The God of Peace.

God is a God of peace in two ways…..

…in HIs very attributes He is peace….nothing “ruffles” Him….nothing takes Him by surprise….

….all things move forward…at His time and at His decree.

God is also a God of peace….to us, who have been born again….for we are in Christ Jesus.

First, He can be at peace with us, because of His Son’s life, sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension in power.

Second He sets our hearts right, practically….giving us peace by His Holy Spirit from sin and self.

Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

I love the book of Hebrews…

(I once taught a Sunday school class in it for two years…..Hebrews has amazing lessons which are written to to a weak and wobbly people. But aren’t we weak and wobbly at times? That is why it was so amazing….every lesson dealing with something the devil uses to trick or “shake” us.)

….it starts out with Christ in the Heavens….having come and “spoken” to us of HIs Father God….drawing our eyes up to heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God in all power…for us.

….and ends…calling each of us to “let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.”

….and then Paul prays to the God of peace….

….Who raised Jesus from the death of perfect sacrifice….and accepted His blood in payment for our sin…

….that the mighty God of peace….would “make you”….mold and shape us…that our outward obediences would be in love to Him (perfect means complete; and nothing is complete without love to Him)

…and that inwardly, we would be molded into His character….through Jesus Christ.

Let me tell you about the power of Christ’s life…..for this whole book is a praise to Him:

He came….and manifested HIs Father.

He came….as very God and very Man, under the angels….to elevate us into the Presence and Peace of God.

He came….as a High Priest to sacrifice Himself to God….not under Aaron’s priesthood, but under Melchisedec.

He came and ascended, and is now before the throne of God….for us. (Hebrews 9:11-12)

He came that we might come before God…..by Him (Hebrews 10:19-20)

Then the writer warns….we who have received Christ….must live by faith in Him, and “hold on”,….and gives examples of those who by faith, did.

Then the writer says…

Hebrews 12:2-4 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the enjoy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

This world is in chaos….and we too are affected, often. But, praise God, He is peace….and bids us receive His peace and stand with Him.

God is a God of Peace to us, because of Christ.

In Christ’s life we have all things we need.

Hallelujah what a Savior!

Are you an Overcomer?

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Before you can become the overcomer of Revelation 3:21; you must open the door of your life to Christ.
He will not knock down the door and come in; nor will He force His way in some other way.
He calls to the individual that hears His voice, to open to Him. It is a Life, open to and receptive to Him, that counts.

This is not sinless perfection; but the desire to have the fellowship offered by the Lord, here.
He will not force us to have this fellowship which is suggested in the, “sup with him, and he with me”.
It all rests with our “want to”.
You will never have the Reality of the love relationship that He intends, until the Holy Spirit has created within you this want to.

(What is the want to?
It is not just feelings….like the want to of a new car.
It is not just reasons….like a mathematical problem solved.
It is the new nature within you replacing the desires of this world, with the desire of God’s rule within.
“The lack of desire is the ill of all ills.
Many thousand through it, the dark pathway have trod.
The balsam, the wine of predestinate wills,
Is the jubilant pining and longing for God.”

Psalm 119:36 “Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.”
This should be our prayer….and God will answer within us by placing that fire of “want to” within.
Psalm 119:40 “Behold, I have longed after Thy precepts: quicken me in Thy righteousness.”)

We can know and claim His love to us. All His children can. But before you can really say “I love you” to Christ; you must give up loving yourself so much.
Again, it is the want to .

Revelation 3:21 “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

And what do we overcome?
Everything which stands in the way of God’s Will for our lives.
This is what Christ did while He was on earth,…..so must we.
We overcome fear, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit,….and trust.

We overcome ourselves in every way, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and deny ourselves, and be obedient to Christ.

We overcome circumstances, in the power of the Holy Spirit, joy for sorrow, peace for chaos, patience for worry, and anger. He empowers. He gives grace (the unmerited favor of power)

To overcome anything is to yield to Christ’s Word, and the Holy Spirit within; and come out of your self life, and into Christ’s life for you.

