God is Nigh unto them with a Broken Heart.

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart: and saveth such that be of a contrite spirit.”
This is a promise from our God to Christians.
Often the broken heart thinks that God is far away….but not so. He is near.

This broken heart is found in all places. We are broken in heart by our sin and many failures to such a Good God.
We are broken in heart, often, when we are in troubles and afflictions.
We are broken in heart as we go through this weary world.
Isaiah 32:2 “And a man (and that man is Christ) shall be as a hiding place from the wind and a culvert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as a shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”
We are broken in heart by people’s cruelty, and circumstances which seem like repeat offenders.

But we have a promise: The Lord is near us. I don’t know about you, but the greatest joy of my life, has been His Presence.
I’ve know it since being born again, and though I have wavered (often), He has not. He has loved me (and let me tell you what a big chore that is!); and helped me.

Yes, I can say it has not been always the way I wanted. But I can also say, it has been what I needed.

My broken heart, (by loss, by hate, by hurt feelings, by money troubles, by other troubles) was not always miraculously healed, but always mended.
Ezekiel 34:16a “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which is broken, and will strengthen that which was sick:..”
And it has taught me to be more sensitive to other broken hearts.

“And saveth such that be of a contrite spirit.” When we are broken in heart by our sins, and contrite (or bruised) to remember that we have rebelled against our Loving Lord; then God is well pleased. For sin is the evil which crucified Christ.
Psalm 51:14, 17 “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

It brings God near to us, and opens the soul to God’s grace, and peace.
(Grace is the unmerited favor of power for our lives; Peace is peace with God, and peace with ourselves. Peace “surrounds” us)
Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Jeremiah 30:17a “For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord;…”

Jesus quoted this promise when He was here on earth, (Isaiah 61:1)
Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Christ Jesus was sent to do this very thing to all who would receive Him.
This was His work. And as we are to follow in His footsteps, it is our work, as well.

He has promised. He will give it. Ask for it. Look to Jesus, and He will heal your broken heart.

We are His Workmanship
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

God does all things well. Even when He made me. I am a sinner, but He has saved me; yes, even me.
Now that I am born again; He creates me in Christ Jesus. For we are His workmanship.
This comes from the pouring in of a mold.
We are to be molded in the same likeness as Jesus.
We are His workmanship from eternity past to yet eternity future.

In other words He has been molding us; in His plans, before we even were.
By natural circumstances to lead us to Himself.
And since we have been born again, He has been molding us by the Holy Spirit, in every situation.
This is the reason entire of our existence: to be molded into Jesus likeness, so we may do good works.

“Which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
To ordain is to prearrange by His Authority, and to provide before all we need in the circumstances. And with the people; and especially with ourselves.

What are these good works?
They are Obediences to Christ in our world (the situations of our life); those things which the Lord would have us to do, which show us standing with Him, against the World, the Flesh and the Devil.
Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Paul, here, is not showing the Ephesian Christians how to be born again; they are born again.
But He is speaking of one of God’s Eternal Decrees.
This, Paul says, is what God Purposed for us :
To be saved by grace–the unmerited favor of power; God’s power.

Through faith–which is given to us by the Holy Spirit so we may come and believe.

Not of yourselves–Of course not, we can never please God in our own righteousness; For we have none.

It is the gift of God–and a gift is freely given; and either received or rejected.

Not of works–those works which we could come up with, to try and make us acceptable to God.

Lest any man should boast–Which is what we all could and would do, if we had anything to do with our being born again, besides to receive it.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus–molded, and still being molded; since our purpose is not done till we stand in His presence.

Unto good works, which God hath before ordained–We were always in His plans; how and what we should do.

That we should walk in them–It is a walk with Jesus; in that purpose and doing those works which show we stand with Him.

The Widow of Zarephath:

God had caused a famine, in Israel and the surrounding area. Elijah, God’s Prophet, had been fed with bread by ravens, next to a stream of water; during part of the famine. But now the water had dried up, for there had been no rain.
Yet God would not forsake His Prophet. And Elijah was told what to do next.

1 Kings 17:9 “Arise, get to Zarephath, which belongeth to Sidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”

Let us take a look at this command.
First, God said it; and is He not able to deliver? Of course!
So Elijah goes to the next country over, Sidon; and to the city of Zarephath.

