My Voice

Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:  and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.”

I would like to make something very clear…..and do not let the Adversary, the devil, trick you in this…..God has always desired fellowship with us.

What a time of fellowship they could have had with the Lord God in the garden, in the cool of the day!

            It is interesting to note that God comes, just as He always had with Adam….knowing full well their sin,  yet presenting Himself as their Lord and God…..so that they could make the choice of confession….after making the choice of sin.

He did not come, with a Voice which was full of thunder or lightening….but quietly, walking and with HIs usual Voice, He called to Adam.

           Genesis 3:9 “And the Lord God called unto Adam,  and said unto him,  Where art thou?”

Now,   the Lord God wasn’t asking Adam  where are you hiding?   He knew that already….

….but where are you in your relationship with Me?

In what shape are you now, concerning your life?    What purpose are you headed for, now?  

We sometimes forget that sin is a great destroyer….it leads us out of the Way and Purpose for which we were created.    

And it is interesting to note…that though Adam and Eve knew they had sinned….that they were naked before the creation that just a few moments ago they were to be rulers over, under God….yet sin had already deluded them into thinking that they could hide behind fig leaves and trees….from God, Himself.

        And sin does the same to us.    For it is from God we hide….until He seeks us, through HIs Word…..read, spoken, preached, teached, and witnessed to.

Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the HIgh and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,   whose name is Holy;  I dwell in the high and holy place,  with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

“I dwell” with the humble (of low estate, voluntarily),  and contrite (crushed under the burden of sin)…what a Word of promise.    

When Jesus was here,  He showed that His Voice called HIs sheep…..and they knew HIs Voice and answered it.

           John 10:2-5 “But He that entereth in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep.

           To HIm the porter openeth;  and the sheep hear HIs Voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

           And when He putteth forth HIs own sheep,  He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him:  for they know HIs Voice.

           And a stranger will they not follow,  but will flee from him:  for they know not the voice of strangers.”

Every Christian should have experienced this already….we should have heard HIs Voice…and responded to Him.

“He goeth before them”…..This He did for us, when He came to earth,   fulfilling the Law and then dying as a sacrifice for our sins…giving us a Way to God.

….and this He does for us, today.   The Way is prepared, for we travel along the way He leads us.  (Ephesians 2:10)

It is always HIs Voice, calling us onward,  toward His goal for us.

Philippians 3:12 “Not as though I had already attained,  either were already perfect:  but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

Attained here is to get hold of,  to seize.    Paul was saying…and we can too….that he had not completed the work or life Christ Jesus had for him….but that he follows after Christ…

…that he may apprehend….(I love this word!   For you can not think of it without getting the meaning of actually grasping and holding it!)

Christ Jesus has apprehended us…..He holds us in HIs hand (John 10:28 “…neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.”)….and He will not let us go!    

          Here is a Word of stability and strength….of love and settled peace!

 He has apprehended us….and we are to “follow after”.   

        ( This “follow” is suggestive of union,  for it means to accompany,  to be in the same way with, as a disciple.)

(There are times when I am praying,  I feel as the woman coming behind Jesus grasping ahold on the hem of HIs garment….for healing of spirit, mind, and body.

         There are times when I am praying,  I feel as though I see His hand reach out for mine,  and I take hold in subjection and yielding….to whatever His Will is.  

         For that is what a walk with Jesus Christ is….His Will being done…in me, by me, and by HIs Holy Spirit, through me.

        I can not accomplish anything….but He can accomplish everything! )

Think of it!….He has apprehended us!  (Hallelujah!)…

….and now He asks us to reach out and apprehend what He is offering…

……a walk with Him….through many and varied circumstances…following HIs Voice,…for He ever calls us on,  into what is next. 

John 10:27 “My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:”

Are we like Adam,  still trying to hide from God?   

 Or are we like Paul,…knowing we have not all we could have,….or even should have….

….but following after Christ’s Voice,  to get all that is next….however it comes?

Sure,  but…Christians 

Matthew 21:28-32 “But what think ye?  A certain man had two sons;  and he came to the first, and said,   Son, go work today in my vineyard.  

                      And he answered and said,   I will not;  but afterward he repented, and went.

                       And he came to the second, and said likewise.  

He answered and said,  I go, sir,  and went not.

                       Whither them twain did the will of his Father?   They say unto him,  the first.   Jesus said unto them,  Verily I say unto you,  that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

                       For John came unto you in the way of righteousness,  and ye believed him not;  but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it,  repented not afterward,  that ye might believe him.”

We call this “Sure,  but…Christians”,  because we are often as these sons in the story.

We say one thing,  “sure, God”….and do another.  

