Paul’s Practical Preaching

Paul had begun this last bit of Romans, not with more doctrine, but with the practical.

How we are to live in this world, as Christians; belonging to Christ.

In Romans 12:1-2, Paul shows that presenting your bodies to God, and refusing to be conformed to the world, will strengthen you to find and do the will of God in your life.

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Paul was saying that God has given every man, by His Holy Spirit, a “measure” of faith and grace.

(We can, as Peter said in 2 Peter 1:5 “…add to your faith…”. This will increase our measure, so we “grow in grace”. We learn to use what we have, by the Holy Spirit’s instruction, and are given more.)

Our “measure” is given to us; so we should not be proud that we know something, but instead, we should use that measure of faith to:

Romans 12:6-18: “…according to the grace that is given…” we are to do the work God has given us to do.

Let love be true, and not phony:….turn away from evil……love the good.

Be kind to one another,…..preferring the fellowship of believers.

Working hard to do our job, because we serve the Lord in it.

Yield to the joy of the Spirit, and be steadfast in the trials of the day.

Pray always.

Minister to the needs of others, as you are told: both spiritual and temporal.

Bless those who seek our hurt. Do not seek revenge.

Be honest. And try and live at peace with all men.

How can we do these things?

They seem impossible!

And in our own strength, they are. But God has given, with the measure of faith….a Leader to show us how and when to do….but also to give us the grace and inclination to do….He has given us His Holy Spirit.

We must go back to:

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

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

You see, it all starts with giving ourselves to God. It says “bodies”, here; to illustrate how we need to yield to the Holy Spirit within.

The Lord Jesus was given a body to come to earth and suffer and die, and be raised again…..in His body.

But the Holy Ghost, the Comforter,…..has come to earth, without a body….but instead to indwell and empower our bodies (which include our spirit, soul, and body).

Paul is saying here, that we are to “present”…..which in the Greek means to “stand by, to be at hand, to offer something intangible (our friendship, ourselves)” to God the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will then take our offering, and work with us to perform the will of God, and to mold us into the likeness of Christ’s character.

Our hands need to be His; not doing things which they should not.

Our feet need to be His; not going places we should stay out of.

Our mouths need to be His; not saying unkind things or lying.

We could go on,……but you see the reason Paul said this.

We need to give ourselves, inside and out, to the Holy Spirit; so we are no longer under our own management….but fully yielded to Him.

But thankfully when we do: we are “transformed” (changed) in motive ,…..in the inner most thoughts and attitudes of my being.

And then given power to “prove” His Will…..by doing it.

How good and acceptable it is in our lives!

He wants us to get “our measure” of all we need,…..to live the life He has for us.

A life of goodness and power.

Will we present our bodies to Him?

Do we have sure footing?

Ephesians 6:15 “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”

The Roman hobnail sandal’s were made of leather….coming all the way up the calf. They had very small spikes on the bottom for gripping the ground when in march or battle.

And these describe what Paul says is the Gospel of peace.

In the Christian life, we need sure footing.

If we are to walk and resist the Adversary of our souls,…….that solid footing is provided in the Gospel of peace.

There is a place of rest, and peace of mind, for every Christian.

It is God’s hiding place for every believer…..

Psalm 32:7 “Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;

Thou shalt compass me about with psalms and deliverance. Selah.

Psalm 119:114 “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy Word.”

Isaiah 32:2 “And a Man shall be a hiding place from the wind, and covert from the tempest; and as rivers of water in a dry place, as a shadow of a great Rock in a weary land.”

If we do not learn to depend upon the promises of God, and receive His peace……..then we will not have sure footing to be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

The devil will knock us off balance,…..with accusations of past sins, or doubt,……and we will be on the ground, before we know it.

Worry, anxiety, trouble, or fear……meet all these with a promise from His Word.

One that you can get a hold of……and that can get a hold of you, by the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit’s assurance of Christ’s Word is very important.

The Bible is full of promises….which we can claim.

But one given by the Spirit to our spirit in the midst of trouble or battle, is precious. And must be held on to.

