Who hath ears to hear,  let him hear…

Matthew 13:9 “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

Jesus had just told the parable of the sower, and the four kinds of ground: wayside, stony places, among thorns, and the good ground.

Then His disciples ask:  Why do you speak to them in parables?  

(We must remember Jesus has preached plainly to the crowds:  Matthew 5-7 is the Sermon on the Mt.; and there He speaks very plainly what they should do)

So Jesus explains:

Matthew 13:12-13 “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given,  and he shall have abundance; but whosoever hath not,  from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

                                 Therefore speak I unto them in parables:  because they seeing  see not;  and hearing  they hear not,  neither do they understand.”

Basically He said:  exposition must have application.    

When they come and hear,  do they want to know what it means for them? 

Or are they happy just to hear a story and go away,  untouched by the meaning of My Words?

“For whosoever hath”.  The crowds had been following Him, and listening.  

But to truly follow Him as Christ,  they would have to want to understand for themselves what He was demanding of them.   What the parables meant where they were concerned.

Jesus said the kingdom of heaven was at hand.   Did they really hear that? Then, what should they do, to have it? 

But to those who are His disciples, He said:

Matthew 13:16 “But blessed are your eyes, for they see:  and your ears for they hear.”

How? His disciples had taken the first step and obeyed His call to them, whether from fishing boats, or tax collector booths…they came after Him (and that is always the first step: to leave the old life and come after Him)

Matthew 13:36 “Then Jesus sent the multitude away,  and went into the house; and His disciples came unto Him, saying,  Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.”

They did not always understand at first what Jesus parables meant.   But they wanted to know what these things really meant, and because they did, Jesus explained it to them.

That is the difference in hearing,  and having hearing ears.  The first one hears the words….they are lovely, and probably from God.

The hearing ears comes after for the understanding they need,  to know and have what Jesus says.

When we have a Bible truth in reality;  we have it in our everyday experience.

Romans 5:17 “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one (that was Adam, by his sin);

Much more they that receive abundance of grace 

And of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life  by One, Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:17 (Williams version) “For if by one man’s offense death reigned through that one (Adam, by his sin);  

To a much greater degree will those who continue to receive the overflow of His unmerited favor, and His gift of right standing with Himself;  reign in real life, through One, Jesus Christ.”

I like the Williams version because it explains:  “receive abundance of grace”.

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

Abundant life comes as we continue to receive the overflow of His life and grace.  He gives them to us: drop by drop;  or showers of grace.

There are graces we need to just “get through”.  

But peace under trial;  joy in pain;  strength in sickness; perseverance in times of distress;  etc.

These are all abundant graces which we can receive from Him…His overflow of power to us by His Holy Spirit in us.  

Him flowing through us: in us (it is always in us first),  and by us.

So we can reign (that’s right,  we can rule our spirits in the situation: what ever it is).

And we can reign in “real” life.

Yes, the real life we live…not the one we would like to live;  or the one we read someone else lived;  but our life:  all the people,  jobs, troubles, griefs, and happiness…our life.

If we continue to receive His abundant grace:  His overflow….for He has enough and to spare of grace or power for us all….

If Thou Wilt

James 4:13-14 “Go to now,  ye that say,   Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city,  and continue there a year,  and bye and sell and get gain

                            Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.   For what is your life?   It is even a vapor,  that appeared for a little time,  and then vanisheth away.”

Only God can say “So be it”.  For it is His Will alone,  that stands every test.

We, as Christians,  may say,  “If God wills”,  we will do this or that.

How many plans have been destroyed or laid aside,  because we have not considered what God wanted with our time?

That we should not walk through life “Willy nilly”:  this way, then that way.  

We should have a definite goal to head toward,  and find out God’s way to get there.

Philippians 3:12-14. “Not as though I had already attained,  either were already perfect:  but I follow after,  if that I may apprehend that for which 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.”

Paul “followed after”; not knowing what lay ahead.  But knowing that Christ Jesus did;  and that whatever was ahead, was prepared for.   Grace was laid up for him to get through each situation.

This should be the goal we are headed for:  what Christ Jesus has saved us for.

We are to grow up into Him.  For we are all called to go from babes in Christ to full grown Spiritual Adults.

We should ascertain our calling.  (We are all called as witnesses,  if nothing more.     A witness is a personal testimony of what Christ has done for me.)

And this should be the way we go:  forgetting those things which are behind me—really putting them behind me—failures and successes;  

And reaching forth (in heart, in mind, and in will)  to those things He has before me,  today,  tomorrow, and on.

