To be Saved Spirit, Soul, and Body 

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;  and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

                     Faithful is He that calleth you,  Who will also do it.”

Now the very God of peace.  What a wonderful name for our God!

This is not judicial peace….that, we get when we are born again.   A not guilty verdict is given on us, for our sins….which we have committed against a Holy God.

How?   Because Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking all our sins on Him, and fulfilling the penalty of our sins in His sacrifice and death.  (As Son of God, His was the only worthy sacrifice which could pay such a price.)

But this title:  “the very God of peace”,  refers to the peace He gives us as we are His, in a world of woe.

This is, of course, as we yield to the Holy Spirit of God within us.

Peter has a verse which shows this:

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

Add to your faith, virtue….  

This virtue is the “artea” of the Spirit.   It is the force of Him in our lives.   

He speaks, as the cooing of a dove (Matthew 3:16-17)….distilling peace, quietness and grace, into our busy lives.

He moves in our hearts,  to give purity of thought, and action.

He influences us into “…things….true,…honest,…just,…pure,…lovely,…good report,..” (Philippians 4:7-8)

Our hearts become gentle in dealing with others….for that is what He is.

And He places His love in us….for God, for the brethren, and for others. (John 13:34-35)

This is all brought about by acts of our will.  As you yield your will to the Holy Spirit, you find yourself being borne along…..as the sails of a ship, which are up are filled with the wind.

This is learned….though we receive the Holy Spirit at new birth,  yet we have to learn to yield to Him.  

His disciples, after three years with Him,  still had a lot to learn….and so do we.

But they did,….so can we:

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem…”He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,”.    

(It was time for Him to go up and have the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem…whether they received Him as their King or not. Matthew 21:1-9)

As He went, He had to pass through a village of the Samaritans.    But they refused His visit….because He was going up to Jerusalem,  not staying with them. 

(Remember He had preached and stayed at a Samaritan town, after talking to the woman at the well.  John 4:6-40)

But now they refused Him….silly anger, because they thought they were being looked over.  (How often our vanity leads us astray!)

And of what spirit are we?   Sometimes we think the motive we have is good,……but His will is always best.

Luke 9:53-56 “…And they did not receive Him….And when His disciples James and John saw this,  they said,    Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven,  and consume them,  even as Elijah did?

                     But He turned, and rebuked them, and said,   Ye know not of what manner of spirit ye are of.

                     For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives,  but to save them.   And they went to another village.”

Now, I want to point out that this is James and John,  two of the Lord’s closest disciples.    They wanted to defend Jesus….but He needed no defense….He came to this world, to save.

Sometimes it is better to walk away,  and leave the angry,   to their own fumes.

Proverbs 25:28 “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

The cities in those days needed walls around them, or marauding bands would come through, and steal and kill indiscriminately.

So, we need to keep our spirits, so that they will be yielding to the Holy Spirit, and not the spirit of the times,   

or the spirit of bitterness—looking back,  

or the spirit of scorn. 

Trust me,  I have been corrected so many times, about feeling “insulted”,   

Or thinking what others think….maybe they are smarter than I.

But…

What I need to know….is…what does my Lord think,  or feel about this.

Psalms 51:17 “The sacrifices of God  are a broken spirit:  a broken and contrite heart,  O God,  Thou wilt not despise.”

(This “broken” here, is like a horse….you break down their independence, not destroy their spirit.   They will only be able to trust and respond to you, as they are broken of their “wild” spirit.    

So with us.   David’s spirit of independence: he had sinned as a king, doing what he wanted…had to be “broken”; and it was.

But that had only brought him to lean on,  and trust God more.)

The God of Peace offers salvation:  spirit, soul, and body.   Let us come to Him and yield to the Holy Spirit’s force, “artea”, within us.

Let us yield to the sweet influence of purity….the purity of the Holy Spirit within us,  making us more like Christ.

A Profitable Servant

Luke 17:10 “So likewise ye,  when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say,   We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.”

As Christ’s servants, there will be an accounting for each of us…of those good works that He has required from us…(Hebrews 9:27)

But the real value of any work as His servant is….

…..do I do it out of love for Him?

