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January 2022

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Details: Written by Gerald Wrenn

January 2022 "Dearly Beloved" Articles

Dearly Beloved 1/31/22 "The Family of God"

The Family of God

Dearly beloved of God, Christianity is not a religion, it is the work of God in Christ. When we were born again of the spirit from God, God became God our Father, and we became His dearly beloved kids.

Christianity is a family relationship between God the Father, and His children. Now we are the family of God. We are members of the household of God.

God is Spirit, and those who are born again of the spirit from God are His children. He is not the Father of every human being, but of those He has fathered.

Our natural birth as human beings was of the flesh. In that birth we received a body, and soul life. Soul life is breath life, it is the life of the flesh, and it is mortal.

When we were born of God, we were born again of the spirit from God. That birth is spirit life, and it is eternal life.

We are born again of incorruptible seed, and we have become partakers of the divine spirit nature. God is now God our Father, and we are His dearly beloved children.

Dearly Beloved 1/30/22 "Truth Versus Religion"

Truth Versus Religion

Dearly beloved of God, you may wonder why I talk about the Word of God so much in these posts. The Word of God reveals the Will of God to us. It is our only reference for truth when it comes to spiritual matters.

If we do not know what God reveals about a subject we do not know the truth about it, we only know someone’s opinion, and their suppositions about it. This is the very essence of religion.

Christianity revolves around Christ Jesus the Lord and his accomplishments, while religion revolves around the works of the flesh.

God declares that He is Light, and there is no darkness in Him. Our adversary, the devil, purports to be an angel of light, but he is darkness, and there is no truth in him. He is the father of lies. This is true from Genesis 3:1 to Revelation 21 when he will meet his judgment. The devil, or Satan is the author of all religion.

Dearly Beloved 1/29/22 "If Only"

If Only

Dearly beloved of God, I occasionally hear people say how wonderful it would be if God would only speak to them.

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord . . . .” I Thessalonians 4:15. God has spoken to us.

“Who [God] will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:4

God originated the information He revealed in His Word. He has spoken to us, and He has given us the revelation of His Will in writing.

God has spoken to us. It does not matter that the information He revealed was written in a book, God is the Originator of the information he had recorded in His Word.

If a President sent a message would it matter if he sent a courier with a letter that he had dictated, or he made a phone call to send the message, or he delivered an address on T.V., or if he had an envoy deliver the message in person? However he chose to communicate the message, the message would be the same.

God has as much right as the President to send a message as He determines to send it. He sent His Word by apostles, and prophets, and He instructed them to write it down.

Dearly Beloved 1/28/22 "Turn Your Eyes Upon the Lord Jesus Christ"

Turn Your Eyes Upon the Lord Jesus Christ

Dearly beloved of God, turn your eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. What began for us in grace will end in glory when he returns to gather us up to meet him in the air. We will acquire the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The sufferings of this present time are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed to us! Our light affliction is momentary, but it works for us a far more exceeding and eternal heavy weight of glory. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory, dearly beloved!

Our hope of glory is based on the foundation of God’s Word, and the accomplishments of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If God had not purposed, willed, and desired for us to acquire the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ we would have nothing more than a life of disappointing misery, and a cold home in the grave awaiting us, but dearly beloved, He has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. Jesus Christ came so that we could have life, and have it more abundantly.

All of us have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, but we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, and we were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the day of redemption. We have the hope of acquiring the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is quite a change, is it not?

Dearly Beloved 1/26/22 "Practice the Presence of God"

Practice the Presence of God

Dearly beloved of God, God is Light and there is no darkness in Him. God is not a liar. His Word, like Him, is light, and it is the Word of Truth. We can trust what He says in His Word.

He says what He means, and He means what He says, but at times we are tempted to not believe Him. For example, He says that we are justified, and when we are born again we have the remission of sins that are past. He chooses to remember them no more, dearly beloved.

Have you ever brought up your past sins to yourself? Have you ever thought to yourself that you were not worthy of God’s forgiveness? Maybe you haven’t, but I have.

In spite of the revelation that God is Light and there is no darkness in Him we fail to believe the light of His Word at times. We need to grow in the truth that God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.

