Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.”

Two things are considered……

The nation….

And the people….

…..both in their relationship to the Lord.

Moses, in his conversation with Israel right before he died…..spoke of the faithfulness and mercy of God to His people….and what their relationship to God should be:

Deuteronomy 4:32-33 “For ask now of the days that are past,……since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or that been heard like it?

Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out to the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?

Or hath God assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation,…….by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that He Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?”

Frankly, Moses is saying:

“Think of it! You have heard God. You have seen His mighty works. He has done this because He loves you….remember His faithfulness.”

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 “The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

But because the Lord loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you….”

Deuteronomy 7:12-13 “Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which He sware unto thy fathers:

And He will love thee, and bless thee,…..”

An older preacher once wrote: “All religion is in effect, love.”

That is…..when we truly believe….when we obey His Word…..when we truly worship….when we truly pray….we are loving the Lord.

I started this with: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people He hath chosen for His inheritance.”

I pray for our nation…..May God bless America….

…..but as the early Christians were subjects of the Roman Caesar;…

…yet had another King, Christ Jesus. So we too, are subjects of our nation’s laws….yet….

We are subjects of the King of kings…..and He rules, not just in outward laws and ordinances….

….but in inward joy and peace.

Let us hold up our nation in prayer for it’s salvation…..from sin and tyranny.

Let us hold up our states,….our communities….and our homes

Faith sees God,….setting the affections of our hearts, and eyes of our understanding upon Him, and His Word.

True repentance is mourning love.

Hungering and thirsting after righteousness is searching love.

We prove our love to God, by obedience to Him.

When we deny ourselves…..we are actually denying our self-love.

Everyday that passes, the Christian should be more and more out of love with sin, and self, and the world…..and more in love with God.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…”.

This is truth.

If we become careless or indifferent…..not caring so much….not so diligent in faith….our love has cooled…..become lukewarm…..and we are in danger of seeing God in terms of the world, rather than walking in the sunlight of His love.

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

God set His heart on us…..in Christ Jesus, before the world was created (2 Timothy 1:9)

Love either grows….or is choked off with cares, and worries,….selfishness, and anger.

The first commandment is that we should love the Lord with all our heart and mind, and soul.

The Reason Entire.

In the French…..the reason entire is one word that stresses what everything else is connected to….the whole cause of all.

And God has a “reason entire” for us believers.

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

(Most commentators say that Joshua, the book where Israel fought and got their inheritance God promised them…..is the companion book to Ephesians, the book where the inheritance we have in Christ is spread before our eyes, and we are invited to get it.)

Paul is speaking to Christians about the wonderful blessings we have in Christ, in the heavenlies…..

…..and this is how we are given access to them….by being born again…saved by grace, through faith.

It is all of God, not of us. We do not, and can not, earn our salvation.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Here is the “reason entire” for our existence. The reason we were brought into being for….to walk in the good works that God has ordained for us.

(When I was a child, and I heard these verses, I thought it strange that God says…..”not of works, lest any man should boast”…..

….then turn around and say we should….”walk in good works…”.

I thought the difference was “bad” works and “good” works. But that is not the case.

When God speaks of “works” in scripture…..there are two different kinds:

The works we do for ourselves, or others….good or evil….it is spoken of as “our ways” in scripture.

Or,

The works we do as obedience to Christ Jesus…..”for His sake”

Again, it comes down to the “reason entire” we do works….for us….or for Christ.)

Here is God’s purpose manifested…..His heart shown.

We are to walk with Him in the obediences He places before us.

Fulfilling the obediences, yes….but also fulfilling and receiving the inheritance God has for us….in and through them.

Think of Israel fighting for their land. Each battle was a victory…..hurrah!

But also it was a victory for the grand Purpose of becoming and manifesting God’s chosen nation!

So with us.

Each victory we have…..small or large obediences that we do for His sake….is a part in the overall Victory of Christ in the earth.

His reason entire…..His cause of choosing us in eternity past….

…..is that we might manifest…..like a spectacle….to an assembled Universe (and that is our Universe around us day by day)….

……that Christ Jesus is worthy to be obeyed, adored, and praised!