We have family. We have jobs.  We have friends.   All of these,  we are not to neglect—that is not God’s will.

But before all of these, as Christians,  we have our personal duty to God,  and His Will.

1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required of stewards,  that a man be found faithful.”

God’s stewards, are Gospel Stewards.  Their duty is to live the Truth of the Gospel.

Truly, if we put God first,  He will see to it,  that all the other people, and things in our life are not neglected.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God,  and His righteousness;  and all these things shall be added unto you.”

God never forgets our faithfulness to Him.   Never. 

What is Brotherly Love? 

1 John 4:11 “Beloved,  if God so loved us,  we ought also to love one another.”

Hebrews 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue.”

I am going to use Abraham as an example,  for he is the father of all who believe. (Romans 4:16)

Abraham came out from Mesopotamia with his wife, his father, and his nephew Lot and his wife.

He was suppose to come out alone:  He and Sarah (At first his name is Abram and her name was Sarai). (Genesis 12:1-3)

His father died before they reached Canaan, the land God had called Abraham to;  but Lot was still with him.

(Lot was a believer in God, but he is a picture of a worldly Christian; who hung onto the world’s illusion till it was too late.)

After a time they both had large herds, and servants.  As they were still together, a struggle for pasture and water broke out between the servants of both men.

Abraham called Lot and talked to him. (Notice it was not Lot that sought a solution, but Abraham.)

Genesis 13:8-9 “And Abram said unto Lot,  Let there be no strife,  I pray thee,  between me and thee,  and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen;  for we are brethren.

                             Is not the whole land before thee?   Separate thyself,  I pray thee, from me:  if thou wilt take the left hand,  then I will go to the right,  or if thou depart to the right hand,  then I will go to the left.”

To Abraham God had spoken and given a promise concerning the land, and his dwelling there.   

But instead of asserting his rights,  he gives Lot the choice of what portion of land he thought best.

Genesis 13:11-12 “Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordon;  and Lot journeyed east:  and they separated themselves the one from the other.

                                 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan,  and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain,  and pitched his tent toward Sodom.”

Lot chooses the plain, and soon pitches his tent toward Sodom.   Then next we read, he lives in Sodom.  

Then there is war.  And four kings come against the cities of the plain.  They are a huge army and they attack and loot Sodom.    Lot is taken with the captives.

(Genesis 14:11-12)

As soon as Abraham hears, he gathers his servants to go and save Lot.

Genesis 14:14 “And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants,  born in his own house,  three hundred and eighteen,  and pursued them unto Dan.”

Now these men are not soldiers.  But “trained servants”.   Ones which probably kept watch at night for any trouble with the herds that Abraham had.

But they went with him, and under cover of night he fought against this large army,  by dividing his men on several sides.

Genesis 14:15-16 “And he divided himself against them,  he and his servants,  by night,  and smote them,  and pursued them unto Hoban, which is on the right hand of Damascus.

                                And he brought back all the goods,  and also brought again his brother Lot,  and his goods,  and the women also,  and the people.”

Abraham surely sought the Lord’s guidance and help,  for the Lord blessed him in this very lopsided fight.

Later Abraham said, when offered a reward for returning the goods and people to the king of Sodom:

Genesis 14:22-23 “And Abram said to the king of Sodom,  I have up lifted up mine hand to the Lord,  the Most High God,  the possessor of heaven and earth, 

                                 That I will not take a thread, even to a shoe-latchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine,  lest thou shouldest say,   I have made Abram rich:”

But you hear nothing from Lot.   No Thank you.  No word of regret that he had gotten entangled with Sodom.  Nothing.  

As a matter of fact, Lot goes right back into this evil city.

Time passes.  At least 13 years, and The Lord and two angels appears to Abraham.   They entertained them with food, and the Lord gives Abraham and Sarah a promise of the child they had been waiting for.

When they are done, they rise and walk east, toward Sodom, and the Lord tells Abraham that the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great that it “cries” out for judgement. (The cries of injustice,  and of the victims of it’s evil and abuse,  are great cries.)

But before God judges these cities,  He is going to send His angels to see if the cries are true.

Abraham thinks of Lot and begins to intercede;  not for the cities,  but for the righteous that might be in the cities.

