The Lost Sheep  

Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having an hundred sheep,  if he lose one of them,  doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness,  and go after that which is lost,  until he find it?”

This man has one hundred sheep.  But one has left the flock and gone seeking something apart from the rest.  

(Perhaps a distant patch of grass.  Or following a butterfly.  Or just wanting to be away from everyone else.  

But he left to pursue an illusion.  For there was nothing out there, that would have been good for him;…..that the shepherd would not have led him into.)

Still,  ninety-nine sheep is pretty good.  You’re bound to lose one or two;  but the Shepherd does not see it that way.

He sees it as the lost one feels:  lost, unable by itself to come home.  Exposed to the weather, and other animals.  Away from the Shepherd’s care.

Perhaps the sheep had taken the care for granted:  it would always be there. 

At first, maybe, it was fine.  The sun was shining, there were new things to explore.  But he turns and does not see the flock anymore.  

Oh, well, he thinks, I can just turn this way?   Or was it that way I came?

But then he feels alone: he does not know where water is,  or a safe place.  He is lost.  

It wanders around, now, not knowing where he is or where he should go.  

So the shepherd does for the lost sheep,  what the sheep can not do for himself.

The man goes after that sheep.

And how does he do it?  He leaves the ninety-nine in the wilderness grazing together;  and retraces his steps, till he finds it.

The Shepherd finds it too weary to walk back to the flock, and rest.  So he picks it up, and carries it back to it’s place in the flock…..

…..And then leads the flock home.

Luke 15:5-6 “When he hath found it,  he layeth it upon his shoulders, rejoicing.

                        And when he cometh home,  he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them,  Rejoice with me,  for I have found my sheep which was lost.”

Rejoicing is a word which describes a calm, peaceful happiness.  I have found what was lost.  I have not lost any!   (Everything is safe in the fold, as it should be.)

And the Shepherd calls His friends and neighbors to rejoice with Him.

Of course, we know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd,  for He gave His life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

1 Peter 2:24-25 “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree,  that we,  being dead to sins, should live unto His righteousness:  by whose stripes ye are healed.

                              For ye were as sheep going astray;  but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

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

And He is still seeking and shepherding us,  as Christians, today. 

Christians go astray,…..too often,…..and we are in need of His seeking us again, and again….and bringing us back into our place.

Isaiah 40:11 “He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd:  He shall gather the lambs with His arm,  and carry them in His bosom,  and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

Christ Jesus is now our Great Shepherd.  He is now “making us perfect” or complete in Himself.  (Lambs grow into sheep)

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.”

He is leading us into all the places that are good for us (green pastures),  

He is protecting us from all our enemies (wolves in sheeps clothing, things which “devour” 1 Peter 5:7-8)

He is “preparing a table before us, in the presence of our enemies”  by giving Himself as an example,…..leading us:

“Follow Me, and I will hedge you about in your everyday trials,….come with Me and I will supply your needs by My grace.”

Maybe we are the lost sheep,  or we have been the lost sheep.   

Praise God,  He has sent His Son to seek and save us (Luke 19:10)!

If you have gone astray, today…….Christ is seeking you,  to save you…even now.

Ezekiel 34:12 “As a shepherd seeketh out His flock in the day that He is among His sheep  that are scattered;  so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.”

Romans 10:9-13 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth  the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead,  thou shalt be saved.

                 For whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Call upon Him today for whatever you need saving from.

The Power of God unto Salvation 

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:  for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth:  to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

The power of God to everyone that believeth.

Are you such a one?

Do you evidence this power of God in your life?

For this power unto salvation is spiritual reality.  

“For He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

This means Jesus Christ delivers us from them.  In Hebrews it is said,  “to the uttermost” 

Hebrews 7:25 “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him,  seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

This is not just a wiping away of the past sins, although that is true.

It is the saving from the sins of today:  that is,  He saves us from doing them….and yes, He saves us from wanting to do them, as well.

This is what it means by “to the uttermost”.

Our Salvation is four-fold:

From the love of sin….this is not complete,….but it is a real change in you, where your sin is concerned.    

It becomes a burden….and you feel it’s weight against you, and you want to be saved from it.

From the guilt of sin…by being born again: receiving Christ Jesus into your heart and life.     

Romans 10:9 “And if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,  and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead,  thou shalt be saved.”

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,  who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”     

We are not condemned,  but at liberty to walk with God!

From the power of sin…by obedience to His Will…by yielding to the Holy Spirit within.    