1 Corinthians 4:9 “For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.”

Spectacle here means like on a stage…..each, fulfilling their part….that the whole story might be shown to those watching.

But God does not leave us to do it on our own…..no, He “ordains”….or makes full provision for all that comes into our lives.

Let me repeat that…..He makes full provision for all that comes into our lives.

(I have had to have that repeated to me often….especially during trying times.

But God is so good to repeat it to me. He does not tire of training us…..He has not….nor will He ever leave us to ourselves…..unless we choose it.)

The battles are many…..but it is for a grand end…..that we might be the manifestation of Jesus Christ on the earth.

For the world does not really see Him, except through us.

May each of us see and fulfill God’s Purpose, by our obediences, in our day to day battles.

A certain man and his fig tree.

Now the first thing I want to mention here, is that the purpose of every fruit tree is to bear fruit. If it does not,….it is only wood…to be cut down and used that way.

Luke 13:6-7 “He (Jesus) spake also this parable;

A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?”

Here is a man who loves figs! But the tree that he had planted was not bearing any.

It was not just one year, or two…..but three years he had come….hoping that this tree would give him the fruit he loves.

After three years, he feels that this is a useless effort…..”why waste space and time on a tree that will not give fruit?”

So he tells his dresser…..the one who prunes and keeps the trees….to “cut it down”….at least I can get something from the wood.

(But that was not the purpose of this fig tree!)

Luke 12:8-9 “And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.”

The dresser….knowing the longing of his Lord’s heart….asks that he might give it some extra attention….

….some “digging about it”….let us really see where the root of the problem is….has it come up against a rock….or rot?

Then I will dung it…..give it extra instruction and feed it with grace….

…then let’s see what will happen.

How long has the Lord been looking for fruit from us?

In this Laodicean Age, He looks with a longing that is far beyond our comprehension….that the “travail of HIs soul” (Isaiah 53:11) might be satisfied….that His Purpose, for us, might bear fruit.

He can not be satisfied until every last one that He paid the price for is redeemed,…..and bringing forth fruit unto eternal life (that condition of life, for now through eternity).

God is Sovereign…..He has set each of us in our place….for this time….

…to bring forth the fruit He loves:

The fruit of the Holy Spirit within us…”love, joy, longsuffering, gentleness,…” (Galatians 5:22-23)

…And the fruit of another Christian from our witness.

The Lord has come to see if we are bearing fruit….one year, two years, three years….how long has He come to HIs church….and each individual in it?

But now…..

The Holy Spirit (the dresser…through the preaching and teaching of His Word)…will dig around us.

Will we let Him see our hinderance and deal with it?

And the Holy Spirit will….dung us.

Are you really hearing the lessons He is speaking…..and getting the grace He wants to give?

There is still time to bear the fruit of eternity…..for the pleasure of our Lord.

Will we use the means He has ordained….and satisfy His heart?

Or will we be just cut down for wood?

There is purpose in both…..but only one satisfies the Lord heart best.

Just before Christ Jesus was manifested to Israel…..John the Baptist was sent to preach repentance….to “dig about” Israel….and “dung” them….

….giving them a way to prepare their hearts to receive the Messiah.

When the religious rulers came, just to check out his baptism,….John the Baptist said:

Matthew 3:8, 10 “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

And now the axe is laid to the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,….”

How many times have we heard of late (especially this past year):

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Have we? For there is the Way of fruit bearing…..taking our place before His throne in humble repentance….and seek His help to make things right in our lives.

Many thanks for reading us.

Jesus and the children

I have always thought that if we would just understand how much Jesus loves our children….we would be more ready to speak to them of Christ, sooner.

Some wait till Sunday school age….some think that they should let them grow up and make their own decisions….

But Jesus said….Bring them to Me….

Children are to be brought by their parents, either in prayer, or by leading them to the Lord.

Each parent will give an account of what they did, to testify of Christ to their children.

Matthew 19:13-15 “Then they brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

And He laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”

Perhaps we are like the disciples…..and think that it is not important to have our children see Jesus….

….but He does.

(Children means “son, or the builder of the family name”. The children of Israel were to be like Israel…..prevailing with God (esp. in prayer)…..