The Lord wants to garrison or guard you about with peace….His peace.

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God which passeth understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

This is of the Holy Spirit….not something we do, but what He does within us…..so that we can get our “footing” in this situation.

John 14:26-27 “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.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

But we must will with Him, for the battle rages around our minds, hearts and wills.

It says, “Let not”….”neither let it”.

These are acts of our will. We are staying hidden in His peace. (This is not presumption: for we have His Word. Nor is it indifference: for we will do anything the Lord wants done concerning the matter.)

Therefore, when we will with Him, letting Him do as He wills, in His time, in His way….then the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, will teach us (again and again, if need be) about His peace….and surround us with it…….and keep us till we receive the promise.

The Holy Spirit will garrison, or guard us….with His peace.

John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.”

Peace comes to us by the Holy Spirit…..and it is that assurance that God knows our situation…..and He has a plan of deliverance for it.

That is the sure-footing that we need in this world…..God’s Spirit helping us “dig in” and “hold on” to God’s Word….till we get the promise.

Manasseh

Manasseh was one of the Bible’s worst persons: he was a king, born into luxury and position.

Loved of his father, Hezekiah, who was a Godly king.

As a matter of fact, years before, when Hezekiah was going to die; he prayed that he might live. That God would extend his life.

He had no son, and wanted to have an heir, before he died.

Manasseh was the result.

From the first, he departed from the ways of his father. And forsook the worship of God, for idols.

The pleasures of this life was all he was interested in;……that, and leading others into the same sin.

2 Kings 21:1-2 “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign,…

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.”

2 Kings 21:6 “And he made his sons pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.”

He destroyed those who spoke out against him, and became worse and worse in “having his own way”.

2 Chronicles 33:10. “And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.”

How often it is, that sin leads to more sin. We can begin by getting angry, and the next minute, we can be thinking about getting even.

We can begin by speeding, and end up endangering others.

Sin is addictive; that is why we need our Savior, Jesus Christ, to save us from it. (Matthew 1:21)

The blood that Manasseh shed, (it is supposed that he killed Isaiah for preaching against him) and the idols he worshipped, brought the curse of God onto the nation of Judah.

2 Kings 21:16 “Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end unto another; besides his sin where with he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

2 Kings 21:11-12 “Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:

Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle.”

Yet….

And this is amazing grace….Manasseh repented.

2 Chronicles 33:11-12 “Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,”

To “humble ourselves” in the Hebrew is to “bend the knee” or submit to God.

This is what Manasseh had never done. He had not submitted to anyone or anything.

No matter what image he had brought and set up; there was always something else to seek after.

For none of them satisfied Manasseh’s real desire.

He had used power to do what he wanted, when he wanted, as he wanted; no matter who got hurt in the process. (Remember he sacrificed his own children.)

God, the true God,…..was to be sought, heard, and obeyed;…..not refused and rebelled against. And there is usually a time limit to our rebellion: either repentance….or destruction.

God knows how to bring down a person’s pride.

And how to finally awaken the person to His claims,…….upon the life He gave us.

(For some, it comes in rebukes: to back-strike with words, to get them into the way of life.

For some, it comes in chastening: things happen that would not have happened had we heard His rebuke….sometimes to others we love…..sometimes to ourselves.

All so that we will not continue our mad dash toward death.

For Manasseh….nothing affected him,…….until he was afflicted.)

2 Chronicles 33:13 “And prayed unto Him: and was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.

Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God.”

Repentance brought him to the place he needed to be: saved from his sins by belief in God.

And brought him to his kingdom again. This time he was in subjection to God, bringing back the worship of God to Judah; whereby saving many of his people.

2 Chronicles 33:15-16 “And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.”

Peace offerings! Because he had found peace with God. (So can we. Romans 5:1-2)

Thank offerings! Because he had finally found true satisfaction in God.

James writes:

James 4:6. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Grace is the unmerited favor of power in our lives, by Jesus Christ our Lord.

He has power for us: everyday power to live for Him, and enjoy the peace and joy, He only can give.