At the command of God (What else made this woman gather sticks at just this time) a widow was at the gate, preparing for her, and her family’s last meal.

Seeing her, Elijah asks for her to get him a small drink of water. Even in her extremity, she was courteous, and was going to go to get it.

Then Elijah, understanding that this was the woman to whom he had been sent, asks her another favor.
1 Kings 17:11 “And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thy hand.”

This stranger would have seemed very presumptuous, in my way of thinking. After all, wasn’t I being nice enough to get him a drink?
But remember: “I have commanded”. This was a test to see if indeed this was the woman.

1 Kings 17:12 “And she said, As the Lord, thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
She was not rude.
She just told this man the truth. But notice; she recognized him as an Israelite; and a Godly one; since she said, “As the Lord, thy God liveth”.

Convinced that this was the woman to whom he was sent, Elijah gave a command, and a promise to her.

1 Kings 17:13-14 “And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.”

She was to feed him first. This, again, may seem presumptuous, but how else would he have known if she believed the Lord’s Word? If she had made three cakes, one for her son, one for him, and one for her….that would have been generous, but unbelieving. It would have been the wait and see attitude. Maybe you’re right, maybe not; here is what we have, we all eat, and see.

But she was to believe God, and make him a cake, and see him eat it; and return and make cakes for herself and her son.

Amazing God we have, who can move a heart, any heart, to truly believe enough to obey.

1 Kings 17:15-16 “And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.”

God’s Word is always true. Our believing enough to obey, is often the problem.

It was the same, when the Lord Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth. They refused to believe His clear message, that He was the Messiah. In His rebuke of their unbelief….the wait and see attitude; Jesus then speaks of this widow.

Luke 4:24-26 “And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
but unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Zarephath a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.”

Belief is always recognized, and honored by God.
God’s power works within us, as well as without us; if we trust and obey.  It did for Elijah–God saw to his needs, in the famine.       It did for the widow, who trusted God’s word,  obeyed.

Have you Heard the Lord call you?

Song of Solomon 5:2 ” I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.”

This is a story of a believer, who has gone to sleep. But she hears the voice of her Lord, in her heart, and she awakes.

So far, so good.

Then with her understanding, she hears Him call to her to open to Him.
This opening up of her life, is different than the Salvation she has already experienced. For He calls her, His sister; being joint-heirs with Christ.
Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

This calling is to His love, for she has had fellowship with the Lord; and has gone on in that fellowship to be called His dove.
Now a dove can see only one thing at a time, and this has been her experience in Christ; keeping her eyes on Him.
Song of Solomon 1:15 “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves eyes.”
Matthew 6:22 “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.”

This calling is a deeper calling, for He calls her His undefiled. This shows that in that love relationship, she has gone on with Him; so she is being saved from the defilements of the world, and self.
1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

And so Jesus calls her, as the One who sweat great drops of blood in the garden (Luke 22:44); putting aside everything, that He might fulfill His work, and save us.

But there seems to be a hinderance.

Song of Solomon 5:3 “I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?”

It would seem that having experienced so much of Her Lord, she has become a little proud. (Remember, one of the things the Lord deals with His own about is the “pride of life”)
I have put off my coat; simply means she had begun to put off the old man with it’s deeds.
Colossians 3:9 “Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds;”
Was she now to be defiled by working in the world?

I have washed my feet. All her sins were confessed, up to date. And she had been cleansed from them. If she ventures out into the world to work for Jesus, won’t she again be contaminated by it?

These might have been very good questions, if Jesus were not the One calling her to go out with Him, to the work of bringing souls to Christ.

Song of Solomon 5:4-5 “My beloved put his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.
I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.”

The ancient doors used to have holes in them by the handle, so that when someone dear would come, they would put perfume (myrrh) on the inside of the door handle, to show they had been there.

Though she had hesitated to go further with the Lord, for what she thought were good reasons; still she loves Him and is moved to go and open her hearts door again to His Call. When she does, her hands drip with the perfume of myrrh.
Myrrh was used to anoint the bodies of the dead, before burial.

So Jesus Christ is calling this loved one to go with Him into the experience of intercession, and travail for those He wants saved; and for those who are babes in Christ, to grow up in Him.
Often, this is a hard work, for it recognizes our imperfections, as well as those of others. Also, it is a long work; it is not done in a day, or even a week; but till Christ be formed in them.