…..we are to be sons or children of God John 1:12….like Him…..building His Name.)

Matthew 18:1 “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Isn’t this just like us?

Instead of being concerned about bringing others to Christ Jesus, we are concerned with….who is most important…who is the one to get the most prestigious place and awards….in His kingdom?

Matthew 18:2 “Then Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them,”

Jesus makes a very important move……He puts a child in the place they wanted to have….the most important place.

Matthew 18:3 “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever that shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Converted here, means “to be turned back. To be strengthened.”

We do not think of strength when we think of children…..but Jesus goes on to explain….that those that humble themselves….

…….as this little child did when he let Jesus place him wherever He wanted……when he trusted Him completely…..

….the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Isaiah 57:15 “For Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place,….”

And if God had stopped there…..we would have said “yes, amen”.

But not considered, that we have a part in this statement.

Isaiah 57:15 “……with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit (to turn and make strong) the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

To be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we need to humble ourselves, and be ready to go where Jesus tells us…..as He tells us.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up.”

The most important decision we can make as parents, [beside our own decision to receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior]…..is to introduce our children to Christ.

We should pray over them…..and with them,…..teaching that Jesus hears us.

We should show them and read them the scriptures…..real stories from the Word….and explain them.

(I, too, like certain children’s Bible books…..but nothing takes the place of actually hearing the Bible.)

We should give testimony…..by thanking the Lord, out loud, for the things He gives. To say grace over our food, and pray when we take a trip…..thanking the Lord for a safe one.

(My Grandmother was an influence in my life where God is concerned. She loved reading her Bible and talking with as many people about the Lord as she could.

I had a great-aunt who also was very spiritual……when my Grandmother and my great-aunt got together…..boy the verses would fly back and forth!

“Well, what about what it says here?”

“Yes, but it also says this here and here!”

Back and forth…..[I thought they were arguing, at times]….

….but the winter my Grandmother could not come to our house…..you should have heard my great-aunt,

“Not coming?! Oh, how I miss the fellowship of our conversations!” And this was from someone who never missed a church service…..she loved hearing the Word.

But personal fellowship with Christians is different. There is something truly strengthening about being able to sit and talk about Jesus, with someone who loves Him. What a lesson!)

The Lord loves our children…..and wants them to know and love Him.

When Jesus came into Jerusalem in His triumphant procession…..everyone shouted, at first….Hosanna!

But the crowds vanished….the shouts weakened…..except for the children:

Matthew 21:15-16 “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

And said unto Him, Hearest Thou what these say? (The Son of David was another name for the Messiah)

And Jesus saith unto them, Yea, have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”

In Psalm 8:2 it is….”Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength….”

Again strength in children….for their belief did not waver, nor their praise become silent…..they were strong in that day…..for the Lord.

May our children become converted….and full of strength, trust and praise to the Lord Jesus Christ.

His Pleasure for me.

Revelation 4:10 “The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,”

The glory of having a crown in that day, will be, to cast it at the feet of Jesus.

He deserves all the honor: for He created us, saved us, sustained us, and brought us to the place of all joy: heaven and His Presence forever.

This crown is truly our own; we have “earned” it as a reward for our devotion to the Lord Jesus. We could walk around heaven with it on, if we wanted to.

[There are three crowns spoken of in scripture:

the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) to them that love His appearing;

the crown of life (James 1:12) to them that love Him;

and the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4) by feeding the flock of God, by being examples to the flock.]

But the real glory of having a crown; is to cast it down at His feet.

He has shown me this verse, I read it everyday:

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

He created all things: By His Almighty Power He made something out of nothing.

And for His pleasure they are , and were created.

“Pleasure” here means determination.

If, indeed, we exist for His Pleasure/Determination, what is His Pleasure where we are concerned?

What has He determined for us?

It is to be reconciled to Him…..in all things.

(Is there something you are not reconciled to God, about? I wish to tell you….He comes to meet us….as we come to Him. [the prodigal])

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

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

This is to put first things first.

And it is in today’s situation that this must be done.

We can not wait for “better” opportunities, or a “more convenient season”.

