The Greatest Need  for our day  is a return to First Principles

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

The very first principle for all who would follow Jesus,  is the message of the cross—your personal cross.

Luke 9:23 “And He said to them all,  If any man will come after me,  let him deny himself,  and take up his cross daily,  and follow Me.”

We will never have what Christ Jesus has for us in reality, unless we will deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him….

Bearing our cross to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything….(This is not sinless perfection,  but it is final obedience….you will obey what He wills.)

And He sits enthroned in our hearts, and lives.

What is our personal cross?   This deals with our wills.

First,  it is something you can say “no” to;  for it is “whosoever will”,  “ if any man will”.

Second, it is personal.  My cross is not your cross, and visa-versa.

Third,  it is any thing in God’s Will that crosses our wills; or brings up resentment and a feeling of wanting to run away from it.

[I usually feel a bristling in me.  And as soon as I do,  I know I need to talk to the Lord about this….

“I am not liking Your Will, for whatever reason,  but I surrender right now, and ask that Your blessed Holy Spirit will help me, not just do this for Your sake,  but change my attitude about it.”]

When we come to the willed decision that Christ is going to rule our lives;  then Jesus calls us on to a more intimate calling:

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

This deals with our personality:  that which is truly us.

You see,  from children to grown-ups,  we take on the mannerisms and habits and attitudes of the world around us.   

What this call deals with is:  Jesus freeing us from these entanglements; and giving us liberty to be us….the true us, He created. 

He redeemed and saved us…not someone we think we would like to be like.

This is to “lose our lives in ourselves”.

We believe, our souls are the seat of our personality.   We are unique,  no two are exactly alike.

We believe also, that our souls are the most precious thing to God in all of His Creation….for Christ Jesus paid the Atonement price to save them.

When we are freed and under the liberty of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18),  only then do we find our life in Christ.  

As we continue to deny our self-life (our attitudes, our way of thinking things out, our affections, our reactions),…..so we may find our life in Christ.

Christ deals with us in His own way.

(I knew a child, that every time he became scared…..he would get angry.   This was a “mechanism” he used, to cover his fear.

He would yell,  he would stomp,….not for the reasons his parents thought, but because he was really scared.

Once they saw that,  they were able to deal with him…..not as a brat, having a fit….but as a scared kid……trying to act tough.    And that changed everything.)

You see it is only as we get past the “covers” of our attitudes,……that we can deal with the real issues.

Then our attitudes change.  

We walk by faith and not by sight.  

We “learn, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).  We learn discernment…what is good for us, and what is not.

And we gain confidence in our walk with God.   We know…

Philippians 3:15 “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect (complete), be thus minded:  and if in anything ye be otherwise minded,  God shall reveal even this unto you.”

It is ever an onward walk with Christ….more and more of Him in us, freeing us from every sin and iniquity (anything unequal to your high calling in Christ Jesus)….

….till we are complete:   there are no half measures with God.  

Free from the bondage and influences of the world, and sin; 

Obedient—having our obediences up-to-date;

Surrounded by His peace (Philippians 4:7), practically…..we are at peace with God, with the circumstances….and even, at peace with ourselves.

Rooted and grounded in His love (Ephesians 3:17).

He wants us to be fully free, and fully His.  

Will we begin to “follow Him”,  by denying ourselves and picking up our cross (those things of His Will that cross what we want,….how we think…..how we feel)…….till we no longer resist His Will in anything.

Then going on to lose “our life”,  that we might truly be who He has created us to be….finding our life and purpose….in Christ Jesus.

Blessed.    

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

Blessed means twice happy!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This Psalm typifies God’s great arms.  

Drawing us, even when we run away. Pop

Calling us, even when we have refused before.

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

For Christians, the closer we get to the Lord,  the more satisfied we are.  

The further away from God,  the more opportunity for things to come in between us.   

These cause barriers.

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

And discontent is to be dissatisfied.

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

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

Blessed is the one who is close to the Lord.

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

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

Everything I need,  Everything you need,…is found in Christ, the Author and Finisher of our Faith. 

Hebrews 12:1-2”Wherefore,  seeing we also are compassed about with so many witnesses,  let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us,  and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  

              Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith;….”

