Romans 8:32-34 “He that spared not His own Son,  but delivered Him up for us all,  how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

           Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?  It is God that justifieth.

            Who is he that condemneth?  It is Christ that died,  yea rather,  that is risen again,  Who is even at the right hand of God,  Who also maketh intercession for us.”

It is amazing to me…..the plan of Salvation:

Down through the centuries Christ waited till the time He would come forth to the world….to bring salvation to His people.

When the time came,…

….we might think He would come as a man….powerful and clothed in the royal robes of majesty….

…but instead He came as a babe, born of a virgin.

For this was God’s plan….Christ had to become man in the flesh, to save man.

He had to go through every temptation….yet without sin…that mankind is subject to. (Hebrews 4:15)

(A definition of “temptation” might be helpful here:

Jesus was “tempted”….tried by sin…but did not sin.

The moral evil in temptation is giving into it.    In itself, it is but a trial.

Men are tempted (James 4:1) to sin outwardly, by their inward sinful inclinations (lusts).

But Jesus was holy and pure, as Son of God,  and Son of man.

Trials and temptations came at Him from without….but they had no effect on Him.  (John 14:30)

         He was not tempted by sin….because of the holiness of His nature…

…nor did the trials that He passed through produce sin,  because He was perfect in His obedience.  Matthew 4:1-11)

He had to manifest God’s power….by being an obedient man….speaking only the Word the Father wanted.

He submitted to every test and trial which His Father in heaven gave Him…..

…..showing the Truth, mercy, forgiveness, and steadfastness to duty—even unto death.

For as the scriptures plainly show,  He had to die….and be raised again (Acts 2:22-24)……that  we might receive the inheritance of life in Him.

Hebrews 9:15 “And for this cause He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death,  for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament,  they which are called   might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”

God would not justify us without the penalty of sin being paid…..He does not give up His Justice for mercy.

The penalty of our sin must be paid….

….therefore we must pay it ourselves….

….or a Substitute must receive the wages of our sin….and pay it to the full…

….that we might be justified before God, and have peace with Him.

Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of God, came and did just that.

And as we receive Him as our Lord and Savior….our sins are placed on Him,  and paid in full.

But our Salvation does not stop there!  For He saves to the uttermost, those that come to God….by Him. 

Hebrews 7:25 “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him,  seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

“Shall He not with Him also freely give all things!”

Who is even at the right hand of God…the place of power and authority…Who also makes intercession for us.

For Christ Jesus is now at the right hand of God, as our Mediator….honoring both God’s Justice, and mercy……through Himself….

…which entails two things:

Showing God the wounds by which He procured our redemption,….that we are covered by His blood…

….and interceding for us….

And who is able to speak about the bounty that is in His intercession for us now?

Hebrews 4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest,  that is passed into the heavens,  Jesus the Son of God,  let us hold fast our profession.”

Our High Priest is Christ Jesus, who had the victory over sin and death….

…He knows what is best for us, and permits our trials that we might come through them with Him.

He watches for our stumbling….prays for us to be strengthened in His might…

He holds us up (one of my favorite sayings….”When it is dark, and we must descend the stairs….reach out to the handrail of God’s love…and step out.”)

He is our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) and strength….imparting faith and grace in our time of need, by His merits.

Christ won for us the privilege of the Holy Spirit to live with us continually……that we may be delivered from our sin, by His power.

How many have been bowed down with sorrow or worry,  and He lifts them from the grave of tears to the comfort of His presence….as though He wiped away the tears with His own hands.

(I am going to speak of a question which is often asked…..I have asked:

If Christ is praying for me….how can I fail?

Isn’t His intercession effectual?

The answer is…..of course, His intercession is effectual!

But what He prays for each of us is that we might…..in the personalities we are….overcome our natural, personal inclinations to sin (lusts)….and give our whole hearts up to Him.

That, of course, could be done in one “zap”…..but Jesus, instead has chosen to do it by leading….

He leads us as a Shepherd leads His sheep:

Calling….so that we learn that He knows our name…and to come.

Leading us by putting us in the flock….what lessons we learn as we deal with others….who are also following Him.

Correcting us….by pulling us out of danger….that sometimes hurts;    

and…by the “rod” which gets our attention that we are going where we should not.

Delivering us from our enemies….personally interceding….or giving us instruction as how to “get out of the situation.”

His leading me…for it is always personal….is the effectual working of His intercession…..which will guide me into having all that He has for me…..His Way.)

With Jesus as our High Priest,  we can draw near to the Father.   His throne of majesty and holiness, would keep us far from Him……

…but  by HIs intercession, it becomes a “throne of grace”….opening up to us all spiritual blessings:

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,  that we may obtain mercy,  and find grace to help in time of need.”

“Boldly” means “saying all”…..tell Him all your thoughts and tell Him what you feel…tell Him your fears, and confess your sins….”come”

How zealous we should be about our purpose….with the Lord Jesus making intercession to the Father for us.

Romans 8:32, 35, 37-39 “He that spared not His own Son,  but delivered Him up for us all,  how shall He not with Him freely give us all things?

                 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation,  or distress,  or persecution,  or famine,  or nakedness,  or peril,  or sword?

