A more excellent Way

1 Corinthians 12:31 “But covet earnestly the best gifts:  and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.”

Some say there are many “ways” to God.  There are not;  the only way to come to God is through our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is the way, the truth and the life.

But once we have come to Christ and been born again;  our gifts and talents are to be for the service of Jesus, to honor the One who saved us.

But it is serving out of love,  that is the more excellent way.

We should love Him, for He first loved us. (1 John  4:19)

1 Corinthians 13:1 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal”

Though I could speak in every language of this earth;  proclaiming the gospel far and wide.

And if I could testify of the gospel story in angels language:

If love for Jesus is not the motivation for all that preaching…

          It would be just so much noise.    

Loud noise; “sounding brass” like trumpets.  “How great!” man will say; but to God it would be just noise.

Soft noise; “tinkling cymbal” like the end of a orchestra piece.  Empty and just noise.

1 Corinthians 13:2 “And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

This is the one that used to shake me up.   I am a preacher; and I study a lot.  But all of that study and knowledge would be useless if I don’t use this knowledge, so I know Jesus, the lover of my soul, more.

And faith to remove mountains;  that’s something that everyone wants….but without love to Jesus as our motive; we will be nothing.  

Remember Paul was writing this; and he had great knowledge, and understood many mysteries. 

But Paul also understood,  that to do for God, without love to God;……is really doing for a reward from God.   

Which is another way of saying, you are doing it to please yourself.

1 Corinthians 13:3 “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

If I give all my possessions to God’s work of feeding the poor;  and if I die a martyr’s death: burned at the stake, as many down through the ages have.

         Though it cost me everything, as well as my life;  if love for Jesus is not the reason;  then it profits me nothing, with God.

I am none the better, for eternity, for it.

You say, surely that can not be!  

But let us consider what love is.    We love, when we prefer a certain One,  over others.

Love is willed.   We think of emotions and surely, they are there.  

But love is a choice, and our choices come from our wills.

God is asking,  “Will we love Jesus?”

He does not ask the world;  they hate God and Christ.

But He asks Christians, those who have been saved from sin;  will you love Jesus?

There is a price for love.  

It is certainly,  a turning away from others, to the One loved.   

It is giving time and effort to please the One loved.  

And most of all,  it is standing with that One,  even till death.

1 Corinthians 12:31 “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.”

The “more excellent way” is to love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.   The first and greatest commandment.  

And the Holy Spirit within us gives us that fruit of love,  if we will.

1 Corinthians 13:13 ” And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

To truly love God is the greatest work we can do.

Today!   

Hebrew 3:15 “While it is said,  Today if you will hear His voice,  harden not your hearts as in the provocation.”

All our lives comes down to ‘Today’.     Tomorrow is not yet.   Yesterday, with its success and failures,  is done.

But today we have.   Today we have the opportunity to turn to God and do His Will.

We never know what a day will bring.    We should, therefore, determine which direction our lives will go,    while we have today.

So today,  if you will hear His Voice.   

We can hear God’s voice in nature;  many have seen the changing seasons and heard God speak to them:

Psalms 74:17 “…Thou hast made summer and winter.”   

If the seasons change, all over the world,  surely that means that the sadness of today is not permanent;  but will give way to rejoicing.

We can hear God through His Word.  It is His revelation of Himself and His Ways to us.    The Holy Spirit will help us understand it,  when we ask Him.

And we can hear His Voice to us, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit within.   He is Light, and will make known to us, HIs Will.

John 7:17 “If any man will do His will,  he shall know of the doctrine (teaching) whither it be of God,  or whither I speak of myself.”

Jesus said,  If we really want to know His Will,  we can know.

God considers our “heart” the throne of our mind, emotions and will. 

So when we hear Him,  we are to “soften” our hearts by yielding to His Will.

To “harden” our hearts is when, we will not to do it;  for whatever reason.

