The Marriage Supper for the King’s Son

Matthew 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.”

This is one of the parables Jesus taught. The lesson to learn is that all that are invited to come, are going to be responsible for the invitation, and what they do with it.

Let us consider the parable:

Matthew 22:3-4 “And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

Again, he sent forth other servants saying, Tell them which are bidden, behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.”

It was common in those days to send two invitations.

One, to notify the guests of the wedding day, and time.

The second, when things were ready, to collect the guests.

Now the Ministry of Jesus Christ was given twice.

One time to the Jewish Nation, which rejected Him.

The second, when the servants of Christ are sent to the individuals of the world with the Gospel.

All things are ready…….”Come”.

Now for the Nation of Israel:

Matthew 22:5-7 ” But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

And the remnant took his servant and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and sent forth his armies, and destroyed the murderers, and burned up their city.”

This happened in the destruction of Jerusalem, under Titus, when God punished those who rejected, and crucified His Son.

And now for the world’s hearing of this invitation:

Matthew 22:8-10 “Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.”

His servants would go into all the world, preaching and teaching the gospel.

Their commission was:

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Both good and bad people would hear and come to Christ….For God will have His Son to be honored.

The effectual call of the Holy Spirit, by means of the Gospel,

has gone throughout the world,…..and brings all who receive Him, to come to Christ, as Lord and Savior.

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:”

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

All those who come, are given the robe of Christ’s righteousness.

And for all the guests at the wedding feast, they would have been provided new garments, to change into, for such a grand occasion

Matthew 22:11-14. “And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Then said the king unto the servants, Bind him and hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

For many are called, but few are chosen.”

This man didn’t have wedding garment on,…..which would have been provided to him,…..so he was asked, Why?

He should have. They were there, and given to all who were bidden and brought in.

So why didn’t he?

The only answer is, that he refused to put it on.

And by refusing the wedding garment, wasn’t he telling the king that he thought nothing of the invitation?

He had been brought in by the invitation, but did not want to submit to the King’s provision.

No one can come to the Wedding Supper of our Lord and Savior, if they are not clothed with His righteousness.

(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.)

To “come” to God in your own works, or in your own goodness; is the greatest insult.

The call: “Come, for Christ has died and raised again to save us”, has sounded through the ages.

But you must receive Him,….or refuse Him.

For those who come to Christ, simply to get heaven, and not to be saved from their sin……..will find that the garment of self-preservation will not be recognized by God.

The garment of self-righteousness will not be recognized by God.

The garment of self-expression will not be recognized by God.

And the garment of self-will will not be recognized by God.

In His Son, God has provided all things that we might “sup with Him”.

What will we do with our invitation?

Afterward

Hebrews 12:11 “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Hebrews 12:17 “For we know how that afterward, when he (Esau) would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

Twice in Hebrews 12, we have the word “afterward”.

Afterward, here, means simply that something happened before; God chastened; and something happened as a result of the chastening: or “afterward”.

You will notice for both cases, it is a matter of the will, willing one way or the other.

To explain:

We will begin with “them that are exercised thereby”.

Now, God does not chasten, if there is not been sin in our lives.

Something which needs to be set right before Him.

Otherwise we will experience spiritual weakness in our life,……..then spiritual atrophy sets in.

(in the next verses it describes the beginning of this: “Therefore lift the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet,….” Hebrews 12:12-13)

But with the chastening from God, comes the knowledge that He does it out of love.

(When God “rebukes” us, He does it with words….His Word, or through messages, devotions, testimonies from others.

But when God chastens, He allows things to happen to us, to awaken us to the fact that He is trying to speak to us….but we will not hear. Psalm 89:30-33)

Hebrews 12:6, 10 “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he recieveth.

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he (God) for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.”

Although this does not make the chastening pleasant; it does work within us a great and good knowledge of our God. He loves us so much that He interferes with things, to keep us in the right way.

His love gives us the desire to learn from it: to be exercised by the chastening, so that we will not have to go through it again and again.

Because He loves us, and He is doing this to help us grow in grace; we stir ourselves up to learn all we can in this chastening; to please Him.

By this, we gain fruit….the fruit of repentance, which is a cleansed conscience and renewed fellowship with God, and other Christians; And the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)….more peace, joy, love, etc.

This is the afterward of those who are exercised thereby.

