Taking Our Eyes off of Jesus

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. Matt 6:22

When the disciples were all enthralled looking at Moses and Elijah and Jesus, the Father interrupted them and said, “This is My Beloved Son, hear Him.”

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.  Matt 17:1-5

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. Matt 17:6-8

We so often in church get off into ministries of other things and the Father still says, “My child, look to Jesus only.”

 Jesus showed me something wonderfully enlightening a while back. In the bible it says that one day some pharisees came up to him and said, They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? John 6:30

 Jesus showed me that if they had merely followed Him around a bit they would have seen all those miracles, He was performing them all the time! The thing the Lord showed me is that if they did that they would have had to listen to Him talk, and the Pharisees of Jesus day didn’t like to do that. It is hard sometimes for all of us, we all act like that type Pharisee sometimes.

Sometimes ministers and other christians get a bit stuck in the preaching of repentance, When this happens, it comes out in the preaching. We begin to tell others not the gospel of Jesus grace and His power, but rather we start telling them how to do it themselves, how to clean themselves up, when all they need to do is turn to Him. They need to know Him more, to learn to walk in His Spirit, to yield and submit to His leading. “I can do all things through Christ Jesus”

In the Gospels we see that when a call for repentance came many people were baptized by John the Baptist for the repentance of sins, they repented of as many sins as they could.

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Matt 3:1-6

John told the people to believe in Jesus, not himself. John made the road straight, for the people to turn their lives to Jesus. We still get baptized in Johns baptism for repentance, but it was the precursor to baptism in Jesus name. Jesus said to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. John 1:15-20

John said Jesus would baptize people with the Holy Spirit: And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. John 1:33

Those that couldn’t repent of all of their sins on their own at John’s preaching, were prepared for the Messiah who would deliver them from bondage to all sin. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29

 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.  John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.  Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.  He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:26-30

Its fairly easy to call people to repent and some things are easy to repent of but we do grave disservice if we dont show them how to walk with Jesus and learn of Him and go to Him for sanctification. We end up with ministries of condemnation and churches full of people who didnt seemingly need Jesus for anything anyway because they were able to do it all on their own. Or they were convinced they could be perfect if they just tried harder, and didnt dare admit they have sins they cant break off because the congregation appears so righteous they dont want to be the only sinner in the room. Some churches, instead of being places where sinners gather to fellowship and praise the Lord who is sanctifying them as they walk out life down here are more like cheering squads for God’s team: “Go team, try harder, dont let the world know you still have any problems or sins, win every game, dont be losers, dont appear flawed in any way. Churches like that end up legalistic and very mean, and lately alot have become even militaristic..

Think of the surprise/shock of the people that had repented and been baptized by John and then went and heard Jesus speak the sermon on the mount saying things like:

 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  Matt 5:27-28

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Matt 5:21-22

That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:20

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. Matt 5:38-39

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Matt 5:43-44

and the biggie: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matt 5:48

Some people say that Jesus was weeding out all the weak followers but I think he was weeding out all the strong ones, those that trusted in their own strength and righteousness. Not weeding them out forever, just showing them that their own strength and righteousness was not enough, and would never be enough, so that they would come to realize they also needed a Savior. A Pharisee said something to Jesus about how Jesus hadn’t washed His hands before eating dinner and Jesus said to him:

And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Luke 11:39

and Jesus began to explain the real problem with man:

And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. Mark 7:14-15

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.  Mark 7:21-23

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45

 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8

In the old testament they were given the law, which no one could perfectly follow. Jesus in the sermon on the mount made it even more difficult to attain the level of righteousness that God requires!

People could never fully do it on their own, because people can’t change their hearts. 

And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.  Mark 10:26-27

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:34-36

If we only preach repent, we are not preaching the gospel. Jesus came to earth and died for our sins, He has us be born again with new hearts and fills us with the Holy Spirit so that we can be sanctified by Him through the Spirit.

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Gal 3:24

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Col 2:13-14

…to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor 1:17-18

Jesus says to us the same as He said to Paul: But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Acts 26:16-18

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Eph 2:8-9

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 2 Thess 2:13

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 1 Peter 1:2

Jesus said:

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

After Jesus was resurrected the disciples began preaching in the book of acts: Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Acts 3:19-20

When I read that scripture the Lord said to me “I told them that after I was resurrected, that sermon was preached after I was ascended, they told the people that I would come to dwell with them, I didn’t send a doctrine, I came myself, that I might have daily fellowship with them, that I might work through them.”

When we are constantly hearing how we must try harder, repent harder, appear unflawed, never admit any errors, we can no longer see Jesus, we dont walk in love and freedom, only condemnation and strife. And a sick sort of self justification often enters our hearts–and we think things like at least i’m not as bad as that guy! And all our problems are because of what someone else did because we’ve been convinced to admit failure is somehow deadly and will get us kicked out of the flock…and we totally take our eyes off of Jesus who is the only one who can save us.