We must always bear in mind, Who it is that speaks to us. And What He is able to do; even within the most rebellious, or lazy, or selfish thoughts within us.
Christ is able, and has sent His Holy Spirit to us, to enable us in the very place, time, and circumstances, we are in.

Have you heard His voice to you? Is He knocking again for entrance to your life?
It is fellowship that He desires, do you so desire this fellowship, too?

Are you an overcomer? Will you overcome everything which stands in the way of Christ’s life for you?

Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

1 Samuel 15:1-3 “Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people….now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.”

To “hearken” in scripture means “to hear intelligently, so you understand what to do, and do it”.

“Hearken, Saul. Hear what the Lord wants done by you….who are at the head of My army….hear, and complete the task,…for Me.”

Saul had not asked to be king….as a matter of fact, he hid from it at first. (1 Samuel 10:21-24)

But now that he was king…..he liked it. The power over the army…the prestige and praise….this was a pretty great job! He was finally “somebody”!

Amalek was the people that attacked after the water was given from the Rock. But they did not stop with that….for they had been defeated that day.

So they came up and would kill the ones who were in the back….the weakest who could not keep up, in sneak attacks….

….and the Lord promised He would not forget what they had done.

Deuteronomy 25:17-19 “Remember what Amalek did unto thee…

How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary: and he feared not God.

Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies….that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.”

Now this task was assigned to Saul…..for the Lord. It was not because Saul thought it a good idea….

…but because the Lord keeps His Word….He sent Saul to destroy Amalek.

But Saul did not destroy Amalek….he took a “trophy” captive….the king…Agag.

And he let the people take the best of the animals as spoil. Some, it is true for a sacrifice to the Lord….but a lot…just for them.

The Lord spoke to Samuel….”It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed my commandments.”

“He is turned back from following Me”…..this disobedience is of the heart, not just of the actions.

This made Samuel sad….but he would speak to Saul for God, one last time….and he did.

1 Samuel 15:16-17 “And Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?”

“When thou was little in thine own sight.”

How much is said here.

When you had no personal plans or ambitions….then it mattered not what was to be done,…..only that it was God’s Will.

(But it is when we set above God’s Word, and decide what is “better”. We stifle the Holy Spirit.

“No, this can not be the way to do it. Surely God would not care about this or that.”)

And that is what Saul thought…..God would not care about a king taking a king as a trophy…..but it was….”evil in the sight of the Lord?” (1 Samuel 15:19)

Then Saul tried bargaining with Samuel and God…..the people brought these animals for sacrifice….surely God would like that!

And then Samuel said…..

…(I believe ever so sadly….for he had hopes that Saul would be able to lead Israel in obedience….teaching them to follow the Lord, as a nation….but Saul never did.)

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

Remember, Saul was told to “hearken”…to hear intelligently so you understand what you are to do, and do it.

Saul had heard….with his ears what he was to do.

But his heart had not “understood” the importance of God’s Word.

Saul let his reasoning, and his heart’s desire overrule God’s Will.

(All our religious activities….no matter what they cost….are of no value, without obedience.)

1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.”

To be rebellious about God’s Will is as bad as practicing witchcraft, and to be stubborn, is as worshipping idols.

Where there is a divided heart….where we think we can have God’s Will and our own….there is danger. For God may let us have our will….what danger that is!

(We think we can never lose out…but we are warned:

2 John 8 “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”

This has nothing to do with salvation….that is a free gift. But it has to do with our joy and peace here,…..and our reward in heaven. For we receive a reward for those things we have done out of love to the Lord.)

I believe the truth of God is only revealed to us, as Christians,….personally….by obedience.

It is by our full committal to HIs Truth, that we know it. And by full committal I mean…actually doing it.

John 7:17 LNT “If any of you really determines to do God’s Will, then you will certainly know whether My teaching is from God or is merely My own.”

Are we “hearkening to the voice of His Word”?

The Rock of our Foundation 

Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the wind blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.”

Ephesians 2:21-22 “In Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple unto the Lord:

In Whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.”

A building is laid on the foundation and attached to that foundation; then built on that attachment.

As Christians, when we are born again, we choose to build our “home” on the Foundation of Christ, as our Rock.

But we are attached to that Rock by faith, and love. We build on that.

