The Voice of God: in Wisdom

Proverbs 1:20-21

“Wisdom crieth without; she uttered her voice in the streets:

She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,”

God is saying here that He had sent His Wisdom in the city, into the minds of His People.

And what did Wisdom say?

Proverbs 1:23

“Turn you at My reproof: Behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you.”

God’s Wisdom wants us to not only hear the words; but to “turn”.

When God reproves His people, He is trying to get their attention away from the world’s traps, and to turn it on their great calling in Christ Jesus.

He promises great power for our lives, in the promise of the Spirit; “I will pour out My Spirit unto you”.

and in understanding His Word for our lives, today.

Jeremiah 10:23 “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”

We were formed from the dust of the ground; and the Lord breathed into man, the breath of life, and we became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

Then we were place upright, on our feet, to walk after God.

But we turned every one to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6)

So God has spoken in a clear voice of Wisdom:

Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ear shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

That is pretty detailed direction, for our everyday life. He knows, and we can know for today what His will is.

God has it for us: if we will walk with Him.

And if we get out of the Way?

The He will send Wisdom to correct us:

Proverbs 1:22 “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love your simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

The simple ones here, are those who are not taught in the Word of God. They can not prove all things.

We think simplicity is good, but it is not,…..if we are simply refusing further instruction from Him, wanting to stay where we are because of fear, or lack of trust.

But the scriptures are given for our instruction:

2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

And the scriptures are given for examples for us:

1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

Maybe we think that God would never make that happen for me; what is the use of trying, or of praying?

He has promised a lot to those who want His wisdom. Shall we not believe Him?

Proverbs 2:10-11 “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul:

Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:”

Proverbs 3:21b-23 “…keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.”

God is still sending His Wisdom to the streets, the place people gather, to the entering of cities, and in the city, itself.

He is sending it by His Word, His preachers, and by the testimony of His people.

He will not stop…His Voice will go forth.

Will we turn and walk after His Wisdom for us today?

Trust

Isaiah 26:4 “Trust ye in the Lord forever: for the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.”

The term “everlasting strength” is actually “the Rock of ages” in Hebrew.

(Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He.”

This is the first place Rock is capitalized, spoken by Moses……signifying a Name of God.)

Psalm 84:12 “O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee.”

“Believe” is to rest the full weight of your existence upon Christ;….”trust” is to “hold on” to Him.

We are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7),…..so when circumstances, people, or trials seem to interfere or hinder the work of God in us, or with others; we might doubt, or at least become faint-hearted.

Then, we are to trust:

Trust is not presumption (which runs ahead and does what it thinks best);….but trust is holding onto the Lord, and His sure Word,…..and doing what He wants, no matter how things seem.

To believe the Lord, will keep our inward life active….always looking to Him.

To trust the Lord, will keep our feet in the way He has marked out….for we are hanging on…..and by hanging on, we will receive the blessing.

Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

When we are born again, we enter the straight gate, and the narrow way.

In this way, we meet with many things which will shake our belief, and try and tear us away from following Him.

There are difficulties,……trials……and failures by others……and by ourselves, which discourage us.

Yet we are to meet them in faith…..and faith always sees the Lord.

Then we are to hold on….or trust Him, for He knows, He sees, He is Able, and especially….He will for me.

By believing, we have joy in our service.

By trusting, we have peace in our walk.

This trust is based on experience….based on what the Lord has already done for us.

Have we experienced His goodness? Then why would we think He would remove it now?

Have we experienced His control over circumstances,……which we could not control? Then why question His ability to help, now?

Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”

(This Promise was given to me, years ago, and the Lord has reminded me of it many times since…..especially when I was becoming discouraged.

The promise is “perfect peace”—complete peace, of mind and heart. And I get it….by clinging to Him….and holding on to Him….to see to me,…through the trouble, trial, fear, sickness, etc.

And He has,…not that my trust has been complete. I have failed Him, and not had the peace He offered….though His Word was completed.

But He has never failed me,….though I have often been surprised by His way of dealing with things. [It is always amazing how God works things out!])

“Hang on to Me and My Word to you.” Jesus tells us.

How important it is for us to know His Word…..how precious is the Word we have stored in our hearts.

Times of distress will come, and then…praise the Lord…that Word comes back to us….grounding us firmly against the storms of life.

Hebrews 10:22-23, 35 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”

Hanging onto Him is not a stubborn refusal to admit we are wrong….but the clinging to the Rock which is higher than I.

