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.

Distressed and Alone

I am going to speak of a time in David’s life that was extremely hard for him.   

It was not that he had not been by himself before, keeping his father’s sheep.  

David was one, in a family of eleven brothers.

After fighting Goliath, he was the darling of the whole nation.  

He had the king’s son as his best friend, and married Saul’s daughter; both who were sympathetic to him, but refused his company when he ran….for in the time I am speaking of,  he was running from Saul the king. 

He was on his own.   He could not go home, for fear of putting them in danger, no friends were with him, at this time.  He was alone.

An outcast,  by no fault of his own;   but because Saul was jealous

I want to explain that when we have gotten into this place: we are not in our right mind…no I do not mean crazy…I mean that the depressed state of our minds gives us ideas, which are often injurious to ourselves and sometimes to others.

He first thinks to get something to defend himself (often our first thought). So he goes to get a sword…Goliath’s sword.  

1 Samuel 21:9 “And the priest said,  The sword of Goliath the Philistine,  whom thou slewest  in the valley of Elah,  behold,  it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod:  it thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here.

And David said,  There is none like that;  give it me.”

It was held in the Tabernacle, and in getting it,  he caused the priests to get in trouble with Saul; and to be killed. (1 Samuel 21:7, 22:11-23)

1 Samuel 21:10 “And David arose,  and fled that day for fear of Saul,  and went to Achish the king of Gath.”

Then David “thinks”to go down to the Philistines!  

David had killed their champion,  and now he wants to hide out there?!  Is that right?!

Thankfully, he hears them talking about him, and realizes his danger….

1 Samuel 21:13 “And he changed his behavior before them,  and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate,  and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.”

That tricks them, and he gets away.   How gracious our God is!

1 Samuel 22:1 “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam:…”

Psalm 142:1-3 “I cried unto the Lord with my voice;  with my voice unto the Lord did I make supplication.

                            I poured out my complaint before Him;  I showed before Him my trouble.

                            When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,  then Thou knewest my path.  In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.”

David ran to a cave he knew…and hid.

Like David, we often aggravate our trouble by talking to ourselves about it.  Trying to figure out a solution…and with ourselves as our councilor,  we can lead ourselves astray.

But when David gets to the cave;  he “cries”….the emphasis on the voice twice suggests this was out loud in the cave…but this time, to the Lord.

Psalms 142:4 “I looked on my right hand, and behold,  but there was no man that would know me:  refuge failed me;  know man cared for my soul.”

Jonathan, his best friend,  encouraged him….but refused to join in his trouble. (1 Samuel 20:42)

His wife, helped him escape a murder-plot against him,  but refused to join him;  and ended up blaming David, to escape her being in trouble.(1 Samuel 19:17)

(There was a time in my life, when I was surrounded by family;  I was working, so I got up every morning,  went to bed every night.  But…I was “distressed and  alone”.

I was saved…a Christian.  But I had allowed a grievance to come between me and the Lord.

This was not the usual feeling….no,  it was hard to keep going.  I felt an emptiness I could not explain.  I was alone in a way I had never felt before.

Yes, the Lord got me out of it….but in this time no one was my companion,  no one understood.

It is hard, even now, to explain the emptiness I felt.  The Lord had not left me,  yet His sensible presence I had felt since I was born again,  was not there.

The days seemed, at the same time, to be exceedingly long; and yet to be here and gone.

I was helped out of it, by the Lord sending His Word to me, through a message preached.  It was on the disciples in the storm in the Sea of Galilee.  The words were, “Jesus had not said, “Go out in the middle of the lake and drown.

No, He had said,  “Let us cross over.”  

Wow!  It was like the clouds had dispersed, and the sun came out.  I saw….both my self-pity,  and the Lord’s mercy.  And I knew He would not let me “drown”, but was calling me to “cross over” this.    

What a wonderful Lord we have.)

Psalms 142:5 “I cried unto Thee, O Lord;  I said,  Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

                        Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble,  by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

A sword is a good thing;  and friends are valuable….but David saw (and we, too, should see this) that God was his need, and his supply.

