“Truly God is good…”(Psalm 73:1)

Do we believe it?

In this psalm there is an inward battle against the Lord’s ways……the inward cry for knowledge…..and the answer given from the Lord, to His servant.

Some sins are quite prominent…..some, slide into our minds and hearts….and give us quite a battle.

The psalmist sees the wicked….those that should be judged for not keeping the Law…wealthy and successful.

While the righteous are poor and often being persecuted,….or worried because of their situation.

Psalm 73:2-3 “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well-nigh slipped.

For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

This is a psalm of Asaph (1 Chronicles 16:4-7). He was a leader in the Tabernacle for the songs and praises.

This was a high office,…..yet he was troubled…..he was having a heart-battle about the Lord’s way of dealing with His people…….that is, the way he saw things….

“I was envious at the “foolish” or wicked.”

(We think of envy as a green-eyed monster…..well, it is a monster…..disturbing our thoughts, and emotions:

It says: I wish I had what you had…I wish I was like you…..I wish I was you.

It is truly a monster.)

He sees that they are confident and prosperous…..even though they are wicked,…..and that troubles him….he can not hush the questions that come to his mind.

“My steps had well nigh slipped.” He was in trouble….spiritually…he was beginning to doubt God’s righteousness.

Psalm 73:5-9 “They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression:….

They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.”

Pride is the chief hardener….

For pride separates….making the proud better than others…..even if it is just a little better.

It puts everyone else beneath them.

Others rights or feelings, do not matter to them….they intend to have their way.

They slander God,….does He let them get by with it?….

Psalm 73:11 “And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most High?”

It seems as if God is letting the wicked slide…….they think God does not see.

……while the righteous are coming to the Lord,….troubled and sorrowful.

Here is a stumbling block to faith….so…

Isaiah 57:14-15 “And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of My people.

For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, Whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Considering this, Asaph is so troubled….he wants to speak about these things…but….(Psalm 73:15) “If I say, I will speak thus;….I should offend against the generation of Thy children.”

Asaph wanted to talk about his thoughts…..after all he was accusing God of being unjust!

But he was concerned of speaking injury to the younger generation…..of letting his battle with envy spread to others.

(He was the leader of the singers….appointed under David the king.)

Psalm 73:13-14 “Verily (truth) I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.”

It would seem that all his right living, watching that he might not sin,…..had not given him any advantage….at least, the reward of this life.

(When faith is covered up by envy…..we can not see correctly.)

Everything seemed to be upside down……”Until”….

“Until” is a word expressing time,…..and experience….

Psalm 73:17 “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.”

Looking toward the mercy-seat:

The heart which had dragged with sadness, and doubts…..he lifts to God.

Chaos began to depart, and God’s light…..and order…..began to be seen.

Until….

He “saw their end”…..that changed everything.

There he saw their final destruction…..and their guilt now, clinging to them like a bad smell…

….it was if they were puffed up, weight added to them…..so if they continue to the end this way….they will sink lower in hell.

He does not envy them now….for God has showed him, by His mercy:

Instead of being placed upon the Rock…..they were sinking in the sand of time already….they just did not recognize the ruin that was coming (Matthew 7:2

Everyman owes their existence and prosperity to the goodness of God…..in a moment all can change (Psalm 73:19)….so we should use it wisely.

Psalm 73:22-22 “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee.”

And here is the lesson learned….his confession to God…

…..”I was as a beast before Thee”.

My thoughts were only of myself….and satisfying my desires…..I am ashamed….

And then…..his praise is back in his heart….

Psalm 73:23-26 “….Thou hast holden me by my right hand.

Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”

Faith, again, is not hidden behind the curtain of envy….but has been released from doubt.

Faith is true sight…..getting wisdom from God. Trust and you will know.

God had upheld him…..and he praises Him for it.

With the Lord is counsel….and when we come to Him we are sure to be given light…..and to be led aright.

…”and afterward”….what a blessed word. After this life, which is so short.

After the troubles, and sorrows.

Asaph see that God is the portion of the righteous,…..

…..we are blessed in Christ, here….and with Him there.

He had been foolish….envious and doubting….but God had kept him….taken out of his way, his stumbling block…..and led him back into His light….into faith again.

Asaph had learned that natural sight is not faith.

All other things pass away; let our hearts abide in Him…..Who abides forever.

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.

Use it or Lose it?

1Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, we ask that You would give us what we should receive from this message. To Your glory, in Jesus Name Amen.

Matthew 25:14-30

Here is the parable of the man traveling into a far country. So he delivers to his servants his goods, to gain with.

