Spread the Fire - November/December 2007 - (Page 17)

the pressure from other people’s agendas. He was free to perform His Father’s agenda, and He wants the same for us. John 17, the high priestly intercessory prayer of Jesus, has been called the “Holy of Holies” of the New Testament. What the disciples heard Jesus pray on His last night with them before his crucifixion, had nothing to do with an agenda for church planting or any other gift or ministry. Instead, the whole conversation was about being one with the Father. In John 17: 22 - 23 Jesus prayed, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved Me.” The glory Jesus is talking about here is the glory of being God’s son. The Greek word for “glory” and for “honor” is the same word, so wherever you see “glory” you could also say “honor.” John Trent, in his book, THE GIFT OF HONOR, defined “honor” this way. “Honor is a decision I make to give priceless value to another human being just because they are created in the image of God.” Webster’s Dictionary defines “glory” as “a feeling of dignity, great value of being, acceptability, and legitimacy.” To “hon- or” means “to make glorious, to validate, to prize, to treasure, to esteem highly.” Jesus has given every believer the glory of sonship, the unfathomable value that the Father has for Jesus, He now places on you. “So why don’t I feel like it?” you may ask. The greatest hindrance to receiving this gift of sonship is trying to earn what we have already been freely given. The fact is, the harder we try to earn it, the further away we get from it. That is called self-righteousness, living under the law of sin and death. What we need is the new kind of “righteousness,” the righteousness that comes only by faith. Jesus took our place on the cross so that we could take His place in the Father. He got what our deeds deserved so we get what His deeds deserved, the glory of sonship! Our salvation is allinclusive. It includes both redemption and adoption. You haven’t only been redeemed; you’ve been adopted by none other than the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. As much as the gift of salvation includes liberation from death, healing and all other gifts and blessings of God, so also in the atonement was your privilege to be a son of God, the Father. Have you experienced this blessing Jesus bought for you? If not, “Ask and it shall be given unto you!” complete success in your Abba Father’s eyes S TF - 1 7

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Spread the Fire - November/December 2007

Spread the Fire - November/December 2007 Contents In the River Finding My Place As a Son How to Experience the Father’s Love From Shame to Honor: My Journey into Sonship “YHWH” is Papa Book Review The Last Word International Itinerary Resource Center Catalogue Upcoming Events Visitor Information

Spread the Fire - November/December 2007

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