Category Archives: Christ Life

Cannabidiol, CBD, Good or Bad?

Dear Christa,

In answer to your post regarding Cannabidiol, CBD, I will write my comment here, as there are several others interested in this subject.

After a brief search of internet articles, I did not find any that said that CBD was addictive or that it gave one a ‘high’, although there were some ‘minor’ side effects possible. At best, the present state of the research should not be considered as the last word. Neither did I find any articles that said it restored the body to health.

PAIN

I have had my share of pain in my lifetime and fully understand how desperate we can be to find relief from pain. So, why pain? Basically, pain is the body crying out for something it is starved for, or for something that has attacked it. I believe we can safely say that pain does not indicate a deficiency of CBD. Although there is evidence that CBD may relieve some pain in some cases temporarily, only getting to the root cause of the pain is the only thing that will restore health and vitality.

The Root of the Problem

To get to the root of the problem, what is our Life? We are a Spirit; we have a soul, (mind, will, and emotions), we live in a body. When the Spirit leaves the body, the body is dead. Proverbs 18:14: “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” The spirit of a man must be nourished and defended against attack. God’s Word, the Bible, is Spirit and Life, John 6:63: “It is the Spirit that quickeneth (makes alive); the flesh profiteth nothing.” When people reject the Word of God, they choose to reject His healing Life:

Matthew 13:15: “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

Limitations of Science

Science is good so long as we understand its proper place and function. It can only deal with the physical and material; it cannot deal with the Spirit of God, nor the spirit of Man. The physical, material person will die, but his spirit will live on. This physical death is so dreaded, and we naturally see pain as a precursor of death. But Christ came to give us hope beyond this physical existence; by His Life, death and resurrection He purchased eternal life for us. He offers it freely to “whosoever will.”  This eternal life begins when we surrender to Him and accept His Life. This hope gives us the peace that is so necessary to healing of the body, which houses the soul.

RESOURCES

There are many resources available to help us understand how to participate in God’s healing and health. Here’s some that I have found helpful:

  1. The Holy Bible, all of it. Read it; meditate on it; obey God’s commandments; surrender to Him; accept His salvation, peace, and eternal Life.
  2. The video series: Bible Health Secrets, produced in connection with the Loma Linde Hospital and research center in Loma Linde, California, affiliated with the Seventh Day Adventists..
  3. Dr. Don Colbert’s book: Let Food Be Your Medicine, available at Amazon or Kenneth Copeland Ministries website.
  4. Be blessed!

Health Care – A Misnomer

The Problem

One of the major problems facing the legislature of the United States of America is the so-called “Health Care Plan.” The major reason this issue cannot be solved is because they are not dealing with the real issue, Health, but rather with the issue of Sickness. It is a Sickness-Care plan.

The “Plan” is all about providing more doctor-visits, more prescriptions, more hospitalizations, more surgeries, more tests, and more medical diagnoses, more pain relief. This, you see, is about sickness. It indicates that we, as a nation are sick, and, as a nation, we are agreeing with that.

Obviously, all of these things will not make us healthy, but which will only possibly give us temporary relief, sometimes leading to even more pain and disability. We must, rather, deal with the problem of how to be healthy.

The Solution

For example, start with “Why are we so sick?” The major reasons are: inactivity, idleness, self-indulgence. This life-style leads to physical and moral decay; obesity, addictions and irresponsibility.

When God created Mankind, He gave them dominion, responsibility and accountability, over all Flesh, which included Man’s own Flesh, physical and moral accountability and responsibility for self-control and discipline. He ordained the sacrificial rituals to teach us that the Flesh must be sacrificed and be subordinate to the Spirit.

When Cain failed to present an appropriate sacrifice of flesh, God warned him: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him,” Genesis 4:7. The imagery here of “sin lieth at the door,” is that of a wild carnivorous beast crouching at the door of your house, ready to spring on you. God warns Cain: “Thou shalt rule over him.” We are to rule over sin by sacrificing the Flesh.

How To Do It

Romans 12:1-2 puts this into proper perspective: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

Sacrificing the Flesh means controlling your appetites, for food, drink, sex, power, selfishness, etc. In case this is not perfectly clear, Galatians 5:16-21 describes it thoroughly:

Galatians 5:16 KJV – [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (17)  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (18) But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The definition of ‘revelings’ is: “Rebellion, over indulgence in eating or other pleasures.” These “works of the Flesh” clearly describe what is involved in a sacrifice of our Flesh. While it may seem to be depriving us unnecessarily, yet it is for the good, the well-being and the health of the whole person, including the Flesh.

To make this process even clearer, we have Colossians 2:12; 3:1-6: “Buried with Him, [Christ] in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead…. 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (4) When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (5) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (6) For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.”

The word ‘mortify’ means to slay, kill, that is, to sacrifice.

True “Health-Care” requires the sacrifice of the Flesh.

The Life Was The Light Of Men

The Light of Life

Researchers are now reporting that there is a spark of light at the instant of conception of a human embryo. This was earlier reported by John, the disciple of Christ, writing the Gospel concerning Christ: “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men…. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,” John 1:4, 9.

God is a Spirit

This is the Image of God, which distinguishes Mankind from the animal world. Mankind is not merely flesh, but is spirit. God is a Spirit, John 4:24: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God is Light:

I John 1:5: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all.

This, then, settles the question of when life begins. It begins with the spark of Divine Life.

How does Mankind lose this Spirit of God with which he was born?

