This is the Way…walk ye in it

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.”

Have you heard that Word?

Do you know this is the Way?    Then….”walk ye in it”.

Walking in the Christian Way is the real work.   It is the going along, taking each step as it comes with the Lord….continually,  without growing weary or faint in the steps.

Not becoming impatient,  or sleepy…..but just continuing to walk along with the Lord….in His Way.

To walk sets forth the fact of everyday living.   The tasks and duties of today, and tomorrow.

We often think of special occasions….of doing some great work for the Lord….when our reality before Him, is in our everyday living to His honor….in our words and in our deeds.

2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this Treasure in earthen vessels,  that the excellency of the power may be of God,  and not of us.”

There is in our everyday paths, the means of the fulfillment of the Way.

If we are born again, we do not need to seek special arrangements, but we just have to be found faithful in what we have at hand….(His Word, the Bible…..and prayer….gathering together….or faithful ministers giving out His Word…)

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

To be faithful, we need to take stock of our supplies:

Are you ready to give a word in due season to those in need?  

Do you know God’s Word?   

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:  and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you,  with meekness and fear (reverence to God).”

There are many who hunger for reality….for the knowledge that there is indeed God, and that He is Lord.   

Do they pass from us still hungry?

Acts 16:30-32 “And brought them out, and said,  Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

          And they said,  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,  and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

          And they spake unto him the Word of the Lord,  and to all that were in his house.”

Are we showing them that He is our Lord?

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

There are others, shaking their fists in the face of God,…..but cross our paths.

(Can anyone win an argument with God?   For God always has the last Word.)

2 Timothy 2:24-26 “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men,  apt to teach, patient;  

         In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves;  if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

         And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil,  who are taken captive by him at his will.”

Philippians 2:15 “That ye may be blameless and harmless,  the sons of God,  without rebuke,  in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation,  among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

(I have found that people  may find away around what we say,…..but they can never get away from what God says,  through us)

How many people do we meet with…..who God is dealing with….even though we may not know it?

If we wait for great days…..amazing works….or special times…..

…..we may wait….and they may never come.

The twelve disciples followed Jesus for three years.   There were miracles,  and healings,  and many came to hear….to follow for a while…and go away…

….yet the real value of those three years……

…..where most of the twelve were concerned,…

….was their personal, growing affection and devotion to Jesus Christ, and His Word to them…..

…..that Word they were able to preach about the Lord Jesus,  after receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

John 6:68-69 “Then Simon Peter answered Him,  Lord, to whom shall we go?

Thou hast the words of eternal life.

            And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

What of us?   Are we following after the Lord,….and is our affection and devotion to Him and His Word growing?

Are we hearing His Word to us…..and able to give it to someone else?

Well, all we have to do is “walk” in His Way….and He has promised that we will hear His Word to us.

The storms that come 

Three times in scripture it tells of the Lord falling asleep in the boat as they were crossing the sea….and a storm coming up.

Their little boat, quite capable during night sails….for they often fished at night….was “in jeopardy” (Luke 8:23)…

……”it was now full” (Mark 4:37)

….”the ship was covered with the waves.” (Matthew 8:24)!

How tired our Lord must have been….to sleep through this storm…the waves pitching the boat up and down…

….and yet there is more to it than that.    

            He had said,  “Follow Me.”,…  “Let us pass over to the other side.”…”let us go over”.

And He was perfectly at rest…..knowing that where HIs Father had sent Him,  He would go.

Let us speak of storms….the torrential rain storms….the wind storms….the storms which whip up  the waves which surround us, till we are almost drown.

Isaiah 25:4 “For Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress,  a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat,  when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.”

          Our enemies (the terrible ones)  often come against us….like the storm that hit the disciples in the sea….a storm of wind….a tempest!

          And there we are, like the disciples,  in our little boat….seeing the storm…

….feeling the storm…

…..and then seeing the damage the storm is causing….

…and our fear,  growing with every wave coming into the boat.

“Lord, save us: we perish.”

“Master, carest Thou not that we perish?”

“Master, master, we perish.”

In every record….they thought that they were going to die.  

          And that all of them together could not effect a deliverance.    Their boat, and all on hand were going down.

Now I want to mention here, again,  the perfect rest in the Will of the Father that Jesus had.   

         With the water coming in….and I’m sure the shouts of the disciples one to another about the storm and getting wet….yet He was asleep.      

But as soon….(and how marvelous a thought this is!)….as soon as they cry to Him for salvation….He hears, and answers…..in action.

In all three accounts….Jesus arose….and rebuked the winds.    The winds must have been the beginning of the storm…the cause of it.   And at Jesus rebuke, the wind ceased.  

        Rebuke here means to forbid, to censure.