Romans 6:16 “Know ye not,  that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,     his servants ye are   to whom ye obey; whither of sin unto death,    or of obedience unto righteousness?”   

Here we get the power of God for our everyday lives….against sin and the world.  

(We are “under new management”).     For God empowers obedience,….

Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

…..and the Holy Spirit within gives us a growing love for Christ.

From the presence of sin.    

Taken into His glorious Presence in Heaven…whether by Rapture, or when we die, to be with Him forever.

Ephesians 1:3-4. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

                                         According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world,  that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:”

                                       

                                 He has a purpose for all He has saved.  

       And all this was set in motion for us….you and me…before times eternal.

Think of it!  God Almighty has a purpose for me.   Though I rebelled against Him and His Will,  yet He set His love upon me, and drew me to Himself:

John 6:37, 44 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

                          No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

In the scriptures, the purpose God called me to, is spoken of as: “good works”,  or “bringing forth fruit”

John 14:12 “Verily, verily, I say unto you,  he that believeth on Me, the works that I do  shall he do also;  and greater works than these shall he do;  because I go unto My Father.”

(And His works were prayer, preaching, calling others to the Kingdom of God, feeding, healing, and manifesting the words and works of His Father God.

All this He did before He laid down His life for us.)

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

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship,  created in Christ Jesus  unto good works,  which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Colossians 3:16-17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;  teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,  singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

                                   And whatsoever ye do in word or deed,  do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”

Titus 2:14, 3:8 “Who gave Himself for us,  that He might redeem us from all iniquity,  and purify unto Himself a peculiar people,  zealous of good works.”

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

Our purpose, is to pray—for ourselves, and others;  to witness of the light of God in our own life;  to preach, teach, be a soul winner,  as we are called.  

We are to seek the good of all men (and there is no good, without God in it).

These are the obediences which are given to us to do, for the glory of Christ. Big or small in the world’s eyes….they are of great value to Jesus.

Everyone has their place in His purpose.  

And it is as we are in our place, walking with Him everyday, that we fulfill our purpose.

God’s salvation is full of power.  Power to save us to “the uttermost”, and power to save others.

What greatness dwells in Him….and He is, by the Holy Spirit, in us.  

Let us draw out His grace for our life.

Mightily Grew the Word and Prevailed 

Acts 19:20 “So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed.”

Prevailed here, means…had a force or power in the lives of those that heard.

And how is it, that the Word grew?

Background:

Paul was in Ephesus.  He had been preaching there for about two years….”so that all they that dwell in Asia (Minor) heard the Word of the Lord Jesus…”   

He had also, by the Holy Spirit, worked miracles.

Acts 19:10-12 “And this continued by the space of two years;  so that all they that dwell in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus,  both Jews and Greeks.

             And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

             So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases departed from them,  and the evil spirits went out of them.”

When we hear the Word…it makes demands on our life;  which we either yield to, or refuse. 

All, in this area, had heard….God was making demands on their lives about His Son, Jesus Christ…

And by Paul, the Lord was healing many from spiritual and physical illness.

Paul not only preached the Word of God, concerning Jesus Christ,….but that Word had prevailed in Paul….so it could prevail,  through Paul.

But when God does a work,  then there are always those that seek to mimic it, especially for money…..some were even using the names of Jesus and Paul…

Acts 19:13, 15-16, 20 “Then certain…took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying,  We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

               And the evil spirit answered and said,  Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

               And the man in whom the evil spirit was  leaped on them and overcame them….so they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

              This was known to all….dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

              So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed.”

The Name of the Lord Jesus was magnified….for God showed that though He will honor His Name,…… He will not honor those who only seek to use It for their gain.

His Name is powerful only to those who shelter beneath Him, in believing obedience.

The Word of God is the instrument of salvation.

1 Peter 1:23 “Being born again,  not of corruptible seed,  but of incorruptible,  by the Word of God,  which liveth and abideth forever.”

Now this Word lives and abides.

      If it is not a living Word to you,  you have not heard it aright.

      If the Word does not make demands on your life, you have not heard it aright.

The gospel must wound, before it can heal.   

It wounds our pride:  for we are sinners, like everyone else.

It wounds our reason:  we can do nothing to save ourselves.

It wounds our hearts:  it points out our secret sins.

“And the Name of the Lord Jesus was magnified”.   

Here was the prevailing influence.   He showed that He would honor His obedient servants…..

