The Wilderness of this World

Song of Solomon 3:6 “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke,…?”

This world is often pictured as a “wilderness” in scripture….because there is nothing here for us, that satisfies.

There are many examples of being sent into the wilderness for testing; for this is what the wilderness is for believers….a place of testing:

The Israelites coming out of Egypt (Psalm 78:52, Psalm 95:8-9)

David, anointed king, but hiding from Saul (I Samuel 23:14), before he came to the throne;

John the Baptist before his ministry of repentance (Matthew 3:1, Mark 1:3)

The Lord Jesus, taken into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (Matthew 4:1)

Though it is a place of temptation, yet it is also a place where He shows Himself as our Provider, and Protector,……..and brings us through.

How? By the guidance and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Song of Solomon 3:6 “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?”

This is a verse describing the believer and spouse of the King, coming out of the wilderness…..like pillars of smoke.

Smoke is easily dispersed…..a small breath will blow it here and there.

But here it is a Pillar…..a thing of strength and stability!

Joel 2:28-30 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit.

And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.”

This is an amazing prophesy……think of it….the Holy Spirit, a Person of the Godhead….given to all who believe (“My people” verse 27)….indiscriminate of rank or age. Men and women…all who believe….

….to give the needed help to truly follow the Lord….no matter what job, or place you were in!

(These verses were quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost, at the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Church,……and is to be fulfilled through out the Church Age….by His servants. Acts 2:16-19. I also personally believe, that there will be a further fulfillment of these verses by the servants of the Lord, who stand with Him in the Tribulation Period. Amazing Love, and grace of our Lord Jesus!)

This strength and stability, is all because of the Holy Spirit within us.

As we go along in our daily walk, and begin to hear His Voice….through the Word, and within us…..we learn to yield to His guidance.

We learn, that when He calls us to do something….it is not just for this time….but a lesson for our lives.

We learn to witness…..to pray….to trust when there is nothing that looks like it will turn out the way He said….to follow…..to battle….to keep our eyes on Him…..

…..but mostly, to believe Him. (Sometimes, because we are saved, we think….of course I believe the Lord….

…..but then, we doubt His Word, or hesitate at His Way of doing this or that.)

Our strength, knowledge, and power, comes from Him….but what binds our hearts and minds to Him is faith……the faith given by the Holy Spirit….

….and increased, as we obey Him.

We are smoke…..but empowered by Him….to stand.

And He brings us out of the wilderness wanderings…..into the promises He has for us.

Song of Solomon 3:6 “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?”

This believer is perfumed with myrrh and frankincense.

(These are two of the gifts the wise men gave the Lord Jesus. Matthew 2:11)

Being in Christ, and following on with Him, the believer is perfumed with these scents as well….for the work He calls them to.

Myrrh speaks of death. Our attaining to life by the Lord’s death on the cross….and our uniting with Him, here in this world’s wilderness, by denying our self-life, that His life might be shown.

Colossians 1:27-28 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”

Frankincense was the scent of kings. And we are scented also with this, for we are to be His Ambassadors…..speaking for King and country….to a lost world.

Corinthians 5:19-20 “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath 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.”

“With all powders of the Merchant.”

Our Lord is that Merchant

(Isaiah 55:1-2, Matthew 13:45-46 He is the Merchant, who sells—gives up all that He has….His life included….to buy, “redeem” us, the Church—the pearl of great price.)

All is from Him,……..yes, we must come to get what we need, but He has “all powders”…..everything we stand in need of.

And how do we travel….coming out of the wilderness of this world?

Song of Solomon 3:7-8 “Behold His bed, which is Solomon’s, three score valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.”

We “travel” in His palanquin. With the guards of peace, joy, hope, and love around us…..protecting us from…..”fear in the night”.

(I love this: God never says there are not things to fear…..but, will always send us strength to face them, or deliverance from their malice….within and without.)

By the Holy Spirit within, we are also protected without us.

There is no circumstance that comes to us…..He does not know about, or will not warn us of.

John 16:13 “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.”