Zechariah 7:9-11 “Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts, saying,  Execute true judgement,  and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother:  

                           And oppress not the widow,  nor the fatherless,  the stranger,  nor the poor,  and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

                          

                          But they refused to hearken,  and pulled away the shoulder,  and stopped their ears,  that they should not hear.”

A hardened heart is not caused by circumstances, or birth;…….but a choice of will.

When Israel hardened their heart:   they first refused to listen,  for they did not want to be responsible.   

They thought that if they had not heard,  God could not require His Word to be obeyed.

They pulled away from the work of “shouldering” the burdens of prayer, faithfulness,  and love.

Finally they stopped their ears,…..or filled their ears with other voices,…..so they would not have to know God’s Voice in the circumstances.

Again, God considers our heart, the throne of our mind, emotions,  and will.

But He can give us “hearts of flesh”;  or tender hearts,  which will return the love He gives us,….back to Him.

Ezekiel 11:19-20 “And I will give them one heart,  and I will put a new spirit within you;  and I will take the stoney heart  out of the flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh:

                        That they may walk in My statues,  and keep Mine ordinances, and do them:  and they shall be My people,  and I will be their God.”

The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, is given to us in our hearts to make alive again, and guide.   He rules, and over rules, in circumstances  which affect His People.

Without Him we can do nothing.

But with His Almighty energy,  the most extraordinary results can be produced.

Everything depends upon His manifesting or concealing His Power.

Are we anxious to obtain His help?

Are we watching so we will not provoke Him to be silent?   

Oh how much we need Him to speak to our inner man and give us courage!

The Holy Spirit is not a temporary gift;   He abides with us.  

He does not weary of us (Amazing Love!).

But He waits to be gracious at times, till we really see our need, and seek Him.

It is love which makes a hard heart into a softened heart, yielding to God’s Spirit.

It is God’s love given to our hearts,……and then returned to Him, by us.

In love, He speaks of “Today”, …. if…..you will hear His Voice.

Turn to  Christ Jesus, and yield to HIs Spirit within.  

Receive His love,….and return it to Him.

He wants to bless each heart given to Him,……”Today”.

Paul’s last Message 

2 Timothy 4:6 “For I am now ready to be offered,  and the time of my departure is at hand.”

Paul is in a Roman prison:  he has been sentenced to death.   

He has a few things to say to Timothy,  who was like a son to him.  Instruction, and testimony.

But notice, when Paul talks about his soon execution,  he talks as if he were waiting on a train to take him away.  

And it is true.   The same second Paul’s body died, he was in heaven, meeting Jesus face to face.  Experiencing the beauty, rest, and love of God.

Paul speaks of being offered;  and he was offered on the altar of hate.  They wanted to be rid of this one who preached Christ,  even though he had done no wrong to the Roman state.

       He had no one of importance to stand for him before Caesar.   And as he testified, all men forsook him;  no one stood up for him, because of fear of retaliation from the men around Caesar.

Yet Paul forgives them and asks God to forgive them, too.

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

                                 Notwithstanding 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.”

Paul writes Timothy, not just to notify him of his execution,  but to instruct him.

He lets him know that he is ready to go.  That he has finished the Purpose of God for his life.

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight,  I have finished my course,  I have kept the faith:”

Paul used these illustrations before,  when talking about his life as a preacher of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 “I therefore so run,  not as uncertainly;  so fight I,  not as one that beateth the air.

                                        But keep under my body,  and bring it in to subjection:  lest that by any means,  when I have preached to others,  I myself should be a castaway.”

As a runner in a race, he was to keep the goal of God in front of him, and finish what he started.  

He was to preach salvation to all,…….and exhort them to grow in the grace of God.   

And show them how to do it.

And he was a fighter.  He had real enemies,  he was not fighting the air.

His enemies were from within himself…..(We always need to resist sin.)…

And from without.  Many sought to kill him,  slander him,  and ruin the simple gospel message; yet he withstood them,…..often face to face.

But he had fought the good fight.   He had finished his course.

He had kept the faith.  The word “kept” here is “to guard from loss,  by keeping our eye upon”.

