Behold, I am at the Door

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.”

What door is He at?

He is at the Church door. In the second and third chapters of Revelation, we have the letters Jesus Christ wrote through John to the churches.

They were a cross section of the church of that period; and of all the church ages.

He speaks very personally with each: telling each age what needs to be changed, what He praises them for, and what He promises those that overcome through these changes.

When He comes to the Laodicean Church, it is not their actions that He corrects; but their seeing and hearing.

They don’t see what they truly are, and they are not hearing Him as they should; for He stands outside the door, knocking.

He is calling to those who will hear inside.

But what are they? They are lukewarm Christians.

First, let me say, that though it is the church door Jesus is standing and knocking at; it is to “any man” (man or woman, boy or girl), that He speaks to.

For it is His Voice which is heard, within.

This fact, that we are within the Church, is important.

He is not calling, in this way, to the lost in the world.

He is calling to those in the Church; to those who should recognize His Voice. (John 10:4)

What should they do to open the door?

To “open the door”, or to answer His call, in this Laodicean Age, is not an answer of words (even at some altar, though it may start there), but an answer of a life open to and receptive to Him.

In this age, we have mostly forgotten Christ as Lord.(As “A Lord”, yes. But as our Lord, no.)

For the Lordship of Christ is mostly thought of as: One day He will be Lord of All.

Of course that is true, because He is Lord of all, now. (Matthew 28:18)

But when we speak of Christ as Lord, we mean that He is our Lord. That He commands and we will do, that He can do what He will with His own; meaning me.

It is a surrender of the whole man, active, to Christ. All our faculties are brought into subjection to Him.

So to open to Christ is to give our life to Him, a once done act.

And live our lives to Him, receiving every word He says, because we receive Him.

(Have you received Christ? Has He a place in your life?

You may say, He is in my heart. How much of your heart does He have?

For your heart signifies your life: your thoughts, feelings and affections, and actions.)

He is standing.

And when He stands, He is ready to do for that individual who will hear Him.

Ready to come in and impart power, power within us and power through us; and to have that fellowship which is the backbone of power.

Daniel 11:32b “…but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”

We can do nothing without Him. The real power of life is Christ’s life within our lives.

His fellowship, then is paramount.

It is the “sup with” us, that speaks of the kind of fellowship. For in Bible times, you could never eat with an enemy.

If someone came into your house, and fed, they were worthy of your best, both in food and conversation.

If we are not fellowshipping with Him, we are lukewarm.

We think we are just hot enough to get by, He can’t possibly refuse our prayers, our service, our activities.

We are warm. We are O.K.

But that is not the way God sees it. (Revelation 3:15-17)

And He sees everything.

(There used to be a children’s song “Be careful little eyes, what you see. Be careful little feet, where you go. Be careful little mouth, what you say….For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes, feet, mouth”

Children were trained to know God saw them every where……what they did, what they said, what they saw; and that He loved them, so they should stay close to Him.

It has been stressed of late, that we might be scaring our children, by such language.

No, no, no.

Where love is, there is no fear.

1 John 4:16-18 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath for us. God is love: and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as He is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in God; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Caution is a good thing. A little preparation, is better than a lot of sorrow, especially where our children are concerned.

To know they are being seen, yes, if they are going to get themselves into trouble, is good.

But to know they are being seen when anything is going on. God loves them. He knows, He sees.

If they are Christians, this is powerful stuff, for God is powerful for them, as well as in them.)

He is standing at the door of the Church, and His voice is calling us to “open to Me”.

If any person will:

First, hear His Voice.

Second, Open your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

You might say you did this when you were born again.

Yes, you should have received Him then (John 1:12). But have you somewhere shut the door to part of your life?

For those who realize they are lukewarm; His call to come, is for you.

Come, and open your life to Him, completely.

Think of the doors in your life you have shut to Him, and bring them to Him, and open them to Him.

Remember His love to you, and talk to Him about it. And keep talking.

He is Standing ; Ready to do, for you.