Are we coming out of the wilderness of this world’s system….with our Lord?

Yielding to the Holy Spirit within, are we growing in grace…..getting strength and stability from Him?

Are we seeing His Will done in our everyday things?

Colossians 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”

Spiritually we are translated by our Lord, when we are born again.

Practically, we are translated…..or brought through our wilderness, as we have His kingdom come within us…..showing His kingdom by us and through us.

Diligence

Diligence is eager, earnest doing;……till the job is done.

2 Kings 13:14 “And Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father! The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.”

Elisha was a prophet of God to Israel. He lived in a time of wickedness. But there was still some which worshipped the Lord. He would travel around and gather them and preach to them. But now, after years of ministry to Israel, Elisha is dying.

And the king of Israel came down to him, to get some sorely needed help.

Assyria was their bitter enemy, who had destroyed most of their army; and had taken cities away from Israel.

Israel’s king was not godly; he had followed the sins of Israel’s kings before him, and kept the worship of two golden idols.

(Notice the wonderful names he calls Elisha! Had he really thought that way, this would not have been his last call,….but the first.)

God had not forsaken Israel,…….yet…..for God knows when enough is enough.

He had a remnant in Israel, under Elisha, called the sons of the prophets, who still followed Him.

But the king needed help, and what he was doing was not working.

So the king came down to get the help of Elisha. Maybe Elisha would seek God and get deliverance for Israel.

2 Kings 13:15-17 “And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

And he said unto the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.

And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Apek, till thou hast consumed them.”

Hurrah, a promise of deliverance! And it was so simple. Just shoot an arrow; a very manly, kingly thing to do!

But wait; God was not through with this king. God was going to require subjection to His Word, from this king.

2 Kings 13:18 “And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.”

This was not very manly, or kingly; and he had gotten the promise already. What was he doing hitting the ground?

Well, he would humor the old guy, but why do this, he could not see.

His lack of diligence (the eager, earnest doing, till complete) cost him.

One arrow shot, with his hands covered with the hands of the prophet, was enough for the promise of victory, from God.

(Wasn’t that what Elisha had been doing for the whole nation? Covering them from complete judgement from God?)

But now, something more was going to be required from the king and his nation. Elisha was dying, and with him, a great deal of “covering” was gone.

Would the king subject himself to God’s Word and do what was humbling?

Would he pound the ground with the arrows, like he was fighting the Syrians because God said so?

Bending down and striking the ground? What good would that do?

Diligence is eager, earnest doing; till the job is done.

But the king had no real diligence. He wanted promises from Elisha’s God, not instructions in perseverance.

He had not come to finally submit to God, but to get something from Him.

God was telling him to do something which seemed demeaning.

The king had said the right words, he had finally come to the right place; wasn’t that honor enough?

No. Real honor to God is doing what He says, no matter how it looks.

Oh sure, he would fight the battles which God would give him victory in; but pound upon the ground with arrows, in obedience to God’s Word?

No, that was not for him. After all he was a king.

(How often we are the same way. We want promises: which God is glad to give. But to do the work of praying for them, and being obedient everyday for them; we would rather not. How soon our enthusiasm disappears!)

2 Kings 13:19 “And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hast consumed it: whereas now thou wilt smite Syria but thrice.”

Think of it! Two or three more times, was all he had to do, to get complete victory over his worst enemy!

But now, he would have victory—as God promised; but only three times.

The amount of times he hit the ground.

The effort he showed there, would be the victories the Lord would give!

(Remember, only his hand was on the arrows, which were to strike the ground.)

How important our diligence is, in our walk with Jesus Christ.

Are we like Joash here, incomplete in what God has given us to do?

You could say he was not diligent because of unbelief, or not wanting to humble himself under the Word of God.

Or for a number of reasons; but in the end, God would not honor him more than he was willing to be diligent.

What about us, as Christians?

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

In other words, with your own hands, hold on to the emotions which come out of your heart, like the reins of a horse—so they will not run away with you.

The Lord will give us victory, but the diligence to obey Him, comes from our hand.

Do, and I will strength you.

