For to will is present with me

Romans 7:18 “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:  for to will is present with me;  but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

This is the picture of Paul,  a man who has been saved,  and is finding out that within him are two principles:

         The flesh,  which has no good thing.   Our flesh, “old man”,  or old nature delights in sin.   It chooses the darkness and pulls us back into our old habits.   (He sees his “lust”  or covetousness. Romans 7:7)

        Then he sees the Principle of obedience by the Holy Spirit within our spirits,  which enlightens and guides us into yielding to God.

It is spoken of by….”for to will is present with me”!     How blessed,  that the Lord gives our wills the desire to will with Him when we are born again!

Yet it is the power to perform that which is good…or the acceptable will of God,  which is lacking.

That comes by yielding to the Holy Spirit within,….and becoming more and more under HIs control.

         He gives us the power of choice….not just the desire to do God’s Will….but the real power in our lives to say no to our sin, and self….

….and say yes to God’s direction and Word.

Romans 7:22 “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:”

        Here is a picture of a truly born again one.     They “delight” in the law of God!  

(there is only one “delight” in the New Testament…and it is here.    Delight means “to rejoice with oneself”.     It suggests a knowledge of ourselves….yet with a rejoicing that we can know and do the law of God!)

Here is where we need to be strengthened,…..in the inward man.   

       For in the Holy Spirit,…there is more than ample strength…when we learn to “yield”.

We stress “yield” often…..for it is a gentle term.   

      The Holy Spirit calls us to follow the Word we have just read, or the Word we have just heard preached, or taught…..and His call comes to us a dove….cooing to us.   

(Have you ever heard turtle doves cooing to each other?   It is not the caw of the crow,….nor is it even loud.    But the mate of the dove,  hears and answers…or comes.

       So the call of the Holy Spirit in our spirits when we hear HIs Word is like this gentle call….

…and since we are united to God by the Holy Spirit in our spirits….we answer or come.

       This is to yield….to submit in our wills and lives,  right then….or sometimes after a battle with our old nature….to come and to do what the Holy Spirit has shown us.)

When we are born again,  as children of God, we learn to yield to that inner unction,  that is the striving of the Holy Spirit in my spirit.

We learn to hear….and yield…rejoicing that we are one with Him…in all our days.

1 John 2:20 “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.”

This is what Paul is setting forth in these verses….his experience in learning.

       At times rejoicing in the Holy Spirit…

…..and at times crying:

       Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am!  Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

We (as Paul did) learn to thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord for HIs Spirit which lives in and enlivens us.

To be changed from the wretched “lust and covetousness” to “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

How?   He had learned….”….in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”   (Philippians 4:11-13)

Imagine….going from lust and covetousness about things in his life…even spiritual things….

….to contentment….in all things!

And whatever our sin is….we, too, can learn not to “lust after” in our flesh…but to be content with God’s Word and Will….in all things.

Victory in the Holy Spirit can be ours…..it happened to Paul.    He learned that he was “quickened” in the Holy Spirit….or given the power to live in Christ’s character or actions…

…as he yielded to the Spirit within.   

Romans 8:11, 13-14 “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,   He that raised up Christ from the dead   shall  also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.

          For if ye live after the flesh,  ye shall die:  but if ye through the Spirit  do mortify the deeds of the body,  ye shall live.

          For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

We are all new creatures in Christ….and that new nature should grow stronger and stronger….as we yield to the Holy Spirit within.  

          There often is a battle….but as we yield to the calling of the Holy Spirit, by the Word of God within….then the answer from our hearts and lives will be to lose our self-life….

…and to find our lives in Christ,  by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Victory and contentment in the Will of God can be ours, by yielding.    Will we?

The Brazen Laver 

Fellowship is a word of intimacy.   It means:  partnership,  participation, or social sharing between close companions.

What does this have to do with the brazen laver?   

Because it was at the Laver,  that the priests washed their hands and their feet before going into the Holy Place….the place which spoke of fellowship with God.

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

In the Holy Place the priests ministered at the altar of incense (picturing our prayers ascending to God)…

….or the table of shewbread (picturing our feeding on the Bread of Life—Christ Jesus)…

….the M’nough  was there….which they were to keep filled with oil, lest the light go out(and we are we to keep our lamps burning with the oil of the Holy Spirit in these days)

All those things, were things of partnership, participation or sharing with God….in other words they pictured the fellowship we should have with God in prayer and communion.

Fellowship, which could only be entered into by washing outside the Holy Place…..at the Laver.

(It is interesting to note,  that at the beginning of their ministry as priests, they were to be given a complete bath, and given the garments for their work.  This was not to be repeated!   It was a picture of our regeneration….being born again.   Exodus 29:4-5)

In our daily walk, as Christians, in this world,  we come into contact with trespasses and sins…..in our lives and in the lives of others….and we are in need of cleansing.

Exodus 30:18-19 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and it’s foot also of brass,  to wash withal:  and thou shalt put it between the Tabernacle of the congregation and the Altar,  and thou shalt put water therein.