“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”  John 14:15

This starts when His disciples ask….”Lord, Increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5)

Luke 17:6 “And the Lord said,  If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed,  ye might say unto this sycamine tree,  Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”

Here, the Lord says what faith will do…even a little faith…..but He does not say how is it increased….

….until He gives this:

Luke 17:7-9 “But which of you,  having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field,  Go and sit down to meat?

              And will not rather say unto him,  Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken;  and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

             Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?   I trow not.”

Jesus is saying:  true faith works.   True faith is never stagnant….it moves forward;  or it goes backward (2 Peter 1:9).

In the field we may labor for Christ,  His Word,  and His gospel call…..

…..but in the house (in our own personal devotions and church services)…..we serve, by ministering to Him….personally.

(I want to point out here, that the Lord is in charge in everything in this parable.

The servant,  outside;……and the servant,  inside….is just that,…a servant….commanded and guided by the Master.

Some of us Christians bristle at this….because they think a servant of the Lord does things….he does something for God.

No, and yes.   No….we can never do anything to add to God, or His goodness.

Yes, we can serve the Lord by being obedient…..and becoming, under HIs guiding hand,  devoted to Him.

The Lord pointed this out to Israel when they were bringing lots of offerings to Him…..without the heart’s devotion behind them.

Jeremiah 7:21-24 “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts,  the God of Israel;  Put your offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

                 For I spake not unto your fathers,  nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:  

                  But this thing I commanded I them, saying,  Obey My voice, and I will be your God,  and ye shall be My people:  and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you,  that it may be well unto you.   (Exodus 15:25-26)

                  But they harkened not, nor inclined their ear,….”)

Our “services” to God, are a exercising of our faith….both in the world and in our personal devotions.

The question becomes….how can I become a profitable servant?  And what does this have to do with increasing our faith?

We are only profitable servants as we become, under His hand, able to minister to the Lord’s satisfaction….by letting Him have His way and will with us.

Again, I want to point out that faith “sees” God…..it is the instrument by which we know God in our lives.

It is a gift from God, implanted by the Holy Spirit, when we are born again…..but it is to grow….mature in the knowledge of God,…..and in love to God.

Both are “services” to God.

The more we know of God in our lives, the more we are able to go through the trials and tribulations in this world, by faith….it has increased.

The more we place ourselves at God’s disposal,  the more we learn how precious He regards us….and we come to love Him more…..then our faith has increased, as our love has increased.

So how to increase our faith?

….Jesus says:  use it,   by doing the obediences I place in front of you….

…and use it,  by submitting to My personal discipline, and fall in love with Me.

Our personal intimacy with God is to grow.   

We start out as babes in faith….being helped to do everything.

Then we become servants of God, by faith…..learning to submit to Him in everything….but by each obedience we have the ability to gain in fellowship.

Then we become mature workers of God…..by realizing that it is Him we are serving,…..in any situation,  in any place,  with anyone….He becomes the main reason for our existence.

We become “profitable servants”,  by becoming what He has purposed for us to be…..not by what we do (The Lord has provided all we need to do every good work He calls us to)……

….but by becoming devoted to Christ Himself.

The Everlasting God     

Genesis 21:33 “And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-Sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.”

The name of the Everlasting God was first revealed to Abraham.  He had just planted a grove in a place where he had dug a well.  

I believe,  he was thinking that in his son’s life time,  or in the times to come,  the trees would bring shelter to those who came to the well.

Trees take a while to grow, and in that moment,  God showed Abraham a new name for Himself.      

Everlasting:  Evermore, Forever.   

This describes God’s promise and protection for Abraham; but also his children to come.   He will be there for them,  long after Abraham had gone.

Revelation 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,  saith the Lord,  which is,  and which was,  and which is to come,  the Almighty.”

God is the God of all ages.  And to Him only,  are all things known.  

He revealed Himself through many names in the Old Testament, to show to those who believe, His character,……..usually at a time when they needed to know that He would be this,  to them.

Psalm 90:1-2 “Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth,  or ever Thou hadst  formed the earth and the world,  even from everlasting to everlasting,  Thou art God.”

He is the Everlasting God,……setting times and seasons, according to His Will. 

