The Path to Reality

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

To hear and answer the call of Christ is nothing unless somewhere along the line you have this reality.

Reality is what is real…what I have in my experience…..not in someone else’s experience….but in mine.

And reality, where Christ Jesus is concerned, is to have the experience of His life being lived in our life, today…..everyday.

The claims of Jesus, saying to you, “Deny yourself, pick up your cross—deny yourself in those things which cuts across your natural way of doing, of thinking, and acting.

This is to “follow Me”,…….for I walked this way here on earth, too.

Doing only My Father’s Will….and nothing else.”

So many say they have surrendered to the Lord’s Will for their lives, yet constantly fight against the “way” His Will is to be brought to pass in their lives.

When the reality of it all is, His Will includes doing it His Way.

The whole objective of denying yourself and bearing your cross, is that you might lose your life in yourself (You say “no” to what you want to do, and “yes” to the Lord),

That you might find reality, which is your life in Christ.

In Christ is the freedom from sin, self, and the world.

In Christ there is the liberty of walking in the light, which manifests God’s love, joy, and peace to us.

But in ourselves there can be: bitterness, anger, distress, depression,

ungratefulness, and desire….all our natural leanings toward the things and attitudes of the world we live in.

Let’s face it, we are often overcome by one of these things within us.

Yes, they are brought out by circumstances of our lives,…..but the power of the Holy Spirit is in us,……will we not yield to Him, and deny our self-life?

Letting His Life shine through ours?

We can either go back, and make ourselves of no account in the kingdom of God, (remain babes in Christ….never going on to the purpose for which you were born again)…..

Or we can truly lose all these things that make up our old life: our way, our rights (what right do we really have, if we belong to Christ?), and our preferences;….

…..and let Jesus bring another child into the glory of God.

You can not have both your life, and Christ’s life being manifest through you.

One will be seen, the other will be denied. Which will it be, Christian?

This is a process, and it is one where every area of your life is touched:

your past,

your future,

your plans,

the way you think,

your way of doing things.

But, I must stress, and this is important: This is between you and your Lord.

No one can intrude here.

It comes down to: “Not my will, but thine”, everyday.

If you do, you will come to the place in your experience with God (and here is where “reality” is…..your personal life in Christ, experienced)….

…..where you are no longer resisting His Will in anything. Therefore God’s power is flowing through you, unhindered.

It is not instant obedience,…..but it is final obedience….you have determined to leave your old life, and go on with the Lord.

Are you ready for Christ to lead you into a closer relationship with Him?

He said, “ If” any man will come after Me.

So it is not forced. It must be a love relationship.

Nothing will make the way easier, than the growing knowledge of His love to you.

The question is: will you come after Christ Jesus, by denying yourself, picking up your cross and following Him?

It’s your life, what will you do with it?

Keep it for yourself?

Or Follow Him into the reality of His life in me?

The Mighty God, even the Lord

In Psalms 50 we see “the mighty God, even the Lord” call all His people together,……to judge His people.

Psalm 50:4-5 “He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people.

Gather my saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

The term “judge” here means the One who has a righteous balance in His hand. He balances everything against the weights of His Holiness, and His Word.

“Judgement” in scripture, does not just mean hell, or thunderbolts from God…….it is the rules of conduct formed by a Holy God for the well being of men…..leading Him to decisions of approval and blessing;…..as well as correction.

So God “shall come, and shall not keep silence” (Psalm 50:3).

Psalm 50:7 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.”

(There are many things seeking to rule in the world, so it is very important for us to know that “the mighty God, even the Lord” is our God.

Which means that His might, wisdom, and holiness;…all His attributes have been set as a fortress round about us….as we are in Christ.

Which also means that we are His people;….bound by the laws of love; to hear and obey Him.

It is important to understand…..God is Sovereign over all: in Will and Power…..certainly, to those who believe and trust Him,….

….but He is Sovereign to those who do not; whether they see it or not.

He is in charge….He is from Everlasting to everlasting. He is Almighty, the God of all Grace, the Merciful One, the One who holds the world in the hollow of His hand…

Isaiah 40:25, 28-29 “To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One.

Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard? That the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.”)

God goes on to say to Israel:

Psalm 50:9 “I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy fold:”

(The bullock had to do with whole burnt offerings…which symbolized the person giving themselves to God [Leviticus 1:3].

The he-goats were used in the sin offering [Leviticus 16:9-10])

Isaiah 1:11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? Saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of the he goats.”

God did not want sacrifices which did not mean anything….but only served to make the person look good before others……

….but He wanted the sacrifices to be offered from the person’s heart…..the person looking forward to the coming Christ.

Psalm 51:17, 19 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thy altar.”

If you read Psalm 50:17-20 The Lord corrects those who follow the world’s ways of stealing, lying, and slander. Every Israelite was to treat a fellow Israelite as a brother…..helping him if he could,…..but never hurting him.

Psalm 50:21 “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.”

I will not let you continue to follow the Way of the world, but will correct you as a parent corrects his child.

Then I will show you the right way……hear it….and live.

Isaiah 1:16-17 “Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil:

Learn to do well; seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

Jeremiah 31:33-34. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people.

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for they shall know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord, wherefore I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

(And Jesus promised this in:

John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Paul speaks of this in Hebrews 8:10-12……in Christ Jesus, this new covenant has come to all who believe…Hallelujah!)

In Psalm 50, God speaks to all His own…..all saints.

In this day and age….He calls to His church to judge themselves according to what He said. (John 12:48)

1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

The Lord calls everyone of His, to come to Him….and “come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord….”(Isaiah 1:18).

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the Way everlasting.”

One day the church, and the whole universe will stand in silence, to hear God’s judgements…..”that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19)

He will judge all,….in the righteous balances He holds.

(The born again ones at the Judgement seat of Christ [1 Corinthians 3:11-15]. And the lost, at the White throne judgement [Revelation 20:11-15])

Paul preached this almost nineteen hundred years ago:

Acts 17:30-31 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:

Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man Whom He hath ordained; where of He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him (Jesus) from the dead.”

“Judgement” in scripture, does not just mean hell, or thunderbolts from God…….it is the rules of conduct formed by a Holy God for the well being of men…..leading Him to decisions of approval and blessing;…..as well as correction.

Romans 2:6-7 “Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:”

In that day, I want to hear:

“His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Matthew 25:23

It always comes down to the heart of the matter….what does your heart want?

To honor the Lord, or yourself,…..in this time,….in this place….in this life?

Priscilla and Aquila

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.”

Proverbs 31:30 “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”

Priscilla and Aquila were husband and wife;…..and partners in their tent making, and their spiritual work. (They are always mentioned together)

It does not say that they were converted by Paul, so they might have been born again before meeting him.

Whether that is so, or they became believers in Christ Jesus after meeting Paul, they became a strong, spiritual ally in the work Paul did; and in the early church.

Paul met Priscilla and Aquila in his second missionary journey, (they were tent makers like Paul.)

Yet they had a helpful impact on him throughout his ministry….he speaks of them in his last letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:19). They stayed true to the simple gospel of Christ, and to the believing workers which they met.

Acts 18:1-3 “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome) and came unto them.

And because he (Paul) was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.”

Paul spent one year and six months in Corinth….”teaching the Word of God among them.”

All this time he also worked, looking after his needs and the needs of those workers with him, by tent making.

His preaching was successful, though there was opposition, for the Lord told him: “Be not afraid,….hold not thy peace: for I am with thee,….for I have much people in this city.”

It was not a likely place for the gospel to come; for it was a great city, having hundreds of thousands of people living there. They were notorious for sin….some using as a slang for wonton behavior, elsewhere,……they were “Corinthians”.

Paul went into the synagogue first, to listen…then when the opportunity was given, he preached about the scriptures in the Old Testament about Christ….then finally he preached that Jesus was Christ. (Acts 18:5)

That the One: Jesus Christ, that was crucified at Jerusalem, had been raised from the dead, and was even now at the right hand of God.

And all that would believe on Him, would be saved….fulfilling all the promises that were given their fathers.

When the synagogue rulers cried out against the message….he went to the gentiles….and preached there for a year and a half.

