Sure, but…Christians

Matthew 21:28-32 “But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

And he answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise.

He answered and said, I go, sir, and went not.

Whither them twain did the will of his Father? They say unto him, the first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.”

We call this “Sure, but…Christians”, because we are often as these sons in the story.

We say one thing, and do another.

We love or praise God much with our mouths, but not so much with our attitudes and obediences; which is the way the Lord said we really love Him.

John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him.”

The Father in the story had two sons. Now they are both sons, both belonging to the household of the Father.

But one, rebellious at first; recognized his wrong attitude, and repented, and was obedient to the Father’s Will.

(You will notice that this son did not go back to the Father for direction…..but did what He said at first. Sometimes we just need to do what we know to do….no questions….just do, for His sake.)

The other, said the right things in front of the Father; but never followed through. Never fulfilled the Father’s Will…..for whatever reason.

(And there always seems to be a “reason” we do not get around to doing what we know to do…..that is why sanctification includes our hearts and minds, as well as our wills.)

Which one really loved the Father?

Of course, we would say, the one who did what the Father wanted.

Then why do we hesitate to do our Heavenly Father’s Will?

Or why won’t we repent of our rebellious attitude, and do what He says?

As our Heavenly Father, God has the right to command us to do His Will. We all agree to that.

But the real value to God in our doing, is the love shown Him by our willing obedience.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (love), I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (love), it profiteth me nothing.”

Love to Christ Jesus, shows the power of the Holy Spirit within, as nothing else does.

And this requires us to repent. Both sons should have repented. One for the rebellious attitude.

The other for disobedience.

To repent is to change our minds about the subject, our affections for it, and our actions toward it.

As sons to our Heavenly Father, we should recognize our own personal need for repentance, and do it.

Then we will fulfill our Father’s Will.

“..and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him.”

David’s Choice, and Ours

David had been king of Israel for years. He had fought the Lord’s battles to gain all the land that God had given Israel, which had not been theirs before.

He had brought the capital to Jerusalem. He had victories on every side.

But, as with every believer, there are temptations. And one of these was a whisper of our adversary, Satan.

1 Chronicles 21:1-2 “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.”

[The children of Israel had been numbered in the wilderness (Numbers 1:2-3,18-19), after the Tabernacle had been set up, so that they could each be in their place according to their tribes, around the Tabernacle.

And for each to give an offering for the service of the Tabernacle, according to their tribes. (Numbers 7:1-2)]

But that was the last time God had said, that all Israel was to be numbered.

But now David wants to number them. The record shows that this suggestion was not his idea.

But he did yield to it, and commanded that Israel be numbered.

1 Chronicles 21:7 “And God was displeased with this thing, therefore He smote Israel.”

Now, we will pause here and ask: why did God let Satan tempt David and fall into this sin?

Wasn’t he the man after God’s own heart? (Acts 13:22).

He was, but every man is tempted, when he is “drawn away” from God’s will, by something he wants.

James 1:14-15 “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Certainly David did not want to sin?

No, but he did want to see how great he had made his country. A little pride, yielded great trouble.

1 Chronicles 21:8 “And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

One thing you could count on with David: once he knew God was displeased, he did something about it.

So God gives David a choice:

1 Chronicles 21:9-10, 12 “And the Lord spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying,

Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things: choose the one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

Either three years famine, or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advice thyself what word that I shall bring again to Him that sent me.”

God was giving this choice to David to test him. What did he really think of his God? Or His Will?

He might think like this:

Three years of famine were harsh, but they might get by. Only the weakest would die.

Three months of fighting, where the enemies win. Perhaps he would think, “I could always take back those lands; and it is only three months.”

Or three days of pestilence—illness, where God indiscriminately kills strong, and weak, old and young, according to His will.

Which would David choose?

1 Chronicles 21:13 “And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are His mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.”

David chose God’s hands. God’s ways. God’s mercy.

To “let me now fall now into the hand of the Lord”.

The pestilence began, and many (70,000) died. And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but the mercy of the Lord, stopped the angel, giving David time to seek the Lord:

1 Chronicles 21:17 “And David said unto God, Is it not that I commanded the people to be numbered? Even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand, I pray Thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and on my father’s house; but not on Thy people, that they should be plagued.”

David took full responsibility for the sin. He did not try and point to another, but confessed fully, and asked that the plague stop for Israel.

