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. The Lord changed them later.) (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.  That shows their love toward them;  to bring them and their needs before God for them.

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.”

The worst words anyone will ever hear:  “Depart from Me”

Matthew 7:23 “And then will I profess unto them,  I never knew you:  depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

This was in the Sermon on the Mount,  and Jesus started by preaching about those that would follow Him.  (Matthew 5:3-16)

“Blessed” is the theme.   But it is not to the strong and witty;  but to the seekers after God.  The poor in spirit,  the mourners and those that hunger and thirst after being right with God.

Then He contrasted “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time”,  with “But I say unto you”. (Matthew 5:21-22)

There is always a pull on us to do what we have always done, especially if it has been a good thing.    But Jesus makes the contrast between traditions and His Word, very plain.

In this message He gave us the Family Prayer:  Our Father which art in heaven”.

(Matthew 6:9-13)

Here He introduced us to the Father God.   Before He had been the Mighty God, or the God of Sinai;  but now we can know Him as Father—our Father.

And then He stressed that they should be more concerned with “laying up treasure in heaven…for where you treasure is, there will be your heart also.”  (Matthew 6:19-21)

He said, “Judge not”,  and told us to check out our own faults, before pointing out other people’s faults. (Matthew 7:1-5)

Jesus said that we should ask,  seek, and knock for the things we have need of.(Matthew 7:7-11)

Then He ends His message with:

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter ye in at the straight gate:  for wide is the gate,  and broad is the way,  that leadeth to destruction,  and many there be that go in thereat:

                                 Because straight is the gate,  and narrow is the way,  which leadeth unto life,  and few there be that find it.”

He goes on to expand the subject with examples:   The fruit of anyone’s life is what you should look to;  not what they say they believe, but how they live.   For that is what they truly believe.

And at the last,    the example of the two houses.   Both built to last;  but the foundation of each was the only difference:  one on the Rock,  the other on sand.     Both were put under the same trials:  rain, wind, flood.

But one lasted,  because it was founded on the Rock.

Jesus said that obedience to His Word is building on that Rock. And that is what each that follows Him should do.  Build on Him.

But in between these examples,  He puts a warning.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone that saith unto me,  Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;  but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

                                Many will say to me in that day,  Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  And in thy name have we cast out devils?  And in thy name did many wonderful works?

                                And then will I profess unto them,  I never knew you:  depart from me,  ye that work iniquity.”

It is not saying, “Lord, Lord” which proves that He is Lord of our life.

“It is doing the will of My Father”, that proves Jesus is Lord of our life.

John 5:23 “That all men should honor the Son,  even as they honor the Father,  he that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him.”

Some use good works to cover their sin; but it remains if it is not brought to the cleansing power of Jesus Christ and removed.

But some will not come.  

They will seek only there own will. They may do many “good works”,  but they do it for their own honor. (And this is a matter of the heart.)

If they continue to refuse to do the Father’s Will, and honor His Son, Jesus Christ:

Then in the day of Judgement they will hear the most terrible words that will ever be spoken:          Matthew 7:23 “And then will I profess unto them,  I never knew you:  depart from me,  ye that work iniquity.”

“Depart from Me.”   Out of the Presence of God forever.  No light, no joy, no peace, no safety, no love.   

Only the terrible condemnation of loss, aloneness, and torment; because they have refused the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 8:20 “The harvest is past,  the summer is ended,  and we are not saved.”

But to all who will,  you may still come to the Lord Jesus Christ,  and be saved.

”God,  be merciful to me a sinner,  and save me for Jesus sake.   Amen.”

Lust

James 1:14-15 “But every man is tempted,  when he is drawn away of his own lust,  and enticed.

                            Then when lust hath conceived,  it bringeth forth sin;  and sin,  when it is finished,  bringeth forth death.”

2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises;  that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,  having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

We think of lust as lusting after money,  or sex, or power.

But “lust” is, “I want this for myself”.  And often it is:  “I want it now.”

It can be for anything;  gold, or sex, or power,  or anything.   But it is the drawing away of ourselves from God,  to something else.

As Peter says,  it corrupts us.  Corruption is like twisting and knotting a rope;  it is very hard to untangle.

So lust entangles us in the world, and sin.