……but not those who did not know Him, and only wanted to use Him (Matthew 7:21)

“And fear fell on them all”….the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom….and it drew many to hear the Word…..believe on the Lord Jesus,…..

…..for it amazed them that Jesus Christ knew their heart’s  motives,   as well as their words.

Acts 19:18-19 “And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds.

                  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.”

And many that believed came and confessed…

God requires honesty….getting right with Him….and when necessary,   your brethren.

And showed their deeds,….to know the healing power of forgiveness from these things.

Acts 19:19 “…and burned them before all men:…”

This was an act most necessary to have done with it all.

And the results?

Acts 19:20 “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”

God’s Word was being shared….neighbor was telling neighbor…..and it was having the victory in the lives of these people.

Do we want to know the power of the Word of God? 

Then we must give ourselves to God….to be prevailed upon.

If we, in believing obedience act upon what I know He requires of me now….I will  know that prevailing  power for myself.

There is for each of us that believe on Christ Jesus…..that power that is “exceeding, abundantly,  above all that we ask or think….according to the power that works within us”.  (Ephesians 5:20)

Are we born again?  Are we sheltered under Him, and obedient to His Word?

Then that Word will prevail in us…..and through us.

It is in knowing His Will, and doing it.    

And as His children,……we are as responsible to know His Will,….as to do it.

In our progressive walk before the Lord, we must always leave the better…..for the best.

This must always be done if the Word of God is to prevail through me…..it must prevail in me….where I am….with the circumstances I am in now.

If any man will

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

“If”…..this is amazing and wonderful. The Almighty God wants us to will with Him.

What are our puny wills next to His?

But it is harmony….union of will with God….that He calls us to.

To hear and answer the call of Christ is nothing unless somewhere along the line you have this reality.

Reality is what is real…what I have in my experience…..not in someone else’s experience….but in mine.

And reality, where Christ Jesus is concerned, is to have the experience of His life being lived in our life, today…..everyday.

The claims of Jesus, saying to you, “If you will…..Deny yourself, pick up your cross—deny yourself in those things which cuts across your natural way of doing, of thinking, and acting.

This is to “follow Me”,…….for I walked this way here on earth, too.

Doing only My Father’s Will….and nothing else.”

The whole objective of denying yourself and bearing your cross, is that you might lose your life in yourself (You say “no” to what you want to do, and “yes” to the Lord),

That you might find reality, which is your life in Christ.

In Christ is the freedom from sin, self, and the world.

In Christ there is the liberty of walking in the light, which manifests God’s love, joy, and peace to us….and others.

But in ourselves there can be: bitterness, anger, distress, depression,

ungratefulness, and desire….all our natural leanings toward the things and attitudes of the world we live in.

Let’s face it, we are often overcome by one of these things within us.

Yes, they are brought out by circumstances of our lives,…..but the power of the Holy Spirit is in us,……

……will we not yield to Him, and deny our self-life?

Letting His Life shine through ours?

We can either remain babes in Christ….never going on to the purpose for which you were born again….

Or we can truly lose all these things that make up our life,…which is influenced by the world’s attitudes….

…..and let Jesus bring another child into the glory of God.

You can not have both your life,……and Christ’s life…..

One will be seen, the other will be denied. Which will it be, Christian?

This is a process, and it is one where every area of your life is touched:

your past,

your future,

your plans,

the way you think,

your way of doing things.

But, I must stress, and this is important: This is between you and your Lord.

No one can intrude here.

It comes down to: “Not my will, but thine”, everyday.

If you do, you will come to the place in your experience with God…..and here is where “reality” is…..

…..where you are no longer resisting His Will in anything.

Here, you have power of choice…

At first you still might be under the power of some sin….but now you have been given liberty over that sin.

It is not instant obedience,…..but it is final obedience….you have determined to leave your old life, and go on with the Lord.

Are you ready for Christ to lead you into a closer relationship with Him?

He said, “ If” any man will come after Me.

So it is not forced. It must be a love relationship.

Nothing will make the way easier, than the growing knowledge of His love to you….and your love to Him.

The question is: will you come after Christ Jesus, by denying yourself, picking up your cross and following Him?

It’s your life, what will you do with it? He said, “If”….so, what will you do?

Keep it for yourself?

Or Follow Him into the reality of His life in me…in you?

Continue in prayer and watch

Paul was in prison…..he had lived two years in his own hired house, when first brought to Rome. He had four guards around him all the time….but now circumstances in the Roman guard hierarchy had caused him to be moved into a prison cell.

