A More Convenient Season 

Acts 24:25 “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to come,  Felix trembled,  and answered,    Go thy way for this time;  when I have a convenient season,  I will call for thee.”

Felix was the Roman governor of Israel.  He lived in Caesarea, near the sea.

Paul had caused a riot in Jerusalem, when he preached that the gospel of Christ was given to the Gentiles also. (Acts 22:21-22).     He had then been taken by Roman soldiers, and though there was no charge, he was kept in the jail house; because they did not know what to do with him.    They were afraid to let him go, to cause another riot.

Normally they would never send a prisoner to the governor, except under extreme conditions:  but this seemed to be one.

Paul’s nephew had come and told the Roman chief captain, of a plot to kill Paul, even under Roman guard. (Acts 23:16-22).       This would have caused the captain a lot of trouble,  maybe even death, so he sent Paul to Felix the governor,  for review.

Felix had heard both sides of the accusation by the chief priests against Paul.

He understood that it was about this new way of religion;  about Jesus Christ.

Realizing that there was really nothing to judge,  Felix held off judgement.

He knew that Paul had done no harm,  that it was really a matter of who believed what.

But he also wanted to pacify the chief priests;  so he kept Paul in prison,  but let him have visitors. (Acts 24:22-23)

On one occasion, he called for Paul to come and talk to him and his wife concerning the faith in Christ.

Acts 24:24-25 “And after certain days,  when Felix came with his wife Drusilla,  which was a Jewess,  he sent for Paul,  and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

                            And as he reasoned of righteousness,  temperance,  and judgement to come,  Felix trembled,  and answered,   Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season,  I will call for thee.”

But when is a “convenient season” to be born again?    When could be a better time, than now?  

Was Felix afraid of believing in Christ because his wife was there?  Or in front of his soldiers?

Or was it because he was “someone” of importance, and was afraid to submit to God?

Though Felix often heard Paul,  the more convenient season never came.

Acts 24:26-27 “He (Felix) hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him:   wherefore he sent for him the oftener,  and communed with him.

                            But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix,  willing to show the Jews a pleasure,  left Paul bound.”

How many times we have heard the gospel message:  Christ Jesus came to earth to save sinners. 

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death;  but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Born of a virgin,  born under the law to redeem us; that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)

We are to believe and receive Him into our hearts and lives. 

John 1:12 “But as many as receive Him,  to them gave He power to become the sons of God,  even to them that believe on His name:”

We have heard, let us also confess Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Romans 10:8-9,13 “For what saith it?  The word is nigh thee,  even in thy mouth and in thy heart:  that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

                                  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 shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

For Felix,  the convenient season never came.  He left:  afraid to confess Christ, afraid to let Paul go,  afraid to anger the chief priests.

Have we received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?  Have we come to that convenient season to believe?

The Chambers of our Imagery or His kingdom Come 

Ezekiel 8:12 “Then said He unto me,  Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark,  every man in the chambers of his  imagery?  For they say,  The Lord seeth us not;  the Lord hath forsaken the earth.”

Notice that it is “in the dark”…..yet it is in their thought life!

A man’s god is that to which he gives final obedience.

In the chamber of your imagery……what is portrayed upon the wall round about?

To what do you give obedience there?

      (It can be plans or dreams you have had for years….kept separate from your regular plans…..just sitting there…..and your desire for them….and or resentment that they never happened…..

……instead of bringing them to the Lord and surrendering to His Will or time for them.)

      

      (It can be associations that we have hung on to,  even though they are hinderances in our spiritual life.)

      (It can be lusting after things, people, or to be like someone else….instead of who the Lord has made you.)

The literal interpretation of the last verse in the fellowship book of 1 John:

     1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.  Amen.”

1 John 5:21 (Amplified version) “Little children, keep yourselves from idols….false gods…from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God….

…from any sort of substitute for Him; that would take first place in your life.

Amen, so let it be”

To have spiritual reality,  every idol must be destroyed….otherwise we may be shown in the day of judgement….when all is revealed….to be just like the Pharisees in Jesus day:

     Matthew 23:27 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,  hypocrites!  For ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but  are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”

Christ must reign in me.