Now it can come from the suggestion of the world or the devil.   And it can come from our own likes, and dislikes.

James, and Peter were talking to Christians, not to the unsaved. (They are already dead in trespasses and sins.  A dead person can not get any deader)

As responsible creatures, we should want what God wants for us. 

(Because if we could just see what He has for us,  we would be running toward it.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,  saith the Lord,  thoughts of peace,  and not of evil,  to give you an expected end.”)

But lust from the world corrupts our thoughts of God, and His plan for us.

What are the lusts of the world?

1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,  the lust of the eyes,  and the pride of life,  is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

And the world and the devil can paint a very beautiful picture of all these temptations.     He knows what we want to hear.  

(“Wow, you were great! No one can beat you.”

Or “They have no sympathy for anyone.   Just wait till they get sick.   I hope no one shows sympathy to them.”)

To be responsible means we have been put in a position of trust.  

Our souls can think after God,  for we have minds to think.

Our souls can love God,  for we have hearts to do so.

Our souls can will after God,  for we have been given wills for that very purpose.

We have been put in the position of trust to do these things;  we are responsible creatures.

Because Adam, our first father, chose sin;  we no longer want to do these things.

Remember, he ate of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

He already knew good.   

But the devil tempted Eve into thinking the knowledge of evil was going to be “eye opening”.  

Genesis 3: 4-6 “And the serpent(the devil in disguise) said unto the woman,   Ye shall not surely die:

                            For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof,  then your eyes  shall be opened,  and ye shall be as gods,  knowing good and evil.

                            And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,  and that it was pleasant to the eyes,  and a tree to be desired to make one wise,  she took of the fruit thereof,  and did eat,  and gave also unto her husband with her,  and he did eat.”

I wish I could really emphasis the words, “when the woman saw…that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise”.

Who told her it was “pleasant”?   Or that it would make her “wise”?

But though Eve disobeyed first;  we did not die in Eve (for Eve was taken from Adam’s rib);  but we died in Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)

But when Adam saw Eve eat,  and he knew she would die;  he sinned because he chose to die with Eve,  rather than lose her and live unto God.  Terrible choice.

All was a lie of the devil;  but Eve had been “drawn away” by the lust.

By the of the flesh: she first went to look on the tree they were not to eat of, and believed it would be “good for food”.

By the lust of the eyes, for she suddenly saw that it was “pleasant” to look on.

By the pride of life,  for she wanted to be as “gods”.

But Peter tells us the answer:

2 Peter 1:3-4 “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,  through the knowledge of Him who 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 escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

If you are a Christian:  born again means that you have Christ’s nature or life implanted within you.

That is His divine power.    

So, in Christ, we are given “all” things that we may live in godliness, as we gain knowledge and experience of Him.

How are we given all things?      By the promises He has given.  

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.   Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Do we have this peace?   He has it for us;  and by getting it,  we acquire the power of His life for this time.

“…that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” (John 17:13)

Do we have His joy?  He has it for us.

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

Are we getting the light we need for each day, to walk clearly with Him?

“And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it:  that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.”  (John 17: 26)

Do we know His love for us personally,  today?

His Promises are real, and for each one of His children.  The temptations of today are also real.   

We need to use those “all things” which the Lord Jesus gives us, to help us stand in the evil day. (And that is every day).

God’s Due Order

1 Chronicles 15:13 “For because ye did it not at the first,  the Lord our God made a breach upon us,  for that we sought him not after the due order.”

Now David wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.  There he had set up the Tabernacle.       This was God’s will, to bring the Ark to Jerusalem and set up His worship there.

(The Ark was the symbol of the Presence of God with them.   In the Tabernacle,  in the Holy of Holies,  above the mercy seat,  which was the gold cover on the top of the Ark,  dwelt the Presence.   Inside were the Ten Commandments.)

But the “way” to move it, was important.

So:

1 Chronicles 13:1. “And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader.”

They decided that they would put it on a new cart, like the Philistines did.

(The Philistines had taken it in battle,  and after God had sent judgements upon them,  they had returned the Ark to Israel, in a new cart.   This was the last time it had been moved.)

But he did not consult with God, on His Way of carrying the Ark.  

