Sermon Central
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A Single Eye Series
Contributed by Mike Fogerson on Nov 18, 2013 (message contributor)
Summary: Doves are similar to pigeons, but the dove has a very unusual quality - single eye. A dove doesn’t have side vision... why they are referred to as “love birds.” When it sets it’s gaze upon another dove it sees nothing else - it’s not easily distracted.
Secret of the Stairs Pt 3 A Single Eye Aug. 21, 2013
A In about a week, dove season will come here in Illinois.
1 Doves are similar to pigeons, but the dove has a very unusual quality - single eye.
a A dove doesn’t have side vision... why they are referred to as “love birds.”
b When it sets it’s gaze upon another dove it sees nothing else - it’s not easily distracted.
2 The Bridegroom has seen that His bride has this quality of having a “single eye” for Him.
a She looks at Him differently than the other Daughters of Jerusalem.
b She has His favor, attention & He begins the process of drawing her to Himself.
B I believe there are 2 levels of Relationship in our spiritual development and 2 levels of Experience in our relationship to the Lord.
1 Relationship: Inner chamber in our hearts; Throne Room of our Groom.
a The first chamber is within us that we need to make ready to receive our Bridegroom.
aa Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
bb As He knocks, what will He find when the door is opened?
b The second chamber is the throne chamber we ascend to as “overcomers”
aa Revelation 3:21 (NKJV) 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
bb We don’t get to sit with Him until we’ve prepared what’s behind our door. (Inner chamber)
2 We experience Him, identify with Him in two areas.
a In our inner chamber we have to prepare our hearts through devotion/submission as brides.
aa Cleaning house, organizing some things, de-cluttering.
bb As we prepare, when He arrives He will enlarge our capacity to receive more of the things of the Spirit. -Fellowship, communion with Him.
cc John 3:29 (NKJV) 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice.
b The second is experienced in the “chamber of His throne.”
aa Through the overcoming, obedience, dying to self we are raised up to a place of identification with Him as a “son.”
bb As we experience the “overcomings” outweighing our “shortcomings” we develop spiritual maturity.
cc 2 Timothy 2:12 (NKJV) 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him.
c For us to be allowed into these chambers we must have the “want to” in our spirit to want to know/obey Him.
aa To be in communion with Him as a bride.
bb In response, He’ll meet us in the chamber of our heart.
cc Other times He’ll lead us as sons/children into His throne chamber. - We participate with Him in the outworking of what He’s doing.
Romans 8:17 (NKJV) 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
d SOS reveals to us the methods the Lord uses to prepare us to experience these relationships with Him.
aa There is a “step-by-step” progression God uses to make us able to be His bride & son.
bb To have communion (bride) and be seated with Him as a son.
3 We’ll never be qualified to “rule” with Him until we’ve fully submitted to Him as His bride.
Revelation 2:26-27 (NKJV) 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations-- 27 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'-- as I also have received from My Father;
Revelation 5:10 (NKJV) 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."
Revelation 20:6 (NKJV) 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
a Before we start thinking we’ve got the “right” to rule, Reign with Him, we’ve got to be prepared to be the bride!
Revelation 19:7-9 (ASV) 7 Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God.