And that is brought about by:

Romans 5:17 “For if by one man’s offense  death reigned by one;   Much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.”

Notice, it is “which receive”…..it is in the present tense.

Paul began the chapter talking of being justified by faith….so he is speaking to those who are born again….(once your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, nothing can erase it….but you must be born again)….

…yet he stresses that we must continue to receive the  the overflow of His grace and righteousness,….that we must continue to grow in grace….in order to have the reality of His kingdom come within me,…you,…us.

Man has multiple faces…..his face at home,  his face at work, or with his buddies,  or his face in church…..

…but a true Christian strives to conquer that within him which makes him a hypocrite to his Lord.

     He sets aside to God…..not only his outward actions…..speaking the truth,  being right in our dealings;….

….but he sets aside to God….all his inward attitudes and seeks to be honest before God there.

Now is Light shining in…..now is the Holy Spirit’s power given…..now is Christ’s kingdom come within us…..and we become an influence of righteousness,  wherever we are.

Will we willingly open up our whole lives to Christ?  And deal with the chambers of our imagery……till we have His kingdom come within us……and are prepared for His kingdom to come to the earth one day.

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give a sign;  Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” 

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.”

Luke 2:7 “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.”

Luke 2:11-12 “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.”

I have quoted these verses to remind all of us….that no matter how long it seems we have to wait for God to fulfill a promise…..He will.

God sent HIs Son….on a mission so vital to us….with a message designed to show us our hearts….withdrawn, alone, distressed…

….and draw us to God.

When God sent HIs Son,   is very important.   

Israel was barely a nation anymore….they were under Rome….mostly despised….and the people and country trampled under foot of all the soldiers, laws, and trappings of Rome.  

Yet God sent His Son to save us…..to manifest His glory and grace to a nation, a people, and a world that had refused His authority for almost two thousand years.

As the song says 

“O little town of Bethlehem…how still we see thee lie.  Amid thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent hours go by.    Yet in thy dark street shineth the Everlasting Light….

….the hopes….and fears….of all the years, are met in thee tonight.”

 Christ Jesus was sent…yet He came as a “helpless” babe.      

      God could have sent HIs Son….full grown and capable of taking care of Himself….but God placed His Son, by the Holy Spirit within a woman….fulfilling the first promise He gave concerning the coming of the Savior.  

     (Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”)

When Christ came,  He became to us, all that was told of Him.

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

     Wonderful. (How many times have I thought this about my lovely Lord Jesus….about Him…and what He has done for me!)

     Counselor.   (His Word comes to us as guidance and encouragement…to come boldly to our Heavenly Father….and to show us the way to go,  since He traveled this road, too.)

    The Mighty God:   (He has always been in control….for His Word spoke the heavens and the earth into being.   And He is in charge now,  for me.)

     The everlasting Father:  

(Christ is one with the Father….and when He was risen, He said,  “I ascend unto My Father, and your Father;  and to My God and your God.”   John 20:17

And He has made it possible for us to know the love of the Father…”I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me and  hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me.”  John 17:23)

    The Prince of Peace:  

(Peace is His gift to us….but it also is His element, and way.  He is the God of  peace….and when He comes to a heart….He gives His peace to “..keep our hearts and minds..” (Philippians 4:7)….as when He stilled the raging sea by, “Peace, be still.”

      John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation:  but be of good cheer;  I have overcome the world.”

        His kingdom now, within us is a kingdom of “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17)

Isaiah 9:7 “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth even for ever.    The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

We started this by reminding all of us,  of God’s faithfulness in sending Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.   

And I will end in reminding all of us of God’s faithfulness to us this past year….even into the coming one.

He will perform…would be enough.

But it says the zeal….the ardor and fervor of the Lord of hosts…will perform it.

Let us praise HIs Name….Jesus, who came to save us from our sins….

….Christ, anointed with fullness by the Holy Spirit and with gladness to do the Father’s Will…to fulfill the Purpose of God for us.   

Let us remember and stand with Him in the days, months, and years ahead….and praise Him.

      “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will toward men”

Do we know the Power of the Holy Spirit? 

Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,  they are the sons of God.”

I have felt of late that I need to explain a little about the power of the Holy Spirit,   that I talk so much about….