And he had instructed Timothy in his former letter to do the same:

1 Timothy 6:11-12 “But thou,  O man of God,  flee these things,  and follow after righteousness,  godliness,  faith,  love,  patience,  meekness.

                                 Fight the good fight of faith,  lay hold on eternal life,  wherein thou art also called,  and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

Paul also looks forward to what God has promised:

2 Timothy 4:8 “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:….”

And if he had stopped there,  we would absolutely understand.   Paul had done many things,  suffered many things for Christ Jesus.

But he does not:

“…and not to me only,  but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Any Christian, who loves the appearing of Christ Jesus,  will receive a crown of righteousness.

It is difficult, not to get wrapped up in this world……It’s anger, greed, and vengeful spirit.   

Then we forget to love Jesus……and we stop looking to Him.  

When that happens……we don’t “keep” our faith active.

Paul warns all of us,  to “fight the good fight of faith”.    And keep our eye on,…and guard our faith,…..which will always lead us on, with the Lord.

Yet, if we do love and wait for Him,  there is a crown waiting for us in heaven.

Paul’s last message, was one of instruction and testimony:

“If I, who once was an enemy of Jesus,…….can be saved…..and come to love Him through out my life; in good times, and bad:   So can you.   

He stood with me,……and Jesus Christ will stand with you no matter what comes.”

So ended Paul’s bodily ministry…..and so began his eternal joy with Christ!

The Weapon of All-Prayer

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

At the end of listing the pieces of the Christian’s armor,  Paul speaks of,  what I consider the last “weapon” in our protection…..all-prayer.

Bunyan pictures this as a bag, out of which Christian can take things he needs….

…and he uses it after his battle with Apollyon….to restore his strength.

……but however you picture prayer….it is a weapon we must become intimate with….we must be able to use it aright.

There are prayers which are short and sweet….(Psalm 12:1). “Help, Lord”

And Peter’s “Lord, save me.”(Matthew 14:30)….when he was sinking.

There are prayers which are based on a certain Name of God….prayers of healing (Jehovah Rapha)….the Lord will see to,  or provide (Jehovah Jireh Genesis 22:8,14)

          To the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10)….when our need  outweighs what we can see for an answer.

          To the God of all peace….when our boat of circumstances, rocks to and fro, and there seems no peace….then our God is our peace.

(In Romans 15,  Paul prays to “the God of patience” (verse 5),  “the God of hope” (verse 13),  and “the God of peace” (verse 33))

           

These are prayers….

…..our coming before the throne of grace and laying things out before the Lord…..

….and prayer is also waiting for an answer.

“ and supplication in the Spirit”

       This is knowing a need for someone….and relying only on the Holy Spirit’s guidance….seeking the Lord for the supply they need….until it is met.

(Jude 21) “…praying in the Holy Ghost.”

“And watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints:”

         These prayers are where we bring before the Lord….certain people,  certain churches,…..not knowing the full need of these….

….but expecting the Lord to “warn” us….for their good….to pray in a certain way,  for what the Lord shows us.

(It is like a watchman on a tower….waiting,  ready to be used for the good of the city.   

       Isaiah 62:6-7 “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day or night:  ye that make mention of the Lord,  keep not silence, 

        And give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”)

Just what is perseverance?  to be persistent….to be constantly diligent….to earnestly stay with the means God gives….to see the answer come.

(It is interesting….that perseverance is only used once in scriptures….here, where prayer is concerned.)

God has given us prayer both for fellowship and communion…..

…..and as a weapon against the world, the flesh and the devil…where we and others are concerned.

Let us learn to be used of God in our prayers,  whether near or far to those we pray for…..that He might have all the praise.

Keep Thy Heart  

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence;  for out of it are the issues of life.”

The heart in Scripture is the soul,  or personality of the individual.   It is what makes us,  us.

It is made up of mind or thoughts;  heart, or affections;  and will, or the limited power we have to do.

If we are born again (the Bible was written for God’s people), then we are warned to “keep our hearts”.

We are not to let it wander around into things it should not go near.

