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.

The True Vine, and the Husbandman

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”

Here is a beautiful picture of the care of our Heavenly Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessed Holy Spirit,…for us.

He is the fruitful vine nurturing the branches, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit within……while His Father prunes and cares for these branches, that they might bring forth fruit…and more fruit….and much fruit.

John 15:2 “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

How does the branch bear fruit?

First, we are part of the vine….He has made us so, by being born again. Therefore the same life-giving sap which is in the Vine, runs through the branches.

Second, the branch rests in the place the Husbandman has put it.

More sun, less sun; higher on the fence, or lower; it does not matter.

It rests in the place it is put, and yields.

Our Heavenly Father may come along and purge us. This simply means “to cleanse”.

It is the pruning of excess from us….so that all the flow from the Vine will go into fruit bearing, not merely leaves, which are of no value in the harvest to come.

And how does He “clean” us?

John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

Jesus had said a lot to His disciples…some they “heard” with hearing ears. Others would be brought back to them by the Holy Spirit.

But now He is telling them of the importance of His Words.

John 15:7 “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Are you born again….then you abide in Jesus.

Is the motive of our life, obedience to His Will……then His words abide in us.

(His Words “dwell in you richly” Colossians 3:16)

Then….and this is an amazing promise….we can ask what we will, and it will be done…….unto us.

This is not unto others….but unto us.

This is the Lord’s personal promise to each of us.

Isn’t this wonderful?

His Word is there for us…..to encourage, strengthen, and correct us.

When we read it, the Holy Spirit teaches us,……and, as with His disciples, He will bring it back to mind when we need it.

Again, it is a matter of yielding to this life giving flow, which comes from Christ, through His Word, and is applied by the Holy Spirit.

John 15:4 “Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

We abide in Him, when we do not resist His Will in anything in our lives.

This is not sinless perfection, but rather our wills, willing after His Will; and bringing ourselves in subjection (with His help) to all His Will.

You may say: “I want His will, but not that way”

Let me explain about resisting His Will:

Resisting is:

Putting it off because you don’t want to do it.

Arguing that you have a better plan.

Complaining because of the people you are forced to work with or around.

Silently giving place to the resentment of: Why me, and not them?

If you do any of these, you are resisting the Lord’s Will for you.

These are natural reactions. But we are not to be “natural” or under the charge of our “old man” any more.

We are to place our wills, and hearts, and minds squarely at the Lord’s disposal; and deny ourselves, and yield to the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

That power is there, but we must yield to it.

Sometimes that seems harder than others, depending on how much we “want” something else; but the way of fruit bearing is the way of yielding.

Yielding, and counting on the Holy Spirit to help us.

This is abiding.

This, Jesus Christ calls His branches to do: to yield and bear fruit.

John 15:5 “I am the true vine; ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.”

He is giving us His life, by the Holy Spirit in power:

What will we do?

John 15:6 “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”

Notice it is our abiding, which tells our end, because that is where the power for real life is.

We abide, and yield, and live; or we do not abide, and are gathered to be burned.

(1 Corinthians 3:15 “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” This is speaking of the Judgement seat of Christ, when all Christians shall be judged.)

We can never fulfill the Purpose of God for which we are called, without abiding in Him…..and He has willed, that we should will with Him in this.

Jesus does not want robots, which are programmed to do…..but willing servants of God, which follow Him because they love Him.

With His life flowing through us, we bring forth fruit: in us by growing in grace; and through us as His servants.

John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Here is the fruit:

Abiding brings yielding to His Word;….

Which brings the prayers we should pray for;….

Which brings the answers being done….”unto you”.

How much the Lord Jesus would do unto us to help us, if we would simply abide in Him.

Again, what will we do?

Patience

How little we think of patience as a grace!

We think of it as being polite…..”Oh, you can go first in line.” Or something like that.

We know we should be patient toward others (1 Thessalonians 5:14)…..though often we are not,…..