Psalm 142:7 “Bring my soul out of prison,  that I may praise Thy name:…”

By the end of his psalm (and how long he prayed or stayed alone, it does not say) he was encouraged by the Lord.  

David stops asking…and expresses his confidence in the Lord’s goodness toward him.

Psalm 142:7 “…the righteous shall compass me about;  for Thou shalt deal bountifully with me.”

Abundant grace was what he was asking for; and what he got.

1 Samuel 22:1-2 “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam:  and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it,  they went down thither to him.

                              And everyone that was in distress,  and everyone that was in debt,  and everyone that was discontented,  gathered themselves unto him;  and he became a captain over them:  and there were with him about four hundred men.”

There were a few years ahead where he was an outcast;  but God would bring him to the throne of Israel, as He had anointed him to be.

God is the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3)

John 14:16-18 “And I will pray the Father,  and He will give you another Comforter,  that He may abide with you forever.

                           Even the Spirit of Truth;  Whom the world cannot receive,  because it receiveth Him not, neither knoweth Him:  but ye know Him;  for He dwelleth with you,  and shall be in you.

                           I will not leave you comfortless:  I will come unto you.”

Paul wrote of a time:

2 Corinthians 7:5-6 “For, when we were come into Macedonia,  our flesh had no rest,  but we were troubled on every side;  without were fightings,  within were fears.

                             Nevertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down,  comforteth us by the coming of Titus;”

Comfort means “to call near”, to give solace: joy instead of loneliness, and peace instead of distress.

This He wants, and will give to all of us.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 “Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself,  and God, even our Father,  which hath loved us,  and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 

                                 Comfort your hearts,  and stablish you in every good word and work.”

The Heart’s longing after the Lord, Himself 

Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the Lord,  that will I seek after,  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,  and behold the beauty of the Lord,  and to inquire in His temple.”

David was called the man after God’s heart, for his love to Him.  Despite David’s many failures,  some terrible,  David always returned to God.

Notice the action of this verse:   

“One thing have I desired of the Lord”;  this is of the heart.  He wanted it so much that he asked the Lord for it.

But he did not just ask.   He said, “I will seek after.”

He put his actions with his heart, and did everything he could to “dwell” with God.

That is what it means by “I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life”.     He did not want to lose his fellowship with God.  Or the joy of His presence with him.

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

We praise God for the mercies we receive,  the grace given.

But how much do we love Him?

Love is willed.   Emotions come and go.

But love will last,  or will not.   If you “give up” on love,  you are willing to end it.

If you will to;  you may keep loving.

David said, he would keep loving and seeking after the Lord;  for the Lord was beautiful in all His glorious character:

The Lord is merciful,  for He had heard David’s prayer, when he was under a sky as a shepherd, or fighting the Lord’s battles,  or in the palace. 

(The Lord hears our prayers, too.)

The Lord is powerful, for the Lord strengthened David against a bear, a lion, Goliath, king Saul, and the many enemies he came against.

(The Lord strengthens us by the many graces He gives us, in all our circumstances.)

The Lord is present, always.  In help, and in correction.  The Lord did not forsake David when he sinned;  but brought him back in love.

(He has promised that He will never leave us.  Hebrews 13:5)

We can deny ourselves and do our duty, as Christians, because we know we have to.

Or for a benefit;  perhaps the Lord will answer my prayer and give me what I want,   if I do what He wants.

But love to God, sees things differently.

The Lord always blesses obedience.  But He loves to be sought after;  and gives double blessings to those whose obedience is in love.

“I will seek after” is the loving heart’s response to the Lord, Himself.

Psalm 63:8 “My soul followeth hard after Thee:  Thy right hand upholdeth me.”

With the Lord, there is always an answer to our love.  

He will show more of Himself to all those who want to have it.

I will follow Thee,  but….

Luke 9:61 “And another also said,   Lord, I will follow Thee;  but let me first go and bid them farewell which are at home at my house.”

