Tabitha/Dorcas

Acts 9:36-38 “Now there was in Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and alms-deeds which she did.

And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

….and the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.”

Notice two things: she was a disciple….a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

Whether she had been saved before the Lord’s death….or after, in the outflowing of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church….it does not say.

But she was living proof of what Jesus said,….

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

….for she loved God, and others in word and action….doing all she could for those who had no one to care for them…..the widows.

(Widows were often destitute….unless they had children who would care for them, as well as their own families.)

Acts 9:39 “Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.”

Second, she had two names…..one Hebrew, and one Greek. Both mean “gazelle, or beautiful”.

She had two names, I believe, because she ministered to any and all widows.

As a believer….she had not confined her ministry to the Hebrew widows but to others as well.

She made coats and garments for these…..things of her own hands….not a penny here, or there as if they were beggars…..but providing coverings for the cold nights, and garments for dignity.

(As Christians, we too, should provide for those we minister to…..we should cover them by our prayers, and seek for their good….not just outward, but inward blessing.)

Peter, who had just healed a man in the neighboring city (Acts 9:34 “…Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.”)…

…… was hurriedly called to come to see if he could do anything for Tabitha.

Peter had healed…….this would be resurrection from the dead in Jesus Name. Was it possible?

Peter comes, as he is called, and goes in…..not stopping to admire her good works….or grieve with their loss….

….he knew what he had to do….and did it….according to the Lord’s Will.

Acts 9:40-41 “But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body (she is still dead, at this point)

said, Tabitha, arise.

And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.”

Jesus had brought back to life, several, when He was here…..but no one had been risen from the dead since the Holy Spirit had been given on the day of Pentecost.

Yet, praying in the Name of Jesus Christ, Peter then speaks the same word as Jesus did to the ruler’s daughter (Luke 8:54-55)…”Arise”.

Because of this, there was not only joy in those widows and the believers there…..but this was a witness to Jesus Christ throughout the city…..

Acts 9:42 “And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.”

We think that this happened because she was so good…..

….but it happened because those around her sought for her…..the Lord’s Will.

They might not have believed that their prayers alone would have brought her back to life…..but they believed that Peter would know what to do….so…

They called for Peter…..and Peter did just that….the Lord’s Will.

What of us?

Are we hesitating to seek in prayer for the spiritual life of someone….because we are not very important?

Then let us call for the One we know will do what is right…Jesus Christ…..and seek His Will done in every situation.

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Would you have this promise? Would you have the opportunities opened to you, or those you are praying for?

(Notice the “it shall”, “ye shall”, “it shall” of this promise.)

The first thing we must do….is ask.

Well, that is nothing new….and it is not.

We need to “ask” for everything. We are so poor, so desperate,….that we are in need of everything from Him.

For without Him, we can do nothing.

We are called to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

And the first thing we need to know is,…….Is what we are asking for, according to His Will?

Well, if it is, then we can continue with the promise, for we will receive an answer.

We can then “seek, that we shall find”

Seeking requires effort.

If you are looking for something in one place, and it is in another place…..no matter how hard you look, you won’t find it.

You must go where it is….to look for it.

For instance:

There are times that what we ask for…..is right before us.

But we refuse to see it…..because it is not what we think it ought to be, or the way it ought to be.

(I must tell you, I have many a discussion with the Lord about “the way” He is doing things….the people He used to show me things….the times of waiting on Him to speak.)

Simple Example: When my daughter was younger, she had a paper route, she walked around every evening. I was not always home at the time she left, but about half the time I was.

I had been praying about losing a little weight, for my health….as I was getting older, and I thought the Lord would give me directions for diet, or exercises…..but what He said was….”go out on the paper route with your daughter.”

First, I thought this ridiculous (yes, I was the ridiculous one)…..because it was her job, and “I thought” it would be taking some of that responsibility away from her.