Lift up the Hands that Hang Down:

Hebrews 12: 12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

This has to do with the race we are called to finish for the Lord.

God never intends that we go through life miserable.

It is true that we are in a battle with sin, self, and the Adversary, but it should always be a path of Light.

In this part of Hebrews, the writer has just told of heroes of faith (Hebrews 11).

Not just how they had faith….but how they used their faith.

And he calls all who have faith now, to:

Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

In every race, it is those who lay aside every weight, who will win.

You can not be weighed down, and run well.

This race is not a sprint….but a long distance race; it is the race that compasses our lives.

Weights are those things which we carry, which are unnecessary to our walk with the Lord. In fact, they hinder it.

These can be habits we have picked up, which need to be put aside;

or acquaintance which we have let get an advantage over us;

or ideas from the world which sound right, but are not.

These weights interfere with our race; and hinder our faith’s growth.

We can still run; but with difficulty….and perhaps a fall.

So, the writer says, you need to “lay aside” these; and run with patience the race that is set before us, by the Lord.

A good way to start this is:

Hebrews 12: 2-3 “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.

For consider him that endured such contradictions of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

We are to look to Jesus: look at His example, and look at the reason He went to the cross.

Jesus Christ our Lord came from His glory, into humiliation for us; that we might have His life and peace.

We are His joy, and satisfaction.

(Isaiah 53:11 “He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”)

It was not just His suffering in death, but the “contradiction of sinners”.

That was in the unbelief of the people he came to;

the anger of the chief priests and Pharisees, who refused to acknowledge Jesus’ authority;

and in the face of so many proofs, rejected Him and sought to make others refuse Him as well.

Yet Christ Jesus went to the cross to die and save all who would come unto Him.

He ran the race His Father placed before Him, that He might have us with Him for all eternity. Again, we are His joy.

The writer also goes on to say that we should be prepared to be corrected, if you wander from the path of life.

Your Heavenly Father loves you, and seeks to keep you safe.

The further you are from Jesus; the further out of His Light and Love you go; the more in the dark we are.

This is not what Jesus has for us.

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

“Them that are exercised thereby” are the people who really want to learn.

(A group of people are all training for a big game.

The trainer is working hard with all of them, in order for them to win.

But he will take extra time with those who get bruises, or sore feet, or are failures at first; and still get up and want more of the training, so they can get it right. These are those that are “exercised thereby”.)

When we have seen the value of the life the Lord gives us, and we come to the place where we need correcting (and we all do)…..yet if we go on with Jesus, and learn; we will bare the fruit of righteousness within ourselves….because we stayed with Him.

So in Spiritual Life:

Our Trainer is the Holy Spirit He is come to us to guide us in the Lord’s Way, in grace.

But we are often slow learners; or frightened; or we want to do it another way.

But the Holy Spirit does not give up on us; but rather seeks to point us to Christ; and keeps working in us. (Philippians 2:13)

He tells us: don’t give up, do not get discouraged; but go on with Him.

Hebrew 12: 12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

Lift up the hands which hang down in fear or tiredness.

Strengthen the knees which want to just sit down, and forget it.

Make your paths straight, by:

Trusting in the Lord.

Listening to Him.

And holding on to His love.

He is always with us, let us stay with Him.

Ask for these to be shown to you; and be prepared to be strengthened by His Holy Spirit, in peace and joy.

Let Us Go On

Hosea 6:3 “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord:  His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth”

To know about God;  that there is One, that He is up there “seeing” to things; is enough religion for some people.

Religion and everyday life are seen by these, as two separate and distinct issues.

Though they may not come out and say it, they agree with those that keep religion on Sunday,   and their real lives, the rest of the time.

Let me tell everyone who names the name of a Christian:  Jesus Christ interferes with life;  namely our life.

He makes claims upon us.  He wants us.

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

Matthew 10:37-38 “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more that me is not worthy of me.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me , is not worthy of me.”

To know only about God is a knowledge that does not save.

They need to be drawn to Jesus Christ for themselves; for their need, for mercy.