How many times has this happened to us?  The Lord has spoken to us through His Word, a Message,  or our devotions….and we say, “yes, that’s what I need to do.  Thank you, Lord, for showing me this.”

We mean to see to this thing,  but first we have to do this,  or that,  or something….and before you know it;  the Word has been laid aside or buried.

There is always something else first.   Something that must be done before we can follow the Lord, into the next experience.

The story line here is interesting, because Jesus is calling men to discipleship.

(discipleship means to come under the discipline of someone or some philosophy.  It means to follow it and be molded by it.   Of course for us Christians, this someone is Christ Jesus.  We come and follow Him; letting Him mold us.)

Luke 9:57-58 “And it came to pass,  that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him,  Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.

                      And Jesus said unto him,   Foxes have holes,  and birds of the air have nests,  but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”

Jesus is setting forth very clearly that if they followed Him, there would be hardship. Was He worth it?

He also set forth that discipleship means full surrender to Him.

There can be no conditions:  not even going home to say goodbye.

He must be first.  Any consideration that places Him in second place,  is wrong.

Luke 9:59-60 “And He said to another,  Follow Me.   But he said,  Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 

                          Jesus said unto him,  Let the dead bury their dead:  but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”

It was not a funeral, this young man was asking to see to;  but as a son, he was asking to be excused from following Jesus until his father was dead, and buried.

To a Jew, this would be a hard saying.   Honor Me…you have called Me Lord…above your father.

Which is more important?  

That you go and do what others can do for your father?

Or that, by the preaching of My kingdom, true life would be given to the people you would preach to?

“But go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”    If you read into the next chapter:

Luke 10:1 “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also,  and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come.”

Jesus was about to expand His ministry into every city in Judea and Galilee.   He wanted disciples that would preach the kingdom of God to them….to prepare them for His Word to these people and places…when He would come there.

He called this man to be part of this work…would he?

Luke 9:61-62 “And another also said,  I will follow Thee;  but let me first go and bid them farewell,  which are at home at my house.

                         And Jesus said unto him,   No man having put his hand to the plow,  and looking back,  is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Again,  any condition or reservation to obey Jesus’ call to follow Him…or which places Jesus second in our lives, is wrong.

And must be dealt with, before we can go on with Him.

(We think,  “Before I answer You, Lord, I must study more,  or I must be more spiritual.”

“No”, Jesus says,   “Just follow Me, and I will tell you what to do, and give you the grace to do.”

Sometimes our reservation is:  “If You will let me do this, or have this;  I will do what You require.”

“No conditions;  just follow Me”, is what He says.)

This “looking back” isn’t the wave of goodbye;  but the longing look to be back where we were.

If you read further into the next chapter, it tells, when the seventy which followed Jesus into the work, returned:

Luke 10:17 “And the seventy returned again with joy,  saying,  Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name.”

Pretty exciting….

But Jesus points them to the real value of following Him:

Luke 10:20 “Notwithstanding,  in this rejoice not,  that the spirits are subject unto you;  but rather rejoice,  because your names are written in heaven.”

How practical our God is!  

We get caught up into so many “things”.   But He cuts right through them, and gives us the meaning of true life.

He cautions all who will come after Him that there will be difficulties.  he never sugar-coats anything.

1 Peter 4:13-14 “But rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed,  ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

                            If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you:  on there part He is evil spoken of,  but on your part He is glorified.”

He calls those who will come, to tell of His Word and kingdom.

(1 Thessalonians 2:12) “That ye would walk worth of God, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory.”  “Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2)

He tells all who would “look back”, that He will not take second place. 

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith:  but if any man draw back,  my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

2 Timothy 1:7-8 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear,  but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

                             Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,  nor of me his prisoner:  but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.”

The Lord has everything we need to walk the way He will lead us.  He is still calling disciples to follow Him.

Will we follow Him?

Will we follow Him, now?

Isaiah 35:8 “And a highway shall be there,  and a way,  and it shall be called The way of holiness;  the unclean shall not pass over it;  but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Page)

Could this be any plainer?  “The wayfaring men”…those just passing by, not thinking of staying;  

“though fools”…if they are not instructed in God, or His Word…..yet, they shall not err therein…because this way is clearly seen.