“Lord, I am here now, by Your pleasure……In this set of circumstances.

May I adjust to them,…..seek Your will in them,…..and see Your will brought to pass in me, by them. And may I know Your joy and peace in them.”

I had a friend who worked with a person who was over her. That person “disliked” her. And my friend did not really like this person either.

The work almost became intolerable.

But praying about it (she gave a testimony in church about this), my friend knew that she was working with this person for a reason.

“It is your attitude.” The Lord told her plainly. “And when it changes, then I will make the circumstances change.”

This person was really bossy to everyone; almost nasty.

But praying for help, my friend worked at letting this person deal with people their way.

And when my friend’s attitude changed,….

…..she saw this person in a new light: God’s light.

And came to respect the person.

We are created for a purpose. Saved for a purpose. Guided into that purpose, which is His Pleasure/Determination.

Will we be reconciled to Him in all things,…..and our purpose….day by day.

To be Filled with the Spirit of God

John 14:16-17 “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever;

Even the Spirit of truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

Ephesians 3:17-19 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love,

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is like a sponge thrown in the ocean. Dried and shriveled, out of the water. Yet it becomes larger and larger; fuller and fuller in the ocean. It can not take in all the ocean, but it takes in more and more; till it is filled to it’s capacity.

When we are born again, we are given the Holy Spirit.

Our dead spirits are enlightened, and made alive by the Holy Spirit of God when He enters our spirits at new birth.

He makes us entirely new. Yet we are babes in Christ.

As babes we are to learn to walk. We stumble often, but we learn, and are soon walking with God.

To be filled with the Spirit of God, is seen in Acts:

Peter and the apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.

(Acts 2:4) “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost…”

The Spirit changed these terrified disciples (John 20:19) into men and women which could speak of Christ before a great assembly of people.

Peter, who denied the Lord, now spoke with boldness about him. Boldly telling the crowd that they crucified the Lord of Glory. That in Jesus was salvation; and by none other.

Acts 2:32-33,36 “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses.

Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

Therefore let all the hosts of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Yet, a while later, when they were taken before the council, beaten and threatened; it says they prayed and then were filled with the Holy Spirit again.

Acts 4:23,29-31 “And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them.

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness we may speak Thy word,

By stretching forth Thy hand to heal;…

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word with boldness.”

Why? because Peter and the disciples did not need the strength and power to stand against persecution, until then.

On the day of Pentecost……he needed the power to stand and speak boldly before a crowd.

Later, it was power to stand before the council.

And now, when things were getting harder, God gives them more of HIs Spirit, to help them.

We are filled with the Spirit, as we are emptied of self; our self-reliance.

Peter, so full of himself, swore he would never deny the Lord; but he did. (Luke 22:33-34)

Peter, emptied of his bluster, and just obedient; waiting on the Holy Spirit, was filled to speak boldly. Three thousand were saved.

Peter, emptied of any thought of being able to stand against persecution, was filled by God’s Spirit to stand against it.

Who knows what our lives will bring? Where will they lead us?

What we can know is: Jesus Christ has made provision for us in His Holy Spirit.

To guide us, to strengthen us, to empower us: just as we need it, and when we need it.

Like the sponge is filled with the ocean; we can be filled with the Holy Spirit of God, as we see our need and yield to Him.

Lukewarm Laodicea makes Me sick!

Revelation 3:16 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spur thee out of My mouth.”

Years ago, when my husband was going to write a message on Laodicea, he received this title from the Lord:

“Lukewarm Laodicea makes Me sick!”

And right then, he felt sick….almost like vomiting!

That is what the Lord was trying to show him.

This is the way the Lord feels about this church.

Laodicea is the last of the church age, before He comes to meet them in the air….

….and this is just the time that this church should be zealous for Christ and the saving of souls…..

….but they are neither cold or hot, just lukewarm….sickening.

If we were cold…..He could just judge us.

If we were hot…..He would bless us.

Instead we are just sickening to Him.

We are as Israel of old. (Jesus quoted this when He was here about those religious workers. Matthew 15:8-9)

Isaiah 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:”

Several things to mention:

First….they say all the right words….all the praises that they should.