Matthew 25:14 “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called His own servants, and delivered unto them His goods.”

To begin this, it would seem that to stress the most important fact; we should deal with “ability”. “Each to his several ability”.

Matthew 25:15 “And unto one he gave five talents, to another, two; and to another, one. To every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey”

“Several ability”,….the plain teaching of this parable is that even the one talent person could have gained something; in as much as each had a several ability…..

…….Which means there is more than one thing they could have done.

Matthew 25:29 “For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.”

But from “him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath”?

In other words, that which he had, but made no use of.

Luke 19:12-14 “He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.”

Here in this parable we see two groups: Servants, and citizens.

Those that say they are His servants, who are entrusted to use part of the nobleman’s wealth, to gain for Him while he is gone.

And the citizens of the country are those of the world which hate him, outright.

When the nobleman returns (as Christ will one day, having been given His Kingdom here on earth [Revelation 11:15]). Then he calls for an account of his servants.

The Parable in Matthew 25 uses “talents”.

Each of us receiving a different amount to use,…..symbolizing the calling and abilities (grace) given us, by the Holy Spirit, to do God’s Will.

But here in Luke, they receive one pound each…….and are told to “Occupy till I come”.

This is a merchandise term , as used in the day of Christ.

It means to use it…..and gain with it.

(The “pound”, is the faith by the Holy Spirit. Will we yield to the Holy Spirit and show forth Christ to the world around us?)

Luke 19:16-17 “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.

And He said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.”

Faithfulness to God in what He has given you, much or little, is what He rewards.

Luke 19:18 “And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.”

And so He gave the man who had been faithful, even though with less…….authority over five cities.

He had not gained as much as the first servant, but had been faithful and gained;…..and so, was rewarded.

Now to the one who hid his talent, for selfish fear.

He did not think well of the Master, and did not care about “gaining” for Him.

So he thought he would hide his talent, to protect himself. He would give back what he was given, and be done with it.

The Nobleman couldn’t complain, he thought, because He had back, what He had given.

But that is not what the Nobleman, or our Lord Jesus, wants.

He wants His servants to use what He had given them, out of honor for Him.

We have been given faith, by the Holy Spirit, to help us.

Are we taking the help?

We have been given gifts and callings (ability). Are we using them to His glory?

Luke19:23 “Wherefore than gavest not thou My money into the bank, that at My coming I might have required mine own with usury?” (Interest)

He was responsible for his one talent,…..but he did nothing with it.

That one talent, he was given, could have gained at least one more.

And should we not use our faith,……and grow in grace?

Perhaps, if he had only grown in faith,….he would have gained love…..love for the Master, he was to serve…..and that would have resulted in more gain.

But sadly…..he hid his talent.

What about us? Are we using what we have been given as faithful stewards of Christ Jesus?

We can and should……and gain by it.

Let us do what we can, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and be blessed.

Now Unto Him

Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

“That is able”….this is the first thing to consider….for without His might to do….

…..our prayers are just wishes,….

…..and His promises are just words.

But He is Almighty, Omnipotent,……Able.

When we pray, we often come before His throne with the attitude that:

He probably could, if He really wanted to…..but….

…..And there always seems to be a “but”,…..in our thoughts, if not in our words.

Able to give us just enough to squeak by?

To somehow make it?

No, that is not what this verse says….able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

And His Word endureth forever.

1 Peter 1:23-25 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away;

But the Word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

Endureth…..His Word endures forever.

He meant what He said,…….whether He was speaking Himself, or speaking through another….and He said what He would and could do.

He is Able.

The scriptures prove that……the fact that He saved me, proves that….

…..the fact that each day…..yes, even the terrible days (and we have all had them)….He is with me, by His Holy Spirit…guiding, correcting, encouraging me….proves that.

“exceeding abundantly above”. No where else in the scriptures, is all three of these adjectives found together….except here….

Here, where Paul is talking to us, of coming to know Christ in a more complete and powerful way….”in our hearts”.

This is not salvation, but service he is talking about.

Ephesians 3:16 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by HIs Spirit in the inner man;”

Paul is talking of a “grant”….”That He would grant you,…”

This is not a gift…..but a grant.

A grant is a favor (money or materials) given for a particular purpose.

It is given to be used,…….just for that purpose.

(If a professor is given a grant to find the many uses of the bark of a certain tree…..he can not use the money for other research…..just the research he got the grant for.)

We are “granted” strength by the Holy Spirit so:

That Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith (and remember, faith is essential in overcoming 1 John 5:4)

…..we may be rooted and grounded in love…..

……we may comprehend with all saints the breadth, length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ….