But in it all, He saw us, now;…….and gave each of us a purpose:  

a path to follow, and an example by Jesus Christ His Son, to be conformed to.

We are not to be frightened by the largeness of the Will of God;  but rather step into our place in it.  

God is the Everlasting God,  He has been,  is,  and will be with us;…..so He is with us today.  (And that is what we need to concentrate on).

Isaiah 43:21 “This people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise.”

And how do we show forth His praise, today?

By showing forth the Kingship of the Lord Jesus in my life.  

He purposes to reign within my life.  And I must will with Him in this.   

We must show Him as our King,  by who we are in our everyday tasks.  

(Is He in charge,  within me?  Is He guiding me through my day?  Do I hear Him?)

Isaiah 43:18 “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.”

It is time to put the past behind you.  Failures and successes. (Looking back while walking forward is never a good idea.)

Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake,  and will not remember thy sins.”

If He does not remember them,  why should you?   

Or why should you let the Adversary, the devil, beat you over the head with them?

Confess them,  forsake them. (As Jesus said to the woman taken in adultery:  “Neither do I condemn thee;  go and sin no more.”    He did not approve of her sin;  but forgave it, and told her not to do it again.)

And when you have done so:  go on with the Everlasting God:  for you were always in His plans and purposes.  

His purpose for each He saves, is that they show forth Jesus Christ as my King.  This is personal Kingship.

Everyone we come into contact with, will be faced with the reality of His Kingdom;……for it has come to us.

No Strength? Or unsure of the Wisdom to do?   Afraid to take the first step?

Isaiah 40:28-29 “Hast thou not known?  Hast thou not heard,  that the Everlasting  God,  the Lord,  the creator of the ends of the earth,  fainteth not,  neither is weary?  There is no searching of His understanding.

                               He giveth power to the faint;  and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.”

                              

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The Eternal God is thy refuge,  and underneath are the everlasting arms:…”

Remember:  the Holy Spirit is within you,  Christ Jesus has won the victory for you, and the Everlasting God has surrounded you with His Peace, and Purpose.

Abraham was at peace concerning the future of his son, and his son’s sons, and so on;  for the Everlasting God was His God, and He could not fail.

Let us…

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

“Let us”…there are many in Hebrews….for the writer is including himself in these exhortations.   “Let us” shows the heart of the writer….for though he is writing them….he is with them in heart and will…..”Come on, let us, keep after the Lord our Shepherd….and turn away from all that would hinder this.”

The writer had just spoken concerning unbelief…

Hebrews 4:1 “Let us therefore fear,  lest,  a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it”

       (And we should fear not only for ourselves, but for others….who seem to come short of it.)

Fear here is not terror,  but the attitude of working to stay away from something’s and holding onto other things.

Unbelief will keep us from every blessing God has for us.   

      Every promise in the Word, and every promise given to us personally is nothing until entered into by faith….

….first, we should have the hope of these things, by the assurance of the Holy Spirit.

       (You may be called to an altar,  or receive a promise in the Bible in answer to prayer…..but then you need to know the confident assurance that God will do it….in your spirit, by the Holy Spirit.)

Then,

Hebrews 4:2-3, 9 “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them;  but the word preached did not profit them,  not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

        For we, which have believed do enter into rest, as He has said…..

        There remained therefore a rest for the people of God.”

        Without the element of faith, there is nothing….for faith makes them real….

….first within….

….then by obedience,  in our lives…..we have these promises.

(I’m going to take us on a journey….the Israelites were “preached” to by Moses, often.

…..but also in the Red Sea crossing!    That should have shouted at them what a wonderful God they had….that would deliver them in such a way.

       The tree sweetening the waters should have “preached” that no matter the outward circumstances….God will provide.

       And so the preaching continued….with manna,  with water from a Rock, with Sinai,  with the Ark and Tabernacle.    If they had “heard” the preaching of these….and learned to deny themselves in these smaller lessons….trusting God…

….then,   When they were presented with the land of their promise….

….they would have denied their lives,  rather than deny their God.

        Their “rest” would have been in God…..till He had given them their “rest” in Canaan.

                    It is the same with us…..our “rest” is the promise He gives us now.   How do we enter into that rest?    Have faith in God….for this…..and He will lead us into future “rest”…..till our lives are full of faith in God.)