(What the enemies of God do, is not what the people of God should do.)

But they gathered together, and put the Ark on the new cart, with men around it;  and started toward Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 6:6-7, 9 “And when they came to Nachon’s  threshingfloor,  Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God, and took hold of it;  for the oxen shook it.

                             And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the Ark of God.

                              And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said,  How shall the Ark of the Lord come to me?”

The way God had told Israel to carry the Ark, was on the shoulders of the Priests.  They were to put staves (long poles) through the places on the Ark, and carry it on their shoulders.   

One man died because of David’s error, and they could not bring the Ark any further.  Instead they carry it into a house nearby.

Three months pass.   The household where the Ark stayed,  was greatly blessed.

So David knows it was not their moving it that was wrong;  but the due order for the move:  the way God wanted.

David then finds out what the Lord had said to Israel about moving the Ark:

1 Chronicles 15:2 “Then David said,  None ought to carry the Ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the Ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.”

1 Chronicles 15:11-13, 15 “And David called for.. the priests,  and for the Levites,…

                       And said unto them,  Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites:  sanctify yourselves,  both ye and your brethren,  that ye may bring up the Ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.

                       For because ye did it not at the first,  the Lord our God made a breach upon us,  for that we sought Him not after the due order.

                       And the children of the Levites bare that Ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon,  as Moses commanded,  according to the word of the Lord.”

When they got everything according to God’s due order,   they brought up the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem in joy and  singing, with blessing.

What was the difference?   

One was the reasonable way,  which everyone agreed on.

One was God’s way.

His due order.  And how important that is.

We think if a job is done, it does not matter how it got that way;  but God never thinks that way.

He has a way; a higher way of doing things.  

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,  neither your ways My ways,  saith the Lord.

                          For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways,  and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

When His due order is honored, He gives blessings upon blessings.  

When it is disregarded,  He will not bless as He wants.

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

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

All scripture is given for our learning.  So we can profit from others:   their mistakes, and successes.

Let us honor God in our hearts, minds and wills;  and seek out His due order and be blessed.   

This is surely what He wants for us.

Our Calling as Jesus’ Disciples

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

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

What is a disciple?  A disciple is one who is a learner and follower of someone,  or some doctrine.

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ,  we must follow and learn of Him.

Jesus says here, that to be my follower,  you must deny yourself (your wants, plans, likes and dislikes) and pick up your cross.

What is my cross?  It is anything the Lord wills for me,  which cuts across my will.  In other words:  anything to which we would say, “I won’t”.

The message of the cross is that you were alive when you were put on;  and you were dead when they took you off.

Simply,   “my cross” is the things that will bring to death in me the rebellion, or resentment, or selfishness which exists in me.

So I can follow after and have His life in abundance in me.  Creating in me that character of Christ, and giving me freedom from sin and self.

And this you must will, for our cross deals with our wills.

“If any man will”.

(When this happened to me,  I was struggling.  I did not realize how much I argued with the Lord, about His will.  He showed me how much I asked, “Why?”

When He showed me this,  I really started working at denying myself.)

When the cross has done it’s work,  you no longer resist His will in anything.

It is not instant obedience,  but it is final obedience.  You will do His will. 

But then Jesus goes on to say,  “Whosoever will save his life, shall lose it.”

What does this mean?   Jesus is saying:  we are going to live our life our way,  or His way.

It is the natural way we would go about things,  or we can find out His way of doing things.

We may be a person who puts off things as long as they can.  Doing only when the time is about up.  That is our natural way.

God may let us go on for a while in this way;  but one day will require us to see things done early;  right away….because He wants to teach us His way.  And bless us there.

It may be the opposite: we may be someone who gets up and gets things done,  so they can have the rest of the day for themselves.    

And God says, “Wait till later”.   

It is hard to wait;  you are thinking of all the things you could do later.    But God is trying to show us how to yield in all situations to Him. 

There are many natural “ways”.   Some habits,  and some are extensions of our personality,  which we need to “lose”.

Then we can “find” our life (such a great life—abundant life) in Christ Jesus.

Of course, we still have to will it,  for the action of our lives comes through our will.

If we try and save our self life,  we will surely lose it;  for it was never intended for you to have a life apart from God.

We were always in His plans and purposes.