…….we might be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

There is a lot of love spoken of here…..because there can be no real power or strength for service, with out Christ’s love filling us……

……so that our love for Him is spilling over into everything we do for Him….for others….

We are to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37)

When Christ is abiding in our hearts in love…..that is, when His presence is not just for guidance, or correction…..but in a love relationship…..then His Will is our foundation,…

…..and it is a arm in arm walk with the Lord….heart to heart.

“Exceeding abundantly above”,……what a declaration!……”all that we ask or think”…..

God knows our needs, even before we ask….while we are thinking of how to ask,……He knows,…..and is Able.

And what is the amount of the grant, in the Spirit, God will give us, personally….

The amount that He gives us, is: “According to the power that worketh in us,”

According as we let His power work in us…..to bring us to yield to the Holy Spirit within….that much power He will grant us in our asking…..

….”the riches of His glory” is the limit…..for it is “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think”…..

We can become as rich as we want in His grace and love:

We can know more of the wideness of His purpose for us,

We can know more length of peace,

We can know more depth of the scriptures,

We can know more of the heights of glory in His fellowship, here….

Now unto Him that is Able….He is able.

Will we receive the “grant” for His purpose in us? And acquire the riches of His glorious life within us, more and more….

Then let His power, by the Holy Spirit “work” within us…..molding us by His grace….into His character……giving us wideness of life….His life, in us.

Let us make room for Christ.

(“Exceeding” is a favorite term of Paul…..for he gives His testimony of God’s exceeding abundant grace in:

1 Timothy 1:12-14 “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, Who hath blessed me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy,….

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

Paul talks of “…the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward…” (Ephesians 1:19);

“…the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)

Peter says “…..ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (1 Peter 4:13)

“….given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:….” (2 Peter 1:4)

Jude 24 says: “Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,”

Exceeding means “Over, superior to, to surpass”

For Paul, and for many Christians down through the ages…..what Christ has been,…and given,….and granted them….can only be described as “exceeding”.)

For…unto us…

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”

Twice here in this verse alone, the prophet tells all who will hear, that it is “unto us”. The message of Christ is always personal…

….first He is seen as a child….in His humiliation. Leaving heaven to come here, as a babe….placing Himself into His Father’s hands for everything….being born of a woman,…born under the law, to honor it and fulfill it…honoring His Father in it. (Galatians 4:4-5)

Then He is seen as a Son, given……”unto us”…..(Matthew 3:16-17)…..

…He was “given”…..presented unto us as the Son of God, the Son of man….coming to manifest His Father’s Will toward us: in life, and in sacrifice for our sins….(again, “given”; as a sacrifice was)

The government of all is upon His shoulder: It was always so, for He is the Creator and Sustainer of all. (Psalm 24:1-2)

But in a new way,…..after His birth, life, sacrifice, and resurrection…….

…….the government is upon His shoulder,…..for God has given all authority and power into His hands, for the accomplishing of the complete Purpose for mankind:

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

1 Corinthians 15:24-25 “Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power.

For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.”

And His name shall be called:

Wonderful….. “singularly marvelous”

Of course it should, for He was wonderful to do the Will of the Father, and come to earth to save me.

He is wonderful in all the long-suffering mercy and grace He pours upon us, by His merits….giving us His presence, HIs peace, and joy.

He will be wonderful in that day when He comes and takes the Kingdom of this world to Himself….making it a Kingdom of peace. (Isaiah 9:7)

And finally establishing the Eternal Kingdom for ever.

Counselor….

He knows the eternal counsels of the Godhead….and brings them to pass…..

Isaiah 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning; and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.”

He “worketh all things after the counsel of His Will” where our salvation is concerned. (Ephesians 1:11)

And as our personal Counselor (Psalm 16:7)…..He gives us the way to overcome…(Revelation 3:18)…in these last days.

The mighty God….

Psalm 24:8 “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.”

His strength of character, and His strength of purpose….for He went through everything to accomplish completely the salvation of His people….defeating sin, and death

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The everlasting Father….

He is God….the Trinity…..One with the Father, and the Holy Spirit….there is no separation, but in their offices to His people.

John 14:9 “….he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father;…”

John 10:30 “I and My Father are one.”

The Prince of Peace….

He was always Peace….in Him was no strife, ever…..eternal peace was His character.

Even now He brings peace to all who receive Him…….by His salvation, and by His Spirit….

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

Ephesians 2:14,17 “For He is our peace, Who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”

One day….the whole of creation will know His peace….under His Kingdom…..

Hosea 2:18 “And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely

Isaiah 11:6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion shall eat straw like the ox.”