At this time he was still permitted visitors…..and some did still come to see him and tell him what was going on in the churches.

But though he was now in a cell…..his influence for the gospel had not stopped.

We know he spoke of Onesimus, and those of Caesar’s palace who believed because of hearing him.

His judgement before Caesar was coming up and he asks these Colossians to pray for his release….which he felt would happen (it did)…..and for an “open door” for the gospel.

Colossians 4:3-4 “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

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

Here is the apostle Paul…..yet he asks for prayers that he might speak….”as I ought”.

Paul is looking to the glory of God….he is looking for the furtherance of the gospel…..he is looking to speak with boldness, though he is in chains.

How important is our speech! And how we should be praying for faithful ministers and preachers to preach the gospel with boldness….

….and to watch for ourselves our witness to others.

Then Paul turns back to exhort the Colossians on this point…..”redeeming the time”

Colossians 4:5-6 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

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

In our everyday interactions, we are to walk in wisdom towards others.

Simply, we are to keep before us that we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ……

……and that our speech is our most readily available means of spreading the gospel, and telling others what Christ has done for us.

We are to redeem opportunities….for in a world under the Adversary, the devil’s power….there will not always be such opportunities.

We must be ready….

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:”

We must be ready, listening in the Spirit for guidance….for prompting….for boldness.

“Let your speech be alway with grace”……Our speech is to be in the power of the Holy Spirit. The divine influence in heart and the reflection of that in our lives.

Our speech and our lives should agree.

(My husband had a message on the Lord’s words…..

Matthew 12:36-37 “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

We think of “idle words” as just silly conversation with no meaning……but “idle words” are those words spoken that are never done in our lives.

How many times have we said we would become more diligent in our spiritual lives……yet hesitated,….questioned the Holy Spirit’s guidance….or just put it off?

How many times have we given a testimony of God’s goodness with little joy and rejoicing?

Idle words…..those that never got put to use in our lives…

…for by our words we will be justified in the judgement…..because we have lived them…..

….or our very words will condemn us at the judgement seat.)

“Seasoned with salt”….our speech is to be “preserving” others.

(In the sacrifices of the Old Testament….every sacrifice was to be sprinkled with salt. In the New Testament, Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth:…” Matthew 5:13)

….our speech is to be “preserving” others from darkness, with light and truth.

….our speech is to be “preserving” others from the confusion and fear of this world’s influence by peace…showing the peace of Christ by what we say.

…..our speech is to be “preserving” others from Hell.

Jude 22-23 “And of some have compassion making a difference:

And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

Some we are to speak to with compassion…..others speaking as though we are pulling them out of the fire right then….with urgency and boldness.

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

We are asking that the Holy Spirit watch our tongues…..and warn us.

Paul, the Apostle asked for prayer that he might speak…”as I ought”;…..and so should we.

“O Lord, let our tongues we used for your glory…..and let us speak according to Your Spirit…..preserving those we come into contact with, with Your truth and Light.”

The way of the Way

Isaiah 43:18-19  “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

           Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;  shall ye not know it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

When we are born again, and we are made aware of the Way we should go…the first thing God asks us to do is to forsake our old way….but forsake it for the new.

“I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth”

          Now it shall spring forth…as a seed planted in the ground.

Mark 4:26-28 “And He said,  So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

         And…the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

         For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself;  first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.”

Here is a picture of the silent, but certain….and gradual growth in God’s Purpose for His Word and His Way….for the believer.

There is a change….suddenly,  or slowly,…a new Way is made for us.

“A way” often stands for the true religion of the heart…for the Lord says:

        “I will  even make a way.”

The reference is to the Way He made through the Red Sea for salvation from Egypt; and through the wilderness (Isaiah 43:15-17)….to finally bring His people into Canaan.

The Red Sea typifies Redemption….

…..the Wilderness typifies Sanctification—faith finally overcoming all that hinders us from possessing God’s Will and Promises for our lives.

God’s Way is the course He takes,  in faithfulness,  in order to make good what He has promised.

        It may lead us through dangers, storms, or still waters….yet it is His way for us to grow in grace, faith, and love to Him.

Man is the only creature on earth that was originally created with faculties which can know God as Savior and Lord…..a mind to understand His Word, a heart to worship and love Him, and a will to obey Him.

        That is why the call goes forth:

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.”

        (True, all creation is to praise the Lord…Psalm 150:6,….but our praise is the reverence of an intelligent heart….and of our conscious choice.)

