The longest Day 

Joshua 10:12-13 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;  and thou,  moon,  in the valley of Avalon.

                               The sun stood still,  and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.    Is not this written in the book of Jasher?   So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,  and hasten not to go down about a whole day.”

A little background is necessary:  

Israel was in the five year process of fighting the different sections of Canaan,  to inherit the land God had given them.

Five kings got together to come against Gibeon,  which Israel had made a league with.   Gibeon was a great city, and the men were mighty. (Joshua 10:2)

So these kings thought if they all came together to destroy Gibeon,  then the Israelites would be no match for them, at all.

But in this process,  they did not take into account,  Israel’s God.

Israel had made a league with Gibeon,  and God honored the league. 

(Actually, it was wrong to make this league.   They failed here.   

Joshua and the rulers of the tribes “looked” to what the Gibeonites wanted them to see, when they lied to Joshua;…..instead of asking counsel of God. Joshua 9:9-11, 14-15

But their mistake did not annul the league.   And God said they had to honor it.

The Gibeonites had been made servants of God’s house,  and they believed in the Lord God of Israel.)

So when Gibeon, who was now an ally to Israel,  was attacked by the five kings,…….word was sent to Joshua and the Israelites, to come and help.

Joshua 10:6 “And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua  to the camp of Gilgal,  saying,   Slack not thy hand from thy servants;  come up to us quickly,  and save us,  and help us for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.”

This was a mighty force…..not only a huge army….but warriors of superior status!   

(“Gathered together against”…..how many times have we, as His Church, had a mighty force come against us?)

When they got the word,  Joshua and his army took a forced march of 20 some miles…..at night,…..to get there;…….so they could honor God and the league,….and then started to fight the five kings and their large armies!  

Thankfully they heard from God about the march and the battle.

Joshua 10:8-9 “And the Lord said unto Joshua,   Fear them not:  for I have delivered them into thy hand;  there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 

                            Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly,  and went up from Gilgal all night.”

Now I want to add a word of our Great Shepherd here:

John 10:4 “And when He putteth forth His own sheep,  He goeth before them,  and the sheep follow Him:  for they know His voice.”

He goes before….   

God has a plan and a way;  even when we fail.   He is ever ready to lead us into the right way.

Joshua 10:10-11 “And the Lord discomforted them before Israel,  and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon,  and chased them along the way…

                               And it came to pass,  as they fled before Israel,  and were in the going down to Beth-horon,  that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:  there were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with a sword.”

The Lord “discomforted”them.  

If you look at other scriptures that this word is in, for battle,  it means:  the Lord sent thunder and lightening,  scaring the horses.   

And then,  He sent hailstones!  (These, God had reserved for the day of battle. Job 38:22-23)

God had said, “Fear not,…I have delivered them into your hands”.   But the day was waning.   It would soon be sunset.

So Joshua asked for help.   He would need more time,  so he asked for it.  

To me, this is amazing faith…..(faith always sees God)….for Joshua asked God, for what God wanted….and promised…..the defeat of these five kings.

But what did Joshua ask for?    Light and time….to see the job done.

(And we too, can ask for the light we need, to fight our battles,….to see them done.   For the Lord wants to fight for us.)

He did it publicly,  in front of his men, to encourage them in their faith.   

God was with them.

He did not guide from a distance;  but was in charge in the battle.

So he asked for the sun to stand still, for twenty-four hours.

Joshua 10:12-14 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon,  in the valley of Ajalon.

                                And the sun stood still,  and the moon stayed,  until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies….So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,  and hastened not to go down about a whole day.

                                And there was no day like that before it or after it,  that the Lord harkened to the voice of a man:  for the Lord fought for Israel.”

                     

The sun stayed up for an extra day,  so that the enemy could not escape.  It was to stand still over Gibeon,  where they were fighting.    

(Some believe that God’s might was shown here, so strongly, because these city-kings were sun worshippers.

God was showing them that He was greater than the sun above them.  That the sun was at His command.  And could do nothing but what He said.)

The battle continued the extra day.   “For the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.”

The territory they took in this battle was large!……More than they had taken so far.    “For the Lord fought for Israel”

We often fail.  Israel had failed in making a league with the Gibeonites.

Can God get “good” from our failures?   Yes.  All things work together for good…..it is God’s good…and God’s glory.    And isn’t that what we want?

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,  to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

This showed the Israelites a new power of God in them, and for them….and taught them the faithfulness of God to His people.

It showed them that they are to honor the word they speak to others.

And it showed the Gibeonites that the God they began to believe in,  was worthy of their trust and subjection.

Yes.   We can learn the lesson our failure teaches us;  that to  rely on God alone, is true victory…..and then be obedient, honoring Him in it,…..and He will honor us.