                     For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:”

So the Laver was put between the Altar, dealing with sin;  and  the Holy Place, speaking of fellowship.

The blood and sacrifice of the Altar deals with sin,  and the water of the Laver cleanses from defilements which working and walking in this world, brings us into contact with.

Their hands—their service;    and their feet—their walk;     was to be cleansed before fellowship with God could happen.

1 John 1:7, 9 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light,  we have fellowship one with another,  and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.

                     If we confess our sins,  He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,  and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Ephesians 5:25-26 “….Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;

                     That He might sanctify and cleanse it  with the washing of water by the Word.”

The Brazen Laver represents Christ’s ability to meet every need we have…..for our continual cleansing.

The Laver was not silver or gold….but brass, which represents judgement. 

(The Lord judges His people according to the Word He has given them, and what they did with it.  Jesus is seen in Revelation 1:13-16 as having brass feet….judging the walk of His church.)

The Lord tells us, now, to judge ourselves in the water of the Word, that we might have fellowship with Him….in all our days through this world.

1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves,  we should not be judged.”

The priests were to wash their own hands and feet in the provision of the Laver and the water….that they might enter into the Holy Place and have the fellowship provided by the bread and in prayer.

Remember, fellowship is intimate partnership, participation, and social sharing between close companions.

Are we having this for ourselves?

Do we see ourselves as “with Christ” in all His works?

Peter learned a great lesson about this when Jesus was washing the disciples feet at the Last Supper:  

“Lord, doest Thou wash my feet?” Peter asked.

Jesus explained that this was one of those things that Peter might not understand now,  but would afterward…”

But Peter often jumped in, where he did not need to….

John 13:8 “Peter saith unto Him,  Thou shalt never wash my feet.   Jesus answered him,  If I wash thee not,  thou hast no part with me.”

Jesus did not say,  “in Me”,  but “with Me”.    “In Christ” has to do with Salvation…..”with Christ” has to do with fellowship and communion with Him.

Peter was saved….all he needed was his feet washed by Jesus….to have the fellowship and instruction which they had as they went to the garden of Gethsemane. (John 14-17 amazing chapters for Christians)

But again Peter jumped in….

John 13:9-11 “Simon Peter saith unto Him,   Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

                      Jesus saith unto him,  He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet,  but is clean every whit:  and ye are clean,  but not all.

                      For He knew who should betray Him;  therefore said He,  Ye are not all clean.”

                        

Christ Jesus washed the disciples feet to show that fellowship with Him requires His cleansing….the cleansing of our walk before Him.

Again, I ask,  are we having this fellowship—this partnership, participation, and social sharing between Jesus and us?

Lovest thou Me more than these? 

John 21:15-17 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith unto Simon Peter,   Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me more than these?  He saith unto him,  yea, Lord: thou knowest that I love thee.  He saith unto him,  Feed my lambs.

                   He saith to him a second time,  Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me?  He saith unto him,  yea,  Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.   He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

                    He saith unto him the third time,  Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me?  Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, loves thou me?   And he said unto him,  Lord, thou knowest all things;  thou knowest that I love thee.   Jesus saith unto him,  Feed my sheep.”

Love Me more than “these”, Peter?…..what were “these”.    “These” were the things of Peter’s life that he had gone back to……

(Jesus found them fishing, again catching nothing, when He invited them to “come and dine”).

      Peter had been afraid and denied the Lord,   and then been afraid that because of his denial, he had been turned out of being a disciple of the Lord……fear does bad things to us….but….

                    

Jesus restored Peter after his three denials……with three affirmations of love.

Jesus knew Peter loved him.  But there is a big difference in loving the Lord, as long as it is not going to cost me anything…

….or loving Jesus, even though it costs you everything to do so.

Peter fell into sin and denied the Lord, because he stood outside with those waiting to see what would happen….rather then go in with John to the palace and be there with Jesus during the judgement of the Sanhedrin.

Outside, neither with or against, is a dangerous place to be.   For surely someone or something will make you choose.   

And when you do; you may find, like Peter, you have just denied your Lord.

But Jesus knew Peter’s heart; and had made provision for it:

Luke 22:31-32 “And the Lord said,  Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

       But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not :  and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

The Lord has also made provision for us.

(1 Timothy2:5 As our Mediator He prays for us)……that we might be restored any time to Him and that we might go on and be used for Him……..Peter certainly was.

We, too, are asked, “Lovest thou Me?”

What does our heart answer…for Jesus knows if we love Him, by our obedience.

And He calls us to do it,   for His sake.  

The Christian walk is a love story–or should be.

Yes, in every relationship where our hearts are concerned, there are going to be arguments. 

(Some call these differences of opinion, some call them having a fit with God)

Even in the Old Testament times God wanted a love relationship with His people and asked them to:

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,  saith the Lord:  though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;  though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

He wanted them to come and talk to Him about what was between them.  

What reason had they for seeking idols?

What reason had they for refusing to understand His corrections?

