Two Kingdoms, Two Natures, Two Lives

John 3
3 Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
…
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Faith is a substance, a tangible reality of something that otherwise cannot be seen or experienced. Faith recognises The New and the old and acknowledges two opposing realities! The Heavenly Kingdom and the earthly kingdom, flesh and faith/Spirit. Paul talks plainly about realising these two natures or laws at war within his body.

Romans 7
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

⁠Understanding these two kingdoms/realities is a vital foundation for the Born Again believer. Faith sees and enters The Kingdom of God, a Kingdom which is eternal, everlasting and unchanging just as God is faithful. The flesh life however is brief, full of uncertainty and fear and constantly striving to find satisfaction and power.
The flesh is unstable, broken, uncertain and bound by fear but faith lives in The Secret Place of The Most High, safe and secure from all alarms with a Spirit of power and of love and a sound mind! Faith STAYS there!! Faith LIVES from there!

James 2
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror]!
20 But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?
…
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. ⁠

James is not trying to enforce church attendance, religious obedience or a bigger offering. He is making it very clear that The Life that is in the believer is God’s Life! And HIS life LIVES!! By faith His Life lives and produces fruit! Fruit that will be tangible evidence of that faith!!
Grace does not act!! Grace does not give a response. Grace alone is a gift unreceived! Grace makes the giving of a gift possible but ONLY BY FAITH can it be received! Only faith will believe The Word of God and lay hold of His promises. Grace can promise you eternal life and the indwelling of The Spirit but only faith will believe, receive and walk in that promise.

Galatians 2
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

We see here again that divide between flesh and faith. Paul lives in his fleshly body but he lives that life by faith!
In the flesh we are fleeting, empty lives but by faith we live an eternal, abundant life, more than conquerors in Christ Jesus! By faith Jesus has given me every victory, by faith I enjoy that The Lord has given me ALL things that pertain unto Life and Godliness! ALL THINGS! He has given them!!! But without faith I will never receive or enjoy those things!!
If we truly have faith to believe these things then we should walk different!! We will NOT walk in defeat! Consider the life that truly believes these things and walks in the goodness/fullness of them!

Hebrews 4
2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

Knowledge of His Word is not enough. His word must be mixed with faith. It must be received by faith and practiced by faith! There is so much that is available to us, that has been given and promised to us, if we will only believe! If His word, His promises, His testimonies are mixed with faith in US!
Let us stir up our faith and very simply choose to believe His word! Bring a sacrifice of praise where faith is lacking and let The Lord encourage us to believe on Him step by step, word by word, promise by promise.

Sifted As Wheat

Matthew 3
12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Psalm 1:4
The wicked are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away.

Threshing is a separation process. The chaff and the grain are parts of the same plant, they grow alongside each other, but only the grain holds value, only the grain carries within it the life of the plant and the potential to reproduce. The precious grain must be separated from the rest of the plant through a “winnowing” process. This is a turbulent but effective process for sifting out the undesirable waste.
Both the grain and the chaff have to experience the winds of the winnowing fan. The grain, weighty with life, remains but the dry, empty chaff is blown away. Much like the houses of the wise man and the foolish man, both houses are built carefully and they may exist side by side as neighbours for years but it is when the storm comes that the foundations are proved.
The storm MUST come. The storms WILL come. They have been ordained to come! It is a necessary and vital process in the individual and collective lives of believers. It is in the storms and trials that the flesh is shown to be dry, hardened and easily swept away but the life of Christ is revealed as precious hope, grounded and fruitful. We are told plainly to expect the storms and trials, that they WILL come, “When” not ‘if”!

Luke 22
31 “Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain;

John 16
33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you will have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

James 1
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

1 Peter 1
6 In this you should greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations,
7 So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is proven and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to result in your praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

So then battles, trials, sickness and suffering are precious and welcome opportunity for God’s children! They endure suffering knowing that the life of Christ is being revealed, the flesh is being dealt with and that Jesus’ testimony is being demonstrated and proven in His people. The Born Again believer rejoices in the Sovereignty of God and seeks occasion, in all things, to submit to The Father’s Will and to glorify Him. Having a spiritual perspective they do not place emphasis on their suffering but on the Name and testimony of Jesus Christ! They rejoice in His presence, His provision and His tender mercies and loving comforts in His Word.
The threshing isn’t a pleasant experience. It is turbulence, inconvenience, discomfort, grief. Etc But the life in the grain will fall upon The Lord, the wise man’s house will be seen to stand strong. The grain will rejoice evermore and pray without ceasing, the life of Jesus in a believer will pray with faith, casting (throwing off) all cares onto The Lord. Through the storm HIS LIFE will be revealed in HIS people!
So what will we be today? Grain, full of Jesus life and His word, abiding in Him, unmoved by the winnowing winds? Or chaff, without substance, easily blown about and blown away by the cares of this life? In EVERY circumstance let us be careful to abide in Jesus and resist the temptation to act/walk in the flesh.