We are told to hold it close to God, by the exercise of willing love.

(If you say you can not will love;  I disagree.   

If you are talking about the affections which fly here and there; no you can not do much with them, until they are brought into subjection to Christ Jesus.     

But when we are born again, we are given power to exercise our will for God in a new way.    The will becomes the holder of all precious materials for God.   One of these is love.    And as such,  we will to love,  what God loves.)

Then we will to stay close to the Altogether Lovely One,  Jesus Christ.  

We have become so surrounded by the World’s terms and definitions about them;  that we have forgotten the reality of the power of God in our lives.

The world says love is an emotional response to someone or something.

God says love comes from Him, into our hearts, and is returned to Him by an act of our will.

1 John 4:16,19 “And we have known and believed the love God hath to us.   God is love;  and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God,  and God in him.

                          We love him,  because He first loved us.”

Believe is another word, the World has misused.   It says it is a action of the mind, which grasps the concept of something that has proved itself.

But God says it is an action of the will, whereby we place our whole being on Him, and His Word.

Mark 9:24 “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears,  Lord, I believe;  help thou mine unbelief.”

This father willed to believe.  Even praying Jesus to help his unbelief.  

To believe is the action of faith.   

And faith is placed within us by the Holy Spirit, when we come to Christ.

It works in us to believe:  place our whole selves on Christ. 

That is the action part, where we do His Will.

So we are told to “Keep our hearts” and we are to do this “with all diligence”.

It takes a lot of effort to keep our hearts close to Christ.

We have a tendency to “slide” away from Him.  There are many temptations in this world.

Jeremiah 3:14 “Turn, O backsliding children,  saith the Lord;…”

Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray;  we have turned everyone to his own way;  and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

But, as we love Him, we grow stronger and stronger in that love.  We are never out of danger, till we reach our home in heaven, but He has made a way of escape, even in the temptation:

1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but God is faithful,  who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able,  but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,  that ye may be able to bear it.

For out of it (our hearts- our souls) are the issues of life. 

Issues,  or the source of life.

When we are saved, we are given eternal life, which is a condition of life.  

(It is not just to live forever.    Everyone will live forever, someplace.   The born again ones, in Heaven with God, in bliss.  The lost, in the Lake of Fire, in torment.)

This condition of life is Christ’s Life within us by the Holy Spirit.

We are to hang on to Him.  Steady ourselves with His Arm. (We need a lot of steadying)

And we are to use all the grace that He gives us, to keep hanging on to Him.

He never leaves us,  but we often leave Him. 

That is why hanging on,  keeping our hearts for Him, is so important.

Love Him,  for He loved you with an Everlasting Love.  

Trust Him, for He is Faithful.

Believe, and Obey Him,  for He leads us in the best way to go.

Christian, What do you think of Christ?   

Song of Solomon 1:2 “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth:  for Thy love is better than wine.”

This is not the kiss of the Father to the prodigal son.  (Luke 15:20)

This is not the kiss of the woman sinner on Jesus feet. (Luke 7:37-38)

This is the kiss of the mouth.  One on one relationship of love.

Our Christian life begins a personal relationship with Christ Jesus.  

Saved sinner to Savior;……that should lead to disciple and Master.   

Which gives way to friend to Friend;….and that can lead to Union and Communion. 

There is,  as this maiden here in the Song of Solomon finds,  always a closer relationship  with the Lord. 

Have you found His love so?  

For surely to know His love is more inebriating than wine. (Ephesians 5:18)

This love is not what He has done for you;  but what He is to you.

She loved Him, and wanted a closer relationship with Him.  She wanted nothing to come between them.

What about us?   What comes between us and our Lord?

What has cooled your affections for Jesus?

What of your heart’s desire?  Is it for Christ, and His Will to be done in your life?  

Or is it satisfied with just hearing, (at a distance) about Christ?

Is this not the reason of our lukewarm attitude toward our Lord?  

And how much of what He has given us, is spoiled because of our attitude toward it?