Now for Esau:

Hebrews 12:16 “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”

Esau and Jacob were twins. Esau, being older by a few minutes, was the inheritor of the birthright. This did not mean riches or cattle; but it meant the Spiritual blessings that God promised Abraham,…..a people separate to God, the land of Canaan, and mostly: The birthright meant that Christ, the Savior, would come from his line, in the future.

It was a blessing, only the one who wanted Spiritual ties with God, would want.

Jacob did. Esau did not.

Esau had been out hunting, and came by Jacob’s tent, without game. He was hungry, and saw Jacob (he was more of a farmer and cattleman) cooking something on the fire.

It was a pot of red beans, and Esau asked, that he be given some.

Jacob, always trying to figure out a way that he might inherit the blessing instead of Esau, told him; “Sure, but only if you sell me your birthright.”

Now any Spiritual person would have said, “No, I will wait, even though I feel faint, till I go to my tent.” (maybe on the other side of the camp)

But not Esau.

He was not Spiritual, but thought more of his belly, than the privilege of being the holder of the Promise of the Lord to come.

Genesis 25:32-34 “And Esau said, Behold I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do for me?

And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”

Now for the afterward for Esau:

It is time for their father, who was nearly blind, to bless the one who would inherit; so he calls Esau, who was firstborn, in, and told him to prepare a special feast for him, and he would bless him.

I will not go into all the details, but Jacob, afraid to trust God, dressed up as Esau.

He fooled his father and received the firstborn blessing.

Then Esau came in (afterward) and sought the blessing, but could not receive it.

He cried……then.

Genesis 27:34,38 “And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.”

Esau had not wept, and sought repentance for his foolish behavior when he was hungry and wanted Jacob’s food;….no.

He had not wept when he thought of the bargain he made with Jacob,…..for he thought he could still have everything, even though he despised it in his heart.

He would still be the elder.

He did not need to have a change of heart before God about anything.

After all, who knew, but Jacob?

You never hear of Esau building an altar or seeking God.

Even in the tears that flowed when he was denied the blessing, he did not cry to God;…..just to his father.

Afterward, when he was rejected by the God he rejected,…..he cried; but only for self-pity, not for despising the promises of God (the birthright).

Afterward,….will we receive God’s correction, and learn from it?

Or we will go on thinking we are alright, till…afterward, there is no more time to have what God wants for us.

God corrects us for our profit.

What is “profit” for us…..what is for now? Or what is for our spiritual life?

And we must always consider profit and loss; only Spiritually consider it.

Esau said, “What profit is this birthright of God’s promises?”

He did not care for a Christ to come….only his belly now.

And despised it. And lost it.

The one who is exercised (weighs profit and loss by God’s thoughts)……will gain more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

God says, He chastens me for my profit, and although I do not feel like it, now; I can trust Him.

So I will pick up my hands and my feet……and take the next step with Him.

I know that “afterward”, I will feel differently about this correction.

“Afterward” I will rejoice, because God has seen me through it, and given me His promises of more life in Him.

Borrow Vessels, not a Few

Elisha was a prophet in Israel.

There were many who, though contrary to the “popular religion”, followed God.

They would gather together to hear Elisha, as he traveled the country.

He ministered to the people with the Word of God, and instruction.

Many followed the teachings of God, and they were called the “sons of the prophets”.

Some set themselves aside for ministering, and prayer.

Others had families, and lived for God in there jobs.

A widow of one of these men came to Elisha in dire straights. After her husband had died, things had gotten very tough financially, and they had come into debt.

2 Kings 4:1 “Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.”

This was very serious. Both sons being taken, must have meant a large debt.

But she came to Elisha;…..he would be able to pray for her, or tell her what she could do by the Word of the Lord.

2 Kings 4:2 “And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee?

Tell me, what hast thou in the house?

And she said, Thy handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.”

At first, it is as if Elisha is not asking the woman at all….but rather praying for direction…”What shall I do for thee?”

Then, he asks her, according as the Holy Spirit showed him, “What do you have in the house?”

She had nothing to sell, nothing to trade. She only had a pot of oil.

How often we think we need something more, before we can serve God.

More knowledge, more courage, more understanding.

But really, we need to just use what we have: God’s grace which He has already given us.

When we do, then God will enable us,…..and He will supply more of what we need.

2 Kings 4:3-4 “Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

When thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.”

Here was the answer:

She would have to be obedient,……and God would supply her need.

She would have to borrow empty vessels; for the Lord was going to work a miracle for her.

But it was to be for her and her sons. No one else was to be present, or even see through the door.