Proverbs 1:23 “Turn you at My reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you,  I will make known My words unto you.”

He was…and is ready…..always…..to give more understanding and grace by His Holy Spirit,  to us in any situation (yes, even the ones we are not suppose to be in…..to help us out of them)

His call to us , is always,  to come and go with Him,….because we love Him.

What about us?

Lovest thou Me more than these?

What kind of ears do we have?

Mark 4:23-25 “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

            And He (Jesus) said unto them,  Take heed what ye hear.  With what measure ye mete,  it shall be measured unto you;  and unto you that hear shall more be given.

           For he that hath,  to him shall be given;  and he that hath not,  from him shall be taken even that which he hath.”

We must hear aright….for we are responsible for our hearing.   

Once we have heard,  we must act on our hearing.

Are we, in some way, trying to get around what we have heard the Lord say to us?

[Remember the scribe who asked “Who is my neighbor?”  

This man could speak about the two most important points of the Law….”to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, strength and mind, and to love thy neighbor as thyself”.

But when Jesus told him to do it…..then….he asked all sorts of questions, to look like he did not know, so he would not have to obey.  (Luke 10:25-29)]

If we fail to answer His claims on us….then we have not heard with hearing ears.   

(Matthew 11:15, 13:9, 13:43, Mark 4:9, 4:23, 7:16, Luke 8:8,14:35.  In all these verses Jesus says “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”)

Are our ears,  dull of hearing?  

Hebrews 5:11 “Of Whom we have many things to say,  and hard to be uttered,  seeing ye are dull of hearing.”

They weren’t “hard of hearing”…..but dull.   It was their spiritual understanding that was not working….for times were hard for them….and they became like children again….wanting only to be comforted….not encouraged to grow,  in the faith.

The writer of Hebrews was setting forth some wonderful aspects of our Lord’s ministry as High Priest in Heaven for us…..

……but the people he was writing were not as “grown up” in the grace of God as they should have been…

…they should have been teachers,…

…..but were still acting as babes in Christ….needing the milk of the Word…instead of being able to go on in the harder, more blessed things.

What the Lord asks from each of His own,  is…..”a life open to and receptive to Him” (Revelation 3:20)

Without this, we shall never succeed by faith,  in the pilgrim life.  

We should walk before Him in spirit and truth….listening to His Holy Spirit within us….and getting honest in the things He shows us.

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.”

This is to know the things that the Lord is requiring of us,  and then do them.

We should know when things are not quite right….and by the Holy Spirit, we should take the effort to set it right.

1 John 2:20 “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye shall know all things.”  

Though it is not within man to direct his steps….yet it is within God to do it.

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

God shall reveal this to you….

Psalm 78:1 “Give ear, O my people, to My law: incline your ears to the words of My mouth.”

“Incline” means to lean over to hear…..to really want to hear what the Lord is saying to us.

Do we want to hear Him?

Where there is no sense of our lack….there will be no reaching forth to the further purpose of God for us. (2 Peter 1:9-10)

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:  but this one thing I do,  forgetting those things which are behind,  and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  

              I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

But in our acknowledged weakness,  we are made strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “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 (my weakness) that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

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

Paul heard the Lord speak to him, about his “weakness” (his eyes were often blurry,  because of a disease he had…and he often had a hard time reading or writing.)

Paul need direction for everything….he asked for it,  waited on the Lord for it, and praised the Lord for all that He gave him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;  and lean not unto thine own understanding,  

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

If we acknowledge Him….He shall direct our paths.

Do we have ears to hear?

Well, He is speaking….Let us incline toward Him and His Word …and hear

“For unto you that hear shall more be given”.

Now According to the Faithful and True Witness 

Revelation 3:14 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;  these things saith the Amen,  the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the Creation of God.”

I will say here, that we believe that we are called to this Laodicean age. In other words we believe that we are called to Awaken the church to God’s claims on their lives.  

As Christians, we are redeemed;  we belong to Him, therefore His Will should be the purpose of our lives.

(Yes, we believe that these letters each represent both a real church being written to;  and an age within the Church dispensation.

In each letter,  the church or the true believers is the focus—not the lost.  Jesus Christ is dictating these letters so they will know how He feels about their problems,  their tribulations, and their failures;  and the grace they need to get, to deal with them.)

Thus saith the Amen.

Now, He alone can say this:  this means “Let it be,  Let it happen.”  He alone is the Affirmation and Confirmation of every Word of God.

We must say,  “If God wills.”  (James 4:13-15).  But He can say Amen, and it will be.

The Faithful and True Witness.  A witness just states what He sees and what He knows.

And what does Jesus see when He looks at Laodicea?

Revelation 3:15-16 “I know thy works,  that thou art neither cold or hot:  I would thou wert cold or hot.

                                   So then because thou art lukewarm,  and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.”

(Indifference to God, after He has done so much for us;  is the very worst state we can possibly be in. 

And if continued in, will result in being “spued out of His mouth”.)