Song of Solomon 4
16 “Awake, O north wind, And come, south wind; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, [for the one in whom my soul delights], Let its spices flow forth. Let my beloved come into his garden And eat its choicest fruits.”

A Glad Heart Feasts

Proverbs 15
15 All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].

C. Austin Miles
I’m living on the mountain, underneath a cloudless sky,
I’m drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry;
Oh, yes! I’m feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply,
For I am dwelling in Beulah Land.

Is my heart glad? Are we sitting at the banqueting table, communing with Our Father in Heaven? Are we feasting on the Spiritual manna from His bountiful supply? Some of these things are easy to sing in church but are we living that reality? Are we daily singing God’s praises and rejoicing in His Salvation regardless of our circumstance?
Truly we battle principalities and powers, but most of all we battle our flesh and its constant desire to leave the secret place of the Most High. These past two weeks my situation at work has become very tense and isolating. I have been sitting, writing this during my breaks at work, in a room with three work colleagues who are conspiring against me, looking to find any way to bring me down. This truth has been a beautiful encouragement but also a sharp conviction. In whatever situation I find myself, as a child of God I have access into His presence where I can call upon Him and acquire all that I need to endure. Jesus Christ has given us His gladness. But will I live in it or will I let my flesh determine my actions?
The gladness comes before the feast! It is faith that trusts in God’s Word that allows us to enter His banqueting house and allows us to feast at His table of communion. It is by singing praises unto Him that we eat! Paul and Silas had that faith. Despite their circumstance, with beaten and bound bodies, before there was any tremor in the prison walls, their glad hearts were feasting on the goodness of God!

Acts 16
25 But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them,

Paul and Silas were freed within a few hours but, of course, God’s people can find themselves bound and beaten down for much longer. Consider Joseph serving as a slave or David constantly running from hiding place to Hiding Place. They, along with others, endured terrible circumstances, but by faith, they feasted on The Lord despite what they were going through!
David often writes from a painful and broken disposition, with his heart breaking and a desperate cry for deliverance. Times of sorrow and grief come to us all, we will all be led into the valley of death, in the world Jesus tells us that we WILL suffer tribulation. There is no teaching against sorrow, grief or weeping in God’s word… Jesus has come to tenderly bind up and heal the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1) God created us with emotions and we have been designed to feel them. Each of them is designed to lead us to The Lord and, through faith, He has given us the power to discipline, control and overcome them.

2 Corinthians 6
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
…
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

The key to such gladness of heart is faith! It is a very simple choice to either believe God’s word or not. Regardless of our circumstance will we choose to sing His praises, just because we love Him? Not just in church but will we praise Him through the day when the enemy is coming in like a flood and all seems to be against us? David recognises this battle between flesh and faith. He recognises that his flesh may sorrow but he determines that his heart will praise!
This is the day that The Lord has made! (Psalm 118:24) I choose to believe that! He will never leave me nor forsake me! (Hebrews 13:5) I will believe that! I believe His Word! I believe I am HIS! I believe the battle is HIS! I believe He will protect HIS testimony in Me! I will trust in The Lord and cry out for HIS will to be done and trust that He will fulfil it! Happy are those whose God is The Lord! (Psalm 144:15) I believe that!! Oh Hallelujah! I will believe it!!

Psalm 42
11 Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Sometimes we can feel like Lot, with our souls tortured every day, greatly worn out and distressed; Sorrow and grief may overwhelm us, and sweep the ground from our feet; The enemy make come in like a flood, conspiring, and plotting and it may seem that everything is against us! The Word of God tells us to “weep with those who weep” Romans 12:15 And may we, as God’s body and messengers, be quick to comfort and support the members who need it. I can truly testify and thank The Lord for how His body (loving friends and family) have prayed with and for me and I stand today in the power of Jesus prayers through His body! May we give a shoulder to the weak, strengthen the hands of those who are weary, comfort the sorrowing with tenderness and lead each other to the presence of Jesus where He will minister, for He has come to bind up and heal that broken heart. In Him our hearts can be glad! In Him we can rejoice! In Him we can feast on the bread of life and living water! Whatever our outward circumstance our hearts can be glad in Jesus and feasting on His fullness!

