to have a life that is not SHAKEN or moved.
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The wind that blows are the false doctrines that are spirits of untruth.
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WIND even means SPIRIT in Hebrew.
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But one who received WISDOM about WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST, will not be blown
by spirits and winds of error.
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One will stand no matter what lies come, and one will laugh, knowing the
devil is foolish enough to try to LIE to us about not being NEW CREATURES
since our resurrections with Christ.
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New creatures have sinful pasts that are dead and buried, and no longer
part of them.
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You could say THEY HAVE NO SINFUL PASTS, because they are created anew,
with a brand new start since death with Christ.
When you act "cross-less", as though you are still the same creature you
were before you were crucified with Christ, YOU HAVE TOUCHED THE BODY OF
THE DEAD MAN.
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our
old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed,
that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Numbers 19:13 Whosoever toucheth the dead
body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle
of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water
of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness
[is] yet upon him.
You connected yourself to that OLD MAN that is no longer part of you.
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You are double-minded.
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You half-understand that you are a new creature, but also, at the same
time, believe you're the same old "same old."
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And a double minded man is UNSTABLE in all his ways.
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You are not BUILT ON A ROCK.
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Until you get the words of Christ in your heart so that you DO THEM, or
in other words, you LIVE THEM, you are UNSTABLE.
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And you are susceptible to lies of the devil, and therefore, prey to condemnation.
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YOU NEED TO BECOME WISE.
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And how do you become WISE?
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WISE is being SINGLE MINDED as opposed to DOUBLE MINDED.
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You need to receive WISDOM.
Wisdom is a SHE.
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The CHURCH, the BRIDE, imparts wisdom to the children.
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I am giving you wisdom today.
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The CHURCH is imparting to you revelation and understanding.
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You are receiving knowledge of HIM, and therefore you see who YOU are.
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Looking into the WORD is like looking into a MIRROR.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with
open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into
the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord.
How can we look and se an image of the glory of the Lord in a MIRROR?
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Do we not see OURSELVES in mirrors?
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Then, why would we see the Lord's glory in a mirror and be changed into
it?
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What does Paul mean?
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He means that by seeing Him we see ourselves.
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We are united to Him now since our deaths with Him.
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Since His death became our deaths, we are one with the Son.
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And when we learn about that IN THE WORD, the WORD shows us who we are
-- ONE WITH HIM.
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That is why its like a mirror, because when we learn about HIM we learn
about ourselves.
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And through learning more and gaining WISDOM, we BEHAVE more like Him.
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But we need to see our unions with Him first.
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The more you understand your union to Him and all the implications of that
truth, THE WISER YOU ARE.
That is why the spirit of wisdom is able to learn the KNOWLEDGE OF HIM.
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And that is why Paul said we are seated WITH HIM after saying we must UNDERSTAND
that He is seated above all powers.
That is the reason James said people can be doubleminded, and forget what
they see in the mirror AFTER HE SAID IF ANY MAN LACK WISDOM LET HIM ASK
OF GOD.
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This WISDOM in the form of TEACHING must be ENGRAFTED INTO YOU.
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Engrafted means that it is SUCCESSFULLY ADDED to your life, as a branch
is engrafted into a tree trunk, so that it can live and produce fruit.
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We need to see these TRUTHS begin to PRODUCE a change in our lives.
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness
and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted
word, which is able to save your souls.
James said that in the midst of all of his teachings about DOUBLE MINDEDNESS
and WISDOM.
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Engrafting the wisdom of God's word into your lives is the same thing as
saying we are sprinkled with the ashes of the red heifer.
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Both speak of APPLYING TRUTHS TO OUR LIVES.
James told us to be doers and not hearers of the world only.
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Jesus said the same thing when He spoke about the WISE man who built his
house on a rock.
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James spoke about being UNSTABLE.
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So did Jesus, when He said a fool is building on sand, and winds can blow
that house over.
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All of Jesus' thoughts of the wise man and the fool are here in James.
WISDOM: James 1:5
HEARERS AND DOERS: James 1:22
UNSTABLE AND ON SAND: James 1:8
We must look into the mirror and LEARN WHO WE ARE.
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Looking in the mirror....
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Being Sprinkled with ashes of the red heifer...
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Receiving the engrafted word of God....
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Eating the bread and the wine...
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ALL SPEAK OF THE SAME THING.
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RECEIVING WISDOM OF WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST.
We are learning how great a difference there is in our lives since we DIED
WITH HIM.
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The Shulamite in Song of Solomon had to actually be told WHO SHE WAS in
Chapter 4, and HOW CLEAN SHE WAS, after she felt she was unclean in Chapter
2.
RESCUE YOUR MIND from confusion and condemnation... SAVE YOUR SOULS.
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Your soul is your WILL, INTELLECT and EMOTIONS.
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James said this to people already saved from sin.
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But he is now speaking about SAVING OUR SOULS FROM CONDEMNATION AND ERROR.
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RESCUING OUR MINDS.