And yes, at the fall we lost the presence of the Holy Spirit, and became darkened and lost….but we still have the faculties of mind and will,  to honor the Lord,….even though we do not have the desire to do so,….

….until we are born again….and given a new nature….God’s nature implanted within us, by the Holy Spirit.

At that moment,  God’s Way becomes supremely important.

Then,  “I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

        HIs guidance…and HIs provision is meant.   By faith we live….for faith always points us toward God.   

       Look to Him and be ye saved.

       Follow HIm and be HIs disciple.

       Call unto Him and He will hear.

       Obey HIs Spirit and drink abundantly of HIs life.

Isaiah 55:8-11 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.

        For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

        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.”

His Word will accomplish His Will in us….(praise God)….by us as we yield to it….and, amazingly, through us to those around us…to the sphere of our influence.

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

Let us weigh ourselves in the balances of God

Daniel 5:1-3 “Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords…

          Belshazzar…commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which…Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem;

          Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God….and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.”

Most believe that Belshazzar was Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson.  Belshazzar’s father was away at war….losing….and had left the keeping of the city to his son.

          This great city was a fortress.   And had a river running through it.   It was well supplied for years, and impenetrable…..or so they thought.

So Belshazzar was  simply enjoying the riches his grandfather had gotten….lavishly partying with those wealthy young men like him.

Growing bored with the party….he calls for some of the old glory of Nebuchadnezzar to be brought in:

         The gold and silver vessels of the Temple from Jerusalem.   

They set the M’naurh or Candlestick next to the wall and light it.    Then they pass the vessels, only priests were to drink from,   around….and begin to drink their wine from them.

         What fun to make sport of the God of Israel!!!          Or so they thought.

Suddenly:

Daniel 5:5-6 “In the same hour   came forth fingers of  a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

        Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him,  so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and  his knees smote one against another.”

Notice,   God did not wait long.    “In the same hour”….and He made sure Belshazzar saw His hand in this judgment.

        And it terrified him….but what to do?

Now I want to mention here….that God can,  and does,  take care of HIs own glory.   

       But most of the time,  the Lord uses us, as HIs children,  His Christians,  to explain and “interpret” to others….what they are seeing or hearing, from His Word.

       Often people hear about God’s works for years….yet something suddenly gets there attention about His Word,….for themselves….and then,   we are called upon to show them the Way of life.      Or what God is speaking to them about.

This is what happens here:    enter Daniel.   

       (I want to mention,  that for the most part, Daniel had been set aside for any work for the royal house.    Belshazzar the king did not even know about him…..until the queen….who most believe was his grandmother, the famous wife of Nebuchadnezzar, told him about Daniel.)

Daniel is offered gifts and up to a third of the kingdom,….if he will interpret the message written in front of them.

But Daniel refuses the gifts and rewards….and shows Belshazzar what the Lord is speaking to him about.

       (And how important for us to keep in context the message we are to give.   We do not speak about our Lord for reward….or benefit….but to instruct and show His glory and goodness.)

Daniel begins by reminding this king….who wanted to glory in the victories of his grandfather,….some of the most important “history” of Nebuchadnezzar…..

  ….that God had given Nebuchadnezzar this kingdom….and when his grandfather had gotten “lifted up” in his ego and pride…..yes, like you,   Belshazzar….then God “drove him” out with the beasts of the field….making him mad….

….till…….and here is the important part for you Belshazzar…

…till he knew that God ruled in the kingdom of men….and gave it to whomsoever He pleased.

Yet, though you knew this….you did not want to remember this….

….you have not humbled your heart, even though, you have for a time, been given the opportunity to rule in his kingdom.

Daniel 5:23-25 “But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven;and they have brought the vessels of His house before thee, and thou,…have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praise the gods of silver, and gold….which see not, nor hear, nor know:  

        and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

       Then was the part of the hand sent from Him; and this writing was written.

       And this is the writing that was written,  MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”

Then Daniel gives the interpretation of the message to Belshazzar:

       Mene:  God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

This was said twice:   Belshazzar had time to “grow up” and see a responsibility to God where the kingdom of Babylon was concerned….yet though God gave him time….he had not sought wisdom, or concern for his citizens….but looked only for gratifying and satisfying himself.

      Therefore his time was up….his time to rule rightly was gone.

(And what about the people we know,  running to ruin, seeking only the things of this world….seeking satisfaction in worshiping the gods of “silver and gold”.   They have forgotten that there is only true satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ, and His salvation. 

      There may be time for them,  if we give them the Word of God.)

      Tekel:  Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.    

