Eternal Glorious Fountain Ministry (EGFM)
Programme: Writing the Vision (October)
Date: Saturday, 15th October
We need to understand the precept of everlasting life. This is because we are not to stay with doctrine alone; we are expected to move into the season of precept. We cannot understand the doctrine of everlasting life without laying down precepts (Isaiah 28:10; 29:9). We must move from teaching into another breakthrough in the realm of the spirit wherein we come into understanding. The time of understanding is marked by how precept is placed upon precept. The essence of the conversation of everlasting life is that without it, the doctrine will not be adorned or beautified. As humans, we like things that are elegant. We cannot enter the season of adorning in everlasting life without the laying of precepts. However, this is not what we can hewn out for ourselves. Hence, we must look up to the Son of God.
The Lord spoke to His disciples, “...by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, by continuing in my word…” (John 8:31). Another pillar He raised as an indication that we are engaging the doctrine of everlasting life is that we will be one as They are one (John 17:21). One of the adornings of the doctrine that will be evident in us is that all our differences will be evened out. We will become one and this will be by loving one another. This is a conversation that men will come into by holding on to the doctrine of everlasting life.
If we truly understand doctrine, the precepts of the doctrine will be evident. The precept is the evidence of coming into understanding. One conversation that will be borne in those that abound in the doctrine of Christ in order to have the doctrine of God is that they will hold fast to what they have, lest they lose it. Such men do not bid godspeed to those who do not like the doctrine (2 John 1:8). This shows that the apostles also showcased the precepts that must be taken to arrive at the destination of everlasting life.
The everlasting word has boundaries which Jacob called everlasting bounds (Gen. 49:26). We will come into different portions of everlasting life. In everlasting life, there are zones that we are going to have to journey into; but to make further progress, the work of love is very important. We cannot come into the understanding of Eternal Life except we have walked in love. Such precepts must be accurately laid before us.
We are meant to reassure our brothers or sisters when they go through seasons of lack, shame and dishonour. Our warmth towards them might be their encouragement. There is only a thin line between loving our brethren and serving the Lord (Matt 25:37-38).
John spoke of a tribulation that was going to come upon a church and that they should be faithful unto death. In the season of the love of God, many of the love demands that will be placed on us will pertain to the brethren. How much we bear the burden of our brothers who go through tribulation will reflect in how compassionate we feel when we stand to pray for them. We often do not feel the weight of our brother’s tribulation as much as we would feel if it was our own tribulation.
Jesus was speaking in a parable about one of the precepts of everlasting life (Matt 20:10-12). This parable speaks of the heart of the Lord. It was a season of examining the reins of the heart. He regarded them as friends to show that it was a season of everlasting life. What they search for in the season of everlasting life is the reins of the heart. This is what determines what will be the reward for any work that is done (Rev. 2:23). They will examine the motives, intents and transactions of the heart. It is not only about doing things but about the state of our hearts when we do them. This is how works of everlasting life are measured. We must begin to observe the inward transactions of our heart that take place, even before we carry out any action.
We are being born of blood in this season. Being born of blood is to be born of everlasting life. To be born of the water is Christ, but to be born of the blood is to be born of the everlasting covenant. What they are trying to give birth to is the transaction of works of life within the soul. There are previous works of blood also in the soul (Heb. 12:4). Blood is thicker than water; there are materials within it. What the blood carries are works. There are things that blood speaks to us in order to reveal higher commandments of love which is the love of the Father. That love is that we must keep the love of the brotherhood.
What we are being taught is the love code that exists within the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. There is a way the Father loves the Son so much that He committed all judgement to the Son (John 5:20). The Son is keeping the secrets of the Father; hence, He is a friend of the Father. Secrets are kept with our friends and this is a type of how the Father tells the Son all things. What the Son is doing is what He learned from the Father; he saw how His Father loved Him and how committed He was to Him. The Father showed the Son the things that He Himself doeth (John 5:20). We are going to come to a place where we are naked before our brothers and are not afraid that we are going to be hurt. We are moving into zones wherein perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).
The essence of giving us judgement is for us to see the transactions that are between the Father and the Son. Their oneness is that they know all of one another's things. All their secrets are known amongst themselves and without fear of being hurt.
The expectation of God for us in this season is for us to see the conversation that exists between the Father and the Son, and this conversation comes through judgement. We are not going to love with the mouth merely. Judgements and standards have to be committed to our hearts. These days, God is breathing inspiration in our hearts that need to be exercised towards our brothers or sisters without fear of being misinterpreted, and also to love them despite their infirmities. In this season, we must not read meanings into the actions of our brethren when they are inspired to love. We have to love one another fervently with a pure heart so that we can be born of the everlasting covenant through the arrangement of our hearts and minds so that we can experience perfect liberty, because of the works that we are going to generate. Paul got to those zones but waited to be judged. He did not judge himself beforehand but waited for God.
Blessings!
Summary
1. Without the conversation of everlasting life, the doctrine will not be adorned or beautified. One of the adornings of the doctrine of everlasting life is that all our differences will be evened out. We will become one as the Godhead is one, and this will be by loving one another (John 17:21; 8:31). We cannot come into the understanding of Eternal Life unless we have walked in love.
2. For precepts to be accurately set in our hearts, we must strongly desire to wait on the Spirit to give us commandments. We are in the season wherein we are to keep the things that we are being taught so that we can embody them. (Matt. 28:20).
3. There are demands in obeying God that a believer can go through that may strip them of honour and esteem which can show them as naked or destitute. We should not be ashamed of them; rather we should identify with them and extend warmth towards them by encouragement. (Matt. 25:37-38).
4. In the season of the love of God, many of the love demands that will be placed on us will pertain to the brethren. How we bear the burden of our brothers who go through tribulations will reflect on how compassionate we feel when we stand to pray for them.
5. One thing that separates the season of Christ from everlasting works is that the latter has more to do with the heart. It is a realm of being swift, and where the response of the heart will be checked. Heaven is not only going to measure the action but the heart disposition as well.
6. In the season of everlasting life, God searches the reins of the heart - motives, intents and transactions. Works of everlasting life are measured not only in doing things but in the state of the hearts that do them (Rev. 2:23).
7. We are being born of blood in this season. To be born of the water is Christ, but to be born of the blood is to be born of the everlasting covenant.
8. There are things that blood speaks to us in order to reveal higher commandments of love, which is the love of the Father. Thus, we must keep the love of the brotherhood.
9. We are being taught the love code that exists within the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. There is a way the Father loves the Son; so much that He committed all judgements to the Son (John 5:20).
10. The Son is keeping the secrets of the Father. Hence, He is a friend of the Father. The Son is doing what He learned from the Father. The Father showed the Son the things that He Himself doeth (John 5:20).
11. The essence of giving us judgement is for us to see the transactions that are between the Father and the Son. Their oneness is that they know all of one another's things. All Their secrets are known amongst Themselves and without fear of being hurt.
12. We are going to come to a place where we are naked before our brothers and are not afraid of being hurt. We are moving into zones wherein perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).