What Fruits do you bear?

Matthew 7:20 “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

Galatians 5:16-17 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

Once we are born again, and are given a new nature….a battle begins within us:

The old nature (our self-life), and our new nature (the life of God within us); start to battle back and forth for control of our actions, our thoughts, our emotions…

….which involve our reactions (how easy it is to do the things we have always done).

Frankly, we have lived in the soul’s sphere all our lives…..

…we think things out….

…we react from our emotions…

…we will to do what we want, if we are not stopped by some outside force.

This has been our life.

And our self-life does not stop wanting to “tell us what to do”, after we are born again.

James 4:1 “From whence comes wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?”

(Lust is: I want this, and I want this now….whether in thought, or action.)

Ephesians 5:24 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

“Crucified” has to do with the cross….our cross, which Jesus invites us to “deny ourselves, and pick up”. (Matthew 16:24)

Our souls must be brought into subjection to the new nature….which is from God…by our wills, willing with God.

Philippians 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:”

And in this, God requires us to submit to the inworking of the Holy Spirit…..Who guides us into righteousness, and works within us to will after God’s good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

It is yielding, again and again….to the Holy Spirit….till it becomes the heart-beat of our lives, to yield.

For it starts as a matter of the will, willing….and becomes a matter of the whole being….mind, heart and will…giving place to the blessed Holy Spirit.

This yielding, works new characteristics within us, to replace the old attitudes and actions which we set aside.

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Now these set forth what the Holy Spirit will work within us….

…and He begins with love.

I think this is most blessed, because in ourselves, we love the wrong things.

But in Christ, we are taught the important things of life….and learn to will to love them.

(I have said this before, that “agape”, or Christian love is not emotion…although certainly we feel it.

But it is the willed tendency of the heart to devote ourselves to Christ Jesus.

Jesus Christ always forces a choice of the will….

…..never does He say, “Well, if you feel like it….you should follow Me.” Or. “If you think this is a good idea, then follow Me.”

No, it is…..”If any man, woman, boy, or girl will,…then follow Me.”)

So, when we are born again, the Holy Spirit shows us the beauty of Christ, and says, “Will you love Him?”

When we will, then the Holy Spirit opens up our hearts to receive….and to give love…”agape”….both to Christ and to our fellow Christians.

He places it within us, and says….”work it out”….obey Him.

Then there is joy: joy is the felt presence of God in my life….it comes in any circumstances…and lifts us up, to the fullness of life, in Him…at that time.

Then there is peace. Peace gives rest….and rest of soul (mind, heart, and will) is strength, for it gives us knowledge that God is our Fortress….now. (Philippians 4:7, Psalm 18:1-2)

Then there is long-suffering…waiting for others, remembering how God has waited for us.

gentleness,….being kind.

goodness,…acting right toward others.

faith,…keeping God in front of us in all circumstances.

temperance,….even tempered.

meekness….seeing ourselves the way we are before God.

…all of these characteristics of Christ are worked within our personalities by us yielding to the Holy Spirit within.

They build on one another….each supplying in our personalities a strength….so that we can use all the grace God gives.

Are we bearing these fruits?

God is our refuge and strength

Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”

The testimony of the Lord’s people is wonderful. In the chaos of our day, we can be lights to the stability and help of our God.

It is not that we are not troubled….we are often. It is not that the world does not seem to fall in around us….it does.

But it is that we have an Anchor…..a Captain of our Salvation….a King, who still rules….and over rules for us.

Peter, when he was writing the dispersed Jewish church….spoke plainly of “manifold temptations…and trials of faith”….

…yet he spoke also of….”wherein we greatly rejoice”!

2 Peter 1:6-7 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried in fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

How can this be…in the midst of change and troubles….we can rejoice?

Because, like the psalmist…..Peter looked to the Lord….our refuge and strength.

In this epistle he speaks of the three-fold work of the Godhead.

1 Peter 1:2-3 “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

God the Father saw us in Christ Jesus….before times eternal. (2 Timothy 1:9)…and prepared a purpose for us.

God the Son, by HIs precious blood and resurrection gives us forgiveness and life….a life of hope and obedience.

God the Spirit leads us into sanctification….being set aside in spirit, soul, and body to God.

This is why….

….even though the “heaviness” of many kinds of temptations are thrown at us….to trip us up….

