2 Corinthians 5:7 “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

True sight requires two things.   Eyes that see,  and light to be able to see.

As our eyes see things in front of us,  and transpose them into our minds in pictures….so faith, which looks to God,  sees HIm….and transposes Him and His character into our hearts, minds and wills….as we yield to the Light shone.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Honesty is essential to spiritual growth.   We must come to the Light,  and stay in the Light,  and obey the Light.

         Remember the woman taken in adultery….she was the only one to stay before the Lord, and hear His judgment….the others left.  (John 8:1-12)  She also was the only one to be forgiven.

We need to get honest with God, and with ourselves.

        And the Word of God,  His scriptures, are our mirror to look into,  and the Holy Spirit is the Light to shine on us,  to show us how we are, and what we are doing.

James 1:22-25 “But be ye doers of the Word,  and not hearers only,  deceiving your own selves.

         For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

         For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

         But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,  and continueth therein,  he being not a forgetful hearer,  but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

What is it that this man looks into….and continues therein?    The perfect law of liberty….or the Word of God.

Notice it calls the Word,  the perfect law of liberty.    

         Many people who have not much experience with the greatness and goodness in the scriptures,  might disagree.         They might say that there are too many rules,  too many requirements to be a source of liberty.

But true spiritual freedom comes with our moving further and further away from sin, and its power…..and closer and closer to Christ Jesus our Lord.

        And the greatest means of doing this,  is the Word of God.   Reading it and praying over it,  to get the sweetness from it.

Psalm 119:18 “Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.

        I am a stranger in the earth:  hide not Thy commandments from me.”

How many times we feel a “stranger in the earth”…..not sure of where we are heading,  or what we are to be doing about it.

We need the doctrine that drops like rain.

Deuteronomy 32:2 “My doctrine shall drop as the rain,  My speech shall distil as the dew,  as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:”

Rain in scripture is from the Lord.   The Lord promised the early rain and the latter rain for crops and refreshing in Israel. (Hosea 6:3)

And so He promises His Word for accomplishing what He pleases.

Isaiah 55:10-11 “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither,  but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud,  that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

        So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth:  it shall not return unto Me void,  but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

When we see by faith the Lord….then His likeness is impressed upon our consciousness….and we are “changed into the same image”.   

        His character is implanted within us by the Holy Spirit at new birth….but this “changing”  is by seeing the light of His character, and yielding to it…at the moment we see it,  so that we are made (molded) into HIs example, then.

Faith is our spiritual eyes to see what God’s Will is. 

       Faith reflects what it sees in the Lord, back into our minds and hearts…

……and the  Word of God enlightens our Way, giving a cleansing and refreshing effect by “the washing of the water by the Word.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)

For we walk by faith, not by sight…means that we keep ourselves in the Light of His Word,

…..and keep ourselves  ever looking to Christ Jesus,   yielding  to the change the Lord will make by His cleansing from sin, and self…

….and by the refreshing rain of doctrine,  by the understanding given by His Holy Spirit.

Rain 

Hosea 6:3 “Then shall we know,  if we follow on to know the Lord:  His going forth is prepared as the morning;  and He shall come unto us as the rain,  as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”

Christ Jesus, when He comes to us by the influence of the Holy Spirit, is like a shower of rain, to a dry and thirsty ground.

When we are without Jesus in our lives, our hearts are hard, and nothing seems to soften them or make an impression on them.

(We may feel many emotions….which come and go….bring thoughts to lift or depress…..but our hearts are not softened by them….only used like a sponge….fluid in and out….never becoming the fruitful garden full of beauty and usefulness to the Lord.)

When we are born again….the Holy Spirit comes within us…..like a gentle rain, He softens us…..to feel the impressions of the Word of God for our lives.

But when we fall into sin after becoming Christians,(and sadly this can happen)…..we can again become “hardened”.     

So we need to turn to Him again, and pray for showers of His mercy and grace to come to us, and soften our hearts in repentance,  and cleansing in His blood.

Wherever Christ comes,  the rain of the Holy Spirit and of grace, comes to our souls;…..and we are turned into a well watered land.  

Fruitful and beautiful, for we drink Him in;…..and by His Spirit’s influence, we are changed little by little,  into His character.

As rain is a free gift of God to the earth……to poor and rich alike, the rain falls.

So Christ is offered to all who will receive Him.

The rain is most necessary to all the parts of the plants:  roots, trunk, branches,  leaves, and blossom.

So Christ is necessary to every part of us:  our understanding,  our will, our emotions, and our memories.

        He strengthens us in good things, and enlivens us as we grow.  

        He increases our peace, and love for Him and others.  

        He preserves us within, by His Spirit; and without, by HIs Word.

As rain sometimes comes amid thunderstorms, as well as the gentle warm rain;  so  Christ comes to us to warn us, as well as to encourage us.

As rain satisfies the dry earth,  so Christ comes and satisfies us.

He gives us the fruit of His Spirit within us.

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

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

Psalm 16:11 “Thou wilt show me the path of life:  in Thy presence is fullness of joy;  at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

If we follow on to know the Lord,…..He will come unto us as the rain,  the former and latter rain,  upon the dryness of our souls.

To obey is better than sacrifice

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.”

              Any and all sacrifices….which are not followed with obedience,  are worthless.    Obedience is the measuring rod that shows how fervent we are and how much we love our Lord.