We have a race to run….a Way to complete….our part in the Battle of the Ages, to fight…..and we must be equipped….by the Holy Spirit.

There must be a “putting off” (let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily beset us)

And there must be a “putting on” (put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Romans 13:14)

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Know ye not that they which run in a race  run all,  but one  receiveth the prize?   So run,  that ye may obtain.

                And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown;  but we an incorruptible.

(Paul was showing by the games they were so fond of….a picture of our “race”.   A race which we are to finish.   We are not to stop because someone is ahead,….nor “faint” because these races were long….but continue on,  to finish….looking to the end, and the reward.)

                I therefore so run,  not as uncertainly;  so fight I,  not as one that beateth the air.

                But I keep under my body,  and bring it into subjection:  lest that by any means,  when I have preached to others,  I myself should be a castaway.”

Paul did all this,….that he might preach about Christ Jesus his Lord, to others.

Philippians 2:16 “Holding forth the Word of life;  that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain,  neither labored in vain.”

Everything I need….everything you need is found in Christ Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith…..and we will have it of His Spirit,….if we will continue on with Him.

Galatians 5:5-7 “For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

               For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything,  nor uncircumcision;   but faith which worketh by love.

               Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”

(Here, is faith, hope, and love.   Faith is the foundation, which gives hope….which is the confident expectation that God will do what He has promised.

Faith is the foundation, which works through love.  Faith justifies, and we are energized to work, by love for Him.)

These Galatians had begun to run their race, well,….in faith, hope, and love. 

But, they were “hindered”…….”hindered” here, means “breaking up a road”. 

(Imagine running down a street when all of a sudden it crumbles beneath us.

If we put our trust in anything beside Christ Jesus,  we are running on a crumbling road.)

So Paul corrects them, to get them back in the the right way….to finish their race.

Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,  and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

In Peter’s second epistle (second books always deal with apostasy, a falling away from the truth.)….Peter says:

2 Peter 1:2-4 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God,  and of Jesus our Lord.

              According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,  through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

              Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises;  that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,  having the escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Twice,  knowledge of God and Jesus is mentioned.   How much we need to read HIs Word, and have fellowship with Him!

Twice “divine” is mentioned:  

      His divine power….this is grace by the Holy Spirit.

      Partakers of the divine nature (character)…….this is Christ’s character worked out within us, by the Holy Spirit, because we belong to Him.   

Twice “given unto us” is mentioned…..In Christ Jesus, we are given….we do not barter for His Spirit….

……we are given power to do (grace) by His Holy Spirit…that we might run with patience….in faith and love.

….we are given exceeding great and precious promises…..and part of our race is having that hope in Him…….that confident expectation that He will do what He says….

….and to see the fulfilling of them….in us…as we run.

We have escaped the corruption that is in the world….a way out of the twists and perversion of the world’s system….He gives us liberty!

Through faith in Christ,  we have been given a race to run.

He gives us the divine power, and the divine character if we follow on.

Yes, we need to “keep under” ourselves….that we might use all our energy to finish our course…

….that we might place the reward we get…at Christ’s feet.

Everything I need,  everything you need,…..is found in Christ Jesus,  the Author and finisher of our faith….

….and faith brings the victory in our lives.

                                             

                                            

Do we have, what we seem to have? 

Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear:  for whosoever hath,  to him shall be given,  and whosoever hath not,  from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”

“Which he seemeth to have”…..by outward appearance….he seems to have what he claims.

But by inward obedience….it is not his.  He may agree with it, as doctrine….but does not obey it for his life.

The faith Christ places within us, demands certain things from us.

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

That faith will never disappear….but it can be starved by lack of obedience …….becoming faithlessness……and the resulting actions be only outward show.

No amount of religious activity….will ever take the place of obedience.

Like Samuel told Saul….when he returned from the Amalekites:

(God had said to Saul, that these people were to be destroyed…completely.   

God did not want “sacrifices” from the best of the spoil…..

……He wanted them completely destroyed because of the wicked way they fought against the march of Israel when they were coming to the Promised Land.  

They would come up behind and kill the slowest and weakest of the people and children.)

