Dr. Terry Threadwell's Blog

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Eph 2:19-22 NKJ)

You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1Pe 2:5 NKJ)

If you’re a Christian, then live the Christian life.  We are no longer part of the old system that once controlled our lives, so we need to stop going back to the old house where we once lived, we’ve been changed. In the new house, there you will find love, presence, the sound of worship, blessings and grace.  In the old house that represented my old way of life, there was emptiness, loneliness, and want.

In Johns Gospel, he writes, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (Joh 14:2 NKJ) Most people have assumed that when they get to heaven, they’re going to get a mansion.  Actually, the original text just means that in God’s house, there is room for everybody, but you haven’t got to wait to get to heaven to move in, you’ve been given a door key right now, so enter in.

Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (Eph 2:15-19 NKJ)

Jesus through his own body reconciled us to God and made peace, not just to those that were there when it happened but forward to the future. Now we are no longer ‘strangers and foreigners’ but members of the household of God. So if we aim to be Christlike shouldn’t we be about the same, speaking peace as peacemakers and looking to reconcile?

Changing our thinking will change the outcome.  The world in which we live needs to hear the message of peace and reconciliation.

But don’t take any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to God’s ways had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it altogether are in on everything. The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody. (Eph 2:11-15. MSG)

So you’re given a death sentence and place on death row at a maximum-security prison, no life, no hope and nothing to look forward to. Now I know that you were not physically in prison, but spiritually, before you were saved, you were exiled from all the blessings, the close relationship with God and eternal life.

But now, that wall of separation has been broken down, the code and the sentence against us canceled and all the covenant blessings made available.  Christ came to the prison, opened the door, canceled the sentence and let you go.  He who the Son sets free is free indeed. So why would you allow anyone to put you back into that prison, with their rules and regulations? Don’t!

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:4-7 NKJ)

Then he (Mephibosheth) bowed himself, and said, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” And the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “I have given to your master’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. “You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master’s son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s son shall eat bread at my table always.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do.” “As for Mephibosheth,” said the king, “he shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.” (2Sa 9:8-11 NKJ)

Even when we were dead in our trespasses and sin God raised us up.  Even to have been brought into the king’s house as a servant would have been good, and yet God raised us up to be seated in heavenly places—not ‘will be’ seated, but we are now seated in heavenly places.  That means that when the enemy comes against you, don’t listen to him calling you a ‘dead dog’ because you are a son and a daughter of the living God.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10 NKJ)

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (Psa 139:14-15 NKJ)

Isn’t it good to know that you’re not a mistake? No matter what you have been through in your past, or somebody may have told you, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Not only that, but God has work for you to do that only you can do.  So every person you meet today just might be a divine appointment, everything you do just might be a vital part of a much bigger plan. Be awesome!

Working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Eph 1:19-23 NKJ)

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phi 2:9-11 NKJ)

Christ has been given the highest position, the highest name, over all powers throughout all eternity.  The devil would have loved that position, unredeemed human nature craves exaltation, and the reason it is so unobtainable is that nobody wants to lay down what they have, sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others or to make themselves of no reputation, Jesus did just that.  So you want to be great in the kingdom of God? Be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (Phi 2:1-5 NKJ)

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. (Eph 1:15-19)

Paul is truly blessed by the report he hears of the church at Ephesus, their faith and their love for the saints.  Fifteen years later however, John would write, “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, `These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; “and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place– unless you repent. (Rev 2:1-5 NKJ)

Perhaps that is why Paul was praying that the ‘spirit of wisdom,’ ‘revelation in the knowledge of Him,’ and ‘the eyes of their understanding be enlightened.’ Such gifts from God would show those Christians that it is not about programs and projects, but about Christ, and our love for him.  It is that love relationship that will keep us in right relationship. For the Ephesians, it was not to be.

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Eph 1:13-14 NKJ)

In biblical times, a seal was a guarantee. Ephesians 1:13-14 Paul writes regarding the Holy Spirit, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” According to this passage, the seal of the Holy Spirit takes place at the point of salvation. It is a promise or guarantee of the Christian’s future, eternal inheritance with Jesus Christ.

The Greek word translated as “seal” is shragizo that means “to set a seal upon, mark with a seal.”

1. The Holy Spirit in the believer’s life helps to guarantee he or she is a child of God. “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” (Romans 8:16)
2. The seal of the Holy Spirit serves as a mark that we actually belong to Christ. “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9-10)
3. The seal of the Holy Spirit helps protect against tampering or attack. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Mat 6:19-20 NKJ)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ..  ..  ..  .  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, (Eph 1:3; 11 NKJ)

So we continue our look at the spiritual blessings that God has for us.  Earlier this week we discussed being children of God. Because we are adopted children of God, we also are heirs of God’s estate (Romans 8:17). My children are heirs to my estate. But that really is not much of a source of hope for them, for my estate pretty much consists of a house, a car, some furniture, and a whole lot of books. But what is God’s estate? What does God own? God owns everything (Psalm 50:10-12), and we are the heirs to this estate.

Our focus should not be on the material, mansions in the sky nor streets of gold.  Rather, we should be rejoicing in the fact that we get to be in his presence.

“When the Spirit of the Lord is within my heart, I will dance like David danced.”

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth– in Him. (Eph 1:7-10 NKJ)

And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, “so that `Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.'”  (Mar 4:11-12 NKJ)

Shhhh! Come close, I want to tell you a secret, “God sent Jesus in “the fullness of times.” Those who followed God before Jesus came, longed to see and understand the fullness of God’s salvation plan (John 8:56). We have the privilege and blessing of being on this side of Christ, and thus be able to see the details of how God has redeemed us. Abraham looked in the distance and saw the City of God. Moses saw that the law was a road map leading to a better covenant. David danced with excitement at bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the tabernacle, to dwell in the midst of the people, a foreshadow of the incarnate reality that was still to come. Everyone thought the Davidic tree was cut down and dead, but Isaiah saw the first shoots of a ‘Peaceable Kingdom.’

The Devil didn’t know what God had planned, the angels didn’t have a clue, but God chose to show just a glimpse to those that would see, and give a hint to those that would hear.  This day, the fullness of the mystery of the gospel that God loves the world has been revealed to you.  Unlike most secrets, don’t keep it silent—tell everyone.