A Need For
Heavenly
Enlightenment
Written & Published by
Revelation Messengers Publishing
www.revelationmessengers.com
May 2011
The
power that rose Christ from the dead and set Him on the right hand of
God in the heavenly places, is the same power that opens the eyes of
our understanding and causes us to know what is the hope of the
calling, and what are the riches of the glory of God’s
inheritance in store for us. It makes known the splendor and majesty
of the exceeding greatness of God’s power that is toward us who
believe. This is the divine purpose for enlightening the faculties of
the understanding of the carnal mind. Ephesians 1:17-20:
“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, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to
us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set
him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.”
The working of the mighty power of God is what brings about this
enlightenment in a man. The enlightenment is a receiving of the
“wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17), and in this way
the mind is renewed. Romans 12:2.
Without this working of divine power upon the hearts and minds of believers—a
greater enlightenment into divine things—faith towards God is
robbed of the nourishment to grow into maturity. To remain steadfast
unto the end (Revelation 2:3), and not faint, one must have the
fellowship of God and revelation of the things of God. The resulting
“enlightenment” will be a continual experience of those
having a genuine relationship—connection—with Christ,
because He will ever lead into new truth. If such is not the present
experience of believers, it is that stagnation has occurred, which is
but the ceasing
of growth.
Such stagnation will be if the Christian’s mind is not continually
renewed, and thus transformed, by receiving fresh insight from God
through a relationship with Him. And if this is so, if the believer’s
mind has not the heavenly enlightenment, it will reason only after
the pattern of natural thinkers and carnal minds. It will reason
according to the corruptible nature. This is detrimental to faith in
Christ! In this condition there would no doubt be conformity to the
vain ideology and practices of the world, and to that which is not
heavenly. We would esteem that which is base like the rest of world.
Mark that this we once did and were as lost sheep going astray. It
was the presence of God, the kingdom of God, from which we strayed.
But in that Christ came “to seek and to save that which was
lost” (Luke 19:10), the Good Shepherd draws the human soul away
from that which is iniquity toward
the righteousness of God, bringing us into His true fold, that, when
He comes, He may receive us as sheep when He separates the sheep from
the goats. Matthew 25:32, 33. And the time for this separation is
nearer than when we first believed. Romans 13:11. The day of Christ
draws nigh.
Yet most of the people of God have fallen asleep and grown careless in
matters of faith and relationship with God, having become busy with
worldly, unprofitable pursuits; their affection, shifted earthward.
This is the result of a loss of heaven’s communion in the life.
Many have fallen into fellowship with the world because their minds
had not been further enlightened with that wisdom which supersedes
the delusions of the world’s delicacies and unholy conduct that
attracts us, needed at the time of temptation. His relationship with
God would have spared the troubled Christian had he taken time to
seek counsel and encouragement from God. They have become no
different from those in the Biblical parable (Luke 14:15-24; Matthew
22:1-14), caring not for the supper of the great King, made in
celebration for the marriage of His Son, because of earthborn
enterprise and care. See Revelation 3:17. They have fellowship with
the world but have not the true and genuine fellowship of God.
“Ye adulterers and
adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity
with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the
enemy of God.” James 4:4
What will happen when Christ appears? These believe that it will be said
to them by the Bridegroom when He comes, “Well done, good and
faithful servants.” Matthew 25:21. Where, if to be pointed out,
is the faithfulness that is to be commended? No, but they have
separated themselves from God through their selfish pursuits. It is
not possible to be faithful towards the Lord while possessing the
friendship of the world. God is seeking to arouse the children of men
from the great deception which has swept the masses. Of Christians:
because God’s followers think they can have
both worlds;
enjoy
both
worlds;
live
for both worlds.
And non-Christians: because they are striving for a corruptible crown
alone (1 Corinthians 9:24, 25). See Hebrews 12:1.
Jesus declared of Himself that He was not of this world. John 17:16. So
then, the
faith of Christ,
in true form, contains no worldliness. This, only, is pure and
undefiled religion before God. James 1:27. If there is a following of
the world’s example for work and occupation as the
accomplishment for one’s life, rather than fulfilling with his
life the works God has given him to do—“For
we are…created
in Christ
Jesus
unto good
works,
which
God
hath
before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10; “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far
journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and
to every man his work,
and commanded the porter to watch.” Mark 13:34—; if there
is indulgence in the carnal lusts; if there is an esteeming of this
world’s goods, in all this, we are brought into likeness with
the world.
There must be put out of the mind every worldly thing that has come to be
cared to be possessed, or we will not follow Christ as true children
of God. In Christ is the power to be a son of God, and He bestows it
upon those who receive Him and believe on His Name. “But as
many as received
him, to
them gave he
power
to become the
sons of God,
even to them that believe
on
his name.”