1 Samuel 15:22-23 “And Samuel said,  Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,  as in obeying the voice of the Lord?   Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,  and to hearken than the fat of rams.

              For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,  and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.   Because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord,  He has also rejected thee from being king.”

These verses used to bother me because of the lack of diligent obedience in my life, everyday……

……we are to be obedient….Christ said,  “If ye love Me,  keep my commandments.”  (John 14:15)

Isn’t that the real reason we hesitate to do His Will, or disobey….because we do not love Him as we should….something else has taken His place in our hearts?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Then these verses bothered me….because of “stubbornness”….

This is to “peck at”….we refuse this command because of this reason….

…..Oh, we would do it (we tell ourselves) except for this person or that circumstance….

…when actually we are being stubborn about having “our own way”

[Praise God for His Word which “bothers us”!]

(My husband dealt with a man once who was having a great many problems….and he asked my husband to pray for him….

….So my husband said,  “Yes,  I will pray that the Lord’s Will will be done in your life.”

And the man said, “Ok”…..then after a moment asked…..”Can you pray that my will will be done a little bit, too?” )

We laugh at that…..but aren’t we the same way…….we want our will done….”a little bit,  too”!

We think we can “give” God “something” to please Him….but He has plainly said…

Psalm 50:13-14 “Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?  

               Offer unto God thanksgiving;  and pay thy vows unto the Most High:”

No amount of religious activity will take the place of simple obedience.

What does God want from us?    Us.  

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

Samuel told Saul (it was not his first rebellion to God’s Word)………”because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.”

But notice, it is from “being king”…..God, here, was giving Saul a chance to save his soul by repentance….not his kingship….that was to be turned over to David…

….but Saul could have repented from his rebellion and stubbornness….and turned to God.

1 Samuel 15:17 “Then Samuel said,  When thou wast little in thine own sight,  wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel?  And the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?”

When Saul saw himself as a Israelite…..not king over them….God blessed him.

But kingship had changed his attitude about everything…..and he wanted all the praise, and honor that title held….

….forgetting it was just a title….without God’s blessing.

But to Saul…..if he could not be king….then,   Forget it!  

Saul then said all the right words….”I have sinned”…..but he blames the people…

“…because I feared the people.”

When God would not accept such a confession….then Saul showed his true desire…

1 Samuel 15:30 “Then he (Saul) said,   I have sinned:  yet honor me now,  I pray thee,  before the elders of my people,  and before Israel,  and turn again with me,  that I may worship the Lord thy God.”

The Lord “thy God”…..not my God….for to reject God’s Word and authority in our lives,  is to reject Him.

Matthew 21:44 “And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken:  but on whomsoever it shall fall,  it will grind him to powder.”

Here is the answer for stubborn hearts….for hesitate hearts….for double-minded hearts….

Our Rock.

We can “fall” on it…..leaving the broken pieces of our plans, failures and successes,…leaving our lives….by faith…falling into the arms of God and become broken to the world…..which is our spiritual enemy….

….and letting Him heal us, spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Or we can in the day of judgement see our lives be ground up as nothing.

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The Eternal God is thy refuge,  and underneath are the Everlasting Arms:  and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee;  and shall say,  Destroy them.”

Are we loving God….our Eternal God….and being obedient to His Word to us?

“Come, and fall on Me,” Christ says,….”into My Arms…and I will heal you.”

Eternal Life 

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death;  but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

John 17:1-3 “These words spake Jesus,  and lifted up His eyes to heaven,  and said,  Father, the hour is come;  glorify Thy Son,  that Thy Son may also glorify Thee:

                 As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh,  that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.

                 And this is life eternal,   that they might know Thee   the only true God,  and Jesus Christ,  Whom Thou hast sent.”

Eternal life is a a condition of life now……it begins the moment we are born again…..and continues throughout our life….and onward throughout eternity, forever, with God.

It is a gift from the Eternal God to His people.

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The Eternal God is our refuge,  and underneath are the everlasting arms:  and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say,  Destroy them.”

[It is interesting to note here, in this verse….there is the promise of His protection (our refuge),…..and care (underneath are His arms)…..but also the assurance that the victory shall come from Him (He shall thrust out)……yet,  He calls for our personal cooperation, in our wills and by His Word. (destroy them)!]