        (Most expositors believe that this sudden storm was an attack of the Adversary against the Lord and His disciples.     And what a storm it was!    But, again, the perfect peace that the Lord Jesus had….so much so, that he slept through the raging fury against this little boat!   

         What an example of the peace He offers us!   

John 14:27 “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.”   [“Let” is an interesting term…suggesting that we yield to the temptation of “fear”….or we yield to the peace Jesus Christ gives.])

         Then there was calm!      And what was the rebuke to the winds?     “Peace,  be still.”

But then….and this too is wonderful…..Jesus rebukes the disciples about their faith:

        In one,  He says,   “how is it that ye have no faith?”     (Mark 4:40)

(plainly,  He is probably speaking to those who said….”carest Thou not that we perish?!”)

       In one,  He says,  “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25)

(I believe He said this to those among them that cried,  “Master, master, we perish!”)

       In one,  He says,  “…O ye of little faith”  (Matthew 8:26)

(I believe that He says this to those among them that cried,  “Lord, save us, we perish.”  For these men were the closest to being right.)

And what was the cause of the problem with their faith….”Fear”   

      (This “fearful” is having dread in the heart….to be timid)

      As John pointed out later, to the churches….”fear hath torment”  (1 John 4:18)

Sometimes fear overtakes us…like the wind and the waves, almost drowns us in seeming uncertainty….

…..and fills our eyes with…“we perish”.

That is one of the reasons why I think this experience is recorded three times…..so that we can read the lesson….and take hold on His example of peace in God’s Will.

For the pillow He rested His head on was the sure Word of God to Him….the Will of God for His life here….and the Power of God to control every aspect of every circumstance for Him.

And we can rest our head….and heart on these,  as well….

…..in the storms that surely will come.

Repentance

Luke 15:10 “Likewise,  I  say unto you,  there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Repentance in the Hebrew means to sigh, to be sorry.  (not “say” sorry…..but to “be” sorry)

Repentance in the Greek means to reconsider…to perceive…to heed, and then to feel and act differently.

So we are going to consider two examples of repentance in the Old Testament first:

A Hebrew:   Manasseh was the worst king of Judah.   Son of a godly king in his old age….Manasseh did not follow after the Lord….

…but rather filled Jerusalem with blood (2 Kings 21:16)

                     He “…made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen,  whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.”  (2 Chron. 33:9)

                     For his sin….God was going to remove the inhabitants from Judah…..and destroy Jerusalem.

              But the Lord “spake to Manasseh, and to HIs people:  but they would not hearken….wherefore the Lord brought upon them…the host of the  king of Assyria,  which took Manasseh among the thorns,  and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.”

Now plainly,  I would think….good, he deserves it.   

             And it is good….but not in punishment….but in repentance.   For it was the “wake up” call that he needed….to bring him back to God.

             2 Chronicles 33:12 “And when he was in affliction,  he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,”

Here is the heart’s repentance….but that is not all….

….for when he was allowed to return to Jerusalem…

…”he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord,…and cast them out of the city.

             And he repaired the altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 33:15-16)

Let me say, that repentance leads to thanksgiving…and this is true with the worst cases, as well as the ordinary cases.   

A Gentile:  Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon….who was one of the most powerful men in the known world…at that time.   

            A conqueror….taking lands and people all over.   The wealth of the nations….gold, silver, brass, and crops….all flowed into Babylon because of him.

             Yet…..when his heart was “lifted up”…God brought him down to the level of the beast of the field.

             Daniel 4:23-25 “And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying,  Hew the tree down, and destroy it;….

….yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass,…and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;

             This is the interpretation….that they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven,…

……till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.”

              In fact, this happened….Nebuchadnezzar was made mad….and ran out into the fields,  like a beast…

……till…”at the end of the days, I….lifted up mine eyes unto heaven,  and mine understanding returned unto me,” (Daniel 4:34)

             Here his heart is awakened to God’s claims….and he repents….

….and then makes known to all….about his humiliation….and God’s glory.:

             “Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth;…

….I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the High God hath wrought toward me.

             How great are His signs! And how mighty are HIs wonders!  His kingdom, and HIs dominion is from generation to generation.”   (Daniel 4:1-3)

And now Saul/Paul in the New Testament.   

            We know he was “exceeding mad” (Acts 26:11) against the believers of Jesus Christ.

“Threatenings and slaughter” was his desire against “the disciples of the Lord”. (Acts 9:1)

            But the Lord gave him such light that he could not continue on in his rebellion and unbelief….Saul had to see the truth….”Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6)

….and when he did….he believed….he prayed, he waited….then he was baptized and “he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:18-19)…in the very city he was going to arrest and persecute believers.