Elisha was not present. He did not do this.

The Lord did this for her, and her sons;……..using empty vessels and their obedience.

Did God supply the need? Yes!

2 Kings 4:5-6 “So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel.

And he said unto her, there is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.”

Abundantly the need was met! All the vessels they had borrowed, were filled, till there was no more.

God would have us bring our “empty vessels” to Him to be filled with His Spirit, for our everyday needs.

Shutting the door, so we may be alone with God in prayer and devotions, is often the means He uses to supply our need for the day.

The oil of joy, and strength, and peace…..and increased faith is often given as we close the door on the world, and seek Him, only.

2 Kings 4:7 “Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.”

After the miracle, she did not get “swelled head” and say, I know what I will do.

No, she came and asked for guidance as what to do next.

Amazingly, the answer was an answer for the rest of her life.

God saw to the need, and more. He gave to her, so that she would be able to live beyond this debt.

That is what God always gives us: life. It is what He supplies, even if He is seeing to a specific need, for now.

Our life as His children, here and now; and every time we need it.

It does not say whether the oil came drop by drop, or poured out fast from the vessel she had.

Only that the oil came, the need was met. He supplied it for her and her son’s life.

Let us look to God to supply the need of our life, bringing our “empty vessels” for His Spirit to fill….that we may have His life for us,…..and live by His direction.

To be Drawn to Christ, Himself

Song of Solomon 1:2 “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth, for Thy love is better than wine.”

(Wine is given here, for all that inebriates….all that lifts us up. But the Lord’s intimate love to me, is better than all)

Here is the cry of a Christian knowing full well her lack of spirituality. She knows Jesus as Savior….and she obeys what she knows to be His Will….but…

…she wants closeness to the Lord……and no matter how many commitments she has made, or how many times she determines to “have more of God”,….

Still she is troubled by the feeling of dryness in her personal devotions and prayers…..where can she find Him? Do we have this desire?

(I want to say here, that the Word of God is full of the names of God. It is a very interesting study….the places where God gives a fuller revelation of His character and care….and to whom.

He wants each of us to come to know Him more and more….so each name of God, expresses a means by which we can know Him better.

He is the Word, He is the Way, He is the Shepherd, He is the Prophet, He is the Branch, He is the Son of Man, He is the King of Kings….etc.

There are so many more….each to give us a more complete understanding of His character, power, and care.)

She reads the promises of God….she wants them, and more……it has become a yearning of her whole soul after Christ, alone.

She speaks honestly about how she is….she knows she is not worthy to have fellowship with Him….but if He would tell her how….she would follow after.

Song of Solomon 1:7 “Tell me, O Thou Whom my soul loveth, where Thou feedest, where Thou makest Thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of Thy companions?”

So she starts praying; “How can I learn of You, Lord Jesus?

Where is that personal relationship, I hear about?

I am afraid to stay still and afraid to walk ahead…..yet here I am, please help me.”

Song of Solomon 1:8 “If thou know not, O thou fairest among women (what a name He calls the one who wants to get closer to Him!),

…go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the Shepherd’ tents.”

And He does speak. He gives a slight rebuke (those who will not be corrected will never be true followers, for corrections come to all of us….to love we must obey)

“Shouldn’t you know where to find me?……but since you don’t……the answer is….follow the flock and get to the Shepherd’s tent”

We should not neglect the gathering together with other Christians….but when it come to fellowship and that direct expression of His love for us, ourselves….then we must find it in submission to the Shepherd, Himself.

This is not submission to obey….but submission of person to Person…..character to His character….my love to His love.

Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.”

Jehovah-Raah: the Lord my Shepherd

The word Shepherd here means to Tend, to Feed, to Rule, to Associate with.

It is a full and expressive word, which covers the actions of One Who has taken responsibility for me……wherever He leads, and whatever is ahead…

Have we bowed to His authority here?

Psalm 23: 2-6 (condensed) “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness…

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff…comfort me.

Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life (here); and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

If you read this psalm, you will notice that all the praise goes to our Shepherd for His care, and protection.

But there is more….notice that it is “He” and “I”. This is not the church….but me….personally.

(Some say that this was written by David in his old age….after a lifetime following his Shepherd…through battles, corrections, and blessings.

As a young man tending his father’s sheep, he knew what being a shepherd meant……he had defended the flock against a lion and a bear…..even taking one lamb out of the mouth of one. 1 Samuel 17:34-36)

Isaiah 40:11 “He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

He carries us through many situations….in sickness, anxiety, and trouble, within and without.