For we know Him, and have Eternal life…….and believe Him and have joy…….and will trust Him and have the stability of peace.

Psalm 61:2-4 “From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I;

For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Thy tabernacle forever: I will trust in the covert of

Thy wings. Selah.(pause and consider)

Psalm 62:7-8 “In God is my salvation and my glory: the Rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him.”

1 Timothy 4:10 “For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the Living God, Who is the savior of all men, especially of those that believe.”

Are we trusting in the Rock of Ages? Today?

All things work together for good to them that love God.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Do you love God?

Have you been called according to His purpose?

Then all the things of your life (yes, even the bad things) will work together, as one large mass for good. It is God’s good, for your life, and it is God’s Purpose.

I’ve never understood this verse. How can the terrible things in my life (a lot I have done, and some which has been done to me) work for good; even God’s good?

It is explained in the next few verses.

Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Foreknowledge is always about people. God foreknew you, me, every Christian, by His choice of us, in Christ Jesus. He knew who we would be, what we felt, our own particular besetting sin, and yet He chose us; for His Purpose.

Predestination is about the calling and good works, we are to do. He has given us a destiny before we were even born, which leads us in the way we are to go.

And the way we are to go is: through the circumstances chosen for me, by hearing His Word to me.

Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ear shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

Be not afraid, He has made provision for us. That is what is meant by “God hath before ordained” in Ephesians 2:10.

“Ordained” means that full provision…everything we need has been made for us…not in general, but in specific; for God is very specific.

Romans 8:30 “Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

And here is the way we become conformed to Him; for we, as Christians, are to walk in the Reality of this verse.

Called; making sure of our calling and election, by doing what we have been called to do: whether ministry, witnessing, praying.

Justified; knowing that our standing before God is in Christ. Therefore we are made new in spirit, and nature. As He walked here on earth, so we should.

Glorified; tasting even of that glory of God, which is yet future.

Walking in Christ’s Triumph; experiencing His Victory by the faith He has given us, in our circumstances.

Seeing His Will being done where we personally are concerned. Enjoying the blessing of His Presence, everywhere He leads.

Romans 8:31-32 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

He freely gives us all things; with Him. In Christ we have our life, in His Word we have His purpose, in His Spirit we have His guidance and power….what do we lack?

And this is how all things work together for good: it is God’s good, and it is God’s Purpose; for us.

His is an eternal love.

A love which knows us, and our sin; and wraps His arms around the whole of us; to forgive, and cleanse us.

He shows us His love in purifying every area of our lives, to the praise of His glory.

He has seen us in eternity past, loved us in Christ Jesus, and made a way that we might be as close to Him as we can.

We can be conformed to the image of His Son: His character and determination.

We can enjoy fellowship in Him, and feel the power of His glory and strength for us in the everyday circumstances of our lives.

Power to do. Power to be. Power to stand, in the world we live in.

We can know that all things work together for His good, and praise Him for it.

We can know that all things work together for His Purpose, and embrace it.

We can love God, in life and works.

Joshua

Joshua was a young man when they left Egypt, and he quickly became a close friend and defender of Moses.

He was the one, when there was a battle to be fought, was chosen to lead the men into battle. (Exodus 17:9-13)

Exodus 17:9 “And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.”

He was also the one….the only one interested in being as close to the Lord as Moses….for he was given the privilege to be on Mt. Sinai when Moses went up for forty days to get the Ten Commandments the first time. (Everyone else was afraid. Exodus 20:18-19)

Exodus 24:12-13 “And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to Me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.”

He and Caleb were the ones which tried to persuade the people to go into the Land the first time, after they spied the Land, and saw it was all that God had promised.

When the others spoke of giants,…..they spoke of the Lord’s promise and goodness. (Numbers 14:6-9)

Numbers 14:9 “Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us (will only make us stronger): their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.”

He was chosen to lead Israel in, and was given enablement by the Holy Spirit.

Deuteronomy 34:9 “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel harkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.”

Courage was going to be needed…and strength, and a knowledge of God’s Word…..(Deuteronomy 31:7-8, 23-24)

Joshua 1:5-9 (condensed) “…I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Be strong and of good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land….

Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law….turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,….for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and than thou shalt have good success.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Several times (five times in all: twice in Deuteronomy and three times in Joshua) the attributes of strength, courage, and knowing the Word; are spoken of and stressed, by the Lord….

…..for though He would give them….Joshua would have to use them.

He had a large job to do.

He was to bring Israel into the Land, conqueror it, and divide it among the tribes; and see to the tribes until the land had been completely conquered.