But there is also Zacchaeus….who repented and restored what he had defrauded,  as a tax collector. (Luke 19:8-10)

There is the jailer, who with stripes on the back of Paul and Silas….put them in stocks…in the inner prison….who repented and believed in Christ Jesus….and his house(Acts 16:23-31)

There is Onesimus…the servant who ran away….and heard Paul preach,  and became a helper to him….yet was sent back to Philemon,…to be “profitable to thee”.  (Philemon)

And there is us…..

            Luke 15:7 “ I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

Repentance is a change of heart….and life.    

           It can never be apart from Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit….for it is an acknowledgement of Christ’s Lordship…over me, and my life.

           A bowing to His authority….a commitment to Him, and HIs glory….a thanksgiving to Him for His mercy and truth.

Every one in their place…

Judges 7:21 “And they stood every man in his place round about the camp:  and all the hosts ran, and cried, and fled.”

Before we deal with the historical setting…..I want to talk of the work of the church….and every Christian, “in their place”:

First,  we are to grow in grace…

Philippians 1:9–11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement;

        That ye may approve things that are excellent;  that ye may be sincere and with out offense till the day of Christ; 

        Being filled with the fruits of righteousness,  which are by Jesus Christ,  unto the glory and praise of God.”

        

Second, we are to pray for, and edify one another…..”till we all come”….no one that belongs to Christ, is to be left out….or “unimportant”……it is “we all”:

Ephesians 4:12-13 “For the perfecting of the saints,  for the work of the ministry,  for the edifying of the body of Christ:

         Till we all come in the unity of the faith,  and of the knowledge of the Son of God,  unto a perfect man,  unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:”

Third, we are to stand, holding the ground Christ has won and given us…..

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God,  that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

And, then….we are to shine our lights, that all those that see us….can see Jesus….whether they receive Him, or not.

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

In all of these, we….as His children and soldiers…..are to be in the place the Lord has given us.

He has chosen you…and He wants to bless you in your place,  doing your task.

John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen Me,  but I have chosen you,  and ordained you,  that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain;  that whatsoever ye may ask of the Father in My name,  He may give it you.”

He does all things well.

For we are ordained for the work He has called us to…..and we should all bring forth fruit to Christ.

(Ordained means that all the provision we need is set aside for us.)

Judges 7:21 “And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.”

Israel had sinned….and God was allowing  them to  be invaded by the Midianites….which would strip them of their crops….the bread they needed.

But God also was calling a man to lead an army to force these enemies out of Israel!

And when Gideon answered that call….thousands showed up to help…..but they were quickly sent back to their tents…

….God had a better plan.

God chose…..three hundred men….chosen, and separated for the work….(Judges 7:2, 5-7)

The number is small….so the glory to God is great!

The work itself was to follow their leader:

Judges 7:17 “And he (Gideon) said unto them,  Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.”

(As His church, we should follow our great example….Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 2:21)

They were given trumpets….to blow…to wake everyone up!  

They were given lamps and pitchers…..so they could break the vessel and shine at a particular time!

We know that they were also equipped with Words….how important they were….again….at the right time.

Judges 7:20 “And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in there left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal:  and they cried,  The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.”

(How much this is like the church’s work….for we have been chosen to be His witnesses on earth, now:

….there will be awaking to Him,  by the Holy Spirit.

….there will be His light shining to others.

….there will be His Word spoken.)

Gideon’s men got into place….and when all was right….Gideon, himself blew his trumpet and shouted…..and they all did as he did…..breaking the pitchers, so their lamps might shine brightly…

….all around the camp of the Midianites….

There is no fighting yet….for God “fights” for them…..bringing panic to the enemy….

….when they hear the trumpets…..seeing the lights all around….and hearing the shouting….

….in the dark, these Midianites, fight one another….uncertain of who was who.

Then, Gideon’s men come down and fight….driving the enemy out of the land.

This battle was about bread….food for God’s people.

The Midianites would come and loot all they could take….of the grain, grown.

And take it away.

Are we ready to stand and shine and speak for God and His Word?

Christ is the Bread of Life…..and in this world people are starving….

….for Him.

Are we ready to stand in our place,  that the Bread of Life would be given to His people….wherever they are?

The Lord has chosen us….and ordained us….that we might bring forth fruit…to His honor and glory!

The Lord ordains….by His Spirit….by His grace (the unmerited favor of power)….by His guidance….

….giving us all we need….when we need it.

Are we in our place?

Balaam’s donkey

Numbers 22:27-28 “And when the ass (donkey) saw the angel of the Lord,  she fell down under Balaam:  and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

               And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass (donkey), and she said unto Balaam,   What have I done unto thee,  that thou hast smitten me these three times?”

Balaam was a diviner,  someone that had been called upon to curse Israel for the Moabites.

