Boundaries

Acts 17:28a - ...for in Him we live and move and have our being.

As I read this scripture I saw a note in the margin of my Bible: our boundary.

We all know about boundaries. We have them in everything we do in our lives. We have boundaries in relationships...some are close, some are not. There are boundaries with what we eat...I'll eat that but not that. There are boundaries about where we will live...I like the country but don't ask me to live in the city, Arizona but not Florida! There are boundaries about the music we listen to...the books we read...the type of people we want as friends. You understand. I believe some of the choices we make are boundaries.

Another word study...a simple one this time. A boundary, according to Webster, is "something that indicates or fixes a limit or extent." In the Old Testament the definition was that of territory coming from a root word meaning "to border or set bounds." I wondered why there was nothing in the New Testament other than the "border of the hem of their garments." Perhaps the boundary had been set in the OT in the laws, the commandments. When Jesus came He did not come to eliminate the law, but to fulfill it. He became the boundary.

It suddenly occurred to me, though, that as a Christian I have boundaries as well. My boundaries should be within Him. I should set my standards according to His. He is to be our boundary. I realized that all that He has written in the Bible is a boundary. It is our tool for right and wrong and what He expects.

In Psalm 16 I noted the boundaries:

• In You I put my trust (vs 1)
• My goodness is nothing apart from You (vs 2)
• You are my portion (vs 5)
• You give me counsel (vs 7)
• You are at my right hand (vs 8)
• You are my redemption (vs 10)
• You are my path of life, fullness of joy, eternal pleasures (vs 11)

Any promise of God is set up within those boundaries. Without those boundaries we are not secure. It's all about that relationship we need to have with our Father, with Jesus. If we maintain those godly boundaries, we are secure in them. We have nothing to fear, we have someone who will hear us when we call, we have the assurance of eternal life in Christ. It's all about being "in Him," "in relationship." "In" denotes a boundary: on the inside, within. His boundaries are not to cause us discomfort but to feel freedom within.

Colossians 2:3, 10 - in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Redemption

Ephesians 1:7,14 - In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace...who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. 

In between these two verses about redemption we are given a list of other things we are promised.

• He has made known to us the mystery of His will
• When the last days are here all that He has made will be gathered in Him...if we are in Him, we will be among that gathering
• We have obtained an inheritance by His will
• We have heard the truth which is His gospel of salvation
• We have gained trust in Him
• We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise

Do you realize how amazing this is? Guaranteed redemption! These are not just some words. They are words promised to any who call on the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of our sins. This can be done any time, anywhere. I've heard of people being convicted in a car, at church, in the middle of the night. It happens between you and Jesus. You know in your heart of hearts that He has heard your plea and He has supernaturally entered into you...making you in Him.

I have a note in the margin of my Bible that it says in Him and in Christ appear 36 times in Ephesians. I see them underlined. In Him. I wonder how many times in the New Testament these phrases are found? A quick search online came up with about 201. Depends on the Bible version. At any rate, we are nothing if we are not in Christ. before then we walk according to the course of this world, the prince of the power of the air and the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1). We live for self and are wrathful against God (2:2-3). That should give one something to think about. 

Do you know that you know you are in Him? You would definitely know of a time if it happened. You would know you'd been changed. It's unlike any other experience you've had. 

God loves us so much He is willing and definitely able to forgive and give us new life in Him through His mercy and grace, not by anything we can do. We are saved to serve; we do not serve to save, I see written in another margin of my Bible! We are made new IN Christ Jesus FOR good works. 

In chapter 2 there are more promises: 

• We've been made alive with Christ after having been dead in our sins
• We sit in the heavenly places in Him and with Him
• We receive the exceeding riches of His grace
• We are reconciled to God after having been separated by our own desires and wills
• Death is no longer in our spiritual vocabulary

And it's all because of Jesus. Being in Christ, in Jesus, in Him. He invites us in. When you hear Him, respond. It will only be good. It's not so hard to do. Only good comes of it because He is only good. 

My prayer always is: 

Ephesians 1:17-19 - ...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...

Wisdom Not Riches

Proverbs 8:8-9 - All the words of my mouth are righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them. They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

All throughout the proverbs wisdom and understanding is looked upon as the best thing to have. As I mentioned before, Solomon asked for it over riches...he got riches as well because his original request pleased God. But, we should not confuse grasping for wisdom for the sake of obtaining riches, except for the kind of blessings God imparts. And His blessings or riches, while sometimes in the natural, are also spiritual...better than those things we can lay our hands on.