Galatians 4:19 “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,”

But she had opened, but she found Him gone.
Christ never retracts a calling; but He often withdraws the feeling of His presence, to prove us.
Will we become angry?
Or will be seek Him?

Song of Solomon 5:6 “I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer:”

She seeks Him. She sought Christ Jesus in the usual means, hoping to find Him there.
She calls to Him to speak to her again, but it seemed as if He was refusing to call again.

She had come so far with Him, and now she had failed Him, the dearest Friend she had ever had. She wanted to go back to the way things were….but the call had come, and she was either going to seek till she did find, or yield to the pride she had shown earlier.

What follows is a conversation between her, and those who would seek Him also.

“What is thy beloved more that another beloved?” They ask.

Then she describes His Greatness, His strength in times of her weakness, and that He is the altogether lovely One to her.

Song of Solomon 5:16 “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”

When she describes Him, she realizes that He has never left her, but proved her love to Him.
Did she love Him? Or His gifts?

She loved Him, and found Him. They were united in the work as well as in life.
Theirs was a love relationship; And true love follows to the end for the Loved One.

Have you heard the Lord call you? Perhaps you have hesitated, too. Listen to the love in your heart for Jesus, and answer His call.

Jeremiah 29:13 “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

His, is an everlasting love, for us.

The Perilous times of the Last days.

2 Timothy 3:1 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”

This “last days” is not the Tribulation Period, but the last days of the Church Age, which is spoken of here.

And why are they perilous? In the Greek, “perilous” means to reduce strength, dangerous.
Anytime we are not at full strength to resist the Devil, or combat the temptations of the world; we are in a perilous situation.

And this is a warning for the Church.

2 Timothy 3:2-5 “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.
Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

Paul was warning that there would come into the Church those who would fit right into the times; but who would not be righteous with God; for they will deny the power of God in their lives to rule and change them.

They will refuse subjection to authority; though they may praise it in reguard to others.

The real telling description of these people, is that they are “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.”
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof”

We all know about forms. We fill numbers of them out when we send away for something. Our Taxes. For Schools. Etc.

So we know that a form, filled out, gives a lot of information; which could just be false.

This is here expressed, as a form of godliness.
They have filled in all the blanks. Said all the right things, to be accepted, but they are all false; for they “deny” the Power of God, in their own lives.

To deny is to refuse.
They refuse to submit to that power, and receive it, for they don’t really want it or Him.
Luke 5:17 “There came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which are come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”
But they were not healed. Those Pharisees and doctors came to hear Jesus, and after hearing Jesus,and seeing a miracle; they left the very same men.
They could have been healed of their unbelief, but refused.

Perilous times will come. If fact, are here.
And we, as Christians, need to strengthen ourselves in God’s Word for the days ahead.
We need to regain the personal relationship we once had with the Lord Jesus.

God is Almighty. He has promised to save us to the uttermost.
Hebrews 7:25 “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Let us receive His Power for our lives. For He is Able.

Can two walk together except they be agreed?

Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
This is God speaking to his prophet about Israel; His own people.

Can He say the same about us? Are we trying to walk with God, without bringing ourselves into that “agreement” with Him.
Maybe, in general, you agree with God. But do you agree with the way He is bringing His will to pass in your life?
Do you agree with the circumstances you are having to pass through?

If not, and you wonder why. You have tried, but you know it is nowhere near an “agreement” between you and the Lord, then hear this, and see if this does not answer the “Why?”

Romans 10:3 “For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God”
“Have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
Paul is speaking here of the Israelites, God’s chosen people, having a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge….being brought face to face with God in Christ, rejected that knowledge and God.
Christ was not what they expected; they wanted a different kind of Messiah. So, they rejected the knowledge of His coming to them.
(Notice they even rejected the power to heal them: Luke 5:17 “And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” But not one of them were healed; only a palsied man whose friends brought him.)

Don’t we at times reject the way God wants us to go? And then being brought face to face with God’s will, that way; we, in some way, refuse it.

We want God’s will. But just not that way, or with these people, or at this time.
Can two walk together except they be agreed?