On a night full of the light of stars…..shepherds watched over their flocks…..and saw the dazzling light from a angel…..

……then they went and saw a greater Light….born “unto you”…

Luke 2:9-11 “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:15-17 “…Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”

We think of this as the beginning…..when this was the center of all the Purpose of God.

From eternity past….God thought of us and our Salvation…..making a Covenant…a plan….a Purpose for each of us.

When we were born again,….we began our journey in that Purpose…..a Purpose which flowed from before times eternal (1 Timothy 1:9)……unto us…..through Christ Jesus.

And His Purpose flows on…..till all that He has said will be…..will be….with us….and all who will receive the Lord Jesus, Who was born….unto us.

As the multitude of heavenly hosts said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”

I have made thee a Watchman

Ezekiel 3:17 “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the Word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me.”

Every city in Israel had several watchmen. They would walk about the walls of the city at night….when everyone was asleep, and watch outside the walls for an enemy. If they saw an enemy coming, they were to give the alarm, so that the city would awaken and prepare for the battle.

Ezekiel was taken captive the second time Nebuchadnezzar came and took captives from Jerusalem.

He was of the priestly family, and called as a prophet to the people who had gone into captivity with him.

He had seen a marvelous vision of “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of One that spake.” (Ezekiel 1:28)

God made Ezekiel a watchman to the house of Israel….to see all that the Lord showed him……and give them God’s Word….”a warning from Me”.

(I want to speak here about perseverance. It is spoken of only once in the scriptures: “….watching thereunto with all perseverance….”

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

We are to pray for our bothers and sisters in Christ…..and watch….with perseverance for them.

Perseverance means “to be earnest toward a thing, to be constantly diligent, to steadfastly attend to all the exercises, to adhere closely”

In other words…..our goal is to stick close to God and His Word to us, and stay there….watching for others in prayer.)

God had not forsaken Israel…

He gave them Jeremiah, still in Jerusalem….warning the people, there.

He gave them Daniel, in the palace….working for God’s people there…..in duty to the king, and in prayer, and testimony.

He gave them Ezekiel, among the working captives…..warning the people there.

What amazing grace to a people that were “rebellious” (Ezekiel 2:6).

(And His grace to us is no less than this….amazing)

But what was the enemy that Ezekiel was to watch for as a Watchman?

The enemy of……..complacency in their sin.

Ezekiel 3:11 “And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them. Thus saith the Lord God, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.”

You see, the people that were taken captive, were waiting for God to act on their behalf.

They wanted to believe, that since they were God’s chosen people, that He would have to deliver them…..no matter how they acted.

But that was a false belief……God will not act contrary to His Word….and He had warned them many times about their sin….of choosing the heathen’s ways and idols, over Him.

And so He had Ezekiel set down some basic instruction for His people. And Ezekiel was responsible to God, to tell them.

Would they hear it…..now that they were in captivity?

Or would they “forbear”…..fool themselves into believing that God will not rebuke and chasten their continuing sin.

(You see, their chief sin, was trying to be as the nations around them….in life, and in worship. Idolatry became the sin which destroyed them.

[And isn’t it the same with us…..we want to be like everyone else….want to fit in…..do not want to be different. But as Christians, we are always set apart to the Lord.]

Amos 3:1-2 “Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you….saying,

You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

God had brought them out of slavery in Egypt,….given them His law and His presence in the Tabernacle,….and brought them into a land that He had promised Abraham…..yet they turned away from Him, and toward the people and the gods of the nations around them.)

Ezekiel could not make them hear…..but he could speak God’s Words faithfully,…..and that he did.

“Give them warning…..from Me.”

To Ezekiel, God had said, there were two kinds of people: the wicked and the righteous.

Those that kept God’s statues (His Word)….the righteous.

And those that turn away from it and commit iniquity…..the wicked.

(Iniquity is doing anything unequal to the high calling given us by God.

It is knowing how to act,….what to do…..and refusing to follow that light.)

Ezekiel 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.”

This was something new…..Israel was still Israel….but they were going into captivity….the nation as a nation, would not be for seventy years….now God was going to judge according to what each person knew……and did…….and with that knowledge alone.

The wicked, if they would hear,….could turn away from their iniquity….and when they do….they will not be judged by the evil that they did…..but by what they turn and do,….now.

Ezekiel 18:21-22 “But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.”

But if the righteous see the wicked, and think that they could “get by with what they do”……..and begin to follow after and do iniquity?

Ezekiel 18:24 “But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he that sinned, in them shall he die.”

