“Who at the door is standing, patiently drawing near,  entrance within demanding….Whose is the voice I hear?”  

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.”

“Sweetly the call comes ringing,  open the door for Me,   if you will heed my calling,   I will abide with thee”

Song of Solomon 5:4 “My Beloved put in His hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for Him.

       I rose to open to my Beloved;  and my hands dropped with myrrh,….upon the handles of the lock.

       I opened to my Beloved;  but my Beloved had withdrawn Himself….my soul failed when He spake:…”

So what can we do,  when we fail to answer His call?

     Forget it!  It’s over?   

     No,  get up and search for Him….and get what He has for you now.

Jeremiah 29:13-14 “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

       And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:….”

For every true believer,  the call comes…..and we must answer—one way or the other.

      What does your heart want?   Where is your treasure?  Who is “my Beloved”?

       In every instance, it is His Voice that awakens us….to HIs knock and call.

HIs Voice spoke to Noah….to build an ark for the saving of souls.

     And His Voice has called us to come to Christ for our salvation.

His Voice spoke to Abraham….to come out of the world he lived in….and follow Him into a place He would show him.

      And HIs Voice has called us to “deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him.”

His Voice spoke to Moses to deliver His people from slavery,  and showed them the protection under the blood.

     And we are we called to shelter under His blood and be delivered from the bondage of sin.

HIs Voice came through the Old Testament Prophets to awaken His people to the commands of His Word….when they turned to idols.

     And we are called to….”Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light”(Ephesians 5:14).

Some may say,  “What is thy  Beloved….more than another beloved,…” (Song of Solomon 5:9)…..that you are so diligent in seeking His fellowship?   So careful to stay close to Him?

Song of Solomon 5:10, 16 “My Beloved is….the chiefest among ten thousand.

       His mouth is most sweet:  yea, He is altogether lovely.   This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend,….”

How precious Christ’s love is!

Have we heard His Voice speak to us?  

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My Voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

And if we have failed to answer….let us get up and seek Him…..and follow as we should.

The Call of Christ 

Luke 9:23 “And He said to them all,….”

“All”,  not just disciples….but all who would “come after” Christ.

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

We sometimes think that the call to deny ourselves and pick up our cross….is  a call to discipleship.

        Yes, Jesus Christ said it to HIs disciples (Matthew 16:24),  but they were disciples before that call.

“If any man will”….means it is a act of the will….not an emotional response….but a willed determination to deny self, and let Him lead….for that is what “follow Me” states.

Jesus also makes it plain,  that to follow Him…..you need to do this daily.

(Years ago, when I first heard this call….I thought I could bow my head, and make a commitment to do this……”done!”…..great!

       But the Lord,  very specifically,  showed me the “daily”……and I must be honest…..I winced.   “Daily”?   

Isn’t my commitment enough?   I want Your Will…..isn’t that enough?

       How silly and ignorant of myself I was!    You see, I did want His Will….as much as I was aware of it…..

….but there are long nights…..dark times…..storms and suffering, which I knew nothing about as a Christian, yet.

       And these times are really hard, unless we are closely following Him.

Of course, He is patient and gave understanding to His servant….how kind He is!

       And as I learned…..I became aware of a sense of freedom as I denied myself…..daily.)

We are often unaware of our inward state, until….in honesty….we realize what Paul is saying…

        Romans 9:20 “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?  Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it,  Why hast thou made me thus?”

Man’s rebellion is universal.   We are in rebellion against Him….we have all “gone our own way” (Isaiah 53:6). 

       Even as Christians, we “go astray” and get lost in the world’s chaos and influence….

……..and then the call comes to us again….”set thy heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest:  turn again,…” (Jeremiah 31:21).

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

To save your life for time….at this time;  is to lose it.   

I want to say here about “waste”.

        I have wasted time planning things…..or trying to fix things….or with worldly pursuits….each has been a blot on my life.   Each has been “waste”, for they have taken my time…..and I have only so much of it….and given it to nothings.

      Where are those plans…..the Lord showed me His,  and they are laid aside in the waste bin….where they should have been sooner.

      Where are those “fix-it” projects?   Sometimes they made the situation worse….but mostly,  they did not help….but prolonged the Lord’s deliverance,  for me and for others.

      Where are those worldly pursuits?  forgiven, yet the time can never be taken back.