And power to save and deliver us from the worst sins.

He can save to the uttermost those that call upon Him, and come to Him….He did Manasseh.

Subjection to God

“Subjection” means that you bring your whole being under the authority and power of someone or something else.

As Christians, we should be in subjection to God. Notice, it says…”you bring yourself under the authority and power”.

This is an act of our will…..willing with God….willingly.

Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

A victorious Christian should not feel resentment. So, at any time we are feeling resentful, we are not victorious.

There is no such thing as effortless Christianity…..for we are called to a walk, and a work, for each of us.

We are called to:

Shelter under the Blood (Exodus 12:5-7, 13)

“Rise up and come away” with Christ (Song of Solomon 2:10)

To “follow Me (Jesus), and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

To “giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue…knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. (2 Peter 1:5-8)

To “Stand, and having done all to stand”. (Ephesians 6:13)

To “finish my course” (Acts 20:24)

These are things which we are to follow Christ into….but there are things that hinder that following……and resentments is a big one.

(In Hebrews 13:15 it is called “root of bitterness”. Resentment means that you have been hurt or offended…..and kept it in your heart.)

In our everyday situations, there are so many things which come at us…….unexpectedly.

Sudden losses, or words said….which can not be unsaid, or flashes of anger for slights, or sadness.

Everyday there is a time in our walk with Christ, that we can have the victory,….or not.

(I know some people do not like to say “have the victory”, because they think it stresses that we are to “go out and gain the victory”.

No, Christ won the victory for us on Calvary….and in His resurrection He bore our names on His hands and stands before the Father, as Mediator for us.

But….we are to enter into that victory. He has it for us….but are we getting it into our day to day lives? Remember that victory is by faith, and faith always sees God in any situation.)

The way we enter into faith’s victory……is by subjection.

[Proverbs 21:29 “A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.”

What this means is:

the wicked man (those who will not consider and submit to God in their lives) will make their hearts as stones. They will not forgive, they will not show mercy, they write the wrongs done them in the stones of their hearts….and will not forget.

But the upright (those who seek God and His way) will direct their hearts to do what God wants about these things;…and not let their emotions rule.]

Subjection is taking our place in any given situation….before God, Who is there. When we do, joy and victory are offered…..will we enter into it?

Resentful thoughts must be “taken captive” to the obedience of Christ. This is not just doing, because we “have to”……but doing for Christ sake.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)

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

If we are to remain quiet….we do so.

If we are to say something…we do so.

The Way we go in our lives, becomes simply obeying Christ….and leaving the results….and the consequences in His hands.

And how does this deal with resentment?

Simply, by removing the reason we have them.

If Christ is in control….and we are His servants, doing as He wills….then whatever other people say or do, is between them and God….not them and me.

If we keep resentments away from our thoughts, and hearts…..we have a great victory….and joy!

And if we already have resentments against someone or something;….we are to come in honesty…..telling God everything….our side and theirs….and about our hurt, and anger, and…..even about the fact we do not want to forgive.

We are not only to tell Him,…..but listen to what He says….asking for grace—great grace—to set these resentments, and bitterness, right.

That is right: in you…..with God…..with yourself….and with the situation and person, as the Lord requires.

We think of great acts of might, or power, in doing God’s Will…….when God thinks of our subjection to Him and His Will…..in love, yielding to His grace within…..and having the victory in our everyday lives….to His glory.

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

Quench not the Spirit.”

If we would be in subjection to God, we must obey Him…..and receive from His hand all that comes to us…..because we want to obey.

And we should thank Him…..in everything.

I have tried to make it a habit….that when I ask for something….I also praise Him for what He has already done.

It gives me balance….I am taking my eyes off of what I want, and onto Who He is, and what He has done.

Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

He Knows

2 Chronicles 6:30 “Then hear Thou from heaven Thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest; (for Thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men;)“

He knows us; will we seek Him out in all our ways?

As Christians, we should grab a hold of all of God’s Word to us;…….and of what He will do for us.