He stops some situations from becoming worse…..He bears us up, by strength and wisdom, to go through others…..He makes us to feel His loving presence at times more strongly, to help us cope with circumstances.

I must explain here, that though He is the Good, the Great, and the Chief Shepherd….and He calls us….yet we must will to follow where He leads….

We choose where we are in His flock….following close to Him, or at a distance.

John 10:11, 14, 27 “I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.

I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:”

The Good Shepherd knows His sheep, He calls them and they answer Him. He leads them, and they follow Him.

Hebrews 13:20-21 “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,

Make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

The Great Shepherd came to die for the sheep, that they might live. He covers us with the protection of His blood. Entering into an Everlasting covenant of peace with us.

1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

The Chief Shepherd watches from heaven for any slight done His sheep….and will come again to reward all who seek the good of the flock. (Acts 20:28-29, 32, John 13:35)

Jesus Christ is the Shepherd of the sheep. There is a fullness in this title of our Lord Jesus….are we His sheep? are we resting under His gaze, following in His paths, eating at His table?

Are we following close to Him,…….or getting distracted and lost in the world?

He will come to find us….(Frankly, I think, that we sometimes put these verses just for children….but if we are born again, we are His sheep….following Him…..or lost,….having wandered away)

Luke 15:4-5 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if He lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, till He find it?

And when He hath found it, He layeth it on His shoulders, rejoicing.”

But why should we be wandering? What has claimed our attention? What can’t we give up, or talk over with Him?

(Problems, grief, pain, hurt? Maybe we are not even aware of what has come between us….He will show it to you, if you come to Him)

1 Peter 2:25 “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

He alone is our Shepherd…remember it means:

to tend (to care and protect),

feed (meeting our necessities, spiritual and physical)

rule (to be our King),

associate with (He is personally there with us in all the things we go through).

Are we enjoying that relationship with Him?

If not, we can,…..for He says come to Him, as our Shepherd.

2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”

Peter’s refusal, and quick acceptance.

It was the Passover time. Jesus had come into Jerusalem to celebrate with His disciples, and they were in the upper room.

Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him that night, and that He would be condemned and crucified. (Matthew 20:18-19)

That this night, everything would change.

Tonight Jesus would speak of many things to them, but before this; He washes their feet. (Yes, He even washed Judas feet. How this should have melted his heart, but it did not.)

John 13:4, 6 “He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself.

Then cometh He to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto Him, Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?”

It was Peter’s turn. Frankly, I think Peter should have known that if Jesus did something, it was for a good reason. But Peter was always quick to say or do something!

“Lord, dost thou wash my feet?”

Peter was right. Jesus was Lord. And He was Peter’s Lord.

Because of this, Peter thought it was not right for Jesus to stoop to such a humble position!

(How much He humbled Himself when He came to earth to save us!)

John 13:7 “Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”

That should have settled it with Peter, but Peter thought he knew better!

(We are the same way, often. We think we know what God will do.)

John 13:8a “Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.”….

Peter would in the next instance, change his mind, but Peter was looking at the moment, not at the lesson Jesus wanted to give.

Jesus wanted to show that they should take care of each other. He had even washed their feet: the job of a servant. If He would do that for them, they should humble themselves in service for each other.

John 13:8-9 “Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.

Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.”

Finally, Peter is listening. “…no part with” Jesus? No, no, that was not what Peter wanted.

If “a part with” Christ came with the cleansing, Peter wanted a full bath! He wanted all the fellowship with Christ he could have.

But a full bath was not necessary.

John 13:10. “Jesus saith unto him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.”

Jesus didn’t say, If I don’t wash you, you will have no part “in” Me.

But He said, you will have no part “with” me.

Jesus told Peter he was clean “every whit”, except for the cleansing of his feet.

“In Christ”, speaks of our being born again.

“With Christ”, speaks of our fellowship with Him.

Jesus wanted His disciples, especially Peter, to know that fellowship with Him is maintained by our letting Him cleanse our “feet”, or our walk. (That is why the feet were washed when coming into a house, because, having walked on the dirt roads, they would be dirty)

If we are to have fellowship with Christ, and the strength that comes from it, we must be cleansed, daily from our sins, and defilements.

And we are to help others to come to Christ for cleansing.

If we are born again, we do not need a full bath; but the cleansing of our daily walk.