How can we “lose” our lives?   

It is losing time,  it is losing opportunity for usefulness, and it is losing our life’s joy and blessing which He has for us.

But if we will,  His love draws us forward.  

His Holy Spirit empowers us onward.

His Purpose (His will and way) lift us homewards.

The Heart’s longing after the Lord, Himself

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

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

Notice the action of this verse:   

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

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

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

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

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

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

But how much do we love Him?

Love is willed.   Emotions come and go.

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

If you will to;  you may keep loving.

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

He was merciful,  for He had heard David and helped him even when he kept his father’s sheep.

He was powerful, for the Lord strengthened David against a bear, a lion, Goliath, and many enemies he came against.

He was present, always.  In help, and in correction.

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

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

But love to God sees things differently.  It sees God as beautiful in character.   He is the One whose love sought me, redeemed me, and upholds me.

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

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

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

With the Lord, there is always an answer to our love.  He will show more of Himself to all those who want it.

The Heart’s longing after the Lord, Himself

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

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

Notice the action of this verse:   

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

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

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

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

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

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

But how much do we love Him?

Love is willed.   Emotions come and go.

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

If you will to;  you may keep loving.

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

He was merciful,  for He had heard David and helped him even when he kept his father’s sheep.

He was powerful, for the Lord strengthened David against a bear, a lion, Goliath, and many enemies he came against.

He was present, always.  In help, and in correction.

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

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

But love to God sees things differently.

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

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

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

With the Lord, there is always an answer to our love.  He will show more of Himself to all those who want it.

Rahab

Hebrews 11:31 “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not,  when she received the spies with peace.”

Rahab was a Canaanite and a harlot.

Rahab had heard of God, and believed what she heard.

She, therefore, knew in her heart that she was doomed to die with all in Jericho,  unless God would extend to her mercy.  But how to get this mercy?

Joshua 2:1 “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy out secretly, saying,   Go view you the land even Jericho.  And they went,  and came into a harlot’s house,  named Rahab, and lodged there.”

These spies had come to look over Jericho,  but had not gotten any further than inside the gate,   before they saw  they were recognized. 

They quickly ducked into a house on the wall,  which was a harlot’s house.

The guards came and told the King of Jericho, that two Israelites had come into the gate; and they thought that they had seen them go into the harlot, Rahab’s house.   

The KIng of Jericho sent to Rahab to bring the men out to him.

But Rahab did not.  Instead she hid the men of Israel, and told the King that they had gone out as soon as it grew dark.   She told him that if they hurried, they might catch them.

From the time they came into her house, she had a plan.  She wanted to talk to their God, and knew that they represented Him.

Joshua 2:6,8-11 “But she brought them up to the roof of the house,  and hid them with the stocks of flax,  she had laid in order upon the roof.

                              And before they were laid down,  she came up unto them upon the roof;  

                              And she said unto them,  I know that the Lord hath given you the land,  and that your terror is fallen upon us,  and that all the inhabitants of the land faint  because of you.

                             For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you,  when ye came out of Egypt;  and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites,  that were on the other side Jordan,  Sihon and Og, which ye utterly destroyed.

                             And as soon as we had heard these things,  our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man,  because of you:  for the Lord your God,  He is God in heaven above,  and in earth beneath.”

Here is her testimony of her belief in God, by just hearing about Him.   Pretty amazing!  

Romans 10:17-18 “So then faith cometh by hearing,  and hearing by the word of God.

                                  But I say,  have they not heard?  Yea verily,  their sound went into all the earth,  and their words unto the ends of the earth.”

She then asked for that mercy she had wanted from these men,  who were representatives of God.

Joshua 2:12-13 “Now therefore,  I pray unto you,  swear unto me by the Lord, since I have showed you kindness,  that ye will also show kindness unto my father’s house,  and give me a true token:

                             And that ye will save alive my father,  and my mother,  and my brethren,  and my sisters,  and all that they have,  and deliver our lives from death.”

This was her request to them,  and they agreed;  only with three conditions:

Don’t tell anyone about them.

Get and keep everyone of your household in your house, when we come.

And tie a scarlet line, which they gave her, to her window.