……and that we should patiently wait upon the Lord (Psalm 37:7, Psalm 40:1)……His Word, and His time (though, again, we often want things now).

But patience is a mile-marker of spirituality….

Is God developing your patience?

Jesus said to His disciples;…(He had just been talking of persecution for His sake, Luke 21:17-18 “And ye shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake…..but there shall not an hair of your head perish.”)

Then:

Luke 21:19 “In your patience possess ye your souls.”

In other words…..keep a hold of your mind’s thoughts….your emotional well-being….you will’s desire to run and do “something”…..hold on to them with patience.

And Paul wrote Timothy, his beloved son in the faith:

1 Timothy 6:11 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”

Patience is a virtue that enables us to look beyond affections, and opinions….ours and other’s; and to see God behind the scenes,…..working on our behalf.

It is an attitude which says, “I can wait for this (whatever it is), even though I want it now, because I trust my God.”

It is spoken of, with many of the promises God gives us…..for we must inherit them…..obtain or get them:

Speaking of Abraham…..”And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” (Hebrews 6:15)

And the Hebrew’s writer exhorts us:

Hebrews 6:12 “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Now I often think of patience as waiting….(it often includes it)…..but here the writer says….”be not slothful”…..do not just sit around waiting for God to do.

No, the scriptures say,……patience is getting up every morning and doing our duty…for the Lord’s sake……whatever that includes….

…….while we wait for the Lord to work things out….

…either in us, so we are ready for such a blessing…

….or for us……and trusting that He will.

And here are the verses that really shows God’s heart, toward patience in us:

James 1:2-4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations(different trials);

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

True patience brings joy and peace to our souls…..for though we do not have what we have been promised……yet….

…..we are at rest in God,…..knowing…..He will.

Therefore we come to the place we “want” nothing….other than what God gives us….and leads us into….

Patience is a grace of comfort…God comforting our hearts in the evil day. It is a grace of strength….for while others worry and wear away…

…those that learn His patience, are at rest….even while beset by problems.

(I must admit here, that I am naturally an impatient person…..I am learning the beauty of this grace…..slowly.

I must also tell of several times, the Lord has shown me the sweetness of His patience…..the Holy Spirit teaching me…..and my yielding to it.

We learn His patience.

What a wonderful God we serve!)

Colossians 1:10-11 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,

and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power,

unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness;”

The Lord wants to teach us, by His Holy Spirit, to be patient….and to be joyful in the things that we are to be patient in.

Patience is a grace the Lord wants us to have and use (2 Peter 1:6)…that we might receive the promises with joyfulness.

Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

The Lord is the God of patience and consolation:

Romans 15:5-6 “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Again I ask, are you letting the Lord teach you patience?

A Very Present Help

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

This psalm shouts confidence in God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But we will not give way to fear.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A very (for emphasis) present help.

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

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

The Lord of Hosts is an amazing Name of God.

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

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

He is with us.

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

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

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

Psalm 46:8-9:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Exodus 12:22-23)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Haggai

Ezra 5:1 “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.”

Haggai was an old man, and Zechariah was a young man.

Both were told to talk to the leaders of the returned remnant (they had been seventy years in captivity in Babylon, for their sins, but had come back after the opportunity came to return.)

Zechariah spoke mostly in visions, telling the people that they had returned for a purpose: which they should continue in, and finish.

His was a message to encourage and build up.

But before they could be built up; they needed to Awaken! To God’s claims on their lives. This Haggai did.

Haggai was a man who got right to the point.

Haggai 1:3-5 “Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house (God’s temple they were to rebuild) lie waste?

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.”

You see, the people who had returned to Israel, had started building the temple with great enthusiasm.

As soon as God’s work was started: enemies came.

They said, Let us “help” you.

They wanted to stop God’s people from being separate from them and their ways. (The world always wants to interfere in God’s Will and work.)