So that we can walk with Him, and with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Soldiers of Christ Jesus

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”

Paul, here, tells the Christians at Ephesus, that…. as they are seated in Christ Jesus in the heavenlies; able to receive all the spiritual blessings He has for them (Ephesians 1:3, 2:6)…yet,….they must now take a stand against the wiles of the devil.

Every servant of the Lord Jesus Christ is called to stand with Him….and if you stand with Him….you stand against the world-system, and sin.

And in order to do that, you must be empowered….for we are not a well: a reserve of water unto ourselves…..but a sponge in an ocean of power….soaking up constantly.

And that is what the original word means: “..in the power of His might.” To be constantly empowered.

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

This is one of the provisions from God, to us…..but we are responsible to put it on. It is said twice….a witness to us, of our responsibility, and privilege as His soldiers:

Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Notice it is “stand against the wiles of the devil” , And “withstand in the evil day”.

The wiles of the devil, or tricks or stratagems……we stand against them….they are the “fiery darts”. The devil is always making suggestions…reminding us of how we used to be….telling us not to believe God….this thing is not so “bad”….and so much more.

The evil day….we withstand it, in ourselves, and from others……we will not let the world’s way of seeing, affect us.

Worry, tension, fear,….anger, malice, revenge….spiteful words, gossip, slander….and so much more, can turn any day into the evil day….and we are to withstand it.

Ephesians 6:14 “Stand therefore,….”

I have preached before about the armor…..but the armor is not so many pieces that you wear….rather it is the truth of the experience, that each piece signifies….

A soldier puts on his armor before the battle….in preparation for it. And we are in a battle every day against the tricks of the devil.

Truth : the truth of our salvation…..knowing we are saved.

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

…..and then knowing the truth of His love to us, personally. (1 John 4:16, 19)

Righteousness : we are clothed with the very righteousness of Christ. But if we want our heart and conscience to be cleansed and protected, we need to live righteously….no hidden sin….all confessed, up-to-date.

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Peace : the place of rest, being sure of our walk with Christ—garrisoned about with peace.

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

It is the hiding place for every Christian in the turmoil of battle…..learning how to depend upon the promises of God for inner peace….no matter what is going on around us, then we are sure-footed.

Faith : this is the practical use of the faith given you at new birth,……putting it to use, to overcome in the battles of life.

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

Faith always sees God in the situation….and places our confidence in Him. Faith is “moveable”, like a shield…….it covers our minds, our hearts, and our wills….it goes down and covers our walk, and work…..reminding us of God, not the circumstances.

Salvation : this is to think saved…..think that I belong to Christ, therefore, I am to act as His.

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

The Word of God : what a mighty weapon, if we use it. (Read it, and learn it). A growing knowledge of the scriptures, and how they apply to our life.

Accusations from the devil and the world, come…..and we should do as Jesus did, when He was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11),……we need to meet those accusations with the Word of God.

It is that Word that the Holy Spirit reminds us of, at the time……for then it is delivered with power. (We have so many promises in His Word, we need to know and use)

All-prayer : God answers prayer because we believe Him.

Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, whatsoever things ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

We should pray in Jesus Name (John 16:23-24)….asking His will done.

1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His Will, He heareth us.

And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.”

To put on the whole armor of God, we need to get in our experience, the power that the Lord has made available for us in this battle…..whenever and wherever that is…..the power of His Might.

The power that is set forth in the experience that these pieces picture……and then we need to….”Stand therefore….”

Forgiving

Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

When we pray “forgive us our debts”, we are not asking to be removed from our responsibilities.

We are asking that God would “acquit” us from our guilt. That is to have the punishment due our sin, removed.

It is a legal term, for God is either our Savior, or our Judge.

If He is our Savior, then He has taken our guilt, and the punishment of it on Himself, when He was offered on the cross.

His precious blood covers us and we are made “righteous”.

That means we are not just “not guilty” before God, but that Christ righteousness is applied to us.

We stand in Him, and God sees us as such.

So when we have committed sins (and we do each day: sins of omission, or of not doing right. Or sins of commission, or of doing wrong.); we may come to Him as ask forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And He forgives us.

Then He asks us to be like Him, and forgive our debtors; those who have wronged us.

We are not excusing their sins, only forgiving them, as we have been forgiven by God.

To forgive is to invite peace, peace with God and man, into your life.

When we forgive, we do not let things, like anger and bitterness, come between us and God.

We know He could change circumstances in my favor, if He wanted to.