              But God had already told Balaam that he would not permit him to curse Israel…”for they are blessed”.

But the reward that the king of Moab sent Balaam was a great temptation.   The first time they came….he resisted it…and sent them away,  saying he could not curse Israel.

             But the second time they came….with even greater reward for him (for the king of Moab thought that he was just bargaining)….the temptation was too great.

He asks the Lord….again….if he can go and curse the Israelites.   Even though the Lord has already told him that they are blessed….

…and now,  the Lord says….”If the men come,  rise up,  and go with them….but the Word which I shall say unto thee,  that  shalt thou do.”

(Let me just say here,  that there are times we are to seek the Lord’s Will,  step by step.

             But when we, like Balaam,  are just trying to “wear out the Lord”….or get Him to change HIs mind….we are in a very dangerous position

             We can likely end up,   like Balaam,  getting an answer from the Lord we want to hear….  

….and being corrected for it.)

For this is the story of Balaam’s donkey.    God will correct the error of any man who comes to Him for direction….if they go off on their own way.    

             But the means He uses is varied and sometimes surprising.

I have been corrected by circumstances….by the sudden turn of events….by unbelievers who are just criticizing, yet it  can be blessed by God to “get our attention” about the error we are in,  or about to enter.     (Praise God for it!)

So Balaam begins his journey to wealth and fame (so he thinks)….but he had been warned not to say anything but what the Lord would say to him.

           He wasn’t to change the words to fit in to what the king of Moab wanted to hear…but rather say what he heard….for God would not curse Israel.

Now God knows our hearts,  and He knew Balaam had his eye solely on the reward.

So God now awakens this man to his duty to Him….

……and God uses a donkey….his donkey.

Numbers 22:22-23 “And God’s anger was kindled because he went:…(in the attitude that he went)…

           And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand:  and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went out into the field:  and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.”

Balaam wasn’t watching….or he would have seen the angel with the sword himself.    The only thing that was in Balaam’s eye then….was his reward!

(Matthew 6:22-23 “…thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light….thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness…”)

Number 22:24-27 “But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

          And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord,  she thrust herself unto the wall,  and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall:  and he smote her again.

          And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place,  where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

          And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord,  she fell down under Balaam:….”

(I love this word….”And the angel of the Lord went further…”     How far has the Lord Jesus gone for us!   

          How many times has He taught the same lesson to us….over and over….till we finally “see” the truth and acknowledge our fault!)

Balaam’s donkey….saved Balaam.   

          But Balaam….like we are often….saw only something which interfered with getting what we wanted,  or what we thought should be.

So God opens the donkey’s mouth and he speaks to Balaam:

         “Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day?

Was I ever wont to do so unto thee?” (Num. 22:30)

“Have I ever mistreated you, or have gone astray before?   Then don’t you think there is something else to this….beside   “my”  stubbornness? “

Numbers 22:31 “Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam,  and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and His sword drawn in His hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.”

How does the Lord open our eyes?

         Sometimes through a “word in due season”….sometimes through a message, or devotions,  or through prayer.    

         And sometimes, roughly, through trials or pain.     

However He makes us aware of our error…or going down the wrong path….when He corrects us, it is in love…so we can come under HIs care again.

The title of this is “Balaam’s donkey”…..and even in the New Testament,  Peter acknowledges the role that this animal played.   Because however we are awakened to get back into the Way…..it is a blessing.

          2 Peter 2:16 “But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.”

 The Way is narrow….strait and narrow.    And when we seek to gain the world and Christ, too….it never works.      

         Christ Jesus said:

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

         Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.   Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Mammon is usually considered money….but it is also what it can buy….what prestige it gives….what influence with others. 

So the Lord Jesus also says:

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

The call of Elisha

1 Kings 19:15-16 “And the Lord said unto him (Elijah),  Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus:  and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

            And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:  and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.”

Elijah had failed and run away (1 KIngs 19:3)….”he arose and went for his life..”.

           But God had not deserted him….but spoke to him while he was hiding in a cave:  “What doest thou here, Elijah?”

           And Elijah had been honest with the Lord….telling the truth of the threat against him (Jezebel was not only a wicked queen, but was the power behind the throne.  She gave no empty threats)

….and about his fear concerning it!

But the Lord told Elijah to come and stand before Him again,….when he heard His Voice.

          And Elijah did….it was not in the great things of wind, earthquake and fire…..but in a still small Voice, which called Elijah to come and hear again what he was to do.

If you read again those verses of Elijah’s tasks to perform….they were pretty amazing.  

         Anoint a foreign king….Hazael to be king in Syria.

         Anoint a man, Jehu, to be king in Israel (the ten tribes in the north of Judah).

And anoint a man to take over as prophet in Elijah’s place.