                  Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

                  For I am persuaded,  that neither death,  nor life,  nor angels,  nor principalities, nor powers,  nor things present,  nor things to come,  

                 Nor height,  nor depth,  nor any other creature,  shall be able to separate us from the love of God,  which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

All…..”in Christ Jesus”.   

Are we having our share in Him?

Demas 

Col. 4:14 “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.”

Philemon 23-24 “There salute the Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus;       Mark , Aristarchus,  Demas,  Luke, my fellow laborers.”

              

2 Timothy 4:9-10 “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:     For Demas hath forsaken me,  having loved this present world,  and is departed unto Thessalonica;….”

It matters a great deal, in spiritual matters…….Who,  or what,  we love.

Demas is an example of this.

He was found in the writings of Paul as a fellow-laborer.   

If Paul had taken him along with him, then surely he would have seemed faithful.

Yet,…..when Paul was arrested the second time,…..Demas forsook him, having loved “this present world”.

(Paul was arrested two times.   Once in Jerusalem, and sent before the Roman governor,  where he appealed unto Caesar.  

He was tried and released for a while, traveling west.  Then arrested again when he came back through Rome.)

Whether Demas was from a wealthy family,  or from the poor section of people, it does not say.   

He was apparently saved, and joined Paul’s ministry. 

He is always mentioned with Luke, so perhaps he was a colleague, or student of his.

Paul had wrote another of his fellow-workers:

2 Timothy 3:1, 10-12 “This know also,  that in the last days perilous times shall come.

                      But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life,  purpose, faith, longsuffering,  charity, patience, 

                       Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra;  what persecutions I endured:  but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

                        Yea, and all that shall live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

But at a certain time,  Demas looked around and saw the way things were going for Christians,  and decided that he did not love Christ Jesus enough to suffer and die as a testimony for Him.

He was going to leave Paul, and head out.  He would go back to the world.  He loved it more than Christ.

What does it mean, “this present world”?    Simply,  Demas wanted his blessings here.  There had probably been many wonderful things he had seen Paul do.  Many coming to the Lord, and people being healed, lives changed.  Wow!

But when it came to himself, and “gaining or losing”  here,  he did not love the Lord more than  what he could get out of life now.

Matthew 16:24-26 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples,   If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself,  take up his cross, and follow Me.

                      For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:  and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.

                      For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world,  and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Luke 17:33 “Whosoever will seek to save his life shall lose it;  and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.”

This life is a short expanse of time.  For it is just time.   But the everlasting Kingdom and the rewards there, are for eternity.

Demas may be rewarded with good things now.  

But Paul will have his good things forever.

2 Timothy 4:16-17 “At my first answer no man stood with me,  and all men forsook me:  I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

                         Not withstanding the Lord stood with me,  and strengthened me;  that by me the preaching might be fully known,  and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”

Picture Paul:  alone, standing before Caesar and a crowd of people, who were always around him.  Onlookers, or favor seekers; standing and hearing this Paul preach about Jesus Christ, his Lord.  

No man stood with him before Caesar.  

It mattered who you had to stand with you.   If it was a man of influence, then Ceasar might take into account that he might need that man’s influence sometime, and so be lenient on Paul.

But no man did.  

Yet Paul did not want any to be charged before God with this sin.  He forgave them, and prayed that God would forgive them. 

But God stood with him.

2 Timothy 4:18 “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work,  and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom:  to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

I must admit, ridicule, slander, and persecution are not things I want to have happen to me, either.   But I love my Lord Jesus Christ.

I want the Lord Jesus Christ to stand with me;  therefore I must stand with Him, even in the perilous times.

It matters, Who or what we love,  for that effects every decision we make.

Paul’s Practical Preaching 

Paul had begun this last bit of Romans,  not with more doctrine, but with the practical.   

How we are to live in this world, as Christians;  belonging to Christ.

In Romans 12:1-2,  Paul shows that presenting your bodies to God, and refusing to be conformed to the world, will strengthen you  to find and do  the will of God in your life.

Romans 12:3 “For I say,  through the grace given unto me,  to every man that is among you,  not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;  but to think soberly,  according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Paul was saying that God has given every man,  by His Holy Spirit, a “measure” of faith and grace.  

(We can, as Peter said in 2 Peter 1:5 “…add to your faith…”.   This will increase our measure, so we “grow in grace”.  We learn to use what we have, by the Holy Spirit’s instruction, and are given more.)

Our “measure” is given to us;   so we should not be proud that we know something,  but instead,  we should use that measure of faith to:

Romans 12:6-18:  “…according to the grace that is given…” we are to do the work God has given us to do.  

Let love be true, and not phony:….turn away from evil……love the good.

Be kind to one another,…..preferring the fellowship of believers.

Working hard to do our job, because we serve the Lord in it.

Yield to the joy of the Spirit, and be steadfast in the trials of the day.

Pray always.

Minister to the needs of others,  as you are told: both spiritual and temporal.

Bless those who seek our hurt.   Do not seek revenge.

Be honest.   And try and live at peace with all men.

How can we do these things? 

They seem impossible!   

And in our own strength, they are.   

But God has given, with the measure of our faith….a Leader to show us how and when to do….Who gives us the grace and inclination to do….