Dearly Beloved 1/25/22 "Did You Hear the News?"

Did You Hear the News?

Dearly beloved of God, the war drums are beating again. There will be wars and rumors of wars until the Lord’s Day. Fear not!

The adversary uses the media to wield fear propaganda as a sword against God’s people. They use it to profit on people’s unbelief. If you have turned on the TV, been on the internet, listened to the radio, read a newspaper, or magazine I am sure that you have heard the bad news today, but there is good news!

The Almighty God, the One True and Living God has revealed the good news of His Word! God’s Word is the truth; not lies. His Word builds believing, trust, and confidence in God, not fears, doubts, and worries which issue in unbelief.

When we believe God at His Word we are standing in the presence of the Living God, and we can overcome the things that make us afraid by His mighty power.

Dearly Beloved 1/24/22 "Truth or Consequences"

Truth or Consequences

Dearly beloved of God, there are two sources of knowledge: God, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the old serpent the devil.

We can take God at His Word because He is reliable and trustworthy. He does not lie. On the other hand, the old serpent, the devil is the father of lies, and we cannot trust a word he says.

There are consequences to which one of these two we listen to and believe.

All scripture is God-breathed, and it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction; it is instruction in righteousness.

The Word of God reveals the will of God. If you want to know the will of God about salvation, or healing, or answered prayer, or the nine manifestations of the gift of holy spirit, or of prosperity, or of our hope of glory in Christ, or about any other spiritual matter, God has revealed His will to us about it in His Word.

Dearly Beloved 1/23/22 "If He Did Not Triumph, Neither Will We"

If He Did Not Triumph, Neither Will We

Dearly beloved, He who began a good work in us will continue to perform it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Everything that we are, and have, and can do as the children of God depends on Jesus Christ, and his accomplishments. Our Father freely gives us all things with His beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, neither will we. If he was not the firstborn from the dead, we will not rise from the dead either. If he did not ascend into heaven, neither will we. If he did not sit down in the heavenlies at the right hand of God, then we are not seated in the heavenlies in him.

Dearly Beloved 1/22/22 "The Service of Prayer"

The Service of Prayer

Dearly beloved of God, Colossians gives us a wonderful example of how we should pray. We should imitate the example of those we read about in the Church epistles that served God before us.

Colossians 1:3-14 A Journey through the Acts and Epistles, Walter J. Cummins

3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying continually for you

4 since we heard of your believing in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the holy ones

5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You previously heard of that [hope] in the Word of the truth of the gospel

6 that came to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in all the world, even so it is also [bearing fruit and growing] in you since the day in which you heard and knew about [acknowledged] the grace of God in truth,

7 even as you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ for you,

8 and he related to us your love in the spirit.

Dearly Beloved 1/21/22 "Jesus Christ Taught His Disciples to Pray"

Jesus Christ Taught His Disciples to Pray

Dearly beloved of God, the Lord Jesus Christ taught his disciples how to pray.

If anyone did not need to pray surely it was the Lord, but he prayed early in the morning, at night, sometimes all night, before important decisions, and in troubling situations. He organized his life so he had the time to pray.

Prayer was one of the greatest aspects of his life and ministry. He not only talked to his Father in prayer, his Father answered his prayers.

He prayed for guidance, and he received revelation during times of prayer. God confirmed that Jesus was His Son in Whom He was well pleased while he prayed. Angels came and ministered to him when he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. He prayed for God’s people. He prayed for the LORD to send laborers into the harvest, and much more. Signs, miracles, and wonders followed after he prayed.

He said, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:22

Dearly Beloved 1/19/22 "A Lifestyle of Prayer"

A Lifestyle of Prayer

Dearly beloved of God, prayer should be a way of life for us. We should have a lifestyle of prayer. As children of God we should include Him in every aspect of our lives. Prayer is an important element of practicing the presence of God in our lives.

God our Father has given us access to Him by the spirit, and He exhorts us to take advantage of that access with boldness and confidence. What an awesome privilege we have to be able to approach Him in prayer.

God tells us to be instant in prayer. The word "instant" means to give persistent attention to, to persevere, to wait upon constantly. We should be like a servant whose eyes are constantly upon his master. It is more than just saying a prayer, we should live a lifestyle of prayer.