….(the devil would use them to get us to distrust God’s wisdom or love….to get us to fix our eyes on ourselves…)

….yet through the sanctification of the Spirit….He leads us to look to Jesus, and obey from the heart the Will of God…and receive that joy….which should be the end of our trials…

1 Peter 1:8-9 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

Our faith is tried again and again….to strengthen it. For our faith must be constantly active in this world.

“Yet believing”….is a present-tense word…..for again….it anchors our hearts and minds and wills to Christ….

….and He is our salvation….here and now….and for eternity.

God is our refuge and strength…..a very present help in time of trouble.

Justification and Sanctification.

Justification deals with our guilt as sinners by birth and choice.

And Sanctification deals with the problem of the power of sin in our lives, as Christians.

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Romans 6:12-13 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

We are justified when we are born again. Justified is a legal term, and means to be made: not guilty before God.

As lost sinners, we are only justified when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We have come to believe in Him, Whom to know aright is to have Eternal Life (Romans 6:23).

As saved sinners, we are sanctified, or set aside for God’s use; as He has more and more of us.

It is not: “How much of God do I have in my life?”

It is: “How much does He have of me, or how much have I lost of my self-life?

You see the Holy Spirit indwells believers at new birth. (Hallelujah)

But, after that, He empowers us,…..only as much as we let Him,…in all the areas of our life.

To do this, we need to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him.

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

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

Our “cross” is anything which goes against “our” will; that we have a choice in: it is not illness, or our relatives, or our looks; it is what we can say “no” to.

For it is “if any man will”.

It is different for each of us: what God requires at my hand, He might not do to you. (And visa versa)

But the method is the same: we need to say “no” to ourselves (that is denying yourself); and do the thing required of us, giving the Holy Spirit access to teach us, implant within us, or remove from us, what He will.

As we do this, the “power” of our will, is made more and more joyfully willing to do His Will; and we are little by little sanctified (made a force for God to use in our circumstances).

Justification is just the first part of our life in Christ, for He wants us to go on from strength to strength in Him, in our lives.

And that requires us to be sanctified. Setting ourselves aside to God…in all things.

Have faith in God

Mark 11:22-23 “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

And the mountain. I want to see cast into the sea?

Is that mountain that hinders me from seeing done what I’ve been called to do.

I want that mountain removed!

But perhaps all I need to do, is join hands with Jesus, and leap that mountain.

Song of Solomon 2:8 “The voice of my Beloved! Behold, He cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.”

I believe that for every Christian….there is a “mountain” which will show up in their path from here to heaven.

Mountains in scripture are the high, impossible things which we can do nothing about. They are to be scaled….hand in hand with God (leaped upon)….or removed.

These “mountains” are different for each of us…..what I would consider impossible…..might be easy for someone else….and visa versa.

But to each of His children…..the Lord says….”have faith in God.”

It is to God we should look….for what we need.

But then…..and this is often the catch….

“…and shall not doubt in his heart,….but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

We think of doubt as a very small sin…..a little wavering of our thoughts and belief….it might grow into unbelief….but surely doubt is a little hesitation.

But the Lord says that doubt will keep us from great blessings in our prayers and actions.

Doubt here (and in Matt.21:21)….means to “separate throughly”.

That does not sound like some small thing….rather it is the sin which keeps us from having the victory…..for our hearts are “separated” from faith.

We have forfeited the Victory….for all our Victory is by faith.

1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

Notice the doubt is in the heart…..not the mind.

It is in our affections that we are separated throughly…..

……for we begin to pull away from our devotion and love to the Lord….

……..and look to….or look for….another way.

Doubt does this…..and therefore we are warned against it.

Mountains can be leaped with the Lord…..and can be removed….by faith in God….

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.

The refining fires of our lives

Song of Solomon 3:6 “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?”

This is a picture of the Spirit-filled walk.(Joel 2:28-30).

Smoke, which is weak and easily blown around is strong….a pillar….holding truth and moving with the Lord…out of the wilderness of wandering experience…and into usefulness and witness.

Smoke is a by-product of fire. To have a fire….and smoke,…..something must burn.

Fire in scripture is pictured many ways….. but the ones we will deal with are the refining fires…..which produce spiritual change within us.

There is the fire of the Holy Spirit within us….giving us zeal and reverence for the Lord….as the Lord was said to be clad with zeal as a cloak.

Isaiah 59:17 “For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon His head; and He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.”