Notice that in this battle:  Israel fought,  but God really won the victory.  The “discomfort” of the thunder and lightening.   The hailstones.  And the sun standing still.

Yet Israel had to hear the call for help,  march all night,  fight, and keep fighting till the victory was won…..throughout the longest day.

The longest day, was a day of power….God’s power above all,….and the power of obedience to His Word….in them, and by them.

We can learn a lot from this story.   

How many times we fail or fall;  yet God forgives and restores us to victory,…..by His power, light, and faithfulness.

And He calls us to “Fear not,”…..but trust Him, and be obedient.

Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.”

For our ladies prayer meeting…one of the things we do is have a memory verse.   One verse we try and memorize for a couple of weeks….

…and this is the one we are on now..

Perfect, in every application means “to complete”.

      But it depends on the context.

For Noah,  who was “perfect in his generations”…..it meant he was complete in moral integrity. 

      It means undefiled with the world around,  it means peaceable….it means to stop the failures (Psalm 138:8 “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me…”)…

…it means to repair,  to finish without wavering.

John 17:23 “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.”

To have “perfect peace” we must “stay our mind” on Christ…..we must trust Him.

Often our peace wavers….it is good, one moment….and shaky the next.

(I want to give an example here….Abraham, whose son Isaac was a young man now…is told to go and sacrifice him to the Lord.

       In this day, we might think that Abraham could have set in his tent, and “by faith” thought about going to Mt. Moriah and sacrificing Isaac there.   

      After all, God doesn’t really want to have Isaac killed….for in Isaac, the promises given Abraham…will be carried on.

      But Abraham believes God….and knows that faith does not sit still, but does what it is told…it trusts and obeys.

      A three day journey would have added anxiety to fear….but we only read of the obedience of this old man, and his son.

      

     Leaving the men that they bought with them at the foot of the mountain,  Isaac and Abraham climb the mountain….and Abraham binds Isaac with cords and places him on the wood for sacrifice.

     Hebrews 11:17,19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

     Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”

     Ready to slay his son,  God stops him,…

….”Lay not thine hand upon the lad,….for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” (Genesis 22:12)

      Abraham had perfect peace….for he placed his hand in the hand of God.

He placed his son, his promises, his life to come,  on the Word of Him Who can not fail.  

      Abraham called the place Jehovah-jireh….which means the Lord will see to it.)

 Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee,  because he trusteth in Thee.”

To be “stayed” means that the Lord and you work together…

….to keep our minds from wandering into….imaginations.

…to keep the reasons which attack us…about why we should not do the Lord’s Will…away from holding our minds captive.

….to keep our minds from being swayed by the emotions which flow over us….fear,  inordinate affections,  pride….

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Our duty is to trust….to hold on to the Lord.

        Sometimes that hold is for dear life….sometimes it is an arm in arm hold when we are walking together…

…but it is always “holding on” to Christ Jesus our Lord, trusting that He knows best….and that He will see to us.

Are we made whole? 

Luke 5:17 “And it came to pass on a certain day,  as He was teaching,  that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by,  which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem:     And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”

This is quite a crowd of important religious men…..”and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”

       In other words….if they had sought it….if they had they asked…..The Lord Jesus would have “healed” them.  

He would have made them “whole”, which is what this “heal” here means.

(And how many of us are not whole…..

……not completely healed from some sin,…some resentment,…some hurt…..

…..yet the Lord Jesus has this power to do so….and is more than willing to heal us….make us whole again.)

At the same time….there were four friends of a palsied man….who were seeking healing….that their friend would be made whole.

        And when they could not get in to see Jesus,  because there were so many at the door of the house He was in…….they tore the tiling off the roof, and let him down,  for the palsied man was still in his sick bed!

The power of the Lord was present to heal these Pharisees and doctors,  sitting right under the teaching of the Lord…..

…..but they did not ask,  or seek for it.

But the palsied man…..who came by the help of his friends….was made whole.

For Jesus said:

Luke 5:20 “And when He saw their faith,  He said unto him,   Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.”

This man was a sinner…..he needed to be wholly and completely healed….

…..from sin,  from the disease,….

…..and from inability to do anything about these, himself.

The Lord Jesus healed him…….wholly.

Luke 5:24-25 “But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon earth to forgive sins,  (He said unto the sick of the palsy,).  I say unto thee,  Arise, and take up thy couch,  and go into thine house.

          And immediately he rose up before them,  and took up that whereon he lay,  and departed unto his own house, glorifying God.”

This sinner….healed wholly….did exactly as the Lord said….getting up!   And going to his house…..glorifying God, for all He had done for him!

The others?  What about the Pharisees and doctors?

Did they seek that same healing,  then?