In the Church epistles. We are instructed to first of all pray, to be instant in prayer, to strive in prayer, to watch in prayer, to persevere in prayer, to pray fervently, to pray without ceasing, to pray always, to pray with the understanding, and to pray with the spirit.

Dearly Beloved 1/18/22 "Nothing Can Separate Us"

Nothing Can Separate Us

Dearly beloved of God, nothing can separate us from God’s love for us that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God our Father has made known to us the mystery of His will in accordance with His good pleasure, which He Himself purposed in Christ, so that in the administration of the fullness of times He might bring all things together under one head in the Christ, that is, the things in heaven and the things upon the earth, even in him.

The Father has enlightened us concerning the hope of His calling; it is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We will be glorified with him as joint-heirs in accordance with the purpose of the ages, which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Who could ever have imagined such astounding Divine favor toward us in Christ Jesus?

Dearly Beloved 1/17/22 "You Can Rely on Him"

You Can Rely on Him

Dearly beloved of God, those who search the scriptures know that God’s trustworthiness and faithfulness are indisputable. His Word is faithful, and He does not change. What He has done for one, He is willing to do for any and all.

It does not matter which subject we consider; God is trustworthy and faithful in all of them from salvation to glorification, from healing to prosperity, from prayer to deliverance. We can be certain that we can rely on God’s trustworthiness and faithfulness.

Proverbs 3:5 and 6

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, In all thy ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct thy paths.

God is able and willing to direct our paths; the question is, are we willing to trust Him with all our heart? God our Father is reliable so we can rely on Him.

God proclaims that if we confess Jesus as Lord, and believe that He raised Jesus from the dead, we will be saved. He reveals that He has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dearly Beloved 1/16/22 "Incorruptible Seed"

Incorruptible Seed

Dearly beloved of God, when we were born again we were born of incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever.

The seed of our natural birth of the flesh is corruptible. That seed is mortal, and we can lose that life.

The seed of the new birth is incorruptible seed. First of all, the Word of God says that it is “seed.” A seed produces after its kind. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

You cannot lose a seed. You cannot sin it away. Your behavior cannot corrupt the seed of the new birth. It is incorruptible. In fact, there is nothing you can do to undo what God did when you were born again. It is incorruptible.

God sent Jesus Christ to send the promise of the Father, which is the spirit from God, and he sent it in the form of being born again of incorruptible seed. Nothing on our part can corrupt that seed.

Dearly Beloved 1/15/22 "Prove Me Now"

Prove Me Now

Dearly beloved of God, how can we say with confidence that God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the One True and Living God. How can we be sure?

He told priests that had been robbing Him of tithes and offerings in the days of Malachi to, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and PROVE ME now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts." Malachi 3:10 and 11

How were they to know if He was the LORD? They were to prove Him by believing what He said. They thought it was vain to serve God, and that it was unprofitable. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Dearly Beloved 1/14/22 "What's in a Name?"

What’s in a Name?

Dearly beloved of God, a person’s name represents their accomplishments, their position, their power and authority, their reputation and characteristics, and their interests. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ is the sweetest name I know.

What did God make Jesus after He resurrected him out from among the dead?

Acts 2:29-36

29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell [the grave, the state of death], neither his flesh did see corruption.

Dearly Beloved 1/13/22 "How Well Do You Know Him?"

How Well Do You Know Him?

Dearly beloved of God, our God is trustworthy. He says that we are to trust Him with our whole heart, and to not lean on our own understanding. In all our ways we are to acknowledge Him, and he shall direct our paths.

If God is trustworthy we can trust what He says in His Word. The psalmist wrote: “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee: For Thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee.” Psalm 9:9 and 10

God reveals Himself in His Word by a number of names, titles, and characteristics so we can be sure who He is.

In Malachi 3:6 He says, ”For I am the LORD, I change not….” If He does not change, He is the same God for us today as He was then, or at any other time. He does not change from one day to the next.

Dearly Beloved 1/12/22 "Who Can We Trust?"

Who Can We Trust?

Dearly beloved of God, we have a choice; we can either trust God, and believe what He says in His Word, or we can put our trust in other sources of this age, such as the ideas of people, governments, medicine, the stock market, and trust what they say more than Him.