But what He wants is to change us,….in the circumstances.

To show us His saving strength, and His bubbling joy, even in dark times.

To have us walk in His light.

The Bible says:

Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

I had a cousin once who was the daughter of a missionary in a foreign country.

She would go with her father through the jungle paths, to visit the people of their congregation.

They always carried a lamp and a flashlight, in case it grew dark before they came home.

At night, her father would walk in front, holding the lamp, and shining the flashlight behind him on the path, so she would know how to walk safely.

She said that often as they were walking, this verse would come to her mind, and she would thank God for their safety; both spiritually and physically.

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

Eternal Life begins the moment we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior; and continues forever.

The Holy Spirit helps us forgive. We are not left to ourselves, but helped on all sides.

Forgiving others frees us from the tangled emotions which bind us to the world,…..and lets us fly over the circumstances….and people, in peace.

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 sup with him, and he with Me.”

To answer the call of Christ in this Laodicean Age, requires not an answer of words, but an answer of a life open to, and receptive to Him.

What is sup in this verse?

It means fellowship, which is the reaction of a love relationship. The Creator having fellowship with His creature.

We forget that God is God.

At the head of this church letter, He calls Himself the Amen.

And He is the only one who can say Amen, or “so let it be”, to any plan, or suggestion, or purpose.

Then He calls Himself the Faithful and True Witness.

He is Faithful, never letting the Purpose for which we were created, out of His sight.

And therefore, He truly tells us how we are, so that we can,…if we will,….bring ourselves to Him, so we can be made what He wants us to be.

He is a faithful and true witness to His church, as how they are.

Then He is The beginning of the creation of God.

When God thought of creating the earth, and mankind; Christ, as the Man Christ Jesus, was His first thought.

For He knew the world, by Adam’s sin, would be lost without providing a Savior.

So, before anything was created; God the Father, and God the Son entered into the Everlasting Covenant. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

God promised Christ that if He would come, and die on the cross as the Perfect Man, then He would raise Him up from death, and give Him a people which would love and obey Him.

Christ Jesus tells us here; what we are…lukewarm, and about to be vomited out of Him; so we will be without His sustaining.

He also tells us how we are…we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

All of these things speak of a people, who are not letting Christ make them into what He has planned for them…….

They think they are, but He says they are not.

Then He gives us very good advice.

Revelation 3:18 “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thy eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

In Psalms the Lord tells us that His counsel will stand. We can count on it , because we can count on Him. That He gives us the best counsel for our situation.

Psalms 33:11-12 “The counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.”

He tells us that the best advice for the strengthening of our Christian lives,….is buy of Me.

We are not to buy salvation, no. But we are to buy the things He has already purchased for us, for our Spiritual Health.

You may ask, Why do we buy, if He has already purchased them for us?

We buy them…..of Him. Again, we are not buying Salvation….that is a free gift for all who will come to Christ as Lord and Savior. Once He is our Savior, we are to come to Him in faith receiving all He has for us.

But if we refuse?

They are set aside, till we….”Wake up”; and want them.

Often, since we have refused them before; He will prove how much we want them; and this is when He requires that we “buy them”.

We buy them by Obedience to what He says. If we will Obey Him in these things, we prove that we really want His Will and gifts.

We buy of Him the things that we have refused to use before.

Has He not offered the grace to grow and the power to do? Yet we have often prayed for these things,…..but did not like the way they came.

“Sorry, Lord, I’m going to refuse this gift, for now, because I don’t like the people I have to work with; no, no, I just couldn’t do it now”

This is often the way we treat Jesus.

That is why He says we are: “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked……not clothed with the righteous acts whereby we manifest His Light to the world.

So He says, Buy of Me.

“If you finally are willing to Obey Me as your Lord, and Savior; buy these things that I have for you by obedience to My Will.

Get them, and I will manifest Myself unto you in a special way, for you have finally opened your life to Me, as you should.”

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.”

This is Fellowship with the Almighty Christ.

He knocks, and speaks to your heart.

Are you listening?

Sin

There are two definitions in the Bible for sin:

Romans 14:23 “….for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

But there are many examples of sin:

Of course the first one is Adam and Eve.

I have talked of this before, but I want to describe the way we got here.

God created Adam in His image: God is Father, Son and Holy Ghost….we are spirit, soul and body.