His power is not like a balloon,  where we are filled with this power and stay blown up…no.

His power is pictured as a vine and branches (John 15:4), 

and  as water (John 4:14, 23-24).

It is something that must be continually received and used.   

It flows in us, for us;    and through us to others, in our words, actions  and just being, when we are right with God.

It is not something we store….we are not granaries….but living expressions (epistles) of Christ,  here…..and that is,  by the Holy Spirit in us. 

2 Corinthians 3:3 “Forasmuch as ye have manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;  not in tables of stone,  but in fleshly tables of the heart.”

The Holy Spirit is God in us….pushing, pulling, directing, reminding us of Christ and His Word (John 14:26) and….

Is the well of water springing up to cleanse, refresh, strengthen, encourage.

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you:  but ye are washed,  but ye are sanctified,  but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus,  and by the Spirit of God.”

It is continual……He is never stagnant within us.    He is either giving us all He has for us,    or we have shut down the flow from Him to us somehow; and are receiving little from Him.  

He is a Person of the Godhead,  therefore we can grieve Him.  

Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God,  whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

He is called the Comforter by Christ Jesus, because He was going back to Heaven and not able to stay with His disciples.

He would not leave us alone, so…….He sent the Holy Spirit to be an abiding Person with us.

John 14:16-17 “And I will pray the Father,  and He shall give you another Comforter,  that He may abide with you forever;  

                       Even the Spirit of truth;    Whom the world can not receive,  because it seeth Him not,   neither knoweth Him:    but ye know Him;   for He dwelleth with you,  and shall be in you.”

He comes to us in power:  the power of the saving grace of Christ, and imparts to us the faith, by which we overcome in the world.

This faith is not “hope so” stuff….but living substance and evidence of God in our lives.   By it we are given “spiritual sight” to see Him, and His will.

1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:  and this is the victory that overcometh the world,  even our faith.”

His Voice is an inner voice, which gives discernment to us about what we hear and see….is it of God,  or man? (Hebrews 5:14)

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

And His power of love is constant….it is felt…for He makes us know that we fit into God’s family….

Romans 8:15-16 “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,   Abba, Father.

                       The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,  that we are the children of God:”

And that He will never leave us or forsake us….though correct us He will.

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation (our walk, not just our talk) be without covetousness;  and be content with such things as ye have:   For He hath said, 

I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

We are to give ourselves to the Holy Spirit….in scripture it is called “yield”….for it is a term of subjection, and love.

Romans 6:16 “Know ye not,  that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,  

his servants ye are to whom ye obey;  whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness?”

All that the Holy Spirit does is to manifest Christ….in us, by us, and for us.

For He was sent of Christ to abide in us, forever.

There is a lot more:  He teaches us to pray,   gives us the spiritual fruit of God within our lives,   and helps us to come out of ourselves into the glorious liberty of Christ…..etc.

He gives purpose to our days, raising them up into service for Christ, by yielding to Him;  and He gives us songs in the night,  amid troubles and doubts.

There is so much more I, myself,   and you, yourself can come to know about Him;  for what He will do for us, personally, is always between us and our Lord.

I send this out, with prayers, that everyone of us might “be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;”. (Ephesians 3:16)

Not to faint.   

To faint in scripture is not to fall down unconscious, as we think of it today……

….but to give up,….feeling everything is lost,….and for a Christian,  this is an act of our will….

….though it maybe began in our emotions or reasons.

Luke 18:1 “And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

There is a definite choice here…..A choice, the Lord says,  there is God’s help for.

(My husband and I knew a man once…..

       He was a good man,  went to our church….and knew many sound doctrines.   He was always overflowing with good words about the Lord,….and if you were not around him much….he seemed so genuine.

      But he never finished anything.   He would begin with a rallying cry,….and struggle through for a while….and then just sit down, with the urging, “you go on, I’ll be there shortly”….but he wasn’t.

       I believe that many, respect God….that do not love Him.   And love, in scripture…..which is the willed tendency of our hearts….is a powerful and strengthening grace.

       If we are Christians,   Love is first put into our hearts by God, the Holy Spirit….it is “shed abroad in our hearts” (Romans 5:5)…

…and it changes us.   It gives us a “soft” heart….one easily moved by the Holy Spirit…toward God.