Song of Solomon 1:7 “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon:  for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?”

We are Christians;  we are not going to desert Christ.   But we often are “turned aside by the flocks of Thy companions”.      We follow His ministers,  or a certain doctrine,  or get so wrapped up in “working for Christ”;  that we become distanced from Him.

Of course, we should go to Church.  Yes, we should be attentive to Gospel messages.   We should always know the doctrine of faith.

But for the individual Christian,  we should always keep our relationship to Christ in first place.

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

Matthew 25:1 “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,  which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.”

This begins the parable of the ten virgins…..

…five which are wise…for they not only brought their lamps….but extra oil for them….”in their vessels”….trying to be prepared for every good work (Ephesians 2:10)…..while waiting for their Bridegroom.

(In scripture, wise means reverent to God and His commandments.  Only the Holy Spirit works this awe in us.)

….five which are foolish….for they brought lamps but no extra oil for them….they were “shining”,…..but only looking forward to their reward and happiness forever.

(In scripture foolish means “heedless”….turning a deaf ear to God’s commands….as though they could bypass them.  The Lord said,  “If ye love Me, keep My commandments”.    It is not agreeing with His Will, but doing His Will that shows our love to Him.)

They were all …..full of excitement for the celebration to come….at the first.

They thought that they were all ready with light when He came!

But the bridegroom  tarried.   He did not come when expected….so they first sat down…..then they fell asleep….all of them.

But there was a shout,  to wake them up….(praise God that He sends some to wake us up!  How many awakenings and revivals have come by the voice of..…..”Prepare, for the Bridegroom cometh!”)

So they all got up….and tried to “trim their lamps”…..

       That is,  they began to be diligent in the outward forms of religion….they confessed they’re falling asleep,  they had Bible study, going to church, praying.

But the error was not in the lamps……in the outward actions……but in the oil (a picture of the Holy Spirit)…..

…..some had Him….some did not.

The wise had extra in their vessels…..for the Holy Spirit is always with us…..and when we yield to Him there is abundant power for enlightening, and courage….even after failing Him in falling asleep.

It is true they were guilty…..they did not stay awake and shine for Christ as they should…..but when they were awakened…..they got themselves right with God, yielding to the Holy Spirit……and right with others…..

….standing ready for the Bridegroom’s coming.

But the foolish had none.    Why?   Did not they have lamps?  Yes….there are many which have the outward form of Christianity…..many good works are done by people who love what Jesus stands for….yet who have never given themselves to Christ Jesus the Lord.

Weren’t the foolish prepared at first?   No,  for they never had a supply of oil….or the Holy Spirit.

Many have a ‘spirit’ of enthusiasm….or a ‘spirit’ of happiness at being part of something larger than themselves….

….but only the wise had the supply of oil (Holy Spirit) that would not run out.

Matthew 25:8 “And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil;  for our lamps are gone out.”

You would think this the right thing to do…..but the wise said that they could not provide for them…..

….Only God could…and that is what these foolish refused to do from the first…they would not “go” or submit to God…….for “foolish” is heedless.  

Matthew 25:10 “ And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”

Jeremiah 8:20 “The harvest is past,  the summer is ended,  and we are not saved.”

Time runs out for every person on earth.   

These foolish virgins had let their time of “seeking the Lord” go by…..without doing it….till time had run out.

Like Jeremiah, I often look at our generation and feel:

Jeremiah 8:21, 9:1 “For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt;….astonishment hath taken hold on me.

          Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears,  that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” 

How many around us need to hear the gospel?

How many we meet, can see the Light of Christ shining in us?

Jeremiah 8:22 “Is there no balm in Gilead:  is there no Physician there?  Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?”

Yes, there is a balm to heal every ailment. 

Yes, there is a great Physician to mend and heal every sin…..Jesus Christ the Lord.

Let us awaken…..and…..be wise and receive Him and His Word to us…..and shine as lights in this world…..while we can.

We can not give the “oil” of the Holy Spirit to others…..but we can sure lead them to the Lord Jesus Christ….before it is too late.