When he left and came to Ephesus; Priscilla and Aquila went with him. He did not at this time stay for long…..though he preached in the synagogue there….but left Priscilla and Aquila to encourage those that believed.

In Ephesus, a man named Apollos came. He had been baptized by John the Baptist and believed that the Jews were to repent and prepare for the Messiah. He was eloquent in the Old Testament scriptures and preached diligently the things John had said about the Lord.

When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and showed him all the things of Jesus Christ; and the Way that Jesus’ death and resurrection, had opened up for all who would believe on Him, by faith.

Instantly he believed, and became a powerful preacher, not just in Ephesus, but in Corinth. (1 Corinthians 1:11-12)

Paul came on his third missionary journey back to Ephesus, and stayed two years:

Acts 19:10 “And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwell in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”

Paul mentions Priscilla and Aquila, and the church at their house in Ephesus, when he writes 1 Corinthians 16:19.

Priscilla and Aquila returned to Rome, after that, and began a church in their house:

Romans 16:3-5a “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Jesus Christ:

Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

Likewise greet the church that is in their house….”

When Paul wrote the Roman church, he includes a special tribute to these two helpers, he knew there. He knew that they would read his letter to the church in their house, and pass it on to others in Rome.

Paul tells that they risked their lives for him….willingly laying aside their safety, putting “their own necks” in danger. (Quite a descriptive phrase, since in the end Paul was beheaded in Rome)

And in the end of Paul’s life, (he was arrested, sent to Rome,….released, and arrested again,….then executed)….he wrote to Timothy that if he could, Timothy should come and bring a cloak (how cold it must have been in prison); and some parchments.

He asks that Timothy salute Priscilla and Aquila, which it seems, had returned to Ephesus in Asia…..and had a church in their house there.

(Perhaps they were sent by Paul, because the churches in Asia were turning away from his instructions….he had warned Ephesus:

Acts 20:29-30 “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”)

They were not in Rome when Paul went before Cesear the second time.

They and another Christian, had remained loyal to the simple gospel Paul preached, when others had begun to assert their own authority, and added philosophy to the gospel….corrupting it. (2 Timothy 1:15)

As Christians, we need to know the gospel of Jesus Christ:

The Son of God came in the flesh,

born of a virgin,

lived a perfect life,

died a sacrifice to God for the sins of the world,

was raised again the third day by the power of God,

and sits at the right hand of God the Father in power, as our Mediator for all who believe on Him, by faith.

We should be able to tell it to others;…..and encourage other believers in the Word.

Priscilla and Aquila were just two people who worked and lived in the time of the early church….but they became a force for God’s Will, and Paul’s encouragement….always having a church in their house….always giving the gospel of Christ Jesus to all who would hear.

Why does God want us to be cold or hot, not lukewarm

Revelation 3:15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.”

What is wrong with lukewarm?

At least it is not cold.

But Jesus says, He would rather have us cold, then lukewarm.

If we were cold, we would know we are far away from Him. (Frankly, the devil likes us to have a little “heat”, rather then for us to know we are lacking)

If we are lukewarm, there is some kind of “heat” within, but it is natural heat from emotions, not the fire of the Holy Spirit making us zealous for God.

(Zealous means “boiling hot”. Revelation 3:19)

And what is wrong with emotional “heat”?

Plainly, it fools us. It deceives us into believing we are Ok with God, when the only thing which is touched is our emotions, which often are high, and then low.

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Our hearts (emotions) are deceitful. They tell us one thing, when the truth is something else.

They say, “We love God.”

But we do not do what He says. Is that love of the Lord?

John 14:21 “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.”

Thankfully God has made a way for His born again ones to become “hot” by the fire of the Holy Spirit within.

Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (will), even to give ever man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

Search means to penetrate into the inner part; to examine intimately.

God promises to get through our wall of self-righteousness and our wall of self-consciousness, that has been erected to keep the Lord at arm’s length.

Then, He and you, will examine together the things (fear, anger, resentment, and hurt) that hinder us from knowing Him as we should.

You see, that is what He wants. You to know Him; who He really is and wants to be to you.

