January 13, 2017

 

Happy New Year, Everyone!  I will say what I’ve said before: for those of you who are walking in union with the Lord – and I don’t mean simply confessing Jesus Christ as Savior – real intimacy with Jesus Christ, that is, expect this coming year to easily be the most productive year you’ve ever known.  Expect a year where you see and experience the outpouring of the Blessing of the Lord in ways you simply cannot imagine.  Expect a year in which the Lord appears to tens of thousands of Muslims resulting in their deliverance from Islam.  Expect an ingathering of souls into the body of Christ on a scale hitherto unknown.  We are in for some adventures, folks!

 

Before we return to our discussion on the 23^rd Psalm, let me say thanks to the hundreds of thousands and actually more than a million readers who’ve stayed with me throughout the past years.  Today’s Coffee Break begins our 13^th year of publication.  With the beginning of this year’s writings, you will see changes and major updates to our websites: http://CapenerMinistries.com; https://RegnersMorningCoffee.com/blogger; http://AnotherCoffeeBreak.com; and http://RiverWorshipCenter.org.

 

I am deeply appreciative of all the labors of Rich Hoffman and his crew throughout the past years for their ongoing work with our websites and attention to detail.  There have been an uncountable number of efforts to hack our websites and take them down, and Rich has been able to successfully ward off these attacks so that the ministry of the Word continues.

 

We’ve been talking about being led in the Paths of Righteousness during the past few months, and I’ve endeavored to share with you some of the personal adventures as well as some in the lives of folks I’ve known throughout the years.  So far, I believe we’ve covered something like seven different principles or objectives the Lord has for us in leading us on these paths – and believe me, I’ve only scratched the surface.  I believe that I could almost write an entire book on the Paths of Righteousness – never mind all the other steps that lead us from our declaration of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Shepherd to the place where we dwell with Him “in the House of the Lord” forever – but with today’s Coffee Break, let’s pick up another principle or purpose before we move on to the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

 

Let’s begin with a couple of Scriptures that highlight this principle:

 

James 3:13: Who among you is skillful in the Word, wisely cultivating the presence of the Lord: let that person exhibit, and give evidence and proof of that Word and presence through his (or her) virtuous and meritorious behavior, demonstrating those proofs and evidence wisely in a spirit of meekness and humility.  (RAC Translation & Amplification)

 

II Corinthians 1:12: It’s because our exulting and rejoicing comes as the demonstrated evidence of a clear conscience so that our behavior, our attitudes and the way in which we conduct business are clear and simple, showing God’s sincere, purposed intent – not with any worldly sophistry and human reasoning – but with the grace and empowerment [of Holy Spirit], especially towards you (our beloved brethren).  (RAC Translation & Amplification)

 

What Paul is getting at in these two passages (and we’ll take a look at some others) is the fact that the resulting change that takes place in and with us as we walk with the Lord and follow Him in the Paths of Righteousness is that our lives become the demonstration of Who He is!  Our language changes.  The words that come out of our mouths change.  Our attitudes change.  There is a level of love and mercy and empowering grace that becomes the hallmark of our lives.

 

That brings us to our 8^th principle or purpose designed by the Lord for His leading us in these Paths of Righteousness:

 

8. Holy Spirit’s purpose and objective in leading us in these paths is to teach and train us in Kingdom Behavior.  That may sound a bit simplistic but He is teaching us to behave just like Jesus did when He walked in physical form on the earth – and still walks in us today!  In other words, we have to become Jesus to the world!

 

The purpose of our walk – and this is critical – is to literally become the living Word before all men and women.  John describes Jesus by saying,

 

John 1:14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

THAT’s what is taking place in us!  The Word is no longer just words and letters on paper in a book: the Word has taken on physical manifestation in us!  The Word is not just Who Jesus is.  The Word is not just the things that Jesus said and did.  The Word is us!  We are and have become that Word because the anointing of the Anointed One is on visible display for all the world to see.

 

You see, Jesus is described by John as “the only begotten of the Father.”  We, on the other hand, have been adopted into the family of God just as though we had been begotten by Father.  We have all the rights, privileges, authority and power granted to us as “huios” – fully-grown, fully matured, empowered by Father with the signet ring of His authority.  That signet ring, of course, is Holy Spirit on full display in us.

 

Consider, now, the following statements that Paul makes.

 

Ephesians 1:16-23: (1) Cease not 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 unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

 

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own 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 world, but also in that which is to come:  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,  Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

 

Embodied in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is the essence of “He leadeth me in the Paths of Righteousness for His Name’s sake.”

 

The very character, the personality, the makeup, the very essence of Who Jesus Christ is, His authority and power are all incorporated in “for His Name’s sake.”  How is it that Paul puts it?

 

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what (are) the riches of the Glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

 

But Paul doesn’t stop there!  It gets even better!

 

“And what is the exceeding greatness of His power (given) to us who believe, in direct proportion to the working of His mighty power.”

 

Now!  Take a look at what Paul describes as the root of the greatness of the power and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The example of that power and authority are that which He – that is, God the Father – energized, developed and accomplished in the anointing of the Anointed One, Jesus Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the Heavens.

 

And still it goes on!