But, the Lord insisted….and I went….every time I was home to go. It helped my knees, my breathing…..but it also gave us time to talk…..about something….about nothing things.

And it led to some conversations with other people I had not officially met, and some prayers shared.

Did the Lord know what He was doing? Of course!!! And it was right in front of me the whole time! God is so good!)

So we “seek” the means or the way the Lord wants to show us the door, that needs to be opened.

So many examples….

Moses’ shepherd’s rod….just a shepherd’s rod (Exodus 4:2-5)…..but in God’s Way, it was used……before Pharaoh, at the Red Sea, bringing water from the rock, holding it up in battle. (This was a means for Moses….God had him use it all the time)

David before Goliath…..stones and a sling, instead of Saul’s armor. (1 Samuel 17:38-40) was God’s way for him.

David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem….using the wrong means at first, for they did not seek His Way….but then bringing it up after God’s “due order”,….in joy.(2 Samuel 6:3-15)

Daniel praying for Jerusalem…..should he continue to do what the Lord wanted………and be thrown into the lion’s den…….or save himself, giving up prayer? (Daniel 6:5-23)

Paul and Silas in jail…..when the earthquake came…..they remained in jail, not moving until the Lord gave permission….to the saving of a jailer.(Acts 16:25-34)

And my daughter and I. Our relationship was good….but so much better after I began to go out with her……an opened door that would not have been,…..had I rejected God’s Word to me.

When we find the door, we are to “knock” at the “door”.

This is the doing, the obedience to God’s answer; for He will open it at the right time.

When we ask…..we are to receive the answer. Sometimes that is it…..the answer given, we are done.

In some cases, we need to seek the means for further instruction as to how to find the door we need to knock on.

Some prayer seems simple: This person is troubled….”Lord help them find an answer, or comfort.”

But what if the Lord shows you that you are to seek a promise to claim for them…

Then, when you have it,…..you are to knock with that promise till the “door” is opened….whether it is a door within them….opened more to Jesus;

Or a “door” of opportunity,…a “door” of forgiveness,…..a “door” of liberty.

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.”

It is not calling Jesus, Lord…..but it is doing the Will of the Father that counts.

When the Lord Jesus has my will….then He will use my will to bring His Will to pass…..many different ways….but all His Way.

Because our Wills are One with His.

How many “doors” are still shut in our lives, or the lives of others……because we are not going the full way with the Lord,……and seeking,….and knocking?

Take Heed

Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”

If you have the desire to hear what the Lord is saying to you….you will. If you do not really want to hear…you won’t.

Take heed, or pay attention to those things that will hinder our profiting from the Word that we hear.

Jesus just gave the parable of the Sower sowing the Word. There were four kinds of soil which it landed on:

1)The wayside….the really hard ground around the prepared field where the workers walked.

The seed was so little considered, that when it landed there, it was walked on; “trodden under foot”.

This is the way some people treat God’s Word…they might listen to it, but they do not regard it, so they eventually they trample all over what it says…and Jesus, Who said it.

2)The rocky ground…the part of the field where they had taken out the large rocks, but there were still smaller ones there.

The seed there was starved for moisture…or the healthful influences of the Holy Spirit.

It “sprung up”….started to hear and to see what was being said for themselves, but the hard places in the heart…even though they were smaller(resentments, hurts, anger)….quenched the Holy Spirit….and because they refused to remove these “rocks”, the Word withered within them.

3)The thorny ground…the part of the field where the seed grows up with the weeds.

At first, it looks like you can get some harvest, though it maybe small.

But the “thorns” or the things of the world (worries, riches or wanting them, and pleasures of this life) are too strong….they pull all the life from the plants, and do not produce anything.

(How many times have we felt our desires taking over our thoughts, and actions?

And these desires can be for a better home, job, car, or anything else. It is not the desire, itself….but how much it influences our affections.

Are we becoming depressed because we do not have them?

Are we thinking about them all the time?

These are thorns, which if we continue to let them grow; and do not pull them out, will choke the Word of God from our hearts.