This is an interesting description of “zeal”…which is to be “burning hot” for God.

He is “clad” with it….surrounded like a cloak. It covered and protected Him.

It kept Him focused on the Father’s plan for now….and purpose for all. With that kind of focus….He could see clearly anything that was out of order….and “cleanse” it….speak to it…..and set it right or purify it.

(Matthew 21:12-14 Mark 11:11, 15-17 Luke 19:45-46 John 2:13-17

These are the verses for cleansing the temple. It is interesting to note that all four gospels give an account of Jesus doing this.

John gives the account of Jesus, at the beginning of His ministry….a relative unknown….making a scourge of small cords, and driving out the animals and money changers.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke give the account of Jesus cleansing it at the end of His ministry.

And it is interesting to see….that Jesus declares His Father’s house….a house of prayer…..He did not mention sacrifice (for the Great Sacrifice was standing there…..

….and it is not to be a place of merchandise.)

With the fire of the Holy Spirit within us, too…..we become boiling hot for Christ and His kingdom. He enflames us with love for the Lord. (Jude 20-21)

We begin to see all that is out of order, with us….and set it right…

….and help what is out of order around us…..by giving His Word, to draw them to Christ….and give comfort.

“The word comfort is from two Latin words meaning “with” and “strong” – He is with us to make us strong. Comfort is not soft, weakening commiseration; it is true, strengthening love.” – Amy Carmichael

Then there is the fire of affliction….sent by the Lord’s hand,…whether through troubles,….or enemies…..so we will leave off the world and it’s influences….and turn again to seek the Lord….(Isaiah 55:6-7)

….burning up all the dross….making us pure….

Psalm 66:10, 12 “For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

……we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed is the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Revelation 3:18 “…gold tried in the fire…”. With all the impurities burnt out….so it is pure gold.

(In scripture, silver is a type of salvation…..gold is a type of God in our lives)

Dross is the impurities which are in the metal…..making it less valuable to the owner.

If you have ten pounds of what you think is silver or gold…..and you put it through refining….and only nine pounds come out…..one pound was dross….worthless….and burnt up.

We think of purity as a picky thing….not letting the hem of our garment even touch the ground….

….but God sees purity as the faithful seeking….and diligent staying after ourselves to keep ourselves unspotted in the world (James 1:27)……because of devotion and love to the Lord.

It is the gentle force of the Holy Spirit within us….keeping us, and cleansing us from the defilement of the world (Ephesians 5:26-27)…..even as we walk in it.

Purity comes from love…..not the law. It comes as we yield to the fire of the Holy Spirit within.

It is the refining fires of our everyday lives….through our obedience and devotedness to Christ…..that we will attain the pure silver and gold, as all the dross is burnt out of our lives.

In this Laodicean age, we will either be burnt out for Jesus…

…or spued out by Jesus! (Revelation 3:16)

For He calls us to “Be zealous therefore and repent” (Rev. 3:19)

And in this age…as when Jesus cleansed the temple….we need to be zealous….to repent.

To be clothed with zeal as a cloak.

What will you have of Him?

Will we yield to the purifying fires the Lord will send upon us?

Will we yield to the purifying fires of the Holy Spirit within….and become pillars of smoke….filled with the Spirit….a manifestation of the grace of God…..in us and through us?

Give me the Love that leads the way

The Faith that nothing can dismay

The Hope no disappointments tire

The Passion that’ll burn like fire

Let me not sink to be a clod

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

– Amy Carmichael

A Battle won by Prayer and Sword

Israel, had come to a place where there were no streams or rivers. No springs or wells, in their crossing the wilderness to go to the Promised land.

And they were two million strong, and thirsty.

So God told Moses to:

Exodus 17:6 “Behold, I will stand before thee upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”

God gave them water from the rock; and all were supplied! All the people, cattle, sheep; all were supplied.

Exodus 17:8 “Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim.”

But then came Amalek. Amalek was a wandering people. Fighters, which took anything they could take.

And when they heard of water at a place where no water was; they decided to come and destroy the Israelites (after all they were mostly women and children), and take it for themselves.

So suddenly Israel was being attacked! They had fought back as best they could, but they were not doing well.

Exodus 17:9 “And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.”

Here was the plan. Joshua, who was the fighting leader, chose out the best men to fight.