Belshazzar did not “measure up” in action,   to the knowledge that he had.

           (And here I want to mention each of us.

            The “balances” that we are all going to be weighed in are God’s balances….His Word.

           John 12:44, 48 “Jesus cried and said,  He that believeth on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me.

           He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him:  the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

          It is always what we have….and what we could use….that we will be judged by.   His Word is right in our homes,  our churches,  every hotel room, everywhere….what are we doing with it?      

         Do we know what it says to us?

         Can we interpret it to others?)

       Peres ( most believe that Peres is the plural of upharsin…upharsin means “divided”….peres means “dividers”):  thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Most say this  happened at about daybreak the next morning.   

      Cyrus  (the nephew of Darius),  diverted the river Euphrates into a new channel…and they came up into the city by the river bed….guided by two deserters from the Chaledean army.

The “hand” of the Lord came swiftly to give a small time for some to personally repent and seek God’s forgiveness.   

      The judgment already coming….. God gave time to repent….and again I stress,  personally.

Yet,  Daniel….spoke God’s Word faithfully.    And so should we.

Balshazzar’s kingdom was doomed….judged by God….

….but please listen….

       Everyone who is seeking another “kingdom” than the Kingdom of God by Jesus Christ….will have the same ending….their kingdom will fail.

Let us weigh ourselves in the balances of God’s Word….and seek for HIs Kingdom Come….His righteousness and glory…HIs Will be done….

…in earth,  in me, in you….as it is in heaven.

Waiting on the Lord

Isaiah 30:18 “And therefore will the Lord wait, that He may be gracious unto you,  and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you:  for the Lord is a God of judgment:  blessed are all that wait for Him.”

One of the great battles we have with ourselves is to “wait on the Lord”. 

        We know His promise….we know His power….we know He hears us…

….so why are we “waiting”?

Yet, let me say this…He never keeps us waiting without…His good reason,  His good purpose….for us.

Let us consider the Israelites at the Red Sea.   

       When they first left Egypt, then God…”led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near;….but God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea…between Migdol and the sea,…before it shall ye encamp….” (Exodus 13:17-18, 14:1)

       Then the Egyptians come…Pharoah and his army….and the people become terrified and started to doubt and yell at Moses….but Moses, in faith said,  “Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord”. (Exodus 14:13)  

       With the camp of Israel at the brink of the Red Sea….waiting….and the Egyptian army within sight….

…then the Lord went behind them…taking the pillar of light and cloud and putting it in between the camps….the light for the Israelites, His people…

…and the darkness to the enemy, the Egyptians.   

       (and isn’t it the same for us….even in the terrifying moments of our lives….and we have to wait for the Lord to act….He gives us light and His protecting presence and Word.)

       Of course we know what happened…the Sea opened and became a dry bed for the Israelites to cross….But when the Egyptians came into it,  it closed,…killing their enemies and delivering them.

Let us consider the Lord’s turning for a moment from the Syrophonecian woman.(Mark 7:26-29)

       In Matthew, she comes to Him as the Son of David, for her demon possessed daughter.         

       But when she kept following Him, crying after Him….He does not even speak to her….but to His disciples,…. that He was not sent to any but the “lost sheep of Israel”. (Matthew 15:22-24).

       Then,  when she comes and worships HIm as Lord…. He calls her “a dog” (an insult)….telling her that it is not right to take “the bread” of Himself  that He would give the Israelites, and give it to dogs.

       Still she waits on Him….agreeing that she is “a dog”….but even dogs eat of the crumbs from the Master’s table.

       And here, He turns and she will need to wait no more:

       Matthew 15:28 “Then Jesus answered….”O woman,  great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.   And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”

Let us consider when Jesus deliberately tarried for two days when Martha and Mary urgently sent for Him to come right away….for Lazarus sake.  

       John 11:1,3,6 “Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany,…

       Therefore his sisters sent unto Him, saying,  Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

       When He had heard therefore that he was sick,  He abode two days still in the same place where he was.”

       Waiting is often hard….and hard to understand….for Martha and Mary both said to Jesus: “Lord, if Thou hadst been here,  my brother had not died.”

       They believed for healing….but…it was time for them to believe further….and for that, they had to wait on Him.

       Mary wept…even in His presence (John 11:32-33)

       But Martha,….when Jesus said that He was the Resurrection and the Life…she surrendered to Him…..for….”I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” (John 11:25-27)

Let us think about His word to Moses after Israel had sinned with the golden calf….”Let Me alone….that I may consume them”  (Ex 32:10)….waiting for Moses’ faith (not sympathy for Israel…but faith in God’s Word, which promised to bring them into the promised land)….