And what does Eternal life bring to us,  now?

1 John 5:11, 20 “And this is the record,    that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

                     And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding,  that we know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God, and eternal life.

                     Little children,  keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

First, eternal life gives us the knowledge that He is with us!  We are in Him, and He is in us.

In eternal life, we have “understanding”:

Ephesians 1:18 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened;  that ye may know what is the hope of His calling,  and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

(How much we need this, in a world which blinds us with glitter; and calls us to do as it does.  “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21)

And in eternal life, we “know truth”:

John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses,  but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”   (When truth is faced,  grace is given to us for it.)

John 7:17 “If any man will do His Will,  he shall know of the doctrine,  whether it be of God,  or whether I speak of Myself.”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them through Thy truth:  Thy Word is truth.”

(The Truth, sanctifies all who receive it:  It sets them aside to God, and His Way to go.)

And eternal life “purges” our conscience.     His sacrifice cleanses us from our sin (in power, as well as legally, from punishment)……..but His life, gives us  peace and power for the work ahead (1 John 3:19-21).

Hebrews 9:12-15 “Neither by the blood of goats and calves,  but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

                    For if the blood of bulls and of goats,  and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean,    sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh. (Under the law)

                    How much more shall the blood of Christ,  Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God,  purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

                    And for this cause  He is the Mediator of the New Testament,  that by means of death,  for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament,  they which are called   might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”

This is a complicated section…for it contrasts the relief under the Law: which had to be repeated again and again……..and the cleansing under Christ, which is eternal, once for all.

But notice here, that three times,  “eternal” is used to describe what Christ did for those that look to Him for redemption.

1. Eternal redemption (vrs. 12) by His own blood.   We are eternally bought back from sin and death….we are HIs purchased possession….none can take us from His hand (John 10:28).

1. Who offered Himself through  the Eternal Spirit (vrs.14).    This speaks of His consent…continual consent, by His own will, in offering Himself to God as the Sin sacrifice.   

He consented  in the Everlasting Covenant to come and die for us….

He consented in the garden, when He said, “Not My will but Thine.”……

He consented before the men who took Him away (or they would not have been able to)….

and before the Sanhedrin, Pilate, and the beatings…..

And consented, even when the mob cried, “Crucify Him”….

He consented when they made Him carry the cross….and when they nailed Him to it….

He consented when the people around the cross mocked Him….and the thieves which were by Him….leading one to believe and be saved.

Yes, through His Eternal Spirit He offered Himself.

And it was He,  the Son of God,  Who said,  “It is finished”……and He consented to all He had to do……till it was completely finished.

1. That they which are called   might receive the promise of eternal inheritance (vrs. 15).   This eternal inheritance is a pardon from the guilt of our sin….and a cleansing of our minds, hearts, and wills from sin.

It also includes the Holy Spirit, and reconciliation and fellowship in life to God.  

And it includes heaven, and the bliss that is to be found with God forever.

Eternal….the Lord never does things by halves.   What He promises us, through His Son,  He will do…..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 unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

And His life…..His eternal life for us….this condition of our lives, now…and throughout eternity……comes to us, as we look to Him,  Who was lifted up for us,…..and believe.

To be Saved Spirit, Soul, and Body 

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 unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Now the very God of peace.  What a wonderful name for our God!

This is not judicial peace….that, we get when we are born again.   A not guilty verdict is given on us, for our sins….which we have committed against a Holy God.

How?   Because Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking all our sins on Him, and fulfilling the penalty of our sins in His sacrifice and death.  (As Son of God, His was the only worthy sacrifice which could pay such a price.)

But this title:  “the very God of peace”,  refers to the peace He gives us as we are His, in a world of woe.

This is, of course, as we yield to the Holy Spirit of God within us.

Peter has a verse which shows this:

2 Peter 1:5 “And besides this giving all diligence,  add to your faith virtue;  and to virtue,  knowledge;”

Add to your faith, virtue….  

This virtue is the “artea” of the Spirit.   It is the force of Him in our lives.   

He speaks, as the cooing of a dove (Matthew 3:16-17)….distilling peace, quietness and grace, into our busy lives.