Genesis 18:23-25 “And Abraham drew near, and said,   Wilt  thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

                                  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city:  wilt thou also destroy and spare not the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

                                   That be far from thee to do after this manner,  to slay the righteous with the wicked;  and that the righteous should be as the wicked,  that be far from thee:  Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?”

Now Abraham knows the Lord, and His goodness, so he feels he can speak to the Lord this way.

First he begins with fifty righteous people.    

The Lord said that if the angels found fifty righteous,  He would not destroy it.

Genesis 18:26 “And the Lord said,  If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,  then will I spare all the city for their sakes.”

But then Abraham thought that in a city so wicked, there might not be fifty. (He was right)

So he prayed; what if there were forty-five righteous persons?  The Lord said, He would not destroy it.

Abraham considered, and asked:  What if there are forty righteous persons?  And the Lord said again,  that He would not destroy it.

The  Lord was still walking with Abraham, so   Abraham says,   Oh let not the Lord be angry, (actually, Abraham’s intercession pleased the Lord).    He asks,  what if there were thirty?

The Lord said He would not destroy it for thirty’s sake.

Abraham goes further and asks,  What if there were twenty found there?

I will not destroy these huge cities, for twenty’s sake;  the Lord said.

One last time, Abraham lowers the number to ten.   What if there were only ten righteous persons in those cities?

The Lord said,  I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

But after this the Lord “went His way”.   

Genesis 18:33 “And the Lord went his way,  as soon as he had left communing with Abraham:  and Abraham returned unto his place.”

Abraham had done what he could for Lot, and his family.

God loves to have His people pray for their fellow believers.

But the evil of these cities and their victims also needed to be dealt with.

God did save righteous Lot,   that he perished not with the wicked.

2 Peter 2:7-8 “And delivered just Lot,  vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked,

                         For that righteous man dwelling among them,  in seeing and hearing,  vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds:”

(The story of this deliverance of Lot is quite horrible.  The poor man had prestige, for he was sitting at the gate, as judge of the city.   But when it came to influence for good,  he had none:  he went to tell his daughters and sons-in-law of the coming destruction, but they thought his warning was a joke. “As one that mocked”.)

It is also horrible to think that if there had been just a few more righteous people than Lot’s own family,  the cities could have been saved.  (Lot, his wife, two daughters at home, two married with husbands.   That is eight people!  Two more righteous was all they needed;  but there was none.)

Abraham had shared the Word of the Lord with Lot, and Lot had believed and followed Abraham into the land,  but he became entangled in the beauty,  and riches of the world,  and his testimony for God was ruined.

Abraham looked to the welfare of his nephew at every turn.  No matter Lot’s attitude toward Abraham;  Abraham showed brotherly love to Lot.

So we are called to do:

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you,  that ye love one another, as I have loved you,  that ye also love one another.

                            By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,  if ye have love one to another.”

Standing before the God Who is there.

Romans 11:29 “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

If the Lord has ever called you to a ministry or work (we call it work, because so many people feel “ministry” is only for preachers), He has not changed His mind concerning you.

Our whole existence should be:  to will to please our Lord, as His creature and servant.

As creatures, we are responsible for all He has given us.  

Who I am and what I am rests with the God before Whom I stand.

I can not make myself what I am not;  nor can I excuse myself for what I have been.

But I can give myself over to the molding of the Holy Spirit within, and do God’s Will in obedience, now.

He will work within the increase of faith, hope, peace, and joy that I need, as I yield to Him.

It is:  I stand, as His servant, before Him in each situation.

It is not as someone else,  or someone I might be someday,  but who I am, using the faith that God has given me.

Example:

Acts 3:1-2 “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer,  being the ninth hour.

                     And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried,  whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful,  to ask alms of them which entered into the temple;”

Peter and John,  had been filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

But they were still Peter and John.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit, is to be filled to the capacity in your soul at that time, to receive the rule and power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit never interferes with you being you, in your personality,  but only guides you away from sin, and into knowledge of God’s Will.

Then He gives grace or the empowerment to do God’s Will. (We still have to use it)

Peter and John were going along to prayer service,  when they see this lame man.

He sat at the gate of the temple to beg alms.

He saw Peter and John, and as usual,  he asked them for some money.  

Acts 3:4 “And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John,  said,  Look on us.”

The lame man saw nothing different in them,  for he expected some small change, as others gave him.  

But Peter wanted to direct his eyes away from the coin,  to what he said.   For he knew that the Lord wanted to heal him. (“Fastening” here, means looking with a purpose in mind.)