But when the remnant refused, saying they alone would build God’s house. Then trouble began. (Ezra 4:4-6).

The enemies accused the remnant of rebellion to the king of Persia, (Ezra 4:12-16)……and he believed them, and commanded that they stop what they were doing!

What should the remnant do? (What they should have done was send their own letters to the king, reminding him of what the former king had promised and decreed for the house at Jerusalem! Ezra 6:1-7)

This was their purpose: To rebuild the temple, so that the first thing (and the Lord is always to be first in our lives), would be His people in a right relationship to Him, by sacrifice.

(We must remember that the sacrifices of the temple were looking forward to the Great, and Only True Sacrifice for sins: Jesus Christ, our Savior.)

When they had stopped building the temple; they started working on their own houses, and estates. They built very elaborate houses for themselves.

But God would not let them forget their purpose, so:

Haggai 1:7-9 “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? Saith the Lord of hosts.

Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”

This fierce and serious message was heard (thankfully), and obeyed.

Haggai 1:12 “Then Zerubbabel…,and Joshua…,the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.”

And the Lord encouraged them:

Haggai 1:13-14 “Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.

And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel….,governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua…., the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,”

When the Lord is “with us”, we are in a very secure place, for His power is at work for us.

For the Lord also made Darius the king find a decree, which had not been found before. By that decree, the Israelites were to be funded, and encouraged! (Ezra 6:2-3, 6-7)

And the Lord gave them a very great promise:

Haggai 2:7, 9 “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with (the)glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Part of the temple they were finishing, would be there when God sends His Son, Jesus Christ. (It was; for Herod built his temple around part of this original building. Jesus walked on the stones they laid.)

And, when they obeyed; The Lord blessed them in all the other things:

Haggai 2:19 “Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”

The Lord has said to us:

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

We are to concentrate on His Purpose for us: to do His Will.

And He will be “with you” today, tomorrow, and so on.

God has shown us Who He is….and how He feels toward us…..

Jeremiah 10:10, 12 “But the Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an everlasting King: at His wrath the earth will tremble, and the mountains shall not be able to abide His indignation.

He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His discretion.”

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord hath appeared of old to me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

……let us grow bold in our trust of Him…..and get honest and show Him all we are, and all we need.

Are we showing how we feel about Him?

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 is the good and honest heart….

…and it is the only one in the parable of the sower, that produces fruit….the other’s are given the Word…..but do not bear fruit….for they let “things” (cares, worry, and pleasures of this life) interfere with the Word’s influence.

But the honest heart….bears fruit. True it is not the same for everyone…..but it is fruit to God….from us.

If we will honestly face ourselves for what we are…..then grace will be applied to us:

John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

It is not a matter of meriting His help….or earning forgiveness….

…but it is a matter of the heart before God.

Have you come and talked to God lately…..honestly laying out before Him yourself…..your attitudes,….your thoughts—good or bad,……your angry words,…..or gossip…or idols?

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

When it speaks of the heart in scripture….it speaks of our souls.

The issues of Life?

The “issues” are those things which come out of your heart….into your speech and actions.

Jesus said about the “issues” that come from a natural heart:

Matthew 15:18-19”But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies:

The “issues of life” deal with those things that have been placed within us by the Lord; those things that we are to maintain and show to others……

….to have and manifest Christ.

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.”

These are the things which counts for time….and eternity….

And they are of the heart….which we are to “keep”…..hang on to….as valuable.

Many know that Jesus loves them….but are we “rooted and grounded” in this knowledge?…..so that it keeps us in the trials of life….in the dark days of trouble and in the bright days of prosperity?

Jeremiah 9:24 “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”

If we are to bring forth fruit to Christ….we need to “abide in Him”…..and from that intimate, personal relationship…..we are to grow in knowledge of what His love means to us…..what it does for us….

……and get honest with Him about everything which comes to us….and how we feel about it.