John 14:15 “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”

            (I was once going to have a message about the “fat of the sacrifices”.    God always required it to be burnt up to Him….as a sweet savor.   

            Leviticus 3:15-16 “And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them….shall he take away.   And the priests shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savor:  all the fat is the Lord’s”

            Fat is one of the  means of showing how well the animal was cared for….and the inward fat was prized….for it was the purest and sweetest)

            Samuel said that whole burnt offerings and sacrifices are not as loved by the Lord as simply obeying the Lord’s Word.

            Samuel said that the sweet savor of fat,  burnt up to the Lord,  is not as pleasing to Him,  as hearkening….or inclining our ears to hear HIs Word, and do it.

Obedience, then,  is required of the servants of God.

God has revealed no purpose to save any….except those,  when they hear the gospel,  obey it.

Acts 5:30-32 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

            Him hath God exalted with HIs right hand to be a Prince and a Savior,  for to give repentance to Israel, a forgiveness of sins.

           And we (Peter and John before the counsel) are His witnesses of these things;  and so is also the Holy Ghost,    Whom God hath given  to  them  that  obey  HIm.”

If we want to please the Lord….we need to obey Him and His Word to us.

          We often think a “general” obedience is good enough…but it is not.    To be well-pleasing to Christ Jesus and HIs Purpose for us,  we need to do what we are told,…personally, daily.

If we would get obedient….really diligently seek HIs Will and obey Him….we would begin to feel some of that religious fervor we are in need of.

Back to Samuel….and what he said to Saul, the king of Israel, when he refused to do completely what God had said.

           What had God said?    

1 Samuel 15:3 “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.”

        (  The Amalek’s were the people that had “laid in wait for Israel” when they had come from Egypt….and had come up behind them and sneekily killed the slowest and weakest among Israel.   

          Now God would judge them,  and destroy them, using Saul and Israel’s army.)

But what did Saul do?

1 Samuel 15:19 “Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord,  but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?”

Spoil…something taken to enrich the victors. 

         There was to be no spoil….only a judgment of God…which said…..”I remember what you did to My people.   Vengeance is mine,  I will repay.”

Saul had taken the king of the Amaleks for a trophy…..as other kings did.    Saul and the people had taken the best of the flocks and herds to enrich themselves.   And a few for sacrifice to God.

God had wanted a clear judgment….nothing was to be saved or left.   

          They were to clearly show that this was a judgment from God….not a taking of land or goods in battle.

God does not need the flocks or herds of enemies…..the sacrifices to God were to be from the Israelites flocks and herds….their own herds,  not what was taken in battle.    

Psalm 50:13-14 “Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

          Offer unto God thanksgiving;  and pay thy vows unto the most High:”

Proverbs 21:3 “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”

The sacrifices were to point to Jesus Christ….sacrifices which were to be from the heart, counting the cost….but gladly paying it,  for His sake.,…from their own flocks and herds.

Isaiah was another prophet which spoke of sacrifices…and obedience:

Isaiah 1:11, 16-17, 19 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? Saith the Lord:…

         Wash you, make you clean;  put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes;  cease to do evil;

         Learn to do well;  seek judgment, relieve the oppressed,  judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

         If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found,  call ye upon HIm while He is near:

         Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:  and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

Jeremiah said:

Jeremiah 7:22-23 “For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

          But this thing commanded I them, saying,  Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

When John the Baptist came to Israel, to prepare the way for the Messiah….his message was simple:

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

Repent….change the way you are doing things…and be baptized as a sign that you have repented.

Luke 3:10 “And the people asked him saying,   What shall we do then?”    

This is exactly what we should be asking the Lord….what shall we do then?   

        Maybe we have done what we thought was right….

…..and maybe we know we have not been “completely” obedient….

…..then seek ye the Lord,  and find out what needs to be repented of….and prepare ourselves for the Lord’s blessing.

You will notice…the things John the Baptist said were very practical.

He did not speak of more sacrifices,  or better ones….

…….but of giving to the poor,    don’t cheat,     do no violence,  do not speak lies about others (Luke 3:11, 13-14).

He spoke….of doing the what the commandments really spoke of….Obeying and loving God….and thy neighbor.

To obey is better than sacrifice….because obeying is the bowing of our hearts, reasons, and actions to our God.

Christ Jesus deserves our best.  

           Will there be sacrifices we must make?   Yes,  for we are called to place ourselves on the altar to Him.

           But He looks to the heart in all we do….

…for obedience in the Greek means:  believingly doing what we are told.

In other words,  to obey HIs Voice to us, through the Holy Spirit and HIs Word.  Let us repent of anything that needs to be seen to,  and get up and follow HIm,  wholly.

The Name of the Lord 

Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower:  the righteous runneth into it,  and is safe.”

We tried to think of all the names of God, the other night;  and there are just too many….

Jesus, Jehovah, Christ,  Adoni,  Almighty , Shield,  Banner,  the God of all grace, the God of peace,  the Branch,  the Rock,  my Shepherd, Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord will provide), the Lord of Hosts, the Way, the Light, the Truth, Counselor, Mediator, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, etc.

But the Name of God, given in scripture at a particular time,  or for a particular situation…….is a promise, of what He will do in this situation.