He gives every man “according to his ways.”

Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

If we will get honest with the Lord about our attitudes and hurts; (He will give “accordingly”) He will give you the fruit of the Spirit within you to meet that need.

I would say that most of the hinderances in our spiritual live’s come from mistaken ideas about God and His Will for us.

Is He really like the Egyptian taskmasters? Commanding you to make bricks without straw?

(Remember, after Moses told Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, Pharaoh was furious. So he told the taskmasters over the people to stop giving them straw for the bricks.

But make them go out to gather stubble and make the same number of bricks as before; beating them if they could not. Exodus 5:6-18)

Do you think the Lord is asking you to do what is impossible for you to do?

That He will not give you the knowledge and power by His Holy Spirit, to do what He asks of you? (“…for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13)

Luke 11:13 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

But we must not stifle Him, but yield to Him, within us.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit.”

Quench means “put out”. Paul is telling these here, “Don’t put out the fire of the Holy Spirit

Perhaps you feel, you have too heavy a burden. Then cast it on Jesus.

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”

Psalms 55:22 “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, for He shall sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved (fearful).”

He not only speaks peace, but sustains it within us, as we yield to Him.

You see, it is the Lord’s Will that we work with Him. We are never sent out on our own. He is within us, and He goes before us, to prepare our way.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to save His people from their sins. He saves us, all the way to heaven. Forgiving us, keeping us in peace, giving us joy for sorrow, love for hate, and mostly (this is has been my greatest joy) Himself as our companion.

He will never leave us; but have we left Him for some reason?

Have we let our feelings come between us and Him?

Come, stop being just lukewarm, and get hot, by the fire of His Holy Spirit.

Get honest with Him, and repent.

Get zealous, boiling hot for God. For He is ready to do within you, and for you.

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Would you have this promise? Would you have the opportunities opened to you, or those you are praying for?

The first thing we must do….is ask.

Well, that is nothing new….and it is not.

We need to “ask” for everything. We are so poor, so desperate,….that we are in need of everything from Him.

For without Him, we can do nothing.

We are called to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

And the first thing we need to know is,…….Is what we are asking for, according to His Will?

Well, if it is, then we can continue with the promise, for we will receive an answer.

We can then “seek, that we shall find”

Seeking requires effort.

If you are looking for something in one place, and it is in another place…..no matter how hard you look, you won’t find it there.

You must go where it is….to look for it.

For instance:

There are times that what we ask for…..is right before us.

But we refuse to see it…..because it is not what we think it ought to be, or the way it ought to be.

(I must tell you, I have many a discussion with the Lord about “the way” He is doing things….the people He used to show me things….the times of waiting on Him to speak.)

Simple Example: When my daughter was younger, she had a paper route, she walked around every evening. I was not always home at the time she left, but about half the time I was.

I had been praying about losing a little weight, for my health….as I was getting older, and I thought the Lord would give me directions for diet, or exercises…..but what He said was….”go out on the paper route with your daughter.”

First, I thought this ridiculous (yes, I was the ridiculous one)…..because it was her job, and “I thought” it would be taking some of that responsibility away from her.

But, the Lord insisted….and I went….every time I was home to go. It helped my knees, my breathing…..but it also gave us time to talk…..about something….about nothing things.

And it led to some conversations with other people I had not officially met, and some prayers shared.

Did the Lord know what He was doing? Of course!!! And it was right in front of me the whole time! God is so good!

So we “seek” the means or the way the Lord wants to show us the door, that needs to be opened.

So many examples….

Moses’ shepherd’s rod….just a shepherd’s rod (Exodus 4:2-5)…..but in God’s Way, it was used……before Pharaoh, at the Red Sea, bringing water from the rock, holding it up in battle. (This was a means for Moses….God had him use it all the time)

David before Goliath…..stones and a sling, instead of Saul’s armor. (1 Samuel 17:38-40)

David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem….using the wrong means at first, for they did not seek His Way….but then bringing it up after God’s “due order”, in joy.(2 Samuel 6:3-15)

Daniel praying for Jerusalem…..should he continue, or follow a decree that was wrong, and be thrown into a lion’s den? (Daniel 6:5-23)

Paul and Silas in jail…..when the earthquake came…..they remained in jail, not moving until the Lord gave permission….to the saving of a jailer.(acts 16:25-34)

And my daughter and I. Our relationship was good….but so much better after I began to go out with her……an opened door that would not have been,…..had I rejected God’s Word to me.