Luke 18:9-14 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

                         Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

                          The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,  God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

                           I fast twice in the week, I give titles of all that I possess.

                           And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

                           I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

The attitude of some is:  that God should be God,  and I’ll be me.  

In effect: “You stay up there in heaven,  watch offer me, keep me from harm,  care for me, and take me home to heaven when I die;  

I’ll stay down here and do nothing too terrible. I will go to church,  read my Bible when I need to and pray whenever I’m in trouble.”

These imagine that the bargain is struck.

So off we go completely convinced, like the Pharisee, we are on good standing with the Lord.

Yet the sincere follower has heard the call of Christ; and has left any bargaining behind.     He has decided to follow Christ whithersoever He leads.

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

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

And this decision has far reaching consequences, both to ourselves, and any we come into contact with.

Christ’s life is Eternal Life.     

It is Him we receive at new birth,  He is our life.  

Eternal life is a condition of life, here and now; as well as for eternity.

We receive His nature by the Holy Spirit.  

He places the love of God and His Word within, as well as a desire for holiness of life.

Faith, joy, peace, all the graces of God, are at our disposal.

Philippians 3:8-14 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:  for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

                            And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

                            That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

                            If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

                            Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

                            Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,  forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

                             I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

The prize?  This high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  This calling is to everyone who is born again.

We are called to bring forth fruit.

We are called to walk together with Christ.

We are called to obtain promises.

We are called to witness of Christ.

We are called to know Christ.

To know  Christ: this is the goal of any true follower of Christ.

Not to win salvation: that is in Christ.

Not to win heaven:  that is the end of those who belong to Christ.

But to know Christ:

For to know Him is the real gain of all things.  Real satisfaction,  real joy,  real peace.  

This is to “go on to know the Lord”

When you do,  you will also find His going forth with you in power and loving presence.

To follow on.       To go on.    To seek.     These are words we need to activate in our everyday lives.

And the One we need to follow after is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual reality is in the experiential knowledge of Jesus.

The Door of our Ears 

Mark 4:23-24 “If any man have ears to hear,  let him hear.

                       And He said unto them,   Take heed what ye hear.   With what measure ye mete (give out),  it shall be meted unto you;   And unto you that hear  shall more be given.”

Has the door of our ears been opened?  Do we take heed to what we hear?

Let’s be honest.  We hear a lot that,  as my Mother used to say,  goes in one ear and out the other. 

We hear it.  We could probably repeat it,  if we had to.  But it makes no difference in our attitude.   Because they are just words…just noice that may or may not sound good to us.

Hearing ears come from the Lord.  He will give them to us,  if we want to hear Him.

Proverbs 20:12 “The hearing ear,  and the seeing eye,  the Lord hath made even both of them.”

These are ears which take in what is spoken, and apply them to “me”,  because we know the words come from God. 

Jesus goes on to describe the words which are “heard”, as seed:

Mark 4:26-29 “And He said,   So is the kingdom of God,  as if a man should cast seed into the ground;  

                          And should sleep,  and rise night and day,  and the seed should spring and grow up,  he knoweth not how.

                          For the earth bringeth forth of herself;  first the blade,  then the ear,  after that the full corn in the ear.

                           But when the fruit is brought forth,  immediately he putteth in the sickle,  because the harvest is come.”

Now these words have been planted,  through the open door of the ears,  into the heart.

This is a wonderful thing.  Because I have known people who remembered what they were taught as children in Sunday School,  about Jesus Christ,  and been born again;   or used those scriptures in the situations of life they were in now.

You see, it is the door of our ears being opened that let’s in the Word of God.  Once planted in the heart (it may take time),  it brings forth fruit unto eternal life.

How do we “open the door of our ears”?  We will to believe that His word,  is God speaking to me.

It makes a huge difference when we know the Lord wants to speak to me,  now, today….for today.

We “open” our ears, often for jokes, and songs, and other sounds (not that there is anything wrong with friends and family talking…I wish there was more of it.)

But we should be as willing to hear God speaking to us,  as to hear everyone else.