Jehovah means the Eternal,  Ever existing, Becoming One….the Eternal God becomes our need.

(In the Old Testament:

Jehovah is linked to many adjectives:  Jehovah-Nissi (the Lord our banner), Jehovah-Rapha (the Lord that heals),  Jehovah-Shammah (the Lord is there), etc.

And in the New Testament:

Jesus Christ says:  I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,   I am the Light of the world,  I am the bread of life, I am the door,  I am the good Shepherd, etc.

Jehovah is Christ.)

An example of God, sharing His Name…..and Abraham running into it for safety:

Genesis 15:1 “After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying,  Fear not, Abram:  I am thy Shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”

This was said to Abram (Abraham) after a great battle with four kings, to rescue Lot, his nephew. (Genesis 14:9-15)

Lot had been taken captive from Sodom, when four powerful kings attacked a confederacy of kings,  which included Sodom’s king.

The confederacy which included Sodom’s king, was beaten back,….the city had been sacked,…..and Lot had been taken.

When news came to Abraham,  he gathered three hundred and eighteen of his trained men,……and went after them.

Abraham’s troop came upon them at night, where he divided his men into two groups….each coming on the opposite side.    

They rescued Lot and the other captives, and the goods stolen….quite a large amount of it,  and brought them back to a valley outside of Sodom.

There the king of Sodom went out to meet them, and told Abraham to take the goods (gold, silver, etc);  and he, the king of Sodom, would take the people back.

But Abraham spoke out boldly here:

Genesis 14:22-24 “And Abram said unto the king of Sodom,  I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord,  the Most High God,  the possessor of heaven and earth,

                     That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet,  and that I will not take anything that is thine,  lest thou shouldest say,  I have made Abram rich:

                      Save only that which the young men have eaten,  and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre;  let them take their portion.”

“I will not take a thread or even a shoelace from you.   The young men that went with me….they may take a portion….I will not speak for them;  but as for me, I have sworn to the Lord, my God….the Most High God,  that I will not take anything from you.”

The king of Sodom was a powerful man in those parts…..but God was Abraham’s portion…..His Word was Abraham’s guide.

Psalm 16:5 “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:  Thou maintainest  my lot.”

Then….”after these things”:

God speaks to Abraham, telling him of a new way in which he could think about His Might, for himself….

God said, “I am thy Shield” 

Abraham might be concerned about reprisals from the kings he had fought….but God would shield him.

(fourteen times the name Shield is used in Psalms)

Psalm 3:3 “But Thou,  O Lord,  art a shield for me;  my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”

Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield;  my heart trusteth in Him, and I am helped:  therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth;  and with my song will I praise Him.”

God said, “I am thy exceeding great reward”

Abraham did not need gold or silver from the wicked king of Sodom….for God was His portion.  

Paul writes about the riches of God for us:

Romans 11:33 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgements,  and His Ways past finding out!

Ephesians 1:7 “In Whom we have redemption through His blood, and forgiveness of sins,  according to the riches of His grace,”

Ephesians 3:8 “Unto me whom am less than the least of all saints,  is this grace given,  that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”

Ephesians 3:16 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,  to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;”

He is all we need, and He promises to be what we need:

Proverbs 18:10 “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower:  the righteous runneth into it,  and is safe.”

His Name not only protects….but lifts us up from the situation we are in,  by faith,…..to see, what He sees…..He is a “strong tower”…..for His name show us what He is to us.

And the best thing we can do is….run into Him….and be safe.

After godliness

Titus 1:1-4  “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 

         In hope of eternal life,  which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

         But hath in due times manifested HIs Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior.

         To Titus, mine own son after the common faith:  Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Timothy and Titus are the pastoral epistles.   They were sent to churches which were already established….to exhort and edify them in the practical doctrine of godliness.

Godliness in both epistles means piety….the practical living as if you belonged to Christ Jesus the Lord.

Titus is an interesting person….he is first seen in the letter to the Galatians, where he is mentioned as an helper to Paul.  (Galatians 2:1, 3)

        Titus is a Gentile,  a Greek,  led to the Lord through Paul.   After his conversion, he was called to preach and followed Paul to Jerusalem when the discussion about Gentiles….and what they needed to do to be part of the church was addressed.

        There at Jerusalem, was the prayer and discussion about the Gentile converts….Titus being one of them.

         Should they follow the Mosaic Law?   What exactly should these Gentile Christians do?

         It was decided that nothing needed to be added to them….but that they should be set aside from pollution.

        In other words….they should be godly.

And this is the stress of Paul’s letters to both Titus and Timothy…both pastoral epistles.

        Timothy was sent to Ephesus to set up the order of the church…and follow up with the exhortations Paul had given them.

        He was a shy and retired person, and Paul exhorts Timothy to be diligent and bold in dealing with this church….and setting things in the order so they can carry on the work, themselves. 

       2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;  but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

       1 Timothy 4:1-3 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,…

Preach the Word;  be instant in season, out of season;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

       For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;…”

Titus….who was sent to Crete, for a short while,  to see to the Christians there…for they had become lazy in following the doctrine of sanctification….and had let in some who believed that the spirit was the only thing that needed to be godly….the body could sin.

Titus 1:10-12 “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers,…

        ….whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not,…

         One of themselves,…said,  The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts (following their own desires), slow bellies (slow to understand and assimilate truth).”

