Thus saith the LORD; “Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, the voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, ‘Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for His mercy endureth for ever:’ and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first,” saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 33:10-11
Bride
Marriage Supper
And a voice came out of the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great.’ And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.’ And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, ‘Write, ‘Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he saith unto me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’ And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, ‘See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’” Revelation 19:5-10 (KJV)
What a glorious and wonderful day it is for the bride when the day of the wedding finally arrives. What a glorious and wonderful day it will be for the Groom when the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is finally called. What a day that will be for all who are called to His Marriage supper.
A day of jubilation. A day when finally the bride will see their Lord face to face, and be united with Him throughout eternity.
One final note; if we are to understand all of Scripture and Biblical prophecy correctly we must see Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, as the “spirit of prophecy”. All of Scripture is about Jesus; the fulfillment of it all.
Jesus in Genesis (6)
Genesis 24:1-67
“And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: and I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: but thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; He shall send His angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter. Genesis 24:1-9 (KJV).
I will not post all 67 verses, but I will put the verse numbers for your reference to check out.
We have been LOOKING FOR JESUS in Genesis for several articles. I will do one more following this one, and then I am going to do a study in The Revelation of Jesus Christ; Lord willing.
There is a wedding which is going to be celebrated, in what I believe to be the not too distant future. Here in the Old Testament book of Genesis is a picture of the bringing together of the bride and the Bridegroom.
Jesus promised that after His ascension into Heaven He would send a Comforter. This comforter would guide into all truth. He would draw people to Jesus Christ.
In our text we have an unnamed servant of Abraham who is sent to find a bride for his son. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit inspired the writings of Scripture in the way He has here showing forth the glory of God, and His work bringing the lost to Jesus.
The servant went to the assigned place to seek a bride for Isaac. Rebekah was that chosen bride. This bride 1). “Believed a man she had never met before, 2). was asked to go to a land from which she was never to return, 3). was asked to marry a man whom she as yet had never seen.” M. R. DeHaan. The journey was about 600 miles on the back of a camel.
When the servant chose Rebekah it was then, a decision for her to make. The decision was one that could not wait (vv. 55-58). So Rebekah chose to go on a journey over hard country – a barren, dry and dangerous country.
When Rebekah saw Isaac for the first time he was coming from Lahairoi, which means, “The well of a Living One”. This is the first appearance of Isaac since the altar of Mount Moriah. Jesus will one day appear to take His bride who has been chosen by the Holy Spirit.
Let’s look at four of the characters in this text, and we will try and focus the picture on the One who is True.
First of all, look at the father. He loved Isaac and wanted a bride for him. He believed that God was faithful and would keep His promise and provide the bride. The bride could not be an outsider. The Father getting a bride for His Son, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day”. John 6:44 (KJV).
The next character we see in the text is the servant. He is a model servant. He does not go unsent (vv. 2-9), he goes where he is sent (vv. 4-10), he does nothing else, is prayerful and thankful (vv. 12-14, 26-27), he is wise to win (vv.17, 21), he speaks not of himself, but of his master’s riches, and Isaac’s heirship (vv. 34-36; Acts 1:8), he presents the true issue, and requires a clear decision (v. 49).
The work of the Spirit of God is the True: the antitype. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:” John 15:26 (KJV). “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:13-14 (KJV).
The third character is the chosen bride herself. She welcomed a stranger, whom she had never seen. This servant came to the well, seeking God’s direction, and Rebekah came and fulfilled the needs of this servants prayer (vv. 18-20, 24, 25). She accepted the servants invitation (vv. 55-58). The invitation was that she return to Canaan to be the wife of Isaac and receive the blessings of what he would inherit. Rebekah and the servant must have spoken much on the journey to meet the Bridegroom. She learned more about Isaac (v. 65) and more as she saw him and was getting nearer to him. She went over hard country in the care of the servant. This “Hard country” is the hardships, trials, and tribulations of living and growing in the Christian life. M. R. DeHaan said, “Rebekah was asked to believe a man she had never met before, to go to a land from which she was never to return, and to marry a man whom she as yet had never seen.”
The final character, but certainly not the least of the four is the son, in particular; his wedding. Weddings are most always a joyous event. It was for Isaac, and it was for Rebekah. When Rebekah came riding up on the camel with the servant she leaped off the camel. It does not say what she did when she leaped off the camel, but I just suppose that she ran to meet him, and their hearts became as one. In leaping off the camel Rebekah had left the last of her worldly possessions behind. Her journey is complete.
When Jesus and His Bride are joined together at last, they will never part, because it will be for all eternity.