Mark 4:33 “And with many such parables spake He the word unto them,  as they were able to hear it.”

“As they were able to hear it.”      Multitudes came to hear Him (Mark. 4:1),  but did they really “hear” what He was saying?

Did they understand that He was presenting Himself and God’s word to them,  so that they would believe on Him, and have true life?

Not many;  but some came, did hear,  and followed Him.   

He always had those who left all and followed Him.

To those, He gives light (knowledge of what to do, and how);  and He gives grace (the unmerited favor of power or ability to do).

And that is why today,  He is still speaking His Word to all who will hear.

“If any man have ears to hear,  let him hear.”

Paul’s Conversion, and a Certain Disciple

(Conversion, here, means to spiritually change the direction of your life, by placing yourself on the foundation of Christ Jesus.)

To begin this, we must understand that Saul was a “up and coming” Pharisee. 

He was going to be somebody in the Jewish Religion!  

He was zealous concerning the Law;  “a Hebrew of the Hebrews”. (Philippians 3:5)

But things began to “change”, when he heard, and saw a follower of Jesus Christ, die a martyr’s death.   

For the man, Stephen,  asked God to forgive them; and Saul knew that this is how a true follower of God would act. (Saul was there as a representative of the Council who judged him. Acts 7:54-58)

But this “change” was not toward the Light he had seen,  but sent him fighting against it.  

Vicious was his attack on all, of this Way.

Acts 26:9-11 “I verily thought with myself,  that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

                        Which thing I also did in Jerusalem:  and many of the saints did I shut up in prison,  having received authority from the chief priests;  and when they were put to death,  I gave my voice against them. 

                         And I punished them in every synagogue,  and compelled them to blaspheme;  and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”

And why was he “exceedingly mad against them”?   Because, as we shall see, God was pricking his heart; and telling him that “this Way” was the right way.  That Jesus Christ was indeed the Son of God.

But he refused to listen, or to bow to God’s Way.   Instead he would fight against it.   

By destroying Christ’s followers;  he would destroy this Way. (So he thought)

Acts 9:1-2 “And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,  went unto the high priest.

                    And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues,  that if he found any of this way,  whither they be men or women,  he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”

So he is going to take his hatred of this Way to other cities; to Damascus.  He gathers men to come as escorts for the prisoners he will bring back.

Everything is proceeding according to his plan.

But he has a surprise in store;  for this is not according to God’s plan.

Acts 9:3 “And as he journeyed,  he came near Damascus:  and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.”

Almost to his journeys end, close to Damascus;   God shines a light down upon him that he can not ignore!

Acts 9:4-6 “And he fell to the earth,  and heard a voice saying unto him,  Saul, Saul,  Why persecutest thou Me?

                    And he said,  Who art thou Lord?   And the Lord said,  I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:  it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  

                     And he trembling and astonished said,  Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?   And the Lord said unto him,  Arise,  and go into the city,  and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”

Here, Saul falls to the ground.   The Light is blinding, and he can not stand against it.  

He falls (finally in the right position before Jesus Christ),  and then he is spoken to:  Why are you persecuting Me, Saul?

(Notice that Jesus always identifies Himself with His people:  Their persecution is His, as well.)

Saul is quite shocked!    He thought he was just fighting against people;  Who was he fighting against?

The Lord Jesus Christ then tells him,  “It is I, you are trying to destroy.   And I am here to tell you,  you can not.    

I have been pricking your heart with the truth of Who I am for some time.  

You just keep kicking against it.  

Stop fighting My Way.   Stop fighting the Light I have given you.”

Saul, having heard Christ Jesus for himself,  gives himself over to Him:   “What would You have me to do?”

Yielding simple allegiance, and seeking to obey;  Saul gives up his life into the hands of Jesus Christ.

“I am Yours,  what do you want me to do?  Go on, or go back, or what?”

The Lord then calls him on to Damascus,  not as persecutor of His people,  but as brother to those of this Way.   

The rest would be “told” him,  when he got there.