And he got an answer right away.

1 Chronicles 21:18. “Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

(This is where the angel with the sword drawn had been told to stop on his way to Jerusalem.)

1 Chronicles 21:22-23 “Then David said unto Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the Lord: thou shalt grant it to me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.

And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshingfloor instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.”

A generous offer, but…again David’s choice to honor the Lord:

1 Chronicles 21:24 “And king David said to Ornan, Nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost.”

David would not give another man’s livelihood, but would only give what was his, by “the full price”. It was David’s responsibility, and he would not skimp or bargain.

(A burnt offering was a sacrifice of love. David would not offer it, without paying full price for it.)

Six hundred shekels of gold was the price, so he gave it. He also built the altar from the lumber of the place, and sacrificed the oxen himself.

1 Chronicles 21:26-27 “And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and He answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offerings.

And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.”

David had sinned. But he came in full confession and asked for mercy.

David’s choice was God: His way. For he knew God to be merciful, and He was.

What is our choice, when it comes to God’s will and way? Do we try and bargain a better “price” when it comes to our responsibilities?

Or do we chose God, believing that even in corrections, He will deal with us in mercy?

How am I filled with the Spirit?

Years ago, I asked the Lord this very question. Feeling a need in my ministry…I prayed and kept praying till I got this answer:

“To be filled with My Holy Spirit…you need to be emptied from the fullness of yourself.”

I said, “I have consecrated my life to you….I have given my life to be your preacher; I witness and pray for others, I work at being obedient to Your commands…..what more should I do?”

(Did you notice how many “I”s there are? Ouch! Obviously, being emptied of self is a tall order!)

So I asked….”How do I empty myself out?”

The answer was quite simple….I cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and bring everything that says, “This is me…my way of doing a job, my way of preaching on a text, my way of saying things”……to God….until, everything I am (habits and characteristics) and everything I do, says “This is Him.”

He showed me that this is my life’s work….to me conformed to His image, here and in all my days.

He must reign in my life, by a deliberate act of my will….my willing it, for all the things of my life.

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Subjection has become a “bad word” today. (Of course to the wrong elements, it is.)

But subjection to Christ is freedom.

“What!, you say, that can’t be.

Subjection is bondage;…..you have to do.”

But the reality of the subjection to Christ, is a love relationship.

It is to know that He loves….you

(No, it is not just the knowledge of the head, having heard it so many times).

It is a closeness of His Spirit,…..a sweetness of His Voice (even when He corrects us),….and such a sense of rest of heart, and mind (and my mind usually goes around in circles pretty good).

Hosea 11:4 “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.”

Jesus Christ came as a man to show us the great love He had for us:

By His life in subjection to His Father. (“…for I do always those things that please Him.” John 8:28-29)…

By His sacrifice to save us from our sins (and they are the real bondage)….

And by His resurrection, to give us all things in Him.

Song of Solomon 8:7 “Many waters can not quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.”

We can not give anything for the Love of God, for He has loved us with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3).

Before we were born, God loved us; by the Love of His Will.

It was not because there was anything in us that drew Him to us.

Nor was it because He saw what we would do for Him, after conversion. Or because of what we would become.

No, He loved us because of one reason: He willed to do so.

Matthew 6:10 says, His kingdom come, His will done in earth, as it is in heaven.

And Jesus taught that we should pray this.

In heaven it is done willingly, joyfully, completely. But also with power.

He has this sort of power for us; but to get it down here into us we need to have His kingdom come with in us.

He showed me, that we should not ask……How much do I have of God?

But, how much does He have of me?

For we are filled with the Holy Spirit to the degree or extent, that we are willingly emptied of ourself life.

Imagine jars filled with water. Now, imagine you are going to fill them with another liquid.

They won’t mix, so one of them will “push” the other out.

The one comes in; and the water flows out.

This is the filling of the Holy Spirit. He flows in, at new birth.

But if we just let Him have that much of us, it is like a skim of oil on top of the water.

But when we yield to Him, be obedient to His direction, and give up our way…….then He keeps flowing in,…..and our self life, flows out.

We have more “want to”, more power to do, and more knowledge and joy in the doing.

This is to be being filled with the Holy Spirit;….and it is only as we submit to Christ’s rule in us; as subjects to King Jesus….

Under His command, doing His Will.