Paul had visited Crete after his release from prison the first time….taking Titus with him.   Paul left him there to finish what he could not,  being called on to other places.

Both deal with godliness….”acknowledging the truth after godliness”.    

         Which means that when we receive the truth….we are to put it into practice.

Both deal with the older men and women:

“That the aged men be sober…sound in faith, in charity…

“That the aged women…be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers,.. 

and younger men and women….to be discreet, love their husbands and wives,  to love their children…

…in all things showing a pattern of good works….

….in doctrine showing sincerity.    (Titus 2:2-8)

And the importance in seeking after godliness is:

            Titus 2:13-14 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;

            Who gave Himself for us,  that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

            (peculiar here means superlative…or beyond normal.    Our good works should be beyond the normal kindnesses of people….for they should have the love of God in them.   We are a superlative people…those whose privilege it is to do good…for Christ’s sake.)

            In a world that still says,  “…that gain is godliness”…let us show that:

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Let us acknowledge the truth which is after godliness….living, practically,  that truth….and looking for Christ’s soon return.

Isaiah’s Call 

Isaiah 6:1-2 “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne,  high and lifted up,  and His train filled the temple.

                       Above it stood the seraphims:  each one had six wings,  with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet,  and with twain he did fly.”

This was some sight!  But it was not Isaiah’s call.

Isaiah was, most believe, a nephew of king Uzziah.   He was often at court, and prophesied during the reign of four kings.  

The royal family was allowed to go  into the Holy Place, although they could not officiate at the golden altar.

(Isaiah writes of Christ Jesus as a suffering Savior, as well as the exalted Lord;  and is quoted more often than any other prophet, in the New Testament.

He preached about a hundred years before Judah was taken into captivity for their sins;…….although he preached that it would happen, if they would not change their ways, and do as the Lord commanded them.)

Before this vision of God, Isaiah had preached against the sins of Judah. 

Though they had the Temple and they were still performing the outward duties…some with great show (Isaiah 1:11-13);  

…..yet it was just that…an elaborate show. (“The multitude of your sacrifices”)

The Lord had spoken to him about all of this.    God wanted the people to do what the law set forth:

“Wash you,  make you clean; put away the evil of your doings….Learn to do well;  relieve the oppressed,…

(And the most important…) Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:…” (Isaiah 1:16-18)

Isaiah saw the people ruined by twisting the Word of God.

“Woe unto them that call evil good,  and good evil;  that put darkness for light, and light for darkness….that are wise in their own eyes,…that are mighty to drink wine,…which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!….

….because the have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts,  and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 5:20-24)

Yet, Isaiah had not much success in his preaching.   Some believe he was dejected by the indifference to God’s message.

(And perhaps there are some who are saddened by the lack of seeming success in their ministry….go to God,  talk to Him about it, honestly….and let Him speak to you.)

Going into the temple, he sees the Lord,  high and lifted up on a throne.  

(This is actually a vision of Christ Jesus on the throne,  as John 12:41 tells us)

He saw the seraphims, in their proper place of reverence….and he heard their cry:

Isaiah 6:3-4 “And one cried unto another, and said,   Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts;  the whole earth is full of his glory.

                       And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”

You might think that he would have been rejoicing to see such a vision.

But…

When this happens,  Isaiah,….a spiritual man….one which wanted to honor the Lord….

…gets a good look at his own heart.

Perhaps, Isaiah saw that he too,  was not without selfishness or pride….

And he cries, “Woe is me!  For I am undone;”.    

“I have been brought to silence….before our Holy God.

All my words,  which I spoke…which were right and good…nevertheless they have brought me into judgement.   I am guilty, for I am not worthy to speak for the Lord.”

And the reason he knows this?  Because Isaiah was spiritual.     “For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”  

All he has done……is nothing in front of such a King!

He saw the Lord upon a throne—a throne of glory:    think of the light that was shown Isaiah….

……before which Isaiah bowed his heart.

A throne of government: kings come and go,…….but The Lord is always in charge.

A throne of grace:   And Isaiah is about to find that out   (remember this is the Lord Jesus, Isaiah is seeing).

Isaiah 6:6-7 “Then flew one of the seraphims unto me,  having a live coal in his hand,  which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

                         And he laid it upon my mouth, and said,  Lo, this hath touch thy lips;  and thine iniquity is taken away,  and thy sin purged.”

( It was said of Jesus,   Matthew 3:11 “…He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”)

Depressed and discouraged, Isaiah came to the Temple, and met The Lord….and repented of his own sins.

(This is what the Lord Jesus requires of all of us…..repentance and faith…for ourselves.   Getting right with God ourselves….then giving His Word…faithfully.)

He had heard God’s message to Israel,……and spoke it faithfully.

But now…under convictions from his own sins….

…..he is given the opportunity to know the Lord of Glory’s mercy and grace….for himself.

And then is empowered by that grace….to show this for his people.

Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying,   Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?    Then said I,   Here am I;  send me.”

Here is the call of Isaiah.   “Who will go for us?”

And he answers.  “Here, I give You myself; do as You will;…..send me.”

Then, and only then,  the Lord gives Isaiah the general message of his preaching.   There might be specifics which would be added,  but the general message was:

Isaiah 6:9-10 “And He said, Go, and tell this people,  Hear ye indeed, but understand not;  and see indeed, but perceive not.