John 1:12. Therefore in
Christ
is all the power needed to walk worthy as a child of God. “I
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech
you that ye
walk
worthy
of the vocation [invitation] wherewith ye are called.”
Ephesians 4:1. And so we must have a genuine and personal
relationship with Christ if we are to truly be the children of God.
None can truthfully be so apart from Christ. “For ye are all
the children of God by
faith in
Christ
Jesus.”
Galatians 3:26. That is, none can truthfully be so apart from
connection
with Him;
and in this connection we are given the insight to help overcome
temptation for that which is not becoming for the children of God.
“Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the
vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are
the branches: He that abideth
in me, and I
in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
John 15:4, 5
When the heart is yielded to Christ the working of God’s power is
welcome there: a deeper understanding of the hope of the calling, the
inheritance of the saints, and the majesty of God will be brought to
the individual. Only by having this continual enlightenment would
believers not stray from the true faith of Christ, or that
inheritance which it bestows, because the human mind does not, of
itself,
have a perception true enough of the kingdom of God, and therefore, a
believer’s faith is not strong enough to fight for truth and
abstain from the pleasures and practices that attend the present
age—which conflict with the righteousness of God that Christ
seeks to bestow upon believers (Romans 3:22)—apart from this
divine enlightenment; and the weak believer is persuaded by the
convincing suggestions of this fallen age.
Hopeful Answers
I asked one weary traveler, “Art thou not tired of traveling this way?”
He answered, ‘Twill be worth it, For then will come the glorious day.”
I inquired with one worn pilgrim, “Why travelest thou on this rough land?”
He responded, “It is this rugged way, That leadeth me to the promised land.”
I asked a dusty passerby,
“Why walkest on a lonely road so bare?”
Said he,“There’s paradise after
this lonely journey, And I am almost there.”
I asked of one with painful steps, “Why didst thou choose a path as dark as night?”
He said, “Although it’s full of shadows, It leads me to the everlasting light.”
I met a worn yet cheerful soul, “Is not thy body tired and sore?”
“Ah yes,” said he, “but I care not, For not far away is the Golden Shore.”
I questioned one who somewhat weekly walked, “Thinkest
not that this path has many a difficulty?” “Oh my friend,” he hath answered me,
“On reaching the end there is a bright and beautiful city. There’ll be no more darkness nor sorrow there,
And best of all, I’ll see my Jesus who for us died. He is lovingly waiting, let us walk there
Fixed on His blessed cross, for he waits for you with arms opened wide.”
Eunice Braidman
To inherit a holy kingdom and world requires preparation of him who has
lived in a world full of wickedness. God will do this, by His Son
Jesus Christ, giving the power to become a true child of God. 1
Corinthians 8:6. The Father and Son, who come to dwell in the hearts
of those who believe, are willing to bestow the grace upon us that
this spiritual reformation may take place—both in manifestation
and in will.
“Wherefore we
receiving a kingdom
which cannot be moved, let
us have grace, whereby
we may serve
God
acceptably
with reverence and godly fear.” Hebrews 12:28
Additional Study Materials Available
The New Covenant and The Law
The Spirit of God
The Importance of Understanding and Keeping God’s Commandments
(According to the
Scriptures)*
Enter His Rest
Sunday (the first day) in the New Testament*
A treatise on God’s Sabbath
The Law before Sinai
The True Israel of God**
The Rusty Woomer Story (Bill Stringfellow)*
What Denomination Should I join? (Lynnford Beachy)
What Must I Do To Be Saved…?
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
Changed By The Spirit
Christ Reflected (Alonzo T. Jones)
The Faith of Jesus (Alonzo T. Jones)
The Dangers of the Cares of Life
Living for Christ and Keeping His Work
An Investigation of the Scriptures on Truth and its Importance
Anathema Maranatha
The God of Our Fathers
Hidden Truth
Take Your Stand and Fight
By Beholding We Become Changed
Baalmass and Pagan Easter (L.B. Brunk)
Christ In You (Lynnford Beachy)
Our efforts are to encourage
individuals to develop a close, intimate relationship with our
Heavenly Father and His only begotten Son, by the power of God’s
Holy Spirit. The law cannot save; it only condemns those who
transgress it (Rom. 7:7). Salvation is only through faith in Christ.
Conversion means change. Christian reform means to repent, abandon
errors, false doctrines & traditions, and embrace and live
according to Biblical truth. We provide all our materials free of
charge, simply for the asking. We deeply appreciate your prayers. If
you have a burden to share these materials with others, please
contact us. May our God richly bless you along paths of righteousness
and truth. 1 Jn. 4:1-4.
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Revelation Messengers
P O Box 3204
Santa Barbara, CA 93130
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