Acts 3:6-8 “Then Peter said,   Silver and gold have I none;  but such as I have give I thee:   In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

                      And he took him by the right hand,  and lifted him up:  and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

                      And he leaping up stood,  and walked,  and entered with them into the temple,  walking,  and leaping,  and praising God.”

Notice Peter said,  “such as I have give I thee”.  What did he have?

He had the knowledge of Jesus Christ and of the power of His name. 

For Jesus Christ can change men’s lives.

And Peter knew the Lord’s Will, and used what he had to obey.

Notice also,  he took him by the hand.   Peter did not wait for the man to believe, but “lifted him up” in faith, himself.

And God did the rest:  “his feet and ankle bones received strength” to walk and leap.

Then faith in the man caught up and he did not run home;     but went into the temple to praise God.

If you read further,  you will see how God used this to enable Peter to preach about Christ to others.  Many believed.  (Acts 4:4)

(Yes, they were put in “hold” for a night, but even that gave them the opportunity to preach in Jesus Name to the rulers, elders, and scribes.

They were threatened,  but told the council,  “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.    For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”)

After such an experience,  Peter and John  went back to the company of believers and told what had happened.

All the gathered believers prayed for boldness to “speak Thy word”.  

Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed,  the place was shaken where they were assembled together;  and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,  and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

Here they were filled to the greater capacity in their souls.   They had a larger capacity because of what they had done, and they needed more of His help.  

And He gave it.

Standing before the God Who is there is simply being His obedient servant; and receiving and using the faith and help He gives.  And going on in this way, is more grace and help.

Abraham and the Great Sacrifice

(This is a “picture” of God’s great sacrifice of His beloved Son.   

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

                         For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”)

Genesis 22:2 “And He said,  Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac,  who thou lovest,  and get thee into the land of Moriah;  and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”

Abraham and Sarah finally had a son by a miracle.   Sarah had been enabled by God to have Isaac.   They both had been past age for child bearing, and Sarah had been barren, as well.

But God had given them Isaac.  And now, some years later,  God calls Abraham to sacrifice this well beloved son.

The obedience of Abraham is necessary for us to see.  

We often hesitate, or try and get around what God wants (and yes, this happened to Abraham, too, especially in the early life with God.),  but Abraham believes God’s word: that in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Genesis 22:3. “And Abraham rose up early in the morning,  and saddled his ass,  and took of his young men with him,  and Isaac his son,  and clave the wood for the burnt offering,  and rose up,  and went unto the place which God had told him.”

Abraham gets up early.  Not eager to go;  but eager to return, and that would not happen without going.

He takes two servants to keep the donkey that carried the wood, and to carry the fire in a container.

He and Isaac go.   It is a three days journey to Mt. Moriah, where God has told him to take Isaac.

Three days to contemplate his failures:  was this in consequence for his many failures?

Three days to look at the promised son, and remember the love he and his mother have for him.

Three days to remember his first step, first word, and the strong quiet young man he had become.

Three days to consider this command,  and therefore the obedience was more reasonable and honorable.

What did they speak of?  Of the promises of God, I believe,  for Abraham was counting on God to fulfill His Word.

Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham,  when he was tried,  offered up Isaac:  and he that received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 

                                  Of whom it was said,  that in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

                                  Accounting that God was able to raise him up,  even from the dead;  from whence also he received him in a figure.”

They could have talked of the promise of the land in the future.  The promise God had told him of future generations.  And the promise that the coming Savior would come from them.

They come to the mountain, and Abraham leaves the servants with the donkey at the foot of the mountain and says:

Genesis 22:5 “And Abraham said unto his young men,  Abide ye here with the ass;  and I and the lad will go yonder and worship,  and come again unto you.”

“We will come again”

To believe is to place the whole of our being upon the thing or person we say we believe in.

Abraham believed God.  Isaac and he would come back down the mountain.

Abraham believed that God could raise Isaac from the dead, if necessary.

So they climb up Mt. Moriah (in the New Testament, it is called Calvary), together.

Genesis 22:6-8 “And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering,  and laid it upon Isaac his son;  and he took the fire in his hand,  and a knife;  and they went both of them together.

                             And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father,  and said,   My father, and he said,    Here am I,  my son.     And he said,  Behold the fire and the wood:  but where is a lamb for a burnt offering?

                            And Abraham said,  My son,  God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering:  so they went both of them together.”

“Together”,  Abraham is trusting that God will bring Isaac back to life;  and Isaac is trusting that God will supply the sacrifice. 