That He knows us, our feelings, our troubles, our situation, our plans; should be a fortress around us.

Psalm 44:21 “Shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.”

He Knows.

Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.”

2 Peter 2:9 “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,….”

God knows everything about us. How great a comfort this would be, if we let it.

Job 23:10 “But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

This says that the trials that come to us, are allowed by His hand, to bring us closer to Him.

If they are from our own folly and sin;…….then they are to bring us back to Him, and to His care.

Psalm 41:4 “I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against Thee.”

If they are sent from Him as a hurtle in our way;…..then He wants to show us, that He will supply the ability to jump it.

Psalm 18:29-30 “For by Thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried (tried and proved): He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.”

But in some trials, He knows also how much we can grow, now: so….

Psalm 103:14 “ For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.”

John 16:12 “I have yet many things to say unto you (His disciples), but ye cannot bear them now.”

God knows, and He helps us to know ourselves:

Psalm 139:1-4 “O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsittings and my uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compasseth my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether.”

The psalmist saw that God knew, and saw everything about him!

It was a comfort that God saw him even in the womb,….and every time since.

Since God knew him; he understood that God would not lose him in the crowd. God would not forget him.

God would not leave him, even because of his sin;…..but lead him like a child with His hand:

Psalm 139:10 “Even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me.”

And so he praised Him for His thoughts of him:

Psalm 139:17 “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!”

God knows us, what we need (both spiritually and physically),…….and the way we will grow closer to Him.

(For each of us there is a way. Some need more attention here, and others need more attention there. Each child of God is seen to according to that need).

This should be a safe place to rest, in every situation: I may not know; but God does…and He will surely lead me on.

Luke 12:30-32 “For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Let us seek after Him, that knows; and rest in His will and Word.

Always to Pray

Luke 18:1 “ And He (Jesus)spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

To faint means to weaken in purpose, to languish, to give up.

In other words, we are to continue to pray, and not give up the purpose of our prayers, even when they are not answered right away.

Then He tells this story:

Luke 18:2-3 “…There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.”

Here are the two persons involved in Jesus parable:

A judge, who could do what he wanted in his court. (Probably a Roman judge, because Jewish judges were in threes). Who cared about no one; not God or man. But he only cared for himself.

And a widow, who was usually the poorest and lowest of the decent people in the city. She would have no family to speak for her, no money to bribe this judge; so she did what she could do to get relief from the one who was harassing her.

She asked this judge to “Avenge her”. This would have been like a restraining order today. Something to keep her enemy from doing her damage.

This is like prayer?

Yes, for we shall see, she prevailed, not because of the kindness of the judge….he had none.

Not because she had influential friends…she did not.

But because she kept coming back and asking him, and asking him, and asking him.

Luke 18:4-5 “And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, though I fear not God, nor regard man;

Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”

This “weary” here, means that she might ruin his reputation.

Since he cared for no one, but himself; he answered her request because of selfish motives.

He did not want her to make him look bad,……by being in his court so often.

So he gave her that restraining order against her adversary, just to get rid of her.

Christ Jesus says that God shall avenge His people, when they pray the same way: with diligence for an answer, against our Adversary, the devil.

He interrupts our prayers, tries to make us tired of praying, gives us doubts, reminds us of our sins, etc.

Luke 18:7-8 “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

To stay after God for our prayers, shows we really want what we pray for.

And that we believe He will answer us.

That is faith, for it holds on to God for an answer.

Heavenly Father, avenge me of my adversary.

Christ Jesus honors faith in Him. (And again, faith holds on to God.)

For faith honors God.

In this world of troubles (and who can say they do not have some), Jesus says we are “always to pray, and not to faint”.

Don’t weaken in wanting My Purpose….but….

Hang on to Me, He says; I hear,…..and will avenge or restrain your Adversary.

And I, if I be lifted up

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.”

Jesus is speaking about His coming death on the cross….lifted up, between earth and heaven….for whosoever will, to see and believe:

His suffering and agony, His blood, the title above His head (written in several languages) “the King of the Jews”, and His death.