He is a Trinity….we are a tri-unity. He made us that we could have fellowship with Him…the greatest joy. (Genesis 1:26, 2:7)

God also gave Adam a help-meet: Eve. Eve was taken out of Adam, from his rib, and formed….she was not formed separately from the dust of the ground as Adam was….she was from Adam.

They were placed in a garden and told to keep it. The animals were brought to Adam to name them….he was given dominion over all the creatures, as God’s vice-governor;…..with one law…..

Adam was not to eat of one…..yes, that is right, just one of the trees of the garden.

All the other trees, he could eat of, but that one.

Genesis 2:16-17 “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Why was there any law?

Because God is a God of holiness and beauty….therefore a government of order, even among those He fellowships with, is necessary.

When God breathed into Adam the breath of life (the Holy Spirit), Adam became a living soul….conscious of his feelings, of his thoughts, and of his will….conscious of God and His love and care.

That gift of life, by the Holy Spirit within, brought faith with it….a knowledge of God, Who He was, and His character and government over him and Eve.

Adam was fully grown, intelligent, and had experienced God’s love, care and power. In him all the generations of mankind lay ready to experience supreme happiness…if he would continue in it.

Would Adam continue to believe and trust God?

Though Adam was innocent, without sin at this point,…..still he was changeable.

Would he stay true to God, on the one point of law that God required?

As a tree, would be established…root, trunk, and branches; so Adam, and His dependents, would be established in righteousness forever had he been obedient to this one thing.

And as a tree, Adam and His descendants, would be cut down….if he disobeyed.

We know what happened: Eve was tempted by the devil….he was under a guise of a serpent; and started talking to Eve.

This must have startled her, for no other creature could talk.

(I might add here, she should have immediately turned from him and ran to get Adam, and told him and God what was going on….but she listened. A wile of the devil we still fall into)

Genesis 3:4-6a “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Silly, they already knew good, why know evil?)

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise,…”

As she listened….he started to make “sense”. She started to imagine what he was offering….

They would not die, as God had said….but instead (yes, her imagination is getting into full swing)

They would be able to “see”….(the only thing she was seeing was illusion)….

beauty and food (she already had that in every other tree);

We will be as gods……(the idea of bondage in obedience to God came in here…they had absolute freedom, joy and peace with themselves and the creation around them, including animals….but the idea of “something more” dazzled her.)

Now again, I must say….we did not die in Eve. She came from Adam, so it was all up to Adam to say for the human race.

Would he believe God and stay true to Him…..and save himself, and his generations?

Or would he “see” with Eve, and kill himself, Eve, and millions of his children?

Genesis 3:6b-7 “…she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave (offered) also to her husband with her, and he did eat.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

Naked…their souls, which had been clothed with the goodness and peace of God; became bare before a Holy God.

God, their God,….became God, the Judge. A horrible place to be…so they tried to hide.

Of course they could not hide…..but God, even then, gave them the chance to confess their sin…but instead they continued to try and hide their choice:

Adam blamed God for giving him Eve….(Genesis 3:12)

Eve blamed the devil for tempting her….(Genesis 3:13)

(We are certainly like our father, Adam….we blame God for all the illness, death, and destruction which comes….when it is sin, Adam’s for all; and ours in particular which separates us from God and His blessing for us.)

And the sin just kept getting worse: the second son of Adam and Eve was murdered by the first…and so it continues…

But God did not give up on the human race: He had a plan, which is called the Everlasting Covenant.

Hebrews 13:20-21 “And 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,

Make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

In eternity past God made a way for all mankind to be saved from the sin of Adam….and their personal sin.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22 “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead,

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

Christ Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life….only by Him shall any be saved from their sin. (Matthew 1:21)

He was the Son of God come to earth as the Son of man. He was both man and God in one, and as such was the only man of worth, who could pay the penalty for the sins of the world.

Christ Jesus came, and lived a perfect life…fulfilling all the law, doing all God’s Will, speaking all that the Father wanted Him to.

He gave Himself a perfect sacrifice

(none could have held Him, if He had chosen….but He chose the Father’s Will of sacrifice; unlike Adam who chose his own way. John 18:37, 19:11)

He commended His own Spirit into the Father’s hands….

Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit: and having said thus He gave up the ghost.”

None took His life from Him…..even with all the pain and agony……He gave His Father all the payment that God required to free us from condemnation.