Our “home” here, in this world, is the life we dedicate to Christ Jesus. We persevere to the end of our life in obedience to Him by exercising our wills to do His Will.

Then we are building our homes on Christ. This is hearing His Word to us, and doing it.

So let us look at our building, and see how our building stands:

Is it straight?

Have we progressed in the straight and narrow way of God, through His Word? Or have we settled unevenly?

Is our faith giving into doubt? Or is our love turning cold?

All houses settle;….in fact it is a good thing, if it settles together.

It actually firms up the house on it’s foundation.

But a house, when it settles unevenly, is (just a little) down on one side, and straight on the other.

Doorways are affected, strength is lessened.

Sometimes, it is not the winds or storms which hinder our building on Christ; but weariness in well doing, and discontent.

We feel we are not getting “ahead” like we should.

(often this is caused by looking at others, and what we think is happening to them; Instead of looking to Jesus. Hebrews 12:2)

But where has the imbalance come from?

Often is comes from focusing too much on the present,……or the future:

When you get to focusing on the present

(let’s face it, things happen that gets us “out of sort”….because they are not what we intended to happen)

…..then we can, forget that there is a goal to reach out for.

When this happens, we need to heed Paul’s exhortation:

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

For you see, it is always how we deal with what happens that makes the difference: going to God for His Will in it,…..or struggling through yourself, sometimes going nowhere….fast.

There is focusing too much on the future…….the “someday things will be great” attitude…….and forget to see the work done for now.

When we do, we need to:

2 Timothy 1:6-7 “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind [or disciplined mind].”

Hebrews 10:35-36 “Cast not away therefore your confidence [boldness], 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.”

Our lives are a “holy habitation” where the Holy Spirit abides in us, and with us.

We are to face each day with Him, as another chance to:

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)

It is when our joy gets silenced,……by doubt, hesitation, anger, guilt, or worldliness;…..then the praise becomes just words….and the emptiness we begin to feel.

Then our peace is attacked…for we feel like God has moved away from us;…….when it is actually us, backing away from Him.

Christ, as our Foundation, our Rock does not move.

Circumstances around us, and the temptations they cause…..make us feel like were in that wind storm….or rain storm;

It is how we deal with those storms; Who we cling to, in obedience to His Word;…..that makes the difference.

And we often waver….

….but He is immovable where we are concerned.

He is a Rock to us…..let us cling to Him….and stand firm.

If we walk in the Light

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

This is a personal, private, and powerful cleansing.

A child of God, walking in the Light, confesses his sin the moment he sees it, honestly before God.

A child of God, walking in the shadows of life, says, “Oh, I can explain that away; that is because of this reason,…..or that person,…..or some other thing, that I am doing that.

Like when a child says, “It just got broke”……not, “Sorry, I broke it.”

When once the Light breaks into our hearts and minds, the conviction of sin of any sort, comes; and I then, have a choice.

Cover my sin…….or confess it to the Lord.

Proverbs 28:13 “He that covereth his sin shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

The difference is the submission of the heart to Christ.

We many accept His Lordship in a general manner….

But He is not Lord, where obedience is left out.

Light makes manifest.

Song of Solomon 4:6 ” Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and the hill of frankincense.”

When there are shadows between you and the Lord; then there is the influence of the Adversary and the sin that was once there.

Shadows are not substance; that has been dealt with by confession, but the influence of them is there, casting a shadow.

(Why did I do that? How could I be so stupid! Look at what I’ve lost by my sin! What are people thinking about me now? All these and more, makes shadows.)

Until the day break, and that perfect day of nothing between, to separate you from your Lord. Light makes even the shadows flee away.

Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

That “perfect day” is the high noon of your experience with Jesus Christ…there is nothing between to cast shadows.

When the dawn breaks; light comes! But that light manifests places of darkness because of this thing and that thing which needs to be dealt with in our lives.

(We are what we are, by a series of choices we have made. And through the circumstances we have been brought up in; or the pain of the moment.)

As the sun rises on the day, less and less shadows appear, because the light is “taking over” the day.

(As we let Christ “take over” in our lives, we are given the knowledge and ability to do His will in our times.)