When we find the door, we are to “knock” at the “door”.

This is the doing, the obedience to God’s answer; for He will open it at the right time.

When we ask…..we are to receive the answer. Sometimes that is it…..the answer given, we are done.

In some cases, we need to seek the means for further instruction as to how to find the door we need to knock on.

Some prayer seems simple: This person is troubled….”Lord help them find an answer, or comfort.”

But what if the Lord shows you that you are to seek a promise to claim for them…

Then, when you have it,…..you are to knock with that promise till the “door” is opened….whether it is a door within them….opened more to Jesus;

Or a “door” of opportunity,…a “door” of forgiveness,…..a “door” of liberty.

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.”

It is not calling Jesus, Lord…..but it is doing the Will of the Father that counts.

When the Lord Jesus has my will….then He will use my will to bring His Will to pass…..many different ways….but all His Way.

Because our Wills are One with His.

How many “doors” are still shut in our lives, or the lives of others……because we are not going the full way with the Lord,……and seeking,….and knocking?

Are You Listening?

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

If any man (person) hear My Voice.

Are we hearing what Jesus is saying to us? Each day?

Jesus said:

Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and to whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”

Take heed how ye hear.

If we have been born again, then we, as His children are to hear what He is telling us by His Holy Spirit through the Word, or by direct communication in our spirits.

He speaks to us.

The promise here is: If you have the Holy Spirit within you, and have heard Him; more will be given you. More light, more ability, more knowledge, more everything we need.

And this is because we hear Him.

But the promise also says: If you are one who has heard the invitation of Christ Jesus, and answered it with all the right words.

But it has been just that, an answer of words; not an answer of a life open to and receptive to Christ.

Then that which he “seems to have”, he does not.

[Not that that person can not be saved by opening their heart to Jesus Christ, but that, they have not, as yet, been.]

Remember, when Jesus Christ saves a life, He claims that life.

He will not be used as a “fire escape” from Hell; but He is a Savior, from sin.

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.”

That is me, being saved from my sins……and you, being saved from your sins. We each are sinners…..with our own particular leaning toward certain sins. Each of us has a “besetting sin” (Hebrews 12:1) which gives us a lot of trouble. Yet He saves us from our sins…..all of them, by cooperating with the power of His Holy Spirit within us.

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

When we are saved; from that time on we are bought with a price and no longer our own.

Luke 8:16 “No man, when he hath lighteth a candle, cover it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.”

This is what we are to do with what we hear: light a candle.

By our obedience to what Jesus says, we are manifesting Him in this lost world. We are lighting a candle.

It is amazing when you go into a dark room…really dark. Blackness seems to surround you. Then to light a candle, there, will make the darkness flee.

True, the whole room will not be as light, as it is around the candle; but it will force the darkness into the corners, away from the light….even a small one, like a candle.

Raise that lit candle up, and more light will be shone around, for you are not blocking the light, but it shines all around.

Amazing, right? The Lord Jesus uses this example for that very reason: a candle can bring a lot of light, if it is placed where “they which enter in may see the light.”

In another place, Jesus accused the religious lawyers of hindering those which would “enter in” to the kingdom of God. (Luke 11:52)

Let us not do this. Instead let us hear Him, and recieve the light He gives by His Word, and Holy Spirit; and then let us shine the light, by holding up Christ Jesus to others.

Ephesians 4:21 “If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:”

Are we hearing Him? Are we learning from what we have heard? Are we holding on to it, and sharing Christ?

(Years; yes, lots of years, ago, I was called to preach. I had recently been brought back to God; my rebellion and sin forgiven, and taken care of. I had started to go to church, and after a while I had been asked to sing a song for the church services.

I sang “Trust and Obey”.

Well, I sang it, and sat down; and the minister had his message. Then the Lord Jesus called me to be a preacher!