….He has given us His Holy Spirit.

We must go back to:

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,  that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,  wholly, acceptable unto God,  which is your reasonable service.

                            And 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.”

You see, it all starts with giving ourselves to God.   It says “bodies”, here;  to illustrate how we need to yield to the Holy Spirit, completely.

The Lord Jesus was given a body to come to earth and suffer and die, and be raised again…..in His body.

But the Holy Ghost, the Comforter,…..has come to earth, without a body….but instead to indwell and empower our bodies (which include our spirit, soul, and body).  

Paul is saying here,  that we are to “present”…..which in the Greek means to “stand by,  to be at hand, to offer something intangible (our friendship, ourselves)” to God the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will then take our offering,  and work with us to perform the will of God, and to mold us into the  likeness of Christ’s character.

Our hands need to be His;  not doing things which they should not.

Our feet need to be His;  not going places we should stay out of.

Our mouths need to be His;  not saying unkind things or lying.

We could go on,……but you see the reason Paul said this.   

We need to give ourselves,  inside and out,  to the Holy Spirit;  so we are no longer under our own management….but fully yielded to Him.

But thankfully when we do:  we are “transformed” (changed) in motive ,…..in the inner most thoughts and attitudes of my being.

And then given power to “prove” His Will…..by doing it, in the circumstances of my life, day by day.

How good and acceptable it is in our lives! 

He wants us to get “our measure” of all we need,…..to live the life He has for us.   

A life of goodness and power.  

Will we present our bodies to Him?

Honey

Psalm 119:103 “How sweet are Thy words unto my taste!  Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” 

(This is in a Psalm where every verse but three, speak of HIs Word, precepts, testimonies, statutes, judgements.) 

His Word is sweet to my taste!   Taste and see that the Lord is good! (Psalm 34:8)

Many years ago, when I was a young girl, my Grandmother received a gift from her son in California.   It was a gift set of honey….little bottles of orange honey, clover honey, buckwheat honey, and another I can not remember.

       She thought it was wonderful….she loved honey…nature’s sweetener.  And she used it sparingly….savoring every mouthful.   

        

Now it struck me the other day, about the Word of God.   How is it to us?

Psalm 19:9-10 “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:  the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

      More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:  sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

We think of the great promises of the Word of God, and savor everyone….but His Word is a goldmine of knowledge and instruction for us Christians,…as we journey to heaven.  (2 Timothy 3:15-17)

     And HIs Word to us….whether in correction, or comfort and mercy….comes to us in His love….is as sweet as honey. (Hebrews 12:11…we are like Samson, getting honey from the lion Judges 14:5-9)

     Sometimes it is as sweet as honey, as we receive it…..but bitter in our “belly”, our lives, for we will be mocked for following it,…and for warning people with it.  (Ezekiel 3:3,  Revelation 10:10)

And our gifts and callings….what do we think of them?

Exodus 3:8 “And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with mild and honey;…”

(There are twenty-one times….the promised land is spoken of as “a land flowing with milk and honey”)

     That was their inheritance that the Lord promised them….and gave them.  

What do we think of the many blessings in Christ Jesus that we have been given?

     Ephesians 1:3, 18-20 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

      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 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.”

Our blessings come with His mighty power, by the Holy Spirit in us….do we love Him?

And our daily portion from the Lord….the daily grace and exhortation we receive….how do we receive it?

      Do we consider that….like the manna, which tasted of honey (Exodus16:31)….which was given to the Israelites all the way to the Promised Land….on the ground outside their tents…

…..that this grace can be gathered and used…..or walked upon!

Honey has a lot of health benefits…..it is naturally anti-inflammatory,  antioxidant, and antibacterial….if sealed it does not spoil.   You can use it to treat coughs and sore throats (my Grandma’s favorite)….upper tract infections in children…..and you can put it on wounds to promote healing.

The prophesy of Christ speaks of honey….which is again a type of the sweetness and healthiness of the Word of God….

Isaiah 7:14-15 “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign;  Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

        Butter and honey shall He eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.”

It is our privilege to have the sweetness that the Bible gives us.    

       Yes, it requires reading, and searching, and praying……but like the inheritance of Israel….it is more than worth it.

        

Hebrews 6:10-12 “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward His Name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

        And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

        And ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Jesus Christ has sweetness for us in Himself and His Word to us….let us get it.

Oh my brother (and sister),do you know the Savior, who is wondrous ,  kind and true….He’s the Rock of your salvation….there is honey in the Rock for you.

     Have you tasted that the Lord is gracious?  Do you walk in the way that’s new?  Have you drunk from the living fountain?  There is honey in the Rock for you.

     Oh there is honey in the Rock my brother (and sister), there is honey in the Rock for you.  Leave your sins for the blood to cover,  there is honey in the Rock for you.

Borrow Vessels, not a Few 

Elisha was a prophet in Israel.  

There were many who,  though contrary to the “popular religion”,   followed God.

They would gather together to hear Elisha, as he traveled the country.

He ministered to the people with the Word of God, and instruction.

Many followed the teachings of God, and they were called the “sons of the prophets”.

Some set themselves aside for ministering, and prayer.

Others had families, and lived for God in their jobs.