What about those words we need to hear or say to the Lord?   When is that going to happen?

What about those habits we need to stop, and the ones we need to begin?

What about those times when we should have listened to someone,  and we were “too busy”….?

We think our life as Christians entails times of prayer, Bible study, and witness….and they are all good and important for knowledge.

      But our life as Christians entails:

“…and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

You find your Christ-life….the actual experience of those things of Christ….HIs mercy—for ourselves and others,  

His grace—for today.

HIs Words to say.

HIs affections for others.

HIs character being formed in us,  “for as He is, so are we in this world”. (1 John 4:17)

And mostly, I believe, peace and joy in Him…..in the circumstances of today.

I can not take back yesterday….nor step into tomorrow;

     But I can stand firmly in this day’s events….

….and act (not just react to things)…but act, for Christ Jesus my Lord.

I am here, now on earth for Him,….and He is there, in heaven before the Father, for me.

Let each of us take our place in the call of Christ…..to fulfill our part of His manifested life here and now….

….and live in the liberty of becoming what we were brought into being for.

Rest

Song of Solomon 1:7 “Tell me,  O Thou whom my soul loveth,  where Thou feedest,  where Thou makest Thy flock to rest at noon:  for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of Thy companions?”

Rest…to be refreshed.    

             (Flocks, resting at noon…which is the hottest time of the day;  when after walking and grazing in the morning….they would need a place to lie down and digest what they had eaten.     The Shepherd led them to a place of rest….where he would watch as they were there.    It would not be all afternoon…just for a time of refreshing.   

  This is the rest the believer in the song of Solomon wants……to be at rest,  knowing Christ Jesus is watching and tending to me.))

Hebrews 4:9-10 “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

              For he that is entered into his rest,  he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”

When we think of rest,  we think of sitting down,   or the weekend,   or no work.

But when God uses the term “rest”…..He is speaking of a place in our experience where we have:

the quietude of spirit,     the satisfaction of the soul,     and the quickening of the body.     It is the refreshing of the spirit, soul and/or  body.  

             In God’s rest,…there is work,  but without labor!

(In the ultimate sense….the “rest” God has for us will be complete when we enter heaven and eternity. 

            But God also calls us to enter into His rest….the rest He has in Christ’s accomplishments on the cross….and subsequent resurrection, and ascension.

            What did Christ accomplish on the cross?

The paying of my debt of sin….therefore I am free from penalty.   

     The fulfilling of the everlasting covenant…giving us a place with Him…and in Him forever.    

The wiping away of defilement so that we may have access to God,  through Christ.    

      And in HIs resurrection and ascension,  we have the opening of the way to His life in us,….  

…..and HIs authority and reign in and through us.)

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

             Take My yoke upon you,  and learn of Me;  for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  

             For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Notice we are to take upon us,… His yoke….that is the double yoke where we are yoked, of course,  with Him.      And in this double-yoke….we have “burdens”.     But we have rest.

When God “rested” on the seventh day,  after recreating the earth and all the creatures, and then forming man….He saw that all was “ very good”.

            Genesis 2:1-2 “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

            And on the seventh day God ended HIs work which He had made;   and He rested on the seventh day from all HIs work which He had made.”

            “Rested” here means to desist from exertion.     He took a Sabbath.   And the first day of man,  was the day that God rested….and He saw to it that man entered into it with Him.

After sin entered,  rest with God was not spoken of till Moses was to bring out Israel from Egypt.          

              Then God had to teach Israel about entering into “rest” with HIm, once again,  through many illustrations and types.

               One was the Sabbath….and manna.   

The manna was given six days….every day they were to gather….not keeping it until the next day….eating the provision given. (a great example of the grace God gives us….to use the ability, and provision He gives,  as He gives it.)

              But on the sixth day they were to gather for two days….for:

              Exodus 16:29-30 “See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath,  therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days;  abide ye every man in his place,  let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

              So the people rested  on the seventh day.”

The Lord had to teach HIs people how to “rest”.    And that this rest was….with Him.   

             No labor was to be done….they were to stay in their place:  stay with their families and enjoy their time together….with the Lord. 

             Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “And these words,  which I command thee this day,  shall be in thine heart:

             And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,….”

(I remember my grandmother….she was a godly woman…..and she loved Sundays.     Church,  then the family dinner….and all afternoon,  sitting around talking.    