We love or praise God much with our mouths,  but not so much with our attitudes and obediences;  which is the way the Lord said we really love Him.

John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments and keepeth them,  he it is that loveth me:  and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,  and I will love him and will manifest myself to him.”

The Father in the story had two sons.  Now they are both sons,  both belonging to the household of the Father.

But one, rebellious at first; recognized his wrong attitude, and repented, and was obedient to the Father’s Will. 

       (You will notice that this son did not go back to the Father for direction…..but did what He said at first.   Sometimes we just need to do what we know to do….no questions….just do, for His sake.)

The other, said the right things in front of the Father;  but never followed through.  Never fulfilled the Father’s Will…..for whatever reason. 

       (And there always seems to be a “reason” we do not get around to doing what we know to do…..that is why sanctification includes our hearts and minds, as well as our wills.)

Which one really loved the Father? 

Of course, we would say, the one who did what the Father wanted.

Then why do we hesitate to do our Heavenly Father’s Will?

Or why won’t we repent of our rebellious attitude, and do what He says?

As our Heavenly Father,  God has the right to command us to do His Will.  We all agree to that.

But the real value to God in our doing,  is the love shown Him by our willing obedience.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,  and have not charity (love),  I am become as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal.

                      And though I have the gift of prophesy,  and understand all mysteries,  and all knowledge,  and though I have all faith,  so that I could remove mountains,  and have not charity (love), I am nothing.

                     And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,  and have not charity (love),  it profiteth me nothing.”

Love to Christ Jesus, shows the power of the Holy Spirit within, as nothing else does.

And this requires us to repent.   Both sons should have repented.  One for the rebellious attitude.

The other for disobedience.

To repent is to change our minds about the subject,  our affections for it, and our actions toward it.

As sons to our Heavenly Father,  we should recognize our own personal need for repentance,  and do it.

Then we will fulfill our Father’s Will. 

“..and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him.”

The Widow’s Mites

Mark 12:41-42  “And Jesus set over against the treasury, and beheld how people cast money into the treasury:  and many that were rich cast in much.

                             And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites which make a farthing.”

Jesus had been preaching in the temple to the people,  and had warned them about the those who love to be religious……. (and look religious),……but whose main goal was to have men think well of them,……while often sinning against their fellow man.

Then He watches as the people bring offerings to God.

Mark 12:43-44 “And He called to Him His disciples,  and saith unto them,   Verily,  I say unto you,  that this poor widow hath cast more in,  then all they that have cast into the treasury; 

                            For they did cast in of their abundance;  but she of her want, did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

For an Israelite, there were certain things which must be given:  tithes, and certain offerings at certain times.

But the offerings to the treasury,  were made,  because you loved the Lord.

This she did, and it was recognized by Jesus, for it.  

Many put in more:  they put in “out of” their abundance.  

But she gave “out of her want”,  or the money she would have bought the things she needed.

For this widow, it did not matter if she had anything.  It did matter if the Lord’s house was lacking. (This is what they took the money for.  For the upkeep of the house of God.)

We often think,  “If we could do some great thing for God.”

But the Lord wants us.   Two mites are not great.   Hardly anything in the world’s estimation.

But the Lord Jesus said she had put in more than they all did…..in His estimation.

Because she put in all that she had.

What are we giving to God?    Are we giving our all?

No,  I don’t ask about your money.

 

I am asking about your love.   How much love are you showing to God?

Do you love Him?   And how much time do you spend with Him?

Morning prayers (and they don’t have to be long)

Evening prayers, to set everything from the day in order before Him. 

(So you don’t wake up the next day, carrying the same burdens you went to bed with)

The widow’s mites were cast to the Lord’s treasury.   In among the rich and affluent;  she came.

Giving to God, all she had, because she loved Him and His work there.

Again I ask,   How much of ourselves are we giving God? 

Are you doing,  for admiration from others?

Or are you giving God your life?

May we all get the same praise from Jesus, as she had.  

The Shepherds experience

The first thing I wish to say here,  is:  I have always been amazed at the choice of people God made to show the birth of His Son.

The birth of Christ was the miraculous beginning to a life,  foretold from the beginning (Genesis 3:15).

          The birth of Christ was just as His life was….humble yet triumphant…..obscure yet manifested “abroad”…..according to prophesy, but not according as people thought.

The most amazing people were the shepherds.

Luke 2:8-9 “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,  keeping watch over their flock by night.

         And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.”

First let me explain that these shepherds were just ordinary men, doing their jobs….but that God sent the messenger to them…..to enlighten and give them His Word.

Fear was their first thought…..then reasoning to themselves about the Word (Isa.1:18)….

then…

Seeking the Lord…till they found Him.