Therefore, the writer, ends this chapter with:

“Let us” come boldly unto the throne of grace,  that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

What is mercy?   It is God’s kindness to sinners.  

        Spiritual mercy are those kindnesses which come to us as HIs born again ones.      Forgiveness,     that gentle nudging of our spirits when we are going the wrong way,     help to pray aright….a lifting of our hearts when sad,  a touch of peace when weary.   How many mercies we receive.

What is grace?  It is the unmerited favor of power….this is power to believe and do.

  This sounds great!  But what is “in time of need”?

Every time we hesitate to believe.   Every time we want to “see” instead of walk by faith.  Every time we want to complain about the lessons along the way….

…”let us” come boldly to the throne of grace to get mercy…and grace to help us.

It is to the throne of grace we come…..God’s Throne made a throne of grace by Jesus.

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then we have a great High Priest,  that is past into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

        For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

       Let us therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

He knows our infirmities and has therefore a throne of grace where we may obtain mercy….and find grace.

        He understands what we are and how we are,….having made full provision for us….

        So come boldly to His throne to receive what you need.

When Saul met the Lord

Acts 9:3-5 “And as he journeyed,  he came near Damascus:  and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  

                     And he fell to the earth,  and heard a voice saying unto him,  Saul,  Saul,  why persecutest thou Me?   

                      And he said,   Who art thou,  Lord?   And the Lord said,   I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:  It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

Saul, a very religious Pharisee, had become enflamed against the followers of Jesus, after seeing Steven (the first martyr of the church) die.

Now here was the way a man who was true,  would die.  

Forgiving his killers, and asking God not to lay it to their charge.   

Steven saw the heaven’s open and Jesus sitting on the throne, high and lifted up. (Acts 7:55-60)

But Saul would not believe his  testimony.  

That would make his nation guilty of condemning and killing their own Messiah.

No, No,…he would not believe it.  

And the more Saul worked at not believing,  the madder he got.  

He devised a plan to destroy this belief.   

He would persecute Jesus followers, and cause them to be stoned, too.

He would get rid of this Jesus.

But when some of the disciples in Jerusalem fled to other cities (the apostles, and a lot of other disciples did not),  Saul determined to search them out and bring them back and stone them.

So off to Damascus he goes.  He has letters which entitles him to grab these believers and arrest them and take them to Jerusalem for judgement.

He is fully empowered:  first by hate;  and then by the established religious rulers which crucified Christ.

Going along,  quite sure nothing is going to stop him.

But one thing he could not be empowered for:  the meeting with Christ Jesus, Himself.

First, there is light:  “a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun…”(Acts 26:13)

God always gives light first…..so we are able to come out of the darkness.  

Then He gives His Word.

Acts 26:14 “When we were fallen to the earth,  I heard a voice speaking unto me,  and saying in the Hebrew tongue,    Saul,  Saul,  why persecutest thou Me?

It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

This got his attention!   Here was Someone he had been persecuting.  How could this be?

So he asks who this Person is.

Acts 26:15 “And I said,  Who art thou,  Lord?        And He said,   I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”

(Twice Jesus says how Saul had persecuted Him.   

But it was His believers Saul had beaten and stoned.

But when anyone hurts a child of God,…..He sees it as hurting Him….for we are one in Him.)

Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said,   Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?….”

Saul, empowered of man;  meets Jesus Christ the Almighty God……the God of Light….the God of the Word……and yields.

Jesus Christ was now Saul’s Lord;….and he declared Him to be so…..and that changed everything!     

And the first thing it changed was Saul’s Purpose:

Acts 26:16-18 “But rise and stand upon thy feet:  for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,  

               (Here it is,  his purpose from now on!)

to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things that thou hast seen,  and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

                           Delivering thee from the people,  and from the Gentiles,  unto whom now I send thee,  

                           To open their eyes,    and to turn them from darkness to light,  and from the power of Satan unto God,  that they may receive forgiveness of sins,  and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.”

As you read this,  it reads just like the experience he  had.

His eyes were open by light;  so he was to witness of Jesus Christ and give this Light all over the known world.