Luke 5:26 “And they were all amazed,  and they glorified God,  and were filled with fear,  saying,  We have seen strange things today.”

Why didn’t they reach out for this same healing?   

They glorified God….they knew that this man was healed by God….so why not come and be healed….made whole…themselves?

Individually, I do not know…..but pride and the desire to “stay the course” in our spiritual life….especially if we are religious….often needs to be overcome….

….and it is the same for us….don’t let pride or anything hinder your coming to Christ….for anything.

….for remember,   the power was there to heal them.

And at another time…..just as much power, as when He healed the palsied man….was present for those who wanted it…”He…healed them all.”

Luke 6:17-19 “….and a great multitude of the people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem,….which came to hear Him,  and to be healed of their diseases;

            And they were vexed with unclean spirits:  and they were healed.

            And the whole multitude sought to touch Him:  for there went virtue out of Him,     and healed them all.”

Plainly…..for today…..Jesus Christ has enough power to heal me….to make me whole…

….and He has enough power for you,  as well.

Will you come to Christ and be made whole?

Lydia 

It is hard for us to realize how openly evil, the old heathen world was.

Idols….and the demons behind such worship….ruled the minds and hearts of these….they were captives of great and powerful darkness.

And jealousy for their idols….was rampant.  The Romans were especially afraid of the Gospel….for it taught that the gods made by hands,  were not real…

Riots, beatings, and imprisonment awaited those who came to give the good news of everlasting life through Christ.

Ephesians 2:2-3 “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,  the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

           Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;  and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

The gospel message was not just a  change….of one God  for another….

….but the good news of Christ Jesus’ salvation to the world….which brought a remedy to the source of their sin…..the separation of the person from the True and Living God…

….and gave them opportunity for the establishment of an abiding and loving relationship, between Him and those who,  in faith,  received this word of reconciliation:

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

           Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:  we pray you in Christ’s stead,  be ye reconciled to God.”

I mention all of this,  because though a few believers are named in the scriptures….yet there are many who, in the midst of persecution, were courageous in standing with Christ Jesus…and with His servants.

Acts 16:6-7 “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia (Asia Minor…or where Turkey is now),

           After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia:  but the Spirit suffered them not.”

Paul had gone out on his second missionary journey….with the goal of visiting the churches that had been started on the last journey.

Once they had done that,  they felt they should branch out into some new territory….and since they had preached in part of Asia Minor by the Sea,  they wanted to go up north and preach there.   But they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit.

(Now,  Acts is a book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit in the Believers. 

        If you will look, the Holy Ghost is mentioned forty-four times in the book.   His power, and guidance…..His peace and joy….

…..was the reason that the Gospel was spread from the one hundred and twenty gathered to be filled with the Spirit,  in Jerusalem…..to thousands later….all the way to Rome…the center of the known world.)

Paul then thought that they should go to another area….but the Holy Spirit had other plans:

Acts 16:8-9 “And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

           And a vision appeared to Paul in the night;  there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”

Once they received the instruction…..they went immediately to Macedonia.

(Notice how many different ways the Holy Spirit was leading:  from the “forbidden”…to “suffered them not”….to a vision….all to lead them on in the work.

And the Holy Spirit speaks to each of us in various ways:  by the inner Voice, by the Word, by a message,….and even by circumstances we have been put into.

When He is in charge….He will let us know….and we will know.)

There was no synagogue in Philippi….and several days pass while they walk around the city, waiting for guidance and opportunity…

But when the Sabbath day comes….they go out of the city to a river….

….there Jewish women would gather for prayer.

Paul and his companions wait till they are asked to speak….

….and then they preach Christ Jesus.

This is a small door of opportunity….yet Paul does not snub it because it is small….but uses it to speak of Christ.

Acts 16:14-15 “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us:  whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of by Paul.

             And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying,  If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there.    And she constrained us,”

At Philippi,  a woman named Lydia “attends to what Paul says.”  

In other words….she really listened to the scriptures Paul quoted….and what he said about Christ.

She becomes born again….and is baptized,  right there at the river….

….quite a testimony before the others gathered.

Lydia is a merchant woman.   

She is a seller of purple….whether the color in dye, or the fabric already dyed….

…this would have given her a good living.

And though she has a house in Philippi,  she is from Thyatira,  which is in Asia….the very place they could not go!

So the very first convert in Europe, is from Asia!

And the Lord moves her heart to open her house to Paul and his companions.

They opened the way of salvation to her….and she opens her doors to them.

(remember they had been in the city several days….moving in and out of the crowds…waiting for the leading of the Spirit)

She gave them a place to pray,  and a place for the new believers to meet.

We know in Philippi, that Paul and Silas are dragged before magistrates,  beaten with rods (one of three times for Paul), and placed in prison….

