Jesus Is Our Benchmark!

Ephesians 4:13, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

A benchmark is something that serves as a standard by which to measure, evaluate, or compare. Jesus is our benchmark, He is our baseline, He is our standard for living. We must go to Him every day to put our lives and all things in them into proper focus. We must begin in Him and with Him. It is there that we receive insight and instruction for our assignment. It is there that we receive spiritual strength and motivation for the mission ahead. We should not attempt to move forward without His guidance and anointing. He prepares the table before us in the presence of the enemy. We shall eat and drink from His table and prevail before our enemy. Jesus is our strength and our victory. He leads us beside the still waters and restores our souls. He is our source, our strength, our redeemer, and in Him we can trust today and every day as Christ Jesus, our Lord. Thank you God for the assurance that only you can give!

Jesus is our benchmark. He established His position in Gethsemane. He came to die, but all flesh is appointed to death. But in Gethsemane, Jesus submitted to death. He chose to die as the Son of Man to prove that He is the Son of God. The fleshly man would die, but the Spirit man would live on. That is what happens when we meet Jesus at the cross. We submit to death. We choose death to the fleshly man so the Spirit man can live on. But we must go through our Gethsemane to get there. We must come to the end of ourselves and allow Christ to take charge of our lives. We are literally consenting to the death of the flesh so that we can experience life in the Spirit through Christ. Gal. 2:20, “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.” 

No Longer A Slave To Sin! by Myra Boozer

When God changes you, accept the FACT that you have been changed, not of yourself, but by His Transforming Power. You must have your mind made up to never go back to your old ways of foolish habits and careless living. They only lead you back down the same old path, reaping the same old results, and in the end, it is spiritual DEATH.

Listen to God as he speaks to your heart. Arise and be strong! Walk in the newness of life, free from the bondage of sin and evil. Never offer a half-hearted life to Christ. He requires ALL or nothing. When you give Him your ALL, make sure there are no hidden rooms in your heart with "NO TRESPASSING" signs hung on the doors. Begin your life with Him open and honest (He knows it already). Give him the key to every area of your heart. This commitment will help produce a strong desire for "NO TURNING BACK" to the old life of sin and regrets.

You will wake up in a brand new world with a new attitude about life and living. You have been bought with a price greater than the riches of heaven. The rags of sin won't belong to a child of the King. You are royal now, and you will be clothed in royalty. Just as the King's daughter is glorious within, so are you (Ps. 45). When you come into his palace, you will come with gladness and rejoicing because of the favor that God has placed on your new life in HIM. When you know who you are, the son or daughter of the MOST HIGH GOD, your status changes. You walk, talk, and live in a brand new world. The old things are passed away. When you love righteousness and hate wickedness, you're anointed with the oil of gladness. You see things through different eyes. Where you once lived in doubt and dread, you now live in faith and trust.

When Satan comes knocking on your door, telling you nothing changed when God forgave you and gave you a new wardrobe (spiritual robe), tell him he came too late. Because you now see him for who he is, the great deceiver. Tell him you have a new Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. Tell him you have been washed by the blood of the lamb and you are no longer a slave to sin.

Be blessed with the Mercy and Love of God...Acts 10:15, "Don't call something unclean if God has made it clean," NLT. You are a new creature! Walk in that newness! No Longer A Slave To Sin! 

Power In The Holy Ghost To Serve God's Purpose! Conclusion

(for part 1 see 7/2/25)

Luke 4:2-13 provides the details of Jesus' confrontation with Satan, the deceiver. The grueling encounter continued for 40 days, and Satan used all his best tactics, but he had no power over the Son of Truth. All he could do was to walk away from the battlefield in defeat. But Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit! Luke 4:14, “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.”

This classic battle has repeated itself every day since that time. The same scenario has played out in our lives. The Truth has prevailed, and the deceiver is defeated. That is God’s Plan!

After His departure, Jesus sent the Holy Ghost to lead and guide us into the fullness of our relationship with God. The fruit of that relationship will cause us to seek for and walk in God’s purpose for our lives. It is expedient that we experience the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. It is equally important that we yield to His leading to recognize God’s purpose in us. It is not enough that our days are filled with “good” works, but our works must have their origin in God’s directive for us.

Power to serve God’s purpose only comes in the power of the Holy Ghost! That is why we must experience regeneration and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Submission and obedience to the Holy Spirit is the only way we have the Power To Serve God’s Purpose! 