….to intercede for Israel…which God heard, and in mercy, He led them on.

Or when He had fought all night with Jacob….and said: “Let Me go”  (Genesis 32:26)…bringing out of Jacob a act of clinging…. and word of faith:  “I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me.”

Sometimes He waits…to be gracious….

….waits till the fervency of our love….for Him and His Will comes to the foreground.

Till we are willing to do,  or have, or experience anything….if it be His Will for me.

 Song of Solomon 6:5a “Turn away thine eyes from Me, for they have overcome Me:…”

      Here the Lord is saying to His loved maiden…in poetical language…that her love is so strong…that He sees it in her eyes. 

      This is not a mere look  in His direction….but the locked, riveted gaze upon Him which would move Him to return her expression of love.

      It is the strength of love,  which holds Him.    Yet,…

…He says,    “turn away thine eyes from Me”.

Why would He say that?    So that she can look beyond His seeming rejection….or delay….

….and wait for His love, in return….in His time.

      She is quite aware that He will give it….but she is to wait…and be content that He knows of her love to Him.

And He commends her loving gaze,   “…for they have overcome Me…”

They that wait upon the Lord…

Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;  they shall mount up with wings as eagles;  they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Waiting requires us to give up all else…to the Lord’s time.   

       This is not the same as the Lord’s Will.    We often surrender to the what the Lord has promised or shown us….but it is something greater to wait on the Lord’s time….for we are looking and trusting in Him.    Faith is drawn out…and we are strengthened…even though we may not have what we are asking,….yet.

      “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart:  wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Ps. 27:13-14)

     “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.” (Ps. 62:5)

Let us not fret

Psalms 37:8 “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”

Fret means to eat away, to chafe, to gall, vex or worry, to wear away.

Anyone who has felt the effects of fretfulness….understands how it exhausts us….makes us weary.

(Rub your hands together and they get warm….keep rubbing and they get irritated and tired….keep rubbing and usually there is a place that gets a sore on it…

…that is to fret. A little worry, a little frustration, a little irritation….that can end up causing something that needs to be healed.)

So let us consider the first part of the verse:

Psalms 37:8 “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”

“Cease from anger…..”

Once we get angry?…..Impossible to stop it…..without the Lord’s help.

….we can not talk ourselves out of our anger…..for our emotions or reasons have started to run away with us.

We need to stop, and deal with it. It won’t take hours and hours….we simply have to stop speaking….or complaining in our minds….

….and first ask the Lord to forgive us for being angry

(“anger” here in this verse has to do with the emotions….they are displeased….to enrage!)…..

…..then we need to ask the Lord to show us about this….and He will, and give you the feelings you should have….and how to deal with them.

When we take everything which hinders, or bothers us to the Lord, we allow the Holy Spirit to have sway in our spirits….to, in fact, work His calming influence in our hearts and minds.

(We must honestly consider how we are, when we are angry. How we often fight against the very thing we are in need of!)

“And forsake wrath…”. Wrath has malicious intentions. We may never do anything….but we wish we could!

This verse is written to God’s own. This whole chapter in Psalms is written for believers….against the influence of evil workers….on our minds and hearts.

How they can irritate us! They seem to get by with so much! They mock and sneer….they provoke us! The very word “provoke”….means that we have let someone push us into a reaction!

We must let them pass….out of our minds….out of our emotions…..by letting the Lord give us our thoughts toward them…..

….let Him discipline us….to know whether what we are feeling is from the Holy Spirit….or is merely from the stress and strain of what is going on around us.

We must ever guard against worldliness creeping in….and of being tricked or caught up in snares laid by the devil.

There will be burdens laid on our hearts by the Holy Spirit, but these are never grievous to bear….

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” (1 John 5:3)

We must learn to tell if what we feel is from God, or from something or someone else.

The more we willingly do this, the better we will get at discerning what comes at us.

We must allow the Holy Spirit to work….allowing His soothing influence on us.

Psalm 39:7, 39-40 “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prosperity in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble.

And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.”

How desperately we need this right now!

Jesus

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

Jesus means Savior….but you will notice,  He is our Savior from our sin.

      Sin is our downfall.  No matter who we are,  or what we have,  in ability or things….we are sinners.    Guilty and condemned for our rebellion and refusal of God, and His authority over us.  For sin, in its essence is….I will rule myself,  I will do and think, what I want.