                         And make the heart of this people fat,  and make their ears heavy,  and shut their eyes;  lest they see with their eyes,  and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts,  and convert,  and be healed.”

                          

The Lord warned Isaiah what would happen when he spoke to them…..

As Isaiah would tell the people what God said,…….their eyes would glaze over,…….their ears would feel like they were going drop off,

…..their minds would quote the promises God has given…..

…..but refuse His threatenings….

The people would refuse the message, and be hardened in heart.  

And if they chose this,  God would let them be blind. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

(It was a picture of what happened when the Lord of Glory came to earth as man.   Matt 13:14-15, Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, John 12:38-41)

How sad that we forget that God is as faithful to His threatenings, as He is His promises.

Isaiah 6:11 “Then said I,    Lord, how long?…”.    

“How long will Your message be rejected before You act?”

In fact Isaiah was to die before it happened.  

          For over fifty years he was to preach and prophesy tirelessly to Judah.  

Most believe that Hezekiah’s son,  Manasseh, had him killed because of his preaching against the wickedness and idolatry that Manasseh set up.

He had seen the King, the Lord of Glory, high and lifted up,….

…..yet spoke of Him in His most humble state (Isaiah 53), in poetic beauty.   

He was the one to tell of the Lord being born of a virgin.

He followed the Lord’s calling to the end; and manifested Christ’s coming again and again….both in humility, and in power.

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given,  and the government shall be upon His shoulder,  and His name shall be called….

                       Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end,  upon the throne of David,  and upon his kingdom,  to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even forever.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.”

Isaiah 40:10, 25, 28 “Behold, the Lord will come with strong hand,  and His arm shall rule for Him:  behold, His reward is with Him,  and His Work before Him.

                                     To whom then will ye liken Me,  or I shall I be equal?  Saith the Holy One.

                                       Hast thou not known?  Hast thou not heard,  that the Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,  fainteth not,  neither is weary?  There is no searching of His understanding.”

Yet he also spoke a word to the remnant of true believers;  encouraging them in to hang on and obey their God.

Isaiah 41:9-10 “Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,  and called thee from the chief men thereof,  and said unto thee,  Thou art My servant;  I have chosen thee,  and not cast thee away.

                             Fear thou not;  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.”

This has been a long message, and how many of us would say,  “If only we could hear the Lord, as he did….then I could do anything for the Lord…”

But He is the King, the Lord of Glory…High and lifted up.  

He is speaking today, not in the same way as He did to Isaiah….

…but He is still calling,  “Whom shall I send?  Who will go for us?”

If you have heard His call?   What is your answer?

He has a message for me,  He has one for you….but are we hearing it?

To be Saved,  Spirit,  Soul, and Body 

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;  and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            Faithful is He that calleth you,  Who also will do it.”

He is faithful….this is a wonderful name of our Lord Jesus.

Faithful here means to be trustworthy….like a parent who builds us up…we can trust ourselves to Him….and His guidance….for He wants the best for us.

All He does, is with the view in mind, to make us….and give us…all He has for us.

While we are body, soul, and spirit (this is the way we see ourselves,….

……although you will note: that He says spirit, soul and body)……we can not really separate one from the other….

What we feel in our emotions….we often show on our faces.    What we think, we often express in words.

But there is a complete salvation:  spirit, soul, and body.

We are body, soul and spirit….even when we are lost.  Our spirit is darkened, and we are alone.

But when we are born again….the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit,…comes into our spirit….and implants a new nature….God’s nature;  and gives us faith, and grace.

Then, everything changes.

Before we lived from the outward in….

…..things influencing us from our bodies:  

what we see,  what we hear,  what we smell, what we feel….all influence our souls…..and our soul’s reaction to them.

(Our souls are our minds….thoughts and reasons;   Our hearts….emotions and affections;   Our wills….which is the action part of us….for what we will, we do.)

But when we are born again,  we live from the inside out:

The Holy Spirit, in our spirit….which is now enlightened and empowered by faith and grace….

….presses against our souls….our minds,  our hearts affection and emotion, and our wills…

….to work out His Will and Word to us.

This “working out” changes our character into the character of Christ.

For God has placed within us a new nature…..a new disposition.

And we express our character through our bodies.

We are drawn to the things of God….we are interested in His Word….we are desirous of fellowship with others who love the Lord.

Philippians 2:12-13 “Wherefore, my beloved,  as ye have always obeyed,  not as in my presence only,  but now much more in my absence,  work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:

              For it is God Who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

This working out is from the spirit to the body….because of the Atonement of Christ….

Because of what Christ did….and Who He is to us (our Lord and Savior)….we can claim the full salvation of us.

He saves us spiritually,  when we are born again.

        He is faithful….He will never let us go….nor let any pluck us from His hand.

        John 10:28 “And I give unto them eternal life;  and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.”

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

He saves our souls,….our minds from the world’s thoughts and opinions;  our hearts from inordinate affections,  and our wills from stubbornness and going our own way…

……as we yield to the Holy Spirit’s authority over our lives.