A widow of one of these men came to Elisha in dire straights.  After her husband had died,  things had gotten very tough financially,  and they had come into debt.

2 Kings 4:1 “Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha,  saying,  Thy servant my husband is dead;  and thou knowest that thy servant  did fear the Lord:  and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.”

This was very serious.  Both sons being taken, must have meant a large debt.

But she came to Elisha;…..he would be able to pray for her,  or tell her what she could do by the Word of the Lord.

2 Kings 4:2 “And Elisha said unto her,   What shall I do for thee?    

Tell me,  what hast thou  in the house?   

And she said,  Thy handmaid hath not anything in the house,  save a pot of oil.”

At first, it is as if  Elisha is not asking the woman at all….but rather praying for direction…”What shall I do for thee?”

Then,  he asks her, according as the Holy Spirit showed him,  “What do you have in the house?”

She had nothing to sell,  nothing to trade.  She only had a pot of oil. 

How often we think we need something more, before we can serve God.

More knowledge,  more courage,  more understanding.

But really,  we just need to use what we have:  God’s grace which He has already given us, by the Holy Spirit.

When we do, then God will enable us,…..and He will supply more of what we need.

2 Kings 4:3-4 “Then he said,   Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors,  even empty vessels;  borrow not a few.

                          When thou art come in,  thou shalt shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels,  and thou shalt set aside that which is full.”

               

Here was the answer:

She would have to be obedient,……and God would supply her need.

She would have to borrow empty vessels; for the Lord was going to work a miracle for her.   

But it was to be for her and her sons.   No one else was to be present,  or even see through the door.

Elisha was not present.  He did not do this.   

The Lord did this for her, and her sons;……..using empty vessels……and their obedience.

Did God supply the need?   Yes!

2 Kings 4:5-6 “So she went from him,  and shut the door upon her and upon her sons,  who brought the vessels to her;  and she poured out.

                        And it came to pass,  when the vessels were full,  that she said unto her son,   Bring me yet a vessel.

And he said unto her,  there is not a vessel more.   And the oil stayed.”

Abundantly the need was met!   All the vessels they had borrowed were filled,…..till there was no more.

God would have us bring our “empty vessels” to Him to be filled with His Spirit, for our everyday needs.

Shutting the door,  so we may be alone with God in prayer and devotions,  is often the means He uses to supply our need for the day.

The oil of joy,  and strength, and peace…..and increased faith is often given as we close the door on the world,  and seek Him, only.

2 Kings 4:7 “Then she came and told the man of God.   And he said,   Go, sell the oil,  and pay thy debt,  and live thou and thy children of the rest.”

After the miracle, she did not get “swelled head” and say, I know what I will do.

No, she came and asked for guidance as what to do next.

Amazingly,  the answer was an answer for the rest of her life.

God saw to the need, and more.   He gave to her, so that she would be able to live beyond this debt.

That  is what God always gives us:  life.      It is what He supplies,  even as He is supplying a specific need, for now.

Our life as His children, here and now; and every time we need it.

It does not say whether the oil came drop by drop,  or poured out fast from the vessel she had.

Only that the oil came,  the need was met. He supplied it for her and her son’s life.

Let us look to God to supply the need of our life,  bringing our “empty vessels” for His Spirit to fill….that we may have His life for us,…..and live by His direction.

Do we have, what we seem to have? 

Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear:  for whosoever hath,  to him shall be given,  and whosoever hath not,  from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”

“Which he seemeth to have”…..by outward appearance….he seems to have what he claims.

But by inward obedience….it is not his.  He may agree with it, as doctrine….but does not obey it for his life.

The faith Christ places within us, demands certain things from us.

“…for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.”  (Romans 14:23)

That faith will never disappear….but it can be starved by lack of obedience …….becoming faithlessness……and the resulting actions be only outward show.

No amount of religious activity….will ever take the place of obedience.

Like Samuel told Saul….when he returned from the Amalekites:

(God had said to Saul, that these people were to be destroyed…completely.   

God did not want “sacrifices” from the best of the spoil…..

……He wanted them completely destroyed because of the wicked way they fought against the march of Israel when they were coming to the Promised Land.  

They would come up behind and kill the slowest and weakest of the people and children.)

1 Samuel 15:22-23 “And Samuel said,  Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,  as in obeying the voice of the Lord?   Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,  and to hearken than the fat of rams.

              For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,  and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.   Because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord,  He has also rejected thee from being king.”

These verses used to bother me because of the lack of diligent obedience in my life, everyday……

……we are to be obedient….Christ said,  “If ye love Me,  keep my commandments.”  (John 14:15)

Isn’t that the real reason we hesitate to do His Will, or disobey….because we do not love Him as we should….something else has taken His place in our hearts?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Then these verses bothered me….because of “stubbornness”….

This is to “peck at”….we refuse this command because of this reason….

…..Oh, we would do it (we tell ourselves) except for this person or that circumstance….

…when actually we are being stubborn about having “our own way”

[Praise God for His Word which “bothers us”!]

(My husband dealt with a man once who was having a great many problems….and he asked my husband to pray for him….

….So my husband said,  “Yes,  I will pray that the Lord’s Will will be done in your life.”