Second,….notice it is “removed” their heart far from Me. He does not just say that is is far from Him…..but that they removed it. They chose something other than Him, to set their heart upon.

Third,….the fear toward God is merely taught to be right.

It is something they know because it has been told them……not that they have.

“Fear” here is reverence and awe that the Lord should have as God….and because of the great things He has done for us.

But they do not.

It was not that Israel could not see….for they had enough Light, they could have known their God….but it was that they would not.

In Laodicea, we too, say the right things….we do the right things….but our hearts just aren’t in them.

We draw near with our lips, but our affections are far from Him…..

….to what are they looking?

And we Laodiceans say we reverence God…..but if we did, we would stop congratulating ourselves on our “richness”….and see ourselves as He sees us:

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.”

In this last of the Church age, we are “poor”……without the love and fear of God…..in experience.

Head knowledge is necessary…..but heart knowledge of God by personal experience is:

You know a certain Bible truth…..because you have experienced that truth in your life.

2 Timothy 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

They say they are Christians…..that they do believe.

But their lives show they are “denying the power thereof”.

(I want to stress here…..”power”. I know some people misuse this word…..I have heard it too.

But the Holy Spirit gives us grace….the unmerited favor of power in our lives….He gives us power over ourselves…..and power to face a world which hates Christ, cheerfully…….and power to stand in the evil day.

And the Word of God gives us power…..the power to shape our thinking and our attitudes and our choices…..by our reading, praying over it, and thinking upon it….till the power of it changes us.

It is not a word to use lightly…..for real power belongs unto God only….He can give it to any He chooses….

….but it is real. God’s power to us is to change us…..and by that, influence and change others….toward God.)

If we are different, it is by the power of God in our life….and not by something I have done myself.

Lukewarm Laodicea is correct…..it says all the right things…..

….but our hearts are far from Him.

I believe our error is of the heart.

The Lord Jesus when He was here, said about the hearts of those who came to hear Him…..but not to obey Him:

Matthew 13:15 “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

Their “hearts” are described as “waxed gross”…..so full of other things, there was no room for Him.

Their “ears” are described as “dull”….only half hearing…..nodding: “Oh, yes, that is good”….but not listening for His Word to them.

Their “eyes” are described as “closed”….they have closed….so they would not see the Truth.

If they had seen, and heard Him, with hearts open to and receptive to Him…..

……they would have been converted (most think of this as salvation, but it means to “turn back again”; it is the same word Jesus used to Peter about his three denials Luke 22:32)

……their hearts would have been turned back to God, by Christ….and they would have been healed.

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

For those He loves…..He rebukes…..speaks like a Father to correct us (Hebrews 12:5-6)…

….sometimes softly…..sometimes loudly…..

….but then…

….well, must He also chasten?

His promise is understanding, to be turned back to Him, and healing….will be hear, and repent?

Psalms 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,

nor standeth in the way of sinners,

nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

This is an amazing verse…..right at the beginning of the Psalms, God shows us about our walk….

….about our stand in the world….

….and about our friendships.

“Blessed” means twice our happiest moment…..”how happy!”

[I want to talk just for a moment about God blessing us. When I was a child, I used to think God blessed us when we had extra money so we kids could manage to have a treat….after the bills were paid.

Sometimes I think Christians think like this, too. We think of reward…..when God thinks of provision….in Christ.

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

When God speaks of blessings, He speaks of “all blessings”…..spiritual (the perfections of His character worked within us, for our help and glory)…..

…..and temporal (those things which we need, and want.)

When God blesses us…..He does so that we might know His presence and His care for us…..HIs smile upon us….

……and be satisfied [I would like to emphasis this].

Satisfaction means that our hearts are full…..we do not need or want anything more. God’s blessing,….if we receive them right….. gives us this satisfaction]

The Psalms are an oasis…where we can rest and drink the water of life….learning from the experience and songs of others.

They set forth the experience of every believer.

There are highs….full of praise and deliverance. Promises which we can grab a hold on…..for now and in the future.

There are agonizing cries for deliverance from sin and enemies.

The Psalms show us…that there are ways open, for fellowship with God…in all life’s circumstances….and they encourage the heart.