It always comes down to trust. Do we trust what He reveals in His Word? To answer that question we must ask, is God trustworthy? Well, is He trustworthy, dearly beloved?

There should be no question about God's trustworthiness, therefore, we should trust what He says.

What category do you wish to consider; salvation, answered prayer, the manifestations of the spirit, healing, prosperity, safety, family issues, or some other issue? Is God trustworthy, or do we trust someone or something more than Him?

Dearly Beloved 1/11/22 "Little Believing and Great Believing"

Little Believing and Great Believing

Dearly beloved of God, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of great believing and little believing.

The record in Luke 7 deals with a Gentile Roman Centurion that approached Jesus Christ on behalf of his sick servant.

The centurion said he was not worthy that Jesus should enter his house, but “say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.”

Jesus marveled, and said, “I have not found so great faith [pistis: believing] no, not in Israel.”

Matthew 6 reveals another statement Jesus made about believing. He said, “…O you of little believing [oligopistos: little believing. “

The Lord was teaching them about the anxious cares of worry because of their little believing. You cannot serve two masters: God or mammon.

Dearly Beloved 1/10/22 "Vast Power"

Vast Power

Dearly beloved of God, there has never been a man with the vast power that the Lord Jesus Christ has.

He has the power to save people. He has the power, and authority to judge every person, and he has the power to resurrect every human being from death and the grave. He has the power to gather us up to meet him in the air, and to transform our bodies to be like his glorious body.

Jesus paid the price to save us by freely giving his life for ours. He was the Lamb of God that died for the sins of the world. Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, is the Savior of the world; there is salvation in no other.

Consider his credentials. God conceived Jesus by divine conception. God supplied the promised seed; He created the soul life in Mary’s womb, and she carried him for nine months until she gave birth.

Dearly Beloved 1/9/22 "The Accomplishment and the Proof"

The Accomplishment and the Proof

Dearly beloved of God, God sent His Son to accomplish what none of us could accomplish for ourselves, and then He freely gave us all things with His Son.

The gospel of God concerns God’s Son, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and marked out as the Son of God with power, by the resurrection out from among the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus Christ is the first, and only one thus far to be resurrected from the dead, glorified, and seated at the Father’s right side. He is the only man in heaven so far. Every other dead person is still dead, and corrupting in the grave. They are not alive anywhere.

The resurrection is what distinguishes Jesus as God’s Son, and God his Father made him both Lord and Christ after he raised him from the dead. The resurrection validates that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and it validates his work on our behalf.

Dearly Beloved 1/8/22 "God's Will is Only Good Towards Us"

God’s Will is Only Good Toward Us

Dearly beloved, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”

It does not matter if we are talking about calling us in Christ, or of conforming us to the image of His Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, or of justifying us, or of glorifying us together with Christ; our Father only works for our good.

Does He work for our good concerning our health? Absolutely. He designed the body to heal. He sent His Word to heal us. He sent His Son to pay the price for our healing. He tells us to pray for the sick so they might be healed. He gave us the manifestation of the spirit of gifts of healings by which we can minister deliverance to people. He instituted communion so that we can remember what Jesus Christ accomplished for us concerning our forgiveness and healing. He is our delivering God.

What is too hard for God our Father? Nothing! There are no incurable diseases with Him. What is His Word to us concerning healing?

Psalm 103:3

Who [God] forgiveth all thine iniquities; who heals all they diseases.

Dearly beloved, God said what He meant, and He means what He says. Healing is one of the accomplishments of Jesus Christ. Long before God sent His Son, He had Isaiah give this revelation.

Dearly Beloved 1/7/22 "Whose Word is It?"

Whose Word is It?

Dearly beloved of God, all Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

The Word of God reveals God’s Will. If you want to know God’s Will concerning any subject, you will have to know what He reveals about it in His Word.

If it were not for the Word of God, how could we know His Will?

God is a supernatural power. Whether we are considering creation, salvation, answered prayer, His deliverance from incurable diseases, miracles, resurrection life, the gathering together, the revealing of His Word, or the laws of nature, God is the supernatural power behind all of them, and He is willing to instruct us concerning these things. The ungodly willfully fail to acknowledge this truth.