When the sun gets to high noon, all things are clear and bright.

That is the experience the Lord wants for each of us. Things clear and bright in His Light.

No darkness. No shadows. Nothing to separate us from the love of God.

God is Light. He manifests clearly what is in our lives, if we will with Him, and come to the light.

Jude 21 “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

But the final thing is: our choice.

What we choose to do with what we have: Live in the Light He has shown us, or hide among the shadows.

This should be the blessing of our life, that the Almighty God, who loves me, sees, and will help me by His light and love.

Now According to the Faithful and True Witness

Revelation 3:14 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the Creation of God.”

I will say here, that we believe that we are called to this Laodicean age. In other words we believe that we are called to Awaken the church to God’s claims on their lives.

As Christians, we are redeemed; we belong to Him, therefore His Will should be the purpose of our lives.

(Yes, we believe that these letters each represent both a real church being written to; and an age within the Church dispensation.

In each letter, the church or the true believers is the focus—not the lost. Jesus Christ is dictating these letters so they will know how He feels about their problems, their tribulations, and their failures; and the grace they need to get, to deal with them.)

Thus saith the Amen.

Now, He alone can say this: this means “Let it be, Let it happen.” He alone is the Affirmation and Confirmation of every Word of God.

We must say, “If God wills.” (James 4:13-15). But He can say Amen, and it will be.

The Faithful and True Witness. A witness just states what He sees and what He knows.

And what does Jesus see when He looks at Laodicea?

Revelation 3:15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.”

(Indifference to God, after He has done so much for us; is the very worst state we can possibly be in.

And if continued in, will result in being “spued out of His mouth”.)

And the reason of our indifference?

Revelation 3:17 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

Because we say, that I am rich, and increased with goods….and our attitude is

I “have need of nothing”….not even God’s direction, anymore.

This attitude is:

“I am saved, and for that I will praise You; but let me have my place in this world with all of it’s goods…..

……for I can have heaven and earth; both salvation and the world…..

and do what I want for now.”

But Jesus sees their true condition before Him, and says: And knowest not!

Is it possible to be in such a state and not know it? According to the Faithful and True Witness, it is; and we Laodiceans, are.

We do not know that we are really wretched:

This is a terrible word, but Paul used it of himself when he was testifying of his battle with himself, his “old man”.

Paul was a very religious Pharisee, but he discovered from the Spirit of God, his covetousness.

To covet is to “set the heart upon”.

(When we set our hearts upon something, it takes over our emotions, our reason, and our wills…..we even become unwilling to listen to God,…to have this thing.)

Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

Why did he say this? Because he saw that even as a Christian, we have our old nature within us.

Romans 7:18 “For I know that in me(that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

Paul was having trouble with his old self. He was trying to do what God wanted, but found that his trying often failed.

Paul knew he was wretched.

So what did he do? He sought freedom from self, by the Spirit of God.

Romans 8:2, 4 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Here was the answer to his wretchedness: walking in the Spirit, not in the flesh.

We Laodiceans are trying to do both: be in Christ, and in the world……for ourselves.

Christ Jesus plainly teaches that if you would be a follower of Christ you should deny yourself, pick up your cross [does that sound like something the world would like to be around?] and follow Him.

We are to lose our self-life, to have our Christ- life (Matthew 16:24-26)

That is why the Faithful and True Witness says we are also:

miserable…..how many Christians today are unhappy, discontented.

and poor….not rich in God’s grace by His Spirit, but barely getting by.

and blind….someone has said, we are blind because we have our eyes shut, so we can not see ourselves as Christ sees us.

And naked…..without the righteous acts which are those obediences to God, which separate us from the world, and give a “covering” of peace, and power.

Christ’s witness has been against us so far……..but our blessed Lord Jesus does not leave us (never!); but counsels us, as our Advocate, with the best advice:

Revelations 3:18 “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

When we “buy” from Jesus, we are not buying salvation; that is a free gift.

But when we are His, we are to come to Him and get what we need.

He calls it “buying” here because we are to come with the attitude of getting real gain, real value.

