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.

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.”