I could not believe it; me? The way I had been? This must be some mistake!

But the Lord spoke plainly to me: “You sang it [Trust and Obey], now, do it!”

So I went forward and committed my life to be a preacher of God’s Word.)

Jesus Christ always shows us the truth, for He is Truth.

And as we face the truth, He gives us grace.

Grace is the unmerited favor of power: the power in our lives, to bring us to the place where we willingly do what He has said…to be obedient to all His words to us.

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

Will we receive Christ Jesus as Savior of our sin?

Will we hear His voice, and learn of Him?

Will we answer His call to lift our lights, and shine them in this dark world?

Well, if we will, He has everything we need.

He can tell us everything we need.

He is everything we need……and He will lead us into more of Him everyday.

Thou art Worthy

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

For Thou hast created all things: Jesus as the Son of God created all things by the Word of His mouth.

He is the Word. (John 1:1-3)

And Jesus as the Son of Man brought back all that was lost at the fall to Himself; and for us.

1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

So what is there for me to consider about this?

What is His personal Pleasure for me? (And “Pleasure” here, means “determination” in the Greek.)

Not just where I am to go, but how am I to get there? What am I to become along the Way?

In all my days and all the circumstances of those days, there must be a plan, and a purpose to look to.

One thing I believe our ministry is to stress: Above all else Jesus Christ requires obedience from His own.

1 Samuel 15:22 “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

No amount of religious activity will ever take the place of Obedience.

For this act of placing yourself with Him, and doing what He says now; pleases Him most.

Human evil comes from Adam’s refusal to obey the one rule the Creator laid down. (Sin is, in all its actions, “I will not do what You say, I will not be what You want me to be.”)

This was the cause of man’s fall into sin. And the force behind it was the devil.

But now that we are redeemed;…and we are redeemed for a purpose.

And that purpose is to show forth His glory (the manifesting of His light and power) in our circumstances.

And obedience is the instrument by which this is accomplished.

Will we be children of Adam, and say no to God’s Will; refusing to obey?

Or will we be children of God, and say yes to His Purpose; now.

For it always comes down to….now.

We are to bear fruit, as branches in the Vine.

Fruit, more fruit, and much fruit.

(There are two kinds of fruit: the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and the fruit of a Christian, which is another Christian by our witnessing, praying, or soul winning)

John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman.

Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit; He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

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

We are all to bear fruit to God’s glory. It is by abiding in Him, that we have His life flowing through us, to others.

But how do we “abide” in Him?

John 15:10 “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.”

We abide by obeying His Word to us.

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

This is a great promise to those who have the “sap” (life of Christ) flowing through us.

By obeying His Word, we may ask what we will (for we will His Will), and it will be done unto us.

Not for us, or through us…..but unto us. For our personal growth in Him.

We have a lack? Ask, and it will be done unto us.

Christ created us for His pleasure: the way we are is what He intended.

(I can not tell you how many arguments I used to have with the Lord about “the way I am.” If He had only made me less anxious; or if I had a more sunny disposition, etc.)

But here is where the “unto you” , comes in.

God made me: with the parents I had, the circumstances I had to go through, all things were made for His pleasure where I was concerned.

So…and here is the great part: I can abide in Him, and ask Him for the things I need to be different, to be more like He is;…..And He will do it unto me.

He is Worthy! To be praised, for we are offered the great privilege of abiding, obeying, and receiving from our great Lord Jesus Christ, personally.

Mercy

Hosea 6:6 “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

This was the Lord’s exhortation through His prophet…..to try and explain to His people, that if the heart’s honor to God was not with the sacrifice….it was nothing to Him.

How often the Lord has said this.

It is always a matter of our heart’s attitude to God, and His Word to us.

Mercy here in the Hebrew is “hesed”. It is a word that speaks of brotherly affection and loyalty, for those who belong to the family of God.

We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ,…..because we love God,….and because He loves us.

Matthew 12:7 “But if ye had known what this meaneth, I would have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless.”

Jesus spoke, quoting this verse in Hosea, because of the hardness of the Pharisee’s hearts…..He knew they were just trying to prove Him wrong….their accusations about His disciples, had nothing to do with honoring God’s Word.