Joshua 2:18-20 “Behold,  when we come into the land,  thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by:  and thou shalt bring thy father,  and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household,  home unto thee.

                              And it shall be,  that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street,  his blood shall be on his head,  and we will be guiltless:  and whosoever shall be with thee in the house,  his blood shall be on our head,  if any hand be upon him.

                              And if thou utter this our business,  we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.”

She agreed;  letting them down a window, and telling them to go and hide for three days before returning to their camp.

“And she bound the scarlet line in the window.” (Joshua 2:21)

She did not know when they would come and fight the city;  and she wanted to be ready.

This scarlet line would have been bright, and easily seen;  even by the returning  king of Jericho.

But she believed God,  and right then decided to obey Him with all her heart, so she kept that bright scarlet line in her window.

It was a few weeks before Israel came to Jericho: 

They came to the Jordan River, and camped there three days. (Joshua 3:1-2)

They crossed Jordan, as they did the Red Sea, on dry ground; for the Lord dried up the flooded river for them.  It was the tenth day of the first month. (Joshua 4:19)

Then they circumcised all the males.  It was a sign of renewed communion with God as His separated people.   (Joshua 5:7, 9)

They kept the Passover  feast on the fourteenth.  (Joshua 5:10)

For six days the people (yes, all of them) were told to encompass Jericho without saying a word, once each day.  The armed men were to go first,  then priest blowing rams’ horns, then the Ark of God, then the people. (Joshua 6:8-9)

Then on the seventh day, they were to encompass the city seven times.  Only on the seventh time,  when Joshua told them to “Shout”,  did they speak.

Then they shouted, and the walls of the city came falling down. (Joshua 6:20)

Except the house on the wall of Rahab.

Joshua 6:22-23, 25 “But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country,   Go into the harlot’s house,  and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath,  as you swear unto her.

                                     And the young men that were spies went in,  and brought out Rahab,  and her father, and her mother, and her brethren,  and all that she had;  and they brought out all her kindred,  and left them without the camp of Israel.

                                     And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive,  and her father’s household, and all that she had;  and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers,  which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”

Rahab was saved, and for a time of cleansing kept without the camp of Israel.  

Later she was admitted into Israel, and married Salmon (Matthew 1:5), of the tribe of Judah.    

Rahab believed God.  And God sought her out, by the spies, because of her belief.

Her faith is recorded in the Old and New Testaments, to show that God sees and honors faith in Him;  no matter what sort of person they were before the faith.

Every person born, is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,

                               Even when we were dead in sins,  hath quickened us together with Christ,  (by grace ye are saved;)”

“Quickened” means made alive to God.

Rahab was given this mercy and a life with God.

All who come to Jesus Christ in faith will have life, abundant life, as well.

Take us the foxes

Song of Solomon 2:15 “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines:  for our vines have tender grapes.”

As Christians, we are all called to bear fruit:

John 15:5,8 “I am the vine,  ye are the branches.  He that abideth in me,  and I in him,  the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.

Herein is my Father glorified,  that ye bear much fruit;  so shall ye be my disciples.”

The Lord Jesus is saying to His beloved believer:  Let us work at those things which  hinder you from bearing fruit.   But they are “little foxes”.  They are not major problems;  for we would go to Jesus at once for help with them.

They are “little” foxes;  which come in through the fence anywhere, and eat the tender blossoms of grapes. (Big foxes will eat on the fruit of the grapes, but the little foxes nip in the bud,  whole clusters of grapes in one single bite,  because it is still in the blossom stage.)

But if these “little foxes” are not seen to;  then there will be none, to very little,  fruit.

So Jesus says “Let us see to them,  together”.

These “little foxes” are the natural way we do things.  Instead of relying on the Holy Spirit, we “think things out” and come to a “conclusion”.  We often do them, by choice, automatically.   They are the natural us, and it takes effort to set them aside,  and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance and help.

Instead of seeking for joy and peace,  we seek “happiness”,  which is fleeting and deals with what is going on with us. (Joy comes from knowing the Presence of God in my life,  and it does not rely on circumstances.)

Instead of following close to Christ,  we rely on the experience we had Sunday,  yesterday,  even this morning.   Those experiences are good,  but not when Christ is calling you on to what is next.