By Sin: Genesis 1:17: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” That Light of Life, the Spirit of God, departs from him and he remains alive in the flesh only, although he retains the spirit, breath, of a man, capable of knowing God.

How can Mankind regain this Spirit of God?

Ye must be born again,” read John 3:1-21.
John 3:5: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again,”
John 3:16-21: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.”

Life, Death and Resurrection

The Beginning of Eternal Life

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…. And God said, ‘Let there be light:’ and there was light.” – Genesis 1:1, 3 RSV

“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:” – Colossians 1:15 RSV. Jesus was firstborn as Light.

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent.” – Colossians 1:17-18 RSV. Jesus was the firstborn of the dead in the resurrection.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life, (the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us–) ” – 1 John 1:1-2 RSV. Jesus was manifested in the flesh to Mankind in the birth in Bethlehem.

Jesus came to die on the cross that we might never die.

“And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.” – 1 John 2:25 RSV’

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life. I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” – 1 John 5:11-13 RSV’

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” – 1 John 5:20 RSV’

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:14-16 RSV.

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.” – John 3:36 RSV.

Jesus’ Words Are the  Spiritual Bread of Life:

“He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. … This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” … It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” – John 6:54, 58, 63 RSV.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.”” – John 8:51 RSV.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.” – John 10:27-28 RSV’

Jesus Is the Resurrection

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’” – John 11:25-26 RSV.

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee, since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.’” – John 17:1-3 RSV.

“I [am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” – Revelation 1:18 KJV.

The Origin of Human Life

The original law: “And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath [Hebrew ruah, also translated “spirit”] of life; and man became a living soul.” – Genesis 2:7 KJV. This is the Law of the Spirit/Breath of Life. Adam operated under this Law until he sinned.

The Law of Sin and Death: Genesis 2:16-17: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” – Genesis 2:16-17 KJV.

But Adam and Eve ate of that tree of death and so their Spirit died: “And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” – Genesis 3:6 KJV.

So death came upon all Mankind: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” – 1 Corinthians 15:22 KJV.

Christ came to restore Mankind to the Breath/Spirit of Life:

“For the law of the Spirit [Breath] of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” – Romans 8:2 KJV.

“8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. … 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: … 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) … 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 5:8, 12, 17, 21 KJV.

Resurrected Life Requires Crucifixion of the Flesh

“20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20 KJV.

This crucifixion of the Flesh happens when we come to true repentance. John 6:44: “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 12:32: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me.”

This drawing of God to Himself must be responded to by total, complete surrender and acceptance of God’s will and plan. It is not a time to bargain with God for your own ways. It is likened to a death, the death of your own fleshly desires, habits, and will. This sacrifice of ones self will bring about God’s acceptance in the New Birth.

In The New Birth We Are Resurrected A New Creation

“3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. … 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. Romans 6:3, 4, 6, 7.

 This Is The First Resurrection

Romans 6:8, 9, 11-13, 23 KJV: “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. … 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God. … 23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Colossians 3:1-2, 6, 8-10 KJV: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. … For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: … But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

The First Resurrection

Revelation 20:6 KJV: “Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years, [that is, forever].”

The first death comes when we totally and unconditionally surrender ourselves to God’s will and purpose. The “second death” is when the Spirit leaves the body. For the Christian, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. This “second death” has no power over the Christian, for he has already been resurrected in the New Birth.

Revelation 1:6 KJV: “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

The Law – Do We Need It Now?

Let’s start from the beginning.

Genesis 1:26-28: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
(27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.
(28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

God’s First Law: The Breath/Spirit Of Life

Since God is a Spirit, and created Man in His own image, Man was created as a Spirit. We have a soul; we live in a body of flesh; but we are a Spirit. Genesis 2:7: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Note that the word ‘breath’ is the same word as ‘spirit’ in Hebrew. God breathed His Spirit into Adam. The Spirit is the “breath of Life.” This is the first law: The “Law of the Breath/Spirit of Life,” Romans 8:1-2.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the Law of the Spirit/Breath of Life hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

The Law of Sin and Death

Genesis 2:16-17: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” This is the law of sin and death, see Romans 8:2

Before the fall, Man’s whole volition, intention, and natural spontaneous impulses were to do God’s will in the Spirit. When Mankind fell into sin, however, his Spirit, the inner man, died and it became necessary for his flesh to be ruled by the force of law. This condition required an atoning death, and so the whole Old Testament sacrificial system was established in order to teach Mankind the necessity of sacrificing the Flesh to redeem the Spirit.

In the fullness of time, Christ came, died the atoning death for all Mankind, and offered the resurrected Life to whosoever will. In His resurrected Body, He restored God’s original intention for Mankind; that is, that they would be alive in the Spirit/Breath, ruling, taking dominion over every living thing, including his own fleshly body.

However, not all would be willing to accept this New Birth, this Life from the Dead. So, for those, the Law must still be enforced upon the outward man. And the Spirit Man, the inner man, the real person, must rule his own flesh by the Law. The Law is still necessary to bring the Flesh, the outward man, into obedience to God’s Law until and unless he is born again of the Spirit.

As born-again Christians, we naturally fulfill the law. Our righteousness will exceed that of the Pharisees who were so diligent to keep the letter of the law while twisting and perverting it. Our righteousness must not only keep the true letter of the law, but also keep the Spirit of the law: willing and intuitive obedience to the Spirit of God. For the Christians, keeping the Law is not grievous but the natural thing to do.