We pull them out by coming to the Lord and turning them over to Him; confess any sin about them, and ask Him to remove the affections for them….and the influence they have on us.)

4)The good ground…the part of the field where the most preparation has taken place (Jeremiah 4:3).

The ground has been turned over, and smoothed, so when the Seed was placed there, there was nothing to hinder it’s growth.

Luke 8:15 “And that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

There is nothing that God loves so much than a person that get’s honest with Him…..it is an acknowledgement that our hearts are open to Him in everything.

Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

If a person’s ways are honest with the Lord, He will reward his honesty with spiritual fruit.

This heart produces fruit….for the Word we hear, we keep, and we use to help us.

Any honest man who comes to God as he is, comes to the ground where God can meet with him.

Isaiah 57:15, 18 “For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, Whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

I have seen his ways, and I will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners (those that sympathized with him).”

On that same ground of honesty, God grants grace….the unmerited favor of power to do something about ourselves, and the situation we are in.

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

Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

When we face the truth about ourselves, in any given situation….His grace is applied, right then….and we can produce the fruit of the Spirit within us.

Grace changes us….enabling the weakest Christian to remain strong, patient, to forgive, or any ability we need…..when we get honest with the Lord.

(To be frank, this is the hardest part….for when we pray, we often just ask for grace, without telling the Lord all our deepest feelings. Tell Him all, and let Him heal all…that is the truth and grace of Christ Jesus being applied to us…to make us whole.)

If you read this parable, it was only His disciples who asked, “What might this parable be?”

They wanted to understand the Word that they heard.

To “understand” means “to come together”……..to comprehend so that the actions follow the mind.

The crowd seemed happy just to listen and be around Jesus. Like a vacation from their life….but with no change in their life.

Matthew 13:13, 15 “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

They did not understand…because they let their hearts become heavy with cares. (Their life was hard….This might be natural)

They let their ears stop hearing Him, because He required more than they wanted to give.

[He asked them to trust and believe in Him….they wanted Him to keep feeding them, and healing all their illnesses John 6:26-27].

(This is a turning away with their hearts)

Their eyes they closed, because they did not want to “see”, that the Lord was calling them to be His, completely. (This was a choice of the will…they closed them)

Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

A good and honest heart: Good because it is honest with God.

(In the Greek, the word for “honest” (“kalos”) here, means “beautiful, valuable, or virtuous”. I believe the Lord shows that to be honest with Him, is beautiful.)

Again, any honest man who comes to God….as he is….comes to the ground where God can meet with him….and He will.

“…I have seen his ways, and I will heal him…”. The Lord says “I will” and where He wills, there is power.

Psalm 136: A psalm of praise for the Lord’s Mercy

Psalm 136:1 “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever.”

In this Psalm, every verse ends with the phrase, “for His mercy endureth forever”.

“Endureth” means that it is established and stands fast. God’s mercy for us has been established in eternity past….and will stand fast….immovable for us throughout eternity future.

He is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, Who alone does great wonders.

Whose wisdom made the heavens, stretched out the earth above the waters.

Who made the sun to rule by day, and the moon and stars to rule by night.

Who redeemed Israel from Egypt,…protecting under Blood, their firstborn; while slaying the firstborn of Egypt.

Who brought them through, dry shod, the Red Sea.

Yet slew Pharaoh’s army when they followed, bringing the same Sea to drown them.

Who lead them through the wilderness, bringing them into the Promised land.

All these things are the marvelous works He has done….

….but then,…. the personal memory of God for “us”….the personal pronoun.

Who remembered, and remembers “us” now (for it is in a continuing sense)…..and here it takes a personal turn.

And “hath redeemed us”….

Psalm 136:23-24 “Who remembered us in our low estate: for His mercy endureth forever:

And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for His mercy endureth forever.”

It is good to see and acknowledge…to praise and extoll God for Who He is, and what He has done.