Acts 9:8 “And Saul arose from the earth;  and when his eyes were opened,  he saw no man:  but they lead him by the hand,  and brought him into Damascus.”

Refusing to see the Light God first gave him,  Saul is now blinded for a time, by the Light he could not refuse to see.  They lead him to Damascus.

Saul is now fasting,  waiting to hear from the Lord the instruction he was promised.

And now to the “certain disciple”:

Acts 9:10-12 “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus,  named Ananias;  and to him said the Lord in a vision;  Ananias,  and he said,  Behold,  I am here, Lord.

                        And the Lord said unto him,  Arise,  and go into the street which is called Straight,  and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus:  for,  behold, he prayeth, 

                        And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in,  and putting his hand on him,  that he might receive his sight.”

Ananias spoke up; he did not say he would not go, for he had called Jesus, Lord.  (He is not Lord to you if you will not do what He says.)

But he prays a prayer that we all would be well to imitate, when we are afraid about doing God’s Will:

Ananias told God what he had heard about Saul,  the evil he had done in Jerusalem, and that he had come to do the same here in Damascus.  

In other words,  Ananias told God his fear, and ask what to do about it.

Now God knew this,  but as Ananias prayed this information to the Lord, peace came upon his heart.   A peace that passeth understanding.

Ananias was then ready to hear what Jesus said to him:  “Go”

Acts 9:15-16 “But the Lord said unto him,  Go thy way:  for he is a chosen vessel unto me,  to bear my name before the Gentiles,  and kings,  and the children of Israel:

                        For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

And so Ananias, went; doing exactly what Jesus had commanded him to do for Saul.  

Praying for him to receive his sight, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. (And because he went and prayed for Saul;  every reward Saul (His name was later changed to Paul) will receive from the Lord,  Ananias will receive a part, too.)

And what did Saul do?

Acts 9:19-20,22 “…Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at  Damascus.

And straightway preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

And Saul increased the more in strength,  and confounded the Jews which were at Damascus,  proving that this is very Christ.”

Acts 26:19-20 “Whereupon,  O king Agrippa,  I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:  

                           But showed first unto them of Damascus,  and at Jerusalem,  and throughout all the coast of Judea,  and then to the Gentiles,  that they should repent and turn to God,  and do works meet for repentance.”

Saul continued on,  doing the Will of Christ Jesus, his Lord, through many afflictions, and persecutions of his own; till,  at the last he could say:

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight,  I have finished my course,  I have kept the faith:”

Conversion meant for Saul that he spiritually changed the direction of his life by placing himself on the foundation of Jesus Christ, his Lord.

Have you been converted to Christ?

Have you seen God’s Provision for You?

A little background is needed:

The king of Syria warred against the king of Israel.  He would set up camp in places where the king of Israel would pass through.   In this way he thought to destroy him and take over Israel.

But God had a prophet in Israel, called Elisha.  He sent to the king of Israel a warning, many times, about such ambushes.

This frustrated the king of Syria, and at first he thought he was being betrayed by someone in his own court.

But a knowledgeable man in the king’s court told him:

2 Kings 6:12 “And one of his servants said,  None, my lord, O king:  but Elisha,  the prophet that is in Israel,  telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.”

So the king of Syria, a mighty warrior, with a mighty army; sought to lay hands on this man:  Elisha,  God’s prophet.

2 Kings 6:13-14 “And he said,   Go and spy where he is,  that I may send and fetch him.     And it was told him saying,   Behold, he is at Dothan.

                             Therefore sent he thither horses and chariots,  and a great host:  and they came by night,  and encompassed the city about.”

Now Elisha was just one man (though he had a servant with him);  so sending this large company to get him, seemed like over-kill.

But it was not just meant to take Elisha,  but also to scare him.   To put him in awe of the might and power of the king of Syria.

Fear comes when we feel that we can not deal with a situation,  ourselves. 

Or can not get the right help from others, and there is nothing we can do about what is going on. 

Then we become afraid.   