He moves in our hearts,  to give purity of thought, and action.

He influences us into “…things….true,…honest,…just,…pure,…lovely,…good report,..” (Philippians 4:7-8)

Our hearts become gentle in dealing with others….for that is what He is.

And He places His love in us….for God, for the brethren, and for others. (John 13:34-35)

This is all brought about by acts of our will.  As you yield your will to the Holy Spirit, you find yourself being borne along…..as the sails of a ship, which are up are filled with the wind.

This is learned….though we receive the Holy Spirit at new birth,  yet we have to learn to yield to Him.  

His disciples, after three years with Him,  still had a lot to learn….and so do we.

But they did,….so can we:

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem…”He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,”.    

(It was time for Him to go up and have the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem…whether they received Him as their King or not. Matthew 21:1-9)

As He went, He had to pass through a village of the Samaritans.    But they refused His visit….because He was going up to Jerusalem,  not staying with them. 

(Remember He had preached and stayed at a Samaritan town, after talking to the woman at the well.  John 4:6-40)

But now they refused Him….silly anger, because they thought they were being looked over.  (How often our vanity leads us astray!)

And of what spirit are we?   Sometimes we think the motive we have is good,……but His will is always best.

Luke 9:53-56 “…And they did not receive Him….And when His disciples James and John saw this,  they said,    Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven,  and consume them,  even as Elijah did?

                     But He turned, and rebuked them, and said,   Ye know not of what manner of spirit ye are of.

                     For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives,  but to save them.   And they went to another village.”

Now, I want to point out that this is James and John,  two of the Lord’s closest disciples.    They wanted to defend Jesus….but He needed no defense….He came to this world, to save.

Sometimes it is better to walk away,  and leave the angry,   to their own fumes.

Proverbs 25:28 “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

The cities in those days needed walls around them, or marauding bands would come through, and steal and kill indiscriminately.

So, we need to keep our spirits, so that they will be yielding to the Holy Spirit, and not the spirit of the times,   

or the spirit of bitterness—looking back,  

or the spirit of scorn. 

Trust me,  I have been corrected so many times, about feeling “insulted”,   

Or thinking what others think….maybe they are smarter than I.

But…

What I need to know….is…what does my Lord think,  or feel about this.

Psalms 51:17 “The sacrifices of God  are a broken spirit:  a broken and contrite heart,  O God,  Thou wilt not despise.”

(This “broken” here, is like a horse….you break down their independence, not destroy their spirit.   They will only be able to trust and respond to you, as they are broken of their “wild” spirit.    

So with us.   David’s spirit of independence: he had sinned as a king, doing what he wanted…had to be “broken”; and it was.

But that had only brought him to lean on,  and trust God more.)

The God of Peace offers salvation:  spirit, soul, and body.   Let us come to Him and yield to the Holy Spirit’s force, “artea”, within us.

Let us yield to the sweet influence of purity….the purity of the Holy Spirit within us,  making us more like Christ.

A Profitable Servant

Luke 17:10 “So likewise ye,  when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say,   We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.”

As Christ’s servants, there will be an accounting for each of us…of those good works that He has required from us…(Hebrews 9:27)

But the real value of any work as His servant is….

…..do I do it out of love for Him?

“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”  John 14:15

This starts when His disciples ask….”Lord, Increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5)

Luke 17:6 “And the Lord said,  If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed,  ye might say unto this sycamine tree,  Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”

Here, the Lord says what faith will do…even a little faith…..but He does not say how is it increased….

….until He gives this:

Luke 17:7-9 “But which of you,  having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field,  Go and sit down to meat?

              And will not rather say unto him,  Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken;  and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

             Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?   I trow not.”

Jesus is saying:  true faith works.   True faith is never stagnant….it moves forward;  or it goes backward (2 Peter 1:9).

In the field we may labor for Christ,  His Word,  and His gospel call…..

…..but in the house (in our own personal devotions and church services)…..we serve, by ministering to Him….personally.

(I want to point out here, that the Lord is in charge in everything in this parable.

The servant,  outside;……and the servant,  inside….is just that,…a servant….commanded and guided by the Master.

Some of us Christians bristle at this….because they think a servant of the Lord does things….he does something for God.