              When she came down to my house to live….in the winter, for we would not let her live by herself at her age….then she and my aunt….would have such conversations about the sermon!       Out the Bibles would come and here a verse….and there a verse!  

Both of them missed this special fellowship when grandma went back home in the spring.)

Rest….the refreshing of our spirits, souls and bodies….from the Lord.    This we are to have….it is promised each of us.   

             “Come unto Me,….and I will give you rest.”  (Mat. 11:28)

              Again,  this is not that there is no work…..just that in the work,  there is no labor….for we are like the sheep that are simply following where our Shepherd leads us, doing His will…..letting Him defend us.

Isaiah 35:8 “And a highway shall be there,  and a way,  and it shall be called The way of holiness;  the unclean shall not pass over it;  but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” 

Could this be any plainer?  “The wayfaring men”…those just passing by, not thinking of staying;  

“though fools”…if they are not instructed in God, or His Word…..yet, they shall not err therein…because this way is clearly seen.

The Lord makes His gospel the same way.  Plain enough, so that those who want to know His Way,  can.

And He sends His preachers and teachers to awaken, to His way.

Luke 3:4-6 “As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,  saying,   The voice of one crying in the wilderness,  Prepare ye the way of the Lord,  make His paths straight.

                       Every valley shall be filled,  and every mountain and hill shall be brought low,  and the crooked shall be made straight,  and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

                       And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

This was John the Baptist’s ministry….to make a way for the Lord Jesus.  To prepare the hearts of the people, so they could hear what Jesus was saying.

You see when the Holy Spirit comes within the heart of every believer, He begins to put our lives in order.   His due order.  That is “make His paths straight”.

He begins with light.  All things are manifested in the light, so the Holy Spirit begins by enlightening us, to what we are in ourselves….and what we have in Christ. (Ephesians 1:17-19 “…the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;  that ye may know…”)

Then He begins to mold and shape us:  here is where the highway begins…for when a regular highway is built…it is built up out of the fields and waterways,  so that it is easily seen.    So it can be taken to the destination.

The Holy Spirit fills in the low places in our lives: 

Are we lonely?  Are we depressed?

Are we overcome with the cares of our lives?  

Do we blame God?

These are “low” thoughts of God,  and the Holy Spirit comes, and deals with the reasons for them, within us….giving peace and guidance in their place.

Psalm 40:2-3 “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit,  out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a Rock, and established my goings.

                           And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:  many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord”

Hebrews 10:22-23 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,  and our bodies washed with pure water.

                                    Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised;”

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;  and lean unto thy own understanding.

                              In all thy ways acknowledge Him,  and He shall direct thy paths.”             

The Holy Spirit shows us “every mountain and hill” to  be “brought low.”

These are the high places of pride.   

These can be mountain-like for some;  or hill-like in others.  But we all have pride, for it is a sin we inherited from Adam. 

(Remember Eve was tempted to sin so they could “ be like God”.  [Genesis 3:5-7]

One of the sins which Adam got when he rebelled against God, was pride.

He immediately tried to “cloth” himself.  Shame for being naked, caused him to rebel even more, and look for that which would cover him before God.

This is pride, for pride is presumption….thinking we can do for ourselves, without God.  He couldn’t, so he tried to hide, instead.]

God refuses the proud:

Luke 1:51-52 “He hath showed strength with His arm;  He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

                          He hath put down the mighty from their seats,  and exalted them of low degree.”

James 4:6 “But He giveth more grace.  Wherefore He saith,  God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

But God is near those who know they need Him, and come to Him:

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 of the heart of the contrite ones.”

The “crooked ways” shall be straightened out:

Titus 3:1-2, 8 “But put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.  

                          To speak evil of no man, be no brawlers but gentle,  showing all meekness unto all men.

                           This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.  These things are good and profitable to all men.”

And the “rough ways” shall be made smooth:  

2 Timothy 1:6-7 “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance,  that thou stir up the gift of God,  which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

                               For God hath not given us the spirit of fear,  but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith,  lay hold on eternal life,  whereunto thou art called,  and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

I believe that every Christian,  like John the Baptist is called to “Prepare the way for the Lord”.    

Not in the wilderness of Judea;  but in there own lives,  in their own set of circumstances; that others may see clearly “the Way” to Christ Jesus. 