But it is better to know God’s mercy personally……that He remembers me, or us. And redeems us.

How often we are in need of His mercy.

Mercy is God’s kindness to sinners.

There is temporal mercy: He sends the rain on the just and unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

And there is Spiritual mercy, which is only found in Christ Jesus, for ”us”.

This redemption is personal Salvation, guidance, and victory.

Let us acknowledge Who God is, and praise Him for it.

But let us make sure we have a personal interest in Christ Jesus, that He is our Redeemer.

We are ever in His memory…ever before His eyes.

2 Timothy 1:9-10 “Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began;

But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”

This seal of mercy is set on all the circumstances, people, and paths that comes to “us”: “His mercy endureth forever.”

His mercy reaches us where we are.

His mercy leads us out of bondage.

His mercy delivers us and gives us the promises.

His mercy remembers us, and in Christ Jesus, our Lord, brings us before His throne to get what we need.

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

How much He has for us, if we will but come to Him and get it, and then with the help of the Holy Spirit within, use it.

Reality, is it for me?

Spiritual Reality is not measured by accomplishments, but by the hearts loving embrace of all that is set before me….for His sake.

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.”

This is the path to Reality for everyone of us. We will have Reality, to the degree we walk in it.

Will you choose this path?

“Jesus said unto HIs disciples”…they had already left their lives to a certain extent and followed after Jesus….becoming HIs companions….and had even been sent out to preach “the Kingdom of heaven Is at hand.”

But Jesus spoke to them….to draw them out to a further apprehension of a walk with Him. He never sugar-coated the cost of following Him….He never promised them anything….but to know God, and HIs Son, His Spirit, and His kingdom. (And that is Eternal Life!)

“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”

Notice it is a call to follow Him….the disciples knew when Jesus called them to leave all they knew and become fishers of men….that it was to follow after Him and learn of Him….

….but now a cross was involved….their cross. And in order to pick it up….they would have to deny themselves….or drop everything of their self-life.

What a call!

(We deny ourselves, berrying our cross, to the place we no longer resist the Lord’s Will in anything. There must be an absolute surrender to the Lord….we come to the place we will do His Will. It may not be instant obedience….but we will obey.)

But there was still more to the call Jesus was giving now:

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

You can save your life for time, and lose it for eternity. Or, you can deny yourself and lose your life for time, and have it for eternity.

To lose our life is to lose the way we do things….the plans that we have made….the way we think about things, our very attitude toward them, will be lost…for it will become HIs attitude. Our life consists of our thoughts, dreams, and our affections…and what we will about all of these things. It does not mean our soul’ personality….but our character. That which molds our life, will now be HIs character lived out through me.

If we choose to lose our life…..it will be for His sake. There is nothing…no reward, no mansion in heaven, no crown,…..nothing that can persuade men to lose our life….

…..but for the love of the Lord Jesus Christ….for His sake, we will lose everything.

John 21:15 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?….”

We know that this was the third time Jesus showed Himself after the resurrection…that He spoke to Peter to restore him…after Peter’s three denials of Jesus.

But listen to what Jesus asks….and see that He asks us the same thing!

First, He calls him….”Simon, son of Jonas”….not Peter (the name Jesus gave him Matthew 16:18. Peter means “a stone”…stressing that he was to be like Him, the Rock.)

“Look, you can be Simon, your father’s son….with all that entails. You can be a fisherman….living your life here….isn’t that what you have gone back to? (John 21:3)

Consider your life, your friends, your family,….and then answer:

“Lovest thou Me, more than these?”

Was Peter’s life as a fisherman, away from the trials and tribulations of being Jesus’ disciple, of more value than Christ?

Was He, Jesus Christ, worth the loss of his life?

John 21:15 “…He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.”

Twice more Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to save his life….the life he had before Jesus called him….

….and twice more Peter declares “…I love Thee”…

And so then…..the call was to “feed my lambs, feed my sheep”.