He was to remind them of the Law—the blessing and the cursing—and then set up the place for worship.

He was to lead them in all of this…..lead them as a shepherd-warrior.

They were going in to possess a land held by very strong forces….and Israel, themselves, had often proved rebellious…..things were not always what they seemed……and guidance from the Word, was very important.

So was using the courage and strength God was going to give him.

To finish his course, Joshua was going to need every help God would give him, over and over again.

But there was also the promise: “I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

And in the end, he testified:

Joshua 23:14 “And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you, all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.”

In Joshua’s career, he had only three failures, which is an amazing testimony to God’s provision and care for him.

First:

In Achan’s sin of stealing what was consecrated to God from Jericho.

Joshua did not deal with it immediately, which put Israel under God’s displeasure; because he did not ask direction, but relied on the suggestion of others.

Joshua 7:11-12 “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for thy have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies but turned their back before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.”

Joshua’s failure was in not asking guidance, before sending men to the next battle. Thirty-six men died because Joshua became over confident from the victory they just had;………and did not ask God, first. (Joshua 7:5)

Second:

The league with the Gibeonites.

The Gibeonites were inhabitants of the land….they should have been destroyed, but they thought of a trick……they would look like they came from a very far country….old and moldy bread, old clothes, and old wine bottles, etc. to convince the Israelites to make a league with them. Here again, Joshua failed, because he did not seek the Lord’s Word about them.

Joshua 9:14-15 “And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. “

And because they made this league, God required that they honor it.

Joshua and Israel had to defend them, after a forced march all night, into a battle with five kings and their armies! (Joshua 10:6-10). One of the worst and longest battles they were in.

Third:

The land was not fully conquered. After many of the larger kings and territories were conquered…..Joshua divided the land among the tribes; and thought that they would be eager to go in and possess their inheritance……many did….but others seemed to wait for someone to guide them…..instead of turning to the Lord, themselves.

Joshua 13:1 “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed .”

Joshua 18:3-4 “And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?

Give out from among you three men for each tribe and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.”

Many of the tribes, getting lazy,…first stayed together in the camp like they had been in their journey there……then they began living among the people who were there, when they should have been destroyed, along with their idols.

Because they were not….many began to turn from God to idols. (Joshua 16:10, 17:12…which was why there were the Judges)

Joshua failed in not seeing to each tribe’s inheritance….and in not teaching them to follow the Lord, personally, themselves.

These three failures were serious, and could have easily been prevented….but in the end, Joshua said to Israel….

Joshua 23:6, 8, 10-11 “Be therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;

But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.

One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, He it is that fighteth for you, as He has promised you,

Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.”

And he exhorted them, leaving them with his determination:

Joshua 24:14-15 “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your father’s served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve; whither the gods which your father’s served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

For all of us, in our Christian walk; we, too, are call upon to be strong, and of good courage, and to rely on His Word…..all the time.

We will have failures, that is certain, but we can continue on with Him, seeing our course complete….serving the Lord,……witnessing of His faithfulness.

Paul said at the end of his course:

2 Timothy 4:6-7 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

Peter said:

2 Peter 3:17-18 “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”

John said:

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

Jude said:

Jude 21, 24-25 “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

And when we finish our course…..what will we be able to say?

And How Shall His Kingdom Come to You?

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Psalm 103:20 “Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.”

(I know I have preached on this lots of times, but it is a subject which is so important;…….I am going to set forth this, again.)

Obedience is required in God’s servants. We are, as the angels, to hearken or listen to the “Voice of His Word”.

That means we are to hear what He is speaking to us through His Word, in scripture, and inwardly by His Holy Spirit.

“Hearken” is, to listen intently, with the thought to obey what is heard.

To have “hearing ears”.

This is not sinless perfection, as it is with the angels, but it is Obedience.

An obedience which continues.

Some are obedient, when they have to be. (No love there)

Some are obedient in spurts.

With diligence and joy they do a job……Next they are down in the dumps and their obedience is partial, if at all. (They love, but are too wrapped up in their emotions, for stability.)

Some have left their old life, and begun to have the fellowship with Christ that is necessary for real obedience,…..but they keep getting “sidetracked” with their own “good ideas” of God’s Will. (They love, but their reasons influence their wills.)

But there is freedom from our stubborn wills, emotions and reasons…

This is why His Kingdom must come within us.

Luke 17:20-21 “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

These Pharisees (and they were the most religious and most right of the sects which were in Christ’s time) demanded of Christ:

“Show us some manifestation of the kingdom, something we can observe.”