[Whether to be saved or to be restored to Christ]

Isaiah 35:8 “And a highway shall be there,  and a way,  and it shall be called The way of holiness;  the unclean shall not pass over it;  but it shall be for those:  the wayfaring man,  though fools,  shall not err therein.”

We are to manifest the highway we have taken,  and as much as we can,  lead others to Christ Jesus our Lord, too.

Our tongues

Psalm 141:3 “Set a watch,  O Lord, before my mouth;  keep the door of my lips.”

The prayer here,  is for the Lord to guard our words…..to keep us from speaking before we think,…or speaking to flatter,…or injure.

            To keep us mindful that our tongues can be as sharp as arrows….or  that a word in due season for the Lord,  is blessed.

Our words are our most readily available means for witness for the Lord.       So what and how we say things,   matter.

            I have gone to see people and been talking,  and a moments levity….can quench the Spirit of God….and an opportunity for real witness is gone.

           I have also gone to see people and known the blessedness of having my words used by God to really open their hearts to Him.

Our words….and how we say them,  matter.

James 3:2,5 “For in many things we offend all.  If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

            Even so the tongue is a little member,  and boasteth great things.    Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

Sadly, we might say some careless word that will cause another to stumble…or in the least hinder their progress in Christ.   How we wish we could take back some things we have said….and even if the person forgives us….praise the Lord….still it mars our witness, for a while.

           “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth….and keep the door of my lips.”

James 3:8-10 “But the tongue can no man tame;  it is a n unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

            Therewith bless we God, even the Father;  and therewith curse we men,  which are made after the similitude of God.

            Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.   My brethren,  these things ought not so to be.”

In ourselves we can not tame our tongues. 

           But in the  power of the Holy Spirit…by His grace,  we can “watch”….and become so humbled to the Lord,  that we learn to speak under the unction of the Spirit….all the time.

It is so easy to “slip” in tongue….and even when we are “right”….we need to rely on the Holy Spirit to manifest the right attitude in our speech:

          Paul, arrested after the riot in Jerusalem…(after his speech where he acknowledges that God has sent the gospel to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.)

          The Roman centurion needed to understand the accusation that the people made….so he let Paul be brought before the council.

          Acts 23:1-3 “And Paul,  earnestly beholding the council,  said,  Men and brethren,  I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

         And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

         Then said Paul unto him,    God shall smite thee, thou whited wall:  for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?”

Paul was right…he should not have been slapped…..yet,  when shown that he too was wrong….he immediately apologizes.

          Acts 23:4-5 “And they that stood by said,   Revilest thou God’s high priest?

          Then said Paul,  I wist not,  brethren, that he was the high priest:  for it is written,  Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.”

Paul, then, relying on the Holy Spirit, “perceived” a division in the council….and “he cried out in the council,  Men and brethren,  I am a Pharisee,…of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.” (Acts 23:6)

          That ended that  trial…..

…..but  Paul, through many “trials”…relied on the Lord to speak through him……before Felix,  before Festus,  before king Agrippa and queen Bernice,  and before Caesar. (Philippians 4:22 saving some in Caesar’s household.)  

2 Timothy 4:16-17 “At my first answer no man stood with me….

           Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known….”

Paul’s ministry was his life and words……and so he  asked that “utterance  may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make know the mystery of the gospel….that I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak”.  (Eph.6:19-20)

Paul asked the Colossians to pray for them….(Col. 4:3-4,6)  ”that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

           That I may make it manifest,  as I ought to speak.

Let your speech be always with grace,  seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Our words matter….what we say,  and how we say them.  

          Paul learned to speak “not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  

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

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

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

(1 Cor. 2:1-2, 4-5)

Paul learned “to set a watch before his mouth”….

          So can we,….for the Spirit of God will help us….that we can “perceive” what to say….whatever trial comes up.

Deborah

Judges 4:4 “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth,  she judged Israel at that time.

The book of Judges is one of the saddest books in the Old Testament.    In it, we see great heroes of the faith….but only because Israel has the tendency to idolatry.

           Only the generation which came into Canaan and took it, ….was faithful to God.    (Though they gave a great occasion to sin for their children,    when they did not utterly destroy the Canaanites…but allowed some to remain in the land, under tribute.)