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Cor 3:14-17

As long as Jesus is pouring out His mercy and grace I believe we should almost always be  preaching repent and:

…repent ye, and believe the gospel. Mark 1:15

…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19

..that they should repent and turn to God, Acts 26:20

The other day I heard a sermon by a pastor that told us we needed to clean our temples so that we would be ready for the anointing that is soon to be poured out. He said we need to sanctify ourselves before the soon coming of the Lord.

I am not a temple cleaner. When I first got saved I was appalled at my unrighteousness as I’m sure a lot of other people were. I began to clean my temple and thought I was doing a wonderful job of it. The Lord showed me that now my temple was now filled with filthy rags.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.. Isaiah 64:6

Jesus said to me:  For we are his workmanship…    Eph 2:10

and:

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…  Heb 12:2

 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  Phil 1:6

Jesus said to me: “I am the fullers soap, I am the sanctifier, I clean the temple”

(Phewwww!)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

And Jesus doesn’t save us and then leave it up to us.

..having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?  Gal 3:3

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Eph 2:8-9

  I began in the Spirit because I couldn’t do it myself, I came to Jesus and He did it.

 Jesus said when He convicts me of a particular sin then I am to repent, renounce it, and give myself to Him as a living sacrifice, even if its really hot in the fire, and that if I wanted to I could ask Him to bind the sacrifice to the alter. But He said to not fix myself. He said that when I gave my life to Him He promised to save me and take me to heaven, which means that He will make me able and Holy, in His timing, He promised.

Paul explained to Jewish believers the difference between the circumcision of the flesh and the circumcision of the heart– For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Romans 2:28-29

and the difference between following the law or walking in faith: And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Gal 3:12-14

And Paul explained the story of the two sons, one Issac and one Ishmael, each born of different mothers and circumstances. God gave a promise to Abraham and Abraham went about trying to fulfil it himself.

For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.  Gal 4:27-30

thou that travailest not…

The Lord promised to save us and we have to stop always trying to do it ourselves and rely on His promises instead.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2:8-9

Boasting sounds like, “I laid it down, I fought it, I resisted, I persisted, I overcame… I did it by my strength”

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Zech 4:6-7

  It is true that the last days are very near and Jesus is returning soon, it is true that we must be Holy, but if I spend my days down here doing what I think He wants me to do instead of listening for His directions for the moment I will not be walking with Him and fellowshipping with Him, and in the end I will only be superficially clean.

Instead of us breaking off sins and bad habits to be able to receive the anointing the way i read it the opposite is true:

 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. Isaiah 10:27

 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Luke 4:18

  Jesus is the Anointing, He is the Anointed One. When I am weak then am I strong. Jesus strength is made perfect in weakness. Resting in Him and trusting in Him to do the work, works. He has already delivered me from so many things, I am content to trust Him with the rest, waiting, clothed in His righteousness.

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.  2 Cor 3:6

If we preach only the doctrine of repent as in telling people that if they confess their sins and believe Jesus is the Son of God thats all they need to do, that isnt making disciples of Jesus. And If thats all it took then God would have ended it after Johns baptism, people would have gone down to the river gotten baptized the end and Jesus wouldnt have had to die for anyone’s sins. But instead Jesus said,

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  John 3:5

 The gospel says the Holy Spirit will convict people of sin, not that we will. John 16:7-9.

  Jesus did not sanctify Peter fully when He called him, He simply told peter to follow Him. He didn’t sanctify him fully before He sent him out preaching with the 12. Mat 10:5, or even when He baptized him in the Holy Spirit at pentecost.. later when Paul was where Peter was, he rebuked him for a sin of being partial with who he was fellowshipping with Gal 2:11-14. Jesus knew from the beginning that these sins were in Peter, He did not make him perfect in those first years. He could have said, Peter when you clean up your act, come, and follow Me. Thank God He didn’t. Peter was sanctified as he walked with Jesus, even after the resurrection, it was a process. He calls us to walk with Him and let Him be Lord of our lives. He will indeed sanctify us, but with His two-edged sword and His power, and He will do a thorough job of it.

And He showed me this word of warning for when I think I should be fixing other people, in whom the Spirit of God resides:

And when they came unto the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.  1 Chron 13:9-10

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 2 Cor 7:10

I used to try to convince people to repent in my own power, in the wrong spirit, it was a ministry of condemnation. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:17-18

In the gospels, to the rich man that said he followed the law, Jesus said, oh but you have to sell your stuff and give to the poor and come follow me… nothing was ever good enough. Jesus was doing away with the old covenant totally. We cannot be saved by works and grace, we have to choose one or the other.

John baptist said:

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:  Matt 3:11

And Isaiah said:

And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: Isaiah 1:25

And Zechariah said:

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. Zech 13:9

And Jesus said:

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Rev 3:17-20

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Heb 10:5-18

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.  2 Cor 5:19-21