And the reason of our indifference?

Revelation 3:17 “Because thou sayest,  I am rich, and increased with goods,  and have need of nothing;  and knowest not that thou art wretched,  and miserable,  and poor,  and blind, and naked:”

Because we say, that I am rich, and increased with goods….and our attitude is 

I “have need of nothing”….not even God’s direction,  anymore.

This attitude is: 

“I am saved, and for that I will praise You;    but let me have my place in this world with all of it’s goods…..

……for I can have heaven and earth;  both salvation and the world…..

and do what I want for now.”

But Jesus sees their true condition before Him, and says:  And knowest not!

Is it possible to be in such a state and not know it?  According to the Faithful and True Witness, it is;  and we Laodiceans, are.

We do not know that we are really wretched:  

This is a terrible word,  but Paul used it of himself when he was testifying of his battle with himself, his “old man”.

Paul was a very religious Pharisee,  but he discovered from the Spirit of God, his covetousness.   

To covet is to “set the heart upon”. 

(When we set our hearts upon something, it takes over our emotions, our reason, and our wills…..we even become unwilling to listen to God,…to have this thing.)

Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am!  Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

      Why did he say this?   Because he saw that even as a Christian, we have our old nature within us.

Romans 7:18 “For I know that in me(that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me;  but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

Paul was having trouble with his old self.   He was trying to do what God wanted, but found that his trying often failed.  

Paul knew he was wretched.

So what did he do?    He sought freedom from self, by the Spirit of God.

Romans 8:2, 4 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

                         That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us,  who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Here was the answer to his wretchedness:  walking in the Spirit,  not in the flesh.

We Laodiceans are trying to do both:  be in Christ, and in the world……for ourselves.

Christ Jesus plainly teaches that if you would be a follower of Christ you should deny yourself, pick up your cross [does that sound like something the world would like to be around?] and follow Him.

We are to lose our self-life,  to have our Christ- life (Matthew 16:24-26)

That is why the Faithful and True Witness says we are also:  

     miserable…..how many Christians today are unhappy, discontented.

     and poor….not rich in God’s grace by His Spirit, but barely getting by.

     and blind….someone has said,  we are blind because we have our eyes shut, so we can not see ourselves as Christ sees us.

     And naked…..without the righteous acts which are those obediences to God, which separate us from the world, and give a “covering” of peace, and power.

Christ’s witness has been against us so far……..but our blessed Lord Jesus does not leave us (never!);    but counsels us, as our Advocate, with the best advice:

Revelations 3:18 “I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire,  that thou mayest be rich;  and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed,  and that the shame of thy nakedness  do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,  that thou mayest see.”

When we “buy” from Jesus,  we are not buying salvation;  that is a free gift.

But when we are His,  we are to come to Him and get what we need.  

He calls it “buying” here because we are to come with the attitude of getting real gain, real value.

To come with the knowledge of our lack;  and seek Him for His precious grace,  being obedient to His call;….this is to “buy” from Him.

He knows all and counsels us to get gold—gold always speaks of God.   So we are to get the true riches of His commanding presence and power in our lives. 

(Tried in the fire, is true gold with the dross or admixture burnt out, by the trials of standing with Him)

He counsels us to get white raiment, or the covering of righteous acts, so we will not be ashamed at His coming. (2 John 8-9)

He counsels us to stop being blind, by getting honest (by the Holy Spirit’s help) with Him and with ourselves. 

As the Lord told my husband once:  that if any true Christian would get a good look at their own heart, they would want to do something about it immediately.  

Then Jesus says to His Laodicean church:

Revelation 3:19-20 “As many as I love,  I rebuke and chasten:  be zealous therefore, and repent.

                                   Behold, I stand at the door,  and knock:  if any man hear My  voice,  and open the door,  I will come into him, and will sup with him,  and he with me.”

This is fellowship…

And the power of His presence. 

(Psalm 23:5 “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  Thou anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”)

“I will come into him and will sup with him”….these two things the Lord says He will do…..if we will repent and open our lives to Him,  again.

Do you hear Him today, calling you to repent of your lukewarmness to Him?

Then answer His voice:

To answer the call of Christ in this Laodicean age, requires not an answer of words at some altar;

But the answer of a life open to and receptive to Him.

None other will do.

He says, “I will”.      Will you?

Marching Orders

We, as Christians, are on our way to Heaven.   This world is not our home….but  the place of our testing and growing in grace….and the place where we prove our devotion to Christ, by our obedience…and standing with Him.

The Lord has given us many promises in His Word that we may obtain them….to help us in our march to our inheritance in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-4)….are we obtaining them?

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

To obtain here, is “to get ahold of”.  (“obtain” and “obtained” is spoken of ten times in Hebrews.)

Are we truly “getting ahold of” the many promises the Lord has given us, to help us in our days and nights?

Paul uses many terms identified with the Roman soldiers he was around (the armor is a good illustration)….and he uses them to illustrate that we are to stand and be watchful as we travel this world.