His disciples were going through a grain field, and plucking off ears to eat, since they were hungry.

They were not harvesting the crop, or picking and putting it in their pockets; but just eating, for hunger.

But the Pharisees, seizing upon something, accused Jesus’ disciples; thereby trying to bring rebuke upon Jesus.

They had not “profaned the Sabbath”, by working;……but a false accusation was the only way they had of trying to slander Jesus.

Mercy is the goodness of God to His sinful creatures.

There is temporal mercy:

He makes the sun to shine upon the good and the wicked.

He sends rain to nourish the crops of both. (Matthew 5:44-45). This mercy He gives to all.

But spiritual mercy has to do with Christ, and all we have in Him;….even though we are sinners. Saved sinners.

He sends us forgiveness and the cleansing of the conscience.

He sends us grace (the unmerited favor of power) for our lives. Not just special days, but grace for everyday.

Titus 3:4-6 “But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;”

Mercy for His own is “abundant mercy”……He does not hold back, but gives according to His Will, as we need it…..and receive it.

The sacrifices of the Old Testament times, were to show that the people desired to have forgiveness from God…..and a part with the Messiah to come.

But the outward sacrifice, without the inward repentance, or love to God; was worthless. How often God told them of this!

He said:

Jeremiah 7:21-23 “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel; put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

But this thing commanded I them, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

(The first command the Lord gave them after coming out of Egypt, was:

Exodus 15:25-26 “…There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them.

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

He did not institute sacrifices, until making a covenant with them at Sinai.)

He was saying,

“You might as well take your sacrifices home and eat them there. They are not doing you any good, though they cost you a pretty penny.

Better, take them to the poor neighbors, and give what you pretend to sacrifice to Me, to them.

I am not seeing them. I am not accepting them. I am not accepting you.”

What He wanted, was for them to act like they should: Love God, Obey Him, and do good to their fellowman, as they could.

Jeremiah 7:2-3,5-7 “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, O ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, The God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings, if ye throughly execute judgement between a man and his neighbor; (not take bribes, or side with the rich)

If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt;

Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, forever and ever.”

He called upon Judah, to “amend” their ways……to change them to His Ways.

To treat each other with the love of brothers, for that is what they were.

Jesus Christ wants us to show mercy to others, as He has shown mercy to us:

As wide as our sins have been; His forgiveness and love are wider still.

So we are to manifest His mercy through us, to others,……for His sake.

Our Souls

Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.”

Our souls are what make us, as human beings, unique.

The Bible says that God “formed” us, and breathed into us the breath of life, which was the Holy Spirit, and we became a living soul.

None other was so formed, or breathed upon. (All other creation was spoken into being.)

We are unique.

The soul is the place of our personality.

I believe our souls are the most important thing in His creation; for He paid such a high price to buy it back again for Himself.

Our personalities are naturally “formed” in the world by our parents, place we live, friends or family, and what happens to us.

But when we are born again, our souls,……our personality can be molded into the character of Christ Jesus.

They are freed from the restrains of sin, anger, fear, jealousy, etc.;……and us, the true us, under the help of the Holy Spirit can shine through.

[Our spirit is the abode of the Holy Spirit when we are born again. He dwells within us as our Comforter: guiding, instructing, and helping us.

As we yield to Him, His influence is felt through our spirits into our souls, and bodies; and we are changed (conformed) to Christ’s image (character) Romans 8:29.

Our bodies are the “time clocks” of our existence. When they fail and stop, so do we, here.]

The characteristics of the soul are many; but come down to three major faculties.

The mind: our thoughts—those which come and go quickly; and those which linger and are built upon, in our imaginations, or meditations.

The heart: our affections and emotions—desire for things, as well as true love come from here.

The will: our “action-packed” faculty. For what we will to do, we do.

We may “wish to”, or dream after; but nothing will ever get done until the will wills to do it.

God says:

Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give Me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways.”

1 Peter 1:13 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”

Our hearts are uniquely made for the Son of God to dwell there.

They are made to love Him, and know His peaceful, powerful Presence.