Last post mentioned the excellence of wisdom. God's wisdom brings only good. Only. And as this proverb (and others) continues, the words of wisdom are true and plain and right only to him who understands.

This is where Jesus comes in! When we receive Him, as we are instructed to (Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...Acts 2:38), we become filled with His Holy Spirit. With His Holy Spirit we will find it easier to understand the truth of His Word.

To receive Christ is the greatest gift. He has all we need, the greatest treasure. The way, truth and life. We cannot have true life (or truth) without Christ. Many pursue other things first believing these are the things that bring life. In the end, and we've all heard this before, we leave this earth with nothing, not even our accomplishments. But in Christ we have all that is good, all that we need, spiritually.

We are to desire His wisdom and understanding over silver or gold. Wisdom is better than rubies. Better than treasures. Do you see? Nothing else compares to God's wisdom, which comes through Christ, because He became our wisdom (1Corinthians 1:30). In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). When we receive Christ we become in Him and in Him we receive this wisdom.

Don't know how this fits in here but a thought popped into my head...I am always reminded that no matter where I live, no matter what house, what community, what city, it makes no difference because if I have Christ and I am in Him, He will be there. In Him is peace and contentment. Amen. Whatever He chooses to place me...there He is to provide my every need. Praise the Lord. 

Receive Christ, receive wisdom and understanding. Be open to understanding. Be open to receiving Christ.

Proverbs 8:14 - Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.

In Him

Ephesians 1:11 - 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...

 In Him. It's all about Him. It's not all about us but about how we are spiritually grafted into the lineage of Christ. We have, after all, Jewish ties, Jewish roots since Jesus was a Jew! A wild olive tree is grafted into a good one that has lost its ability to produce quality, fruit-bearing trees, and we are grafted into the Jewish heritage to produce a body that is in one accord. This is contrary to the idea that a good plant should be grafted onto a wild one. It shows how God's grace is extended to us through salvation "in Jesus Christ." Romans 11:5 - ...at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Many Jews still do not accept Christ as their Messiah. Back in those days some of the good branches were removed from the good tree to allow for the wild ones. That was God's plan. He chose Gentiles to stir up the Jews. The good olive tree in the Bible is symbolic of Israel. We know the roots of any tree are where it's strength lies. The wild olive branch (Gentiles) is grafted into the good olive tree's root. That root symbolically is Jesus Christ! We, being not of the heritage or lineage of Christ must be grafted in. So, it's all about how we enter in to relationship with Christ! We become "in Him" when we enter into that relationship, when we are grafted in to the lineage of Christ. Romans 11:17 - ...you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree…

Christianity does not replace Israel as some religions try to say. This also brings up the question when Jesus returns, what religion will there be? I don't think it will be Christianity. Jesus was a Jew; it will be His religion...if there even is a religion. I think it will be just one people in one accord, worshiping one Man. That's why it's not about a religion but a relationship...with Him, in Him.

In Ephesians Paul tells us how we were chosen by God before the foundation of the world. We are predestined to adoption into His family. It is He who seeks us and draws us to that perfect place of knowing a time when we willingly acknowledge Him in our lives. If we have been given that opportunity, we should take hold of it or we miss out on a lifetime of so much.

In Him...we have redemption through the blood of Christ. In Him...we are shown the mystery of His will. In Him...we are gathered together in one accord that we may share the inheritance of the heavens. We are set apart to receive spiritual blessings according to His good will. Praise God!

When we trust in Him and receive Him all these things are given to us through our relationship with Christ. Our relationship is in Him. When we hear the truth of who He is and believe in Him His Holy Spirit is our guarantee until Christ returns. We remain a purchased possession. We don't automatically receive this right but we are given that right when we receive Christ. It's being "in Him."

We may obtain the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. We can know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance and the exceeding greatness of His power.

In Him...we have been made alive like Jesus is alive, resurrected from our old sinful selves into the growing image of Christ. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus! We have been brought near to God through Christ. He has created one new man in Him, taking all who were separated from Him and bringing us together with His own, Gentiles one with Jews, wild olive trees with good, that we might all be reconciled with Him.

This is all part of the great mystery. God has it all planned out. Amazing. Hidden from the beginning of time until Christ's appearing, teaching, preaching, good news and gift of salvation for all mankind. All part of God's eternal purpose accomplished through and in Christ. Being grafted into this great inheritance.

Ephesians 1:3 - 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.