 

When Jesus was seated at the right hand of Father God, He was given that seat of authority and power “far above all supreme leaders and rulers – those who originate laws, rules and policies (principalities), authorities, privileged ones, magistrates and those who delegate influence and/or rights (power), all ability, force or miraculous power (might), governments and their rulers or authorities (dominion), and every onoma (name incorporating character, personality, makeup, power or position – in other words, the very essence of who or what they are) that is named or called out; not only in this world, but also that which is to come!”  (RAC Translation & Amplification)

 

The natural, unredeemed, carnal mind simply cannot comprehend the height and depth and width and length of the kind of position, authority and dominion given to the Lord Jesus Christ.  In fact, a good chunk of the church world has so diminished this truth that it is lost upon a good many folks who call themselves Christians.

 

As if that wasn’t enough, Paul takes it yet another step when he says that “(Father God) has put all (whether that be beings (no matter what realm of life they represent), activites, the forces of nature or the universe itself under Jesus’ feet, and gave Him all Creation as the head over all to the Ekklesia, which is His body, the completion and full manifestation of Him who furnishes and fills every need to all.”  (RAC Translation & Amplification)

 

Now, go back to where Paul began this extravagant picture!

 

Paul’s prayer is that Father God, who is the Father of Glory, would give us the real revelation of Who Jesus Christ really IS!  His prayer goes like this:

 

“I never pause or slack up in my thanksgiving for you, at the same time praying and interceding that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, God being the Father of Glory, would give, transfer and impart into your being the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation so that the nature, the makeup, the character and the purpose and destiny of Jesus Christ would become part and parcel of you – [not just intellectually but by the kind of revelation that comes by eating of the Tree of Life.]”  (Ephesians 1:12: RAC Translation & Amplification)

 

And what is the purpose and destiny of the Lord Jesus Christ?

 

First of all, WE are HIS calling!  WE are HIS inheritance!  His name, His character, Who Jesus really is, is at stake in us!

 

Secondly, the idea that we are His inheritance really gets lost in the understanding of most believers today.  What does the fact that we are His inheritance mean exactly?

 

In the seven letters that John writes to the Ekklesia – each of which ends with a requirement of overcoming – he lays out the calling and the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Each of those letters is a sequential description of the processes necessary for us to become the inheritance – the completion and fulfillment – of Jesus Christ.

 

In the sixth of the seven letters (and we’ve already discussed this in this series at some length) John gives us a real revelation of Christ’s purpose, destiny and inheritance in us.

 

Revelation 3:12: Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

 

Three distinctive statements occur here which reveal both our purpose and destiny, as well as Jesus’ purpose, His investment and His inheritance in us.

 

1.      I will write (Greek: grapho: to engrave) upon him the name (Greek: onoma: character, nature, personality, the very makeup) of my God!

2.      [I will write Greek: grapho: to engrave) upon him] the name (Greek: onoma: character, nature, personality, the very makeup) of the city of my God which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God!

3.      And I will write Greek: grapho: to engrave) upon him my new name (Greek: onoma: character, nature, personality, the very makeup)!

 

THAT, my friends, is the very essence of the statement that David makes when he says, “for His name’s sake.”  The very fact that we are His inheritance means that His character, His makeup, His authority and power, His very personality of love, grace and faith are being worked in us to the place that we become One with the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

When that takes place, Jesus will have received His inheritance.  When that takes place, Jesus will have a new name!  That new name – onoma – is the product of Jesus being joined in One with us.  He will be changed just as we will be changed.

 

I’ve talked about this before, but when people who knew me before I was married to Della saw the change in me after we were married.  In fact, Dwain McKenzie (whom I’ve known for over 60 years) made a comment when he came to visit us one time.  His comment was, “Brother, have you ever changed!  You’re not the same person you used to be.”

 

Those who’ve known Della before we were married have made the same comment to her.  Della has been transformed from a quiet, withdrawn, stay-in-the-background kind of woman, to a bold, forthright and outspoken woman of Christ.

 

I became a new creation when Della and I were joined together.  So did she.  And that is exactly what is happening with Jesus Christ as we are being joined to Him.  Its why Jesus could say, “Verily, Verily I say unto you: he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father.”

 

Jesus HAD to go to Father so that Holy Spirit could work His character, His nature, His personality, His authority and power, His overwhelming love, grace and faith – His very makeup – in us.  THAT is His function.  He is the Paraklete.  He is (to quote the Hebrew definition) “the Keeper of the King’s Women.”  He is the preparer of the Bride for the Lord Jesus Christ.  The result of that work is the evidence of “His name’s sake.”  The result of that work is His new name!

 

That is precisely why, “He leadeth me in the Paths of Righteousness for His Name’s Sake.”

 

We’ll move on from here next week to the last of these Coffee Breaks on the Paths of Righteousness before, Yea,  though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

 

I remind those of you in need of ministry that our Healing Prayer Call normally takes place on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 PM Eastern (4:00 PM Pacific).  Our call-in number is (712) 775-7035.  The Access Code is: 323859#.  For Canadians who have difficulty getting in to this number, you can call (559) 546-1400.   If someone answers and asks what your original call-in number was, you can give them the 712 number and access code.

 

At the same time, in case you are missing out on real fellowship in an environment of Ekklesia, our Sunday worship gatherings are available by conference call – usually at about 10:45AM Pacific.  That conference number is (605) 562-3140, and the access code is 308640#.  We hope to make these gatherings available by Skype or Talk Fusion before long.  If you miss the live call, you can dial (605) 562-3149, enter the same access code and listen in later.

 

Blessings on you!

 

 

Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES

RIVER WORSHIP CENTER
Sunnyside, Washington 98944

Email Contact: Admin@RiverWorshipCenter.org

 

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