And the man said, “Ok”…..then after a moment asked…..”Can you pray that my will will be done a little bit, too?” )

We laugh at that…..but aren’t we the same way…….we want our will done….”a little bit,  too”!

We think we can “give” God “something” to please Him….but He has plainly said…

Psalm 50:13-14 “Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?  

               Offer unto God thanksgiving;  and pay thy vows unto the Most High:”

No amount of religious activity will take the place of simple obedience.

What does God want from us?    Us.  

Proverbs 23:26 “My son,  give Me thine heart,  and let thine eyes observe My ways.”

Samuel told Saul (it was not his first rebellion to God’s Word)………”because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.”

But notice, it is from “being king”…..God, here, was giving Saul a chance to save his soul by repentance….not his kingship….that was to be turned over to David…

….but Saul could have repented from his rebellion and stubbornness….and turned to God.

1 Samuel 15:17 “Then Samuel said,  When thou wast little in thine own sight,  wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel?  And the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?”

When Saul saw himself as a Israelite…..not king over them….God blessed him.

But kingship had changed his attitude about everything…..and he wanted all the praise, and honor that title held….

….forgetting it was just a title….without God’s blessing.

But to Saul…..if he could not be king….then,   Forget it!  

Saul then said all the right words….”I have sinned”…..but he blames the people…

“…because I feared the people.”

When God would not accept such a confession….then Saul showed his true desire…

1 Samuel 15:30 “Then he (Saul) said,   I have sinned:  yet honor me now,  I pray thee,  before the elders of my people,  and before Israel,  and turn again with me,  that I may worship the Lord thy God.”

The Lord “thy God”…..not “my God”….for to reject God’s Word and authority in our lives,  is to reject Him.

Matthew 21:44 “And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken:  but on whomsoever it shall fall,  it will grind him to powder.”

Here is the answer for stubborn hearts….for hesitate hearts….for double-minded hearts….

Our Rock.

We can “fall” on it…..leaving the broken pieces of our plans, failures and successes,…leaving our lives….by faith…falling into the arms of God and become broken to the world…..which is our spiritual enemy….

….and letting Him heal us, spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Or we can in the day of judgement see our lives be ground up as nothing.

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The Eternal God is thy refuge,  and underneath are the Everlasting Arms:  and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee;  and shall say,  Destroy them.”

Are we loving God….our Eternal God….and being obedient to His Word to us?

“Come, and fall on Me,” Christ says,….”into My Arms…and I will heal you.”

Malachi 

 Malachi 1:1 “The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.”

I love this book,….it has one of my favorite verses in it.   

It is written several hundred years after the captivity under Nebuchadnezzar………and over four hundred years before Christ (the fullness of times is come…Galatians 4:4)

God, according to His promise……has brought them back to the land,  and told them to build Him a temple,  and rebuild their lives.

Those of a willing heart, came back in joy….

…and though there was persecution,  and problems….still the Lord has given them encouragement and instruction by His prophets.

And so, the people have built a temple,  and returned to the sacrifices for sin, peace, and trespass…..and things are good….for a time…

….but…after a while…

….their greed, and love of money has led them into error and sin….again.

Not of idolatry….which was their sin before the captivity….but of impiety…..a lack of reverence to God.

In Malachi……in four short chapters,  God declares His love to Israel….”I have loved you, saith the Lord.” (Malachi 1:2)…

……and shows their dishonor to that love……and to Him.

And how are they dishonoring Him?

Malachi 1:6 “A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master:   If then I be a father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the Lord of host unto you,  O priests, that despise My name.  And ye say,  Where in have we despised Thy name?”

Concerning the sacrifices,  God had laid down some very specific laws that they were to follow….

….and had given them priests to enforce these.

The priests were to sacrifice nothing that was blemished,  torn,  or too old….

…for each sacrifice showed forth the Great Sacrifice of Christ.

But after returning from captivity….building houses,  and estates again….and the temple…

….their affection became consumed by making “more”…..more money,  more cattle,  more land.

And in the process,  they began to bring “second-hand” sacrifices to God….

….thinking He would not mind….after all He is getting a sacrifice!

And at the heart of this dishonoring of His sacrifice…..were the priests.

They should have stood with God,  and made the people aware of their sin….but instead,  they encouraged it.

Malachi 1:7-8 “Ye offer polluted bread upon Mine altar; and ye say,  Wherein have we polluted Thee?  In that ye say,  The table of the Lord is contemptible.

           And ye offer the blind for sacrifice,  is it not evil?   And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?    

           Offer it now unto thy governor;  will he be pleased with thee,  or accept thy person?  saith the Lord of hosts.”

God is very practical…..

….He tells these “worshippers”…….to take these animals to the governor…..

…find out what he thinks of your present?  

He is mocking them,….for He knows no man would except a defective present….

…..yet they were bringing these to Him.

(They bring the blind, for they have no “sight” or understanding in their sacrifice and worship….they are blindly giving for show.

They bring the lame and those ready to die…”sick”….because that is the state of their hearts toward God.

Malachi 1:14 “But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and vowels,  and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing:  for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and My name is dreadful among the heathen.”)

But that is not all…..the people had begun to put away their wives,  and marry women of the land….