      Without love,  we may be obedient,  enthusiastic,  knowledgeable…..but not devoted…to Christ, Himself.

       Where there is no love,  there is no worship….for worship is counting Him worthy of all of us.

Habakkuk 2:20 “But the Lord is in His Holy Temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.”

….it seems that many people want to “give up the fight”.

…I, too, have felt like giving up….

…there was a time….when I was a teenager, after some bad experiences, that I thought of committing suicide for a time.

          Yet,  the Lord has always come to me….

…..not necessarily encouraging me, for sometimes we need a jolt back into the reality of life, rather than a hug….

…..but His Presence has always made the difference….always got me up out of myself….

(I want to talk just for a moment of suicide.   It is self-murder.   Some may give a complicated answer why people kill themselves…and I do think that there are about as many “reasons”…as people. 

      But they all come down to not believing God,….and trying to destroy their biggest problem….themselves, or their circumstances.

Some are looking for a way out of problems…..

……But please,  seek first the great problem Solver….Christ.

Some are looking for a way out of themselves….they are not happy with who they are, so they will destroy their “enemy”. 

           But God says,  I have seen you in the womb….I have formed you for My sake.   Again, do you believe God, or others?

           Suicide is self-murder….you are not just killing your bodies, but your life as well.  You are saying,  “I will not live the life You, God, have given me.”   

          But our lives are more than this moment of pain, hurt, trial,….or worse.

They are beyond that….and Christ Jesus can be our Helper,  now.

           Please come to Christ Jesus.   Receive Him into your heart and life.

Christ Jesus came to save you…..

….you, who He loved so much, that He bore all your sins on the cross, for you.)

Luke 18:1-8 is the parable of a widow who was being harassed by her adversary.   

She had no one to speak for her….so she did what she could,   and came before a Roman Judge….and cried for help.

     But he paid no attention to her or her need….he did not care about a silly widow….she could do him no damage….at least this is what he thought at first.

(And how many people pay no attention to others…..even those close to us.  But God sees…..and God hears.)

Now here, she could have given up…..but…

…..she kept coming to his court, and crying for help!    “Avenge me of mine adversary!”

So,  “though he feared not God, nor regarded man”…..he decided that she was getting too much attention in his court,….and she might ruin his reputation….others might start doing the same thing.

        So,  he would avenge her….give her a restraining order against her adversary….just to get rid of her,  out of his court!

Luke 18:6-8 “And the Lord said,  Hear what the unjust judge saith.

        And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?  

        I tell you that He will avenge them speedily….”

“I tell you….”. This is the Lord saying this…..”God will avenge them speedily”

This is an amazing promise.

       We should ask for a “restraining order” against our Adversary….when he is harassing us in our prayers,  direction,  or speaking to someone….

…God will avenge us speedily,  when we do.

This widow came to a unjust Judge….

…but we come to our Heavenly Father…and will we not receive that which He has for His own child.

The Judge wanted to get rid of her…..

….but we are bidden by God to…

…”come boldly to the Throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy, and find grace to help…”(Hebrews 4:16)

…”ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.” (Luke 11:9)

This widow had no advocate to help her before the Judge….

….but Christ is our Mediator,  our “Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” (1 John 2:1)

As we are confronted by our Adversary, we may also cry unto our Heavenly Father…as the widow did to an unjust judge….”Avenge me of mine Adversary; and give me freedom and liberty to do Thy Will.”

Jesus has said,  “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.”

Let us believe the Lord….cry unto Him, day and night…….and receive the love which the Holy Spirit will shed abroad in our hearts….

…..that we may be blessed….

…in our prayer times,  in our work….in our lives….

….and not faint.

The Light of God.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the  Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

When God shines upon us…..He is faithful to His Will for us…..and never withdraws His light…or turns from us.   

The Light of God is the only Light that will defeat darkness. 

Isaiah 50:10 “Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant,  that walketh in darkness and hath no light?  Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.”

God is Light (1 John 1:5)…..He is that brightness of clarity that we need in every situation….whether we are confused, or hurt, or asleep….He comes,  and we see.