Above all that we guard….we are to guard our hearts….and keep them for Christ Jesus.

They are His dwelling place…for He will abide with them for ever.

They are His clay….for He will mold them to feel mercy for others, to feel love for others, and to be courageous in the face of our everyday days.

They are His throne on earth….for it is through us that He is shown as King.

He has shown us His love for us, by His Son…..will we get honest with Him and manifest Him to others?

He never Slumbers.

Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

As Christians where should we look for help? There is only One who can really help us.

And our testimony should be: “my help comes from the Lord…”

He is the creator and sustainer of heaven and earth.

He rules and overrules in the affairs of men, whether they acknowledge Him or not, for He is God, and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:22-23 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Isaiah 50:7 “For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

And how does He help us? By a guidance in the Holy Spirit, which keeps us from “being taken” in the devil’s traps. And gives us courage to follow Him.

And if we are tripped up; He keeps us from being “utterly cast down”.

Psalm 121:3-5a “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper:…”

He, who numbers the hairs of our head, will watch the steps that we take.

The illustration here, is as children are watched by their parents; ever ready to intervene if needed.

And as sheep are watched by their Shepherd to protect, as well as guide into right paths.

He is called the Keeper of Israel…He guides and preserves those that are His.

(It also suggests that He fights for us: as David did against the lion and the bear. [1 Samuel 17:34-36])

Proverbs 3:23, 26 “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”

Psalm 37:23-24 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.”

God neither sleeps nor slumbers.

He neither sleeps at night….so we can.

Nor slumbers during the day….when it is time to work, He is right there to help us.

The Keeper of Israel is a covenant Name of God. When He looks at us, He sees us in Christ, covered by His blood and righteous, in Him.

His eye is ever toward the righteous.

Psalm 33:18 “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;”

Psalm 121:7-8 “The Lord shall preserve thee from evil: He shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

Three times in these two verses, it says: preserve. Preserve means to hedge about with thorns, so nothing can come in, to harm.

He shall preserve from all evil. From sin, the world, and the devil. (“The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation…” 2 Peter 2:9)

He shall preserve thy soul. With all its emotions, thoughts, and actions; He shall keep us by His Spirit. (1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to revealed in the last time.”)

He shall preserve thy going out and coming in. Our every day life is here spoken of.

We go out of our prayer times to face the world and all that comes to us;…..

…..and we come in to seek Him for strengthening fellowship and love.

(John 10:9 “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”)

The Lord our Keeper shall preserve “thee”. It is always personal.

He shall preserve you. He shall preserve me.

Praise Him for all His wonderful works.

The Healing of Ten Leper’s

Luke 17:11-12 “And it came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:”

Jesus is in His last year of ministry, and He is going to Jerusalem, knowing full well what will happen there. (His betrayal, suffering, death, and resurrection)

But He did not just forget everything, or everyone along the way…no..He ministered till the end.

Luke 17:13 “And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

So here He comes across ten lepers, all standing “afar off”….but crying out for help.

(It says “there met Him”, as if they knew He was going to pass this way, and waited to see Him)

Luke 17:14 “And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”

Simple directions for their healing, if they follow them. And they did….and they were indeed healed, by obeying Jesus.

(Interesting fact: Leviticus 14:2 “This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing; he shall be brought unto the priest:”.

So their going to the priest was to fulfill the law, and by obeying Jesus, they were cleansed on the way.)

Luke 17:15-16 “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

And fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.”

Whether the other nine saw they were cleansed or not, right away, as this one did…..his “loud voice” would have told them…..but they did not turn around to give glory to God, or to thank the Lord Jesus.

No thanks is ever recorded from them. They obeyed and were healed from their leprosy…..without even a word of thanks.

(How do we react to the many blessings God gives us?)

But the one, a Samaritan, saw…returned to Jesus, praising God and giving thanks to Him…..and received further blessing.