Ephesians 5:17-18 “Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

The Marriage Supper for the King’s Son

Matthew 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.”

This is one of the parables Jesus taught. The lesson to learn is that all that are invited to come, are going to be responsible for the invitation, and what they do with it.

Let us consider the parable:

Matthew 22:3-4 “And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Again, he sent forth other servants saying, Tell them which are bidden, behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.”

It was common in those days to send two invitations.

One, to notify the guests of the wedding day, and time.

The second, when things were ready, to collect the guests.

Now the Ministry of Jesus Christ was given twice.

One time to the Jewish Nation, which rejected Him.

The second, when the servants of Christ are sent to the individuals of the world with the Gospel.

All things are ready…….”Come”.

Now for the Nation of Israel:

Matthew 22:5-7 ” But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

And the remnant took his servant and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and sent forth his armies, and destroyed the murderers, and burned up their city.”

This happened in the destruction of Jerusalem, under Titus, when God punished those who rejected, and crucified His Son.

And now for the world’s hearing of this invitation:

Matthew 22:8-10 “Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.”

His servants would go into all the world, preaching and teaching the gospel.

Their commission was:

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Both good and bad people would hear and come to Christ….For God will have His Son to be honored.

The effectual call of the Holy Spirit, by means of the Gospel,

has gone throughout the world,…..and brings all who receive Him, to come to Christ, as Lord and Savior.

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:”

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

All those who come, are given the robe of Christ’s righteousness.

And for all the guests at the wedding feast, they would have been provided new garments, to change into, for such a grand occasion

Matthew 22:11-14. “And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Then said the king unto the servants, Bind him and hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

For many are called, but few are chosen.”

This man didn’t have wedding garment on,…..which would have been provided to him,…..so he was asked, Why?

He should have. They were there, and given to all who were bidden and brought in.

So why didn’t he?

The only answer is, that he refused to put it on.

And by refusing the wedding garment, wasn’t he telling the king that he thought nothing of the invitation?

He had been brought in by the invitation, but did not want to submit to the King’s provision.

No one can come to the Wedding Supper of our Lord and Savior, if they are not clothed with His righteousness.

(Revelation 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.)

To “come” to God in your own works, or in your own goodness; is the greatest insult.

The call: “Come, for Christ has died and raised again to save us”, has sounded through the ages.

But you must receive Him,….or refuse Him.

For those who come to Christ, simply to get heaven, and not to be saved from their sin……..will find that the garment of self-preservation will not be recognized by God.

The garment of self-righteousness will not be recognized by God.

The garment of self-expression will not be recognized by God.

And the garment of self-will will not be recognized by God.

In His Son, God has provided all things that we might “sup with Him”.

What will we do with our invitation?

The mote and the beam

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The difference is huge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As Christians, we are to see by faith….

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

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

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

Jesus said the light of the body is the eye:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

…and that He can do the same for all.

The Spirit-filled walk of a Christian

I speak a lot about the Holy Spirit in us….it is one of the great things of Christianity, I believe….that a Person of the Godhead is present with us….always.

God, the Father willed our salvation in it’s fullest terms: being born again, being sanctified, being brought into His Presence forever.

God, the Son paid the price for our salvation in His perfect life, sacrificial death, and resurrection life;….and He stands before His Father now, interceding for us….that we might have all the blessings of His Life given to us. (Ephesians 1:3)

But it is….

God, the Holy Spirit that comes to each heart that receives Christ as Lord and Savior,…..and stays there. He is the One who speaks, and nudges, and reminds us of scripture. He is the One who puts up with our moods, and ignoring Him. He is the One who empowers as we yield to Him….now….for He receives all that Christ gives for us….and imparts it, to us.

How important He is….are we working, so we will not quench Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19),…..or so we will not grieve Him (Ephesians 5:30)?

Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

This is something we are told to do!

When we are “drunk with wine”….we are in subjection to the wine….it is in charge.

When we are “filled with the Spirit”….we are in subjection to the Holy Spirit….He is in charge.

(Subjection in the Greek means…”to be under, subornation”….

……yet the world would turn this word…..into bondage.

Which are we going to believe? Which are we going to do?)

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 those that are coming “out of the wilderness”.

The wilderness in scripture always speaks of trials and testings.

(There were the forty years of wilderness wanderings for Israel, after coming across the Red Sea.

Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days, during His temptation by the devil. Mark 1:12-13)

But here, there is one coming out of the wilderness…..out of the ups and downs of emotion and mind…..from the trials and testings of faith in the world,…..

……into the peace and joy of established subjection to God.

This one seeks to leave the world behind her (the church is always spoken of in the feminine.)….getting deliverance from the world, and it’s claims upon her.

“Like pillars of smoke”.

Smoke is very weak stuff….a puff of wind blows it one way or another.

But here it is a pillar….strong and straight….because it is a supernatural strength….the strength of God, by the Holy Spirit within her.

Joel 2:28, 30 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh;…

(This is the promise that anyone who believes in Christ Jesus, God’s Son, will receive His Holy Spirit)

And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.”

(This is the same pillars of smoke as in the Song of Solomon……His children who are filled with the Spirit, manifesting His control in their lives.

“Wonders” in the Hebrew here, means “conspicuous, bright, miracles”)

“Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense” (Song of Solomon 3:6)

Being filled with the Spirit, we manifest Christ’s death ( myrrh…they used it to put on dead bodies),….

….and Christ’s kingship (frankincense….was the spice of kings….very costly).

We “perfume” our walk by denying ourselves (Matthew 16:24-25), and losing our self-lives, that we might find our Christ’s life…..and showing His life through us.

Christians are filled with all the Spirit of God, as we are emptied of all the fullness of ourselves….and this is an act of our will, willing with the Lord….coming out of the wilderness….of our world situation….under more and more of the influence of the Holy Spirit’s power.

(Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

If Christ is not King of your life, you may be doing the “right” thing….but you are not letting the Holy Spirit’s power flow in you, by you and through you. You are not the pillar of strength and grace, that He wants you to be.)

“With all powders of the Merchant”. A Merchant deals with things for a price. Simply, you obtain from Him for a price….and here, Jesus is that Merchant.

This is not for salvation….that is a free gift. But, as Christians, we are to come to Him for all we need.

He has all we need, but it must be obtained from Him….”obtain promises” (Hebrews 11:33)….by an act of faith.

“Add to” (2 Peter 1:5)….by giving all diligence.

In Reality, it comes down to His Will done…..in our everyday situations….by yielding to the grace, words, patience, peace, power….all coming from the Holy Spirit within.

This yielding makes us into a pillar….a pillar of smoke.

There may be something the Lord requires at our hand, that would be very important to Him,…..which we would think very lightly of…..but at Thy Word we willingly obey.

The Holy Spirit shows substance and strength through our words….even a word in due season….when we are yielded to Him.

He shows Hope (that confident expectation that God will do what He says) through us….when we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

We are told to be “filled with the Spirit”….and come under His influence in all our thoughts, words, and deeds.

And the Song of Solomon shows us what we will become, if we do…..a pillar.

We do not change into a pillar of stone….no….God wants us….to use us.

We are changed into a pillar of smoke….weak in ourselves….and strong in Him.

Paul’s prayer for the Colossians:

Colossians 1:8-11 “Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His Will and wisdom and spiritual understanding:

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful unto every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Strengthened with all might, according to His generous power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness;”

They had the Spirit…love in the Spirit….and now he prays that they might be filled with the Spirit….

And there is always more of Him we can have…..

….less of our self-life…..to have more of Christ’s life by the Holy Spirit, in us.

His life gives us Eternal life…..peace and joy….working in us patience….and forgiveness for others….long-suffering toward their failures (esp. to us)….and love….

….love by the Holy Spirit within.

Why are we so afraid of subjection to Him?

Is it what He will require? What does it matter if He enables us?

Is it a rebellious place in ourselves which does not want to let go of “this”?

For each of us…..He saves,….then He calls….then He leads….then He fills us with His Spirit, as we willingly yield….to enable us to overcome every difficulty…..

….will we come out of the wilderness of this world, and be pillars of smoke in this time,….for Him?

“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.”

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 our fear.

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

Shall we “pass over” to the other side?

The Walk of a Christian should be “Onward”.

1 John 2:12-14 “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.

I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

I have written unto you fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

Here, the Apostle John is writing to the Church; and to the different spiritual ages of believers in the Church.

Some are little children in the faith. They know the Father through Jesus Christ their Lord, and their sins are forgiven.

Some are young men in the faith. Overcoming by the Name of the Lord, and becoming stronger in the faith; leading others on in it.