         

The mote and the beam

Matthew 7:1, 3-5 “Judge not, that ye be not judged.

And why beholdeth thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considered not the beam that is in thine own eye?

         Or how wilt thou say to thy brother,  Let me putll out the mote  out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

         Thou hypocrite,  first cast out the beam out of thine own eye;  and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out  the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”

In scripture, we are never called to “judge” anything or anyone…..except ourselves before the Lord (1 Corinthians11:31)……but we are told to “prove” them.

To judge, we must be above others……and only God can do that.

      But to prove,  we must just wait, and see whether what they say,   is what they do.

A “mote” is a splinter…..a “beam” is a two-by-four! 

     The difference is huge.

Both hinder the vision….and both can blind us to what we should be seeing….but the illustration is concerning judging and the “measure we mete”….or what we do about our judgement.

Jesus does not say we should not help our brother…..nor even help him with his vision of things…..but that we should first see to ourselves before God….then we can really help our brother.

       We should remove the “beam” in our own eyes.   

That “beam” can be our own opinion about what is going on….

….it can be our own experience concerning people or things that have happened like this….

….it can be sin in our life that hinders us from God’s viewpoint…

(My grandmother used to have a saying….”When you point your finger at someone else to accuse…..several fingers are pointing back at you!)

We should remove all hinderances from our own vision….before God….then we can help our brother.

Matthew 7:5 “…first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out thy brother’s eye.”

The eye is the organ of sight…..and how we “see” is important. 

      As Christians, we are to see by faith….

2 Corinthians 5:7 “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”…

….faith sees God….and when we see God first,  our eyes see everything else as it affects Him….not how it affects us….or others.

      We are putting Him and His Word first,  and letting that light shine on both us, and others.

Jesus said the light of the body is the eye:

      Matthew 6:22-23 “The light of the body is the eye:  if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

       But if thine eye be evil, they whole body shall be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!”

When we “look” at things in the single vision of God’s will and glory…..then our eyes are enlightened to see aright.

      (The dove, the symbol of the Holy Spirit, is said to only see one thing at a time.   The Holy Spirit ever points us to Christ and His character,  His Word, and His Will.)

       When we “look” at things from an evil eye….

…..one which seeks to influence,….in any way but God’s….

….and thereby hurting others by that influence……then we spread darkness not light.

(“Evil” here, in the Greek,  is “hurtful,  it is the influence or effect”…..not describing the character of someone.)

If we are honest before God,  we can see, by faith, the beam in our own eye.   We can see that there are many things within ourselves that need tending to….and when we have dealt with them….

….we can help others….not by pointing out their splinter….but by pointing out God’s help to us….

…and that He can do the same for all.

The Day of the Lord 

Amos 5:18 “Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord!  to what end is it for you?  The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.”

Amos was from Judah, who was sent by God up to the northern kingdom of Israel….to preach against their sin….giving them time to repent and turn back to God.   

(Judah was made up of the tribes of Judah, and Benjamin.   Whereas, Israel was made up of the other ten tribes)

Amos 5:6-7 “Seek the Lord, and ye shall live;  lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. (Bethel was one of the places they had put a golden calf….calling it the Lord.)

              Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,”

The Israelites at this time were very prosperous….so much so, that they were known for their large and fancy sacrifices,….although God did not accept them.

Amos 4:1-2 “Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, (they were herdsmen, known for their beautiful and fat cows), which are in the mountains of Samaria,  which oppress the poor,  which crush the needy,  which say to their masters,  Bring, and let us drink.

               The Lord God hath sworn by His holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you,  that He will take you away with hooks, and your prosperity with fishhooks.”

God would rather that they taken their sacrifices…..down the street to the poor….for He was not pleased with the sacrifices of thieves.

Amos 5:11-12 “Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat;…

                 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins:  they afflict the just,  they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate (the place of the city court) from their right.”

Amos was sent toward the end of Jeroboam’s reign…..within thirty years,  all Israel was killed or carried away captive….for refusing to hear God’s warnings, through His prophets…

You think…..thirty years!….they had plenty of time to hear God’s Word…..to repent….to change their ways….