His answer? “The kingdom of God is not going to come with fanfare and parades. People will not shout and say, Come and see!

No, the real kingdom of God is within your midst right now, in the person of Me, the King, the Son of God.

And as King, I will set up My kingdom first, in the hearts of My people, then I will set it up on earth; and will rule and reign from Jerusalem.”

The place and power of His Manifest Presence, is within those who will be subjects of His kingdom. Who will to let Him rule in their lives.

Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”

Here is an unlimited measure. No one has ever reached the fullness of that “exceeding abundantly”.

No,……we often have little,…..and blame God for our lack.

But His power for our lives, is given to us with the condition of: “According to the power that works within us.”

In other words, how ever much of the power of God we let work on us, to bring us to where we should be;……that much power He is going to give us, to work through us,….to witness,…..to rise above our circumstances,….to be joyful.

Our prayers will be answered, our lives will be really useful.

God will never empower me to see my will done; but He will empower me to see His Will done.

And that empowerment is personal.

Remember The Lord Jesus’ kingdom is set up in our hearts and lives, personally, here and now;….as well as in the Millennial Reign.

Because there has been some confusion about the kingdoms of God, I will explain:

1. The Father’s Kingdom is His absolute dominion over all things, creatures, worlds, the universe, the heaven of heavens.

1 Chronicles 29:11 “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in heaven and in the earth is thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head above all.”

He rules. Whether we understand His way or not, He will see His will done; for all power exists in Him, and none have power, except He allows it.

2. There is the Kingdom of His grace on earth. This is where He is acknowledged as God, and Jesus Christ as His Son. The true Church is the bounds of this Kingdom.

Matthew 13:11 “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”

3. There is the Internal Kingdom of Christ, which is entered into when we are born again, which is personal.

John 3:5 “Jesus answered, Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

When we are born again, we enter His kingdom, and begin to receive grace as His subjects.

But our power is feeble at first, because we are often at odds with our King, in this thing or that….but…

When we have fully yielded ourselves up to His reign within us; we begin to experience that “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think”.

And it continues, as we continue on with Him.

It is always His power;….but it is at work within us, and through us.

Triumph in Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.

For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

To the one we are a savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 GNFMM “But thanks be to God, for in union with Christ we are always lead by God as prisoners in Christ’s Victory Procession; like a sweet smell that spreads everywhere, God uses us to make Christ known to all men.

For we are like the sweet smell of the incense that Christ burns to God which goes out to those who are being saved and to those who are being lost.

For those who are being lost, it is a deadly stench that kills, for those who are being saved, it is a fragrance that brings life. Who then is capable for such a task?”

These verses speak about the triumph of Christ over us, so that He can use us to manifest the sweetness of His knowledge to everyone we come into contact with.

To some it will give light and life.

To others it will do nothing but leave them in the darkness and death, that they have chosen to remain in.

Paul pictures a Roman General’s Victory Procession into Rome after a great conquest, where he brings many captives home to Rome.

Paul had seen these, and uses this, to picture Christ’s Victory Procession.

(The verses in the Good News for Modern Man picture this as it would happen.)

First along the march were incense bearers. This incense was the same smell for those who would live, or die.

Then the banners of the legions of his armies came next.

Then the General, on a big white horse. A long chain coming back to all those he has had the victory over. He is leading them in his victory parade.

1st, behind him were the kings and generals, and the people of importance: wise people, people of knowledge.

2nd, the chains would go right on down to the simple people and slaves.

All to be brought back for the glory of Rome.

Now Paul uses this to set forth Christ’s Victory Procession over us, His elect, His Church;……..and those who will in that day kneel and confess that He is Lord, but then be thrown into the Lake of Fire for eternity.

Philippians 2:10-11 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This Victory Procession, Christ is making up now. Those who subject themselves to Him, as their King, are those He uses to manifest Himself to the world.

It is a subjection of love, for those who are born again (given His eternal life: and become a sweet savor of life to others).

It is not us having the Victory over our circumstances or other people, that is presented here.

But Christ having the Victory over us, and leading us in His Victory Procession, for God’s Glory.

Sometimes we forget that we are saved to shine forth His Light; to honor and glorify Him.

That He helps us in our circumstances, and comforts us in our troubles, by His Blessed Holy Spirit with us, is a certainty every Christian should know.

But here, Christ Jesus is the Victor; as Paul always liked to preach on.

Christ was Victor in the life He lived here;……though He was “despised and rejected of men” (Isaiah 53:3).