The invitation is still extended. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev 22:17 (KJV).
If we have “Eyes to see, and ears to hear” we can see quite clearly the picture the Master has painted for us. We can see Jesus’ death in Isaac at the altar, we see His resurrection and ascension in that Isaac came from the “Well of the Living One”. We can see the work of the Holy Spirit in Abraham’s servant as he sought a bride for Isaac.
God is so good He paints us such beautiful pictures to show us how He is working throughout all of time to draw us to Himself. The Antitype is even more beautiful.
“And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:5-10 (KJV).
Scripture and Ever Present GOD
Some men have questioned Jesus on the teaching of the resurrection. These questions come from men who do not believe in the spiritual things. They do not believe in angels, or a resurrection; so Jesus knows that they are trying to deceive and trick Him into an answer that will trap Himself.
These were the Sadducees. A religious sect of the time which is believed to be made up of the Hebrew priesthood; and rejected many of the traditions of the elders, according to NELSON’S NEW ILLUSTRATED BIBLE DICTIONARY. They hated the Pharisees, and Jesus; yet both sects tried to trap Jesus, and eventually were together in His crucifixion.
Seven brothers for one bride (Matthew 22:23-28). A matter of Levirite marriage where if a man has a brother and he marrys a woman, and then he dies the next brother is to take his wife. The question is a ludicrous one; at least in my thinking. Hear the words of Jesus to them:
“Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.” Matthew 22:29-33 (KJV)
They were in error because they did not know the Scriptures; yet they prided themselves in knowing Scripture. The problem was – they did not believe it.
Jesus confronted them of their ignorance, and unbelief. Really it comes down to the point of questioning, if they even believed in God. Jesus put the men in their proper place.
In the resurrection things will be different from earth. Jesus says that there will not be any marriage in the resurrection, nor will any be given in marriage, but we will be as the angels. For Jesus to say that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; is to show that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are in fact still very much alive.
“I am the God of Abraham, … Isaac, … and Jacob” shows that God is a very present God. A “NOW” God. He did not say “I was…”. He did not say “I will be…” He said, “I am”.
Do you know Him through His Son Jesus Christ? Do you know Him NOW?
Song for the King
My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the King: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Psalm 45:1 (KJV)
The heart of the writer of this song is overflowing, jubilant, praising. It may be because it is the King’s wedding day.
For a scribe, a ready writer, one who loved the King it would truly be a wonderful, glorious day; and he would write of it with a joyous heart. This Psalm was written with a king in the lineage of David in mind; and it would not be wrong to especially include the Messiah of Israel as this King.
Those who love King Jesus can understand the jubilance of this song. The Christian is longing for that day when we will see the King in His glory when He comes to claim His bride, and completes the redemption of creation.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3 (KJV)
If you do not know this King He is the one who died on the cross, was buried, a bodily arose and came out of that grave alive. He is the one who is soon returning. Call on His name. Ask forgiveness for your sins, and turn to Him believing Him. His name is Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God.
Through the Bible in a Year 011313
Mysterious Faith
Genesis 14 – 32
1. Mystery of the Priest of the Most High God (14:17-24);
2. God’s Promises fulfilled (15 – 21);
15:6; 16:15-16; 17:19; 18:16-33; 19:15-16; 20:1-2; 21:1-3, 12;
3. Faith, Sacrifice, and a Bride (22 – 24);
22:1-6, 12-18; 23:1-2; 24:1-6, 34-36, 64-67;
4. Faith, Lying, Deception, Scheming, Deceiving and Back to Faith (25 – 29);
25:5, 19-28; 26:25; 27:33-35; 28:10-15; 29:21-25;
5. Rachel’s, Leah’s and Jacob’s Struggles; and Their Faith (30 – 32);
30:1-2, 22-24; 31:9; 32:1-2, 24-30
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Great Invitation to Blessing
And he saith unto me, ‘Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.’ ‘And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.‘ Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. ‘I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.‘ And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let him that heareth say, ‘Come.’ And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:10-17 (KJV)
Within these verses are the final Beatitude of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Also within these few verses is the final invitation of Scripture.
The Spirit and the bride say “Come.” And those who hear say, “Come”. It is a double invitation to all who will hear to come to the One who can give blessing and peace. Jesus, the Christ; Son of God.
-T.A.
Day 55 – The Unsocial Prophet
“The preacher who does not mix with people will never make much of a preacher;” at least that has been said or thought by many. One thing needs to be understood by many preachers of the 21st century; if a preacher has been called by God to preach the Word of God, then we just do not make our lives, or build our lives around social activities, nor what the people may expect of us. The preacher is God’s preacher, not man’s smooth talking, easy listening, socially active, friend to everybody servant.