The Lord makes His gospel the same way.  Plain enough, so that those who want to know His Way,  can.

And He sends His preachers and teachers to awaken, to His way.

Luke 3:4-6 “As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,  saying,   The voice of one crying in the wilderness,  Prepare ye the way of the Lord,  make His paths straight.

                       Every valley shall be filled,  and every mountain and hill shall be brought low,  and the crooked shall be made straight,  and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

                       And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

This was John the Baptist’s ministry….to make a way for the Lord Jesus.  To prepare the hearts of the people, so they could hear what Jesus was saying.

You see when the Holy Spirit comes within the heart of every believer, He begins to put our lives in order.   His due order.  That is “make His paths straight”.

He begins with light.  All things are manifested in the light, so the Holy Spirit begins by enlightening us, to what we are in ourselves….and what we have in Christ. (Ephesians 1:17-19 “…the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;  that ye may know…”)

Then He begins to mold and shape us:  here is where the highway begins…for when a regular highway is built…it is built up out of the fields and waterways,  so that it is easily seen.    So it can be taken to the destination.

The Holy Spirit fills in the low places in our lives: 

Are we lonely?  Are we depressed?

Are we overcome with the cares of our lives?  

Do we blame God?

These are “low” thoughts of God,  and the Holy Spirit comes, and deals with the reasons for them, within us….giving peace and guidance in their place.

Psalm 40:2-3 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit,  out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a Rock, and established my goings.

                           And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:  many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord”

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;”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;  and lean unto thy own understanding.

                              In all thy ways acknowledge Him,  and He shall direct thy paths.”

The Holy Spirit shows us “every mountain and hill” to  be “brought low.”

These are the high places of pride.   

These can be mountain-like for some;  or hill-like in others.  But we all have pride, for it is a sin we inherited from Adam. 

(Remember Eve was tempted to sin so they could “ be like God”.  [Genesis 3:5-7]

One of the sins which Adam got when he rebelled against God, was pride.

He immediately tried to “cloth” himself.  Shame for being naked, caused him to rebel even more, and look for that which would cover him before God.

This is pride, for pride is presumption….thinking we can do for ourselves, without God.  He couldn’t, so he tried to hide, instead.]

God refuses the proud:

Luke 1:51-52 “He hath showed strength with His arm;  He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

                          He hath put down the mighty from their seats,  and exalted them of low degree.”

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

But God is near those who know they need Him, and come to Him:

Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,  Whose name is Holy,   I dwell in the high and holy place,  with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,  to revive the spirit of the humble,  and to revive of the heart of the contrite ones.”

The “crooked ways” shall be straightened out:

Titus 3:1-2, 8 “But put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.  

                          To speak evil of no man, be no brawlers but gentle,  showing all meekness unto all men.

                           This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.  These things are good and profitable to all men.”

And the “rough ways” shall be made smooth:  

2 Timothy 1:6-7 “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance,  that thou stir up the gift of God,  which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

                               For God hath not given us the spirit of fear,  but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith,  lay hold on eternal life,  whereunto thou art called,  and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

I believe that every Christian,  like John the Baptist is called to “Prepare the way for the Lord”.    

Not in the wilderness of Judea;  but in there own lives,  in their own set of circumstances; that others may see clearly “the Way” to Christ Jesus. 

[Whether to be saved or to be restored to Christ]

Isaiah 35:8 “And a highway shall be there,  and a way,  and it shall be called The way of holiness;  the unclean shall not pass over it;  but it shall be for those:  the wayfaring man,  though fools,  shall not err therein.”

We are to manifest the highway we have taken,  and as much as we can,  lead others to Christ Jesus our Lord, too.

Ask, and You Will Receive.

Luke 11:9 “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you;  seek, and ye shall find;  knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

The disciples have just asked. “Teach us to pray” after seeing Jesus pray.