Well, if this describes you; even sometimes, then hear what Paul says:
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The term “reasonable service” should give us a clue: for we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. And when you do, you will prove that the will of God is good, and acceptable, and perfect for you.

You begin this by presenting your bodies to God, the Holy Spirit.
He indwells every Christian. But you do this is a special way, for you’re giving Him control in your life.
As much as Christ gave over control to God in the garden, for the sacrifice He was going to make. So we do the same. We give the Holy Spirit control: “Not my will, but Thine be done.”

Then we are to stay away from conformity to the world’s system. That is stated in:
1 John 1:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Lust here is desire. What we desire in our flesh….perhaps to lose our double chin or have that large burger with a half pound of bacon. These are desires that would please our flesh.
That would not add honor to God, but would just please ourselves.

What we desire with our eyes. Eve started this with a look a the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. It looked so good.
So does the newest movie star, or that car, or that job.

And what we desire to make us a “Someone”. Whether by ability, fame, wealth, or notoriety. (Pride is the sin which caused Lucifer to become the Devil. Isaiah 14:12-15)
We are to stay away from these things, for they are of the world.

We are to renew our mind: Col.3:9-10, Eph.4:22-24, Titus 3:5 All talk of putting off the old man, and by the Holy Spirit, being renewed, by putting on the new man.

The new man is the “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. (Col. 1:27)
That means we are to use the faith given us, and in the power of the Holy Spirit within us, and to live as Christ did:
Loving our Heavenly Father, and doing His will;
Loving the brethren and seeking their good.
Telling the world of God’s will and way.

We can walk with Christ, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit and His Word, everyday.
Will we “agree” with Him?

Liberty of the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Liberty of Spirit is to have the ability and will to do the Will of God, joyfully.

Philippians 2:12-13 “Wherefore, by beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but how much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

After being born again, we are called to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This calling is personal, between the Lord and you, and has nothing to do with your work for Him, or your witness of Him.

It is the beginning of a relationship.

How far you take this relationship, is as far as the Liberty of the Spirit is yours; for it is based on love, not duty.

It is true, that all those that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, are called to obey Him.

Acts 5:32. “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”
We stress obedience a lot for Christians, but this Liberty of Spirit is found in those that love Him.

When we are born again, the Spirit of God comes into our spirits and gives us light for darkness, and a love, however small, for God; not an anger toward Him.

The Spirit of God then uses the Word of God to awaken a desire within us to be holy.
There are two terms for holy in the Scriptures: Holy when it speaks of God is His Nature of Sinlessness, and Integrity.
Holy when it speaks of us as His followers, means that we are setting ourselves aside for His sacred use. He can use us as He will, for His honor and glory.

Holiness comes from the determined will of the believer, to be a vessel unto honor, meet for the Master’s use. (2 Timothy2:21). This is not sinlessness, but constant communion with Him, who is Holiness.

This Liberty of the Spirit, is the same liberty you feel with your true friends. There is nothing you can not tell, or hear, that would effect your friendship. There is the feeling of acceptance, and power. For who is not more powerful, with friends.

And the Holy Spirit empowers us in God’s Word, God’s Grace, and God’s Will.
Fear is dealt with.
Anger is defused.
Self-pity is turned from.
Power is given, from within us by the Holy Spirit; and received.

This is Liberty of the Spirit. And so much more; with that personal relationship with Him.

Let us lay aside our Weights.

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

First, let us consider these weights. Just what are they?

These weights are anything, and everything, that hinders us Spiritually.
External things, that we can drop or lay aside.

To run well, you should not be burdened with anything.
Good things or bad things. For often we can be entangled in “good” things, to our loss; as well as those “bad” things, which we know, are not for us.

Those duties that God requires at our hand, cannot be considered weights.
Weights are those things we have a choice in.

These weights are things in our life that are not necessary for our walk in Christ Jesus.
They do nothing to help, and even though we may not see it at the time; they do a lot to hinder. They get our eyes off of Christ and on to a goal that He has not sanctioned.
Some of our friendships may be weights. Certainly, our failures from the past, present or future, may be weights. For if we have confessed them, and forsaken them, they are to be set aside; and we are to go on with Him.

1 John 1:7-10 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Walk in the Light, confess your sin, and stay with it till you know you are cleansed.
This ” cleanseth” is for yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is always there to be had of us. We are cleansed and made new, every time we come to the fountain of His precious blood to be forgiven and cleansed.