Moses and Aaron, and his son, Hur, would go to the top of the hill by the battlefield, and raise the rod of God.

(This rod was the shepherd’s rod which God told Moses to take into Pharaoh. Remember it changed into a snake. It was the rod he raised over the Red Sea. It was the symbol of God’s call to him; and when Moses raised it, it was a symbol of prayer.)

Exodus 17:10-11 “So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.”

Raising and holding up this rod, which God had told him to take, showed his diligent prayer.

And when it was held up, Israel was winning the battle against Amalek.

But when he let it come down, they started to lose the battle.

Moses kept holding up as long as he could, but he grew tired from holding it up by himself, so it would come down, and Israel would start to lose. So:

Exodus 17:12-13 “But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon, and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady till the going down of the sun.

And Joshua discomforted Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”

As long as Moses hands held the rod up toward heaven, Joshua and his men were winning.

And when Aaron and Hur helped Moses, the battle was in their favor till there was no more sunlight to fight. (This is a picture of corporate prayer….the church praying together.)

This is a great lesson for us. For it shows how important our prayer is.

Moses did not act alone. Joshua and his men needed to fight as best they could.

And Aaron and Hur needed to help strengthen Moses arms.

But the blessing was from the Lord.

Exodus 17:15 “And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi”

Jehovah-nissi means The Lord my banner.

When we fight our battles against our sin, the world’s attitudes, and the tricks of the devil: we fight under the Banner of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is our protection.

Do we need to pray as Moses did?

Of course we need to keep in constant touch with the One who guides and helps us.

And the Lord gives us help, by the Holy Spirit strengthening our efforts. And sometimes through others praying with us.

What do we pray? For God’s will done.

How do we pray? Using His promises to us. (I’m sure that is what Moses was claiming, there.

“God, You promised to get this people to Canaan. Thank You for giving us this water, now hold on to it for us; And hold on to us for Your Word’s sake.”

Do we need to use our sword, as Joshua did?

Of course we need to hold onto His Word, and keep the enemy at our sword’s point, or away from harming us, and taking what God has given us.

Both need to be used, but the blessing is by the Lord to us.

He is our banner over us in every battle we have.

Trust Him.

Hope (which is the confident expectation that He will do what He said) in His Word.

And He will give the Victory.

All

All is a small word in itself,….yet inclusive to the greatest degree.

These three letters signify the enormity, the magnitude, the numbers, the greatness of power to accomplish….without limits…..for “all” is everything there is.

Mark 9:23 “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

This is an amazing promise….”all things are possible, to him that believeth.”

Are we believing Him in all things? Are we proving His Word in the situations of life?

I know I have failed here, often. We think of the hard, impossible things for which we need God….but “all things”…..really?

Are we looking to Him in “all” things?

Isaiah 45:22” Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

(We all know the about when Peter walked on the water. [Matthew 14:25-31]

We know that Peter was doing fine,…..until….he stopped looking to Jesus, and started looking around at the waves and wind.

Yes, those were the circumstances he was in at that time,……but the waves were high when Jesus bid Peter “Come” to Him;……and the wind was howling as Peter crawled out of the boat, and onto the sea.

It was not the wind or the waves,……but the fact that Peter stopped looking to Jesus, that got him in trouble.

Now for me, that would have told me that Peter should not have asked to come out on the water….but, the Lord did not correct him, then….but corrected his unbelief. “Wherefore didst thou doubt?”)

“All things are possible to him that believeth”

For our salvation, Christ Jesus has reconciled “all things” and made peace by His blood:

2 Corinthians 5:18 “And all things are of God, Who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”

Colossians 1:20 “And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

“Reconciliation” means to remove all those things which hinder fellowship with God.

We cannot reconcile ourselves to God, He did that on the cross….but we can come to Him at His invitation, receiving…and continuing to receive His life….and “be made the righteousness of God in Him”:

2 Corinthians 5:17, 19, 21 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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.

For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

These “all things becoming new” includes faith and light…..which gives us the “sight” we need to navigate in this world.

It includes the Holy Spirit’s ability for us to get honest with the Lord, and come with our hands emptied of excuses. (1 John 1:7, 9)

It includes peace….a peace which passes “all understanding” for both our hearts….and minds.

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

For our spiritual needs, Christ Jesus has blessed us with all spiritual blessings….”all”:

Ephesians 1:3, 2:6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

Are we getting them into us?