Christ’s sacrifice was accepted, for God raised Christ from the dead, and set Him at His right hand….the place of power and authority. (Matthew 28:18,

1 Corinthians 15:27)

Christ rose again by the Father’s power, to give us Eternal Life (Romans 6:23)….which is His life in us, now, and forever…..making us righteous before a Holy God….in Him.

That same power which raised Christ, He works in us, who believe:

Ephesians 1:19-20 “And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,

Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places.”

When we receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior (John 1:12), then…..

God is no longer our Judge…..He becomes to us the Living God,

the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10),

the God of peace (Phil. 4:9),

our Father in heaven,

the God of patience (Romans15:5),

the God of hope (Romans 15:13),

the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3),…..all this and more…. for His presence by the Holy Spirit teaches us that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39).

Now all this is the grand and glorious life we have in Christ Jesus…..our standing in Christ.

But are we obtaining all that His life offers us?

Romans 6:6 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

Here is the Way we should go, as servants of our great Lord and Savior, we should not serve sin.

And Christ has placed within us, by His Holy Spirit, the light, the means, and the power to be free from all our personal sin….we can be obedient….and follow Him into real liberty.

Romans 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death (for Christians it is death to our joy, peace and closeness to Christ), or of obedience unto righteousness.”

We are born again to glorify God….to be His lights.

Hopefully, harbor lights to show others the Way,……and not warning lights which say,….serving God is bondage.

(I truly believe any who thinks that serving the Lord is bondage, needs to set things right with God….something is wrong. They are listening to the devil’s wiles, like Eve did)

But the horribleness of our world surrounds us….what are we to do?

I have heard people ask, If God is so good, why do terrible things happen?

God is good,……and in this world, covered in the horribleness of sin, He offers Himself….to save us from it.

He also heals (Spiritually and often physically), comforts, strengthens, and leads us in the right way.

But often there is fear and distress….very real trouble.

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Once we look up, we can breathe again…..God is in charge….

Then…….we are to get up……and get about the work He has called each of us to do…. to do the next step, and the next…

I have been given the illustration of a pebble—not a boulder—but a small pebble thrown into water.

The ripples outward are from the force of the small pebble influencing the water around it.

So are we…..obedience is to be first in me. Christ’s kingdom must reign within me….He must rule…in me.

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy Will be done, in earth (me) as it is in heaven.”

Then, the influence of my obedience is in ever widening circles….those of my influence….my church, my home, my job….they should know the power of God,……because they see it in me.

Then it just keeps going….God’s Word spoken, God’s peace noticed, God’s mercy given.

Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;

Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

For though we are not here to serve men,……….the Lord, Himself, serves, encourages, helps, strengthens, and ministers to men….through us.

James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless, and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Sin is truly the evil God said it is….it brings death: both physical and spiritual—which is separation from God.

It is bondage of a terrible sort….no joy, no peace, no true satisfaction.

“More, more” is the language of sin….there is never enough, for it swallows whole parts of our lives.

Come to Jesus….

Psalms 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the Lord;..”

Those who come to know the Lord, learn that He is a delight, following is a delight, and learn that the way of faith is delightful.

May we all be more saved from our sin….leading us into more joy, and usefulness to God’s great work of love…to Him and others.

Blessed.

Psalm 65:4 “Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple.”

Blessed means twice happy!

God sees us blessed; How do we see ourselves, in His work?

When He chooses us, He causes us to draw near to Him. Would we resist that drawing?

When I was first brought back into the right way, after wandering away from God; I was in awe, that He loved me enough to welcome me back.

My thought was to grow closer to Him. Nearer, Nearer, I prayed. That is what I want.

The song of Nearer My God to Thee, seemed to play in my head, often.

“Even though it be a cross that raises me…”.

The “pig pen” of the world I had experienced; I wanted the “home” of closeness with God.

Blessed I was, and am, for God’s mercy to me.

This Psalm typifies God’s great arms.

Drawing us, even when we run away.

Calling us, even when we have refused before.

“We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house,”

For Christians, the closer we get to the Lord, the more satisfied we are. The further away from God, the more opportunity for things to come in between us.

These cause barriers.

The barriers we place, between the Lord and ourselves, cause discontent.

And discontent is to be dissatisfied.

And when we are dissatisfied, we start looking for other things.

There are many temptations in the world, the best place to be safe is in the “holy temple” of fellowship and nearness to the Lord.

Blessed is the one who is close to the Lord.

Blessed, also, is the one who is given opportunity to get near to the Lord, again.

Most blessed is the one who never looks for any other satisfaction, than in Him.