No, and yes.   No….we can never do anything to add to God, or His goodness.

Yes, we can serve the Lord by being obedient…..and becoming, under HIs guiding hand,  devoted to Him.

The Lord pointed this out to Israel when they were bringing lots of offerings to Him…..without the heart’s devotion behind them.

Jeremiah 7:21-24 “Thus saith the Lord of Hosts,  the God of Israel;  Put your offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

                 For I spake not unto your fathers,  nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:  

                  But this thing I commanded I them, saying,  Obey My voice, and I will be your God,  and ye shall be My people:  and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you,  that it may be well unto you.   (Exodus 15:25-26)

                  But they harkened not, nor inclined their ear,….”)

Our “services” to God, are a exercising of our faith….both in the world and in our personal devotions.

The question becomes….how can I become a profitable servant?  And what does this have to do with increasing our faith?

We are only profitable servants as we become, under His hand, able to minister to the Lord’s satisfaction….by letting Him have His way and will with us.

Again, I want to point out that faith “sees” God…..it is the instrument by which we know God in our lives.

It is a gift from God, implanted by the Holy Spirit, when we are born again…..but it is to grow….mature in the knowledge of God,…..and in love to God.

Both are “services” to God.

The more we know of God in our lives, the more we are able to go through the trials and tribulations in this world, by faith….it has increased.

The more we place ourselves at God’s disposal,  the more we learn how precious He regards us….and we come to love Him more…..then our faith has increased, as our love has increased.

So how to increase our faith?

….Jesus says:  use it,   by doing the obediences I place in front of you….

…and use it,  by submitting to My personal discipline, and fall in love with Me.

Our personal intimacy with God is to grow.   

We start out as babes in faith….being helped to do everything.

Then we become servants of God, by faith…..learning to submit to Him in everything….but by each obedience we have the ability to gain in fellowship.

Then we become mature workers of God…..by realizing that it is Him we are serving,…..in any situation,  in any place,  with anyone….He becomes the main reason for our existence.

We become “profitable servants”,  by becoming what He has purposed for us to be…..not by what we do (The Lord has provided all we need to do every good work He calls us to)……

….but by becoming devoted to Christ Himself.

The Everlasting God     

Genesis 21:33 “And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-Sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.”

The name of the Everlasting God was first revealed to Abraham.  He had just planted a grove in a place where he had dug a well.  

I believe,  he was thinking that in his son’s life time,  or in the times to come,  the trees would bring shelter to those who came to the well.

Trees take a while to grow, and in that moment,  God showed Abraham a new name for Himself.      

Everlasting:  Evermore, Forever.   

This describes God’s promise and protection for Abraham; but also his children to come.   He will be there for them,  long after Abraham had gone.

Revelation 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,  saith the Lord,  which is,  and which was,  and which is to come,  the Almighty.”

God is the God of all ages.  And to Him only,  are all things known.  

He revealed Himself through many names in the Old Testament, to show to those who believe, His character,……..usually at a time when they needed to know that He would be this,  to them.

Psalm 90:1-2 “Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth,  or ever Thou hadst  formed the earth and the world,  even from everlasting to everlasting,  Thou art God.”

He is the Everlasting God,……setting times and seasons, according to His Will. 

But in it all, He saw us, now;…….and gave each of us a purpose:  

a path to follow, and an example by Jesus Christ His Son, to be conformed to.

We are not to be frightened by the largeness of the Will of God;  but rather step into our place in it.  

God is the Everlasting God,  He has been,  is,  and will be with us;…..so He is with us today.  (And that is what we need to concentrate on).

Isaiah 43:21 “This people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise.”

And how do we show forth His praise, today?

By showing forth the Kingship of the Lord Jesus in my life.  

He purposes to reign within my life.  And I must will with Him in this.   

We must show Him as our King,  by who we are in our everyday tasks.  

(Is He in charge,  within me?  Is He guiding me through my day?  Do I hear Him?)

Isaiah 43:18 “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.”

It is time to put the past behind you.  Failures and successes. (Looking back while walking forward is never a good idea.)

Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake,  and will not remember thy sins.”

If He does not remember them,  why should you?   

Or why should you let the Adversary, the devil, beat you over the head with them?