God did not want to chasten His people……He would rather have them obedient and blessed….that is why He sent a Watchman…..Ezekiel, to warn them…..

Ezekiel 18:23, 30-31 “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways and live?”

….Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

This was the message that Ezekiel was to give to the captives in Babylon……turn and live…..”for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 18:31).

(I want to mention here that death is separation:

spiritual death is separation from God…..(Ephesians 2:1-3)

Physical death is the soul’s separation from the body….the soul going either to heaven or hell.)

Ezekiel 33:7 “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.”

As watchman, Ezekiel was to sound the warning to those Israelites….to awaken them to the enemy of their sin…….with God’s Word.

Israel was to go into captivity for seventy years (the number of the years of rest that the land was suppose to have….but they did not give it. Every seventh year, the land was to rest)…..and Ezekiel was sent to them….and he did…..warning them again and again.

Three times he gives them this message of warning…..turn and live: Ezekiel 3, 18, 33.

This last verse, ends God’s warning to them…..they know….will they turn and live; or will they forbear?

Now it is up to them:

“And when this cometh to pass,(lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:33)

Beginning at Ezekiel 34, Ezekiel stops warning them…..(they have heard…..will they live….or die?)

…..and begins to speak God’s Word to those that have been a hinderance to Israel, or an enemy…..

……..and then to tell of His promises…..afterward.

For God is looking beyond….to the end of the seventy years,….and even beyond….giving those that would turn and live……His Word, in promise.

Ezekiel 36:24-27 “For I will take you from among the heathen,…..and will bring you into your own land.

Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: for all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgements, and do them.”

This was God’s Word to all who would hear…..turn….and live.

God’s Word is given unto us, as well: we each are called to be a Watchman to our own souls…..

To Awaken…….we always need to wake up to our sins, and iniquities (anything unequal to our high calling in Christ Jesus).

Ephesians 5:14 “Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

To Warn….

Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

To Encourage in promise:

Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.”

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 also will do it.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation (walk of life) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

We are to hear His Word to us…..persevere in it,…..and then we are to….pass it on; by our life, by our testimony,….

……..”watching thereunto with perseverance and supplication for all saints”

Our God has given us so much….let us hear His Word, and use it.

Direction for our Christian Lives

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

This trust is of the heart, not the head. Trust is the hanging onto Jesus Christ.

If we will acknowledge Him in all our ways…He will direct our paths.

And acknowledge here, means that we are to seek Him in everything concerning our lives.

Good things, bad things,….we are to “see” that Christ knows about it and about us, being in this situation.

Then, we are to tell Him about everything in it: our side, and wants concerning it; and the other side as well.

This is, again, for the heart: for this command shows if we love the Lord, and really want the Lord’s direction.

To have this direction aright, we must do this in everything, not just the big important things,……but the little everyday things, as well.

Because this is the fellowship that is offered us, as we go along with Jesus.

It is constant fellowship: And fellowship in the Greek means “a sharer, partnership”. Are we a partner with Christ in all we do?

We need to lean on Him:

We can “lean on our own understanding” pretty easily. We have intelligence, and we are here in the situation; who better to figure this out?

(We all know how this turns out.)

But to “lean” on the Lord Jesus is to trust Him.

Real direction comes to us by the Holy Spirit within us. That is a matter of the heart, again, not the head.

You ask for direction, then you hear His Voice.

Light comes.

You see what to do.

In your heart, you quickly remove anything that would hinder that light….

That Light brings the knowledge of what pleases Him in this situation; and you do it.

And you also know what displeases Him, and turn away from it.

The gift of wisdom is a great gift from the Lord.

He directs and helps us in our “path”.

Isaiah 43:19 “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

There is no place or time He does not know, and does not make preparation for.

Isaiah 42:16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not;

I will lead them in paths that they have not known:

I will make darkness light before them,

and crooked things straight.

These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”

(Four times He says He “will”…….and promises to: “not forsake them”…..what more can we ask for our path?)

God sees to us,….our hearts…..our direction…..and to our path,…..as we acknowledge Him….Who He is….what He can do for us…..and His partnership with us……..in all the “ways” we go.

And He will not forsake us, ever.

He loves us with an everlasting love.

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

Let us acknowledge Him in everything, everyday…..and let Him lead us.

Christ’s Birth: His Preparation and Protection

Hebrews 13:20. “Now the God of Peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,”

The Everlasting Covenant: Made in eternity past….through to the eternity future…for His people.

God in eternity past, made a covenant with His Son for the Salvation of a people for His glory.

That covenant stated that God the Father, would draw out a people to be saved;….