Real fruit comes from the Holy Spirit within.  There is the fruit of the Spirit, in our lives:

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,  goodness,  faith,

Meekness,  temperance:  against such there is no law.”

And there is the fruit of a Christian,  which is another Christian;  for we are all called as witnesses of Christ Jesus:

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power,  after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,  and all Judea,  and in Samaria,  and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

But to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit,  we need to “take us the foxes, the little foxes,  which spoil the vines”,  with Him.

God is Light

From the first few verses of the Bible to the last chapter, the Bible shows that God is Light.  (Genesis 1:3,  Revelation 22:5)

Spiritual Light is the manifestation of God.  Whether it comes to a person, a people, or a church;  when Light comes, God is shown in His grace and power.  When light comes, darkness flees.

Genesis l:2-3 “And the earth was without form, and void;  and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

                         And God said,  Let there be light: and there was light.”

When all was darkness and chaos;  the Spirit of God moved, or brooded on the waters which covered the earth.

Then God said,  Let there be light.   That was all that was needed.  He spoke, and it was done.  

Light came, darkness departed.

Later He made a great light, the sun to rule over the day; and He made a lesser light, the moon, to rule over the night. (Genesis 1:16).  

We would always have a manifestation of His Way by the lights.

When man was created,  God breathed into him the breath of life,  which is the Holy Spirit, and man became a living soul,  with the Light of the Holy Spirit within.   Man was spirit, soul, and body.

At the fall,  the Holy Spirit left them because of sin;  but the consciousness of God, or the “light that lighteth every man”,  remained.  (John 1:9)

Man was still spirit, soul, and body;  only without the Holy Spirit within him, giving him Spiritual Life.  He was spiritually dead. (Ephesians 2:1-3)

He gave the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of light by night, to lead the children of Israel all the way to the Land of Promise.  

Exodus 13:21 “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud,  to lead them the way;  by night in a pillar of fire,  to give them light;  to go by day and night.”

That light separated them from the forces of Pharaoh’s armies at the Red Sea Exodus 14:19-20 “And the angel of God,  which went before the camp of Israel,  removed and went behind them;  and the pillar of the cloud went before their face,  and stood behind them:

                                And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel;  and it was a cloud and darkness to them,  but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all night.”

The call to Israel was to obey, and “walk in the light”.

Isaiah 2:5 “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

David’s psalms are full of the love of God’s light to him. 

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation;  whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life;  of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 37:5-6 “Commit thy way unto the Lord;  trust also in him;  and he shall bring it to pass.

                          And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,  and thy judgement as the noonday.”

God gives light to anyone,  the moment they hear and turn to Him. 

Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,  and a light unto my path.”

God shows it to be as the dawning light,  which keeps rising, till it is at high noon.  

Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is as the shining light,  that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

There are often shadows, and things that we let get in the way of the light, but as we follow and obey the Lord, we will come to high noon. (there is nothing between us and the Lord)

Jesus Christ was the Light 

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

And calls us to be lights, by His life in us, in this world.

Matthew 5:16 “Let your lights so shine before men,  that they may see your good works,  and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Spiritual Light is the manifestation of God.  And think of it,  He gives it to us!

When Light is shown, we are given knowledge of God, and what He would have us to do, or how to do.  And with the light,  power to do is given.

We are called to come to the light; and as Christians we are able to walk in the light. 

Ephesians 5:8 “For ye were sometimes darkness,  but now are ye light in the Lord:  walk as children of light;”

1 John 1:7 “For if we walk in the light,  as He is in the Light,  we have fellowship one with another,  and the blood of Jesus Christ  His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

What a great privilege it is to have God’s Light shining in us and for us.  To know His will, and do it. (For with the Light, comes ability to do)

Terrible will be the day when those who have rejected the Light, will be judged.

Jude 13 “Raging waves of the sea,  foaming out their own shame;  wandering stars,  to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

There will be no light in the lake of fire;  only darkness, and torment.

But it is not God’s Will.  He would have all come to the Light of Himself, and live in the sunlight of His love. 

Enjoying  His fellowship and growing in the knowledge of Him, day by day, till we reach heaven.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation,  a royal priesthood, a holy nation,  a peculiar people;  that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:”