Then Jesus tells the story of the friend who comes at an inconvenient time.  “At Midnight.” (Luke 11:5-8)

He has company.  Someone who has come from a long journey and is in need of bread.   But the man has none to give. 

So he goes to his neighbor and knocks.  

“Forget it…it’s midnight,  I am in bed, and I’m not getting up!”  Is basically the word given the knocker.

But he keeps knocking.

So,  not because he is his friend (he might not be, after this);  but because he kept knocking;  the neighbor opens and gives the man what he has asked for.

Then Jesus says,  the way to get from God is the same:

Ask, like you really need it.

Seek,  like you really want the reply.   

And knock, till the answer comes.

When we pray to God, Jesus is saying that we should come believing God will hear, and expecting that He will make known His will.

Ask, and you will receive.   Ask till you receive an answer as to what and how you should ask.   (How many times we think we know what we need, but as we are praying we receive what we really need to know)

Seek, till you get the means of getting your petition answered. (Sometimes there is a verse to claim,  or a prayer promise to use:  Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 5:14-15)

Then knock, using those means, till you get the answer that you were seeking.

Just to be clear,  “means” are those parts of the promise that we must use:

Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy ladened, and I will give you rest.”

“Come unto me”, is the means;   His rest is the promise.

When Jesus healed the ten lepers: (Luke 17:14) “When he saw them,  he said unto them,   Go show yourselves unto the priests.   And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”

Jesus healed them by His word,  but they were only healed, as they went to do what He said.  That is the means.

Luke 11:10 “For every one that asketh  receiveth; and he that seeketh  findeth; and to him  that knocketh  it shall be opened.”

As Christians, our lifeline is prayer.  

Paul said:

Philippians 4:6-7 ” Be careful for nothing;  but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

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

The promise is:  you will receive, find, and have an open door set before you.

The means is:  ask,  seek,  and knock.

Faith, Hope, and Charity or Love

It is almost Valentine’s Day.  Let us remember the greatest Lover of our souls, Christ Jesus;  and consider the value of the love He places within us by the Holy Spirit.

[This is a whole chapter about love.   The love God places within us, and what He expects us to do with it.  It is not written for babes in Christ…for it speaks of putting away “childish things”; but it written to those who know their calling, and want to walk in God’s “more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31)]

1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity,  these three;  but the greatest of these is charity.”

These abide because they are of God, given us for our stability, encouragement, and use.

Faith is a gift of God when we are born again:

If you are truly saved…you will never lose your faith…though it be “little”, still it will lead you to heaven.

Faith abides because it comes from God the Father, to all who receive His Son, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith,  we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Romans 3:24-25 “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

                         Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,  through the forbearance of God;”

And when we have faith,  God speaks to us through His Word, and from the Holly Spirit within:

Hope rises up within us after we have heard God.

Hope is that confident expectation that God will do what He said.

Hebrews 6:17-19 “Wherein God,  willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel,  confirmed it by an oath:

                                That by two immutable things,  in which it was impossible for God to lie,  we might have strong consolation,  who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us:

                                 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,…”

Romans 5:2, 5 “by Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,  and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

                            And hope maketh not ashamed;  because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Hope in God’s Word, stirs our love for God.

Charity or love:  It abides because it comes from God to you.  It is one of the first things we feel, when we are born again.  He loves us.  Wow!

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

We have lots of emotions,  and affections….all of which affect us.

But when we know the Lord loves us….really loves  us;   it changes things.

Love abides because it comes from God, and it grows as we give it back to God.

Love also is a testimony to others that we belong to Christ.  (John 13:35)

But while they all abide, by the Holy Spirit within us.   They also all work.

Faith makes all things of God, real to us.

Hope keeps us steady in all the storms which come.

Look at what love;  the love God placed within our hearts, does!   It changes our attitudes, feeling, and actions, within us and without us!

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “Charity suffereth long,  and is kind;  charity envieth not;  charity vaunteth not itself,  is not puffed up,

(All these have to do with the change God’s love has on our attitude toward ourselves, and others.)