In apparent defeat,…..He would come into a position to draw all men unto Him by the power of His sacrifice, and resurrection.

He was the Son of God, who died to take away the sins of the world.

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

John 3:14-15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

“Life” is what is promised to those who turn, believing, to Christ Jesus.

John 10:10 “…..: I am come that they might have life, and they might have it more abundantly.”

As “Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness”…..this is when the children of Israel, which were bitten by the “fiery servants”;…..and were cured and “lived” by looking up to the brass serpent, Moses stuck on a pole in the middle of the camp of Israel.

(The story: Israel was nearing their journey’s end….but discouragement lead them to murmur and complain.

Now to complain about the hardness of the journey, was one thing….but they said, “…our soul loatheth this light bread.”

They brought the manna, into their arguement with God’s Ways.

Manna was that heavenly bread (it was small grain which tasted of wafers made with honey Exodus 16:31)…..sent day by day for their needs.

But they complained of the Way…..then loathed the goodness of God; a very serious thing.

So God sent fiery serpents to bite the people and many of them died.

[How many times have I complained to God about something….then…things got a lot worse;……and I realized how blessed I had been, before.

How many times have I had to confess this murmuring spirit of mine.]

They confessed their sin….but there was no cure for the bites….until God told Moses:

Numbers 21:8-9 “And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole; and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”

It required them to believe God, and look up to the provision He made. When they did, they were healed.

[It was a serpent of brass….taking on the form of the curse….but having no poison, no sting….which represents Christ. He took our sin on Him, though He knew no sin, that we might be the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21])

And if we believe God, and look up to Christ Jesus, we are healed from sin and it’s destructive power upon us…..and are saved.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Eternal Life is a condition of life, began when we were born again…..and going on through this life, and all eternity, with God.

And every time we murmur or complain….and are chastened for it….we can look up and believe our blessed Lord again…..for He will heal our hearts, and minds….if we look again to Him.

Christ Jesus came to save all who will come to Him…..and believing is coming.

Will you look up to Christ, and live?

The Children of Wrath

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

I have been exercised a great deal lately about anger. It is not just other people’s anger…..although there seems to be so much of that….but it is my anger.

How easily I can begin to be angry! Silly things, which are trivial, should never make me angry.

Impatient, perhaps,……but angry….no.

Praying about this, I was struck by this verse….and how much it says!

“We all had our conversation (our walk) in times past….and were by nature the children of wrath..”

Anger is a natural part of our being….it came with the nature of sin from our first parents: Adam and Eve, and their disobedience.

(Cain, the first born son of Adam and Eve, became angry….refusing God’s warning about this sin (Genesis 4:5-7)……he became the first murderer.)

Proverbs 29:22 “An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.”

But, as Christians,…..far from excusing us,….this merely shows us the extent of the lust of the flesh….for anger has to do with “me”, or “mine”….and how things affect me.

As Christians, we have a new nature….received when we were born again.

It is Christ’s nature, implanted within us by the Holy Spirit.

Paul writes, “That we should put off concerning the former conversation the old man…..and that ye put on the new man, which….is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:22,24)

And then he says,….

Ephesians 4:26 “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:”

Set those things, that make you angry, right with God.

The Holy Spirit enables us to live spiritually, not naturally, in our everyday lives.

Ephesians 4:30-32 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

(I am going to share a verse with you, that the Lord showed me a long time ago. I have preached on it many times since….for it is an amazing revelation!)

Hebrews 12:14-15 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord:

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

How can we “fail of the grace of God”? By not using it. The Holy Spirit supplies it,…..but when we refuse to use it, and side with ourselves against God’s Way…..we “fail” of it.

We think of God’s power ripping through things, changing things….this way and that;….and it has….and does…….but God often limits His power (grace) to…..how much we receive it at His hands.

Example:

Mark 6:5-6 “And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

And He marveled because of their unbelief, and He went around about the villages, teaching.”