     He is that stability…..for light gives direction…..that we may walk in it. (1 John 1:7)

     And His light is power….for the darkness flees when light comes….and anything that pushes back the darkness, either in us….or around us, is HIs power. 

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.”

But….

…there is a light which is “kindled” by us…..”sparks”,  God calls this light…for it only starts fires within us….fires of doubt,  or presumption….fires of accusation or false peace….fires which bring only sorrow [worry and anguish]….not truth and joy.

Isaiah 50:11 “Behold, all ye that kindle a fire,  that compass yourselves about with sparks:  walk in the light of your fire,  and in the sparks that ye have kindled.  This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.”

(I have done this….praying about something,  you get an idea how to “fix” this problem….and instead of continuing to seek the Lord about it,  you think about it….expanding it in your mind.

     This self-made light is troublesome.   You think you are “helping” God….when it is all nothing.

      God’s Light brings truth…..

….often our “light” covers up…or gets us to stick our foot in our mouth!….or to muddy the waters…not clear up the situation.)

It is interesting to note, that this verse is at the end of a prophesy concerning Christ….and His ministry here on earth.

      Christ is the light of the world….and His ministry separated those that wanted to walk after Him…in His light;  and those that refused His Light to follow there own “sparks”.

      (If you read Isaiah 50….

       In verses 1-2,  God explains that He did not “put Israel away” (divorced)….but their sins had separated them from Him.

       In verse 2-3, we see Christ speaking…”when I came”….”Is My hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?”   He speaks of His power to deliver.   

       In verses 4-10, Christ tells of the provision to God, in word for His mouth,…..in willingness to suffer,  setting His face “like a flint” [Luke 9:51] to do His Father’s Will….

…and concludes:  if you want My Will and obey Me,….you will see the darkness of My death….but…trust in the Lord, and hang on to God.

       Then, in verse 11…..He speaks to those who will refuse His Light….for they “spark” fires,  not light….they shall lay down in sorrow.)

It is coming to Christ Jesus, that we receive real Light…..for He manifests God’s Light (clarity, stability, power)….as nothing else.

Isaiah 61:1, 3 (Jesus quoted this in Luke 4:18-19]. 

  “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek;  

   He hath sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, 

   to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

   ….to give unto them beauty for ashes,  the oil of joy for mourning,   the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

    that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord,

that He might be glorified.”

This is the reason for our existence:  that He might be glorified!

Let us come to the Light of God….confessing and giving over to Him all our own “sparks”…..and walk in that Light….that joyful, clear, power giving Light…..and glorify Him.

               

The Leper

Mark 1:40 “And there came a leper to Him,  beseeching Him,  and kneeling down to Him,  and saying unto Him,   If Thou wilt,  thou canst make me clean.”

The fact that Jesus healed many, was well known.  He had been preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God. (Mark 1:15).  Wherever He went, He healed the sick, and crippled, as well. 

As He went, a leper came asking for cleansing.  “Lord,  if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean”.

Jesus was moved with compassion.   Leprosy is a terrible disease.   How far along in the disease he was, is not said here….but in:

Luke 5:8. “And it came to pass, when He was in a certain city,  behold  a man full of leprosy;  who seeing Jesus  fell on his face, and besought Him,  saying,   Lord, if thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”

This man was “full of leprosy”.    In other words, this man’s case was hopeless.  Leprosy starts as a “rising,(swelling), a scab, or bright spot” and continues till  “raw flesh” appears. (Leviticus 13:2, 14)

It destroys and eats away the flesh,  until fingers fall off, etc.   

Leprosy is like sin.  It begins small–a “swelling”.   Wherever it breaks out,  it puffs up the flesh.

But it is small–something you could ignore, if you chose to.  Till it needs a scab.

That means there has been a open sore.  It still could be small…but open,  open to the contaminants of the world…..and growing.

And so it goes on,  eating up our souls,  destroying us;  unless it is cleansed.

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

Yet, this man cried for mercy from the Lord Jesus;…..and received it.

Not only the Word of Healing;…….but Jesus “put forth his hand, and touched him”.

Mark 1:41-42 “And Jesus moved with compassion,  put forth His hand,  and touched him,  and saith unto him,    I will;  be thou clean.