There is work for all who will lose their lives in themselves….that they may find their lives in Christ Jesus…..for His sake.

Spiritual Reality for all who would follow the Lord Jesus is to:

Deny ourselves

Pick up our cross

And follow Him….and in our following Him, we, like Peter will come across many trials of our courage and faith….but then…

…we must choose to lose our lives,…..and all that they are made of….that we may find our lives in Christ…..only out of love for Christ Jesus.

Will you choose this path?

And Yet There is Room

Luke 14:22 “And the servant said, Lord, it is done as Thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ, when He was here on earth, was zealous in His Work,…..so that all would hear the invitation to the Kingdom.

He traveled all over Judea, even ministering to the Samaritans and a Phonecian woman…..delivering from disease and oppression.

The main theme of the messages: The kingdom of heaven is at hand….in the presence of the King, Jesus Christ. “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy ladened” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

He healed many: the blind, saw….the lepers, cleansed….the lame, walked….and the wandering multitude were fed.

They heard again and again His Word…they praised Him for His Works…..they followed Him for what He would give….and sought Him out, for miracles.

The years He went to the feast of Passover:

The first …He drove out the buyer and sellers from the temple. (John 2:13-16). “And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not My Father’s house a house of merchandise.”

This was a command from the King….one they refused, for two years later:

The last Passover, He drove out the buyers and sellers, again. (Matthew 21:12-13) “And He said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”

Having refused His authority and blessing…….this time He quotes the scripture they said they believed….to honor His Father.

Everywhere He went……and when He sent His disciples out, the message was the same: the Kingdom of God is at hand……the people were going to have to make a decision about the King.

Luke 10:1-2, 9 “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come.

Therefore said He unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest.

And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is nigh unto you.”

(During the three years of ministry, Jesus gave two parables of a great supper….one in the personal sense in Luke 14, and the other before multitudes in the temple, a few days before they took Him in Matthew 22.)

Jesus was often invited to homes….several of them, Pharisee’s homes:

In Luke, someone had said, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

Which prompted Jesus to tell the parable of “a certain man” who made a great supper. The man invited many, but when it was time to come, they all made an excuse to refuse to come.

(How many times do we feel we will do anything for God,….but when it comes time to do…..do we do?)

Jesus tells that this “certain man”, after His invitation was rejected, said….”Forget these who gave an excuse…….go out and get all those who are poor, and lame, and blind”. (This certainly describes each of us without Jesus)

And yet the servant came back and said….

Luke 14:22-23 “And the servant said, Lord, it is done as Thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that My house may be filled.”

“Compel” here means to make them come in. Now this is what the Holy Spirit will do in the individual,…..as we, the servants….go out and give out the gospel.

(Yes, I was one of those “compelled” by the Holy Spirit. In my younger days, I was not going in His Way….as a matter of fact I had made a decision to leave the church and “do my own thing”. But, Hallelujah, God had other plans. And He would not let me go, and be lost!)

And now, Jesus has given us the charge to ….as He gave His disciples after His Resurrection:

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

As Christ’s followers we are to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him, personally. Growing in grace from here, to heaven.

As His disciples, we are to share our knowledge of our King, inviting all who will, to enter into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Are we ready to do the work…..in Word and action….that He wants us to do today?

Time to Take Inventory of our Progress

It is tax time, when everyone takes stock of their finances for the last year.

How much did we actually make?

How much will the tax be?

How much will we get back?

So let us pause and take stock of our spiritual gains and losses; for this last year.

Let us look and see if we have walked along with Christ and gained more of the influences of the Holy Spirit;

or if we have let cares and troubles burden us down, and we have lost joy, and maybe,….some time.

How much of last year was spent in rejoicing in the Lord, and how much was spent in worrying?

Philippians 4:4, 6-7. “Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say rejoice.”

“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

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

Last year, how much time did we spend in prayer?