Some are fathers in the faith. They have experienced the life of faith through trial and joys, and can show forth the knowledge of God; Who He is and what He will do for a believer, because He has done it for them, personally.

These are the stages of the Christian walk:

The child stage, the servant stage, the warrior stage, and the elder’s stage of union and communion.

Genesis 17:1 “And when Abram (Abraham) was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

Though Abram was ninety-nine, he was still a babe in walking with God. He had much to learn, so God comforts him with His Name.

“I am the Almighty God”, what a comfort to Abram, who was called to live with his family, among the unbelieving nations of Canaan.

“Walk before me”,……is as a child before his Father, would walk and run ahead, playing in the presence of his Father;…….conscious of his safety and security, because his Father is just behind him.

This is the child stage of our walk.

Then he tells him to “walk before me, and be thou perfect.”

In the scriptures, when perfection is mentioned it means complete, or to be finished.

Perfection, then for Abram, meant that he was to walk before God, and complete the purpose God had for him.

(Perfection when it speaks of God, is His completeness in Holiness, Power, Grace, and every attribute! He is Sinless, and Complete in Himself….Perfect.)

As children of God, we are to grow in grace, and the knowledge of God. This Abram was called to do, and so is everyone who believes.

2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”

We are to walk before as children,……and grow; conscious of His love and care.

But some never leave this stage.

They want to remain children,…..just taken care of;…..without the responsibility which comes by learning to be a servant of Christ.

This, God never intends. He want us to walk through life with Him.

Yes, it is step by step. And the steps may be small; but it should always be forward.

The next stage is covered by “young men, who are strong and overcoming”.

This does not just happen.

We grow in grace when we use the knowledge of Christ we gain, and then apply it to our own lives.

This is how we become strong in faith.

But it happens in two stages: first, there is the servant stage.

This begins as we realize our calling, or He calls us to follow Him.

(Usually this is in some specific thing, where He calls us to obey Him, and come after Him, and not the world.)

Matthew 16:24 “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.”

To learn to deny ourselves is the servant stage.

We “walk after”, as a servant following his Master, being told to do…..we all have to learn to obey…..it is not our natural inclination. Naturally, we are rebels….

And yes, at times, sadly, being made to do through circumstances, or the correction of the Holy Spirit.

(If we like stubborn children, do not agree, we stop all progress forward, and can, in some cases, go backward.

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

But this is not what He would have for us: “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.

Real “rest” is being yoked with Him)

The servant stage is the time we learn that we are completely dependent upon God,…..while using everything He gives us to His glory, and not our own.

These are hard lessons for proud men and women, but necessary, for God to trust us with His power.

He will empower those who continue to grow up into Him, and continue to obey (despite many failures), and continue to follow Him(despite the trials, and temptations of their way).

Which leads us to the second half of the “young men who are strong and overcome” stage:

Becoming soldiers, and walking with as friends.

To do this we need to “Quench not the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

“Quench” means to put out the fire of the Holy Spirit within you.

(Oh, that can’t be for me. No, I don’t think I should do that now.). These, and other thoughts or attitudes, “quench” or “stifle” the Spirit of God.

His power is there for you now, with the guidance; will we hesitate and lose the fullness of it?

I often have: Again it is a learning time. Will we learn of Him?

(I thought I would never learn:

When the Lord showed me that I was quenching the Holy Spirit, I said, Yes, I was doing it; but what was I to do about it?

Then He showed me that the answer was in the verse up above. It is right up there, He said.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

To give thanks for everything; to accept, as from the Father’s Hand all that comes to you. This is to quench not the Spirit.)

As friends, we know what God wants us to do, by His Holy Spirit within. (Whether He uses Scripture, Preachings, or an internal Voice; He speaks, and we seek to obey.)

John 15:14-15 “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Henceforth I call ye not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends, for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

To become soldiers, we need to stand. For this is how we overcome. We hold the ground won for us by Christ Jesus. We hold; not go out and take territory; But hold on to what Christ, by His Victory, on the Cross, has won for us (individually, and as a Church).

Ephesians 6:10-11 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

We stand, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, against the tricks and temptations of the devil, the world system, and the weakness of the flesh. (That is why we need His might, and His armor)

2 Timothy 2:3-4 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

Then there is the father stage, or the elders of the faith: Those who have known Him that is from the beginning.