           After that generation passed away….their children looked at…and then, took after the heathen that were still in the land…..in idol worship.

God then would bring trouble,  usually by way of a conquering nation,  which would make them feel the pains of forsaking God.

           Then they would cry unto the Lord, and He would deliver them….through various individuals….in various tribes.     

(What God wanted,  was each man, woman and child to know the Lord.    He had given them the land….He had given them a place to worship… and feasts to come together and celebrate together….with Him.

Each was to know the Law of God, and pass it on to their children.)

But time after time,  soon after the deliverance was obtained….the children of Israel would turn to some form of idolatry again.

Under Deborah,  who judged Israel in the tribe of Ephraim….an unusual deliverance was given.

For twenty years the king Jabin of Canaan ruled over them, for their sin.  “And he mightily oppressed” them.

           Sisera was the captain of the army…and a vicious and brutal fighter he was.

But when “the children of Israel cried unto the Lord”….it was time for another deliverance.

           Barak was of the tribe of Naphtali….and had evidently been called of God to go and fight with the Canaanite’s army.      

But Barak had not heeded the call….until…

          Judges 4:6-7 “And she (Deborah) sent and called Barak….and said unto him,   Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded,  saying,   Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun

          And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon  Sisera,  the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude;  and I will deliver him into thine hand.”

Look at this amazing promise!    Yet Barak had not gone…..he had not even called for an army.

          But when he is awakened to his responsibility by Deborah,  again….he says he will go…

…if she goes with him.

         (This is certainly praise for Deborah’s godliness.   

But it is bad way to begin a work,  when Barak can not personally trust the Lord and His Word.)

Therefore,  Deborah agrees….but warns that he is forfeiting the blessing,  by this distrust.

(God can use us, if we obey,….even when we do not trust.   

         But true blessing comes to us through our trusting the Lord,  in our obedience.    Trust is the hanging onto His Word….and seeing it performed in us…and through us, to HIs praise and honor. )

So Barak goes and calls to the men of Naphtali to come to the river Kishon.

         Sisera was told by the Kenites that Israel was arming and gathering to fight…and he comes with a vengeance….nine hundred chariots and a huge army….to the river.

Now you would think that such an army was undefeatable….but the Lord had gone out before Barak.     The Lord was working….but Barak remained at the top of mount Tabor….just watching the huge army of the enemy come up.

          Deborah again awakens Barak   (and how like us, he is!   We need awakening often….and especially when we are not trusting!)

          But Deborah is courageous….because her trust is in the Word of the Lord.   She knows HIm….and is willing to go into battle herself,  to prove He is faithful.

          “Up;  for this is the day in which the Lord hath (not will,  or maybe might…but hath already in HIs Word) delivered then into thine hand!    Is not the Lord gone out before thee?” (Judges 4:14)

So Barak and ten thousand men all run down the mount…swords in hand…

……with Sisera in his chariots trying to cross the river….and then…

…”the Lord discomforted Sisera, and all his chariots and all his host with the edge of the sword before Barak.”   (Judges 4:15)

           It was the river clogging the wheels of the chariots,  it was the sudden shout and seeing men and swords coming….because…”the Lord discomforted” them.     

           The Lord put terror in their hearts,  and their chariots got stuck…or struggled with the force of the river.   “The river of Kishon swept them away…” (Judges 5:21)

Sisera,  got out of his chariot and ran.       

           Barak stayed with his men and fought bravely….chasing the chariots who had turned around and fled….till they slew them all.     And he went on to fight and overthrow the king of Canaan, as well….ending his oppression on Israel!

           At least you can say this about Barak….he was diligent…after the Lord intervened.    

            (And are we asking the Lord to prove Himself,  before we diligently do what we have been called to do?)

Now for the honor of slaying Sisera, the vicious leader of the army (Judges 5:30 speaks of the terrible things he did)..

….it went to a simple  woman…

……not a soldier,….and not to Barak.

           For Sisera, having run away, comes to the tent of a Kenite…and sought to hide there.    Telling the woman of the house to watch…and tell any who came,  that there was no one there.

What Sisera doesn’t know is that this Kenite had separated himself from his people (remember they are the people who tell Sisera that Israel is arming at the river).     But this Kenite had moved to the river Kishon….in alliance with Israel.    

          Jael,  the Kenite’s wife,  gives Sisera something to drink, when he asks for it….and he goes to sleep.    She then  killed him.      