                      And as soon as He had spoken,  immediately the leprosy departed from him,  and he was cleansed.”

Isaiah 59:1 “Behold,  the Lord’s hand is not shortened,  that it can not save;  neither His ear heavy,  that it can not hear:”

This was compassion only the Son of Man/the Son of God, could do:  

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities;  but was in all points tempted like as we are,  yet without sin.”

Jesus touched the leper, and gave His Word, “I will”.    That cleansed him.

Jesus heart reached out and touched him,…..a leper, who should never be touched.   (Most would not even let them come near them.)

Jesus willed, and spoke the word,…..and he was cleansed.

I am emphasizing this, because we feel that God’s Will, and His Word have different power…..no.    What God wills,  His power is already sent forth to do….in us, and by us.

What God’s Word says,  is certain.

He did not need to speak….but stressed His compassion, by word.

He did not need to touch….but stressed His love, by His hand.

But now the Lord wanted him to do what God required for the cleansing, for a testimony of God’s goodness:

Mark 1:43-44 “And He straitly charged him,  and forthwith sent him away;

                      And saith unto him,   See thou say nothing to any man:  Go thy way,  show thyself to the priest,  and offer for thy cleansing those things that Moses commanded,  for a testimony unto them.”

We can not save ourselves from our sin.   We must come to Christ for that.

But we can be obedient to what He requires us,  afterward,  as a testimony to His Love and Word.

The leper was cleansed:

He came to the right person, and in the right way;  seeking mercy. 

And he was cleansed.

Then he went and did as Jesus required, as a testimony to Jesus as Lord and Savior,….and as the One who healed him.

We, too, are in need of cleansing:  from small sins or large sins.  We need forgiveness and cleansing. 

But we can come to Jesus for His mercy……bowing down to Him, we can be cleansed of all our iniquities….receiving His grace (the unmerited favor of power).

The Leper was no longer a leper…..that is what he sought from Jesus….and what he got, by Jesus will, word, and touch.

Christ Jesus has the same, for all who will come to Him.

John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses,  but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

If we face the truth of ourselves, His grace will be applied.

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

The Peace of God

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God,  which passeth all understanding,  shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The word “keep” here means to protect, to garrison.

That is what God’s peace does for us.  It protects our hearts, which are our emotions. (How often they run away with us!)

And it protects our minds, which are our thoughts,  both random and reasoned.

His peace puts us in a strong place, where things don’t upset us;  or hurt us, like they usually do.

His peace gives us rest of mind;  not panic or wild imaginations of what could happen.

But it is His peace.  We very often have none of our own.

But He comes and speaks to us, calming our fears;  and delivering us by His protection.

It passes all our understanding,  for we can try and reason away bad thoughts or anger….but it usually does not work.

But,  when we let His peace come,  we know real power and rest in the situation.

He has it for us;  He says:

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing (do not worry); 

but in everything (yes, everything, big and little)

by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

He hears and gives us His peace.   Just talk to Him, and receive His peace, and praise Him for it.

Use it or Lose it?

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

Matthew 25:14-30 

Here is the parable of the man traveling into a far country.  So he delivers to his servants his goods, to gain with.

Matthew 25:14 “For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country,  who called His own servants, and delivered unto them His goods.”

To begin this, we would stress the most important fact; we should deal with “ability”.   “Each to his several ability”.

Matthew 25:15  “And unto one he gave five talents,  to another, two;  and to another, one.  To every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey”

“Several ability”,….the plain teaching of this parable is that even the one talent person could have gained something;    in as much as each had a several ability…..

…….Which means there is more than one thing they could have done.

Matthew 25:29 “For unto every one that hath  shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not  shall be taken away even that which he hath.”

But from “him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath”? 

In other words, that which he had,  but made no use of.

Luke 19:12-14 “He said therefore,  A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.  

                          And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds,  and said unto them,   Occupy till I come.     

                          But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying,  We will not have this man to reign over us.”

Here in this parable we see two groups:   Servants, and citizens.

Those that say they are His servants,  who are entrusted to use part of the nobleman’s wealth, to gain for Him while he is gone.

And the citizens of the country,   are those of the world which hate him, outright.