       We are not to be entangled with the things around us….hard,  sometimes when we are struggling with things.

       But the admonition to….”be in the world, but not of the world”….is the way to walk. (John 17:11,  Jesus was not of this world,  and we are not of this world.)

Hebrews 10:35 “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”

      In the A.S.V. it says “your holy boldness”.  

 Confidence is “to pour forth assurance,  frankness in speech and demeanor”.    

Confidence is an acquired thing….for we gain confidence in Christ as we follow Him….for this confidence comes from the Holy Spirit within.   (It is a strengthening influence in our daily walk….a constant looking to Him, Who is our life)

     When we are confident in Christ Jesus our Lord,  we speak about Him easily…and our walk takes on an air of worship, in all things, for we are seeking His glory in all things.  

(We are not apologizing for Christ being our King, but instead glad to share His kingdom with others.)

We know His presence with us….and His Word is our light….

…..for we see the darkness around us,  but we have the Light of life within us, and shining on our actions and thoughts to give clarity and understanding through the Word that we read and study,  as to what to do.

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Paul loved the Philippians…

…..the church was under persecution from the start.

     Yet…

……and here is the beautiful and blessed result of confidence….theirs is the book most full of joy and encouragement.

Here Paul tells them:  “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,….and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father.” (Phil. 2:10-11)

What a letter…

…..telling these that heard the name of Jesus cursed, and slandered…

…..who were tried and persecuted for His name’s sake…

……that at the mention of His name…all should finally acknowledge His Lordship!

Confidence….that the Lord will continue to work in us.  And He uses the promises He gives us to bring His Word to pass in us and by us.  

     2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature (take on the Lord’s character), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”  (to be in the world, but not of its character)

Hebrews 10:35 “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.”

What reward is there in being confident in Christ Jesus?    

      First, there is the reward in our hearts:  for confidence leads to trust and obedience in life,  and blessing in our prayer life.

      Second, there is the reward of others being made aware of Christ, by our lives.   True assurance of His Will….and a frankness or honesty in our speech and life…will show others that Christ Jesus is real to us.   

     Third, and maybe the most stressed here in Hebrews:  that we might receive the promise.   

Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience, that , after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”

It is in the doing….that there is the receiving.

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ:”

It does not say…might bless us….or maybe will bless us…but “hath blessed us”…in Christ.

        Past tense,  it is already done.

But how can I obtain…(and we are to obtain them)…..or get ahold of…all these blessings in Christ?   Very simply:

        Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come.    Thy will be done in earth,  as it is in heaven.”

Our “marching orders”  are to make sure that He rules in the kingdom of mansoul….in me….while we pass through this world.

       And a good start to doing that is:

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit.”

      And the best way to stop stifling the Holy Spirit is:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Look at this:   this is the will of God in Christ Jesus….giving thanks to Him for every thing.

    This is bowing before Him as creature to Creator….worshiping  Him as our King.

For as the Almighty,  He could change all our circumstances.

But what He wants to change most….is us.     Our deliverance should be in the circumstances…not out of them.    Our joy should be in the will of God being fulfilled in us.

Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

      Now this does not say “with Christ”….but “in Christ”.

We are seated in the heavenlies “in Christ”….and He is seated in me,  here on earth.

Though we are traveling through this world….we are to be subjects of our King, Jesus Christ.   We represent Him, here…..

…Praise God,  He represents us,  there….working within us and through us to the accomplishing of His Will in all things.

Let us “march on”….giving Him thanks for all things….growing in the grace and confidence in Him.   

He is King….may we show that He reigns within each of us….and may we each fulfill His Will in the path He has for us.

Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

1 Samuel 15:1-3 “Samuel also said unto Saul,  The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over His people….now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.

        Thus saith the Lord of hosts,  I remember that which Amalek did to Israel,  how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

        Now go and smite Amalek,  and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.”

To “hearken” in scripture means “to hear intelligently, so you understand what to do, and do it”.

“Hearken, Saul.   Hear what the Lord wants done by you….who are at the head of My army….hear, and complete the task,…for Me.”

Saul had not asked to be king….as a matter of fact, he hid from it at first. (1 Samuel 10:21-24)

     But now that he was king…..he liked it.   The power over the army…the prestige and praise….this was a pretty great job!   He was finally “somebody”!

Amalek was the people that attacked after the water was given from the Rock.  But they did not stop with that….for they had been defeated that day.

      So they came up and would kill the ones who were in the back….the weakest who could not keep up, in sneak attacks….

….and the Lord promised He would not forget what they had done.

Deuteronomy 25:17-19 “Remember what Amalek did unto thee…

       How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary: and he  feared not God.

       Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies….that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven;  thou shalt not forget it.”

Now this task was  assigned to Saul…..for the Lord.   

It was not because Saul thought it a good idea….

…but because the Lord keeps His Word….He sent Saul to destroy Amalek.

But Saul did not destroy Amalek….he took a “trophy” captive….the king…Agag.

