Serpent on a Pole

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifed up (John 3:14).

The brazen "serpent" lifted up by Moses was symbolical of the means of salvation provided by God, in Christ and his death under divine judgment upon sin. Whereas the living "serpent" symbolizes sin in its origin, for example, unforgiveness and its deadly effects, the brazen "serpent" symbolized the bearing away of the curse and the judgment of sin; and the metal itself representing the righteousness of God's judgment.

The brazen "serpent" on the pole that is associated with hospitals throughout the country is symbolical for healing.

Propitiation

The term propitiation was used among the Greeks with reference to appease or to show mercy. It also signifies an expiation, a means whereby sin is covered and remitted. It is used in the New Testament of Christ Himself as "the propitiation", in 1 John 2:2 and 4:10, signifying that He Himself, through the expiatory sacrifice of His death, is the personal means by whom God shows mercy to the sinner who believes on Christ as the One of provided the ultimate sacrifice.

In 1 John 2:2 Christ is described as "the propitiation" for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. The italicized "the sins of" in the King James Version gives a wrong interpretation indicating that provision is made for the whole world, so that no one is, by divine predetermination, excluded from the scope of God's mercy, on the contrary, the "propitiation" however, is made actual for only those who believe.

In John 4:10, the fact that God "sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" is shown to be the great expression of God's love toward man, and the reason why Christians should love one another.

Thank You!

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank each of you who have visited my blogsite, and been blessed by God's Word. His word is truly a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. It is the Bread of Life to us.

Thanks for your comments and insight that you share. It mean so much to me knowing that the Word of God is making a different in your life. My prayer is that you will continue to prosper throughout the coming year in ALL that you stretch forth your hands to do in His name, Amen.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit's home is the human body. "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit." Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." In the Old Testament times the Holy Spirit's work as indicated in the Scriptures was in creation, renewing the face of the earth, inspiring men to write the Holy Oracles of God, and coming upon men for special operations and special works of might and leadership. His permanent home then was in the tabernacle, afterwards the temple.

The Holy Spirit did not make His permanent home in the body of man then, because man was spiritually dead, a child of the Devil though he lived under the Blood Covenant and was sheltered by the Atonement Blood. He could not make His home in the human body until man had been recreated. This could not take place until Christ had come and paid the penalty of sin, taken His seat as Mediator, and sent Eternal Life to the men and women who would take Him as Savior and Lord.

The Holy Spirit's work today is first, that of a convicter of the world. He does this through the preaching of God's Word, through the Living Word in the lives of believers, through the written word, the Scriptures, or spiritual literature. His work in the individual members of the Family of God is that of a Teacher, Guide, Comforter, and Sanctifier. The Holy Spirit's home is in the heart of God's Children, but He does not come into every believe at the New Birth. The New Birth is receiving the life and nature of God. This makes him a child of God and a human temple for the Holy Spirit to indwell. After he is born again, he has a legal right to ask the Holy Spirit to come into his body and make it His home.

How The Kingdom Works

Speak to your body; it will respond to you! Scientist have discovered a part of your brain that is voice activated. If you say, "I'm tired," they found that your brain will hear it and tell your body to prepare for rest. You'll become more tired as you talk "tired." If you say "I feel good" that same part of your brain will start sending endorphines through your body to energize you. The scientific community is discovering what God has said all along. Use your words to command pain to leave! You can speak to your body and make it recover. The anointing is already inside you to heal the sick, cleanse to lepers, and raise the dead. If you're not seeing it manifest, it's not God. Remember, Mark 11:23-24 says speak to your mountain and it shall obey you.

Children of God vs. sons of God

The difference between believers as "children of God" and as "sons of God" is brought out in Rom. 8:14-21. The Spirit bears witness with their spirit that they are "children of God", and, as such, they are His heirs and joint-heirs with Christ. This stresses the fact of their spiritual birth (verses 16 and 17). On the otherhand, "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God". Their conduct gives evidence of the dignity of their relationship and their likeness to His character.

Matt. 5:9 "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God, and verse 44, 45, "Love your enemies and pray for them that persecute you, that ye may become sons of your Father which is an Heaven". The disciples were to do these things not in order that they might become children of God, but that being children they might make the fact manisfest in their character, might "become sons". See 2 Cor. 6:17, 18.

Also, for Scriptures where Jesus by His Holy Spirit and power indwells believers and molds their character in conformity to His likeness, See: Rom. 8:10; Gal. 2:20, 4:19; and Eph. 3:17.

The Prayer Problem

The Prayer Problem is a problem of Faith; and Faith is a problem of the integrity of the Word, of the ability of God to stand back of His promises or the statements of fact in the Word. There is another side of the problem: It is the ability of the believer to stand in the Father's presence without a sense of guilt, condemnation or inferiority. The real question then, is after we know that God cannot lie or His word cannot be broken "Have I a right to stand in the Father's presence and make my petitions known to Him without condemnation?"

Remember, you are holy and without blame in His sight (Eph. 1:4).