To come with the knowledge of our lack; and seek Him for His precious grace, being obedient to His call;….this is to “buy” from Him.

He knows all and counsels us to get gold—gold always speaks of God. So we are to get the true riches of His commanding presence and power in our lives.

(Tried in the fire, is true gold with the dross or admixture burnt out, by the trials of standing with Him)

He counsels us to get white raiment, or the covering of righteous acts, so we will not be ashamed at His coming. (2 John 8-9)

He counsels us to stop being blind, by getting honest (by the Holy Spirit’s help) with Him and with ourselves.

As the Lord told me once: that if any true Christian would get a good look at their own heart, they would want to do something about it immediately.

Then Jesus says to His Laodicean church:

Revelation 3:19-20 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

This is fellowship…

And the power of His presence.

(Psalm 23:5 “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”)

“I will come into him and will sup with him”….these two things the Lord says He will do…..if we will repent and open our lives to Him, again.

Do you hear Him today, calling you to repent of your lukewarmness to Him?

Then answer His voice:

To answer the call of Christ in this Laodicean age, requires not an answer of words at some altar;

But the answer of a life open to and receptive to Him.

None other will do.

He says, “I will”. Will you?

The Calling of Matthew

Matthew 9:9 “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.”

Matthew was a publican, or tax collector. These men were hated of their own nation, because they worked for the Romans.

They were also often corrupt, and took more than they were suppose to, or stole from their own people.

But Jesus passed that way, and did something others would not (unless it was in cursing). He spoke to Matthew.

And called him to follow Him as one of His disciples.

By this time He had called the fishermen, Peter, James, and John.

He had preached the sermon on the mount; and a conversation with the scribes, and Pharisees, had been started.

This conversation was about His authority.

Did He have the authority from God to do what He was doing: healing the sick, forgiving sins, and calling disciples?

Many people were interested in His authority; not to submit to it, but to prove it wrong, so they could go on in their own way.

(And this is what Jesus came to save his people out of:

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

So the Pharisees and scribes took every opportunity to question His actions, and His words. If they could just prove Him wrong, then that would prove themselves right. Right?

(Of course, it would not; but sin makes us believe a lie. How much we need a Savior from it!)

Matthew 9:10 “And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house (of Matthew), behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.”

After his call to follow Jesus, Matthew invites Him into his home. Anxious to have others of his acquaintance, know Jesus, he has a supper for Him, and invites many.

(Perhaps Matthew was going to give his testimony about how Jesus had called him, and how he knew that it was a call from God; and he had answered it.

They would not see him at the receipt of customs any more, for he knew that Jesus was from God, and he would leave all and follow Him.)

Matthew 9:11-13 “And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

And when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Jesus is quoting what God has told His people in the Old Testament. Verses that set forth what God wanted from His people:

Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Micah 6:8 “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to have mercy, and walk humbly with thy God?”

God wanted His people to love Him, and each other. The sacrifices, set forth the means of having their sins cleansed, and coming close to God. (They all looked forward to Christ’s sacrifice)

But they were to be given, along with the inward love of their hearts; not just in outward show.

“Mercy”, here, means brotherly kindness. They were always to be helping each other, as brothers. They were to be seeing to their welfare.

And what better way to give mercy to another, than to introduce them to Jesus?

Jesus then rebukes these Pharisees, by saying what His work, as the Son of God is:

“…for I am not come to call the righteous,…..but (to call) sinners to repentance.”

That is what this supper was about. To introduce Matthew’s Master to Matthew’s friends.

Yes, they were publicans and sinners.

But they, like Matthew, needed to hear and see Jesus.

Matthew loved his friends, so he wanted them to know Him, who was the Savior.

This is true love.

Jesus said later:

John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another.”

Surely the Pharisees knew that Matthew was now a disciple of Jesus.

How many believed on Jesus because of this supper, it does not say. But love was present; even for the Pharisees, if they would receive Jesus and HIs Word.

To “receive” Jesus, is to let Him come in as Master; into our hearts, and lives.(John 1:12)

Matthew certainly did this, for he manifested the greatest calling of a disciple: mercy and love.