Many people we have dealt with,  say,  “Oh, I know I sin…but not really bad stuff!”

      If we only saw the absolute awfulness of our sin.   God says it as filthy rags(Isaiah 64:6)…

There are besetting sins…which rule with an iron hand our emotions and actions.  

There are sins of omission….where we don’t do the things we should, or could.    

There are sins of commission….where we sin, in error…..and in rebellion against the Word of God and His authority over us.   

           But, Praise God,  Jesus came to save us from our sins.

Psalm 85:2-3 “You forgave the iniquity of your people;  you cover all their sin. Selah.

You withdrew all your wrath;  you turned from your hot anger.”

How accurately is described the beautiful knowledge of Salvation….being covered by the blood of Christ….being saved from God being our Judge….to God being our Heavenly Father…

…and all through….Jesus,  what He is and did.

Ephesians 2:1-3 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

          In  which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, 

         Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Many writers have written concerning sin, as chains.    Sadly, we can become quite used to our own chains…..and though they bind and make us slaves….yet we do not rush forward to get free,  but rather excuse or wallow in them.  We are used to them….we are unaware they are slowly killing us.

Praise God that Jesus is Savior….for how desperately we need Him.

But Jesus is also Preacher:

Jesus has “proclaimed”…

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;  He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,   to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to sent at liberty them that are bruised,

      To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

To “preach” here means to herald, to proclaim  divine truth.

      And Jesus came to preach…to proclaim the gospel…to manifest the Way of Salvation through Himself….and He went through Israel doing so….

…and after His resurrection,  He sent His disciples to do so….to all the world.  (Matthew 28:18-20)

     And to proclaim deliverance from our sin through Him….and also the “acceptable year of the Lord”…to show that there is a time to come to Him….Yet.

But Jesus is also a Teacher…of those that follow Him.

     Mark 4:10-11 “And when He was alone, they that were about HIm with the twelve asked of Him the parable.  

     And He said unto them,   Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God:  but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables.”

           Any who really wanted to know His teachings,  He would explain them to them.   But to others, who just came to listen so they could be provided for (food)….He spoke in parables.

But Jesus is also a Servant….and I say this with reverence…that the Great God would humble Himself to serve….me…you. (Philippians 2:5-11)

         For He did, when He washed my sins away….as He washed the disciples feet on the Passover feast night.   (John 13:5-14)

But Jesus is also King….He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:11, 16)….Ruler of all, in charge of all.  

         And He is my King….for when His kingdom has come to us,  His Will will be done by us.

Jesus is also our Advocate

         1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.   And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,   Jesus Christ the righteous:

         And He is the propitiation for our sins:…”

Christ Jesus took all the wrath apportioned for my,…and your sins…on Himself.  So when we sin,  Jesus is our defending lawyer and points to HIs sacrifice which took away all penalty of that sin.

Jesus is our Mediator….for He stands between God and us….

….. before God for us,…and to us for God.

        Mediator means inter-nunciator…..He takes the Word and Will of God and makes them real and available to us….to our understanding and affections.

        (In Hebrews,  Jesus is said to be:

“…the mediator of a better covenant,  which was established upon better promises.” [Heb. 8:6]

“…the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death,….they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” [Heb. 9:15]

“…But ye are come…unto the city of the living God,….and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,…”[Heb. 12:24]

        These are all speaking of the same work for us….yet stressing the promises,   our eternal inheritance,   and our future in Heaven with Him…

….all firmly planted on His Mediation for us.)

        And when we pray,  the Lord takes our prayers before God and makes them acceptable,  by HIs merits,  which are endless….that they may be heard and answered.

1 Timothy  2:5 “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men,  the man Christ Jesus;”

May I pause here and say (there should be trumpets!):

       What hasn’t Christ Jesus won for us?    What a Savior!   What a King is ours!   

Are we availing ourselves of all He has for us….for salvation is always personal.

Jesus…Savior.

       Philippians 2:9-11 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name:

       That at the name of  Jesus  every knee should bow,  of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

       And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

It is not at the name of His divinity that every knee shall bow…but at the name of His humility….His great perfection of life….His amazing sacrifice….and by which name He arose from the dead, victorious.

It is at Jesus, all shall bow.  

        We have the privilege to do it willingly, heartily, and lovingly….

….but all will do it….

…and for some it will be the last thing they do before they are cast into Hell…the place made for the devil and his angels (Mat. 25:41)…

….for they will have chosen to refuse His name.

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