Rantings of a mad preacher? Maybe. My reading today was from Jeremiah 11 – 24, and I guess I noticed some things that got a fire burning. Jeremiah is one of my favorite Prophets of the Old Testament to read, study, and I have rarely preached from the book.
In my title I call it “The Unsocial Prophet” for a couple of reasons. Jeremiah was a man called by God from a family of priest to be a prophet to the nation of Judah; during the days when Josiah was king, then his son Jehoiakim, and finally the king Zedekiah when Jerusalem was carried away captive by Babylon.
Why I call him “The Unsocial Prophet”. One of the things God says to Jeremiah is “Do not pray for this people”.
“For thus saith the LORD, ‘Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away My peace from this people,’ saith the LORD, ‘even lovingkindness and mercies.'” Jeremiah 16:5 (KJV)
The people of Judah have refused to listen to the Word of the LORD through the prophets He has sent; they have violated the land in not giving them their sabbath rests every seven years, they have violated the weekly sabbaths by continuing to do business, conducting deals and selling as on the other six days, and they have brought idols into their worship, and continue to act in worship to Jehovah/YHWH.
The prophet is sad concerning the plight of his people (9:1), however, his sadness is because they have forsaken the LORD. He knows that God’s plan for them is the best plan for them. He is even attacked and hated by his own family, and people. Another reason I call him “The Unsocial Prophet” is;
“Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; ‘Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.'” 16:8
The prophet is to be an influence to the people; not letting the people influence him. He is to be led by the Spirit of God, His Word, and not the social activities of the day.
Let me give a clear Biblical definition of a “Prophet”. The prophet of God is a preacher, an expositor of God’s Word. He is first and foremost a student of Scripture; a man of prayer; an obedient servant of God. He proclaims what God declares to Him, and then proclaims it to the people. That in itself can make him an enemy to the people. Who is going to invite a guy like this to their parties, or even to preach their funerals, or invite him to mourn with them? In the last verse above we see that God tells Jeremiah that joy and gladness will cease.
Men and women are so deceived today. Even professing Christians live as though any belief is okay as long as you believe something; have faith in something; as though “faith” is all you need. There is only one way to approach God according to His Word, but the heart of men have devised alternative ways which lead to death and destruction. These are other gods, false gods, which lead to death.
God spoke to Jeremiah saying,
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” 17:9
You can continue believing as you believe, contrary to God and His Word, and you will receive the just judgment of God. “According to the fruit of his [your] doings” you will receive all that you have coming to you.
Many of the people of Anathoth hated Jeremiah because of his preaching. They plotted against him to do him harm, but God’s hand of protection was on him (1:19);
“Then said they, ‘Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.'” 18:18
Jeremiah even says that the problem of Judah is due to the smooth talking false prophets who had the hearts of the people;
“Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; ‘Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.'” 23:15
Pastors and preachers of today need to hear the Word of the Lord. Stand and preach the word, not the desires of the hearts of the people. It is not a popular opinion that matters to the preacher of God, but rather a saved, cleansed, pure live that will glorify God. God is the center of the preacher’s preaching. Are you afraid of being called “unsociable”? Would it not be better to be deemed “unsociable” by the masses than to be deemed an unholy, false preacher by God? And receive the judgment that comes from God for such activities?
Most of this post today seems somewhat negative, but I pray instructive, correcting, and guiding to many who read it. There is hope and encouragement within what I read today. Hear the encouragement of God’s Word –
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 23:5-6
“For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know Me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart.” 24:6-7
The hope for Judah and Israel is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS; and that is none other than the Messiah who was to come, and give His life a ransom for many, and then return one day and establish His eternal kingdom. The people of Judah will return to the LORD with their whole heart. Because of Jesus their is hope for all have a “wicked heart”, and that is all of us. “There is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10) “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). However Christ died for our sins. Trust Him, and believe.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Hunger For The King
Hunger for the King
“Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:14-17 (KJV).
The question of fasting comes from a source which is actually friendly with Jesus. It is possibly John the Baptist who sends his disciples to ask the question of Jesus. We see or hear nothing from Jesus concerning the matter of fasting.
Just what is meant by “Fasting”? We have doctors calling for patients to fast just before a medical test. I have known of some people who fast when they know they are going to have a big meal. They may miss a meal or two, in their own thinking, so they can eat more at the big one. If that is not the height of gluttony. There are the Biblical fasts. Many of the orthodox Jews looked upon the fasts as very important to spiritual life. Jesus and His disciples were not fasting. They were feasting.