Speak, and I will give your words weight.

Stand with Me, and I will encircle you with peace and courage.

We must take God at His Word, and diligently “keep” our hearts for Him.

The Battle of the Ages: Christ must Reign

There are two principles at work in all the Universe.

God’s Principle of Obedience.

And the Principle of our Adversary, the devil; which is rebellion.

The battle of the ages, for me is: Who will rule in my life?

As Christians we can be obedient to God’s Will by the determination of my will to do it; and the power of the Holy Spirit within.

When we are, we are standing with God in the battle of the ages, for me.

2 Timothy 2:6 “The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits.”

This is the first verse the Lord gave me after He called me to preach.

He told me, that before He could require the Word that I preached to others; I must get it into my experience first.

The experience of Spiritual Life is always: first in me, then by me and then through me.

And His power is Life. Life flowing into me, and helping me in everything I do.

His power must be at work in me, before I can see this power used through me, in the calling God has given me to do.

He showed me these verses:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (childish), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

We are not to use the world’s weapons to fight the Lord’s battles.

It is not a matter of “letting things go”; but forgiving from the heart.

Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

If I am to think God’s thoughts after Him, then His thoughts must prevail.

And for this to happen, our minds must be transformed by His grace; so that our natural and normal way we think, becomes Spiritual.

We are to pull down the strongholds.

These are strongholds of reasoning. They are the reasonings that prevent us from believing God, and acting on what we believe.

Like this:

“That is impossible. Yes, I know God is God…but He just won’t do that for me, even if I thought He would do it.”

Or…

“That person will never be saved. There is no use in witnessing to them; what good will it do?”

We are to pull these down, by our willed obedience, even when we do not see how God will do these things.

We are to cast down imaginations. Those flights of fancy which come across our minds.

We are not to give them credence, or continue in them.

We all have thoughts which come into our head: What would I do if….?

But it is what we do with our thoughts, that counts.

Do we bring them to the light of Jesus Christ, or go ahead and fly into fantasy?

And we are to destroy every barrier which is raised against the genuine knowledge of God.

And there are a lot of barriers.

Such as the barrier of:

“I can’t read the Bible, because it is too complicated. I just do not understand everything there. I just let others explain it.

But I am not really sure they are right either.”

This is a barrier which the Holy Spirit can easily destroy. He can give you understanding and light for your path, through the Word of God.

You may not understand in the original language.

But you will understand what the Holy Spirit tells you. He speaks clearly.

“Taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

This is stop thinking angry thoughts; stop wanting to be angry, because we want to be right…or are right; and others do not agree. (Tell the Lord everything…and He will set it right with you.)

This is to start thinking that the awful neighbor is not to be hated, but to be prayed for; or ignored. To be at peace with them.

All our thoughts should lead us to Christ; It is really siding with Jesus about what comes into our heads; And staying with Him, through it all.

This is never easy; that is why the Lord calls it a “battle”. But it can be won. The victory is assured….in Christ.

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

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

For the Son of God is able to save to the uttermost. (Hebrews 7:25)

The Battle of the Ages has been going on through all time.

God is Victor.

Will we enter into His victory for ourselves, by the deliberate acts of our will?

Will we give Him all praise, by using all He gives us to make Him King in our lives?

Faith, Grace, Love, Peace, Joy: All are ours in Christ Jesus.

We are to follow Him into our place before Him, and keep following Him.

It is the way to make Him King—of us.

He will reign in us; that we may walk through this life in victory.

Are we reigning in our real life, through Christ Jesus?

Romans 5:17 “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one (Adam); much more they that received abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.”

But how do we do this?

As Christians, we are given the Holy Spirit to reign within us.

I’m sure all of you have heard, that in our hearts and lives there is a throne, where someone must rule.

And a footstool, where someone must serve.

For the natural man, the throne is occupied by themselves. They rule in their lives.

For the Christian, the throne should be occupied by Christ, through the Holy Spirit within. He should rule.

He should rule within us, and through us as we yield to Him. This is “reigning in life”—our life.