                               Doth not behave itself unseemly,  seeketh not her own,  is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

(These have to do with our emotions and whether they will spill out;  or if God’s love will have the victory over them.)

                               Rejoiceth not in iniquity,  but rejoiceth in the truth;  

(This has to do with loving the Truth.  How much of our lives before Christ have we wasted in loving [and sometimes living] a lie.   God’s love changes that:  we move away from anything which separates us from the Lord,  and cling to the Truth in Jesus.)

                               Beareth all things,   Believeth all things, hopeth all things,  endureth all things.”

(I must admit, the first time I read this, years ago, I thought;  “What?! Surely the Lord made a mistake!”   But I have come to see:    It is not bearing all the things of the world,  or believing them.   No, it has nothing to do with the world;  but everything to do with God.)

Bearing all the circumstances, people and places God puts me in:   God’s Love does that in me.

Believing all that God says about this person, work, study,  whatever….whether I ever see the “results” I think should be there.

Hoping in God’s Promises, ever.  God’s love within me helps me to “hang on” to that Word.

Endure all things which come to me, because God’s love to me makes me stronger than the anger or resentment which the Adversary of my soul wants me to feel.     And because I can pray for all the changes necessary for my good; the Lord hears me.

God’s Faith, Hope, and Love abide…and they can keep growing in me;  working within me the greatest work:  to love God with all my soul, with all my heart,  with all of me.

1 Corinthians 13:8 “Charity (love) never faileth:…”

God’s love will never fail you…yield to Him:  by faith….be anchored in hope…and receive and keep receiving His love, within you by the Holy Spirit;  and through you. 

Lost

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

Lost.  That which was lost. Lost to God, and all His plans and purposes.

For He purposed life and fellowship for each one of us.  But we are lost to it, by sin.  The sin of Adam, our father in the flesh.  And our sin of choice.

And more we are even lost to ourselves.

Our minds,  which could have thought God’s thoughts after Him;  is now filled with our plans, and desires; all without consideration of what God wants for my life.

Our hearts,  which could have loved God, and our fellow man with respect and care;  is now filled with love of myself, my friends, my…my…my…   Our hearts experience wrath and violence. (We need to test ourselves here:  what do you feel when people cut you off, or speak rudely to you, etc.)

Our wills, which could have willed to do God’s will;  now seeks only to go along in the world. (All going closer and closer to the pit.)

But Jesus Christ came to seek and to save us.

First He seeks us out in our own circumstances.  He sends the Holy Spirit to Awaken us to Christ, and His way;  then to give us truth.

This is usually quite a shock, to see where we are.  Who we are.  And where we are going. 

(No, I don’t mean Hell, here.  I mean the downward spiral of our lives, into selfishness, and confusion: remember the “my..my..my”)

Then,  He draws us to Christ.   The loveliness of the person of Christ, we begin to see.

The fact that He loved us, enough to come and save us, we begin to believe.

The Light that He will save us,  we begin to have.

The Holy Spirit opens our hearts to hear the Word of Christ to us:

John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him,   Verily, Verily,(Verily means Truth.  Jesus is saying: Truth, Truth.) I say unto thee,   Except  a man be born again,  he can not see the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me,  all ye that labor and are heavy laden,  and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;  for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your soul.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

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.”

And we reach out in fait (and the amazing thing is God gives this to us so we can!);  receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior,  to be born again.

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

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

As this happens, we are no longer lost to God,  or to ourselves.   We have a reason to live, and the beginning of a way to go.

We are Found.

We can begin to fulfill the purpose for which we were created:  God’s Purpose for us, personally; for He has one for us.

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God: 

                                 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

                                 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (this means molded into the same image in the Greek) unto good works,  which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 1:13 “In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:  in Whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”

The Holy Spirit is placed within us the moment we are born again.  He will never leave us;  but we are told to “quench not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).  Simply, do not stifle the fire of His life and love within you.

1 John 4:19 “We love him,  because he first loved us.”  

And by His life and love, we are guided through this world and all it’s traps, and taken to heaven.