(It would be ten years before Elisha would take over the job of prophet….preacher and teacher to those who believe.  To be a man of God to help all who would come to him….including kings, and widows.    But he was to be called….now.)

1 Kings 19:19-21 “So he (Elijah) departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat,  who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him,  and he with the twelfth:  and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

        And he (Elisha) left the oxen,  and ran after Elijah, and said,  Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.    And he(Elijah) said unto him,   Go back again:  for what have I done to thee?

         And he (Elisha) returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat.   Then he (Elisha) arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.”

Three short verses to describe a complete surrender of heart and life to the call of God!

Here Elisha….though obviously rich, with twelve yoke of oxen….was not slack or lazy in helping run the farm….or work for his parents.   

         He was at the tail end,  seeing to everything and every servant before him….and plowing was real work then.

And Elijah came by and simply took his outer cloak off….and threw it over Elisha’s shoulders.

Instantly, Elisha knew what it meant….that he was being called to follow Elijah into a work for God.

         And he “ran after Elijah”!

The call was answered….he would follow into whatever work the Lord had!    

         But then he asked permission to go back and kiss his father and mother.   He wasn’t demanding….but like a servant, already….he sought the blessing of Elijah, God’s prophet, to do this.

When Elijah gave permission…..”Go back again”…..then added:  “for what have I done to thee?”

        Elijah wasn’t being snippy….but stressing to Elisha that God called him…..and so everything was to be done…”as unto the Lord.”

That settled everything for Elisha. 

        He returned only long enough to take his yoke of oxen….kill them….and take the plow and use it for the wood of the fire….and cook the yoke of oxen on it.

        Then, he gave the meat of it to the workers….he did not eat it….but showed that he  was done with any work….but for the Lord.

        There was nothing of his to come back to.   

(When I was first born again,  there used to be a saying for a Christian who was considering  Christian work:

         “Burn your bridges behind you….so that you can’t  try and cross back to your old life.”

It came from a general, who saw his army deserting the battle,… running back across a bridge they had just crossed to engage the enemy….

…..who said to his aid….get the men across and burn those bridges behind them….then they will have to go forward and fight.

             Elisha did this,  himself.    For he wasn’t coming back to his old life.)

“Then he (Elisha) arose,  and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.”

Elisha “ministered”  unto him (Elijah).      This “ministered” here is menial work, with the suggestion of doing it in worship to the Lord.

           He walked with him,  and learned from him….but also ran and got things for him….and cooked his meals.    

          For ten years….Elisha helped Elijah finish what God had called him to….to awaken the people of Israel to God’s claim on them. 

         Elijah formed a preaching circle in Israel….going from place to place (Gilgal, Bethel, and Jericho)….where the “sons of the prophets”….a dedicated group of men would meet for prayer and teaching from God.

It was Elijah’s work….but learned by Elisha….and continued and grown,  by him.

For the most part….you hear nothing more of Elisha during these ten years….till Elijah was taken away in a fiery chariot  (2 Kings 2:11-14).   

          Then there is the test of devotion:  Elijah kept asking Elisha to stay behind, for he was called of God to go further…..but Elisha would not leave him. 

          (Let me say here,  that if there was a time to think of going back to the luxury and comfort of home….having seen the opposition to God and His people….now would be the time.   Elisha could have left the service of God….and sought out his fields and vineyards again.

          But he had not looked back….and didn’t for a minute think of leaving God’s prophet,  till the Lord HImself took him.)

          As they crossed the last obstacle before Elijah’s departure….

Elijah said:

“Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee”     

         And Elisha asked….not for advice…

….but for the very power that Elisha knew had kept Elijah….by the Spirit of God.

 Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit….for he knew he would need it, to finish the work.

        (Sometimes it is hard to start a work….and sometimes it is harder to see it finished,  faithfully.    This was Elisha’s ministry.)

          Then, as he saw Elijah go….Elijah dropped his mantle….the same mantle that he had thrown over Elisha’s shoulders at his calling.

Elisha went over to where it was….and tore his garment in two….leaving behind in the dust his life, again….and picking up Elijah’s mantle,  being completely given the work as prophet in Israel.

2 KIngs 2:12b-14 “…and he (Elisha) took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

        He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

        And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said,   Where is the Lord God of Elijah?  And when he also had smitten the waters,  they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.”

In fact,  Elisha did finish the work.   He maintained and grew places for the sons of the prophets…and went about preaching and teaching all through Israel.

       He was more of a prophet to the people,  but ministered to kings, and even to foreigners sent to him (Naaman the leper).

Elisha was faithful….to God, to Elijah, to the people of Israel.

There would be no fiery chariot for Elisha….no,  he fell sick when he was old,  and would die from it.