But surrounded by this great and mighty army,  Elisha was not  afraid (although his servant was terrified).

2 Kings 6:15 “And when the servant of the man of God was risen early,  and gone forth,  behold,  a host compassed  the city both with horses and chariots.  And his servant said unto him,  Alas,  my master!  How shall we do?”

The servant saw that they were surrounded;  this surely was something to be afraid of! 

Are not we often the same way?

But Elisha saw nothing to be afraid of;  for he saw the provision of God for them.

2 Kings 6:16 “And he (Elisha) answered,  Fear not:  for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

They say:  Seeing is believing.    

For Elisha,  he already “saw” by faith that the Syrian army that was around the city,    was surrounded themselves,  by God’s army….His provision for them.

The Syrian army was in more trouble then they were!

But the servant of Elisha needed a little more “sight”.   He needed to get his eyes off the enemy, and onto the Lord’s army.

2 Kings 6:17   “Elisha prayed,  and said,  Lord I pray thee,  open his eyes,  that he may see.  And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man,  and he saw: and,  behold,  the mountain was full of horses, and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”

With that much help around them, they could have walked right through the army,  or had them destroyed.  (That is the way I would have thought about it.)

But God’s ways of dealing with people are different than ours.

God’s help “came down”.

2 Kings 6:18-19 “And when they came down to him,  Elisha prayed unto the Lord,  and said,   Smite this people, I pray thee,  with blindness.   

And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

                              And Elisha said unto them,  This is not the way,  neither is this the city,  follow me,  and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek.    But he led them to Samaria.”

Elisha, instead, prayed that the army of the Syrians would have a blindness.  A blindness to where they were.

Then he led them to the city of Samaria, where Israel’s king and army had them completely surrounded.  

2 Kings 6:20-21 “And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said,  Lord, opens the eyes of these men, that they may see.   

And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw;  and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

                             And the king of Israel said unto Elisha,  when he saw them,  My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?”

Elisha told him, no.  He told the king to feed them, and send them back to their king.  

2 Kings 6:22-23. “And he answered,   Thou shalt not smite them:  wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive  with thy sword and with thy bow?   Set bread and water before them,  that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

                                 …So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.“

This saved Israel;  for a while.

God’s provision for us is not always horses and chariots of fire.  

Most of the time, He provides natural ways of deliverance. 

But however He gives us His provision,  we need to “see” it, and use it.

Elisha prayed, and sight was given to his servant.

We need to pray and ask God to give us sight,  to see what He is, and will provide.

Are you in trouble?  In distress?  Or just afraid?

Look to Jesus, and seek His provision for you.  

Whether simple, natural help is sent.   Or heavenly help is sent.   He will be found of all those who seek Him.

His answers are there.  

The Fountain of Life 

Psalms 36:9 “For with Thee is the fountain of life.  In Thy light shall we see light.”

Have you drunk from the fountain of life?

If you have, then that living force ought to be within you a river of living water, springing up within you…giving grace and peace.

John 7:38-39 “He that believeth on Me,  as the scripture hath said,  out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

                           (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they which believe on Him should receive:…”

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

It keeps flowing, following a path of least resistance.

It will flow downhill and if it meets a rock in it’s path?   It just flows around it.

This is the way of Living water.

But what if there is a dam of some sort?

Then it builds up behind it, until it flows over it!

Living water can not be stagnant.  It will find a way over, under, or around….and sometimes through any obstacle it meets with.

But you say,  “I have drunk of this Living water,  but it seems to be flowing more slowly than before….I fear it will stop altogether.

I am not sure what has hindered my spiritual life:  my prayers seem harder, the joy I felt is gone, and my peace is shaken.  I do not know what is wrong.”

If this is your experience:  consider when you drank of this Living water last.

We usually find what we lost,  where we lost it.   

So with relationships….when was the last time you had fellowship with the Lord?

Are you neglecting His Word?

Ephesians 5:25-27 “….as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;

                               That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,  that He might present it to Himself a glorious church,  not having spot,  or wrinkle,  or any such thing;  but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

What hinders the Holy Spirit within you?  