          A great captain of a great army….dead,  at the hands of a woman….

….not at the hands of Barak,  who should have killed him….by trusting the Lord.   

And in the song about this battle:

God is praised….and the people who came to fight are honored…”when the people willingly offered themselves.”        

          And then Jael is honored…

Judges 5:24 “Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be,  blessed shall she be above women in the tent.”

All through this,  it is seen again and again…that it is not by might, nor by power,  but by the Lord doing what He said He would do.

          It is certainly our obedience to the Lord that matters most….

….but it is in trusting in the Lord that brings great blessing….of courage, and peace to us.

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

“And He said unto me,  My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.   Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I am going to start this by asking….

       Is Paul’s testimony,….ours as well?

Through these last chapters in 2 Corinthians,  Paul is leading them out of themselves and into complete dependence upon Christ….and so he gives an example.

(I say “complete dependence”….because Christians….if they would live for Christ….have a dependence upon Him….for He is there life.

           But is it complete….or can we get along without Him,….sometimes?)

He tells of a “man in Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)……this is a blessed title,  because he is not speaking as an apostle…..but just one in Christ.  

       He is stressing that God can give comfort and exhortation to each man in Christ.   It is not office before God,  but heart willingness.

This “man in Christ” had been caught up to the third heaven…to joy beyond expression—the value and power on his soul he could not even express to others….

….and yet, though he will glory in God’s power,  he will not glory in himself because in himself, he was a weak and feeble creature…..who was simply in the hands of God Almighty.

Then he tells them that this revelation had gotten for him “a thorn in the flesh”.

(Some say it was the disease in his eyes,  and others a deformity which made him little in the eyes of men.   The tendency to pride is within each of us…and it takes but little to make it come out.)

       Paul asked the Lord to remove this three times….and Paul received an answer…..yet not like we would expect…

….especially with more ministry and work for him to do.

“And He (the Lord) said unto me,  My grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness…..”

“Paul, I want you to appear weak,….little in the eyes of others….that My power, which is in you and upon you for the work, will shine out.   

        What a testimony, Paul, to all who think they are too little for Me to use…..but do not worry,  I am and will be sufficient for you.”

Here is the very basis of Spiritual Reality:        Christ is sufficient for me.

Sufficient here means that God has placed a barrier around.

If God gave us power to do ourselves,….still that power is only blessed if we are dependent, or “leaning upon the Beloved” (Song of Solomon 8:5).   If we act otherwise we run the risk of self-conceit.

Paul came to experience that the power of God is displayed more abundantly through his weakness,….than through his self-ability.

And then he gave this most blessed response…..may it be so with each of us…..

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “….Mostly gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

        Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessitates, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Most gladly…..

…….not,  “OK,…but it would be better if…”

…..not even simple resignation only….

….but, “most gladly”….

Paul saw…..God’s plan….God’s way….

     Now he  glories in the infirmities that he’d just asked to be taken away, realizing that they cause greater power to be given him….and through him.

Who would exchange the power of Christ for the “power of human eloquence”?

Who would want a grand appearance instead of the glory of God?

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.”

But we have….every born again one has….(present tense)…has this treasure.

Yes, Paul says, we are earthen vessels…..nothing in ourselves….

…….but we have a treasure within us….which is the excellency of God’s power in us….and manifested through us.

We simply must recognize our weakness….and let the treasure shine forth.

Praise ye the Lord 

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

Thirteen times in this psalm….praise of  the Lord is spoken of:

“praise the Lord”,  “praise Him”,  “praise God”.

The book of Psalms begins…..with God’s  estimate of the man that is blessed….which is the man who makes God and His Word,  his satisfaction.

Psalms 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

       But his delight is in the law of the Lord;  and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”

The Psalms ends….with an estimate of God’s due….by the man who has found God as his satisfaction….praise for all He is,  and all He has done.

Psalm 150:1-2 “Praise ye the Lord.  Praise God in HIs sanctuary:  praise Him in the firmament of His power. 

        Praise Him for HIs mighty acts:  praise Him according to His excellent greatness.”

Someone has said,  that the Psalms are the heart’s response to God’s  dealings with HIs people.

        In Psalms we see, not just the spiritual history…..but the feelings and thoughts of the people of God.