        First, in denying our self life, our habits, our opinions, our plans, our associates….(all of this is taking away the old….putting off)

Colossians 3:9 “Lie not one to another,  seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds,”

        

       Second, by taking on the character of Christ…by using the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)….that the Holy Spirit works within us (remember, now that we are born again,  we grow from inward to outward….yet all of us is saved)

Love,….when we would prefer not to 

(and love is in the active noun….not some nice, sweet, thought that never transfers to work)

Joy, which is the Presence of God in my life….even amid trials and tribulations.

Patience, when we would normally get frustrated…or run ahead.

Peace, when we would normally be in turmoil.

Yes, these and all the rest….can….will….be worked in our spirits, then our characters……through our bodies….by the Holy Spirit of God!

1 Corinthians 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God,  and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

Do I pay any attention that my body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost?….the place where He is working?

Or do I think of Him as “a Roomer”;  one which has a room in my house, but that is all?

When Jesus Christ came to earth,….very God and very man….He was filled with the Holy Spirit,……

….because that is what we need….and He was an example in all things.

After that, every day was a day to work, to teach, to witness, to rebuke, to heal…

….yet everyday was filled with the ordinary things of walking, talking, eating, and praying.

His life was the template of the life God has for us….

…are we ready to be saved….spirit,….soul,…and body….and manifest Christ’s character through us?

Shadrach,  Meshach, and Abed-nego 

Daniel 3:1 “Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was three score cubits,  and his breadth thereof six cubits:  he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.”

We are all inclined to “success, and praise”.   Nebuchadnezzar was.   He had been given a interpretation of a dream by Daniel which spoke of himself as a “golden head”. (Daniel 2:37-38)

He then sought to show everyone, just how great he was.  The “golden head”, became a golden statue.

And now everyone gathered,……..and especially his princes, and people placed in authority, was to bow down to it!

Daniel 3:4-6 “Then a herald cried aloud,  To you it is commanded,  O people, nations, and languages,  

        That at what time ye hear the sound of……all kinds of music,  ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

        And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

But there were three Godly men, who had been appointed into positions of authority in Babylon, who did not bow to his image.  Their names were: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

       It was not that they did not respect the king,  but they were to worship one God, only.    So they could not bow down to any other “god”.

But, because of their positions,…..others are more than ready to accuse them before the king.

Daniel 3:12 “There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of Babylon,  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and Abed-nego;  these men, O king,  have not regarded thee:  they serve not thy gods,  nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar, knowing the jealousy of princes when they inform on one another,  gives these men another chance to bow down to his image.

Daniel 3:14-15 “Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them,  Is it true  O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abend-nego?  Do not ye serve my gods,  nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

          Now if ye be ready at what time ye hear the sound of…..all kinds of music,  ye fall down and worship the image that I have made;  well:   

          but if ye worship not,  ye shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace;  

          And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand?”

Now here is a trial, which we, as Christians, often face:  

       Should we go along with the world in certain things?  

       Should we sacrifice our position, to honor the Lord?

Surely, we can do “good” in a position of authority;……..so, should we jeopardize it for God?

       Does it matter, if it is in a minor thing?  

Yes, every Christian knows the answers to these questions;  yet how often do we follow through,…..especially when it is going to cost us something?

These men were not only going to lose their positions,….but they were going to lose their lives.  And in a very terrible way…to burn to death!

Nebuchadnezzar was making it very clear where he stood:  Honor me or die; because “your God can not deliver you from my hand”.  (Boy, was he wrong!)

Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,  answered and said unto the king,  O Nebuchadnezzar,  we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

          If it be so,  our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace,  and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king.

         But if not,  be it known unto thee,  O king,  that we will not serve thy gods,  nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

But these three Israelites were also making it very clear where they stood:  with God, “their God”.

They said they “were not careful to answer” him.   

        Simply put, they did not care about his threats, or actions against them,……if it meant dishonoring their God, the real true God.

And further, they said, that God would deliver them,  whether by death or some other way.  

       But what ever happens,  they would not worship Nebuchadnezzar’s gods, nor bow down to the golden image.

That would dishonor their God.

Daniel 3:19, 21  “Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury,……therefore he spake,  and commanded that  they should heat the furnace one seven times more that it was wont to be heated.

          Then these men were bound in their coats, and their hose, and their hats,  and their other garments,  and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”

Furious,  Nebuchadnezzar told his men to heat the furnace seven times hotter than previously!  

        It was so hot that when the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego , into the furnace;  they died from the heat!

         (Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t so sure of himself.  Perhaps their God would be able to deliver them, after all.)

Daniel 3:24-25 “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished,  and rose up in haste,  and spake,  and said unto his counselors,   Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?   They answered and said unto the king,   True, O king.

          He answered and said,   Lo,  I see four men loose,  walking in the midst of the fire,  and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

While waiting for them to disappear from view, Nebuchadnezzar gets surprised by the men, up and walking in the furnace.

But there were four men walking there.   And one was like to the Son of God.

This is an amazing sight.  But unlike the others, Nebuchadnezzar saw the truth, and acknowledged it.

          He did not try to ignore it, and say:  “No, I will not believe that there is this kind of power, which can withstand me, and my fiery furnace!  I will close my eyes to this, and let them burn.”   

He did not do this.   He saw,……and he acknowledged,…..and then he believed.

Some men refuse the truth right before them.  They refuse to see, and will not acknowledge God’s Authority.   

         He can, and does what He will, with His own.  

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego knew this.

Now Nebuchadnezzar does, too.