It wasn’t really divorce as we know it.    The old wives were merely put into another house, and the husband would get a new wife.   

The first wives were coming to the priests and weeping (looking toward the mercy seat)…..but the priests did nothing….

….but God heard.

Malachi 2:13-14 “And this have ye done again,  covering the altar of the Lord with tears,  with weeping, and with crying out,  insomuch that He regarded not the offering any more….

           Yet ye say,   Wherefore?

           Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth,  against whom thou hast dealt treacherously:  yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.”

And the third sin was with their tithes:   

        They were to give the first portion of their goods to God,….

……a sign that they were all His,….and that they thankfully received what He gave them.

Malachi 3:7-8 “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from Mine ordinances, and have not kept them.

Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.

But ye said,   Wherein shall we return?

           Will a man rob God?  Yet ye have robbed me.  But ye say,  Wherein have we robbed Thee?       In tithes and offerings.”

These three things symbolize our everyday life in the world….things which should be sanctified to the Lord,  as Christians…

….our spiritual life….worship and work….how we do,  when we do, what we do.

….our family life….to our parents, our spouses, to our children.

….our financial life….giving God control of our finances…(Matthew 6:31-33)

Impractical,  you say?    

Frankly, there is nothing so impractical,…..as a Christian  giving only part of his life to Christ.   

When God is in control of our lives…in every way……we are blessed…if not with everything we want….with everything we need, for now.

Malachi 3:10 “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,  that there may be meat in My house,      and prove Me now herewith,  saith the Lord of Hosts,   

if I will not open you the windows of heaven,  and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

The Lord has opened His heart to them…..then He speaks of opening the windows of heaven….if they will return to Him,….and honor His Word.

And then here is one of my favorite verses: I love this….our God is so Personal….He sees everything….He is Almighty…..yet…

….speaks as if He bends down to catch these words,   spoken between believers!

Malachi 3:16 “Then they that feared the Lord   spake often one to another:   

And the Lord hearkened and heard it,   

And a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord,  and that thought upon His name.”

(In every age,  God has His godly remnant….those that look to His honor, and trust on His word….

….even in the worst of times….there will be such a remnant in the Tribulation period)

I love this!   

Those that feared Him…..reverence and love was what He spoke to them about…..

(Though the majority thought, “It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance….”Malachi 3:14

Those wrapped up in this world always think of “profit and loss”…..but forget their souls…Matthew 16:26)

….yet, for those that loved the Lord,….they “spake often to one another”

…..comforting and encouraging each other in the Word of the Lord…..

And when they did…..He leaned down and “hearkened and heard it”.

And when God hears,  He answers (1 John 5:14-15)….

Malachi 4:2 “But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings;  and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves in the stall (under His special care and protection).”

God would remember….and write their names…..in His book of remembrance,….

…..for those that “thought upon His name”.   

The word, “thought” here,  means  “valued”…those that valued His Name….and Him.

God loves to be longed for….He loves to be sought;

For He sought us  Himself  with such longing and love;

He died for desire of us….Marvelous thought;

And waits for us, to be with Him in heaven,  above.

God leaves this book…..and the Old Testament…..

….with a finger pointing to the coming of His Son….and to the prophet (John the Baptist. Malachi 4:5-6)…

….that will be sent, to awaken those that look for Christ,….

…..to prepare themselves….to prepare their hearts….to prepare their families for….the “great and dreadful day of the Lord.”

Great for those who received Him…..dreadful for those who thought that they could in any way….”get rid of” the Son of God.  

We, too, are waiting for Christ Jesus (the rapture)…..and it is time we prepare our hearts for His return.

Are we giving Him our best,  our all,  in all our everyday happenings?

In this world,  of so many “things”…..what do we “value”?

The Call of Christ 

Luke 9:23 “And He said to them all,….”

“All”,  not just disciples….but all who would hear….

Luke 9:23 “And He said to them all,  If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

We sometimes think that the call to deny ourselves and pick up our cross….is  a call to discipleship.

        Yes, Jesus Christ said it to HIs disciples (Matthew 16:24),  but they were disciples before that call.

“If any man will”….means it is a act of the will….not an emotional response….but a willed determination to deny self, and let Him lead….for that is what “follow Me” states.

Jesus also makes it plain,  that to follow Him…..you need to do this daily.

(Years ago, when I first heard this call….I thought I could bow my head, and make a commitment to do this……”done!”…..great!

       But the Lord,  very specifically,  showed me the “daily”……and I must be honest…..I winced.   “Daily”?   

Isn’t my commitment enough?   I want Your Will…..isn’t that enough?

       How silly and ignorant of myself I was!    You see, I did want His Will….as much as I was aware of it…..

….but there are long nights…..dark times…..storms and suffering, which I knew nothing about as a Christian, yet.

       And these times are really hard, unless we are closely following Him.

Of course, He is patient and gave understanding to His servant….how kind He is!

       And as I learned…..I became aware of a sense of freedom as I denied myself…..daily.)

We are often unaware of our inward state, until….in honesty….we realize what Paul is saying…

        Romans 9:20 “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?  Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it,  Why hast thou made me thus?”

Man’s rebellion is universal.   We are in rebellion against Him….we have all “gone our own way” (Isaiah 53:6). 