He was under the power of Satan when he refused to believe Steven’s witness, and instead gave himself over to hate, and viciousness.

So Saul/Paul was to turn others from the power of Satan unto God.

His Message:

There is forgiveness of sins by Christ Jesus, and an inheritance given us in Jesus.

Then we are set aside for our purpose,…..the moment we are born again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 

When Saul met the Lord,  everything changed.    

And Paul’s ministry changed the world.  

He preached before kings, soldiers, religious rulers, and idolaters.

Everywhere, he preached Christ.

His own testimony was:

1 Corinthians 2:1-2, 4-5 “And I,  brethren,  when I came to you,  came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,  declaring unto you the testimony of God.

                        For I determined not to know anything among you,  save Jesus Christ,  and Him crucified.

                         And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom,  but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

                         That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,  but in the power of God.”

                         

When Saul/Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ for himself,  everything changed.

He went from hating the Lord,….to loving Him.

From trying to destroy Him, and the believers,….to building them up in the faith.

From just following religion….to following “the Lord”.

Have we met the Lord?

Justification and Sanctification.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For it is “if any man will”.

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

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

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

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

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

Keep Thy Heart  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                          We love him,  because He first loved us.”

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

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

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

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

To believe is the action of faith.   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Issues,  or the source of life.

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

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

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

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

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

He never leaves us,  but we often leave Him. 

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

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

Trust Him, for He is Faithful.

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

Whom shall He teach knowledge?   

Isaiah 28:9-10 “ Whom shall He teach knowledge?  And whom shall He make to understand doctrine?  Them that are weaned from the milk,  and drawn from the breast.

                              For precept must be upon precept,  precept upon precept;  line upon line,  line upon line;  here a little, and there a little.”

If we would go on to maturity in the faith of Christ,  this is the way we will go.

1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes,  desire the sincere milk of the word,  that ye may grow thereby:”

The Lord Jesus would teach us knowledge:  about Himself,  and about ourselves (who can really see the way we are without His truth?), and about the world around us (the snares, and phonies there).

Teach means to point out;  like the Lord saying,   “Look,  this is the way things really are.”

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:  I will guide thee with mine eye.”

And the Lord “shall make us to understand doctrine”.  

In other words,  what we hear, we will understand with our minds:……we will not be confused about what He is saying to us.  

The Holy Spirit will give us understanding.

For precept must be upon precept;  line upon line.

[precepts in the Bible, are God’s prescriptions.  They are like medicine which He gives us for our spiritual health.]

Growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord,  is by steps.   

Putting one foot in front of the other.   

A little victory here,  a larger one next.     

There are falls,  but He is ever ready to pick us up.

And at every forward step, He celebrates with us, giving us joy and peace;……..giving us His grace for the next step.

We can go on till our affections have reached maturity.  For the walk of a Christian comes down to:   Lord,  what is next?

1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child,  I spake as a child,  I understood as a child,  I thought as a child:  but when I became a man,  I put away childish things.”

Paul is talking about charity, or love here.  Putting away our natural anger, and jealousy, and fear;  we are to go on and yield to the love God puts in our hearts.   Love to Him and others.     The more we love Him, the more we trust and obey Him.

Obedience does not save us;  the Lord Jesus Christ does that.  But we will never know Him in power, till we obey Him.

1 John 3:18 “Little children,  let us not love in word,  neither in tongue;  but in deed and in truth.”

1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth His word,  in him verily is the love of God perfected:  hereby know we that we are in Him.”

We are to be children of light, and shine that light:

1 Thessalonians 5:5, 8 “Ye are all the children of light,  and the children of the day:  we are not of the night,  nor of darkness.

                                          But let us,  who are of the day,  be sober (serious about doing God’s Will),   putting on the breastplate of faith and of love;  and for a helmet,  the hope of salvation.”

The Lord teaches us little by little; pointing out to us:   

the way to go,  

how to use the means of grace He gives us,  

and giving us His light and love all along the way with Him.

A more excellent Way.

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

Love to God is that more excellent way.   We should love Him, for He first loved us. 

1 John  4:19 “We love Him,  because He first loved us.”

Where serving the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned,….He looks to our hearts….do we love Him?