Paul wrote that he had learned how to abound, and how to be abased

(and if you read what happened to him: being thought a god [Acts 14:11-15]…..being stoned and left for dead [Acts 14:19-20]….a jail opened for him [Acts 16:25-26]….a shipwreck [Acts 27]…..you can see his being abased and abounding!)

……and he testifies:

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. (And that is reconciliation!)

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

That’s Paul, the mighty apostle….but he goes on to say to the church at Philippi:

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Again, I will ask, are we believing the Lord? Are we being reconciled to Him in everything….”all” things of our life?

Well, He said “all things are becoming new”….will we let Him make this day new in our experience with Him….more peace, more joy, more of His Presence in the wind and waves?

Before

Before David fought and slew Goliath….before David became a leader and soldier….before he had to hide for his life, from Saul….before all these…

…David was a shepherd….who was called of God….to be king of God’s people, ….a man after God’s own heart.

We are going to consider that call. It begins with Samuel, the prophet.

He receives Word from the Lord to stop “mourning” over the fact that God took the kingdom from Saul,…

(Saul lost the kingship because of his disobedience…..and very important…his lack of honesty about his sin, when he was confronted with it.

The kingdom was “rent” from Saul, by the Lord…..”and given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.” 1 Samuel 15:28)

1 Samuel 16:1 “And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?

Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided Me a king among his sons.”

It was time to stop mourning over what Saul had done…..and over what God had done….

…and do what was next in God’s purpose for Samuel, Israel, and the next king.

(There is a time for sorrow for sin,….but then, it is to be put away and get up and go on.)

But before Samuel goes….he speaks of fear.

(I find this unusual for Samuel. He was a lighting-rod for God’s people when the priesthood failed….and had led the people to repentance and revival….

…..but fear is one of those sneaky sins which comes in through our reasonings….or sudden onslaught of emotion.

Samuel felt responsible for Saul…perhaps he should have spoke to him more….perhaps, if he had spent more time with him…things could have been different.

Samuel was mourning (bewailed)….or “crying over spilled milk”…my grandmother would have said. In this emotional state, Samuel was venerable….and fear came.)

But God speaks to him and gives direction….and Samuel gets up and does as he is told. The fear is gone…for he trusts the Lord.

So Samuel, takes a animal for sacrifice…..and goes to Bethlehem. The elders of the town are concerned that he is there because they have done something wrong….

….but Samuel assures them that his coming is peaceable. He tells them to come to the sacrifice.

Jesse and most of his sons, come….and Samuel “sanctifies” them….sets them aside to eat with him.

1 Samuel 16:6, 10 “And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, the Lord hath not chosen these.”

Saul had been head and shoulders above the other Israelites….so looking at the tall men which were Jesse’s sons….Samuel thought that they should have been who the Lord had sent him to anoint as the next king…

But as the Lord told Samuel….

1 Samuel 16:7 “….Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

This time, the Lord would choose a man which would love Him….

1 Samuel 16:11-12. “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remains the yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.”

I want to pause here and mention….that the very first description of David is shepherd…”keepeth the sheep”.

God needed a man with a Shepherd’s heart (2 Samuel 24:17)…to do the work of leading His people…..both in battle, and back to Him, in worship.

The second description is: ruddy (meaning a young man, not shaving yet)….

…..a beautiful countenance (meaning that he was a handsome young man, strong)……

…..and goodly (this term was also used for Moses…and means one which was obedient in heart.)

As David came into the feast, Samuel looked on him….and did not see a king….but a boy!

The Lord had to tell him to get up…and do what I sent you here to do!

But the Lord said….”Arise” (Get up Samuel….stop looking for another Saul)

“…anoint him” (Pour the oil of anointing over his head, and I will anoint him in his spirit….with My Holy Spirit)

“…for this is he.” (This is My choice….a man who knows Me, and trusts Me Psalm 89:20-21)

(The Lord first called David….then anointed him….giving him what he needed for the job…the Holy Spirit…..and the Lord does the same for us: He calls us and then empowers us to do.)

1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.”

The next king was chosen and anointed for the job….but it would be years and many experiences….before David became officially the king of Israel…to the people.

Yet from the moment he was anointed…..he became the focal point of the next history of Israel.

(Right after this he became the singer and soother of Saul in the court….he took care of his father’s sheep when Saul and his army went to meet the Philistines…..he took food to his brothers who were in Saul’s army….and defeated Goliath.