     And he let the people take the best of the animals as spoil.   Some, it is true for a sacrifice to the Lord….but a lot…just for them.

The Lord spoke to Samuel….”It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king:  for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed my commandments.”

“He is turned back from following Me”…..this disobedience is of the heart,  not just of the actions.

This made Samuel sad….but he would speak to Saul for God, one last time….and he did.

1 Samuel 15:16-17 “And Samuel said unto Saul,  Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night.   And he said unto him,  Say on.

           And Samuel said,  When thou wast little in thine own sight,  wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?”

“When thou was little in thine own sight.”

How much is said here.

      When you had no personal plans or ambitions….then it mattered not what was to be done,…..only that it was God’s Will.

(But it is when we set above God’s Word, and decide what is “better”.   We stifle the Holy Spirit.   

      “No, this can not be the way to do it.   Surely God would not care about this or that.”)

And that is what Saul thought…..God would not care about a king taking a king as a trophy…..but it was….”evil in the sight of the Lord?” (1 Samuel 15:19)

Then Saul tried bargaining with Samuel and God…..the people brought these animals for sacrifice….surely God would like that!

And then Samuel said…..

…(I believe ever so sadly….for he had hopes that Saul would be able to lead Israel in obedience….teaching them to follow the Lord, as a nation….but Saul never did.)

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

Remember,  Saul was told to “hearken”…to hear intelligently so you understand what you are to do,  and do it.

Saul had heard….with his ears what he was to do.

        But his heart had not “understood” the importance of God’s Word.

        Saul let his reasoning, and his heart’s desire overrule God’s Will.

(All our religious activities….no matter what they cost….are of no value, without obedience.)

1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.”

To be rebellious about God’s Will is as bad as practicing witchcraft, and to be stubborn, is as worshipping idols.

Where there is a divided heart….where we think we can have God’s Will and our own….there is danger.  For God may let us have our will….what danger that is!

(We think we can never lose out…but we are warned:  

        2 John 8 “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”

        This has nothing to do with salvation….that is a free gift.    But it has to do with our joy and peace here,…..and our reward in heaven.  For we receive a reward for those things we have done out of love to the Lord.)

I believe the truth of God is only revealed to us, as Christians,….personally….by obedience.

       It is by our full committal to HIs Truth, that we know it.  And by full committal I mean…actually doing it.

John 7:17 LNT “If any of you really determines to do God’s Will, then you will certainly know whether My teaching is from God or is merely My own.”

Are we “hearkening to the voice of His Word”?    

The God of Peace.

God is a God of peace in two ways…..

…in HIs very attributes He is peace….nothing “ruffles” Him….nothing takes Him by surprise….

….all things move forward…at His time and at His decree.

God is also a God of peace….to us, who have been born again….for we are in Christ Jesus.

    First, He can be at peace with us, because of His Son’s life, sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension in power.

    Second He sets our hearts right, practically….giving us peace by His Holy Spirit from sin and self.

Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,  that great Shepherd of the sheep,  through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

     Make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well-pleasing  in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

I love the book of Hebrews…

(I once taught a Sunday school class in it for two years…..Hebrews has amazing lessons which are written to  to a weak and wobbly people.    But aren’t we weak and wobbly at times?   That is why it was so amazing….every lesson dealing with something the devil uses to trick or “shake” us.)

….it starts out with Christ in the Heavens….having come and “spoken” to us of HIs Father God….drawing our eyes up to heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God in all power…for us.

….and ends…calling each of us to “let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.”

….and then Paul prays to the God of peace….

….Who raised Jesus from the death of perfect sacrifice….and accepted His blood in payment for our sin…

….that the mighty God of peace….would “make you”….mold and shape us…that our outward obediences would be in love to Him (perfect means complete; and nothing is complete without love to Him)

…and that inwardly, we would be molded into His character….through Jesus Christ.   

Let me tell you about the power of Christ’s life…..for this whole book is a praise to Him:

      He came….and manifested HIs Father.

      He came….as very God and very Man,  under the angels….to elevate us into the Presence and Peace of God.

      He came….as a High Priest to sacrifice Himself to God….not under Aaron’s priesthood,  but under Melchisedec.

      He came and ascended, and is now before the throne of God….for us. (Hebrews 9:11-12)

      He came that we might come before God…..by Him (Hebrews 10:19-20)

      

Then the writer warns….we who have received Christ….must live by faith in Him, and “hold on”,….and gives examples of those who did, by faith.

Then the writer says…

       

Hebrews 12:2-4 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the enjoy that was set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

        For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself,  lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

        Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

This world is in chaos….and we too,  are often affected.    But, praise God, He is peace….and bids us receive His peace and stand with Him.

God is a God of Peace to us,  because of Christ.

     In Christ’s life we have all things we need.

     Hallelujah what a Savior!

     

      

Hebrews 11

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is called…the faith chapter.

         Here the heroes of faith from the Bible are set forth for us….to show us that we are all one in faith.