All through scripture,  the Lord has loved good shepherds….those that would put their life down for their flocks.   

         These men, staying with their sheep, out in the open at night….were such men.

Why they were not in a fold….for they would not be feeding them at night….but giving them rest…keeping them together…and “keeping watch over” the sheep….

…is not known.     

          But to these men, the angel of the Lord came….and heralded the good news of our Savior’s birth.

Luke 2:10-12 “And the angel said unto them,  Fear not: for, behold,  I bring you good tidings of great joy,  which shall be to all people.

          For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,  which is Christ the Lord.

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

Jesus was not born a normal King…in a palace or large home….but was given no room in the very city He was prophesied to come to….Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:5-6).

Luke 2:6-7 “And so it was,  that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

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

Now there was a “reason” for the city being full….and that no room was given to Mary for His birth.  

         The whole world was to be taxed…and everyone had to return to their ancestral city.   Both Mary and Joseph were of the line of David,  and so they had to go to Bethlehem to be counted, and “taxed”.

         (I find this amazing also….the whole world was moving, being unsettled,….at the time of the birth of Christ Jesus.    Plainly,  nothing would ever be the same again….for the Savior of the world is come….whether they knew it or not…

…..and God was shaking up things….and making every circumstance to do His Will.)

But the fact that Mary and Jesus was in a stable, was very convenient for those that God called to “come and see”.

Luke 2:15-16 “And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another,   Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass,  which the Lord hath made known unto us.

           And they came with haste,  and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”

Again,  how amazing that God chose shepherds to “come and see” that very night….

…..for it would be several years before the wise men came. (the wise men came into a house, and saw a young child…not a babe.   Matthew 2:11)

So the shepherds came with haste….and found.   

          “found” is an interesting term.   It does not say,….”they saw”…..but “found”.   

           It suggests first that they really searched the city’s stables till they “found” Mary and Jesus.   

           It also suggests that these men “found” the Savior that night personally….and received Him into their hearts and lives as Christ the Lord….

…for the next thing they did was:….they went out to tell all about Him.

Luke 2:17-18, 20 “And when they had seen it,  they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child.

          And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

         And the shepherds returned,  glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

The Shepherd’s Testimony was:   

We have heard the Word of the Lord….and we have “found” it to be true.    

        Therefore we are telling you what we have heard….what we have seen….

….and that the Lord’s Word is true…..Christ the Messiah has come.

What a testimony….but can not we say the same?    Have we not heard of Jesus Christ,  Who came to save us from our sins? (Matthew 1:21)

        And have we not “found” HIm to be exactly what the Word has said?

Let us also, then, be as the shepherds….and “make known abroad” HIs Word….so that others may find HIm as well.

“And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard…..and seen,  as it was told unto them.”

Let me mention here….that they returned to their flocks.   The Holy Spirit made note of this…they had flocks to tend…and they did not desert them.   

        But they were not the same men….they were glorifying and praising God!

How precious a Word that leads us to Christ….how precious that we can return that Word to God in praise and adoration for all that He has said, and shown, and done for us!

The Faithful and True Witness 

Revelation 3:14 “And unto the angel of the Laodiceans write;  these things saith the Amen,  the faithful and true witness,  the beginning of the creation of God.”

This is Jesus Christ.

He is seen here as the Amen:  the only One who can say “Let it be.”

He is also seen as the beginning of the creation of God:  before the Godhead created the world;   God the Father and God the Son made an Everlasting Covenant, 

(For they saw all that would happen to their Creation in the rebellion and fall of the devil,  and the fall of Adam.

That Everlasting Covenant was the agreement that the Son of God would come as perfect man,……in the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4-5),…..and pay the full ransom price for those that would be saved,  that God the Father promised Him.)

Jesus Christ is also seen as the Faithful and True witness;  and this is what we are going to deal with here.

(It is interesting to note:  that in these three names of the  Lord Jesus, it is His Word that is stressed.   

In Amen,  it is future.     In the faithful and true witness, it is present.  And in the beginning of the creation of God, it is past.    All are His Word,  for He is The Word.   John 1:1-3)

Now a witness states the facts;  nothing more.

He tells what He sees and what He knows to be true.

So Jesus tells us what He sees in this church;  the last of the church age, before it is raptured. (taken up to heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

And what does the Lord see in His last church?

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.”

He sees that we are lukewarm.   Neither cold or hot,  but just a natural body temperature.   

If we were cold,  we would see and feel the deadness of our spiritual life and do something about it.

If we were hot,  we would be what He wants:  zealous from “zeto” or boiling hot,  and He would bless us.

But we are just normal body temperature,  or lukewarm.   We feel no coldness,  so think we are alright….after all we will make it to heaven, won’t we?   That’s what matters,…right?