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Receiving WISDOM will rescue your mind from a lot of lying from the devil.
WISDOM CRIES.
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SHE is understanding and SHE puts forth HER voice.
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The CHURCH is where you learn.
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Not just any church, but a church that truly teaches the truth.
COMPARE:
Proverbs 8:5 O ye simple, understand
wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding
heart.
Ephesians 1:17-18 That the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and
what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Proverbs notes the very two elements that Paul said we require.
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WISDOM IS FEMININE because the CHURCH is ordained to teach this to
people, and the CHURCH is feminine.. the BRIDE OF CHRIST.
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Believers are not feminine, but children of God, men and women.
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But as whole the CHURCH is regarded as the MOTHER.
Proverbs 9:5 Come, eat of my bread,
and drink of the wine [which] I have mingled.
BREAD AND WINE.
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The CHURCH/WISDOM cries for you to come and eat bread and wine at her table.
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The bread speaks of the broken body of Christ, broken FOR YOU.
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The poured out WINE speaks of the SHED BLOOD that was spilled FOR YOU.
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Eating bread and wine represents LEARNING MORE AND MORE about our deaths
with Christ.
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We put the bread into us and the wine into us in symbolism of getting the
truths of our union to Him into our hearts and making them a part of us.
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Learning them TO REMEMBER THEM AND NOT FORGET when the devil lies to us.
Matthew 26:26-28 And as they were eating,
Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave
it
to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the
cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all
of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many
for the remission of sins.
We must not FORGET these truths.
1Corinthians 11:25 After the same
manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup
is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it,
in
remembrance of me.
1Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat
this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till
he come.
Why UNTIL HE COMES?
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Because until He comes we will be lied to by the devil.
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He will try to cause us to fall.
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SO WE MUST BE BUILT ON THE ROCK OF THE WORD.
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And communion is part of BUILDING ON THE ROCK.
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MAKING US SOLID AND STABLE.
The CHURCH is ordained to TEACH YOU.
Ephesians 4:11-15 And he gave some,
apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors
and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth
be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind
of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may
grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Notice the point about being taught so that we will not be TOSSED ABOUT
WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE.
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That is what Jesus said will happen to the FOOL building on sand.
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Man was made from sand of the earth.
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And too many believers never learn the word nor attend Bible study, and
they are building on their OWN OPINIONS -- SAND -- THEMSELVES.
James said the same thing.
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith,
nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven with the wind and tossed
Waves are driven with the wind.
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Believers whose lives are built on sand are like waves, because waves and
houses on sand are blown away by the winds or lies and false doctrines.
RESCUE YOUR MINDS.
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart
all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness
the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Receive ENGRAFTED WISDOM.
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Make it PART OF YOU -- ENGRAFTED into your life.
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This is the OIL that the WISE virgins had in their lamps KEEPING THEIR
FLAMES of the Spirit burning.
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WISE VIRGINS.
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Filled with WISDOM.
Colossians 1:9-11 For this cause we
also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and
to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy
of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good
work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might,
according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with
joyfulness;
We will be FRUITFUL when WISDOM IS ENGRAFTED into us.
The foolish virgins were told to Buy OIL for themselves.
Matthew 25:8-9 And the foolish
said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But
the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for
us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Isaiah 55:1-3 Ho, every one that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy,
and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without
price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?
and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently
unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight
itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear,
and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting
covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Zechariah 4 shows two olive trees pouring GOLD OIL into the candlesticks.
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Revelation 11 shows TWO OLIVE TREES PROPHESYING.
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So the GOLD coming from the olive trees is TEACHINGS and PROPHESYINGS (preachings)
that FEED the candlesticks -- THE CHURCHES (Rev 1:20).
What is GOLD?
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Not just any old teaching.
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It is teaching.
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But it is teaching about specific truths.
2Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied
unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that
hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers
of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that
is in the world through lust.
We must LEARN that we ESCAPED the corruption of the world.
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We must be TAUGHT that we are CHANGED.
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And we are PARTAKING OF THE DIVINE NATURE.
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GOLD in the Bible is symbolic of the DIVINE NATURE.
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That is the olive tress POURED GOLD into the candlesticks.
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It is TEACHING that the Word provides.
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Understanding in the KNOWLEDGE OF HIM -- that is what Ephesians 1:17-18
said!
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Being sprinkled with ashes of the red heifer.
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Eating bread and wine.
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Receiving the ENGRAFTED WORD.
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RECEIVING WISDOM.
Praise God!!!
Proverbs 8:14-15
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I
have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Kings reign by understanding.
Revelation 1:6 And hath made
us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be
glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Believers who do not have WISDOM as to who they are, are unstable and are
KINGS THAT DO NOT REIGN.
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But kings will reign by WISDOM.
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Let us learn who we are and start REIGNING like the kings we are!
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The devil will not throw you around any longer when you learn who you are
and what power you have in Jesus' Name!
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You WILL THROW HIM AROUND!