When the nobleman returns (as Christ will one day, having been given His Kingdom here on earth [Revelation 11:15]). Then he calls for an account of his servants.

The Parable in Matthew 25 uses “talents”.   

Each of us receiving a different amount to use,…..symbolizing the calling and abilities (grace) given us,  by the Holy Spirit,  to do God’s Will.

But here in Luke, they receive one pound each…….and are told to “Occupy till I come”.  

This is a merchandise term , as used in the day of Christ.  

It means to use it…..and gain with it. 

(The “pound”, is the faith by the Holy Spirit.    Will we yield to the Holy Spirit and have the victory and obediences Christ has for us?  Will we use our pound?)

Luke 19:16-17 “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. 

     And He said unto him,  Well done, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.”

Faithfulness to God in what He has given you, much or little,  is what He rewards.

Luke 19:18 “And the second came, saying,  Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.”

And so He gave the man who had been faithful, even though with less…….authority over five cities.  

He had not gained as much as the first servant,  but had been faithful and gained;…..and so, was rewarded.

Now to the one who hid his talent, for selfish fear. 

He did not think well of the Master, and did not care about “gaining” for Him.

So he thought he would hide his talent,  to protect himself.  He would give back what he was given, and be done with it.  

The Nobleman couldn’t complain, he thought, because He had back, what He had given.

But that is not what the Nobleman,….or our Lord Jesus,…wants.

He wants His servants to use what He had given them, out of honor for Him,….and “gain”.   

First we “gain” grace and fellowship within, so that the love of God sheds itself abroad in us.

Second we “gain” by the “good works” we do in the power of the Holy Spirit….we gain the fruit of the Spirit, and the fruit of a Christian…which is another Christian.

We have been given faith, by the Holy Spirit, to help us.  

Are we taking the help?

We have been given gifts and callings (ability).   Are we using them to His glory?

Luke19:23 “Wherefore than gavest not thou My money into the bank, that at My coming I might have required mine own with usury?” (Interest)

He was responsible for his one talent,…..but he did nothing with it.  

That one talent, he was given, could have gained at least one more.

And should we not use our faith, whether large or little…….and grow in grace?

Perhaps, if he had only grown in faith,….he would have gained love…..love for the Master,  he was to serve…..and that would have resulted in more gain.

But sadly…..he hid his talent.

What about us?  Are we using what we have been given as faithful stewards of Christ Jesus?

We can and should……and gain by it.  

Let us do what we can,  with the help of the Holy Spirit, and be blessed.

Again!  Use it or lose it!

As Paul said:

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

Those that are faithful in little, will be given much.

For this is the measure of Spiritual Things.

Luke 19:24-26 “And he said unto them that stood by,  Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath 10 pounds.  

        (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath 10 pounds.). 

         For I say unto you ,  That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath  shall be taken away from him.”

There it is , the Sovereign Creator says “That unto every one which hath shall be given”.   

      They have used what He gave them, and gained,….little or much.

We who are of the Elect,  need to see God’s Purpose which was from the beginning

We were not put into this world to fulfill our own purpose,  but HIs.

We were neither born,   Or born again,  to do our own thing.

But unto the good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

If we are faithful to God, we will gain for Him.  If we are unfaithful, we will lose our reward.

Again,  use it, or lose it;  which will we do?

The Good Samaritan 

We all know the story Jesus told here. 

 It was told to a man who wanted to “justify himself” or excuse himself from the responsibility of really fulfilling God’s law of love.

He wanted to talk of high things…

Luke 10:25-26 “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Him,  saying,  Master,  what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

           And He (Jesus) said unto him,  What is written in the law?  How readest thou?”

“What does the law say about what God requires of those that want to have a right relationship with Him?”

Luke 10:27-28 “And he (the lawyer) answering said,   Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,  and with all thy strength,  and with all thy mind;  

And thy neighbor as thyself.

            And He said unto him,  Thou hast answered right:  this do, and thou shalt live.”

(Now, I wasn’t there,  but I imagine this lawyer,…..when he repeated what the law had to say…..did it in a droning, monotone voice…..after all he was just repeating what it said….it was not a Living Word….but what he had memorized…)

Yet….Jesus told him that if he did what he just said,  he would have eternal life…

(You can not love God….in a half-hearted way….it does not work….something will overshadow your affection [if you can call it that], and it will be destroyed, or put aside….