        But, even then,  God would show to Israel,  His power by HIs Spirit….through a life that was given over to Him….completely….and faithfully:

2 Kings 13:14,20-21 “Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died….

        And Elisha died, and they buried him.    And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.  

        And it came to pass, as they (Israelites) were burying a man, that, behold they spied a band of men;  and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha:  and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha,  he revived, and stood up on his feet.”

Let me say here….that life is what we are to manifest….real life in God, through HIs Son, Jesus Christ.

       And we manifest it most,  by being completely devoted to God….to serve the Lord in joy…and minister to  His people….in temperance, longsuffering, and love. 

Go tell it on the mountain…

Romans 10:15 “And how shall they preach,  except they be sent?  As it is written,   How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,  that publisheth peace;  that bringeth good tidings of good,  that publisheth salvation;  that saith unto Zion,  Thy God reigneth!”

Of course we know that these  “good things”….are the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

            The good news of His birth, life, sacrifice, and resurrection….and of His ascension and intercession now for all who are born again!

“How beautiful”… in Romans,   means “belonging to the right time or season”.     

            In other words,   “how seasonable is the gospel when it comes to us…for salvation!”  

It comes at just the right time….to deal with us, and lead us to Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Isaiah,…”how beautiful” means “to be at home”.    

            Our hearts were always made to be in love with God.   How beautiful….then, that He sends His servants out to us….even in the impossible difficulties of our lives (the mountains)….to give us the good news….to bring us to our intended “home” in God and His Word.

The song says:   “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere…

…Go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born.”

Mountains in scripture often indicates the impossible or difficult challenges of our lives.

              Things we can not do anything about….ourselves.

Hills indicate small problems….which seem not too hard….but which weary us and wear us out, if we deal with them in our own strength.

But God has sent us to climb these mountains…

….and to cross these hills…

….and the very difficulty makes us cry unto the Lord,  and look for HIs help.

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

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

When John the Baptist was sent to forewarn Israel that the Messiah was here….that the Lord was calling a people to follow Him, and receive Him as King…..

….John the Baptist was sent with this ministry:

             Luke 3:3 “And he (John the Baptist) came into all the country about Jordan,  preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;”

            (Let me say here, that there were many “baptisms” under the Law.   The most important was the baptism of the prostylete.   If a Gentile wished to come to the Temple,  he would have to be circumcised and baptized into the Jewish faith.  

             This “baptism” was what John was doing. 

             For he was saying,   “You can not live like the Gentiles,  and pretend to serve God.   No, you must come and be baptized into faith and obedience to God…again.” )

And here is the Word to the Forerunner of Christ:

Luke 3:4-6 “As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying,   The voice of one crying in the wilderness,   

            Prepare ye the way of the Lord,  (in your hearts and lives)

Make HIs paths straight.

 (So when Jesus Christ comes and shows the Light….you will be able to come to Him, without deviation)

            Every valley shall be filled,

  (We often have “holes” or “gaps” in our lives or works….fill them in.    John said,  Do the works of love to God, and  seek the good of all)

            and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; 

 (It does not say that they will be done away with….but “brought low”.   As we submit to God’s Ways,  these mountains and hills shall be put into proper perspective for us….will be seen and passed through in the Lord’s strength and by the Lord’s guidance)

            and the crooked shall be made straight,  and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

 (No matter our attitudes, or past….”crooked” or “rough”….the Lord “shall” save us,  form us into His character and show us HIs mercy.)

            And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

John showed Christ to all who would “see”…..”Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world…..this is the Son of God.” (John 1:29, 34)

And the Word has gone out to all of us: 

           Romans 10:13-15, 17 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

           How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?

          And how shall they hear without a preacher?

(Preacher here means “a public crier”….or “someone to herald”….not necessarily someone called to the ministry…..and we are all called as witnesses.)

         And how shall they preach,  except they be sent?  As it is written,  

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

         So then  faith cometh by hearing,   and hearing by the Word of God.”

We are all called to someone….to tell the good news of Christ Jesus our Lord to another.

        It may be the privilege of leading our children to Christ!   Hallelujah!

        It may be the privilege of witnessing to others in Word and deed.

But however the Word goes forth from us…..we should pray that the good news will enter  the  ears, and  hearts of those that hear it.

“Go tell it on the mountain”….in difficult and impossible circumstances, let us shine our light of trust in the Lord.

 “Over the hills and everywhere”….at all times, let us look to the Lord….and others will see our peace in Him.

“Go tell it on the mountain,  that Jesus Christ is born”

O Come

Psalm 95:1 “O come, let us sing unto the Lord:  let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our Salvation.”

Here is an invitation to acknowledge by praise the Lord…Who is the Rock of our Salvation.