Some were written by Moses….and placed in this book. (Psalm 90)

Some were written by others….but most were songs and cries from David.

David, the shepherd,(Psalm 23, 100)…..David, in prayer (Ps. 86),….David, the hunted by Saul, (Ps. 59)…..David, the king,….David, the sinner (Psalm 32, 51)…..David, the lover of the House of the Lord (Psalm 84, 24)

In all the situations and trials we come into contact with….we will find a like situation….and feelings in the Psalms.

Moses about the attitude of the Israelites. (Ps.106)

David when his own son was trying to destroy him and his kingship (Ps. 3).

       When the psalmist became discouraged about the wicked…how they seemed to have no trouble, yet the righteous had all sorts of trials.   (Ps. 73)

David when he gave into the wrong means….and tried to “save” himself from Saul’s hate, by going to the Philistines. (1 Sam. 21:10-15, Ps.34)

All through the Psalms there are passages of great comfort…..exhortations to right means….and the cries of God’s people in distress,  trouble,  doubt,  and correction.

Psalm 102…a prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

    Psalm 102:19-20 “For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth.

      To hear the groaning of the prisoners; to loose those that are appointed to death.”

Psalm 22….a prophesy of the afflictions and crucifixion of Christ.

    Psalm 22:1, 18 “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?  Why art Thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

      They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my venture.”

Psalm 110…a prophesy of the coming kingdom of David’s son….Christ Jesus.

    Psalm 110:2 “The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.”

God and me….is a great title for many of the psalms….

…and so,  in the end,….through all these situations and deliverances…

…there is only one thing to do:

Praise the Lord!  For all His wonderful works!  For all HIs mercy!  

Praise God!  From the sanctuary to the heavens above…..give glory and praise to our Lord!

From me to Him…..let my heart, and mind, and whole being….praise the Lord.

There shall be showers of blessing,….send them upon us O Lord.

Once my husband and another pastor were in a prayer meeting.     They had prayed for certain things…and had begun to receive them.    They were thankful….but felt more was to be sought.

           And then this came to my husband….pray for showers of blessing!

And so they began

          ”O Lord,  we have received the mercy drops,  but where is the showers of blessing that was promised.   We pray for these showers of blessing.”

Mercy is that wonderful attribute of God….for He is merciful.   

                      In the Tabernacle,  the mercy and justice of God was seen side by side.    

The Brazen altar,….where sacrifice for sin must be given,  for forgiveness.    

        Here was justice,  and mercy.

The Brazen laver….where the priests must wash before going into the Holy Place.

       Here too was command and mercy.

Then they would serve at the Table (which spoke of sufficiency and fellowship with God),  

       the golden altar (which spoke of prayer), 

       and to trim the Light (which spoke of God given understanding)…..

…..again speaking of the Great Holy God,   Who was merciful.

And of course there was the Mercy seat.    This was made completely of gold, and sat on the Ark of the Testimony…..wherein was the Tables of the Law.     

        The blood of the sacrifice (looking forward to Christ’s sacrifice) was sprinkled there, on the day of atonement….on the mercy seat.        

        God’s justice and mercy seen side by side….because of the blood of the sacrifice…speaking about Christ’s glorious death and resurrection for us!

….for in HIs mercy God sent forth His Son to atone for our sins…..and give us HIs life….that we might fulfill His commandments….receiving His mercy for ourselves.

Exodus 25:21-22 “And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

        And there will I meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat,  from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony….”

Israel was told to look toward the Temple and  the mercy seat,  when they needed to be forgiven:

2 Chronicles 6:14,21,26-27 “….O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth;  which keepest covenant, and showest mercy unto thy servants,  that walk before Thee with all their hearts:

              Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel,  which they shall make toward this place:  hear Thou from Thy dwelling place, even from heaven,  and when Thou hearest,  forgive.

              When the heavens is shut up and there is no rain,  because they have sinned against Thee;  yet if they pray toward this place, and confess Thy name, and turn from their sin,…

              Then hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy servants, and of Thy people, ….and send rain upon Thy land,…”

To have the showers of blessing, we need to be obedient to Jesus Christ….our Shepherd. (John 10:27)

              Ezekiel 34:23, 26 “And I will set up one Shepherd over them, and He shall feed them,…

        And I will make them and the places round about My hill (Mt. Zion)  a blessing;  and I will cause the  shower to come down in his season;     there shall be showers of blessing.”