He became one of the heads of Saul’s army….and slew many enemies of Israel. As Saul’s jealousy grew, he had to run for his life…..

….but the narrative follows him….

….till at last,…..all Israel crowned him king)

2 Samuel 5:1-3 “Then came all the tribes of Israel to David….saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh…..

……thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

…..and they anointed David king over Israel.”

It is amazing to me…..since they knew this….why did they take so long to make him king?!

But are not we the same way with Christ?

David was a type of Christ.

And is this said of Christ…”The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want”

Are we experiencing His guiding, leading, feeding?

Christ is also King….anointed of His Father for the kingdom of our hearts….and the earth.

Are we anointing Him with the oil of joy in our hearts and lives…..for we know that He has always set His heart on us….

…”before the world began”..or before times eternal (2 Timothy 1:9)

What is holding us back from setting our hearts on Him….and letting Him lead us….into all that we should be?

Diligence

Diligence means to eagerly, earnestly see the business done.

2 Peter 1:5 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;”

We think of effortless Christianity, which it is not. We are to keep our hearts with all diligence

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

And we are to diligently “make sure” of our calling and election:

2 Peter 1:10 “Wherefore the rather brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall:”

Our example is Joash, king of Israel.

2 Kings 13:14 “Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my Father, my Father! The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.”

Here, in this example, the king of Israel is in need. The Syrians were coming against them, and he needed guidance, and victory over them.

He knew if that was to happen, he would have to go and see God’s Prophet, Elisha.

But Elisha was sick, so sick he would die; and in bed.

Still the king was diligent, thus far…….and came into him; weeping over him concerning Israel’s need.

He was in the right place for a blessing, and seeing the right person. If there was any help for Israel, here it was, in the person of this dieing old man.

2 Kings 13:15-17 “And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the kings hands.

And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.”

The king was told what to do for the deliverance he sought, and had Elisha’s hands on his hands to do it. And the deliverance was promised.

(And a promise is only a promise; until it is obtained)

The king is doing what he is told,……so far so good.

After all, this was a kingly thing to do. Open the window and shoot an arrow eastward; quite kingly.

Maybe he even thought of a Syrian out there, that he was shooting at.

He was receiving the answer he wanted! Victory was promised!

But now the kings diligence, without Elisha, is tested.

After all, the battles were still to be fought; would the king continue in diligence?

2 Kings 13:18-19 “And he said, Take arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice and stayed.

And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: Whereas now thou wilt smite Syria thrice.”

Elisha tells the king to take arrows and hit the ground.

Now this was not a very kingly thing to do.

But the king, just going along with Elisha; for he thought he had the deliverance he came for; just hits the ground three times.

No diligence there.

His arm had already shot the arrow of deliverance (surely he could take credit for it); why did he need to do this beating the ground?

Oh well, he would do it to please the old man, and get on with the Victory.

But the man of God was very angry. Why?

Because a promise is just a promise, till we have obtained, or gotten it from God…….by the means He chooses to use.

And often those means are humbling to us, so that we will not get the idea that the Victory He gives, came by us.

It came to us, by His power,….and means….through us.

The king came, seeking deliverance from Elisha and God; and got it, in promise…a wonderful promise that would have protected men and women in Israel, for generations to come….

….and all he had to do was fulfill the means….and there were several:

1)…with Elisha’s hands on his….an arrow shot.

2)…by himself, with all his might, to beat the ground by the arrows….as though he was beating the Syrians to dust.

Then victory would be given.

But when he had to show diligence toward God’s Word, himself,….he failed.

He also lost part of the promise;…..the part he refused to be diligent in obeying.

(There would be five battles….Israel would win three….but the last two….Syria would win. 2 Kings 13:25)

We are often the same.

We are very enthusiastic for a while;…..especially when we can take part of the credit;……but fail when we are called upon to diligently use means which we find humbling, or not to our liking.

Diligence is eagerly, earnestly, seeing the job done.

God wants to deliver,

wants to supply our needs,

wants to place His hands on ours for the work;

but will we, diligently follow through, just because He says so?

If we will, we will be blessed with the full promises of God.

If we don’t, we will lose a part of the promises God wants to bless us with.

Diligence is eagerly, earnestly, seeing the job done.

And I might add, our promises will be fulfilled completely, when we do all for Jesus sake.