This is the same as Ambassadors. Ambassadors are still servants of their countries, but can and do speak for their country. They have been given authority because of their loyalty and service to their government.

For the child of God, our government is the Kingdom of Christ which should be within us.

Ephesians 2:19 “Now therefore we are now no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”

Our country is Heaven, and we are children of God. Christ represents us before the Throne of God, as our Mediator. And we represent Him, on earth, in our day to day lives.

It is the Holy Spirit we are to yield to, daily. Giving thanks for all things.

And it is in our everyday life we serve Him most. By being His servants: finding out His will, and being obedient to it.

Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

We have access granted us, to come boldly to the Throne of grace for our needs.

We have access by faith, into this grace.

Wherein we stand.

Real help to be and do, is here. For this grace is an enabling grace.

We can rejoice in hope.

(Have you ever noticed how many times in Scripture, the words rejoice and joy are mentioned? Our lives are to be joyful ones. We are to mourn that we so often fail Him. But when forgiveness comes, we are to “get up, wash our face, and go on” with Him.)

This hope is a faculty of the Holy Spirit. It is not, “I hope, I hope so”; but the confident expectation that God will do what He said.

It is hope, because we have not yet received what God has promised; but we expect God will do so, for us.

Romans 5:3-4 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience, and experience, hope:”

Now, Lord, you must be mistaken! Surely, there is nothing to glory in when we are troubled. (These tribulations here are trials.)

But there is. It is a wonderful paradox of life that we, as children of God, may glory in the trials of the day.

Faith must be tried, to prove it to be real.

How many rejoice in the thought of Heaven, but not in the thought of Christ as Lord?

So our faith will be tried, to see if we will stand in the grace given (And grace is the unmerited favor of power), and stand with Him…..each day.

Patience is acquired as we do stand. (And patience is a very misunderstood grace, I think.)

Patience helps us to wait in hope. (It helps me in traffic, in grocery lines, and yes, in doctor’s offices.)

Patience is that virtue that knows……God knows what is going on and that He is seeing to it;…….even if we can not see Him doing it now.

These will increase our experiences with the Lord. How wonderful to know what He will do for me.

(We have heard and read of what He will do for others, but how great to know what He will do for us.

As Joshua said, “…and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you,…” Joshua 23:14

And we, too, should know this is so, for us…..”not one thing hath failed…. all are come to pass unto you.”)

Which will increase our hope, for future promises and blessings.

Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Faith believes.

Hope enjoys those things that God has prepared for us, for we know His love and faithfulness to us.

It is “taste and see” that the Lord is gracious. (Psalm 34:8)

This is reigning in our real life….for we are reigning with Him, in it.

Amos; and our calling.

Amos 7:14-15 “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son but I was a herdsman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit: (wild figs)

And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go prophesy unto My people Israel.”

He was not a prophet or a prophet’s son, but called from being a shepherd and gathering wild figs, he was called to preach repentance to Israel, that they might remember their Shepherd, and bring forth fruit to God.

Israel and Judah had separated. In Jerusalem was the temple. And the king of Israel was afraid that Israel would go back to Judah to worship at the Temple.

So he set up two idols to worship. He told them that these were just a representation of God; but he lied to them.

Israel apostatized. They had begun to worship the idols which were calves.

This was great sin. God is a jealous God, and so He sent them prophets to rebuke the king, the people, and this sin.

But the practice stuck. They refused to be healed of it. And so finally, after many years; God was going to send Israel into captivity.

And to a terrible people: cruel and vicious; the Assyrians.

But before He did, He sent Amos to call them to repentance, and to tell them what was going to happen if they refused to hear, this last time.

Amos 3:1-2 “Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

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

It was because Israel knew the Lord, He was God, that He was going to punish them for turning away from Him. They had seen His works, they had been given His Word, and they knew He was the real God.

Light brings responsibility. When we know to do good and do it not, that is sin. (James 4:17)

And sin added to sin, is spitting in the face of God.

He is long-suffering, and merciful; but He knows when enough is enough.

He decides when drastic measures are called for. It is to bring all who will hear His Words, to return to Him.