        It matters not that they were before Christ Jesus came as Lord and Savior…..or that we are after He came and died for us….

….only that “by faith” we are saved….and live to God.

Romans 4:15-16 “Because the law worketh wrath:…

        Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed;  not to that only which is of the law, but that also which is of the faith of Abraham;  who is the father of us all,”

But the faith chapter is still being written….in heaven:

Hebrews 11:39-40 “And these all (those he has already named), having obtained a good report through faith,  received not the promise:

       God having provided some better thing for us,  that they without us should not be made perfect.”

The “promise” here is Christ Jesus being manifested…..and giving a perfect sacrifice….that He could declare,  even in the depths of pain and agony….”It is finished” (John 19:30)

What is finished?   God’s plan to expiate the sins of HIs people.    “Expiate” means to atone for, to pay the penalty for the wrong done, to make amends. 

Christ Jesus not only took away our sins….which is so amazing!…by the shedding of His blood, but also made up for all the wrongs we have done by His perfect life and perfect death.

      He only did the Father’s Will….

      He uttered not a word in His defense….”as a lamb before his shearers was dumb, so he opened not his mouth” Isaiah 53:7      (1 Peter 2: 21-23)

      He suffered and died the death of a criminal (like we are)…even though He was innocent and positively holy.

And why is it important that we know that “ it is finished”?

Because it is not according to our works that we are saved, or sanctified….it is according to His.

      (Yes, we must enter into His provision….but that is by receiving HIm as Lord and Savior,… and obeying Him…in the faith and grace He gives us!  Amazing!)

Paul (I believe he is the writer to Hebrews) was telling those Jewish Christians that though they were going through persecution and trials….yet Jesus had paid the full price for the grace that they needed to live by faith,….like  Able, Enoch, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, etc.

      And he goes on to tell them that they (we) are more blessed because we have seen the promise of His sacrificial death and resurrection….and the power of it in our lives!

Therefore,  we are to live by faith…and finish the faith chapter.   Our lives are being recorded….everyday faith,  extraordinary faith,  moving faith,  praying faith,  and faith by our works, which is by His grace by the Holy Spirit through us!

“God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.”

Hebrews 11:40

      Perfect here means complete….the faith chapter will not be complete till the whole church… and even those saved and set aside in the Tribulation period…will finish and manifest the faith and grace He gives us.

The first song in Heaven will be:

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power:  for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”

For us, in eternity past, He has planned and purposed….and He has sent His blessed Holy Spirit that we should have a Person of the Godhead with us,……shall we not do all His Purpose?

      Shall we not diligently,  joyfully, see to His Will for us, day by day….even as these heroes did by the faith the Lord Jesus Christ gives us?

      They looked forward to Christ,….we look back….but it is the look of faith toward Him, that counts.

Should we not be for Him, what He has made us?       For He has made us joint-heirs with Him….giving grace and glory to us…as we follow His Will, by faith.

1 Peter 4:1-2, 7 “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh,  arm yourselves likewise with the same mind:  for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

      That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh   to the lusts of men, but to the Will of God.

      But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

He is coming again….first, in the air to take HIs church with HIm to heaven.   

      Then in power and glory as the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords to put down all evil and reign forever!   

Let us live by faith….read His Word, and listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our days ahead…

…that it might be said of us also:

Hebrews 11:33 “Who through faith subdued kingdoms,    wrought righteousness,   obtained promises,   stopped the mouths of lions,”

“….but the people that know their God shall be strong and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32)

The Ark of God. 

                 

             There are three Arks in scripture:

First: 

Genesis 7:1 “And the Lord said unto Noah,  come thou and all thy house into the Ark;  for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation.”

Noah’s Ark proclaimed salvation from the wrath to come, upon the whole world, because of the wickedness and violence of man.   

Genesis 6:5, 11 “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,  and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

                     The earth also was corrupt before God;  and the earth was filled with violence.”

“Imagination” here means desires and plans….they were always planning some new way of hurting others,  gaining from someone else, or destroying something.  

Even the earth was becoming spoiled, and wasted.

[God had set a way to meet with Him, in sacrifice as Abel had (Genesis 4:4),  but they had refused it.

God had warned Enoch, and he had been a preacher to his generation (Jude 14-15).

And when Enoch was translated…for he “walked with God, and was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24)….they knew what had happened…..but still resisted the Holy Spirit.]

Genesis 6:3 “And the Lord said,  My Spirit shall not always strive with man,  for that he also is flesh:  yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.”

Twenty years later God called Noah to build an Ark…(he had found grace in the eyes of the Lord Genesis 6:8)….

[It is interesting to note:  he “found grace”….maybe he had thought to follow the world too,  yet was convicted of the Holy Spirit,  and found grace?]

Noah built and preached for one hundred years to the mockers, and people who came to watch.   (2 Peter 2:5, Hebrews 11:7)

He preached as he brought the animals….a miracle before the people, as well….yet they refused God’s Word.