Our minds are uniquely made to search Him out in the scriptures, by prayer and fellowship, and to take in His Word to us,…..understanding it by the light of the Holy Spirit.

The Lord has said:

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

Proverbs 4:26 “Ponder (think about) the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.”

God is Faithful.

He has not left us as spiritual orphans; but has given us His Holy Spirit in our spirits, to help us be all we are meant to be, in Christ Jesus.

Let us yield to His influence within our hearts,……and the Word of God by our minds,…..and will to be conformed to Christ in our circumstances….for that is His saving power; here and now, and for eternity.

Yield is like giving in to the current of power.

Sometimes it feels like a rushing wave,….

….others like a hand in your hand,…..others like a look from the Lord to you: each, calling you, drawing you on with Him.

But we must yield.

Our souls (mind, heart, and will) must yield to the Holy Spirit within;…..then we are growing,…..then we are empowered,…..then we are His obedient servants.

Eve, and Us

1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

As my daughter was giving a Sunday school lesson on Eve, it struck me that Eve was taken out of Adam (his rib); and made a into a woman;……

……to be to him something he needed more….a partner….a helpmeet….a companion in all his life.

Genesis 2:21-22, 24 “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof.

And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

And as born again believers, we are put back into Christ to be His bride, and friend, and helpmeet for Him and His work.

Romans 12:5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another.”

Revelation 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.”

We become members together of His mystical body, here on earth….showing Christ Jesus wherever we go.

1 Corinthians 12:12 “For as the body is one, and hath many members and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

Eve was made a separate person, to show that the personalities of man and woman, could unite…..in the work God called them to do.

Adam was as responsible for Eve, as he was his own body….to take care of her, guide and direct her (if he had done this, she would have turned away from the temptation of the devil…..to get his help), and love her as he would himself.

Ephesians 5:28 “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”

So believers (each of us personally and together)…..is put into Christ’s mystical body to show that Christ has taken responsibility for us……to take care of, guide and direct, and love us…..as He does Himself.

And yet, we are separate personalities, each fitted into their place in His body….to show that we can unite with our Lord…..in the work God has called us to do.

Ephesians 5:25-27, 29-30 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;

That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,

That He might present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.

For no man ever yet hateth his own flesh; but nourished and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.”

There is a fullness in the Purpose of God……what Adam lost, by not fulfilling his duty, and yielding to sin….

……Christ has regained in power; because He has paid my penalty and debt…..and has taken me into Himself in union (by faith and love)……

…..and more so…..for He has empowered me by His Holy Spirit to regain also, the place of helpmeet to Christ Jesus.

To speak for Him,…..to act for Him,…..

…..and He is the lover of my soul. (“Set me as a seal upon Thine heart, as a seal unto Thine arm:…” Song of Solomon 8:6)

Eve was taken out of Adam, to become a different kind of support (the rib cage supports the back, and covers the inner organs).

She was to support him spiritually, by learning about and obeying God. (A faithful wife is a wonderful thing.)

She was to support him emotionally, by encouraging him to be God’s servant and friend. (Not tempting him to sin, as she had done.)

She was to support him physically, by being where she was suppose to be,…..not wandering off to look at a tree she knew was not to be eaten of.

We, believers, are put back into Christ, to become a new creature….all things should become new within us (2 Corinthians 5:17)….

That we should be to His praise and glory, in our lives….

That we should honor Him and His Word, in obedience….

That we should overcome, by the faith He has placed within us….and be one with Him.

John 17:21-23 “That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.

And the glory that Thou gavest Me I have given unto them, that they may be one, even as We are one:

I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.”

Eve, and us, as believers:

God’s purpose lost in Eve…..and can be regained in us…..for we are in Him.

We are called to “come….in the unity of the faith”….

Ephesians 4:13, 15 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

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

Will we come to Christ, and fulfill the work as His helpmeet?

(Let me say here, that if Adam had fulfilled his duty to Eve; she would not have been at the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil….to be tempted of the devil.

And let me also declare, that the Lord will never forsake us….nor neglect His duty to us….who He loves.

He will never will He leave us….never will He let us go……but He will:

1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.”)