They knew that what they were doing was against God’s Commandments and laws; yet they continued in them, because they thought they could get by with it.

So Amos came up to Israel, and preached repentance to the people, and at Bethel. (This was one of the places where the idols were, and one of the palaces of the king.)

Amos 7:1-3 “Thus hath the Lord God showed unto me; and, behold, He formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth;…

And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I beseech Thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? For he is small.

The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the Lord.”

First, it was grasshoppers to eat the grass to feed the flocks. But at Amos prayer, God “repented” or stopped His judgement, so that all would not be destroyed.

(This show us how important our prayers are. The Lord hears the prayers of the righteous, and many times it is our prayers that change a situation for good.)

Second, God sent scorching heat to lay waste the waters they counted on.

But again Amos prayed for them, and God halted the judgement that way.

But the third time, The Lord showed Amos a plum line. (A plumb line is a line with a weight on the bottom to hold it down straight.)

Amos 7:7-8 “Thus He showed me, and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand.

And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb line, Then said the Lord, Behold, I have a set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:”

God would put a plumb line in the midst of His people. If they would “straighten out” their lives by turning back to Him, they would be spared.

But those who refused, and remained “crooked”, would fall as a wall which leans.

And how did God want them to repent?

First to return unto Him.

Amos 5:4 “For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me, and ye shall live:”

Second, The Lord wanted them to treat the poor with dignity, and fairness.

Amos 8:4-6 “Hear this, O ye that swallow the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,

Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? And the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah (like a bushel) small, and the shekel (their money) great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?”

The title of this is Amos; and our calling.

As Christians, we too, are called to our family, our friends, our church, and our nation: to pray for and to seek their good.

And the greatest good we can pray for,……is for them to know and love The Lord, and to treat others as they want to be treated, with dignity and respect.

Under the idolatry of Israel, many were destroyed spiritually, long before God sent them out of their land, in judgement.

He sent prophets to preach His Words, and chastening circumstances so they would see His hand.

Finally, He sent them out of the good land, to sift them as wheat:

Amos 9:9-10 “For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not over take or prevent us.”

But even as Amos left Israel to return to being a shepherd, he heard a promise:

God would not utterly forsake His people.

They would have to go through terrible trouble to finally learn the lesson He would have easily taught them, had they listened and turned to Him.

But…

“In that day will I raise up….and I will build…saith the Lord that does this. I will bring again…and I will plant. (Amos 9:11-15)

The Lord sent Amos to preach repentance to “all who will” hear.

And we are all called to witness to our Lord Jesus Christ. To let our lights so shine that all may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.

And repent…..and turn to the Lord.

We are Created in Christ Jesus

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

There are two creations: the natural creation, and the spiritual creation.

We were created in Adam; naturally he was the father of all people.

We were created in Christ Jesus; spiritually, when we were born again.

1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”

This shows what we have as a new creation, in Christ Jesus.

First there is Wisdom:

Wisdom is that sudden light from above which illuminates our lives.

We were afraid: wisdom came, and suddenly the thing we were afraid of, is seen against the background of God.

We were without understanding: wisdom came, and suddenly the “muddle of our minds” disappears, and we know.

And with the knowledge, that wisdom gives power to do, for this wisdom is from the Lord.

Second, there is Righteousness:

There is the imputed righteousness of Christ which is given to us. But this righteousness spoken of here, is the righteous acts of obedience which we do for His sake.

When we see what He wants us to do with the wisdom He gives, then, we will with Christ to do those acts of obedience to please Him.

(I also believe that with these righteous acts, comes a knowledge of God’s goodness and love which flows through us to others.)

Third, there is Sanctification:

Sanctification is the setting yourself aside for sacred use. To be used by God, for His glory and honor.

This sanctification is in Christ Jesus, but it is worked in us by all three of the Trinity: that is how important God thinks it is!

It is by our Heavenly Father that we are sanctified.

Jude 1: “Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:”

It is by the Lord Jesus Christ that we are sanctified.

1 Corinthians 1:2 ” Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”

It is by the Holy Spirit we are sanctified.