But at the beginning of all of this…..God sets forth the Way of life, for all who will believe Him….and have His blessing….His true satisfaction.

Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly….”

The first thing is our walk. This is our everyday going out into the world.

We are not to act like the world acts….

….The “counsel of the ungodly”.

Ungodly here means “unsettled”.

They have no purpose….but follow their temptations….wherever they lead.

They walk by no certain rule….but their own wants.

Proverbs 1:10-11, 14-15 “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

If they say, come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:”

We belong to God, and have a great purpose…to love and honor God….to do His Will…

…so the righteous will not,….really can not walk “in their counsel”.

Believers will follow the Word of God,…and walk in the light. (1John 1:7)

This then, is the everyday walk of the blessed.

Proverbs 4:11-12 “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have lead thee in the right paths.

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

We should not stand “in the way of sinners….”

Our “stand” is where we fight our battles……what we think is worth fighting for.

And we should not stand in the way of sinners…..the way of open rebellion against God.

It is true we are all sinners….saved sinners and lost sinners.

But the term here is “criminal”…..meaning a deliberate, open choice to not do God’s Will.

Psalm 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, (There is) no God….”

But we should stand against evil…..the Lord’s Way….whether by words of testimony or contending for the faith (Jude 3)….using the Word of God as our foundation.

“..nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

The scornful make a joke of God, and of sin….defying God in it. (Galatians 6:7)

This is a seat we never want to have…..no matter what influence or promotion comes with it.

This “sitteth” means that they have made a settled decision of life, to say,…no God.

But as the righteous, we have a “seat”…..in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

We “sit” in Christ in the heavenlies, where is power and authority before the throne of God…..and He is in us, here…manifesting that power and authority in us and through us.

All of these are temptations we come into contact with as Christians…..

But….the righteous man….turns from these.

We are not to take the measure of ourselves , by the world’s scales….

……but measuring ourselves by the Word of God.

Psalm 1:2-3 “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bring forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Blessed is the man that makes the Word of God his meditation….

(Meditation means that the Bible is read, prayed over….thought on….till the power of that Word takes hold in our lives.)

Here is counsel that should be followed…..(the Word of God)…

…..a stand in faith (like a tree with roots, holding on to God)….

……a place to stand on (the banks of the river of grace)….

…..and a seat of peace and blessing….in Christ, here and now.

Are we seeking God’s true blessing and satisfaction?

We must turn our backs to the world

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

It is an old saying,…that we can never go anywhere….without leaving where we are.

We have been part of the world….we have friends there, and relatives there….

…….yet we have been called to separate ourselves from the world…..and those who would seek to draw us back under it’s influence….

….to give up everything contrary to the Will of God for our lives.

1 John 2:15 “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.”

This stresses that we follow what we love…..

1 John 2:16-17 “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.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

Two choices are contrasted here (really throughout the Bible)….

….To know and do God’s Will.

….Or to follow the world’s leading.

Colossians 1:9-10 “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 in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

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

(Colossians is an interesting book, in that the Spirit of God is only mentioned once…Colossians 1:8.

And that is because Paul is setting Christ before our eyes…..as the great and marvelous Object to move our our hearts….

….this is our provision for the way we turn our backs to this world….the strength and power we receive by seeing the glory of our Head…..Christ Jesus our Lord.

The main verses of the book are:

Colossians 2:9-10 “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.”)

Our provision for turning our backs on the world is spoken of here….through the merits of Christ.

Colossians 1:12-13 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:”

This God the Father has done for us,….in Christ….it is done.

He has translated us from the kingdom or “authority” of darkness to the kingdom of His dear Son.

He has…..in Christ….delivered us.

We are made children of light….with the peace, joy, and satisfaction that is in the Light of Christ.

“Translated”….means that God has taken us….spirit, soul and body….from the authority of the darkness we were in….

….and by Christ’s merits….we have been placed under the authority of the kingdom of Christ Jesus.

We have new citizenship….new rights and privileges….and new responsibilities.

We have this…..spiritually.

But it rests with us….by an act of our wills….to see these practical privileges entered into….in our everyday life.