The Good Ground Hearer

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

“If we walk in the light”. We know that “light” means knowledge and understanding from the Holy Spirit, by the Word of God.

We are to walk in that light, that the Holy Spirit gives us; to be obedient to the light we have received.

Does that mean sinless perfection? No, it does not!

What it does mean, is: that you get honest with God, in all your dealings with Him.

Prayer, Bible Study, witness, and worship. You get honest with Him.

You, in fact, become a “good ground hearer”.

Matthew 13:23 “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

All that have the seed sown unto them, “hear” it. It is what we do when we hear, that separates us in Christ’s sight.

“And understandeth it”. The good ground hearer, understands the right of those claims made on his life by Christ; and answers them with a life that is open to and receptive to Christ.

(If you think Christ has not made any claims to your life, then you have not heard aright. And you have not understood His claim as Lord and Savior.)

Mark 4:20 “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

The good ground hearers are those individuals which: when they hear the Word given to them, they receive the Word.

They do not reject it, or say, “that is for someone else”.

To receive is to do what that Word requires of them.

Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Here we see the reason behind the good ground: honesty.

Our hearts are never good, in themselves:

Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

(In other words, our hearts [feelings and thoughts] lie to us. They tell us that we are alright. When the Bible and our conscience tell us something else.)

But in Luke it says: “honest and good heart”. That is the only way it is good. We get honest with God and allow Him to search us and show us if there is anything we need to get straight with Him.

Then we can bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, and the fruit of the Christian; which is another Christian. (We are all called as witnesses of Christ’s life in our life)

This honest heart, “keeps” the word.

It obeys, and perseveres in that obedience.

And in keeping it, we are changed into His character: His lovingkindness we can show.

His truth we can share.

His prayer for all, we can follow.

When we keep the Word,…..we show that God is true,…..and we stay with Him in all the trials that come up.

To understand the Word is to see Who speaks to me. It is to know the reality of the creature before the Creator. We understand that God is God, and does command me to follow Him, wherever He leads.

This is the first agreement in walking together in the light with Him.

Then we receive the Word, that we might be changed into “a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21). In other words, bringing forth fruit…some thirtyfold, some sixty, some a hundred.

Then,….

(and in the Christian life, there is always a “then”. We are never to be stagnant; but always going on to more mature things.).

Then, we “keep” the word. As creature before the Creator, because we have learned that He does all things well…..

….so I’ll keep His Word, and with patience, waiting on Him to bring things to pass; I’ll stand.

Doing what He says, bringing forth fruit….maybe not a hundredfold, but I will bring forth fruit to His glory.

Thank you Heavenly Sower, the Lord Jesus Christ, for allowing Your Word to come to me.

May it bring forth fruit, abundantly to You….in me.

Lovest thou Me more than these?

John 21:15-17 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith unto Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, yea, Lord: thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

He saith to him a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, loves thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

Love Me more than “these”, Peter?…..what were “these”. “These” were the things of Peter’s life that he had gone back to……

(Jesus found them fishing, again catching nothing, when He invited them to “come and dine”).

Peter had been afraid and denied the Lord, and then been afraid that because of his denial, he had been turned out of being a disciple of the Lord……fear does bad things to us….but….

Jesus restored Peter after his three denials……with three affirmations of love.

Jesus knew Peter loved him. But there is a big difference in loving the Lord, as long as it is not going to cost me anything…

….or loving Jesus, even though it costs you everything to do so.

Peter fell into sin and denied the Lord, because he stood outside with those waiting to see what would happen….rather then go in with John to the palace and be there with Jesus during the judgement of the Sanhedrin.

Outside, neither with or against, is a dangerous place to be. For surely someone or something will make you choose.

And when you do; you may find, like Peter, you have just denied your Lord.

But Jesus knew Peter’s heart; and had made provision for it:

Luke 22:31-32 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not : and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

The Lord has also made provision for us (1 Timothy2:5 As our Mediator He prays for us)……that we might be restored any time to Him and that we might go on and be used for Him……..Peter certainly was.

We, too, are asked, “Lovest thou Me?”

What does our heart answer…for Jesus knows if we love Him, by our obedience.