1 Peter 1:2 “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ : grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

Fourth, there is Redemption.

(Now, I would have put this first…but Paul puts it last, for here is where we fit into God’s redemptive purpose for us; and become showcases to the world of Christ’s redemption.)

Redemption is to be bought back. The ransom for our lives was paid in full by Jesus Christ. We are saved from the guilt of sin, forever.

We are redeemed in every part of our lives….spirit, soul and body.

We are redeemed in our personal lives; Our school and work lives; Our habits and our hobbies.

We are redeemed in our thought life…..Jesus Christ has redeemed us wholly. Not any part is left out of His perfect redemption.

We are His purchased possession, and now nothing in the world (unless we let it have a hold on us) owns us. We are His.

Now all these things we have in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:31 “That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

I am Come that they might have Life.

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

The purpose for which Jesus Christ came to earth as very man, and very God; was to save His people from their sins.

He did so by the propitiation (the appeasing of God’s holy wrath against sin).

This was by the sacrifice of Himself—the Perfect Man.

In order to fulfill that purpose, He had to become a perfect man. To live in subjection to parents which misunderstood Him; to be tempted of the Devil; and to walk according to the Father’s will always.

(John 8:28-29 “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things.

And He that sent Me is with Me: The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things which please Him.”)

Till the time appointed to be the sacrifice for the world, He kept Himself unspotted from the world; unblemished in character, and attitude toward all.

(Hebrews 5:7-9 “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared;

Though He was a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;

And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; )

Then He let Himself be taken, tried, and beaten.

He bore His own cross toward Golgotha, till He could stand the weight no longer, because of the beatings.

Even then, Jesus Christ did not throw off the manhood, but left everything in the hands of His Father.

The Cross was the purpose of God, and although He was placed upon it in anger, and hatred; yet He would not come down from it (although He could have) because if He saved Himself, He could not save us.

Our sins have the penalty of death (separation from God forever). Someone must pay that penalty. Us, or a substitute.

He paid that penalty by His Perfect death.

Our sins were laid upon Him, and the sky grew dark—at noontime; the time of the most light.

God could not look upon Him, because He bore our sins on His body on the cross.

The pain of the corruption and pollution of our sins being placed upon the Sinless One, and the separation from God the Father, was Christ’s greatest pain.

He cried out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” In an agony which was more than the beatings of fists, and rods.

But He did all of this for the salvation of His people. That we might have life—His life within us, by receiving Him into our hearts and lives.

Then we can set ourselves aside to His Will, as He set Himself aside to do the Father’s Will.

This is Abundant Life. A life open to and receptive to Him in all that we do.

The joy of His being in charge of our lives is wonderful. We are not alone, ever.

We are walking in a way He has chosen for us, and His Holy Spirit enables us.

“I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.”

Will we receive Him, and His life?

The Altars of God

An altar is erected, to place a sacrifice on…..whether it is stone, or wood overlaid with brass; it’s sole purpose is for sacrifice to God…for sin or sweet-savor.

(Although I believe there was an altar for Cain and Abel to sacrifice at the gate of Eden, for Abel’s lamb was “accepted”….which meant that fire came down and consumed it. Cain’s was rejected—no fire.

Still, it does not say “altar” there….so…..)

The first mention of “altar” was after the flood….the waters having cleansed the earth from “the wickedness of man was great….every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis6:5)

Noah “found grace” (the first mention of grace)…..and by faith he obeyed God and saved himself and his house by building an Ark.

After the waters dried up….Noah and his family came out of the Ark, and the first act was to build an altar.

Genesis 8:18-20 “And Noah went forth….out of the Ark….And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.”

This sacrifice was accepted and God made a covenant with Noah for the earth, because of this sacrifice.

The second time an “altar” is spoken of is Abraham’s.

Genesis 12:7 “And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, Who appeared unto him.”

He had been called of God to come out of idolatry, and follow His call to a land which God was going to give him and his seed.

When he got there, the Lord appeared to him again,…..

….and Abraham built an altar to sacrifice to the Lord.