The reason?   They would have no alliance with evil.

A demon-possessed girl is a slave of fortune tellers….she gives predictions and they are often correct.  

She starts to follow Paul and his companions…and say, “These are servants of the Most High God, which show the way of salvation”

If Paul would do nothing….he would be accepting her…and the devil’s “help”.

(Remember, when evil spirits declare Jesus to be the Son of God, when He was here….He silenced them, and cast them out.  Light and darkness can not abide together.)

So Paul accepts the fact of the battle with evil….for he would not let this continue…and grieve the Holy Spirit.

He commands, in Jesus name for the demon to come out….knowing full well there would be consequences.

Dragged, hurriedly judged, beaten, imprisoned….those were the consequences.

I also want to mention….Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.   They could have skipped this treatment….if they had just spoken up.

But they did not refuse the persecution others might be subject to,….for Jesus sake.   They identified with the believers….then, and to come….rather than Rome.

I want to mention here,  that all the prisoners and the guard, after they are put in prison,  would have heard Paul and Silas prayers to an invisible God….One, who they said, was with them!   

Then these men sang praises!…to this God,  for His Will, and Presence!   

What kind of a God is this?    

What a testimony!   

And we know that God answered their prayers of subjection,  by an earthquake….again what a testimony….

…and at the very least the guard and his family were born again.

Only when the magistrates were going to sneak them out,  because they knew the mob judgement was wrong….did Paul speak up about their citizenship.

And this was to make them consider their actions for future time.

I mention all this,…..for all this time Lydia is faithful….taking care of the other companions of Paul….for Jesus sake….even in the midst of anger and persecution.

She did not know what was going on…..or how her house would fare in all this….

….yet she remained faithful to the Lord…..and his servants.

She was from Thyatira,  and she could have easily have left, to go back….away from any persecution…..but she didn’t.   

She stayed and made a place for the believers.

And when Paul and Silas are released….they go to her house….and encourage the believers….for now there was a church in Lydia’s house.   The Philippian church.

Acts 16:40 “And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed.”

Years later Paul writes this church:

Philippians 1:1-6 “Paul…to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are a Philippi….

        Grace to unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

         I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.

        Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.

        For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

        Being confident of this very thing,  that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, will not leave any saint….or stop working with or in any saint….till He has performed….or finished the work He started.

(If you count the named believers, from Acts through the rest of the Bible….there are slightly over one hundred, which the Holy Spirit has put in the sacred record.   

Over one third of those are women…..helpers of the gospel….in the midst of persecution and trial…..Lydia was one of these.

But there were thousands more….who were faithful to Christ Jesus….that were not named here.

Yet there is a record….where every name….every deed….every faithful help is written before God.

Let us all strive to hear,  “Well done, thou good and faithful servant….you have been faithful in a few things….enter into the joy of thy Lord.”)

          

Beside Me, there is no God

Isaiah 44:6-8 “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel,  and His Redeemer the Lord of hosts;  I am the first, and I am the last:  and beside Me there is no God.

          And who, as I,  shall call and shall declare it,  and set in order before me,  since I appointed the ancient people?  And the things that are coming,  and shall come,  let them show unto them.

         Fear ye not,  neither be afraid:  have I not told thee from that time, and since declared it?  Ye are even my witnesses.  Is there a God beside Me?  Yea, there is no God;  I know not any.”

The God we trust in,   is a God of incontestable sovereignty and irresistible power!

He is the Lord Jehovah….self-existent and self-sufficient….

….and He is the Lord of Hosts…of all the hosts of Heaven and earth,  of angels and of men….of all that He can muster as an army against those that fight against His people.

He is the King…and those that take God for their King shall have Him for their Redeemer.

He is God from everlasting,….before the world was….

….and He will be so,  to eternity beyond.

If God did not create….nothing would ever have been.

If God did not uphold the world…….all would soon come to destruction again.

“Beside Me there is no God.”      His people never need to hope in another.

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power:  for Thou hast created all things,  and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”

(There are only three creations:  

     The heaven and earth….Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

      Our new nature,…we are created in Christ Jesus….Ephesians 2:10 

      And a new heaven and a new earth….Isaiah 65:17)

For Thou hast created all things:  As the Son of God,  He created all things! 

As the Man, Christ Jesus,  He bought back all that was lost at the fall….and gave us redemption….the creation of a new nature within us.

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

Now it is His Pleasure, that I be empowered to do what must be done.

For I can not do it, of myself.

But Who do we present our bodies to?

God the Father sets on His Throne.

God the Son has His own body, as the Man, Christ Jesus.

God the Holy Spirit has come to earth…and we have the privilege to present our bodies to Him,  to be His dwelling place on earth.