               (even if our voices sound more like noise,  than singing)

And why should we praise Him?

Psalm 95:3 “For the Lord is a great God, and a great KIng above all gods.”

Now I want to mention here,  that the “gods” spoken of here is any god….anything that we give final obedience to.

         God requires us to obey HIm.   Not for salvation,  but for life….a intimate relationship with Him.       It is not instant obedience….but final obedience that proves our “following”.

(We may question the command…..we may not like it, or the people the Lord sends us to…or the way He wants something done….but when it comes down to it:   “I will do what the Lord wants.”   “Not my will,  but Thine be done.”)

              If we follow and obey God…then He is our God.

              If we follow and obey our own hearts….fickle as they are….then we are worshipping our own desires.

For the Lord is a great God….and that is so true.   

             Great in love….for in eternity past He loved us. 

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying,  Yea,  I have loved thee with an everlasting love:  therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.”

             When we gave Him no reason to love us,….still He loved us.   (John 3:16)

He is great in works.

Psalms 9:1 “I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart;  I will shew forth all Thy marvellous works”

              The work of creation….and the work of regeneration or salvation!

He is great in mercy.

Psalms 94:18 “When I said,  My foot slippeth;  Thy mercy,  O Lord, held me up”

He is great in Might.

              He is mighty for our help.  

Psalms 80:8,13 “O Lord God of hosts,  who is a strong Lord like unto thee?  Or to Thy faithfulness round about Thee?

             Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is Thy hand, and high is thy right hand.”

Job 36:5 “Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any:  He is mighty in strength and wisdom.”

He is a great Rock in a weary land….He is our King.

             Isaiah 32:1-2 “Behold, a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

             And a Man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest;  as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great Rock in  a weary land.”

He is great in Purpose.

             Ephesians 1:11-12 “In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance,  being predestinated according to the Purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will:

             That we should be to the praise of His glory,   who first trusted in Christ.”

And here, we come back to our acknowledgement and worship of Him, Who is our Rock of salvation.

(I wish to remind us all…..Salvation is all encompassing.   From being convicted of the Holy Spirit and seeing the awfulness of our sin….to being born again….to learning to follow and serve our Lord….to knowing the sanctifying influence and power of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives….to taking us to Heaven.

            Salvation encompasses all these….for He is our salvation….we are “in Christ Jesus”

As the Lord Jesus said,  the wind will rise….the rain will fall….the floods will come.     These are certainties in our lives…..both to the wise and to the foolish.  (Matthew 7:24-27,  Luke 6:47-49)  These will come.

            But it is the “Foundation” on which we build that matters in the end.     For in the end…we will be on the Rock….or we will be in ruin,  because we refused the Rock of salvation.)

Three times in this Psalm, we are invited to come:

          “O come, let us sing unto the Lord:….” (verse 1)

          “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.” (verse 2)

          “O come, let us worship and bow down:  let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”  (verse 6)

And the invitation still is being sent to come to Christ Jesus for salvation….

….to come and praise Him….to come and worship HIm.

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give a sign;  Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” 

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for HE shall save His people from their sins.”

Luke 2:7 “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke 2:11-12 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

      And this shall be a sign unto you;  ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

I have quoted these verses to remind all of us….that no matter how long it seems we have to wait for God to fulfill a promise…..He will.

God sent HIs Son….on a mission so vital to us….with a message designed to show us our hearts….withdrawn, alone, distressed…

….and draw us to God.

When God sent HIs Son,   is very important.   

Israel was barely a nation anymore….they were under Rome….mostly despised….and the people and country trampled under foot of all the soldiers, laws, and trappings of Rome.  

Yet God sent His Son to save us…..to manifest His glory and grace to a nation, a people, and a world that had refused His authority for almost two thousand years.

As the song says 

“O little town of Bethlehem…how still we see thee lie.  Amid thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent hours go by.    Yet in thy dark street shineth the Everlasting Light….

….the hopes….and fears….of all the years, are met in thee tonight.”

 Christ Jesus was sent…yet He came as a “helpless” babe.      

      God could have sent HIs Son….full grown and capable of taking care of Himself….but God placed His Son, by the Holy Spirit within a woman….fulfilling the first promise He gave concerning the coming of the Savior.  

     (Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”)

When Christ came,  He became to us, all that was told of Him.

Isaiah 9:6 “For  unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder:  and His name shall be called:

     Wonderful. (How many times have I thought this about my lovely Lord Jesus….about Him…and what He has done for me!)

     Counselor.   (His Word comes to us as guidance and encouragement…to come boldly to our Heavenly Father….and to show us the way to go,  since He traveled this road, too.)

    The Mighty God:   (He has always been in control….for His Word spoke the heavens and the earth into being.   And He is in charge now,  for me.)