Confess them,  forsake them. (As Jesus said to the woman taken in adultery:  “Neither do I condemn thee;  go and sin no more.”    He did not approve of her sin;  but forgave it, and told her not to do it again.)

And when you have done so:  go on with the Everlasting God:  for you were always in His plans and purposes.  

His purpose for each He saves, is that they show forth Jesus Christ as my King.  This is personal Kingship.

Everyone we come into contact with, will be faced with the reality of His Kingdom;……for it has come to us.

No Strength? Or unsure of the Wisdom to do?   Afraid to take the first step?

Isaiah 40:28-29 “Hast thou not known?  Hast thou not heard,  that the Everlasting  God,  the Lord,  the creator of the ends of the earth,  fainteth not,  neither is weary?  There is no searching of His understanding.

                               He giveth power to the faint;  and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.”

                              

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The Eternal God is thy refuge,  and underneath are the everlasting arms:…”

Remember:  the Holy Spirit is within you,  Christ Jesus has won the victory for you, and the Everlasting God has surrounded you with His Peace, and Purpose.

Abraham was at peace concerning the future of his son, and his son’s sons, and so on;  for the Everlasting God was His God, and He could not fail.

Let us…

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

“Let us”…there are many in Hebrews….for the writer is including himself in these exhortations.   “Let us” shows the heart of the writer….for though he is writing them….he is with them in heart and will…..”Come on, let us, keep after the Lord our Shepherd….and turn away from all that would hinder this.”

The writer had just spoken concerning unbelief…

Hebrews 4:1 “Let us therefore fear,  lest,  a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it”

       (And we should fear not only for ourselves, but for others….who seem to come short of it.)

Fear here is not terror,  but the attitude of working to stay away from something’s and holding onto other things.

Unbelief will keep us from every blessing God has for us.   

      Every promise in the Word, and every promise given to us personally is nothing until entered into by faith….

….first, we should have the hope of these things, by the assurance of the Holy Spirit.

       (You may be called to an altar,  or receive a promise in the Bible in answer to prayer…..but then you need to know the confident assurance that God will do it….in your spirit, by the Holy Spirit.)

Then,

Hebrews 4:2-3, 9 “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them;  but the word preached did not profit them,  not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

        For we, which have believed do enter into rest, as He has said…..

        There remained therefore a rest for the people of God.”

        Without the element of faith, there is nothing….for faith makes them real….

….first within….

….then by obedience,  in our lives…..we have these promises.

(I’m going to take us on a journey….the Israelites were “preached” to by Moses, often.

…..but also in the Red Sea crossing!    That should have shouted at them what a wonderful God they had….that would deliver them in such a way.

       The tree sweetening the waters should have “preached” that no matter the outward circumstances….God will provide.

       And so the preaching continued….with manna,  with water from a Rock, with Sinai,  with the Ark and Tabernacle.    If they had “heard” the preaching of these….and learned to deny themselves in these smaller lessons….trusting God…

….then,   When they were presented with the land of their promise….

….they would have denied their lives,  rather than deny their God.

        Their “rest” would have been in God…..till He had given them their “rest” in Canaan.

                    It is the same with us…..our “rest” is the promise He gives us now.   How do we enter into that rest?    Have faith in God….for this…..and He will lead us into future “rest”…..till our lives are full of faith in God.)

Therefore, the writer, ends this chapter with:

“Let us” come boldly unto the throne of grace,  that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

What is mercy?   It is God’s kindness to sinners.  

        Spiritual mercy are those kindnesses which come to us as HIs born again ones.      Forgiveness,     that gentle nudging of our spirits when we are going the wrong way,     help to pray aright….a lifting of our hearts when sad,  a touch of peace when weary.   How many mercies we receive.

What is grace?  It is the unmerited favor of power….this is power to believe and do.

  This sounds great!  But what is “in time of need”?

Every time we hesitate to believe.   Every time we want to “see” instead of walk by faith.  Every time we want to complain about the lessons along the way….

…”let us” come boldly to the throne of grace to get mercy…and grace to help us.

It is to the throne of grace we come…..God’s Throne made a throne of grace by Jesus.