Genesis 22:9 “And they came to the place which God had told him of;  and Abraham built an altar there,  and laid the wood in order,  and bound Isaac his son,  and laid him on the altar upon the wood.”

Abraham bound his sons hands;  those that had been held out to him when he was learning to walk.   He bound his legs, and placed him on the wood.  Perhaps taking a final kiss on the forehead of Isaac.

Let me mention here, that Isaac was a strong young man—not a child.   If he had willed to, he could have resisted Abraham, anytime.

But he did not.

Genesis 22:10 “And Abraham stretched forth his hand,  and took the knife to slay his son.”

Abraham begins to do exactly what God told him….

He does not hurry,  nor delay, to sacrifice his well beloved son.

Sacrifice means: to place on an altar,  with the intent of giving all to God,  whither by knife, or fire,  or other means.  When you placed it on the altar,  it was dead to you.

Genesis 22:11  “And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven,  and said,   Abraham, Abraham:  and he said,   Here am I.”

The angel calls Abraham twice, to make sure he got Abraham’s attention.

God had wanted to test Abraham’s devotion to Him, by his obedience to Him.

Genesis 22:12-13 “And he said,  Lay not thy hand upon the lad,  neither do thou anything to him:  for I know that thou fearest God,  seeing thou hast not withheld thy son,  thine only son,  from Me.

                                And Abraham lifted up his eyes,  and looked,  and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns;   And Abraham went and took the ram;  and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

The test was done.   God had provided the sacrifice.     

Genesis 22:14. “And Abraham called the name of that place  Jehovah-jireh:  as it is said to this day,   In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.”

Jehovah-jireh  means in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen to,  or provided.

God did provide the true sacrifice through His Son, Christ Jesus;  to take away the sins of the world.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world,  that he gave his only begotten Son,  that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,  but have everlasting life.

                          For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;  but that the world through him might be saved.”

God, the Father, sacrificed His well beloved Son that we might be provided for.

We might be provided salvation:  full and free.

We might be provided His Holy Spirit: and all the power and guidance He brings us.

We might be provided a place with Him forever.

Let us praise His Holy Name for all He has given us in His Son.

Even the trials He leads us through,  to manifest Himself in us.

He never Slumbers

Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,  from whence cometh my help.

                           My help cometh from the Lord,  Who made heaven and earth.”

As Christians where should we look for help?  There is only One who can really help us.

And our testimony should be:  “my help comes from the Lord…”

He is the creator and sustainer of heaven and earth.  

He rules and overrules in the affairs of men,  whether they acknowledge Him or not, for He is God, and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:22-23 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:  for I am God, and there is none else.

                               I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return,  That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Isaiah 50:7 “For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded:  therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

And how does He help us?  By a guidance in the Holy Spirit,  which keeps us from “being taken” in the devil’s traps.  And gives us courage to follow Him.

And if we are tripped up;  He keeps us from being “utterly cast down”.

Psalm 121:3-5a “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved;  He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

                            Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

                             The Lord is thy keeper:…”

He, who numbers the hairs of our head, will watch the steps that we take.

The illustration here is as children are watched by their parents; ever ready to intervene if needed.

And as sheep are watched by their Shepherd to protect, as well as guide into right paths.

He is called the Keeper of Israel…He guides and preserves those that are His.

(It also suggests that He fights for us: as David did against the lion and the bear. [1 Samuel 17:34-36])

Proverbs 3:23, 26 “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

                                   For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”

Psalm 37:23-24 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

                                 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:  for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.”

God neither sleeps nor slumbers.

He neither sleeps at night….so we can.

Nor slumbers during the day….when it is time to work,  He is right there to help us.

The Keeper of Israel is a covenant Name of God.    When He looks at us,  He sees us in Christ, covered by His blood and righteous in Him.

His eye is ever toward the righteous.

Psalm 33:18 “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him,  upon them that hope in His mercy;”

Psalm 121:7-8 “The Lord shall preserve thee from evil:  He shall preserve thy soul.

                            The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth,  and even for evermore.”

Three times in these two verses, it says:  preserve.     Preserve means to hedge about with thorns, so nothing can come in to harm.

He shall preserve from all evil.  From sin, the world, and the devil.  (“The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation…” 2 Peter 2:9)

He shall preserve thy soul.  With all its emotions, thoughts, and actions;  He shall keep us by His Spirit.  (1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to revealed in the last time.”)