Colossians 4:2. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”

Matthew 21:22. “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

Have we prayed for our brothers and sisters in Christ? Those close,…or far away?

Has our time of prayer, increased or decreased?

Has our knowledge of what Jesus Christ will do for us personally, increased?

Have we obtained the promises we have been given us?

Do we have more of God’s grace, which He gives us by His Spirit?

(Remember, grace is the unmerited favor of power in our lives….or the ability to do what He puts in front of us, to do)

2 Peter 1:2-4 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.

According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature (having Christ’s character), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (lust is: I want this, and I want this now. Whatever “this” is).”

What about our stand as Christians?

Are we standing on the Rock?

It is quite true that amid the many anxieties and troubles….we may be shake and fear….

But our Rock of Christ Jesus, never moves under us;….but holds us up, still.

Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon the Rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a Rock.”

Have we let troubles deprive us of God’s joy or peace?

Do we know His sufficiency? In illness? In loss? Amid anger?

Are we letting His Presence comfort and guide us?

Romans 8:32, 37-39 “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

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

Paul wrote even after years of serving the Lord:

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

And how did he do that?

Philippians 3:13 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,

forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”

So, what about us…..this past year….

Whether we have learned a lot; or not gone very far with Him,……we have a new year to grow and gain.

To go on and get into our lives, what has been given us, in Christ Jesus.

Rejoice in the Lord.

Pray for ourselves, and others.

Believe, and obtain the promise of peace, everyday.

Stand on the Rock. (Hang on to Him, As He holds on to us)

Forget those things which are past…if they are forgiven…they are covered under His precious blood….leave them there.

Reach forth for those things Christ Jesus has for us ahead.

Let us gain more of Christ, Who is our life, this year.

Eben-ever, The stone of Help

1 Samuel 7:12 “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ever, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”

The story here is:

Israel had sinned, following strange gods. Because of this, Israel had been beaten by the Philistines, and were now in a state of fear.

Samuel then told Israel that it was their sin, which had caused this……

…..but if they would put away these idols………and “prepare their hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only: and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7:3)

So they put away their idols, and began to serve the Lord, only.

Samuel then gathered all Israel together to pray for them.

1 Samuel 7:6 “And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.”

An Awakening Meeting was going on! They were getting things right between themselves and God, and the rest of Israel.

Then the Philistines heard of the gathering, and thought they were gathering an army…..this would be a good time to attack.

And so they came up to fight with Israel.

This caused Israel to be very afraid, and so they turned to Samuel:

1 Samuel 7:8 “And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Because of their former sin, they were not only afraid of the Philistines,…..but they were also afraid that the Lord would not hear their cry for help.

They marshaled the men to fight the enemy, and went out.

(Aren’t we the same way. We have sinned, and then repented; our conscience is tender…we are afraid. We know the Lord has forgiven us, but….will He help us as He did before?

Hosea 6:1-2 “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.

After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.”

His promise is….if we will return unto the Lord…..He will heal, He will bind us up, He will revive us, He will raise us up.

Let us believe Him….and return)

Samuel then offered a lamb for a whole burnt offering, and prayed to the Lord for Israel; “and the Lord heard him”.

1 Samuel 7:10 “And as Samuel was offering the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomforted them; and they were smitten before Israel.”

As the armies came together, the Lord thundered and caused fear among the Philistine ranks. God knows how to cause His enemies to fear, for He strikes at their hearts as well as their ears.

And they were defeated, and chased out of Israel.

1 Samuel 7:12-13 “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ever, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.”

This stone was put there to remind all who would see, that the Lord is the greatest help, in all our troubles.

“Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”.

That means He has…..but it also looks forward…

……for as He has (and He changes not Lamentations 3:22-25, Hebrews 13:5-6, 8)…

……He surely will in the future…in what is next, and next, and next, for us.

This story shows how the prayer of the righteous, is heard.

The sacrifice of the lamb as a whole burnt offering showing forth Christ; and that we are accepted in Him.