The Promise! by Myra Boozer

IF you are open to the SPIRIT of GOD, YOU will receive a spiritual move of the HOLY GHOST in YOUR Life TODAY! Maybe a filling or refilling of this promise! This is not a hack or a scam. This is a promise that was given by our Lord when he left this earth. He told us that He would give us another Comforter, that He would abide with us forever. John 14: 17, "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you." John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.   27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Never before in my lifetime has the world needed to receive this message more than today. Many are afraid they are being hacked by God. They don't want to lose their position of being prominent, conspicuous = outstanding, renowned. They want to remain the leader in their lives! BUT, when one surrenders fully to the leading of the SPIRIT, they will be renewed, have their eyes opened, see clearly what God is directing for their life, and find the Peace that passes all their understanding. There is more JOY in the baptism of the Holy Ghost than my words could ever tell you! As the Bible says, taste and see that the LORD IS GOOD, Psalm 38:4.

My prayer is that you will OPEN your heart and your mind to HIS SPIRIT TODAY! Read the book of John with an open mind and receive what the Spirit has to say...This is Your Promise! 

Power In The Holy Ghost To Serve God's Purpose!

Romans 12:1, “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. 2And 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.”

The first requirement that God expects of us is total and complete surrender to Him. The Apostle defines that here as presenting “your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God...” That is where we start! From there, we must allow the Word of God to have its perfect work in us by the power of the Holy Ghost. Be separate from the world and be changed by regeneration in the Holy Ghost. Why is that necessary? So we may discern what is the acceptable and perfect will of God. This transformation can only be performed by the Holy Ghost.

Immediately following His baptism by John the Baptist, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Matthew 4:1, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” Jesus had just left Jordan, where He saw heaven open and the Spirit of God descended like a dove and lighted upon Him. Luke addresses the same event in Luke 4:1, “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.”

Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost and possessed the power to serve God’s purpose. Then came the beginning of the testing. Ryrie states that Satan’s intention was to make Christ sin to thwart God’s plan for the redemption of man by disqualifying the Savior. But this event was not for the benefit of Satan. The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, and God’s purpose was to prove His Son to be sinless and thus a worthy Savior. Ryrie states further that it is clear that Jesus was actually tempted, and it is equally clear that He was sinless. (continued)

We Shall Be Like Him! by Myra Boozer

James 3:13-18 talks about wisdom...earthly wisdom and also wisdom from above (from God). He stated that it is pure...peaceable...gentle...easily entreated...reasonable...full of mercy and good fruits...merciful...without partiality...steadfast...without hypocrisy...sincere.

Wisdom's consequences are "the fruit of righteousness." Purity is the first characteristic, and James underscores its priority. Originally, it meant freedom from ceremonial defilement, but it came to include much more than that. It is used of the purity of God Himself! “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure,” I John 2-3.

In the context of the discussion, it implies freedom from anything that would contaminate or soil one's integrity. I found a great illustration for this meaning. There lives, in the forests of northern Europe and Asia, a little animal called the “ermine.” It is known for its snow-white fur, the most beautiful fur in the world. In some countries, the state robes of judges are lined with it as emblematic of purity and honor. Ladies of means prize coats for their beauty and warmth. The “ermine,” it seems, takes a peculiar pride in its white coat and goes to great lengths to avoid soiling it. It is said that some fur hunters have taken advantage of this fact to capture the “ermine.” Instead of setting a trap, they find its home, a cleft in the rock or a hollow tree, and daub the entrance with FILTH. Then the dogs start the chase. Sounds like our day!!!

Frightened, the “ermine” flees to its home, its place of refuge. Finding it daubed with uncleanness, rather than soil its pure white coat, it faces the yelping dogs and is captured by the hunters, preserving the purity of its fur at the price of its life.

The “ermine” is right: purity is more precious than life (this life). "...The wisdom that is from above is first pure...” James 3:17. With all the evil and corruption in our world, I pray that we will be like the little “ermine” and remember that staying pure is more precious and valuable than our own life. Jesus is coming for a Bride that has no spots or blemishes in her wedding gown...pure and white...unspotted by this world's filthy sin…"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure." We Shall Be Like Him! 

Worship The Lord In The Beauty Of Holiness!

Psalm 29:2, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”

God requires that we come before Him in holiness. If we are to enter into His presence, we will do so under the covering of Holiness. The Psalmist said it best: if we are to give God the glory that is due Him, if we are to truly worship Him, we will do so in His holiness. Holiness is an indispensable element of our relationship with God. Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”