God saves us spirit, soul, and body…to the uttermost;  for He is faithful.  

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

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

From Lost to Found by Christ Jesus!  Hallelujah!  What a Savior!

There is a famine in the Land

Amos 8:11 “ Behold,  the days come,  saith the Lord,  that I will send a famine in the land,  not a famine of bread,  nor a thirst for water,  but of hearing the words of the Lord:”

Have you heard God lately?

Have you heard Him in your Bible reading?   Or in your Church services?  Or in your innermost spirit, where the Holy Spirit dwells and speaks?

Well,  if you have not heard Him lately,  you are starving.

1 Peter 2:2-3 “As new born babes,  desire the sincere milk of the word,  that ye may grow thereby:

                        If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

All our growth comes through Him;   by the interaction of His Word to us by the Holy Spirit,  and our receiving it.

This verse in Amos was given to Israel when they were turning from God, to idols.

And Amos was sent as a prophet to speak to Israel to warn them, so they would repent:  turn around and choose God.

Amos 7:14-15 “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah,    I was no prophet,  neither was I a prophet’s son;  but I was a herdsman,  and a gatherer of sycamore fruit:

                           And the Lord took me as I followed the flock,  and the Lord said unto me,    Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. “

So he did,  but those around the king were afraid that the people would believe him,  for he told of God’s promise of judgement on those who followed the idols.

So they just wanted him to go away.   Go back to Judah and live a normal life there.  

Prophesy there, if you must  speak God’s Words;    but not here.

How ridiculous!    How could Amos be obedient, and not do what he had been told?

How could the people have a chance of repenting, and returning to the Lord,  without hearing His Word to them? (Romans 10:14-15)

Well, Amos did not leave,  but gave out the Word of God to His people.   He stood fast in a land that was turning to idols, and forgetting everything God had taught them about His love of justice and truth.

Instead they turned to stones, and wooden stocks covered with silver and gold,  but no life.

This is what they wanted.  This is what they looked to.  

How sad, to exchange true life,  for illusion;  to exchange the love of God, for the love of things. (Isaiah 44:9-11)

Amos 8:4-7 “Hear this,  oh ye that swallow up the needy,  even to make the poor of the land to fail,

                       Saying,  when will the new moon be gone,  that we may sell corn?  And the sabbath,  that we may set forth the wheat,  making the ephah small,  and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances of deceit?

                       That we may buy the poor for silver,  and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?

                       The Lord has sworn by the excellency of Jacob,  surely  I will never forget any of their works.”

The merchants were cheating the buyers.   Giving less for more; by changing the balances.   Saying they had got what they paid for,  when they did not.

It was all so that they could have more power over people,  to have greater leverage in bargaining,  because of this wealth.

The idols that they worshipped were not only images to bow down to;  but the idols of silver and gold in their hearts.

Amos preached God’s Word,  and not many listened and turned;  but he had warned them faithfully, and God was pleased with him, for his faithfulness to Him.

Amos warned them that there would be a day,  when God would stop speaking and calling them to repentance;  then would come the day:

Amos 9:1, 10  “I saw the Lord standing upon the altar:  and he said,   Smite the lintel of the door,  that the post may shake:   And cut them in the head,  all of them;  and I will slay the last of them with the sword:  he that fleeth of them shall not flee away,  and he that escapeth of them  shall not be delivered.”

Who is He talking to?

“All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword,  which say,   The evil shall not overtake or prevent us.”

All those who think to get around God and His Word,  won’t.

We, too, in this Church age have been warned against turning from God to idols of our own making.

Instead of staying true to God, and His Word:

2 Timothy 4:1-2, 4 “I charge thee therefore before God,  and the Lord Jesus Christ,  who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

                                  Preach the word;  be instant in season;  out of season;  reprove, rebuke,  exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

                                   And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,  and shall be turned to fables.”

Fables might instruct,  but only God’s Word gives life—true life.   Do you want it?

Have you heard God,  or His Word to you,  lately?