If God the Son would come to earth,…..be born as a man,…..live a sinless life, and die;……shedding His blood as a sacrifice for the sins of the people.

Paying their penalty for their sin.

The Son agreed; and the very first act of creation was the setting aside of a body for His Son.

Hebrews 10:5 “Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me.”

(No animal sacrifice could take away sin; but they could point forward to the only effectual sacrifice of Jesus’ body and blood)

God was preparing everything for Christ’s coming as the Son of God/the Son of man, to earth for His Work of salvation.

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

Under the Roman Empire with it’s government and roads, which was the access to send out the gospel news to the world; God said that it was time, and He sent Jesus Christ His Son, to redeem the world.

But how did he come?

As a baby, born of a virgin. Not as a man, as Adam had been created…..but a babe, helpless…..yet with the preparation, and protection of His Father, God:

Luke 1:26-27 “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth.

To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.”

When there, the angel Gabriel told Mary that she was favored of God. That she would conceive in her womb, a son; which was to be the Son of God. (Luke 1:28-33)

But she was concerned: How could she? She was a virgin, and had not know a man.

So she asked the angel.

Luke 1:35 “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

The angel Gabriel told her that the Holy Ghost would come upon her and deposit within her womb a child, which shall grow within her and be born: the Son of God.

That is how. Would she agree?

She was engaged to Joseph. What would people think? What would he think?

Would she agree?

Luke 1:38. “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy word. And the angel departed from her.”

And so it happened: God saw to His Purpose, in every way….including Joseph.

Matthew 1:18-20 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together; she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

But while he thought on these things, Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

So Joseph agreed. He arose, made her legally his wife; but knew her not intimately until her firstborn son was born: Jesus.

According to scripture, Christ was to be born in Bethlehem……so Israel was commanded by Cesar to go to the birthplace of their ancestral tribe.

God moving a foreign government to do His Will.

So Joseph and Mary, went to Bethlehem, the birthplace of David.

When getting there, the city was so packed with people; that there was no place for them to stay.

The owner of the inn told them they could go into the stable with the animals, only because Mary was going to give birth.

There in the stable, Jesus was born. He was placed in a manger; the feeding trough of the animals, along side the hay, to keep him warm.

God saw that people knew that His Son had been born:

Shepherds, first were told, and that by angels! Heavenly messengers were not sent to the Sanhedrin, or the Pharisees….but to shepherds.

(David had been a shepherd, and Christ is the good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and the Chief Shepherd)

Luke 2:8-12 “…there were in the same country shepherds…And, lo, the angel of the Lord came…and the glory of the Lord shone round about them;

And they were sore afraid.

And the angel of the Lord said….Fear not: for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy,…….for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

Wise men were sent to find this new King. They had seen His star, and followed it to Judah. They went to Jerusalem, the capital; thinking He would be found there.

But Jerusalem was not looking for the Messiah…..Herod was king…..and wanted to stay that way.

He had the scribes find out where the Christ should be born (Matthew 2:4-6)….and he informed the wise me.

Herod told them to find the king, and then come and tell him, so he could worship too….but he only wanted to kill the child, which had a legitimate claim to the throne.

It was only after leaving Jerusalem, and the court of Herod, that the wise men saw the star again. It led them to where Jesus was.

Matthew 2:10-12 “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.”

These heathen wise men…..spoken to of God in a dream, to protect Jesus.

With this wealth, Jesus, Joseph, and Mary was provided for in Egypt.

God told Joseph to get up and go to Egypt for the safety of Jesus. For Herod would seek to kill him. (Matthew 2:13-15)

Jesus would come back into Israel, a few years later, only after Herod died.

Jesus Christ was born to be the Lord and Savior of all who would come and receive Him.

HIs birth was prepared for, and seen to in every way.

Why wasn’t He born in a hotel room? Or with every luxury?

Because He came to save every person; not just the rich, or powerful, or poor, or trodden down.

He came to save to the uttermost…..all who will come to Him.

His Salvation is personal, and complete.

He asks you simply to, “Come”, and then “Follow”; For He, Himself leads us through our lives with peace with God, and guidance.

He never leaves us, nor forsakes us.

He has prepared for you, for me.

Will we agree and make room for Christ Jesus the Lord?

Grace,…and Noah

God, is the God of all grace

1 Peter 5:10 “But the God of all grace, Who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect (complete), stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Grace is spoken of, for the first time, in Genesis.

It is seen in Noah. “He found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

The world had become so wicked, that God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was evil continually. “All flesh had corrupted his way…”

Romans 1:21, 23 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.”

Men knew God, yet they chose to worship animals..