As mankind, we lost the Presence of the Holy Spirit, after the fall.

He comes back into our spirits at regeneration…..and abides with us.

And God calls us, as an act of the will,  to present our bodies to Him……and to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

To be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19)…..we must be emptied of self.

And it takes the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit to lead us to be emptied of self…..and that is why…..even though He abides with us…..we need to present our bodies to Him….

….”present” means to “stand beside, to aid”….we willfully stand beside the Lord in all that comes to us….in all that we do…..in all that we are.

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

          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.”

And when we “present” ourselves to the Holy Spirit….He frees us from conformity to the world (our old habits, and the desire to be like everyone else)….

…..and transforms us (amazing word!)…..changes us….our minds which are our attitudes and reasons…..which influence our walk….to God’s attitudes toward everything…..

….(and He goes on to tell us what that is later in the chapter Romans 12:9-21)…

…..and this,  enables us to prove….God’s Will in ourselves.

He calls to each of us…..will we?……Present ourselves to the Holy Spirit to be emptied of our self-life….that we might be filled by the Holy Spirit with all the fullness of God?

To the degree you are willing to be emptied, He will fill you,  for all that is now….and will yet come!

Troubles, Discouragements, Despair.  

We know that all those that  name the name of Jesus, will suffer persecution.

2 Timothy 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

Troubles.

Who does not have them?  

Some are financial problems (2 Chronicles 25:9)….some are personal anxieties,  some are illnesses,….and….

…..Some are trials which we must go through….for our faith.

Every trial, or trouble will actually build our faith,  as we hang on to Christ and walk….through it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

If you remember the three Hebrew men which defied Nebuchadnezzar’s order to bow to his gold likeness….and got thrown into a fiery furnace.

        Then you will probably will also remember Who came to join them….”One like unto the Son of God” (Daniel 3:24-25).

        It was Christ, of course…..He did not save them from the furnace….they went in, bound,…fell down in it….surrounded by the flames….everything was finished as far as they were concerned.

        But He went in there with them….got them up, and walking, talking with Him.

You might say, that was more than troubles….

….but every trouble that comes to us, can end…with anger from others,….being ostracized,….and losing worldly benefit.

       But it also yields us Christ’s Presence in a special way….getting us up,  walking with us,  and talking with us….in the troubles…..as we stand with Him.

Some troubles come from interactions,  which we should not be in?

Of course, we think of Lot…and the destruction of Sodom.

But there are other entanglements that can lead to our loss:

2 Timothy 2:4 “No man that warreth  entangleth himself with the affairs of this life,  that he may please Him that hath chosen him to be a soldier:”

Discouragement:  

One of the graces God gives us,  is courage….”boldness”,  it is often termed in the New Testament. 

Yet, as with every gift God gives us,….we can refuse it….and then we become “discouraged”….or “spiritless”…

……we do not feel the Holy Spirit’s power as we should…….we can feel “deserted”….tired….weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9)

Paul was writing the Philippi church….to not be discouraged….because of his being in prison (bonds)….and coming before Caesar to be judged. 

They had been praying for his release….yet he might be killed.

       So he writes to tell them what has happened….and to encourage them, to…

…… in boldness of the Spirit, “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;  and in nothing terrified by your adversaries:…”(Phil. 1:27-28)

      Because he is in prison,……some men have preached Christ…..only to stir up trouble for him….

…but others have stepped up and preached Christ out of love.

      Yet, Paul says:

Philippians 1:19-21 “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer,  and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

        According to my earnest expectation and my hope,    that in nothing I shall be ashamed,    but that with all boldness,   as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body,  whether it be by life, or by death.

        For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

This is boldness or courage……and the Holy Spirit works this within us, even in circumstances which worry, and discourage us……as we pray and yield to His Spirit.

Despair:  

Despair is to be utterly at a loss….To feel that all is over or lost….with nothing we can do about it.

And when we get into this “place”…..only God can bring us out of it.

Only His power can halt the waves of guilt, loss, and nothingness that we feel.

(Some people say, that as Christians, we should not feel despair….

….I do not believe that.    I believe,  that as Christians,  we should not continue in despair.)

Think about Peter,  having denied the Lord….not once,…but three times, even in front of a maid,….

….though he knew the Lord’s resurrection,…the empty tomb……he felt despair because of his failure, and said,  “I go a fishing” (John 21:3).   

He would go back to fishing,  there was nothing for him in Christ….

….Jesus came and spoke to him….”lovest thou Me?”…and he was wounded….”grieved”….torn apart by the question…

….and when he answered it,  “yes, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee”….

…he was still unsure what Jesus would do.

Till Jesus called him again….anew….”Feed My lambs,  feed My sheep”.