Psalm 34:17-18 “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Israel was beaten in the first place, not by the Philistines; but by their sin.

When they repented and worshipped God again; He heard their cry for help.

And He helped.

“Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”

And when we return unto the Lord,…..He will help us again.

Grace,…and Noah.

God, is the God of all grace

1 Peter 5:10 “But the God of all grace, Who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect (complete), stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Grace is spoken of, for the first time, in Genesis.

It is seen in Noah. “He found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

The world had become so wicked, that God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was evil continually. “All flesh had corrupted his way…”

Romans 1:21, 23 “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.”

Men knew God, yet they chose to worship animals..

Adam had lived nine hundred and thirty years to tell to all his children of the Eden he knew, and the sin which drove him from it. Also to tell of the promise of a coming Savior. (Genesis 3:15)

Yet….”And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8)……it was the grace of God, not the graces of Noah that God saw.

But notice it says, “Noah found grace”….as though he had been searching for it….grace is the unmerited favor of power….power, to help Noah live in, but not of, the world around him.

And he sought it from God… Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord…..for only The Lord can give grace.

This was a terrible time…sin had reached a height that could not be ignored….

Noah lived around it everyday…..

got married…..had three sons….and he felt the contamination surrounding himself and his family….

Then when the sin of man had reached it’s worst….God speaks of grace….

….grace given to Noah, for a special ministry and work.

Where grace comes, God is obeyed. For grace brings the creature to rely solely on the Creator.

Grace is the power of God to change men’s hearts…..and in the middle of the worst wickedness….Noah is just…speaking of his faith.

Genesis 6:9 “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

A walk with God, means a walk against the ways of the world….and the people of the world….and their sin.

Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

Faith and grace go together…..Faith shows us God, and keeps Him before us…..

….grace enables us to persevere…..under varying trials, mocking, and persecution.

Noah, even before he began to build the Ark….had set his heart against the opinion and actions of the rest of the world.

The ground of faith is on God’s Word….and Noah had heard Him…”being warned of God” (Hebrews 11:7)

He was going to hear and obey God….no matter what others did…..or thought about him, for doing so. That is faith.

For one hundred years, while the ark was being built,….and the animals (seven pairs of the clean animals, and the unclean animals by two….one pair) were being brought….

….Noah preached to those who would gather around, looking at this strange sight….a large boat on dry land….telling of the judgement of God to come…..and of something which had not yet happened…..rain.

(Till that time, a mist had come up and watered the ground. Genesis 2:4-6)

2 Peter 2:5 “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

One thing I want to mention here,…..the people had turned from worship of God to the worship of animals…..

So God, had Noah, His servant…..bring all the animals,……following him….the man that follows God….toward the ark! The ark that God said would be built to save those that believed Him!

What a testimony of the worthlessness of worshipping these creatures!

What a showing of the real power of God to them all……if they had wanted to turn and believe.

Genesis 6:22 “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.”

“Faith, if it hath not works is dead, being by itself” (James 2:17).

This faith believed God…..and prepared an ark,……gathered the animals,…..preached to those all around him as he went and did these things…..

…these were hard things….expensive things….yet, Noah did these hard things, by faith…in grace…

…..and in doing so, left a witness which condemned the rest of the world….

….but also won for him the blessing of God, and the peace of God, in it all.

Seven days before the rain began, God told Noah, to begin moving in the animals (Genesis 7:9)…..it took seven days.

On the seventh day…..the rain began:

Genesis 7:11, 13 “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.”

In the selfsame day entered, Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;”

Everything was ready, and they had heard God say, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark;…” Genesis 7:1

There was just one door into the ark….and one window. (Genesis 6:16)

Now the door was wide open to get every thing in…..along with Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives.

It had begun to rain…..and I am sure, at the start of this, people became convinced of their judgement…..and started to run either higher in their buildings….or toward the ark….

But Noah did not shut the door…..the Lord did.