Luke 17:19 “And He said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”

But why does Jesus say “thy faith hath made thee whole?” Wasn’t he healed already?

Because….

This healing was of the whole man…he was saved by faith in the Lord right then.

He was healed in his body, from the leprosy….when he obeyed Jesus.

And healed in mind and heart, by joyful thanksgiving…to God.

And healed in spirit, by salvation….when Jesus declared him whole!

Then he was given direction to return to his old life, in faith! “Go thy way…”

Amazing blessings…and that for the life ahead, and for eternity,……because he came to Jesus in thanksgiving.

The ten knew God had healed them…..and their healing was enough for them, for that is all they wanted with Jesus.

(It was certainly a picture of the nation of Israel, and many; who wanted the things Jesus would do, but did not want Him)

(Are we crying out to Him for what He will do for us, and not who He is?)

But the Samaritan knew Jesus was the Son of God, and that He had healed him.

And he wanted….before anything else, to give Him thanks, for it.

We are told to:

1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Quench not the Spirit.” (Don’t put out the fire of joy of the Spirit within you)

“For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.”

Are we fulfilling this part, of the will of God, in our lives, by giving the praise that is due Christ?

Well, nine settled for the physical healing….when they could have had so much more….

….but one, came and in praise….received Jesus as Lord and Savior….and was blessed again!

O Taste and See

Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.”

When you taste things…you experience them…you know them….you have them.

You can know about the Lord….

But to really have the experience that the Lord is good….is to taste.

Our taste, is a very sensitive faculty (unless it has been compromised).

It lets us know things….salty, sweet, bitter, savory….

It brings to mind memories….my Grandma teaching me to slurp the vinegar in the pickles she made….”it’s good for you!”….and I have loved the sour vinegar taste ever since! And it reminds me of her, every time.

It lets us know whether things are “good” or “spoiled”.

Our taste was given to us so we can discriminate between one thing and another.

And we can only “taste”, for ourselves….not for another.

So David says…..”Taste and see that the Lord is good”.

“No,” David says….”I have tasted….but I can not even begin to explain or show you how good the Lord is.

I can tell you what He did for me…..but you must come and experience Him and His goodness, for yourself….so come and taste”

The Lord said to me once, that the people I was preaching to were getting a banquet….a feast of His Word…in the Bible study we were having (I certainly was!)…..

…..but though they were coming…and listening…..

…when it came to “tasting” the good…..they were settling for a sandwich….

….and going away.

There are some spiritual truths, that you can not truly know….without experiencing them for yourself.

Being born again is just such a doctrine….unless you come to Christ Jesus and receive Him into your heart….and know the forgiveness of your sins….you are not born again.

So is deliverance from our besetting sins (Hebrews 12:2), or self-sins…

The verses He showed me….might encourage you…..but not touch the soft spot of your heart’s rebellion….

….and so do nothing for you.

The Lord is “good”. The word here is “sweet”….like honey.

Yet the sweetness of the Lord is only for those who will come and experience it.

(The Song of Solomon is a book of experience: it tells of the believers desire to go further with the Lord. To know the sweetness of Him in personal fellowship and the walking together in our life.

Song of Solomon 1:2-4, all speak of this desire….

“Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth;”…

….and then compares that communion, with taste….

“for Thy love is better than wine.”)

We must make the blessings of His grace (the unmerited favor of power) our own.

We know His grace in salvation….”For by grace are ye saved….” (Ephesians 2:8)

But there are graces given us day by day….which we need to “taste and see”….and we will not “see” them in our lives, if we will not use them.

2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”

“All grace”…..all the different graces we need….strength, peace, knowledge, joy, power to do…….all the enablement we should have….

….And these we need to use….day by day.

1 Peter 2:3 “If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

O taste….(for yourself)….and see…(with eyes that are really opened to Him)…..that the Lord is good.

He is….do you know Him so?

Every Man in his Place

Judges 7:21″ And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.”