Adam had lived nine hundred and thirty years to tell to all his children of the Eden he knew, and the sin which drove him from it. Also to tell of the promise of a coming Savior. (Genesis 3:15)

Yet….”And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8)……it was the grace of God, not the graces of Noah that God saw.

But notice it says, “Noah found grace”….as though he had been searching for it….grace is the unmerited favor of power….power, to help Noah live in, but not of, the world around him.

And he sought it from God… Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord…..for only The Lord can give grace.

This was a terrible time…sin had reached a height that could not be ignored….

Noah lived around it everyday…..

Got married…..had three sons….and he felt the contamination surrounding himself and his family….

Then when the sin of man had reached it’s worst….God speaks of grace….

….grace given to Noah, for a special ministry and work.

Where grace comes, God is obeyed. For grace brings the creature to rely solely on the Creator.

Grace is the power of God to change men’s hearts…..and in the middle of the worst wickedness….Noah is just…speaking of his faith.

Genesis 6:9 “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

A walk with God, means a walk against the ways of the world….and the people of the world….and their sin.

Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

Faith and grace go together…..Faith shows us God, and keeps Him before us…..

….grace enables us to persevere…..under varying trials, mocking, and persecution.

Noah, even before he began to build the Ark….had set his heart against the opinion and actions of the rest of the world.

The ground of faith is on God’s Word….and Noah had heard Him…”being warned of God” (Hebrews 11:7)

He was going to hear and obey God….no matter what others did…..or thought about him, for doing so. That is faith.

For one hundred years, while the ark was being built,….and the animals (seven pairs of the clean animals, and the unclean animals by two….one pair) were being brought….

….Noah preached to those who would gather around, looking at this strange sight….a large boat on dry land….telling of the judgement of God to come…..and of something which had not yet happened…..rain.

(Till that time, a mist had come up and watered the ground. Genesis 2:4-6)

2 Peter 2:5 “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

One thing I want to mention here,…..the people had turned from worship of God to the worship of animals…..

So God, had Noah, His servant…..bring all the animals,……following him….the man that follows God….toward the ark! The ark that God said would be built to save those that believed Him!

What a testimony of the worthlessness of worshipping these creatures, that should have been.

What a showing of the real power of God to them all……if they had wanted to turn and believe.

Genesis 6:22 “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.”

“Faith, if it hath not works is dead, being by itself” (James 2:17).

This faith believed God…..and prepared an ark,……gathered the animals,…..preached to those all around him as he went and did these things…..

…these were hard things….expensive things….yet, Noah did these hard things, by faith…in grace…

…..and in doing so, left a witness which condemned the rest of the world….

….but also won for him the blessing of God, and the peace of God, in it all.

Seven days before the rain began, God told Noah, to begin moving in the animals (Genesis 7:9)…..it took seven days.

On the seventh day…..the rain began:

Genesis 7:11, 13 “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the dame day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.”

In the selfsame day entered, Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;”

Everything was ready, and they had heard God say, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark;…” Genesis 7:1

There was just one door into the ark….and one window. (Genesis 6:16)

Now the door was wide open to get every thing in…..along with Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives.

It had begun to rain…..and I am sure, at the start of this, people became convinced of their judgement…..and started to run either higher in their buildings….or toward the ark….

But Noah did not shut the door…..the Lord did.

Genesis 7:16 “And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him:….

(In the beginning God had made male and female, man and woman….so now, God again stresses His Way, and has the animals go in two by two….and Noah and his wife, the sons with their wives, together, into the ark….the only place of safety, against God’s judgement.)

….and the Lord shut him in.”

The door had been opened to all who would come and repent and believe;…..but now the door was shut…..by the Lord….and would not be opened till the Lord gave the Word.

All outside became a watery grave….cries became quiet…..the rain was the only sound….till after forty days it stopped.

The ark continued to float and move at God’s Will for almost a year

But God’s grace continued on through it all.

The warning,

The work and preparation,

The moving of everything in,

The rain,

The new earth….one year later Noah and his family were told to….”Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons and thy son’s wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing…” (Genesis 8:16-17)

And the first thing done by Noah, was an altar: “And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord;…and offered burnt offerings on the altar.” (Genesis 8:20)

Genesis 9:1 “And God blessed Noah….”.

This is the first time, since Adam was in Eden, before his sin…..that God is said to bless anyone.

The flood was not Noah’s idea….but he took his place in God’s Will for it.

The ark was not Noah’s design….but he did all God’s Will for it.

The animals were not Noah’s thought….but he went to wherever they were and brought them in, according to God’s Will.

The time to return to the earth was not Noah’s time….but he went out when God said, and built an altar of worship and thanksgiving.