       Even as Christians, we “go astray” and get lost in the world’s chaos and influence….

……..and then the call comes to us again….”set thy heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest:  turn again,…” (Jeremiah 31:21).

Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

To save your life for time….at this time;  is to lose it.   

I want to say here about “waste”.

        I have wasted time planning things…..or trying to fix things….or with worldly pursuits….each has been a blot on my life.   Each has been “waste”, for they have taken my time…..and I have only so much of it….and given it to nothings.

      Where are those plans…..the Lord showed me His,  and they are laid aside in the waste bin….where they should have been sooner.

      Where are those “fix-it” projects?   Sometimes they made the situation worse….but mostly,  they did not help….but prolonged the Lord’s deliverance,  for me and for others.

      Where are those worldly pursuits?  forgiven, yet the time can never be taken back.

What about those words we need to hear or say to the Lord?   When is that going to happen?

What about those habits we need to stop, and the ones we need to begin?

What about those times when we should have listened to someone,  and we were “too busy”….?

We think our life as Christians entails times of prayer, Bible study, and witness….and they are all good and important for knowledge.

      But our life as Christians entails:

“…and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

You find your Christ-life….the actual experience of those things of Christ….HIs mercy—for ourselves and others,  

His grace—for today.

HIs Words to say.

HIs affections for others.

HIs character being formed in us,  “for as He is, so are we in this world”. (1 John 4:17)

And mostly, I believe, peace and joy in Him…..in the circumstances of today.

I can not take back yesterday….nor step into tomorrow;

     But I can stand firmly in this day’s events….

….and act (not just react to things)…but act, for Christ Jesus my Lord.

I am here, now on earth for Him,….and He is there, in heaven before the Father, for me.

Let each of us take our place in the call of Christ…..to fulfill our part of His manifested life here and now….

….and live in the liberty of becoming what we were brought into being for.

Jacob’s Wrestling with the Lord 

Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone;  and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

Jacob was coming home to Canaan.  He had been told of God:

Genesis 31:13 “I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointest the pillar, and where thou vowest a vow unto Me:  now, arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.”

So he was coming home, with his wives, sons and substance………But also with a guilty conscience.   He had tricked his father into giving him the blessing, instead of Esau.

God had wanted him to have it,  but Jacob and his mother schemed to get it;  instead of waiting for God’s way.

Now he was coming back into the land,  and Esau, his brother, would surely hear of it,  and seek to kill him, as he had often promised he would. (Genesis 27:41)

What could he do?   When he first set foot into the land again,  angels met him.

Most believe these “hosts of angels”, were positioned one in the back of his family, and one before.

(The Lord does that to us, as well.   We may not see them, but:

Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.”)

Genesis 32:1-2 “And Jacob went on his way,  and the angels of God met him.

And when Jacob saw them,  he said,   This is God’s hosts:  and he called the name of the place Mahanaim.”

Jacob took this as a sign that God would protect him,  and so sent word to Esau that he was back in the land.

“…thy servant Jacob…I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.”  (Genesis 32:4-5)

Perhaps time had softened his hate.

But then he got word that Esau was coming to meet him—that wasn’t bad—but with four hundred men! (Genesis 32:6)

That sounded like an army;  and Jacob was fearful…very fearful.

(I use the term fearful,  because fear strikes at the heart of every person.  You may be scared in a moment…jump in panic;  but fear is often an attack against the Word of God,  as it was here.)

Jacob became so fearful, he began to rely upon his schemes again.

First, he divided the people into two bands.  If Esau would destroy the first,  maybe he will spare the next.

Then, he prayed.  (Genesis 32:9-12)

This should have been first…but Jacob schemes before he trusts,  yet God is merciful.   The Lord told him to come back to the land,  would He desert him?

Jacob prays to God on the basis of the covenant God made with Abraham, and his Seed.(Christ)

(So, too, we pray on the basis of the covenant God made with Christ, for us)

Jacob reminds God of what He said to do, of His own Word, which is what we should do.  Jacob tells Him he has obeyed.  

He tells God, he is not worthy of the least of His mercies and of the goodness God has already shown him.

Then he prays for deliverance, reminding the Lord of His promise where his children are concerned.

This was a wonderful prayer,  but it seems as though Jacob’s fears were not removed, for….

he started to think….hmmm….I can send a present to Esau.  Maybe that will appease him.

So off he goes, scheming.   He starts picking out this and that;  sending it on to Esau with shepherds, with the words:   “A present….Jacob is behind us,  but here is a present for my lord Esau”.   (Very flattering;  at least Jacob hopes so)

Then he sends his family over the brook;  so that there would be that between Esau and them.

He was alone then, on this side of the brook.

And then…..

Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone;  and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

We are not shown how this “man” came,  or what they said to each other for most of the night.

Those are things between the Lord and Jacob;  for this “Man” was a theophanic manifestation of the Son of God.

Genesis 32:25-26 “And when He saw that He prevailed not against him,  He touched the hollow of his thigh;  and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as He wrestled with him.

                                 And He said,  Let me go,  for the day breaketh.      

And he said,   I will not let Thee go,  except Thou bless me.”

    

But why did the Lord wrestle with Jacob all night?  Why didn’t He just touch him right away?