…love of God is all consuming.   True it may start out small….our hearts are often full of other things….but it will grow….all heart, all soul, all strength, all mind….all to Him,  Who loved us fully.)

But this lawyer was quick to find an excuse:  Who is my neighbor?

Luke 10:30 “And Jesus answering said,   A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho,  and fell among thieves,  which striped him of his raiment,  and wounded him,  and departed,  leaving him half dead.”

Now this poor man who was robbed, was only half dead,  so there was hope for his recovery:    If he could get some help.

Luke 10:31 “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way;  and when he saw him,  he passed by on the other side.”

This priest was no help.  Although they were to offer sacrifices in the Temple;  they were to also help the people draw near to God in understanding and praise. 

Yet he did not take the opportunity to at least see if there was anything he could do spiritually for the man.   

After all the man was wounded, and maybe dying.

Instead, he walked to the other side of the road, and passed by.

Luke 10:32 “And likewise a Levite,  when he was at the place,  came and looked on him,  and passed by on the other side.”

This is worse:  the Levite came to the man,  looked on his misery, and said nothing.   No comfort, or questions.  He did not ask if he wanted him to contact his family,   nothing.

He just left.

Levites were to help the people who came to the Temple in any way they could.  They were the ones who could explain what God’s Word said for them to do, and would be the ones to help them.   But there was no spirit or action of help here.

He came,  looked at the man,  and left.    On the other side.

Luke 10:33 “But a certain Samaritan,  as he journeyed,  came where he was;  and when he saw him,  he had compassion on him,”

Finally, some compassion!    But wait!   This was a Samaritan.   

The Samaritans were half Jews,  and as such,  unclean to have fellowship with.

Some Samaritans resented this,…

..(and how many times have we not helped,  when we could,  because of some resentment to a person, or situation?)….

….but this man did not worry who the wounded man was.       He just helped him.

And what help!  

Luke 10:34-35 “And went to him,  and bound up his wounds,  pouring in oil and wine,  and set him on his own beast,  and brought him to an inn,  and took care of him.

                          And on the morrow when he departed,  he took out two pence,  and gave them to the host,  and said unto him,   Take care of him:  and whatsoever  thou spendest more,  when I come again,  I will repay thee.”

He bound up his wounds,  taking his supplies to do so.   

Taking time,….in a dangerous place (who knows whether the thieves would come back).

Then he placed him on his beast, which meant he walked…..and took him to a inn….and personally took care of him through the night.

He then gave the inn-keeper money:  two days wages,  to care for him.

And promised to pay any other fee for caring for this man, when he returned….which probably meant that he was a frequent traveler….and that the innkeeper trusted him.

The Samaritan did not know this man,…..and if they had met on the streets of Jerusalem before this incident,  the wounded man would probably have not even looked his way.

Yet the Samaritan cared for him,  as if he were a brother.

After telling this……Jesus turns to the lawyer, who wanted to justify himself:

Luke 10:36 “Which now of these three,  thinkest thou,  was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?”

The question was meant to awaken his heart to his own responsibility…first to God, to do all the law where others were concerned….(and most of the law God laid down,  was written to show respect, equality, and justice, to one another)…

….then to show brotherly kindness to others.

What would this lawyer, who knew the law,  answer?

Luke 10:37 “And he (the lawyer) said,  He that showed mercy on him….”

(Mercy here is kindness, brotherly kindness.    So he gave the right answer.  

But if that is the answer,  what should he be doing!)

“…Then said Jesus unto him,    Go, and do thou likewise.”

You see, it is not just what we say, as Christians, that makes a difference.

It is what we do.

The lawyer knew the words of the law….as words…..

….but the life of the law is love to God, and our neighbor…

You can not love God….in a half-hearted way….it does not work….something will overshadow your affection [if you can call it that], and it will be destroyed, or put aside….

…love of God is all consuming.   True it may start out small….our hearts are often full of other things….but it will grow….all heart, all soul, all strength, all mind….all to Him,  Who loved us fully.