He shall preserve thy going out and coming in.  Our every day life is here spoken of.  We go out of our prayer times to face the world and all that comes to us;  and we come in to seek Him for strengthening fellowship and love.

(John 10:9 “I am the door:  by Me if any man enter in,  he shall be saved,  and shall go in and out,  and find pasture.”)

The Lord our Keeper shall preserve “thee”.   It is always personal.  

He shall preserve you.  He shall preserve me.

Praise Him for all His wonderful works.

The Man with the Withered Hand.

Matthew 12:9-10 “And when he was departed thence,  he went into their synagogue: 

And behold, there was a man who had his hand withered.   And they asked him,  saying,  Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?  That they might accuse him.”

Jesus had been on a teaching tour through the cities of Israel.  And now he was come to their synagogue.

The Pharisees had laid a trap for him,  in the appearance of a man with a withered hand.

To have a deformity in Israel, was to be disgraced, for it meant that sin was somewhere in the family of the person.  (They thought that this man had sinned, or someone in his family had sinned, and he was being punished for it.)

So the Pharisees asked a question, that they thought was pretty straight forward.

Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?

The Sabbath was the day of rest.  A day which should be spent in contemplating God, and His Word.   A day of fellowship with others of His people.

They were to do no work on the Sabbath, or it would be defiled.

But what is work,  and what is mercy?

Jesus points out the difference.

Matthew 12:11-12 “And he said unto them,  What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

How much then is a man better that a sheep?  Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”

Would you save your one sheep?   Your only sheep?   Are you not commanded in the ceremonial law,  to save a sheep, even of your neighbors? (Deuteronomy 22:4)

This is interesting.    Jesus does not say one out of a hundred.  Or a thousand.

But one.

That is exactly the way He feels about us.  If He only came to save one,  He would have.

We are that one.   The man with the withered hand was that one.

He would save us, and He would save him.

So His question to the Pharisees was really: 

would you save the one sheep you own;   would you save your  livelihood?  

Or the livelihood of your neighbor?

He said the truth:  of course they would.

Therefore, since they would save your one sheep on the sabbath,   I will save this one man on the sabbath.

Also notice, the way He talked of the sheep:  “if it fall into a pit”.  Are we not also ready to fall into a pit, without His Salvation?

Christ’s answer showed God’s character.

The Sabbath was made for man to have rest with His God.  It is lawful, then to show mercy on the sabbath days.

Matthew 12:13 “Then saith he to the man,   Stretch forth thine hand.  And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.”

This man with the withered hand had heard enough to know that the mercy of God was being extended to him.  Did he believe it?  

To believe Jesus and obey would cost him something.   He would have to stretch out his hand for all to see his deformity.

It would cost him embarrassment.

(And how many of us would be stopped right here?)

It could also cost him the company of these people. 

To obey Jesus might be dangerous, as these people were influential.

So, here is the choice:  Jesus, and God’s mercy;  or his normal existence, but accepted by the religious rulers.

Which would he do?

“And he stretched it forth.”  

His choice was Jesus, and obedience.         For it,  he was healed.

But Jesus was also speaking to all who were there in the synagogue.   

He was  offering mercy to all those who heard Him:  including those Pharisees, if they would simply submit to the truth and believe in Him.

But they refused to believe Him.   They refused His healing their hearts.

Matthew 12:14 “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.”

God’s mercy and salvation was refused by them that day.

Their choice was to keep the life and influence they had;  not to yield to the mercy offered.  

How much they lost by their choice!

Jesus talked of saving the “one sheep”,  because each of us are that one sheep.

He came to save us:  from the guilt of sin,  the power of sin, and one day from the presence of sin.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Thankfulness

As Thanksgiving day approaches,  let us consider Who it is that gives to us of His fullness.

Romans 11:36 “For of Him, and through Him, and to Him,  are all things:  to Whom be glory forever. Amen.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 “Rejoice evermore.     Pray without ceasing.  

                                             In everything give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

                                             Quench not the Spirit.”

As Christians we are to seek God’s glory first.  We are to shine His light through us, and to witness of Him.

One of the most effective means of “spreading abroad” His light is to give thanks; to be thankful.

I was quite unaware of how much the Old Testament spoke of rejoicing with God, until I read the scriptures through.   It is amazing to see how much God wanted fellowship, even under the restraints of the law, with His own.

Leviticus 7:11-15 speaks of the peace offering.   

It was one big party with God.