Fasting is a Biblical practice. According to some it was only called for once per year within the Jewish orthodox system. It was called for by some of the prophets, such as Joel. Fasting is a time of sacrifice. It is the time of sacrificing a meal, or meals for a day or a number of days, for the purpose of seeking God and His will.
It, however, becomes a sad state of business when the religious begin using “fasting” as a means of glorifying self righteous behaviors, and for the attention of their people. It loses its whole purpose and meaning. That was the practice of the Pharisees of Jesus’s day. They would even put on a sad countenance to make it appear they were fasting, probably if they were not, and also when they actually were, at least attempting it. The law only required one fast per year, but the Pharisses commanded twice per week.
The fasting of John and his disciples was for the purpose of telling the message of the Messiah, and calling people to repentance. It was and still is a way of getting a contrite heart and a broken spirit in order to be holy and right with the Creator. The fasting of John and his followers showed a true broken and contrite heart for the fallen human race.
Jesus makes mention that the reason that He and His disciples did not fast due to the fact that He was with them. His reference to the Bridegroom is His own personal reference to His return for His Bride following His death, burial and resurrection. While He was with the disciples, there would be no mourning. The term “Taken from them” implies a great violence was going to take place. It was in deed the violence of the trial, the beating, and the crucifixion; in fact the event of the cross; the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The disciples might fast for awhile – while He is away, but that would only be for a short duration. Jesus would rise from the dead.
Following the resurrection and evidence of it is a time of rejoicing in any and all towns which have been blessed by His appearances. In Jesus Christ we have the greatest reason for joy. Sin has been cleansed and forgiven; death has been defeated along with the powers of evil and satan; Jesus is alove at the right hand of God the Father, seated in heaven. Although we rejoice in His presence and glory His presence is not powerful when sin is in our way. There is still need for fasting inconspicuously; to get things right between self and God; to seek in prayer the health and spiritual well being of self and others. There will be rejoicing eternally when we see the King face to face.
In the face of the Law; the resurrection fulfills the demands of it. For sin the Law demanded death. The Old Testament law bears out quite clearly that all have sinned. That, there is none righteous, not one. The Promise foretold by the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jeremiah31:31-34; Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26) of the people receiving a new heart of flesh, to replace the heart of stone is fulfilled by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the power being applied to each individual’s life. The “old wineskins” of the law; as interpreted by the legalistic Pharisees cannot hold the New wine of the New covenant of Jesus Christ.
If you attempt to patch an old garment with a new piece of material; at the time of the first washing the new piece will shrink, and the tear will be made worse. If you put New Wine into old wineskins, the activity of the New will cause the Old brittle skins to burst.
The self standards and “loopholes” which are given and provided to, for and by the Religious elite; is insufficient for salvation. Those self-standards are the direction of death and hell. To mix legalism and grace is to pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Also to give license to sin is a perversion of the Gospel.
New skin is needed for the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the expansion of the Gospel of Jesus. Just as the fermentation of the New Wine takes place and grows in that winekin with change; so too, does the life of the new believer, and all believers change Jesus writes the Law into the hearts of those He changes and His Spirit reigns in power and grows the changed one into the image of Jesus Christ.
There is a place for mouning in the heart and life of the believer who has a tender heart for glorifying Jesus Christ. We will mourn when we realize we have sinned and brought shame to the name of Jesus. We will mourn seeking repentance when we realize our sin. We will mourn when we sin permeating the society in which we live. We will mourn when we see a brother and/or sister in Christ sin, and does not repent. Mourning when we are separated from the Father by our sin will come without hypocrisy. There would be nothing wrong with followers of Jesus declaring a fast to mourn, seek God’s face, declare a call to repentance, declare a call to revival. It is much needed.
The old material of the flesh will tear away from that which is new. When Jesus comes into the individual heart He changes you into a person who loves God; who desires to do His will; who desires to get to know God better. As a matter of fact will do what ever it takes to get all the information possible to grow to become more like Jesus. Those old wineskins are tossed away, and good for nothing. The New Wine of the salvation of Jesus Christ is so powerful that if left to an old fleshy thought process it would burst and be absolutely good for nothing. That is why the heart is changed at the moment of rebirth. When your heart and mind is hungry and thirsty for more of God in Christ Jesus, you can know that things are going right in your life. It is only the changed life that will desire to be more like Jesus. I am in “Hunger for the King“.
The Fire and Hammer 