     The everlasting Father:  

(Christ is one with the Father….and when He was risen, He said,  “I ascend unto My Father, and your Father;  and to My God and your God.”   John 20:17

And He has made it possible for us to know the love of the Father…”I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me and  hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me.”  John 17:23)

    The Prince of Peace:  

(Peace is His gift to us….but it also is His element, and way.  He is the God of  peace….and when He comes to a heart….He gives His peace to “..keep our hearts and minds..” (Philippians 4:7)….as when He stilled the raging sea by, “Peace, be still.”

      John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation:  but be of good cheer;  I have overcome the world.”

        His kingdom now, within us is a kingdom of “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17)

Isaiah 9:7 “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever.    The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

We started this by reminding all of us,  of God’s faithfulness in sending Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.   

And I will end in reminding all of us of God’s faithfulness to us this past year….even into the coming one.

He will perform…would be enough.

But it says the zeal….the ardor and fervor of the Lord of hosts…will perform it.

Let us praise HIs Name….Jesus, who came to save us from our sins….

….Christ, anointed with fullness by the Holy Spirit and with gladness to do the Father’s Will…to fulfill the Purpose of God for us.   

Let us remember and stand with Him in the days, months, and years ahead….and praise Him.

      “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will toward men”

How did we get here?

Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of the time was come,  God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

                To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

God’s purpose for the earth has to do with Christ and His glory….before times eternal God the Father made the Everlasting Covenant with His Son.

God the Father would draw a people to His Son,  if……

……Jesus would come to earth and live a perfect life…..in this wicked world…..and if you read about the world, Jesus lived in…it was a desperate and despicable place.

It was as if the devil knew the Son of God was coming, and wanted to make it impossible to live a perfect life.

And then die a perfect sacrifice….He would receive the reward of His labors…..us. (Isaiah 53:10. Think of how marvelous a thought that is!)

In Bethlehem, He was born…..but promise concerning His birth began,  right as soon as sin enter the world, through Adam.    The promise of a Savior, to save us from our sin.   Hallelujah!

Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee (the devil) and the woman, and between thy seed and her Seed;  it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”

Jesus  Christ who came to save the world from sin,  would be born of a woman.

Christ would bruise the devil’s head (on the cross when Jesus said “it is finished”, the victory over sin and death was won)

The devil would bruise Christ ‘s heel (the mocking, beatings, the betrayal)

Abraham was chosen to be the one who God spoke to next, about His beloved Son:

Genesis 17:7 “And I will establish My covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their generations for a everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee.”

        Seed not seeds

Galatians 3:16 “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made.  He saith not,  and to seeds,  as of many;  but as of one,  And to thy Seed,  which is Christ.”

Under Jacob (and he was a schemer,  but he really did want the spiritual blessing…..the birthright….which was to have the Christ come through his line. Genesis 25:31-33)

      In Jacob’s last blessing for his sons, God made known in prophesy that Judah would be the tribe from which Christ would come.

Genesis 49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come;  and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.”

This prophesy continued until David….then God added more information…..Christ would come as King through David’s line:

2 Samuel 7:25-26 “And now, O Lord God, the word that Thou has spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as Thou hast said.

          And let Thy name be magnified for ever, saying,  The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of Thy servant David be established before Thee.”

Matthew 1:1 “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.”

The line is set….but one more promise:

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign:  Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

A virgin…..a total miracle will take place in the womb of a woman….whose known no man……and He will be the Son of God placed within her.

This was the last promise….until….

Luke 1:26-27, 31-32, 35 “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

         To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David;  and the virgin’s name was Mary.

          And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.

          He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David:

           And the angel answered and said unto her,  The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:  therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Although God had chosen Mary,  it was still up to Mary to choose God.  

Of course, she did….

Luke 1:38 “And Mary said,  Behold the handmaid of the Lord:  be it unto me according to Thy Word.    And the angel departed from her.”

The title of this is……How did we get here?   

How did a sinful world get a Savior, and King?

It was all planned for us in eternity past…..a Savior and King…..and as the years rolled down the promise was added to,…..some believed,  some did not.

It is the same to day.

Some believe the testimony of His Word, and others do not…..

But it is certain I am in the time and place that the Lord wants me…..and so for you.   

Out of all the world of men, God called Abraham

Out of two brothers God chose Jacob

Out of twelve brothers God chose Judah

Out of many thousands of virgins in Israel….at the time of Roman rule….He chose Mary.

And Jesus plainly says “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you (made provision for), that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain;  that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you.”  (John 15:16)

He chose us,  made provision for us,  and called us……now, like Mary,  we need to choose God….His Son,  His Lordship,  His Will and His Way….

…in our hearts and lives.