Faith always shows us God….and keeps Him before us.

Where grace comes….God is obeyed.

And this same grace lives within each of our hearts, if we are born again by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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

This is how everyone is born again….by grace (the unmerited favor of God’s power)….through faith (given by the Holy Spirit to all who come to God in Christ Jesus).

And we are “His workmanship”….for His good works.

We have no flood ahead….or ark to build…..but we all have a world around us that we are to live in….but not of;

….and God’s Will to do.

Let us receive His grace….all we can get, and be obedient….today.

Are we staying in the middle of the Way?

Proverbs 30:7-9 “Two things have I required of Thee; deny me them not before I die:

Remove far from me vanity and lies; Give me neither poverty or riches, feed me with food convenient for me:

Lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

This “middle of the Way”, comes from my reading Pilgrims Progress.

It is when Christian is hurrying up the hill of Difficulty, and it is growing dark….that he sees two lions; one on either side of the Way!

This sight frightens and stops Christian for a moment…..till the Porter of the House Beautiful (the local Church), calls out to him:

“Can’t you see they are chained….they can only come so far into the Way. You will be safe….as long as you stay in the middle of the Way.”

And how often it is the same for us…..when circumstances frighten….because we were not prepared,….

…..or we have expected,…..since we have “climbed this hill of Difficulty”,…..that things will be easy…..

We get frightened….then stop.

It is good the Lord often calls out to us, through the Word, or a message, or a fellow Christian…..that we may see that the lions are chained.

(How grateful to the Lord Jesus for this!)

These verses are some I love. They set the goal of my life on the right footing.

Giving God charge of what is in store for me….and petitioning (“required” here means “earnestly beseeching”) our Lord, that He keep us “in the middle of the Way.”

“Remove me far from vanity and lies”. Far from, is where we all should want to be, from the useless things of this world,….and that is what “vanity” is.

And from lies…..lies that I want to believe….or that are spread abroad about others, or me.

Our Lord taught us to pray: (Matthew 6:13) “And lead us not into temptation”…..for He has made a way to escape, if we will seek it (1 Corinthians 10:13)……but when I fall into it…….

…..”but deliver us from evil”…..the evil one, the devil, and his tricks…..and the evil of coming under the influence of my fall.

Let me…

Not be rich….either in money, prestige, or success….so I won’t get proud and begin to think I do not need the Lord. (Luke 12:16-21)

Not be poor….either in money, friends, or spiritual experience….so I won’t envy others…..or be angry with You, Lord, and “take the name of my God in vain”.

This “take the name of my God in vain” (and notice is it “my God”)……does not mean swearing…..

……but in the Hebrew, means: “accusing God of not being what His Name says He is”. To accuse God’s mercy and love, of being false.

He is Merciful, Righteous, Glorious, Gracious, full of loving-kindness, and peace.

But when circumstances grow difficult…..trials come…..and we seem quite unable to meet them….we are poor, then….

…do we still feel the same way, toward the Lord?

I had given a study on Galatians, and then began Philippians, once,……when my son….who was little at the time….

….said, Dad, I like this study better than that other one.

….Really, why?

…..Because this one has happy people in it…the other one didn’t.

And he was right, though I had not seen it before,….like that…..

The Galatians were trying so hard to be superior Christians…..and had gotten tricked into thinking their own works…following the law…..would add to their value to the Lord. (Galatians 1:6-8)

The Philippians, on the other hand,

(and I recommend, if you have not read it lately, to do so again! Nine times, more than any other book in the New Testament, “rejoice” is used. Six times “joy” is used.)

…..were being persecuted, [Philippians 1:28-30],….yet only sought to be steadfast to the Lord Jesus Christ…..and they were joyful in it!

They were a poor church, yet sent an offering to Paul for his needs. (Philippians 4:15)

What a difference in the two books!

Listen to the epistle the Apostle wrote:

Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;”

Philippians 1:25-26 “And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.”

Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord…..”

He tells them of the way he has walked….what the Lord has shown him:

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

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

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Paul loves them dearly, writing:

Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”

And then, in this epistle, he clearly speaks of true contentment:

Philippians 4:11-12 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

This is the same way the writer of Proverbs sought to live…..but Paul adds a blessed reality of how we can do this:

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Here is the secret of contentment…..of being neither rich or poor…..but staying in the middle of the Way……

….”through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Our Way is before us,…..our life is always a next step with Jesus Christ.

Let us “stay in the middle of the Way”……the lions are chained, though they roar, and frighten….stay with Him, and let Him give us the strength for what is ahead.