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

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

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

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

          It would be just so much noise.    

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

Soft noise; “tinkling cymbal” like the end of a orchestra piece.  Empty and just noise….without love to Jesus.

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

This is the one that used to shake me up.   I am a preacher; and I study a lot.  I would say I know a lot…but all of that would be useless if I don’t use this knowledge,….even in preaching His Word,  out of love for Him.

And faith to remove mountains;  that’s something that everyone wants….but without love to Jesus as our motive; we will be nothing.  (Remember Paul was writing this; and he had great knowledge, and understood many mysteries.)

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

Which is another way of saying, you are doing it for you.

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

If I give all my possessions to God’s work of feeding the poor;  and if I die a martyr’s death.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is what He looks for in all our obediences…..our love to Him.

He did His work of Salvation for us, out of love for us…..and He wants us to do our work for Him….out of love to Him.

Guard your Heart 

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

Above all that you guard…..guard your heart;  for out of it comes all the ups and  downs….all the joys and griefs,….all the issues of life.

(Our natural hearts are spoken of in Mark 7:20-23, and in:

Ephesians 2:3 “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh,  fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;  and were by nature the children of wrath,  even as others.”

But God has plans for our hearts…..they are to be filled with Him…..His joy and peace;  His love and kindness….so we are warned:

1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.  Amen.”

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

The “issues of life”  are those things that count for eternity….for real life has it’s foundation in fellowship with God.

Our action concerning the Will of God, comes from our will….but our hearts either move our wills to run after God…..or after the world.

So God looks to see:  Who or what do we love?

Proverbs 4:20-22 “My son, attend to My Words;  incline thine ear unto My sayings.

               Let them not depart from thine eyes;  keep them in the midst of thine heart,  

               For they are life unto those that find them,  and health to all their flesh.”

Proverbs 4:11-13 “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom;  I have led thee in right paths.

                When thou goest,  thy steps shall not be straitened;   and when thou runnest,  thou shalt not stumble.

                 Take fast hold of instruction;  let her not go:  keep her;  for she is thy life.”

Most believe that love is a whimsical emotion that comes unbidden.

But “agape”,  is that love of God that comes from our yielding to the Holy Spirit within….for it “rejoices in the truth, bears all things, never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:6-8)

1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth His Word,  in him verily is the love of God perfected:  hereby know we  that we are in Him.”

Guarding our hearts for God, is our duty to Him.   He claims our whole being…..for He redeemed all of us.

He then asks us to guard it for Him….and it is a “guard” or wall of separation from the world.

(In the Song of Solomon the believer is seen as a “enclosed” garden (Song of Solomon 4:12)…..one which is for the pleasure of the Lord.    

“Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.” (Song of Solomon 4:16).  

 

But if we guard it not….then the things of this world can enter into it….and stay there, influencing our willed actions:

lust (I want it and I want it now), 

and pride (the arrogance and lifting up of self interests, over God)

1 John 2:15-16 “Love not the world,  neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world,  the love of the Father is not in him.

                      For all that is in the world,  the lust of the flesh,  and the lust of the eyes,  and the pride of life,  is not of the Father,  but is of the world.”

So, we are to guard our hearts……but how?

We are to have that wall of separation from the world…..a wall made of:

Prayer, praise, and peace….

Philippians 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing;  but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

                   And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,  shall keep (garrison) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

At the gate of our hearts,  we will ask the Holy Spirit to place faith and grace as guards…..

Faith sees God….and helps establish us…

Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord,  so walk ye in Him:

                     Rooted and built up in Him,  and stablished in the faith,  as ye have been taught,  abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Grace is our support and help….

2 Timothy 2:1, 3 “Now therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

                     Now therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Let us guard our hearts….for Him;  keeping ourselves in His love……and learning to: (1 Corinthians 13)

“Suffer long, and be kind”

“Envy not”

“be not puffed up”

“Thinks no evil”

“Rejoices in the truth”

“Bears all things”

“Believes all things”

“Hopes all things”

“Endures all things”

“Never fails”

These are all the things which can come from our hearts…..when it is separated to Jesus Christ., and guarded.

How much He has for us…..will we begin to learn?