You were to bring your peace offering when something good happened.   And you were to sacrifice part of the offering,  then eat the rest of the offering with your family, friends, and the priests.

It was to eaten the same day, unless it was for a vow,  then it could be eaten the second day, as well.

Moses in his instruction concerning their life in the land God gave them:

Deuteronomy 12:5, 7 “But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there,  even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither shalt thou come.

                                       And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God,  and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto,  ye and your households,  wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.”

(Three times in this chapter, they are told to “rejoice” before  the Lord.  Deuteronomy 12:7, 12, 18)

The Psalms are full of praise, and glory to God.  Most of them are written by David, a man after God’s own heart.

Psalm 30:11-12 “Thou hast turned for me  my mourning into dancing:  Thou hast put off my sackcloth,  and girded me with gladness;

                              To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee,  and not be silent.  O Lord my God,  I will give thanks unto Thee forever.”

Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.  Praise ye the Lord.”

Daniel was constant in his thanks to God,  even when it meant he might  be thrown into the lion’s den.

Daniel 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed,  he went into his house, and his windows being opened in his chamber toward Jerusalem,  he kneeled upon his knees three times a day,  and prayed,  and gave thanks before his God,  as he did aforetime.”

I mention all these, because I was struck by something in Romans:

Romans 1:20-21 “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,  being understood by the things that are made,  even His eternal power and Godhead,  so that they are without excuse:

                              Because that,  when they knew God,  they glorified Him not as God,  neither were thankful;    and became vain in their imaginations,  and their foolish heart was darkened.”

Vain imaginations and darkened hearts begin with unthankfulness to God.

It clearly says that they “knew” about God:  His power and His Godhead.  

But they refused that truth,  not wanting to be thankful to Him!

Christ Jesus said when He was here, talking to Nicodemus.

(And it is right after He says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”)

John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation,  that light is come into he world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

Then He says,  for He came to show the Way to God,  always:

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.”

Truth comes from God.   If we yield to it,  God works a work in us:  faith unto salvation. 

Praise and thankfulness is the result of yielding to the Spirit of God.  He gives us the fullness of praise.

Prayer and praise often goes together;  for fellowship with the Lord encourages our joy.

Colossians 4:2. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”

Philippians 4:4, 6 “Rejoice in the Lord always:  and again I say,  rejoice.

                                 Be careful for nothing;  but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving  let your requests be known unto God.”

Philippians 4:8 “Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever things are true,  

whatsoever things are honest,  

whatsoever things are just, 

whatsoever things are pure,  

whatsoever things are lovely,  

whatsoever things are of good report;  

if there be any virtue,  

and if there be any praise,  think on these things.”

Paul says, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

God’s will is always our privilege to do.

But the giving of thanks to our blessed God in the Trinity of His Persons,  is the strengthening of our bond with Him,   the encouraging of our faith,    fruitfulness in our life,    and a way to grow more in love with Him.

The Joy of the Lord

Nehemiah 8:10 “And he said unto them,  Go thy way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared:  for this day is holy unto our Lord:  neither be ye sorry;  for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

In other words, as they experienced this joy,  and yielded to this joy; they would be strengthened in His Might.

This is to “be strong in the Lord and the power of His Might.” (Ephesians 6:10)

The need was great for Israel.  They were back in the land, but enemies had and would keep trying to destroy their unity, and commitment to God’s Worship.

But here they had just had a service where the Law and books of Prophesy were read, and interpreted to the people.

They were excited to learn, but also saddened by the memory of their sin, which had sent them out of the land; and of the trouble they were having now.

There is a time to repent;  

and a time to rejoice in the goodness of God.

Now was their time to rejoice in the goodness of God.

We are called, as Christians, to have Christ’s Kingdom come with in our hearts and lives, now.

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

The inward Kingdom of Heaven is set up in the hearts of all who repent and believe the Gospel.

And that Kingdom is none other than:

Romans14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;  but righteousness,  and peace,  and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Now joy is a choice instrument that God uses to work in a believing soul.

Joy and Peace are the true criteria to judge ourselves, spiritually.

When we are right with God, we have peace with God, and ourselves.

Joy follows.

Joy is particularly designed by God to be a balance against the sufferings; inward and  out;  of our walk of faith.

It is meant to lift up the hands which hang down, and confirm the feeble knees (Hebrews 12:12).

There is a strengthening power in the joy of the Lord.

Therefore, whatever dampens our joy in the Lord,  hinders our holiness.