And we need showers of blessing to come upon us….upon our church….and upon our land.

            Showers in scripture indicate the blessing of revival or awakening to the godliness which God requires from His people.

My husband was praying about our calling in the church….and he received that the most important work of our ministry was to awaken His people to the Lord’s claims on their lives.

In mercy, the Lord prepares for showers of blessing….yet we often don’t ask for them….or seek the reason we do not get them.

Praise the Lord for His mercy-drops…..but let us,  as the Lord told my husband years ago….let us ask for the showers we need…..whether it is personally or for others.

The Feast for Today 

Today we can “feast” on Christ Jesus, all the time.

We can enjoy fellowship with Him, and have the abundance of the Holy Spirit filling us up with joy, peace, love, strength, etc.

But often He has set a feast before us, and bidden us to come and fellowship with Him, and we  have not come.  

Or come, and taken a sandwich,  when so much more was offered.

I’m going to speak about the Feast of Tabernacles which Jesus attended.

John 7:2 “Now the Jews feast of tabernacles was at hand.”

This feast was to remember the time of the wilderness wanderings,  when Israel came from Egypt to the Promised Land.

They were to come to Jerusalem and build booths,  and camp out, so to speak;……..rejoicing in God’s goodness, in bringing them through the wilderness, with it’s trials;…..into the land.

There were ceremonies to celebrate different parts of His Salvation;  and seven days were sent aside to do this.

John 7:14 “Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple,  and taught.”

Many people had looked for Him to come,……some to accuse and others to hear.

But now He was here, and He was teaching God’s Word in the temple.

The people were being confronted with HIs Words,  His teachings, and many believed He was the Christ, who was to come.

But many did not. 

Many among the authorities,  wanted only to kill Him and get rid of Him.

During the feast,  everyday the priests would take the temple jars and go in a procession out to the wells outside the city, and fill them up.

Then they would bring them up and into the temple area;…….a place right before the stairs which went up to the Brazen Altar,…..where the sacrifices were offered.

There, on the floor,  they would pour out the water, quoting in song a prophesy from Isaiah (Isaiah 12:2-6):

“Behold,  God is my salvation;  I will trust, and not be afraid:  for the LORD JEHOVAH  is my strength and my song;  he also is become my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation….

Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion:  for great is the Holy One of Israel  in the midst of thee.”

This would be repeated everyday with the water for six days.

The last day,  the great day of the feast,  they would gather at the same spot, without water,  and wait:

Jesus moves to the steps between the men and the Brazen Altar….and says:

John 7:37-39. “In the last day, that great day of the feast,    Jesus stood and cried,  saying,   If any man thirst,  let him come unto me,  and drink.

                           He that believeth on me,  as the scripture has said,  out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

                          (But this spake he of the Spirit,  which they that believe on him should receive:  for the Holy Ghost was not yet given;  because Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

I used to think:   What an announcement!  Wow!    

and so it was! 

But did they believe and receive Him?    No.

Like so many times with us;  they discussed it. 

Talked about Him,….but did nothing about the offer of Life.

How sad.   An opportunity with out the resulting Life.

Some sought to do Him harm:

John 7:44 “And some of them would have taken him;  but no man laid hands on him.”

The chief priests and Pharisees called the officers of the temple to go get Him,  but:

John 7:45-46 “Then came the officers to the chief priest and Pharisees;  and they said unto them,    Why have ye not brought him?

                            The officers answered,   Never man spake like this man.”

They knew His power and authority!   So they did not arrest Him.

Here,  Jesus was offering,  to those who would believe on Him,  a constant source of life from within.

His life,  by the Holy Spirit,  to those who would believe.

The feast of the tabernacles ended.   

Jesus had called to all who will.   Some thought about it….some talked about Him….others just rejected out of hand His Word, and offer.

But most….sadly,…did not continue with Him.

He calls today.    To come and have a constant supply of life;….

His life,  within us.

To feast with Him every day,  by the Holy Spirit within.

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.  And let him that heareth say,  Come.  And let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” 

He offers Himself again to you,  today.   

    “If anyone thirst….are you surrounded by things, even religious things,  and still not satisfied….well, Jesus Christ has that satisfaction for you, if you will come unto Him”

What will you do with Jesus?