II Peter 3:5-7 ASV

For this they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, BY THE WORD OF GOD; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens that now are, and the earth, BY THE SAME WORD have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

God spoke His Word, and by His almighty power He brought it to pass. As He performed His Word in the past so He will perform it in the future.

Dearly Beloved 1/6/22 "Do Not Overlook His Attitude"

Do Not Overlook His Attitude

Dearly beloved of God, it is not only what did for us in Christ that is astonishing, but the heart with which He did it is also conspicuous.

Religionists often portray God as hard, vengeful, a tyrant that we must please or else He will send us to hell; nothing could be further from the truth. They say our sins keep us from Him, and we must earn our salvation. They are wrong on all counts.

God chose us in Christ, and he redeemed us, reconciled us, saved us, and justified us by his accomplishments, and gave us what he accomplished by His grace. It was His good pleasure to do these things in Christ.

In love God determined beforehand for us to have sonship to Himself through Jesus Christ in accordance with the GOOD PLEASURE OF His will unto the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He highly favored us in the beloved one Jesus Christ.

In Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE, which He has ABOUNDED toward us.

Dearly Beloved 1/5/22 "Changes Worth Noting"

Changes Worth Noting

Dearly beloved of God, when we confessed Jesus as lord and believed that God raised him from the dead we were saved, born again of the spirit from God.

We were dead in sin, ungodly, and enemies of God, but because of His great love for us He showed us mercy, and by His grace He saved us by the Lord Jesus Christ’s work of redemption and salvation. This is quite a change, is it not?!

We were dead in sin; we had no spirit life, but in the new birth God gave us spirit life, and that spirit life is eternal life. The law could not give spirit life, but Christ did. The Comforter has come dearly beloved, and now he lives in us!

God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth created Christ in you! We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus. In Christ we are a new creation. That change is quite a change!

Dearly Beloved 1/4/22 "Who Now Lives?"

Who Now Lives?

Dearly beloved of God, the Apostle Paul wrote by revelation, "I was crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by believing concerning the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Who now lives? It is no longer “I,” the man of the flesh, the natural man having only a body and soul nature that lives; now Christ lives in me. Christ became a life-giving spirit, and now the spirit of Christ lives in you. That is who now lives.

Beloved, it is Christ in you, the hope of glory! This is not my opinion, my doctrine, or my opinion; this is revelation from God our Father to His dearly beloved children.

God declares that Christ now lives in us, and the life we now live in the flesh, we live by believing concerning the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us.

Dearly Beloved 1/3/22 "Now and Then"

Now and Then

Dearly beloved of God, God has reconciled us to Himself by the accomplishments of Jesus Christ, and new things have come, and all of the new things are of God.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the first phase of redemption and salvation, and now people can be born again, and enter the kingdom of God, but there is much more to come.

We have experienced the new birth, but the inheritance is yet future.

When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to gather together the members of his body, both the dead in Christ, and those who will yet be alive, will have their bodies transformed to be like Christ’s glorious body, and they will die no more.

Not all things have yet been made new. We are still mortal, and we must deal with physical death, sorrow, sickness, and pain. There is a day coming when God will wipe away all tears, and these things will be no more.

Even though these troubles currently exist, deliverance is available to us through Jesus Christ and his accomplishments. God wants us to know the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. That power was wrought in Christ when God raised him out from among the dead. We deal with the current afflictions according to the power of God.

Dearly Beloved 1/1/22 "New Things Have Come and More are to Come"

New Things Have Come and More are to Come

Dearly beloved of God, Happy New Year, but I have even better news for you.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus.

The old things passed away. Behold, new things have come, and all of the new things are from God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ. God made Jesus Christ, who did not know sin, to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

We are beneficiaries of these new things because of the grace of God shown to us in Christ. All of the new things are the result of Christ’s accomplishments, not because of anything we have done.

Christ is the mediator of the new covenant. The old covenant was a covenant made with Israel, which pertained to the flesh.

By the grace of God both Judeans and Gentiles are partakers of the new covenant, which is not of the oldness of the letter, but of the spirit.

In this new covenant people from both Judeans and Gentiles are one new man.