Christ was Victor in the Garden when He said, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke22:42).

Christ was Victor, Who “before Pilate witnessed a good confession” (1 Timothy 6:13).

Christ was Victor on the cross, for He paid the full price of our salvation, that we might be fully redeemed.

When He cried, “It is finished”, it was. (John 19:30)

Christ is Victor now; for He is calling out a people for His Name’s Sake.

He is having the victory over them:……their rebellion, their fear, their addictions, their wills and ways.

He is giving them Eternal Life, which is a condition of life now, and for eternity…….and leading them into the glory of His Victory Procession, for all the world to see.

We have the inestimable privilege to send forth the savor of life, to those who seek life.

We have a place in Christ’s Victory Procession.

We have a sweet smell of peace and thanksgiving for Christ….to bring some to Christ.

God’s glory should always be our goal. Where are we in the march? The chains which bind those who march to Christ’s glory behind him, are chains of love.

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Have you felt His love constrain you…….To move on, forward with Him?

His love is the greatest motivator for our lives, if we will yield to Him.

The Pharisees Invitation

Luke 7:36-38 “And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And went into the Pharisees house, and set down to meet.

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus was set at meat in the Pharisees house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,

And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with ointment.”

Now here, a Pharisee invites Jesus to eat; but he has an unexpected guest. A sinner, a woman, who started to cry and wash Jesus feet with her tears. (Jesus seemingly ignores her….but Simon does not.

Then she takes an alabaster box of ointment, and anoints Jesus’ feet.

This was certainly a witness of Jesus’s call to come to the kingdom of heaven.

She wanted forgiveness. And there were many things in her, Jesus plainly says, that needed to be forgiven.

But to the Pharisee, it was proof that Jesus was not a prophet. Surely He would know what kind of woman this was, and refuse her tears.(Luke 7:39)

So, Jesus speaks, not to prove anything, (if you will notice, Jesus never “proves” to others He is Who He is…..but says to look to His works)…..but to instruct this Pharisee about forgiveness, and love.

Luke 7:40-42 “And Jesus answering said unto him, (notice Jesus answered the unspoken question), Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?”

The difference between the debtors was huge.

But both were forgiven……they then became equal to the creditor; and to each other!

To truly be forgiven, we need to know we are sinners. God does not forgive imaginary things, or general thoughts of doctrine, that do not touch the truth of sin in us.

He is not interested in generalities, but in us.

He does forgive the sinner, of their sins. That is what Christ came to do. (Matthew 1:21). “To save his people from their sins.”

Which places every saved sinner on the same plain….we all become children of God…all welcome before God, by Christ Jesus.

Then love to God is born. We receive the knowledge of His love deep into our soul. It awakens our soul to HIs greatness, and our weakness; to HIs care, and our need…..and most of all to a desire to come ever closer to Him.

To truly love God, you must be reconciled to Him; which only comes by the forgiveness of sins.

Otherwise there is still a gulf between God and us: a gulf maintained by self-righteousness, or pride, or lust, or greed,….

Love comes through forgiveness, which brings God’s heart down to ours; and that came by Christ. Then that love can be reciprocated, to God and to others.

(The first fruit of the Spirit is love. Galatians 5:22-23)

Luke 7:43 “Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.”

You’re right, Simon, the more forgiveness is needed, the more love is shown for the forgiveness.

What about you, Simon, how is your heart toward God?

Full of self righteousness so that you can not love Him?

What about your sin?

Or do you think you have any?

Luke 7:44-47 “And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman, since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but his woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.”

Simon, in other words, you may think, you are superior in every way to this woman,……who is indeed a great sinner.

But you are not in God’s sight. God has just forgiven her,……while you remain in your sins.

Your sins may not be so many as her’s; Or as know to others, as her’s…..but sin is sin, to God.

You loved Me little, because you think you do not need My forgiveness. You think you are righteous, and therefore your heart does not love God, but yourself.

That night a great sinner went home, forgiven:

Luke 7:48, 50 “And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”

Forgiven and reconciled to God in peace….by faith in Christ, to save her from her sins.

“We love God, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).

He loved us in that He sent His Son to become the propitiation for our sins.

We love Him when we come to Him in honesty and confess our sins, and be born again, then go on in peace and joy with Him in love.

Real peace with God comes through the forgiveness of our sins by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Real love to Him, follows.

Luke 7:49 “And they that sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?”

Well, Who was He? He was the coming Christ, prophesied of…..and now had appeared to put away sin.