Peter was then restored….in spirit….in calling….in fellowship with Christ.

Peter came out of despair,  and into God’s Way again.

Paul writes about the many different troubles he had faced as a Christian….

2 Corinthians 4:8 “We were troubled on every side,  yet not distressed; we we’re perplexed,  but not in despair;”

Here, he is talking about spiritual life…..and in that,  he was upheld from distress and despair in these situations,  by the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of power may be of God, and not of us.”

The “excellency of power” means that,  Paul would not be more safe,….than under the power and direction of the Holy Spirit within.

On our way through this life….there are many things which come to us,  tempt us, or assault us…which we cannot handle.

But God can….in us,  and through us….

Troubles,  Discouragement, and Despair…..are things that we can meet with on the way to heaven….

….but we are not to be ruled by them….but by God….and His Will.

That does not mean they will not attack us…..they will.

But it does mean that God has a way through these attacks,….and we can have His Presence in them.

Are we using all that God has given us,  by His Spirit?

 

“Let us go out into the lake and drown.” 

This is what His disciples thought that Jesus said,  once the the wind blew and the waves became high.

What He had said was:

Mark 4:35 “The same day,  when the even was come,  He saith unto them,   Let us pass over to the other side.”

Let me mention here,  there are many “other sides” in our walk from here to heaven.    The “other side” is where Jesus Christ takes us….not out into the lake to drown.

He had then gone into the back of the fishing ship, and gone to sleep.  He was not concerned about crossing the Lake.

And at first, His disciples were fine.   Then “arose a great storm”.

They were fishermen,  so they would have probably known if a storm was coming,  but they had no inclination of one.

Mark 4:37 “And there arose a great storm of wind,  and the waves beat into the ship,  so that it was now full.”

Out in the middle of the Lake,  the wind started blowing hard, the waves started rising up.  The fishing boat, was beginning to fill.

But they had Jesus with them.

So they came back to Him, thinking, how could He sleep when they were all in eminent danger?  

Mark 4:38 “And He was in the hinder part of the ship,  asleep on a pillow:  and they awake Him,  and saith unto Him,   Master,  carest Thou not that we perish?”

Don’t You care that we are about to drown?   Was that what Jesus had said: Let us go out into the middle of the Lake and drown?

No,  He had said,  “Let us pass over unto the other side.”

Sometimes we hear the same way.   We are fine as long as things are going as we expect.

But when “storms” come:  then we wonder why Jesus brought us into these circumstances.

It can be the “storms” of gossip,  or of hurt.

It can be the “storms” of illness,  or accidents.

It can be the “storms” of loss,  or grief.

Whatever the “winds and waves” which are tossing us about, today….He is with us.     

And He wants us to “pass over” these things, together.   

His Word is what is needed:  whether spoken as guidance,  or  comfort,  or to still this storm (and it’s source).   

Mark 4:39 “And He arose and rebuked the wind,  and said unto the sea,   Peace be still.   And the wind ceased,  and there was a great calm.”

The wind ceased:  the storm was finished.

There was great calm:  even in the disciples!  (“What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”  Mark 4:41)

So it can be with us, too.    

Mark 4:40. “And He said unto them,  Why are ye so fearful?  How is it that ye have no faith?”

The world and the Adversary, the devil;  shows us the storm…..and fans our fear.

Faith shows us Christ Jesus,  and believes what He says…..

Shall we “pass over” to the other side?

The Garden of our Souls

Song of Solomon 4:12 “A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse;  a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.”

It is in the garden of our souls, that we have the personal relationship to Jesus.  He considers us:

“My sister”,   Because in Him, we are of the family of God.

“My spouse”,   Because He wants that love relationship with us.

In the beginning, after being born again,  a believer is like a piece of uncultivated ground;…..formerly hard and unyielding;…..which has now been dedicated to the Lord.

We begin to allow Him to transform us into a beautiful garden.

This is something that is the same for each believer, as to the final result…..but very different for each,   as to the means God uses.

In a garden, you do not plant things at random.  There is order,…..although the order may differ in your garden, then in mine.

For some gardens, the beautiful flowers, and bushes may take center stage;  whereas in another, berries, or trees of nuts and fruits.  In another, vegetables are top priority.

But each is a garden producing fruit for the Gardener.

This is to come to the place where we are willing, whole heartedly working for the pleasure and Will of God.

When we have determined this (it is in the will, willing with the Holy Spirit within),…..we begin to see Him build a “wall” around us;  for we are become a “garden enclosed”,…..which includes in it a spring shut up,  a fountain sealed for use in the garden.

The “spring shut up”,  is the Holy Spirit within. 

          Isaiah 58:11 “And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”

          The Holy Spirit is not given to us, so we can “show off” to others.   