Have you been satisfied with something other than the Lord’s guidance?

Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns,  broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

Do you seem further away from Him?

Has your assurance and confidence in the Lord wavered?

Hebrews 10:22-23 “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;)”

Have we been true to the Lord Jesus, or has doubt come in?

Unbelief slows the progress of this Living water, by demanding that God “prove” Himself to us.

Hebrews 3:19 “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Matthew 13:54-58 “And when He was come unto his own country, He taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?  Is not this the carpenter’s son?…

                            And they were offended in Him…..

                           And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

[If you read it, they acknowledge all His mighty works, but because of who He was to them:  “the carpenter’s son”;  they refused to open their hearts to faith,  and missed the blessing He wanted them to have.]

I have asked all these questions, because sometimes it takes a question to jog our affection and thoughts toward the right direction. (How many times the Lord has spoken through devotions or a message to me this way!)

If we are missing the blessing of the “water” of the Holy Spirit, then we must seek His light to see where we stopped receiving it.  

Where we quenched the Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:19) 

Perhaps where we stopped giving thanks. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Let us look at the second part of the beginning verse:

“In Thy light shall we see light.”

As we come to the light of Christ through His Word, and let Him show us where we have erred or turned aside;  then we have light in ourselves.

Ephesians 5:13-14 “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light:  for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

                                Wherefore he saith,  Awaketh thou that sleepest,  and arise from the dead,  and Christ shall give thee light.”

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them,  saying,  I am the light of the world:  he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness,  but shall have the light of light of life.”

Go to the Light of the Lord, and let that light shine within you.   You want the Lord’s Will,  and He will show it to you…..for you.

John 3:21 “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light,  that his deeds may be made manifest,  that they are wrought in God.”

One of the last call’s in the Bible, is to all who will:

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say,  Come.   And let him that heareth say,  Come.   And let him that is athirst come.   And whosoever will,  let him take the water of life freely.”

For with the Lord is the fountain of life, springing up into eternal life…that condition of life, now and for eternity…in you.

And in Lord’s Light…we will “see”,  discern the Lord’s Will, and get the power from the Holy Spirit to do it.

Empty your Hands

What is that in thine hand?

Have you ever considered what hinders you from doing the work the Lord wants you to do? 

Are you hanging on to something that you need to let go of?

Or are you hanging on to “the rod” ,  which will never be used for God,  till you give it to God?

Exodus 4:2 “And the Lord said unto him,  What is that in thine hand?  And he said,  A rod.”

Moses had been a prince of Egypt,  a defender of his brethren,  a fugitive, and a shepherd.  

But now he was called of God to go and bring out the Israelites from slavery, to take them to the promised land of Canaan.

But how was he going to do this?

The Lord first called him,  then showed him one of the means he was to use, to do the work….his shepherd’s rod.

Of course, this rod was not the only means,  Moses used to deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt.

But it was in his hand at the time God called him. 

Exodus 4:3-5 “And he said,  Cast it on the ground.  And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent;  and Moses fled from before it.

                         And the Lord said unto Moses,  Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail.  And he put forth his hand, and caught it,  and it became a rod in his hand:

                          That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,  hath appeared into thee.”

God chose to sanctify the rod for His work:  so it was given to Moses for a means of deliverance for the children of Israel.

I remember how often, as a child, a older person would tell me to “empty my hands, so you can pick up that other thing.”

Here, the Lord is telling Moses that it is time to let go of the life he had in Midian, and to do the next work….His work of deliverance.

Now we can not fill our hands with God’s work, if we will not empty them of other things.

Exodus 4:21 “And the Lord said unto Moses,  When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh,  which I have put in thine hand:  but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.”

“Which I have put in thine hand.”  

Only the things God puts in our hands are for His work.

Sometimes they are for a specific work and then to be laid aside.    Sometimes they are for our whole life work.

The means are all at God’s disposal,  not ours.

Our job is to empty our hands, and fill them with what He puts there.