Jesus had come back into the country of Nazareth, and when it was the Sabbath….He came to the synagogue and taught.

You would think that they would be excited to hear Him, (a hometown boy made good)……since He had performed miracles and healed many, in other places.

And they acknowledged His works…..it was Who He was that offended them.

It was His authority……He was the Messiah…the Son of God…..and He was telling them how God is.

And they refused to receive this grace offered them in this synagogue……and by doing so….refused Him.

(And how many times have we heard people say Jesus was a “good person”….but when it came to acknowledging Him as the Son of God….they refuse.

And what of us…..do we refuse to submit to His authority? Are we amazed at His miracles….and….are we submitting to His authority, as well?)

But no, they became “offended”……not because of His works….but because of Who He was, to them……so they refused His words, and His works, as well.

Mark 6:2-3 “And when the Sabbath day was come, He began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing Him were astonished saying, From whence hath this man these things? And what wisdom is this that is given unto Him, that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands?

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him.”

They saw His Wisdom……they knew His hands worked the miracles they’d heard about…..

…….but they refused His grace to believe what all these things showed: that He was the Messiah, the Christ of God…….

….they refused to believe it……and in anger, set about to kill Him.

In Luke, it says about the same visit to Nazareth:

Luke 4:28-30 “And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

And rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong.

But He, passing through the midst of them, went His way.”

And He, Jesus, the Son of God, could do no mighty work there,…..And He marveled at their unbelief.

Jesus limited Himself to their receiving Him….

And Jesus often limits the grace given….to how much we receive it at His hand.

How much of our anger as Christians is because we refuse to receive His Word,…..His Way,……which leads us to refuse Him, and His grace offered to us?

Let us stop getting angry at God….

Let us receive and keep receiving what the Holy Spirit wants to work within us…..even when we would rather put up with ourselves (our reasons, our thoughts, our feelings).

Let us open up our hearts everyday to Him, His Word, His Way, and His grace by His Holy Spirit…..putting away anger, bitterness, wrath, etc.

And taking all the grace we can…….to stay close to Him.

Elisha and the cruse of Salt.

2 Kings 2:19 “And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is nought, and the ground barren.”

The city of Jericho was situated near the Jordan River; it was a beautiful city, but the spring water that watered the land was bitter and caused the crops to fail.

Jericho was rebuilt under a curse. (Joshua 6:26). I am only mentioning this because the world system we live in, is also under a curse.

One day there will be a new heaven and earth, but now we are called to live here for Christ Jesus.

To “build” here,……as though this was our final home, and not keep our hearts for Heaven,……will cause any Christian to be barren, and not produce the fruit of joy and peace in the soul.

The men of Jericho, hearing that Elisha had been anointed by the Holy Spirit to be prophet after Elijah, came to him, and asked that he would seek God for help, to heal the waters.

2 Kings 2:20 “And he said, Bring me a new cruse (jar) and put salt therein, and they brought it to him.”

Salt, we know is a preservative. It keeps bacteria and decay away.

[We, as Christians, are to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13).

We are to “preserve” it…..the part we have influence in…..in our everyday circumstances, by manifesting the Lord Jesus’ character in the world.

We are to honor the Holy Spirit within us, and witness of Christ’s life.]

Elisha had agreed to ask God how He wanted the waters cured.

But the healing of the waters, was not to cost the men of the city, nothing.

They were to buy a new cruse (jar) and the salt, and bring it to him.

It would have cost them little,….but they were to do it,…..willingly being obedient to God’s requirements.

When they did this, Elisha was instructed to:

2 Kings 2:21-22 “And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.

So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.”

The salt, itself, was not the healer. Nor was Elisha. But the Lord healed them.

The salt was the means God wanted used, and Elisha was the instrument the Lord used, for that time.

This is a picture of how we, as Christians, can be fruitful in this barren world.

The world looks good, the situation seems “pleasant”…….but without the “living water” of Christ….this world is barren….not bringing forth the fruit unto holiness….but only supplying death.