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then we have a great High Priest,  that is past into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

        For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

       Let us therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

He knows our infirmities and has therefore a throne of grace where we may obtain mercy….and find grace.

        He understands what we are and how we are,….having made full provision for us….

        So come boldly to His throne to receive what you need.

When Saul met the Lord

Acts 9:3-5 “And as he journeyed,  he came near Damascus:  and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  

                     And he fell to the earth,  and heard a voice saying unto him,  Saul,  Saul,  why persecutest thou Me?   

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

Saul, a very religious Pharisee, had become enflamed against the followers of Jesus, after seeing Steven (the first martyr of the church) die.

Now here was the way a man who was true,  would die.  

Forgiving his killers, and asking God not to lay it to their charge.   

Steven saw the heaven’s open and Jesus sitting on the throne, high and lifted up. (Acts 7:55-60)

But Saul would not believe his  testimony.  

That would make his nation guilty of condemning and killing their own Messiah.

No, No,…he would not believe it.  

And the more Saul worked at not believing,  the madder he got.  

He devised a plan to destroy this belief.   

He would persecute Jesus followers, and cause them to be stoned, too.

He would get rid of this Jesus.

But when some of the disciples in Jerusalem fled to other cities (the apostles, and a lot of other disciples did not),  Saul determined to search them out and bring them back and stone them.

So off to Damascus he goes.  He has letters which entitles him to grab these believers and arrest them and take them to Jerusalem for judgement.

He is fully empowered:  first by hate;  and then by the established religious rulers which crucified Christ.

Going along,  quite sure nothing is going to stop him.

But one thing he could not be empowered for:  the meeting with Christ Jesus, Himself.

First, there is light:  “a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun…”(Acts 26:13)

God always gives light first…..so we are able to come out of the darkness.  

Then He gives His Word.

Acts 26:14 “When we were fallen to the earth,  I heard a voice speaking unto me,  and saying in the Hebrew tongue,    Saul,  Saul,  why persecutest thou Me?

It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

This got his attention!   Here was Someone he had been persecuting.  How could this be?

So he asks who this Person is.

Acts 26:15 “And I said,  Who art thou,  Lord?        And He said,   I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”

(Twice Jesus says how Saul had persecuted Him.   

But it was His believers Saul had beaten and stoned.

But when anyone hurts a child of God,…..He sees it as hurting Him….for we are one in Him.)

Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said,   Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?….”

Saul, empowered of man;  meets Jesus Christ the Almighty God……the God of Light….the God of the Word……and yields.

Jesus Christ was now Saul’s Lord;….and he declared Him to be so…..and that changed everything!     

And the first thing it changed was Saul’s Purpose:

Acts 26:16-18 “But rise and stand upon thy feet:  for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,  

               (Here it is,  his purpose from now on!)

to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things that thou hast seen,  and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

                           Delivering thee from the people,  and from the Gentiles,  unto whom now I send thee,  

                           To open their eyes,    and to turn them from darkness to light,  and from the power of Satan unto God,  that they may receive forgiveness of sins,  and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.”

As you read this,  it reads just like the experience he  had.

His eyes were open by light;  so he was to witness of Jesus Christ and give this Light all over the known world.

He was under the power of Satan when he refused to believe Steven’s witness, and instead gave himself over to hate, and viciousness.

So Saul/Paul was to turn others from the power of Satan unto God.

His Message:

There is forgiveness of sins by Christ Jesus, and an inheritance given us in Jesus.

Then we are set aside for our purpose,…..the moment we are born again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 

When Saul met the Lord,  everything changed.    

And Paul’s ministry changed the world.  

He preached before kings, soldiers, religious rulers, and idolaters.

Everywhere, he preached Christ.

His own testimony was:

1 Corinthians 2:1-2, 4-5 “And I,  brethren,  when I came to you,  came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,  declaring unto you the testimony of God.

                        For I determined not to know anything among you,  save Jesus Christ,  and Him crucified.

                         And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom,  but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

                         That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,  but in the power of God.”

                         

When Saul/Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ for himself,  everything changed.

He went from hating the Lord,….to loving Him.

From trying to destroy Him, and the believers,….to building them up in the faith.

From just following religion….to following “the Lord”.

Have we met the Lord?