What will you do with Him?

Everyone there made their choice. So do we.

Will we come and get our sins forgiven, or will we stay in our lives, thinking we are alright ?

The Pharisees invitation to Jesus, was to a public person, who could make him look good.

Jesus invitation was as The Christ to a Pharisee who needed to be forgiven.

Which will you choose?

Are we just looking Real?

Revelation 3:17 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

“Knowest not”! How could that be?

Because they are hiding,…covering themselves with external works ; therefore they can not see they are empty inside…..

They talk of what they have, before men……Jesus speaks of what they are to Him.

The gospel of God only saves…if we have it in our experience. If we have been born again.

Paul tells of those that…

2 Timothy 3:7 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Ever learning, but never really acquiring the experience of this truth. Never having it in present possession.

They knew something about it, and worked at learning facts about it,…..but never subjected themselves to Christ Jesus, to get the experience of those facts,….into themselves.

Head knowledge will lead to a mental agreement of certain facts, but it is the apprehending of those same facts in our experience that will save us and set us free.

2 Timothy 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:…”

If our lives do not show the power we profess, then we are denying the power of Christ somewhere in our lives….for Jesus will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

We may have the “form”, we may look real,……but still deny the power He wants to give us, through subjection to Him.

If we are Christians we have come to see ourselves as lost, in need of a Savior….

Without hope in this present world.

Then we have come to believe, and receive Christ Jesus,……Whom to know aright is to have Eternal life….being born again by the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever (1 Peter 1:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9)

This is to experience Justification.

We are made “not guilty” before a Holy God, because of what Christ Jesus did on His cross….taking all our sin and guilt and penalty on Him.

And more, in Christ,…..we are given a righteous standing before God.

But justification is only half of the life of a Christian. The other half is Sanctification.

Justification deals with our guilt. Sanctification deals with the problem of the power of sin in our lives as Christians.

Justification is once for all….but sanctification is day by day, minute by minute, in the experiences of our life.

In sanctification, the cross must do it’s work….not Christ’s cross, but my cross.

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

Our cross is anything of God’s Will to us, that cuts across our will,…anything we can say “no” to.

For it is, “If any man will”.

We “resist”, when we refuse to yield to Him and His Will.

But when we deny ourselves, and take up our cross, then we are willing with God.

By denying ourselves, we can come to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything. We obey because we want to please Him.

It is not sinless perfection,….nor instant obedience….but final obedience.

We will to do God’s Will….no matter what.

(I want to take a minute and explain: “resist”. It means to stand against or oppose. It is where we are saying,……..I will not do this, or I will not do this, Your way.

We may not like what God wants us to do, or be afraid of doing it….but when we refuse, for any reason, we are resisting His Holy Spirit. [Acts 7:51])

The cross deals with our will….making it willing. For God works within us both to will and to do (Philippians 2:13), if we will deny ourselves and yield to the Holy Spirit.

And when our will is yielded to Christ’s Will, our will becomes a real powerhouse.

Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

But then God deals with our “life”. Our self-life, our character, our habits. Not necessarily bad things….just “my” things.

Most of us will get rid of the “bad” things of our life, pretty easily….but the “good” things….or the habits that do no harm (we think)…..are ours….we can keep them.

Jesus Christ came to save us to the uttermost. He saves us from the guilt of sin, and the power of sin;…..then He sets us free in all the areas of our life.

(Sometimes we forget this was always Christ’s Ministry…….offering it when He was here, though rejected……..and it continues to be His ministry, by His Holy Spirit, in all who belong to Him.

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”)

He deals with every facet of our personality and life, and makes it His.

When He does, we are freed from everything which has a hold on us, in anyway.

Sometimes we never realize how strong an influence an idea we have,…..our habits,…..or our plans have on us.

Not “bad” in themselves….but the Lord wants to free us from their influence,…..to have spiritual liberty in Him.

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

(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 exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

As we have said, the Lord Jesus usually starts with some strongpoint…..some “stronghold of reason” that we have in our makeup….that we have acquired by some experience, and which must be brought into subjection to Christ…

And it is by the insistence of the Holy Spirit, pulling down these strongholds.

(I “learned” at an early age…..if anyone was going to defend me….it was going to be me.

No one else was going to.

But when I became a Christian, the Lord began to deal with me about this attitude.

It was not “bad”,…..but it hindered my growth in Christ, for I could not trust Him fully.

I tried and tried to let it go.

But…..finally I came to Christ Jesus….and He showed me what had happened to make me this way. And I forgave.