But He is “shut up” to us, so we can experience His power in our lives, to bring us into subjection to Christ;……and so we can have His peace in the world we walk in.

The “fountain sealed”, is the precious blood of Christ, whereby we are forgiven and cleansed. 

      Zechariah 13:1 “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanliness.”

      1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins,  He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,  and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

     The fountain is sealed here, because it is speaking of the personal salvation and cleansing of this love one….me, you.   

Christ’s forgiveness and cleansing is open to all who come to Him…..but then, in a personal sense….it is made “enclosed” or intimate for that one who comes.

We are made for the Lord’s pleasure.   Our beauty of character, and faithful works, are for His joy.

Song of Solomon 4:16   “Awake, O north wind;  and come, thou south;  blow upon my garden,  that the spices thereof may flow out.  Let my beloved come into his garden,  and eat his pleasant fruits.”

The north wind can be chilling, and frosty.

The south wind is mild, and warm.

As we are tilled, and weeded….as the seasons come and go…..we can come to see that the Gardener has worked in us the fruit of the Spirit;…..and taught us to use His grace.

So, no matter the circumstances:  favorable or not,……we will learn that we do not have to be influenced…by them.

Instead, we can simply use them to the Lord’s advantage.  

We can come to the place, where real prosperity,  Spiritual Prosperity, does not rest upon external circumstances. 

No, it rests upon the internal life of Christ within us.   The inner man of the heart; the relationship with Christ.

We can grow in any situation, when we come to this.

We are totally dependent upon God,  and being filled with His grace in each situation.

We are looking, in a special way, to the Holy Spirit, to accomplish His purpose in everything.

There is no difficulty in adjusting to any circumstance.    This is pretty amazing, since most of us do not like change.  (Some say they do,  if they make the change……But if it is thrust upon them,  that is different.)

Philippians 4:11-13 “Not that I speak in respect of want:  for I have learned,  in whatsoever state I am,  therewith to be content.

                                   I know how to be abased,      (very hard, without the Holy Spirit’s help)      and I know how to abound     (not if we let it go to our heads):  every where   in all things   I am instructed    (not just told, but empowered so we can learn)   both to be full and to be hungry,  both to abound and to suffer need.

                                   I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

It is “through Christ”.   He saves,  He makes me His own,  He teaches by the Holy Spirit,  He furnishes all the grace,  and holds me up in His own hand.

We are His garden.  We are “in Christ”,  and it is “through Christ” that we live.

Christ’s invitation to “learn of Me” still holds true.  

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me,  all ye that labor and are heavy laden,  and I will give you rest.

                                   Take My yoke upon you,  and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls:

                                    For My yoke is easy,  and My burden is light.”

The Brazen Laver 

It is the maintaining of fellowship with Christ, that we wish to speak of.

And one of the examples of this, is:

Exodus 30:18-20 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass,  and his foot also of brass,  to wash withal:  and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar,  and thou shalt put water therein.

                                 For Aaron and his sons shall wash there hands and there feet thereat:

                                 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation,  they shall wash with water,  that they die not;  or when they come near to the altar to minister,  to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord:”

                                

The brazen Laver was made for cleansing.   

It was set just outside the door of the Holy Place, in the court of the tabernacle.  This was in the natural sunlight.  

Both the priests, and people could be in this court;  but the people could not minister at the altar or the laver; only the priests could.

When Aaron and his sons were given for the service of the priesthood,  they were brought to the laver and given a bath by Moses;  once.

Exodus 29:4, 9 “And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,  and shall wash them with water.

                           And thou shalt gird them with girdles,  Aaron and his sons,  and put the bonnets on them:  and the priest office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute:  and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.”

This pictures our regeneration;  when we are born again.  It was never repeated.

They and their decedents, were priests from then on.

So with us.  When we are born again, we are forever His children.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are chosen generation,  a royal priesthood,  a holy nation,  a peculiar people;  that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:”

But as priests, they would minister, by sacrifice, at the brazen altar.  There, the sacrifices for sin and peace would be given.

Their hands would be bloody, and their feet would be dirty from walking on the bare ground.

So, they were commanded to come to the Laver to wash both their hands and feet, before they went into the Holy Place to burn incense at the golden altar,  or light the lamp (M’nourah).    

This,  they were to do every time they went into the Holy Place.

The Holy Place signified fellowship with God:  

the golden altar and the burning incense showed the prayer which ascends to God

 (the fire to burn came from the brazen altar everyday, tying Christ sacrifice and our prayers together)…..

…the table of shewbread showed forth the sufficiency of God for our needs….

…and the lampstand  showed forth God as the only Light for our work.

All showed forth fellowship with God.