These have come through many battles, and are still standing. They know–and this is the word that is stressed for them–they know Him.

They have been born again, and as children of God, sought to grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ.

They have learned to know His Will for themselves, and obeyed.

They have learned to stand, leaning heavily on the Lord’s Arm of Strength, and fight the good fight of faith.

And they continue to know Him: there is not an end to this knowledge; for His love knows no bounds.

Here are the stages of our walk onward. And it is a Progressive Walk, with Christ.

Onward! “Hold fast till I come” (Revelation 2:25)

Not to faint.

To faint in scripture is not to fall down unconscious, as we think of it today……

….but to give up,….feeling everything is lost,….and for a Christian, this is an act of our will….

….though it maybe began in our emotions or reasons.

Luke 18:1 “And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

There is a definite choice here…..A choice, the Lord says, there is God’s help for.

(My husband and I knew a man once…..

He was a good man, went to our church….and knew many sound doctrines. He was always overflowing with good words about the Lord,….and if you were not around him much….he seemed so genuine.

But he never finished anything. He would begin with a rallying cry,….and struggle through for a while….and then just sit down, with the urging, “you go on, I’ll be there shortly”….but he wasn’t.

I believe that many, respect God….that do not love Him. And love, in scripture…..which is the willed tendency of our hearts….is a powerful and strengthening grace.

If we are Christians, Love is first put into our hearts by God, the Holy Spirit….it is “shed abroad in our hearts” (Romans 5:5)…

…and it changes us. It gives us a “soft” heart….one easily moved by the Holy Spirit…toward God.

Without love, we may be obedient, enthusiastic, knowledgeable…..but not devoted…to Christ, Himself.

Where there is no love, there is no worship….for worship is counting Him worthy of all of us.

Habakkuk 2:20 “But the Lord is in His Holy Temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.”

….it seems that many people want to “give up the fight”.

…I, too, have felt like giving up….

…there was a time….when I was a teenager, after some bad experiences, that I thought of committing suicide for a time.

Yet, the Lord has always come to me….

…..not necessarily encouraging me, for sometimes we need a jolt back into the reality of life, rather than a hug….

…..but His Presence has always made the difference….always got me up out of myself….

(I want to talk just for a moment of suicide. It is self-murder. Some may give a complicated answer why people kill themselves…and I do think that there are about as many “reasons”…as people.

But they all come down to not believing God,….and trying to destroy their biggest problem….themselves, or their circumstances.

Some are looking for a way out of problems…..

……But please, seek first the great problem Solver….Christ.

Some are looking for a way out of themselves….they are not happy with who they are, so they will destroy their “enemy”.

But God says, I have seen you in the womb….I have formed you for My sake. Again, do you believe God, or others?

Suicide is self-murder….you are not just killing your bodies, but your life as well. You are saying, “I will not live the life You, God, have given me.”

But our lives are more than this moment of pain, hurt, trial,….or worse.

They are beyond that….and Christ Jesus can be our Helper, now.

Please come to Christ Jesus. Receive Him into your heart and life.

Christ Jesus came to save you…..

….you, who He loved so much, that He bore all your sins on the cross, for you.)

Luke 18:1-8 is the parable of a widow who was being harassed by her adversary.

She had no one to speak for her….so she did what she could, and came before a Roman Judge….and cried for help.

But he paid no attention to her or her need….he did not care about a silly widow….she could do him no damage….at least this is what he thought at first.

(And how many people pay no attention to others…..even those close to us. But God sees…..and God hears.)

Now here, she could have given up…..but…

…..she kept coming to his court, and crying for help! “Avenge me of mine adversary!”

So, “though he feared not God, nor regarded man”…..he decided that she was getting too much attention in his court,….and she might ruin his reputation….others might start doing the same thing.

So, he would avenge her….give her a restraining order against her adversary….just to get rid of her, out of his court!

Luke 18:6-8 “And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?

I tell you that He will avenge them speedily….”

“I tell you….”. This is the Lord saying this…..”God will avenge them speedily”

This is an amazing promise.

We should ask for a “restraining order” against our Adversary….when he is harassing us in our prayers, direction, or speaking to someone….

…God will avenge us speedily, when we do.

This widow came to a unjust Judge….

…but we come to our Heavenly Father…and will we not receive that which He has for His own child.

The Judge wanted to get rid of her…..