The last known altar of Abraham was on Mt. Moriah (Calvary)…..where he was sent to sacrifice Isaac. (He believed that God could,….and would raise him.

Genesis 22:5 “and I and the lad will go and worship….and come again…”)

When he went to sacrifice Isaac…..

……..God told him to stop, and gave him a ram to sacrifice, saying, “…I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me.”

Moses built the first altar for the children of Israel in Exodus,……..only after they had come out of the bondage of Egypt:

Exodus 17:15 “And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi.”

Then he built an altar and sacrificed, making a covenant with the children of Israel concerning the Ten Commandments….sprinkling the blood on the people. (Exodus 24:6-8)

After Moses was given the pattern of the Tabernacle, the altar of God for sacrifice, was the Brazen altar in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple….

Exodus 38:1 “And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was four square; and three cubits the height thereof.”

The people were to come “before the Lord” at this altar and sacrifice there, through the priests…..

But though they had an altar of God in the Temple at Jerusalem……you found the children of Israel often sacrificing in groves and mountain tops…..to idols.

Forsaking the Altar of God,…….for the worship of the heathen gods, on altars of their own making.

Even to the point that the Temple was defiled….

The last time time, before the Israel and Judah were taken away captive, the altar was used, was with Josiah. (He was the king Jeremiah lamented…for he was a godly king….the last). He made a Passover feast:

2 Chronicles 35:16 “So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josiah.”

After the Captivity, the first thing they did for the Temple was to build the altar:

Ezra 3:1-3 “And when the seventh month was come,…..the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

Then stood up Jeshua….and his brethren the priests……and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

And they set the altar upon his bases;…..and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening.”

But not many generations passed till……the Lord again had to speak to them concerning their sacrifices on the altar….for they were defiling it, again….

God sent Malachi, the prophet…..who spoke to the priests, who were allowing the people to give sacrifices which were lame, or broken…..in direct contradiction to the law….

…….for the sacrifices were to be “without blemish”….because they were to picture Christ.

Malachi 1:8 “And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? Saith the Lord of Hosts.”

God told Israel, through Malachi, that there would be One coming which would make the offering “pleasant unto the Lord” (Malachi 3:1-4)

Coming to the times of the New Testament; the physical “altar” was done away…..but the spiritual altar was given:

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the times 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.”

John 10:15, 18 “As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.

No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.”

The Lord Jesus Christ was the great Priest and Sacrifice. It was to Him that all the other sacrifices pointed.

He “laid down His life”…..for He was Priest….sacrificing Himself: His life, His blood…..to God for our sins,…

…..on the altar of the cross……brought about by the rejection of His own people.

He gave Himself over to them……”He came unto His own and His own received Him not”. John 1:11

…….They were the ones that cried “crucify Him”….till Pilate agree…..and they watched as a Roman cross was laid upon Him….and then Him on the cross….

….which lifted Him up between heaven and earth.

He was “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world”.

(John 1:29)

His was the only Sacrifice that was acceptable to God….therefore He gave it…..to please the Father, and fulfill all His Will.

And then there is our altar:

Although the word “altar” is not used….yet…our “altar” is our everyday lives where we “present” to God our sacrifice.

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable , and perfect, will of God.”

We are a living sacrifice….for only Christ Jesus could die for our sin.

But we are to deny ourselves, lose our lives in ourselves (that is being identified in His death)…..and live unto God (that is being identified in His resurrection).

We, too are priests….for we are “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5)

The sacrifice we are to offer is ourselves to God…..as Jesus Christ offered Himself up to God, for our sins…..we are to offer ourselves up to God, through the merits of Christ….to live unto Him in believing obedience, in this world of sin.

He offered Himself, for us……we offer ourselves, to Him.

The altars of God have been varied….but they all do the same thing:

They receive the sacrifice given to God, by His appointing.

Have we placed ourselves on our “altar of everyday things”, to God, today?

Guard your Heart

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

lust (I want it and I want it now),

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer, praise, and peace….

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

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

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

Faith sees God….and helps establish us…

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

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

Grace is our support and help….