The Ark was given as a beacon: a  revelation to man that God was not mocked (Galatians 6:7-8)……

And a light…..He set a way of salvation,  in the Ark,  to the world from this destruction…..if they would turn,  hear,  and believe it.

The Ark saved all who entered into it…through rain, flood, and decay;  yet all inside were safe…till they came out into a new, clean earth,  one year, and two months later…(Genesis 8:13-17).

So our Great Ark, Jesus Christ is preached to a lost and dying world…Come and enter into life….in Him.

Acts 4:12 “Neither is their salvation in any other:  for there is none other Name under heaven given among men,  whereby we must be saved.”

Second:

Exodus 2:3 “And when she could no longer hide him (Moses), she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein;  and she laid it in the flags by the river’s (Nile’s) bank.”

Moses’ ark of bulrushes…. to save one soul, from the most powerful man in the known world.

We need to first remember, that at that time,   Pharaoh had planned to kill all the male Hebrew children, because the Israelites were multiplying…and he was afraid of an uprising.   

They were often killed,  by throwing them into the Nile.

Exodus 1:22 “And Pharoah charged all his people, saying,   Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river,  and every daughter ye shall save alive.”

So his mother made a ark of bulrushes,  and sent him into the same river that the children had been drowned…hoping no one would hear his crying…and set his sister to watch out for him.

We know the rest:  the daughter of Pharaoh saw the ark, and when she opened it….God moved her heart to have compassion on a child her father would have killed. (Exodus 2:5-6)

Moses was to grow up, and was called to be the leader of God’s People to deliver them from Pharaoh, and Egypt’s slavery, by obedience to God.

To lead them to the land promised Abraham and his children. (Hebrews 11:23-29)

 [We, too, are like babes in this world of cruelty and anger,  but kept safe in the arms of Jesus]

This Ark saved a single soul, and was a hiding place in the storm of fear, and death.

So Christ Jesus came to save all who would shelter in Him…”whosoever will” (John 3:16)

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded,  that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come.

                Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,  which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:55, 57 “O death, where is thy sting?   O grave, where is thy victory?

                But thanks be to God,  which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Third:

The Ark of the Covenant, which was to lead His people, and be the gathering place for the worship of God.

Exodus 25:10-11, 17-18, 21 “And they shall make an Ark of shittim wood:….

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,  within and without shall thou over lay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

                    And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold:….And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold,  of beaten work shalt thou make them,  in the two ends of the mercy seat.

                    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.”

It was the presence of God in the midst of His people.  (The Tabernacle was actually set up in the middle of the camp…with three tribes on each side.)

Exodus 25:22 “And there I will meet with thee,  and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat,  from between the two cherubim which are upon the Ark of the testimony,…”

The Ark of the testimony was wood…a picture of Christ’s humanity;  and overlaid within and without with gold….a picture of Christ’s Divinity, within and without…even when He was the Son of Man,  He was the Son of God.

The mercy seat was all gold.  It was the lid of the Ark.  

It had two cherubim on it.   One on each side, looking down to the center.  Their  wings covering them. 

The center of the mercy seat was the place where all looked to pray….and where the blood of the atonement was poured out.

Leviticus 16:14, 30 “And he shall take of the blood of the bullock,  and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward;  and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.  

                   For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you,  to cleanse you,  that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.”

In the Ark, was the two tables of stone on which the Law had been inscribed, sheltered under the blood.

The Ark lead them from Sinai, to the Promised land:

Numbers 10:35-36 “And it came to pass, when the Ark set forward,  that Moses said,  Rise up, Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.

                   And when it rested,  he said,  Return, O Lord,  unto the many thousands of Israel.”

The Ark lead them through Jordon, and around Jericho to victory. (Joshua 3:11,  Joshua 6:11)

And came to rest in Canaan, first in Shiloh; and then in Jerusalem, under king David, where all were to gather for worship at least seven times a year (the feast days).

All are a picture of Christ, and His work as Lord and Savior:

First, as a Light to the world……for all who will come and believe:

Acts 17:30-31 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at;  but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:

                 Because He hath appointed a day,  in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained;  whereof He hath given assurance unto all men,  in that He hath raised Him from the dead.”

Christ is presented as the Savior from sin…..if they will come to Him.

Second, as a Personal Lord and Savior:

Romans 5:8, 11 “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,  Christ died for us.  

                 And not only so,  but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  by Whom we have now received the atonement

Third, as our  Center and Guide:

                 He leads us through “rivers, battles, and gives us rest”:

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou shalt go:  I will guide thee with Mine eye.”

Isaiah 43:2 “When thou passes through the waters,  I will be with thee;  and through the rivers,  they shall not overflow thee:  when thou walkest through the fire,  thou shalt not be burned;  neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

The Arks of the Old Testament showed what the Lord would do for all who came to Him,  and put their trust in Him.  

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not;  for I am with thee:  be not dismayed;  for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee,  yea,  I will help thee;  yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.”

Are you sheltered in Christ Jesus?   Are you following His guidance?