And He calls us to do it, for His sake.

The Christian walk is a love story–or should be.

Yes, in every relationship where our hearts are concerned, there are going to be arguments.

(Some call these differences of opinion, some call them having a fit with God)

Even in the Old Testament times God wanted a love relationship with His people and asked them to:

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

He wanted them to come and talk to Him about what was between them.

What reason had they for seeking idols?

What reason had they for refusing to understand His corrections?

Proverbs 1:23 “Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you.”

He was…and is ready…..always…..to give more understanding and grace by His Holy Spirit, to us in any situation (yes, even the ones we are not suppose to be in…..to help us out of them)

His call to us , is always, to come and go with Him,….because we love Him.

What about us?

Lovest thou Me more than these?

Obedience

Obedience will not save us…..but once we are born again…..obedience is the road on which we walk with God

Genesis 2:16-17 “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest therefore thou shalt surely die.”

And the Lord God commanded…..this was different than the walk in the garden in fellowship that the Lord had done with Adam….

Adam’s Lord God…was commanding obedience….it was the one virtue of Paradise….the one condition of man’s abiding there.

God had planted a garden, and placed Adam there….to dress and keep it. Every herb and plant, and the animals that came there….all were under the authority of Adam…..

….because God had given it to him….and for no other reason.

All was from the Lord God….to bless the man and woman….with everything they could want and need.

The one condition…..and the only one….was that they do not eat of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil….

…that they obey this command….but they disobeyed, and sinned.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

To be obedient for the glory of the Lord was man’s original Purpose. He was to honor the Lord, and obey HIs God….

…but Adam sinned.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God (reverence Him), and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

“The conclusion of the whole matter”

Let us hear the end of everything concerning all our life here.

“Fear God”….Yield in Awe of the Eternal, Covenant God by Whose Purpose we are….remembering He has a Purpose for us.

“And keep His commandments”….hold them fast, not just in our memories….but in our hearts….to do them.

“For this is the whole duty of man.”….for to do HIs commandments is the whole arrangement of our lives…..

….that is why we are here, now….

…that is the reason we have been given the ability and strength that we have been….

….His Purpose…HIs arrangement for our lives…to be for His glory.

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

I was not a happenstance….a mistake.

You were not a happenstance….a mistake.

The Lord God saw you, when He created Adam….desiring your blessing.

When Adam sinned, and you became a sinner through our first father….God did not forget you….

….He then saw you, born again, in Christ Jesus….working out your blessing…in Him.

That blessing is obedience.

(It is not just that we get a blessing by obedience…though that is true. But obedience is a blessing. That I can please my Lord and Savior,….by living in His power….what a blessing!)

Today we receive the privilege to have the Holy Spirit work through us….giving us guidance, understanding (light), ability, and strength….of mind, heart and will….

….”for it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure”.(Philippians 2:13)

We are called to that obedience, where we “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)

Which simply means we do His commandments to us (which are our salvation in the practical day by day walk)….yielding to that reverence of God…not sure of ourselves, but always confident in Him.

One day that blessing of obedience will give way to the glory of praise and obedience in heaven. Amen.

Obedience is the one thing that decides our destiny…..it is the one thing needful.

For the lost, obedience seems a burden….they want to do “their own thing”….have “freedom”….

…..but that simply means they are still eating of the Tree of the knowledge of good…and evil.

They eat it…taking it into themselves and their lives….but never getting the devil’s promise of “freedom”….for evil is great bondage.

The devil’s promise….”Ye shall not surely die:…for in the day ye eat (take it into their lives)…, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)

But they did die….all mankind, because of sin, dies….both spiritually and physically….

….unless you receive the new life in Christ Jesus. (John 6:40)

But when you are born again…..Christ Jesus gives you Eternal life:

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death (eternal separation from God); but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

And obedience is the road in which we walk with God.

In our obedience, we side with God….walking through this world in our everyday lives….receiving the blessing of His Presence, His Spirit, His joy and peace….His life.

This is true freedom….for it is freedom from sin, and self, and the world.

It is freedom to do what we ought, in love to the One Who arranges all things in our lives for a blessing, as we yield to HIm.