The Lord requires new, clean vessels;…..by being born again. (John 3:3)

And we need to be salt; the preserving power of the Holy Spirit working through us to a sad world. (Matthew 5:16)

That is simply doing what were told by God, and showing His character to those around us.

Then we can be the means and the instruments for “healing” in this world.

The waters were healed, not just for a day or two….but from then on.

They could have harvests of plenty.

God wants that for each life He saves: To bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit within (to have His joy and peace, even in this world); and to manifest His gospel without.

(Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance….”)

Our Purpose as Christians

2 Timothy 1:9 “Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began;”

The Purpose of God for us was set in motion before the world began. Before He created anything at the first; God saw us in Christ Jesus, according to His Purpose.

It is according to His Purpose and grace. His Purpose is His Will; and His grace is His unmerited favor of Power to bring His Will to pass.

Ephesians 2:8-10 ” For by grace are ye saved through faith; and 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 written to Christians, telling them how they were saved.

It was by the power of grace, not anything they did to deserve it.

It was through faith, a gift given them by the Holy Spirit.

And they are “created in Christ Jesus”; given new birth and a new nature.

So created, not to stand by and watch; but to take part in His Purpose: those good works we are to walk in.

We are so created as a “workmanship”; which is a molded image. We are to be molded into the image of Christ. (Remember the word Christian means: Little Christ)

And how are we to do this?

By using the means and provision God has given.

That is what “ordained” means.

It means that all the provision for our walk with Him, has been set aside for us.

Let us talk, for a moment, about the things which hinder His Purpose.

(If you ask, How can anything hinder God’s Purpose? I answer, that as He gives us choices, He is allowing His Purpose to be fulfilled or hindered by us. It is His way of teaching us, and training us. He knows all things, and makes arrangements for it. His Will, will be done; but He wants it to be done through us, so He can bless us.)

The greatest hinderance to God’s Will, is that we do not go on with Him as we should.

Our walk with Christ is progressive:

We are babes in Christ, being seen to, fed with the milk of His Word, so we can begin to crawl and then walk with Him.

We come to the place of walking; and often like mules, stop and stand and bray. Having a fit about some part of His Will.

He must, and will correct us: sometimes with rebukes.

Rebukes are words which awaken us to His claims on us. Showing us where we should be, and how to get there. (Hebrews 12:5)

Sometimes He must chasten us. This is serious; He does not do this lightly. (1 John 5:16)

But He will not empower rebels with His Spirit. That would be joining our rebellion against Himself. But what He does, He does because He loves us. As a parent corrects a child, for their good, so God corrects us.

The answer to this is to will to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24)

We preach on this often; because it is the backbone of progress. We will deny ourselves, and follow Him.

Or we will put up with ourselves, and lose another opportunity to please our Lord.

It is a choice the Lord gives us: for it is “if” any man will.

Those that love Me, Jesus said, keep My commandments.

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 manifest myself to him.”

When we truly want His Will and have denied ourselves, daily; we come to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything.

(Resist is a good term. Do you instantly want to “back up” every time you hear about what you should be doing? )

Well, we can come to the place, in our experience, that we don’t resist. It is not instant obedience, but it is final obedience. We will obey.

But the crowning glory, in this life, is to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:17-18 “Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

When we are filled with the Spirit of God (and this only happens as we are emptied of the fullness of self); then the blessed influence of His life, love, peace, joy, and patience, is flowing within us.

And can be seen through us.

We are expressions of His life, and Purpose. That Purpose He wanted for us before the world began.

Imagine a life full of the Lord’s light, and joy.

Better yet, don’t imagine it. Get it.

If you are in Christ Jesus, born again; then His Purpose for you is to be filled with all the fullness of God. Filled to your capacity.

Ephesians 3:16-19 “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love,

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”

We never truly know the love of Christ, the way He wants us to, until we walk along with Him, in the Spirit.

His hand for our strength,

His Word for our help,

His Spirit shining in us for comfort, and joy.

His Purpose for us, in Christ, is to walk with Him, into those good works He has ordained us for.

Will we go on with Him?