What does this mean? It means that those old habits, those old sins, those old attitudes…..do not have authority over you…..they can not control you…….unless you consent to them.

Anything left in the kingdom of Darkness….will give an occasion to the devil….and an open door to the world’s influence.

It needs to be practically dealt with….

….bringing them to the light….and seeing why we have felt or thought the way we do about this.

Then, doing what the Lord says…..confess and forsake, or surrender to the authority of Christ.

(All is light, if we walk in the Light….1 John 1:7…..so it is only by our consent that darkness enters our lives….whether by thinking sin a small thing…..or by “looking back” to the world as Lot’s wife….)

As we deal with these things one by one, we practically take all from darkness to Light…..until all is light.

We need single eyes.

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, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!”

Christ spoke of this when He was here.

What we “look to” is what we feel is important or desire. That is our “eye”.

If our eye is “single”…..which means that we are like doves which see only one thing at a time.

Our eye should see Christ….He is our Savior, Lord, Example,….our Rock, our Shepherd, our Truth, our Glory.

If we keep our eye turned toward Him…..we will be turning our backs to the world.

This is the reason Paul is spotlighting Christ as the Object of Power, Fullness and Light for the Colossians.

For with Christ in our view…..the world’s show and noice, is seen as just that.

We must turn our backs to the world…..

….it is often not a matter of “right and wrong”….

…..but do I see Christ in this?

Is this God’s Will for me?

The Hope of His Calling.

Ephesians 1:18 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,”

Light that we may know the “hope of His calling”.

Hope in scripture is of the Holy Spirit….it is the confident expectation that God will do what He said….it has reference to His Word.

It is not….I hope, I hope, I hope. It is not us, working up our trust.

But the Holy Spirit assuring us……that God is True,….and what He says is sure.

Therefore, when we have hope, we will do what He has said we should do, in confidence,……expecting Him to fulfill His Word.

Psalm 130:1, 5 “Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord.

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope.”

How many times have we waited for a sure Word from the Lord to us?

And when it came, we rejoiced that He had heard our request, our question, our cry in trouble…..and answered us.

We may not see how it will be as He said, but we know from experience that He will do what He says…..so we rejoice.

Hope causes us to rejoice.

We do not hope, from what we can see, (Romans 8:24-25),……but from the Holy Spirit within.

Romans 5:2 “By Whom also we have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

It is compared to an “anchor”, for it says, “Do not look at the wind and waves around us……but look to the Lord and what He has said.”

Hebrews 6:18-19 “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”

When we, by the Holy Spirit, are anchored in the Lord’s Word,…..we are safe…not tossed around by every wind that blows.

Ephesians 4:14-15 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

(In our Christian life, it is imperative that we can prove all things…..1 Thessalonians 5:21….by the Word,……we need to read it, so we can use it;….for ourselves and others.)

What is the “hope of His calling”?

It is the confident expectation that what He has called us to; He will provide for and lead in…..for it is His calling….we are doing what He wants us to do, to say, to pray.

Not everyone is to preach or teach….but

…all are called as witnesses….of what He has done for us.

All are called to pray…….for ourselves, our family, our church and for Jesus Christ’s coming again.

[Jesus Christ had hope in His Father’s sure Word, about His ministry:

Isaiah 53:11 “He shall see of the travail of HIs soul, and shall see be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. “

Jesus would “see”….

He would be raised from the dead, He would have those people that the Father had given Him,….come to Him, down through the generations……as a reward for His obedience to Him. (John 6:37-40).

We were His joy. (Hebrews 12:2)

His hope was in His Father’s Word…..showing us that we have a “strong consolation” in that Word…for us.]

Hope of the Holy Spirit, takes hold of our hearts, and encourages them to rejoice.

Hope takes hold of our minds, and reminds us of Who said it.

And hope takes hold of our wills, and strengthens them to persevere,…to do the work, ministry, calling that He has given us. We will obey.

1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.”

“Purifieth” and “Pure” here, means “to consecrate”……to set ourselves aside to the Lord.

Hope is our anchor in this.

We expect God to do what He said, in His time,…..and so we will do what He says, now, rejoicing.