A Righteous Man Falls

Proverbs 24
16 For a righteous man falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

Righteous men fall. Sometimes it’s a precious comfort, even vital, for us to be reminded of that. God’s word is full of examples of God’s people, righteous men, falling… Falling from the secret place of The Most High, falling from the place of blessing, falling from the place of communion and fellowship, falling from the place of joy, peace and service. But every one of them got up again and continued on! It is the wicked who are overthrown!
Godly sorrow for sin is truly a low and bitter experience. To be found wallowing in sin and shame but then to be reminded of His holiness; or to hear again of His desire for us; to have The Holy Spirit reveal to us afresh the love, long-suffering and faithfulness of God; to see the emptiness and death in our flesh. To see so clearly and evidently who and what we have sinned against! But Godly sorrow leads to repentance! Hallelujah!
Sinful choices may have terrible consequences affecting relationships, testimony, family and posterity but the righteous repent! A righteous heart sorrowing over sin grieves the loss of intimacy and communion with The Father but will confess sin and cry out to The Lord! “It is not falling into water that drowns but lying in it. It is not falling into sin that damns but lying in it without repentance.” Thomas Watson.
Repentance does not necessarily remove consequence! This is a powerful and fearful truth but, praise The Lord, repentance does remove guilt and it does remove shame! Hallelujah! “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10. It is truly shameful to find ourselves fallen… But we need not stay there!! In Jesus Christ there can be restoration of communion and fellowship with our Heavenly Father! How much better to fall into the hands of The Lord than to remain in the torturous hands of the world! (2 Samuel 24:14)

Matthew 18
21 Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?
22 Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!

If we are commanded to be so forgiving towards our brothers for multiple offences how much more is Our Father willing to forgive us?!! What an incredible comfort for us!! Be encouraged today brother or sister!! Confess and repent where you have to, forsake the flesh and obey The Holy Spirit’s conviction but do this knowing that forgiveness and restoration are what The Father longs for and promises!
GET UP!! GET UP IN JESUS NAME! Get up and get to Jesus! Pour out your heart before Him, cry out to Him! Oh He is slow to anger and so willing to forgive! Hallelujah! Bless His Name!

1 Samuel 12
19 Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we will not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil—to ask for a king for ourselves.”
20 Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have [indeed] done all this evil; yet do not turn away from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21 You must not turn away, for then you would go after futile things which cannot profit or rescue, because they are futile.
22 The LORD will not abandon His people for His great name’s sake, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.

Psalm 37
23 The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].
24 Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.

Psalm 145
14 The LORD upholds all those [of His own] who fall And raises up all those who are bowed down.

Is It Me?

John 6
64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
…
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

Matthew 26
21 And as they were eating, He said, Solemnly I say to you, one of you will betray Me!
22 They were exceedingly pained and distressed and deeply hurt and sorrowful and began to say to Him one after another, Surely it cannot be I, Lord, can it?

What a truly precious response the disciples had to this claim from Jesus. Their immediate and first concern was to question their own failing flesh and consider their own lack of faithfulness. Each one understood that it could be them! They were not quick to accuse or question others. Isn’t that a beautiful thing?!
⁠Jesus love is so wondrous and perfect that no one but Him knew that Judas was the traitor!! The disciples make no mention of Judas name, they do not doubt him or accuse him at all.
Knowing Judas’s heart all along, Jesus withheld nothing from him. Judas had the same access to fellowship and communion with the other believers; he was graciously blessed, taught and loved alongside his fellows; he served The Lord and his feet were also washed. Jesus did not exclude him in order to “protect” the fellowship of other eleven. Judas was in every meeting, taking part and treated equally with the other disciples!! Jesus knew!!… but harboured no fear, bitterness or disdain. Jesus was utterly yielded to the will and love of His Father.
Jesus withheld nothing from Judas and loved him no less! Jesus, who did not come to condemn (John 3:17-21), didn’t seek to intervene or protect Himself but left Judas to give account of His own life to The Father. (Matthew 12:36/Romans 14:12)
This love of Jesus Christ deserves much consideration. Is it this same love of Jesus that flows through us? Are we as utterly yielded to Our Father’s will? May we yield more and more to Our Father’s love and allow it to flow through us to those who would betray and reject us, for those who hurt us and set themselves against us. May HIS love be shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5) and may we consider our own failing flesh before someone else’s (Luke 7:47).

1 John 4
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.