….and so have we, had….are we hearing what the Lord is telling us?

2 Kings 17:13-14 “Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying,   Turn ye from your evil ways,  and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers…..

                 Notwithstanding, they would not hear,  but hardened their necks….”

Revelation 3:18-19 “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich;….

(The pure “gold” of God’s life in my life….no dross of self-glory to dull or tarnish it)

…and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;….

(He clothes us with His righteousness,  which empowers us to do the righteous acts we are to be walking in….with Him. Ephesians 2:10, 1 John 3:10…..and if we are not walking in them?….we are naked.)

….and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

(The eye salve of honesty with God).

                  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:  be zealous therefore, and repent.”

He loves us…..so He rebukes….speaks first;……then chastens….so we will awaken to what He is showing us.

       

 But as I said,  Israel was very prosperous…..living it up….believing the bigger the sacrifice….the bigger the blessing….

….when what God wanted,   was righteousness.

He wanted His people to act according to His commandments of righteousness, brotherly kindness, and mercy.

Amos 5:22, 24 “Though ye offer Me burnt offerings and your meat offerings,  I will not accept them:  neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

                 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”

This is what they should have been doing…..judgement, the knowledge of what is good in God’s sight, and wrong to Him.

This should have been as the rain on a thirsty ground….being right in their actions,  to all people—rich and poor.

And righteousness should have been flowing out, so that all Israel would have been cleansed and turning to God.

About that time….the phrase:  the day of the Lord,  was given.    

It has to do with the day that the Lord will come and deliver Israel from their enemies….in the last days. (The tribulation period)

But many appropriated it to any time of trouble….believing that since they were God’s chosen people,  that God would have to honor His promises………forgetting God’s commandments….as though they could ignore those.

Amos 5:18-19 “Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord!  To what end is it for you?  The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.

                As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him;  or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him.”

He was telling them that to claim His protection,  while refusing Him…..was ridiculous!

They talk of worshipping God,  but it was a god of their own imagination…..not Him.

They were not walking in Light….but darkness, and self-deception.

God told them, if the “day of the Lord” came to them,…as they were, now…..He would not see them as His people, but as enemies….

They would feel as though a lion was chasing them…..so they run the other way, expecting relief…..when a bear would meet them.

So they run into the house….ahhh, safe….and put their hand on the wall for support….when a serpent would bite them.

How this should have shown them,  that God will not be used….

…..He is God….His promises and commands go together….and they were to “seek Him”.

Amos 5:8 “Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night:  that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth:   The Lord is His name:”

There were a few, that listened to Amos….but most were swayed by their prosperity…..

……how could God be angry with us, when we are so successful?

And so they refused His rebuke…..to awaken them.

And what is the Lord saying to His church…..even while standing outside of it?

Revelation 3:20 “Behold,  (Look and really see)

I stand at the door, and knock: 

(This is certainly the door of the Laodicean church….and is also the door of every believer’s heart)

if any man hear my voice, 

(He is speaking….through His Word, through His Spirit, through His preachers, and teachers…to any who will hear HIs rebuke and call) 

and open the door, 

(this is to open the door of our life….and to be receptive to Him…to His commands, as well as His promises)

I will come into him, 

(It has often been said that the door latch is on the inside….we must open up to Him…..but, though we have been cold,  or lukewarm and miserable, poor, blind…….He will come in to us, in authority and power…….when we open to Him.)

and sup with him, and he with Me. 

(This is the fellowship, which dining together means….remember the  “come and dine”……Jesus call to His disciples after His resurrection….and the restoration of Peter, after His denial. John 21:12-19)

Today, there is a lot of controversy over “the day of the Lord”….

I believe we should look for Him….His Rapture certainly could come at any time….but the most important thing I need to see,  is:

Am I ready to stand before Him?   Have I done His commands, as well as seek His promises?

Do I love Him?  Or just what He gives?