….but we are bidden by God to…

…”come boldly to the Throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy, and find grace to help…”(Hebrews 4:16)

…”ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” (Luke 11:9)

This widow had no advocate to help her before the Judge….

….but Christ is our Mediator, our “Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” (1 John 2:1)

As we are confronted by our Adversary, we may also cry unto our Heavenly Father…as the widow did to an unjust judge….”Avenge me of mine Adversary; and give me freedom and liberty to do Thy Will.”

Jesus has said, “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.”

Let us believe the Lord….cry unto Him, day and night…….and receive the love which the Holy Spirit will shed abroad in our hearts….

…..that we may be blessed….

…in our prayer times, in our work….in our lives….

….and not faint.

A Very Present Help

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

This psalm shouts confidence in God.

It does not begin with prayer, and end in praise….but begins right away with a confident exclamation of God’s power and care….of me….of you.

One of the great joys of my life has been, since I was born again,….that God has been with me, is with me, and will be with me.

God is “our” refuge and strength. God is very personal in His conversations.

(He does speak to His people as a whole, on occasion;….but it is always to those who will hear what He is saying, that He speaks most.)

Confidence in God is something we need to hang on to:

Hebrew 10:35 “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”

Someone has said, that God is often more present to His people in trials,….than the trouble itself.

He is our refuge (safe place)…..and our strength.

One speaks of present possession…..the other speaks of warfare.

Psalm 46:2-3 “Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be cast in the midst of the sea;

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

Because He is with us….we will not fear. This is an act of our will….we will not fear.

There are plenty of things to fear in this life…..many.

But we will not give way to fear.

Fear may come and knock at the door of our minds and hearts….but we will stay ourselves on our God, our refuge.

“Though the earth be removed”. I find this wording interesting.

He is not saying “the earth be moved”…..earthquakes, and volcanoes move the earth.

They are troubling….but usually last a period of time.

But the psalmist said, “be removed”…..come to an end, somehow.

Yet the psalmist is hanging on to the Lord’s strength.

In verses Psalm 46:4-6, the psalmist speaks of grace in His people…..like a ever flowing river.

It flows on, no matter what enemies come against it.

It flows to His people, and shows that He is with us….and that His help is here.

We may think, in our impatience that He is slow to help…..but He is “on time”….His time….with the refreshing grace we need…..when we need it.

A very (for emphasis) present help.

Psalm 46:7 “The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

This is repeated twice in this psalm,…..here, and at the end:

The Lord of Hosts is an amazing Name of God.

Yes, it speaks of the armies or ‘hosts” of our God…..but not just armies of His people under His banner…..

…..but also His armies of angels (2 Kings 6:15-17),……the armies of bees and hornets (Exodus 23:27-28),…….the armies of anything that He masses together,….which He brings against those that attack His own.

He is with us.

The God of Jacob shows the tenderness toward His wayward people. How much He had to teach and correct Jacob….

…..yet He was His God by covenant….and He was his refuge in all circumstances.

He is our covenant God (through Christ Jesus), and refuge.

Psalm 46:8-9:

Then the psalmist calls all believers to look at what the Lord has done in the past,….is doing now,….

……so we can, in faith, see what He will do in the future, for our deliverance….against those that would destroy our faith.

(How many deliverances has He done for the Church…..for me?)

Psalm 46:10-11 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

Be still has the reference both in speech and in setting still…..till God works it out.

“Be still”….as the Israelites stayed under the blood, till the Angel of the Lord went through the land of Egypt destroying the firstborn….to free His people.

(Exodus 12:22-23)

“Be still”….as they were told at the Red Sea….when the Lord caused the sea to go back…and made the sea dry land. (Exodus 14:13-14, 21)

“ Be still”….as when the king Jehoshaphat had many nations coming against him, and Judah gathered to pray….when they were told, “stand still….fear not,…for the Lord will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:17)

We are to quiet ourselves….and know God, as God….in this situation.

This psalm was a song of confidence in God, as God. He is sovereign….and He rules and over rules, for His people everyday….in us, and in others, and in circumstances.

It began in confidence…..and ended in confidence of our God.

And we, too, are to hold on to our confidence in Him, for ourselves…..finishing the work we have been given….expecting Him to come in deliverance….or in person.

Hebrews 10:35-37 “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”

He has helped us….He will help us….and He is a very present help in this time of trouble.