But before they could go in and have this fellowship,  they must wash at the brazen laver.

The Laver, like everything else in the Tabernacle speaks of Christ’s sufficiency to meet our every need;    for the priests could not enter the Holy Place, without washing there.

The Laver was there, but they had to wash in the water that it provided.

As Christians, we need daily cleansing from the defilements of the way we walk through,……if we are to maintain our fellowship with God.

In our walk, we constantly have dealings with those who are dead in trespasses and sins;……and their influence defiles us. 

(You can not go very many places without hearing cursing, filthy references, or anger.  How much anger is about.)

In honesty, we are also aware of the blemishes of our service (which speak of our hands), and the failures of our walk (our feet).

We obey;   but we often hesitate. (as though we were ashamed of Christ)

Or we don’t do what God wants us to do, as He wants. (We have good reasons, we think.)

These do not interfere with our standing as Christians.  We are still born again.

But it does interfere with our communion and fellowship,  with God.  (For every time we step back from God, we are further away from His help)

Ephesians 5:26 “That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,  and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Christ Jesus has made a way for us to come and wash, and be cleansed……..according to His Word.

Do we want that fellowship and communion which enlivens us?    

Will we go to the Word of God and judge our ways before Him?….cleanse our hands and our feet?

1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves,  we should not be judged.”

Water is also to invigorate.  

And the Word of God gives us comfort and refreshing. 

It revives our spirits.  

It makes us feel whole, and clean again.  Ready for the next moment, the next day.

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say,  Come.  And let him that heareth say,  Come.   And let him that is athirst come.   And whosoever will,  let him take the water of life freely.”

He offers His life “freely”,  to us, for the things of today……will we come and be cleansed and have that light and fellowship He has for us?

Are we Spiritually “Real”? 

If Christianity is only a religion to you….I would ask you….

….Have you ever met the True and Living God….have you every come to a personal relationship with Christ Jesus….do you know the interference of the Holy Spirit in your day to day life? 

(Interference, I believe, is a good word….because the Holy Spirit is a check in our spirits….a voice within….He gives joy and peace….and correction.    

     He interferes with the way we would go….and says,  “Follow Christ”.

Certainly He guides, instructs, empowers, for He is the Person of God in our lives…..do you have this reality?)

Matthew 16:26 “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?”

I am no Theologian or Philosopher…..but  I believe our souls are our personalities.

They are that which makes us unique…..no two are exactly the same.

They are that which the Bible calls…”the heart” (Proverbs 23:26)

They are the seat of our personality….all that makes us,  us!

This I believe is the most precious thing to God in all of His Creation.

The human soul….having lost it through the Fall.

He bought it back again at such a high price.

And what good would gaining the whole world do,…..if we had to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire?

Or what should a man give in exchange for his soul?

What of all Creation could possibly be of more value than his eternal soul?

We are saved….body, soul, and spirit…

…or we are damned….body, soul, and spirit.

We are an eternal being.   We will exist for eternity,  in one of two places.

We will come to Christ and save our soul….and live for eternity with God in bliss!

Or we will lose our soul….and spend eternity with Satan in torment.

And what will we have to do,  to lose our soul?

Nothing.   Absolutely nothing.

We are all born under a curse….until we come to Christ….Who bore all the curse of our sin….on Himself.

We are all lost….wandering in a world which is also lost.   One among many souls which do not realize the value of ourselves….

….seeking, instead, to find our value in things,  or people,  or ideas.

We do not have to do anything to get lost…..we are.

Only One….Christ Jesus….knows our true value….which is found in His love,  His purpose,  and His provision for us….in His sacrificial death.

Only One….Christ Jesus….can save us.

So….what will we give in exchange for our soul?

To answer the call of Christ in this Laodicean Age….calls for an answer,  not of words….but an answer of a life open to, and receptive to Him.

Matthew 16:26 “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?”

Let me ask you…..by what have you been “profited” (profited here means:  made useful.  Simply how is it useful to you….to gain even the whole world….but lose yourself…..your soul.)  

You see, your soul is not just the “thing” that goes to heaven or hell…..but it is the very real essence of you.   

And you are valuable….

….would you throw away your most valuable jewel?  

Many have…..but will you?

What have  you spent your life in seeking?

Isaiah 55:2-3 “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?  And your labor for that which satisfieth not?   Hearken diligently unto Me,  and eat that which is good,  and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

            Incline your ear, and come unto Me;  hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you,  even the sure mercies of David.”

          Christ Jesus has lived, and died,  and was raised again….that our souls might be free….

…free from our sin.

…free from the influence of the world.

…free from the narrowness of our fears.

…free from being lost….to the glorious purpose of Christ….a life open to and receptive to Him,  Who loves us….and calls us.