The Devil would “throw water” on our joy, so that he would spoil our enjoyment of the things God gives…and if he could,  the use of them too.  

When we get discouraged, or depressed,  we begin to let down our shield of faith.  The firey darts of the devil get through, when the shield is down.  We are wounded.

When we get like that, we need to be exhorted to do, as Israel was told:

Nehemiah 8:10 “And he said unto them,  Go thy way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Joy and Happiness are not the same.

Each springs from a totally different source.

Happiness comes from the situations around me.  It is measured by what is happening to me.   It is bound up in either the behavior of other people, to me;  or the circumstances in which I am.

Joy comes directly from the Spirit of the Living God.

This joy springs from the Presence of God in my life.   It is not dependent on people, places, or the situations in which I find myself;  but rather from the Presence of God with me in any circumstances. 

(And don’t we find it so, that knowing that the Lord is with us, is a great blessing…always.)

Joy is one of the attributes of God that He shares with us.  Joy runs like a river of goodwill, through His make-up.  And He wants to share that with us.

He is the God of all Joy.  

He is alive.  He is here.    That joy was the overflowing of power in the early Church.  

And that can be the experience of all who truly allow God’s peace to rule in your hearts.  When it does, joy follows. 

Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

Purpose and deep delight in the Lord, are the characteristics of such a person.

There is direction in our duties, no matter how ordinary.

There is purpose in every area of our lives;   for we are in harmony with the Holy Spirit within and that lifts me from the confusion and trouble of this world, to rest in the arms of the Lord.

This is to know the joy of the Lord, and it becomes a force in my life, to dispel darkness and despair;  to energize my life in my walk with God.

The joy of the Lord is our strength.  

We need it, and He has it for us.

The Leper

Mark 1:40 “And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him,    If thou wilt,  thou canst make me clean.”

The fact that Jesus healed many, was well known.  He had been preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God. (Mark 1:15).  Wherever He went, He healed the sick, and diseased, as well. 

As He went, a leper came asking for cleansing.  “Lord,  if Thou wilt, Thou can make me clean”.

Jesus was moved with compassion.   Leprosy is a terrible disease.   How far along in the disease he was, is not said here;  but in Luke 5:8:

“And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city,  behold  a man full of leprosy;  who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying,   Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

This man was “full of leprosy”.    In other words, this man’s case was hopeless.  Leprosy starts as a “rising,(swelling), a scab, or bright spot” and continues till  “raw flesh” appears. (Leviticus 13:2, 14)

It destroys and eats away the flesh,  until fingers fall off, etc.   

Leprosy is like sin.  It begins small–a “swelling”.   Wherever it breaks out,  it puffs up the flesh.

But it is small–something you could ignore, if you choose to.  Till it needs a scab.

That means there has been a open sore.  It still could be small…but open,  open to the contaminants of the world.

And so it goes on,  eating up our flesh, destroying us;  unless it is cleansed.

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

Yet, this man cried for mercy from the Lord Jesus; and received it.

Not only the Word of Healing;  but Jesus “put forth his hand, and touched him”.

Mark 1:41-42 “And Jesus moved with compassion,  put forth his hand,  and touched him,  and saith unto him,    I will; be thou clean.

And as soon as he had spoken,  immediately the leprosy departed from him,  and he was cleansed.”

Isaiah 59:1 “Behold,  the Lord’s hand is not shortened,  that it can not save;  neither his ear heavy,  that it can not hear:”

This was compassion only the Son of Man/the Son of God, could do:  

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities;  but was in all points tempted like as we are,  yet without sin.”

Jesus touched the leper, and gave His Word, “I will”.  That cleansed him.

Jesus heart reached out and touched him,  who should never be touched.

Jesus will  spoke the word, and he was cleansed.

But now the Lord wanted him to do what God required for the cleansing:

Mark 1:43-44 “And he straitly charged him,  and forthwith sent him away;

And saith unto him,   See thou say nothing to any man:  Go thy way,  show thyself to the priest,  and offer for thy cleansing those things that Moses commanded,  for a testimony unto them.”

We can not save ourselves from our sin.   We must come to Christ for that.

But we can be obedient to what He requires us,  afterward,  as a testimony to His Love and Word.

The leper was cleansed:

He came to the right person, and in the right way;  seeking mercy. 

And he was cleansed.

Then he went and did as Jesus required, as a testimony to Jesus as Healer, Savior, and Lord.