Today,  He is still speaking,  calling us to awaken to His Voice,….and His counsel…..will we?

            

  

An evil report 

Deuteronomy 1:22 “And ye came near unto me  every one of you, and said,  We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what we way must go up, and into what cities we shall come.”

Are we like the ten spies?  Who, though carrying some of the blessings of our inheritance…

….”and they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down”……

…..still murmur and complain about the trials and “giants” in our walk?

We all know the story…..

      Israel had come to the land to possess it.   

      Moses told them to “Go up and possess it….as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee;  fear not, neither be discouraged.”

This should have been a grand celebration!    “We’re here…..we made it!  Now we can have all that God has for us!”

     But, instead, they thought to “search out the land”.   

Why?   

God had already chosen it…..and was ready to stand with Israel against everything in their way….

….but unbelief in God made them seek something other….than His Word.

     

So, the elders came to Moses, and said…..”We will send some men to spy out the land….so we know the way to go up.”

Notice,  “we will”…..they were not asking the Lord…..they were plainly seeking their will.

Maybe Moses just heard the “and go up”…..because he agreed.

So for forty days and nights….the camp of Israel stayed close to the inheritance God wanted to give them….

…..and waited….

…..for twelve men to tell them what God should be telling them….which way to go,  to have their possessions.

Ps 106:24-25 “Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not His Word:

       But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.”

[It is important in this day, that we understand…….What Voice?  How did the Lord speak to them?

       First, they had the promise given Abraham and his seed for Canaan.

       Second, they had Moses who spoke to them God’s message, even as they asked (Ex. 20:19)

       Third, they had God’s Word in His law and commandments. “Which if a man do, he shall even live in them.” (Ezekiel 20:11,13,21).  Obedience grows faith,  and faith makes us to know God’s Will.  (John 7:17)

        Fourth they had heard God speak from the Tabernacle.

        Fifth, they had the cloud and fire pillar which lead by day and night, leading them there.

          Yet, they “hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord”]

So when Moses said:

Deuteronomy 1:21 “Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee:  go up and possess it,  as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee;  fear not, neither be discouraged.”

They were to go in and possess it.  

(I believe that if they had said,  “yes, Lord,  tell us how”…..they would have been directed how…..and possessed the land immediately.  

       What do we “say” when God tells us to do something?)

But instead, their own idea of “search and see”….

….lead them to “see” by sight and not by faith….the giants of the land.

Our plans…..giving way to our way…..giving way to “seeing” without faith…..

…..giving way to an evil report about God’s Will…..”we are not able”.  

That is what our natural sight would tell us. (Numbers 13:31)

But faith says,  “Let us go up at once, and possess it;  for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30)

What of us?

And has not the Lord given us “great and mighty promises” (2 Peter 1:4) that we are to get into our experience….in a word,  to possess them?

2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:  that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Do we want to escape the corruption of the world’s system?   

Then we must “partake”…get into our own experience, the promises of God.

The stress of this lesson is this:   Why are we looking for some other way….than God’s Way?

God’s Way is faith.   That is first….”….to them that have attained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1)

            Then, by giving all diligence…..we are to use our faith in God, and get virtue….or yielding to the force of the Holy Spirit within,…..giving us courage to obey.

            Then, knowledge of Christ and His promises worked out by obedience….it is amazing knowledge to know what God will do for you….and you learn this here.

            Then temperance….or moderation….not running or stopping but just walking with God.

            Then patience….and this is a big one….for if  we can not learn patience with God’s time,….and ourselves…..and others, we can not go on to godliness.

 And we must “learn” it.

             Godliness is taking on Christ’s character…..which we are promised will happen if we do these things…..(Romans 8:29)

             Then when we love our God, we love our brothers and sisters in Christ.

             Then love….”Beloved, let us love one another : for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”   (1 John 4:7)

God has promised us some amazing life promises…..but we must possess them.

As Moses said, “…go up and possess it..”.   

So with our promises…let us believe God…give all diligence……and get the fulfillment of these promises….in us.