Denying myself, then became easier. Trusting Christ became a real joy….and I had liberty….real freedom from myself, here.)

Than we cast down imaginations….past, and future.

Of what could have been,…..or might yet be.

Than the Holy Spirit deals with every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Anything that would cast doubt on the Truth of what God has said to us.

All of this is by the power of the Holy Spirit within us,…..and us cooperating with Him.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

We must yield, but it is His power in us, that gives us the victory and liberty of Spirit….bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

True liberty is freedom from sin, and freedom from ourselves.

There is a lightness of spirit, and a wholeness beyond measure, when we yield our everything to Christ, and His Holy Spirit within.

The Fountain of Life

Psalm 36:9 “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”

Have you drank from the fountain of Life?

Well, if you have, then that living force ought to be turning into a “river of living water” within you.

You see, God’s power is living. It is not a dead, or stagnant thing.

He does not save, then desert, and say in effect, “Go ahead and make your way through a hostile world; you will get to heaven alright, but you have to fight your way there by yourself.”

No….Christ Jesus has promised never to leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus saves to the uttermost.

That means: He saves from the love of sin. This is conviction by the Holy Spirit of the wretchedness of it.

He saves from the guilt of sin. We are born again, and become clean through His sacrifice and resurrection.

He saves from the power of sin. Called Sanctification: it is a setting aside to God of all ourselves, little by little, till we are willing subjects of His Kingdom here, and now, in all our circumstances.

He saves from the presence of sin, when we go to Heaven.

John 7:37-38. “In the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

Now when you get water flowing, what does it do?

It keeps flowing, one way or the other: when it flows downhill, and it meets a rock in its path, it just flows around it, and if there is enough water…over it.

This is the way of the Living Water, which is the Holy Spirit within you.

He gives light and life (1 John 1:7), by the graces of joy, peace, consolation, strength, and love. (Galatians 5:22-23)

But what if there is a hinderance to the living water?

Some hardened place within our hearts: a root of bitterness, or hurt feelings, which will not respond to the gentle influences of the Spirit, as we should?

Well, we can hinder that influence of His Holy Spirit for a while,….sometimes quite a while……but He keeps His influence coming.

Maybe in a Word here, or a testimony there,….but He keeps pushing against what hinders in our life….cleansing us from our attitude, hurt, and anger….saving us from our weakness….and bringing us into His Light.

As we finally yield to Him.

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

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

(Notice it is rooted and grounded in love….His love for us, and our reciprocal love to Him……what a foundation the Holy Spirit gives us! What can’t we stand against with love of Christ as our foundation?)

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.”

Perhaps, something hinders your enjoyment of the Lord?

Then seek the Lord, for He is willing and able to see that it is put right.

Are you willing that He should?

Will you yield to Him?

The Holy Spirit will help with that as well, if you will come to Him and seek it.

His power turns our hearts to Him:

Psalms 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 80:7 “Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.”

Let the Living Waters flow out of your inner most being (John 7:39), and yield to the Lord.

He is the Fountain of Life: and in His Light you will see light.

The Picture of Christ found in the Tabernacle

Exodus 29:43, 45-46 “And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.

And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God.”

The Tabernacle was the dwelling place of God, among His people after He had brought them out of bondage, and across the Red Sea.

They needed a place to come and meet with Him. This was the Tabernacle.

It was erected according to the pattern God gave Moses in Sinai (Exodus 25:8-9), when the Ten Commandments had been given to Israel, and they had made a covenant with Him to be His people, and obey His laws.

Exodus 24:7 “And he (Moses) took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.”

The Tabernacle was divided into three stations:

The first was the court of the Tabernacle. It was outside, and the first place you met the priests.

Here there was Natural Light to shine for the work to be done by the priests.

The first piece of furniture to meet the petitioner when they came was the Brazen Altar.

Exodus 27:1-2 “And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be four square: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.”

(Brass speaks of judgement. Judgement for sin must be made. Either on the sinner, or upon a substitute.)

Here was the sacrifice made. And the blood pour out by it. (Exodus 29:11-12). There was to be a continual burnt offering.

Exodus 29:42 “This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak there unto thee.”

This was as far as an Israelite, who was not a priest, could go.

Here God would meet those who came, and speak peace by the blood.

(Christ is the altar, and the sacrifice. He offered Himself to God’s Judgement, for us)

So we who believe, have peace with God through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:24-25, 5:1. “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

The next piece of furniture was the Laver. It is also, of brass.