Because He wanted to bring Jacob to a point of  recognized weakness.  To a place where Jacob’s strength and schemes were seen as the Lord sees them:  useless.

And this takes time.

And Jacob kept wrestling, and kept wrestling, to gain the victory.

(But, thankfully, he was not the one who gained the victory.)

When it was almost sunrise,  the Lord touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh;  and he fell!   But Jacob kept clinging to the Lord…he did not let Him go.

Yet he still did not say anything,  till the Lord said,  “Let me go…”.    

Here was the real test:

At the end of a battle,  we might be willing for it to be over;  but Jacob knew Who the “Man” was.

         By now Jacob knew,   if he was to get what he needed for himself and for the future,  he must get the Lord’s blessing.

(And do we know this for ourselves?  “It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” [Zechariah 4:6].   It is often not until we know our own powerlessness, that we seek to hang on to the Lord, for His blessing…..but this takes time.)

Jacob, still clinging, says,  “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.”

Genesis 32:27-28 “And He said unto him,  What is thy name?  And he said,  Jacob.

                                  And He said,  Thy name shall be called no more Jacob,  but Isra-el:  for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men,  and hast prevailed.”

Jacob (supplanter, contender) who had schemed and planned;  was to become Isra-el (God commands or prevails).

Jacob was to be a prince or a delegated authority of God’s Name,……but only in his recognized weakness.

              (Paul wrote of the same thing:  2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Isra-el was to be his new name. (When the first part of a name is combined with “El” or God, then the doer in the name is always God.  [Daniel…God judgeth;  Gabriel…God is my strength,  etc.])

So now Jacob was to stop scheming; and let God command or prevail in him…..and for him.

This did not always happen:  read Jacob/Israel’s life and you will see from now on, the two names still apply.  

But God had brought him into a new way of life, and God would prevail.

It is natural for us to work out, for ourselves, the plans of our lives. We often feel very capable to do so:  God gave us a brain…right?

But God, in patience and longsuffering, deals with us (wrestles?) to bring us to the place where we are clinging to Him, alone.

Esau came (with the four hundred men) but when he saw Jacob, he ran and hugged and kissed him!  (Genesis 33:4)

When God prevails in us;……He will prevail for us.  His Word is ever true…we need to claim it.

His power is never limited.

His blessings are only waiting for us to cling to Him.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord 

Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.”

Two things are considered……

The nation….

And the people….

…..both in their relationship to the Lord.

Moses, in his conversation with Israel right before he died…..and right before they would go in, under Joshua, to inherit the land given them by God,…

……spoke of the faithfulness and mercy of God to His people….and what their relationship to God should be:

Deuteronomy 4:32-33 “For ask now of the days that are past,……since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other,      whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or that been heard like it?

         Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out to the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?

         Or hath God assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation,…….by a stretched out arm,   and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?”

Frankly, Moses is saying:

       “Think of it!   You have heard God.   You have seen His mighty works.   He has done this because He loves you….remember His faithfulness.”

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 “The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people;  for ye were the fewest of all people:

          But because the Lord loved you,  and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you….”

Deuteronomy 7:12-13 “Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which He sware unto thy fathers:

           And He will love thee, and bless thee,…..”

           

An older preacher once wrote:  “All religion is in effect,  love.”

That is…..when we truly believe….when we obey His Word…..when we truly worship….when we truly pray….we are loving the Lord.  (John 14:15)

Faith sees God,….setting the affections of our hearts,…and our eyes of understanding upon Him, and His Word.

True repentance is mourning love.

         Hungering and thirsting after righteousness is searching love.

         We prove our love to God,  by obedience to Him.

         When we deny ourselves…..we are actually denying our self-love.

Everyday that passes, the Christian should be more and more out of love with sin, and self, and the world…..and more in love with God.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people He hath chosen for HIs inheritance.”

This is truth.

Moses goes on to enumerate the blessings and the curses that the Lord would bring upon them.   

Blessings for following Him…..and being His people.

Cursing for following the other nations of the world around them….and forsaking His Way.

Deuteronomy 7:9-10 “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God,  which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations;

         And repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them:  He will not be slack to him that hateth Him, He will repay him to his face.”

The reason for any falling away from the Lord is also given by Moses:

Deuteronomy 28:47 “Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart,  for the abundance of all things;”

When we are born again…..we come under the Banner of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are given liberty of spirit,  and freedom from sin.

Are our hearts serving Him with joyfulness…..with gladness?

I started this with:   “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people He hath chosen for His inheritance.”

I pray for our nation…..May God bless America….

…..but as the early Christians were subjects of the Roman Caesar;…

…yet had another King,  Christ Jesus.   So we too, are subjects of our nation’s laws….for that is the Lord’s Will (Romans 13:1-5)….yet…

We are subjects of the King of kings…..and He rules, not just in outward laws and ordinances….

….but in inward joy and peace.  

Romans 114:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;  but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Let us hold up our nation in prayer for it’s salvation…..from sin and tyranny.

Let us hold up our states,….our communities….and our homes,  that the blessing of a Faithful God may come upon it.

Let us know and tell, that:

……the blessing of God comes in knowing and loving Him.