One of the means we are always to use is His Word.   It is always right at hand, and it is for our instruction in righteousness.

2 Timothy 3:16-17. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Another means we are to use is grace.   Grace is the unmerited favor of power.  

(We think of grace as a New Testament word…but it was first used when God chose Noah to save those who would believe God from the flood to come.  Genesis 6:8)

Zechariah 4:7 “Who art thou,  O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain:  and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof which shoutings,  crying,   Grace, Grace unto it.”

(Whatever “mountains” of difficulties are before us;  it is God’s grace that can overcome against them.)

Power for what we need in this circumstance.  Given by God at the time we need it, as we ask for it. (Hebrews 4:16).  Grace can be strength,  courage,  words,  and /or  whatever we need at the time.

2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace  abound toward you;  that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,  may abound to every good work:”

Faith is another means we have.  Faith is given to us at new birth; and increased as we follow after Christ in believing obedience.    It is to be used:  (“I believe, help my unbelief”. Mark 9:23-24).

The means for God’s Work, are God’s.   

Our job is to empty our hands, and fill them with what He puts there.

The Creator/creature Relationship. 

Psalm 139:1-3 “O Lord, Thou hast searched me,  and known me.    Thou knowest my downsittings,  and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

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

Here, the All Powerful and All Seeing God is seen,  in a personal sense.

You know me:  how I am, how I act, what I think, and the way I like to go.

You know me when I have my fits against Your Providence.    You see when I rebel, and seek my ways.   You see my imaginations.

Psalm 139:5 “Thou hast beset me behind and before,  and laid Thine hand upon me.”

The psalmist sees that God has “hedged him in”, so that he knows he is bare before a Holy God!   

That all his plans, and schemes are all known to God.

And in what way do we react to this revelation of God, to our soul?

As we often do, the psalmist runs…just as hard and fast as he can.   But….he finds he can not outrun God.

Psalm 139:7, 11 “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit?  Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?

                          If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.”

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

He ran, but he found…as we often have,  that we can not run from God.   We can not escape the Holy Spirit’s conviction,  or the fact that God is everywhere.

All circumstances are made by God;  we can try a “climate change”, but God can make every climate as “hot” or as “cold”, as where we were before.

[A climate change is where you find yourself in trouble.  You “know” that if circumstances were different, you would not have trouble.  If you worked with different people, had a better house, had better neighbors, etc.   But when you move, you find that the circumstances are different….but you are the same;  so the results are the same.]

The right hand of God is the hand of power.   The psalmist here acknowledges that God rules, even in the midst of His enemies:  He draws to Himself, or pokes, or prods, and moves….till we are willing.

Psalm 110:2-3 “The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion:  rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.

                            Thy people will be willing in the day of Thy power,…”

When we begin to will, to yield as creature before the Creator,  we can see ourselves as formed according to His plan.

Psalm 139:13, 16-17 “For Thou hast possessed my reins (our internal moral compass);  Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

                             Thine eyes did see my substance,  yet being unperfect;  and in Thy book all my members were written,  which in continuance were fashioned,  when as yet there was none of them.

                              How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me,  O God!  How great is the sum of them!”

You have possessed;  or they are Yours by Your creation,  and make them Yours by redemption.

We are a masterwork:  one thing formed upon another, each in it’s place.  

His eyes were upon us then.

His plan and power was there for me….that plan and power I have been fighting against.

How precious are Your thoughts of me!  “O God!” or as in the Hebrew,  “O Master”.

Here is where we begin to bow before God, the Creator;  as God, our Lord and Master.

I am finally awakened to Your Purpose:  and here, I join with You to fulfill the purpose You have for me.

For now we know the way of Victory:  It is in seeking to the Lord’s Way.

For as He sought me for my good,  so He will continue to do so.

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

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

(This “lead” suggests all that God does:  bestow, govern, guide.)

To the psalmist (and it can be to us) Creator God has become the One help and Refuge of his soul:  for he sees Him as He is…..and not as he feared He was.