But to the Lord,  who is outside of this church,  it is not alright.

It is all wrong.

For our religion is a relationship to Jesus Christ:  a love relationship.

Yes, we come as sinners to a Savior, to be born again.

             But then, after being born again, we begin a great journey:  with Christ.

It is a journey of our lives,  through trouble and blessing……in a love relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And here, as the Faithful and True witness,  Jesus Christ says,,….

“You are acting toward me as you were in your natural state:  indifferent,……neither seeking Me,…..nor outwardly rejecting Me,….just indifferent to My words, and My call.

It is as if,  you do not need to hear Me.”

And why are we indifferent?

Revelation 3:17 “Because thou saith, 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:”

Perhaps we have forgotten, that the true riches that we have,  are in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 3:16)

When He gives us promises, or experiences of success,……it is so we may bring them back and lay them at His feet in praise and thankfulness.

       It is not to hang on to them, and make ourselves “rich” in our own eyes, or in the eyes of others.

We get to thinking, “We have need of nothing more.    We know enough.     We pray enough.     We praise enough.     We do enough.”

But when we do this,  the spirituality we were gaining,  turns to natural pride, and selfishness;……

…….we quench the Holy Spirit of God……for we have forgotten the basic principal of following the Lord,  which is….

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

And that following, is from here…..to heaven.

But when we refuse to follow Him, by denying ourselves,…..

…we are actually becoming “wretched” before God…..in a dire state….sickly, and weak.   

     And the saddest part:  we do not know this is happening…..for we are looking to ourselves, not the Lord.

And when this happens,……then all that He witnesses to…shows up in us, as well…

Miserable (how can you be joyful, without God’s active Presence)

Poor (for your true riches are in Christ: in Him is our portion)

Blind (when we refuse to see, we are blind)

Naked (the only “garment” of righteousness that is acceptable to God is Christ’s righteousness applied to us,  and then worked out through us in willing obedience.)

The Faithful and True Witness says this is what we are….

What to do?

First,  turn your eyes back to Jesus.  And ask for sight.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 “For God,  who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,  hath shined in our hearts,  to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

                                     But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,  that the excellency of the power may be of God,  and not of us.”

Isaiah 45:22 “Look unto Me,  and be ye saved,  all the ends of the earth:  for I am God,  and there is none else.”

Second,  look to yourselves, to repent (repent means to turn around.  Since we are obviously going contrary to God,  turn around and get in step with Him again.)

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

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

And all this begins with “hear My Voice”. (He is the Word!    Halleluia, that He is still speaking to us!)

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

This “door” that we open is the door of our lives.   A life open to and receptive to Him.

Hear, and Live.   Look to Him, and Live.

Our relationship to Jesus is our life as Christians.   

How do we stand in it?

This is the Way…walk ye in it

Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ear shall hear a word behind thee,  saying,  This is the Way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand,  and when ye turn to the left.”

Have you heard that Word?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you know God’s Word?   

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

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

Do they pass from us still hungry?

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

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

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

Are we showing them that He is our Lord?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thou hast the words of eternal life.

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

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

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

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

The storms that come 

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

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

……”it was now full” (Mark 4:37)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

….feeling the storm…

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

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

“Lord, save us: we perish.”

“Master, carest Thou not that we perish?”

“Master, master, we perish.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

        Rebuke here means to forbid, to censure.

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

         What an example of the peace He offers us!   

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you,  My peace I give unto you:  not as the world giveth, give I unto you.   Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”   [“Let” is an interesting term…suggesting that we yield to the temptation of “fear”….or we yield to the peace Jesus Christ gives.])

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

…..in the storms that surely will come.

Repentance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And now Saul/Paul in the New Testament.   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And there is us…..

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

Repentance is a change of heart….and life.    

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

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

Every one in their place…

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

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

First,  we are to grow in grace…

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

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

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

        

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He does all things well.

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

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

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

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

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

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

….God had a better plan.

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

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

The work itself was to follow their leader:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

….there will be His light shining to others.

….there will be His Word spoken.)

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

….all around the camp of the Midianites….

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

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

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

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

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

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

And take it away.

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

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

….for Him.

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

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

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

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

Are we in our place?

Balaam’s donkey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

….and being corrected for it.)

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

             But the means He uses is varied and sometimes surprising.

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

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

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

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

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

……and God uses a donkey….his donkey.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balaam’s donkey….saved Balaam.   

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

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

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

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

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

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

How does the Lord open our eyes?

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

         And sometimes, roughly, through trials or pain.     

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

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

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

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

         Christ Jesus said:

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

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

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

So the Lord Jesus also says:

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