Here was a great Victory over their enemies, which were many:

Judges 7:12 “And the Midianites and the Amalekites, and the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seaside for multitude.”

These had come into the land to plunder the goods that the Israelites had harvested.

They were a vast number of them which had banded together to go through Israel and take all they wanted.

But God was ready to intervene, and spoke to a man, Gideon, about the saving of Israel from them.

In case you think Gideon was godly; he wasn’t. He, and much of Israel had taken up with the gods of the people they dwelt among.

This was the reason that God permitted the bands of these nations to come and take their harvests, year after year.

But finally, God appeared to Gideon and called him to the work of saving Israel.

Judges 6:14-16 “And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

And he said unto him, O my Lord wherewith shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.”

There was an exchange between the Lord and Gideon; a lot of doubt and unbelief to overcome.

And it started by the Lord sending him to tear down the altar of Baal, which his family and the men of the city worshipped. He was then to build an altar to the Lord, and offer a bullock on it.

When he had done it, the city came against him; but his father stepped up and said:

Judges 6:31 “And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? Will ye save him?….if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.”

This was the beginning of a call of God, and away from idols, to these men, through Gideon.

Next, Gideon blew a trumpet to call men to battle against the Midianites. They came by the thousands.

You would think, “Wow, this is just how the Lord will save us! We will have a great army against these intruders!”

But the Lord ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The Lord wanted Israel to know Him: He can save with few or many.

Judges 7:2 “And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the MIdianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand has saved me.”

He knew the pride of man’s heart, and knew if many fought against many, and won; they would say it was numbers, not the Lord that saved them.

So the Lord told Gideon to tell all who were fearful to go home. Twenty two thousand left.

But there were still ten thousand.

The Lord said, there were still too many. So He made all the men come down to the water.

Those that picked up the water into his hand and lapped like a dog, was to be set aside.

Those that bowed down and drank from the water, were to be let go.

There were three hundred men that lapped the water.

Judges 7:7 “And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand: and let all the other people go, every man into his place.”

Now, all along, the Lord has encouraged Gideon to do what He has told him to do.

Now after sending all but three hundred men away, the Lord encourages him again.

(Notice how God is in control over every one; the Midianite and his dream, as well as the Israelites)

Judges 7:9, 11, 13-14

“And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said unto him, Arise, get thee down into the host for I have delivered it into thy hand.

And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward shalt thine hands be strengthened to go down into the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that were in the host.

And when Gideon was come, Behold, there was a man who told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.”

Wow! God spoke directly through the enemy!

After hearing this, Gideon worshipped. Worship is counting God worthy of our all: praise, and obedience.

Judges 7:15 “And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.”

He divides his men into three companies; giving each man a trumpet, and empty pitchers with lamps in the pitchers.

He told them: Look on me and do what I do. When we come to the outside of the camp, when I blow the trumpet, so should you blow your trumpets; and say the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.

So they came around the camp:

Judges 7:19-22a “So Gideon, and the three hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in there hands.

And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held their lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

And they stood every man in their place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man’s sword against his fellow:”

Coming in the middle of the night, when the watches were just changed. New men were coming and going in the camp. Men entering into their tents for sleep; when suddenly, trumpets were blowing, lights were flashing, and men were shouting about the sword of the Lord and of Gideon!

What a scene of sudden chaos! Who would know whether the man entering the tent was friend or foe. Best not to take any chances, and strike him down!

Fear came upon the Midianites, and they ran; running into, and fighting their own men, not sure what was happening.

This was a great Victory for the Lord.

And it was accomplished by one man, standing with God in the calling he was given; and leading the rest to stand “every man in their place.”

What of us? Has God called us to a work? A prayer time? To witness for Him?

Then surely He will encourage us, in the work; however the encouragement comes.

And we should stand in our place, looking to Him for guidance, and doing as He directs us.

He has given a voice, and the light of the Holy Spirit within us; let us use them under His guidance.