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

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

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

“Suffer long, and be kind”

“Envy not”

“be not puffed up”

“Thinks no evil”

“Rejoices in the truth”

“Bears all things”

“Believes all things”

“Hopes all things”

“Endures all things”

“Never fails”

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

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

Really determining to do His Will

John 7:17 “If any man will do His Will, he shall know of the doctrine, whither it be of God, or whither I speak of myself.”

Let us consider what “to will” means.

The will is the whole man active…..the will alone, does not rule the person….for it is brought into subjection to our thoughts (our reasons, and attitudes) and to our hearts (our emotions and feelings).

Both of these push and pull the will into doing things.

But when we will something….we become wholly active….and begin do it.

The Lord often spoke to the will…..especially to His disciples (those that follow Him)….”If any man will, let him…” (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-35, Luke 9:23); but He was speaking to the whole man….”Let the heart want to….the mind take hold of My Words….and the will move you, to follow Me.”

If any man will do His Will…..the Living New Testament says, “If any man really determines to do His Will…”….

…that is to “will” to do.

Thus, you prove His Will by doing it. When you have really determined to do God’s Will, then when you hear His Word…..you will know what He wants you to do.

And you will know whither it is of God, or your own idea…..He will not leave you in darkness….but will give you light for your walk.

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

The creature must find that resting place…..and that resting place is in the Will of the Creator….in the light and knowledge of it.

It is not the “success” or “failure” of any given task…..but was it what the Lord wanted?

Hebrews 4:9-11 “There remainth therefore a rest for the people of God.

For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.

Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

We “labor” by willing it.

And that “rest” is in the Will of God. It is a calm of being…..by the Holy Spirit….no matter the outward circumstances; because we are uniting with the Almighty.

We can live a productive life, in the world; a successful life; a kind life;….all of which is good….

But God wants us to live a restful life in Him….in His Word….in His Will.

That “rest” is of the spirit, soul and body……looking to Jesus Christ for help, and sustaining grace….because the enemy of that calm in Him…..is unbelief.

(Paul said he believed in the power from the “treasure” of the Holy Spirit within, against all that came to him: including suffering, hurt, trials, and peril…

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed:

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”)

Unbelief is not some little sin…..it is the worst of all sins….it crucified the Lord of Glory.

It says: I do not trust You, Lord….I am scared.

It says: Surely, this is something even You, Lord, can not see to.

It says: I do not see You doing anything, therefore You won’t.

Unbelief says a lot of things to our hearts and minds….it can lead us away from God quite quickly…..into imaginations of panic, or anger, or hurt…

But when unbelief comes….telling us all, what God can not do….we need to quickly say:

“I believe….help Thou my unbelief” (Mark 9:24)

…..and then hold on to the Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

This is an amazing verse….The Word of God (yes, read, spoken, and heard) is quick: It acts now, making a difference to all who will hear it.

Is powerful: for it works within us to enlighten the situation, and encourage, and tell us what to do,….or what God will do.

Is sharper than any two edged sword: the Word “cuts”…separates the spirit, and what the Holy Spirit is impressing us…..

…..and the soul, what we feel, and think of the situation.

It shows us what we are really thinking…..what we are really feeling.

(How many times have you thought…..”It’s Ok….I can deal with this hurt”.

Then you hear a message,….read a devotion….or speak to a Christian concerning some scripture:

And, “bam”…..you know you have not gotten this healed.

But then, this Word can show you how to get it restored.

[There are many verses which show His healing: spiritually, mentally, physically. Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 53:5, Malachi 4:2, 1 Peter 2:24. And sometimes, it is healing of our whole being.])

This requires us to hear His Word….and be honest with Him about what He is saying to us. (Luke 8:15)

But the quick, powerful, sharp Word of God will be that guide we need, to get the “rest”, here, the Lord has for us….in the knowledge of His Will.

It will show us what His Will is, that we may “really determine”….or “will to do His Will”,…

….that we may know that we have done His Will….no matter the outcome, and be at rest in believing obedience to Him.