Daniel 3:26-27 “Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace,  and spake,  and said,   Shadrach,  Meshach,  and Abed-nego,  ye servants of the Most High God,  come forth,  and come hither.  Then Shadrach,  Meshach,  and Abed-nego,  came forth of the midst of the fire.

             And the princes, and the governors,  and captains,  and the kings counselors,  being gathered together,  saw these men,  upon whose bodies the fire had no power,  nor was a hair of their head singed,  neither were their coats changed,  nor the smell of the fire had passed upon them.”

There was no smell of smoke; nor was there burnt clothing on them.  God had not only brought the men through……but also everything of theirs was without hurt, as well.

Nebuchadnezzar was changed;  though not completely purged from self-honor, yet.

But he honored the God which could deliver them.

        For he said (and he was talking about his own gods, as well): “because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.”

Daniel 3:28 “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said,  Blessed be the God of Shadrach,  Meshach, and Abed-nego,  who hath sent his angel,  and delivered his servants that had trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word,  and yielded their bodies,  that they might not serve or worship any god, except their own God.”

           

The principal we always need to remember is:

(1 Samuel 2:30).   “…for them that honor me  I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

We are to be in the world, but not of it.

        We are, instead, to be looking to the Lord, for His Word, and His help;  to honor Him.

Psalm 34:4-8 “I sought the Lord,  and he heard me,  and delivered me from all my fears.” 

          (This is when they were first called to come before Nebuchadnezzar.  How many fears went through their minds.  But the Lord saved them from these fears)

“They looked unto Him, and were lightened:  and their faces were not ashamed.” 

           (This is when they spoke boldly before Nebuchadnezzar, for their God.)

“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,  and saved him out of all his troubles.”

          (This is when, bound and thrown in the furnace, they lifted their prayers to God.)

“The angel of the Lord campeth round about them that fear him and delivereth him.”

           (This is when God saved them, by the Presence of Himself with them.)

“O taste and see that the Lord is good:  blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”  

           (This is the conclusion for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego……

And all who will trust in the Lord.)

Submit yourselves to God

James 4:7-8 “Submit yourselves therefore to God.   Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

            Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.   Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;  and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

My husband has had lots of messages using these verses for they supply a real encouragement to the battle weary soldier of Jesus Christ.

           The Lord showed him once that the first thing to do in any battle….with yourself, the world, or the devil….is to:

                             Submit yourselves to God.

We cannot properly resist the devil, if we are not submitted to God….for we are not standing with the Lord,….but we are fence-sitters….not having decided either way.

To submit to God is to exercise your will for the Lord.

           “This is what You want Lord, and  I  will,  to  do  it.”

“Submit” here is to place ourselves in a subordinate position to God.      

            Very much as if we are soldiers under our Captain Christ Jesus.

But once we have…then we are called to   “resist the devil”….or stand against him.

This is not having a conversation with the devil….for that was how Eve was tricked.

No we are to talk to Jesus Christ about it…and proceed from there.

           This we do when we choose to do God’s Will, for the devil would have us do the opposite.

We resist the devil when we cry,  “Lord, avenge me of my adversary!” (Luke 18:2-7)

We resist the devil when we deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Jesus wherever He leads.

We resist the devil when we plead the blood over us, or others (Revelation 5:6)

“You can’t stop birds from flying over your head,  but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.”

“…and he will flee from you.”    This is a wonderful experience when after you have come to complete submission to God, and stood against the devil….he flees.

But we are not to stop there….for we must remember this is a battle.

“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.”   

         (I want to mention here,   that James is a very practical book.   He sees everything in black and white….there is no middle ground….there is no compromising with evil or sin….

…we are to deal with it by drawing closer to God and HIs Will.)

         No Christian that doesn’t seek to get as close to Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit and His Word,  is as safe as he should be.  

       “Draw nigh”….approach… HIs throne of grace to get mercy and grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)     

        And He will “draw nigh”…approach… to help and supply our every need.

        (My husband once received that we should fight with skill….using every weapon at our disposal….knowledge of our salvation,  Christ’s righteousness,  faith,  and prayer in Jesus name.

         But when we are in the heat of battle…things happen,  we become weary if we are not practiced in staying close to our Captain.

         And in the Roman army there were ways of holding on….and of signals between units.   Of getting extra help….and being safe till it came.

         The panoply is a Roman structure, made in the battle….made from the shields the foot soldiers carried.   

         When they were cut off from the main body of men,  or being overrun…then they would signal for the panoply to be made.      Each man would fit their shield together down on the ground…while the men hid behind it….others would place their shields over their heads…and they would have a mini fort built,  till the rest of the army could rescue them.)

You see the real battle is that the devil wants us to get far away from the Lord Jesus.   If we are left to our own devices….we are in trouble.

“Cleanse your hands, ye sinners;”

         Our hands signify our willingness to work….to do, to be obedient.   Have we let our hands hang down….have we not been obedient…or fully obedient to HIs Will?

“If we confess our sins,  He is faithful and  just to forgive us our sins….and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)        

         He forgives and cleanses….if we come to HIm and confess our sins.

        (I want to mention resentment, here.   There are so many resentments these days….over opinions,   over practically anything.     

         Now this is not convictions from the Holy Spirit….those must be followed, no matter what anyone else thinks.