The priests hands would be bloody after working at the Brazen Altar, and their feet dirty from the bare ground…..so they were to wash their hands and their feet before going into the Holy Place, for everything there shows fellowship.

Exodus 30:18 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.”

(He is the laver, and the water, for His Word, by the Holy Spirit, judges our walk….Ephesians 5:25-26…and cleanses.)

As Christians, we too, should “wash” our hands and feet, so we can maintain fellowship with our Lord.

We do this by confessing our failures: the failures of our service [our hands],….and the failures of our walk [our feet].

We are to be in the world but not of it, and we are defiled by walking around in this world. [How much filthy language, hatred, rage, etc. we come into contact with every day]

When we confess our sins, we come to Him to get “washed, and cleansed” from our sins, so we can have fellowship with Him.

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.”

The second section of the Tabernacle was the Holy Place.

Everything here spoke of fellowship. Only the priests could enter here, and minister. (We are called priests in the New Testament 1 Peter 2:5)

There were three pieces of furniture:

The Table of Shewbread.

The Lampstand.

The Golden Altar of Incense.

Exodus 25:23-24,30 “Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown to the border thereof round about.

And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before Me always.”

The Table of Shewbread spoke of Christ, The Son of God (the gold) manifesting Himself as the bread of life, in His humanity (the wood).

He sustains us, as we have that fellowship with Him.

He manifests Himself as King for us, as we fellowship with Him

(The breads were sprinkled with frankincense, which is the spice of Kings. One of the wise men presented Christ with it, at His birth.)

Exodus 25:31 “And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knobs and his flowers, shall be of the same.”

(Notice the Word says, “his shaft, his branches, his bowls, etc”. The Holy Spirit showing Who the candlestick or Lampstand was picturing.)

Exodus 27:20 “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.”

The Lampstand or Candlestick is of one piece of gold, beaten into the seven lamps atop one candlestick. The bowls were filled with pure olive oil and burned.

They were to be continually burning, and had to be filled and seen to morning and night.

This speaks of The Spirit of Christ,…Who, after Christ was ascended to heaven, shows the Light of Christ in the darkness of this world.

(we, as priests, are to keep His Light, burning)

He shows us Christ,…..and how we are to follow Him in our lives, and work.

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

Exodus 30:1,3 “And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.”

The Incense Altar was again wood, overlaid with gold.

It was to have the fire from off the Brazen Altar put into it, and special incense burned upon it every morning and every evening, when the Lampstand was filled with oil.

The incense pictured our prayers, going up to God, from the Altar of Christ.

He is our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). And it is His intercession before God which makes our prayers acceptable.

Also on the day of Atonement, blood was to be brought in and touched on the horns of the Golden Altar (the blood of the sacrifice, sanctifying our prayers)

Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:”

Everything speaks of Christ; but to the glory of Christ Jesus, we are to pray for all men to be saved; and especially pray for the household of faith. (1 Timothy 2:1, 8. Colossians 4:2)

This is the Holy Place, and this, for all Israel including priests, was as far as any could go,…….

……except on the Day of Atonement,……when the High Priest would crawl under the Veil between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies with the blood of the sin offering, for the sins of the people.

In the Holy of Holies, the third section of the Tabernacle, there was only one piece of furniture:

The Ark of God, covered with the mercy seat. This speaks of the Presence of God, for over it the glory of the Lord dwelt.

The Ark was a wooden box covered in and out with gold. In it the Ten Commandments, and the testimony of their journeys was kept.

On it, rested the Mercy Seat, made of pure gold, with cherubim of gold looking inward where the blood of the sin offering, would be poured.

Exodus 25:10-11, 17-18 “And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.”

The Veil was between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies;……separating Israel and God.

But when Christ died on the Cross, the Veil was rent from top to bottom, showing the way to God was open by His sacrifice.

Matthew 27:50-51 ” Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”

Access to God by faith in Christ Jesus, is now possible.

The Atonement was made, and we can come before His presence in peace.

Hebrews 10:10, 12, 14 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

But this Man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

The Tabernacle showed forth Christ. It was there in the midst of their camp to show that He was in their midst. To bring them as close to God, as He could let them, then.

Yes, it was not a clear picture; but for all who believed God, they looked forward to Christ’s coming salvation with joy,……and the time, when they could draw closer and closer to God.

Hebrews 10:19-20, 22 “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,

By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh;

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,….”

Are we drawing closer to God? The veil is rent….the Way is open to God, to come before His presence in joy, by Christ Jesus…….are we using our great privileges?