Don’t try and run with the burden of your sins, for your race will be hindered.
And this is what the writer of this letter is saying to all who would be recognized in Heaven for there walk of faith.

Lay aside every weight.
Drop them, to run with patience the race that is set before you (and every Christian).

This race is not a hundred yard dash; but a long distance run.
So pace yourself, by knowing your Lord is running with you; next to you, in this race.
This is your race; not someone else. It is your faith He wants to increase in love, joy and peace. It is you, He is interested in; for that is why He saved us.

It is those that complete the race, that are crowned. He is not looking for speed, but diligent endurance. It is a going along, day after day.

Hebrew 10:35-36 “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

And what promise is this? I believe it is the promise of His Almighty presence.
Yes, I believe He is always with every believer.
But it is also true, that not everyone “feels” His presence, at all times.
And so, I believe that the promise here stated is that you will know Him with you, as you need Him to be, in every situation.

We should all seek to the Lord, and His light, that He might show us what are the weights which hinder us.
And as He does, let us quickly lay them aside; for they hinder our race, our fellowship with Him, and our receiving the promise of His Mighty Presence, in our everyday lives.

The. Voice of God: in Wisdom

Proverbs 1:20-21
“Wisdom crieth without; she uttered her voice in the streets:
She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,”

God is saying here that He has sent forth His Wisdom in the city, into the minds of His People; which cried unto them, of His Ways.
And what did Wisdom say?
Proverbs 1:23
“Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”
God’s Wisdom wants us to not only hear the words; but to “turn”.
When God reproves His people, He is trying to get their attention away from the world’s traps, and to turn it on their great calling in Christ Jesus.

He promises great power for our lives, in the promise of the Spirit; and in understanding His Word for our lives, today.

Jeremiah 10:23 “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”

We were formed from the dust of the ground; and the Lord breathed into man, the breath of life, and we became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)
Then we were place upright, on our feet, to walk after God.

But we turned every one to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6)

So God has spoken in a clear voice of Wisdom:
Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ear shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”

That is pretty detailed direction, for our everyday life. God has it for us: if we will, to walk with Him.
Then we will hear His Wisdom for us, clearly.

And if we get out of the Way He has for us?
The He will send Wisdom to correct us:

Proverbs 1:22 “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love your simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

We think simplicity is good, but it is not, if we are simply refusing further instruction from Him.
How many times do we deride what we hear in God’s Word? That could never happen for me, what is the use of trying; or of praying?

And, of course, there are those people who hate anything of God; especially His Wisdom. For they would never be wrong; and His wisdom shows them, that they are.

God is still sending His Wisdom to the streets, the place people gather, to the entering of cities, and in the city, itself.
He will not stop…His Voice will go forth.
Will we turn and walk after His Wisdom for us, today?

Wild as Horses,
Stubborn as Mules,
Or Guided by God’s Eye.

Psalm 32:8-9 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.”

Horses are beautiful and wild. When you break a horse, you don’t want to break its spirit, but its will.

Mules are very good animals of burden and work. They work hard….when they do; but it is getting them to do it, that is the problem.

Bits and bridles for both of these animals are often called for, in the training period, and sometimes, beyond.

We are often like this, the Lord says. We are wild, wanting our own will.
And we are stubborn; this is written in a Psalm of David, where he confesses his refusal to go to God in confession of sin.

Psalm 32:3-4 ” When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.”

David knew he had sinned. He just refused to acknowledge it. He did not want to think of it.
But when God dealt with him; he could think of nothing else. It took all his strength and vitality; and left him withered, until he did come and confess it.
(Selah means: stop and consider!)

But there is a remedy for this way of behaving. God says He will instruct us.
This means that He will gives us knowledge to do; but also understanding in that knowledge.
Men can instruct as to what to do,
But only God can give understanding.

Then He says He will teach us.
He will take our hands and place them on the work, and show us how it is to be done.
It is the “on job” training of God for us. It is Amazing!
God personally taking us aside and guiding us in everything we are to do.

“I will guide thee with my eye.” How many looks have we received from our parents, our spouses, and friends. We know so well what they mean, without them saying a word.
This is the relationship God wants to have with each of us.