But resentments are those feelings of hurt, anger,….or differences of opinion that are left to fester….like the sore which begins to turn red,  then pussy,  then infected.   

         We’ve preached before that   no Christian should feel resentment….because we have a Savior to go to,  and He saves us to the uttermost.   Whether the hurt is past, present, or future….We have a Captain of our Salvation which is ready to stand in the battle against this wile of the devil…to lead us to Victory in faith.)

“And purify your hearts, ye double minded.”        We all know that double minded means two-spirited…vacillating from one thing to another.

        Notice it is our hearts that needs to be purified….for our affections and our emotions lead our thoughts this way and that.

When our hearts are purified….or given single vision….we look for Christ in everything,  and what He wants,  is where our affections and emotions….and thoughts do.

With singleness of purpose….doing His Will…whatever that Will might be,  from the heart!

Our wills then can tame the heart and mind….when they are submitted to God….our wills become a real force for God in seeing to the wiles of the devil….and the sins of vacillating hearts.

To be wholly sanctified

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;  and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

         Faithful is He that calleth you,  Who also will do it.”

It is interesting to note when God uses a specific name for Himself.   

        Here it is….”the very God of peace”.

Why,  when He is speaking of sanctification,  does He use this name?

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 forever and ever.  Amen.”

If we left out the means of this work….these verses would read:

       “Now the God of peace,…make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight…”

Because God is the God of peace to us,  we can be “made perfect” or complete in His Will.

And that “make you perfect”…..is sanctification.    Sanctification, is to be set aside to God.   It includes dying to self (Matthew 16:24,  Luke 9:23) daily….

…and living to God (Matthew 16:25, Luke 9:24) daily.

Paul when he spoke of putting off the old man, and putting on the new,  describes it as this:

Colossians 3:12-15 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,  bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

        Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

       And above all these things put on charity (love), which is the bond of perfectness.

       And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body;  and be ye thankful.”

Notice, that the peace of God….from the God of peace,  is to rule in our hearts.

The means of this ruling peace,   is:   “our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep” 

“through Jesus Christ”.  (Hebrews 13:20-21)

It is by the blood of the everlasting covenant that Christ Jesus becomes our Shepherd…and we become the sheep of His pasture.

       As Shepherd of the sheep,  He has gone before to prepare our way,  today.     And He leads us….taking us where we need to go,  under His protection.

God is the God of peace…..and it is time,  that all the things that are at cross purposes with Him in our lives, be set right before Him.

Put off….put on: 

          bowels of mercies.    It is mercies,  for there are a multitude of them.   We can grieve with someone,  or rejoice with someone.   We can forgive, as we have been forgiven….for mercy in it’s very definition is: doing good to one who does not deserve it.

         Kindness.  Here it means “usefulness” to God and others.

         Humbleness of mind.    This is very specific.  Our minds are often thinking of ourselves in a better light than we are.  

The scriptures say:  “as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is”.    We may be modest outwardly,  but what is our minds thinking we are?    

         (There was a time, when the Lord was showing me my work,…that I wanted to be the “hero” of my story.   I did not want to be a “side-character”, I wanted to save the world.   But God wanted me to fill-in in this capacity….and fill-in there.   He wanted me to stop when He said stop and go when He said go.   I liked to charge in….way too many times….and it usually ended,  not in saving anyone,  but in problems.

          Humbleness of mind  fits us to be here,  today….helping this one.   And there, tomorrow, doing that.    It takes what God gives and uses it….to His glory…leaving the “heroics”  to Him.

          We often forget, that when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were thrown into the fiery furnace….that it was not one leader, and the other two going along….but each in their place before God.   Daniel 3:12-30

         That is the way God would have each of us….in our place before Him….saying what each should say.  Notice it says that they all three said the same…no leader but God.  Daniel 3:16-18)

         Meekness, longsuffering.   Both are a fruit of the Holy Spirit within (Gal. 5:22-23)…which He works within us….through Christ Jesus.   For the Holy Spirit always shows us Christ, and how He is.

         Forbearing one another, forgiving one another.    We keep ourselves in the place that the Lord has for us,  with the people the Lord has for us….giving each the due consideration that the Lord wants….for they are His people.

        Put on charity….which is the bond of perfectness (completeness).   Love is the willed tendency of our hearts and lives.   

        We love Him, because  He first loved us.  

        We love the brethren because He loves them.   

        We love others because God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but  have everlasting life.

Let the peace of God rule….and be ye thankful.

There is power enough, but it must be put to use.  We must yield to the Holy Spirit….and in our yielding, the power will come.

…”Put off the old man with his deeds….put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him:” (Colossians 3:9-10)

Hebrews 13:21 “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.”

We know that perfection is attaining to that which we were brought into being for.   

             Do we know His plan for us?      Are we following after His purpose in the work He has called us to?

For it is all….through Jesus Christ…To Whom be glory for ever and ever.   Amen.

From the depth of our self life to the height of HIs glory (Ephesians 3:17-19)….that is the sanctification which comes from the God of peace….

…are we letting His peace rule in us….are we being thankful?

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

If we do this….in truth….then certainly we will:

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

           We will not be putting out the fire of the Holy Spirit within us…to purify, cleanse, and make us zealous of repentance (Revelation 3:19)…..and good works (Titus 2:14)

“Faithful is He that calleth you,  Who will also do it.”