Genesis 7:16 “And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him:….

(In the beginning God had made male and female, man and woman….so now, God again stresses His Way, and has the animals go in two by two….and Noah and his wife, the sons with their wives, together, into the ark….the only place of safety, against God’s judgement.)

….and the Lord shut him in.”

The door had been opened to all who would come and repent and believe;…..but now the door was shut…..by the Lord….and would not be opened till the Lord gave the Word.

All outside became a watery grave….cries became quiet…..the rain was the only sound….till after forty days it stopped.

The ark continued to float and move at God’s Will for almost a year

But God’s grace continued on through it all.

The warning,

The work and preparation,

The moving of everything in,

The rain,

The new earth….one year later Noah and his family were told to….”Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons and thy son’s wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing…” (Genesis 8:16-17)

And the first thing done by Noah, on this renewed earth, was an altar: “And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord;…and offered burnt offerings on the altar.” (Genesis 8:20)

Genesis 9:1 “And God blessed Noah….”.

This is the first time, since Adam was in Eden, before his sin…..that God is said to bless anyone.

The flood was not Noah’s idea….but he took his place in God’s Will for it.

The ark was not Noah’s design….but he did all God’s Will for it.

The animals were not Noah’s thought….but he went to wherever they were and brought them in, according to God’s Will.

The time to return to the earth was not Noah’s time….but he went out when God said, and built an altar of worship and thanksgiving.

Faith always shows us God….and keeps Him before us.

Where grace comes….God is obeyed.

And this same grace lives within each of our hearts, if we are born again by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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

This is how everyone is born again….by grace (the unmerited favor of God’s power)….through faith (given by the Holy Spirit to all who come to God in Christ Jesus).

And we are “His workmanship”….for His good works.

We have no flood ahead….or ark to build…..but we all have a world around us that we are to live in….but not of;

….and God’s Will to do.

Let us receive His grace….all we can get, and be obedient….today.

As it is in Heaven

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

First, let us consider that this is a prayer that our Lord Jesus taught for us to pray.

It is repeated in Luke 11:2 “And He said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”

In Matthew, it is to the crowds which followed Him (so much so, that He had to sit on a mountain to be seen and heard)

But in Luke, it is only to His disciples,…..after one asked that He teach them to pray. They had seen Him pray many times….and here, He had just finished a time of prayer….so they asked Him to teach them a prayer.

The second thing to consider, is that in both places….it says, “in earth, as it is in Heaven.” In earth….in us; for it all comes down to His Will done….in me, as it is in Heaven.

(And how is it done in heaven? It is done immediately….with reverence and honor to the Lord! Psalm 103:20, 104:1-4. For the angels, there is no hesitation,…only immediate action!)

In us,….in earth….it is never in sinless perfection that we see the Lord’s Will done….but it is a willing subjection to our King Jesus.

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

And surely here, we deal with the issues of life…both for time and eternity. For we speak of the heart matter….diligent following after….which has to do with our personal relationship with the Lord.

As born again ones, we come to a relationship of creature to Creator….we must come to reverence Him.

Then it is as servant before His Master.

As disciple before His Lord.

And as friend with Friend.

As a creature….created to honor God, we have been given light…”the Light that lighteth every man” (John 1:9).

Everyone has a God-consciousness. They may refuse it….or they may yield to it….but this light within themselves, is the measure of their creature responsibility to God.

They know….therefore they can seek Him.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

We will be judged by the Light we have been given and how we have used the grace offered.

(My husband once had a conversation with a missionary about accountability to God….and mentioned that in this country we are blessed with so many ways of hearing the Gospel. So much light is given out….T.V., radio programs, church services, and Bible studies. So many ways presented….that our accountability is high. Where the Gospel is banned, or barely given out….they are indeed accountable….but not so much as where you can hear the Gospel anytime, if you want to.”)

But as the saved creature before the Creator, we must recognize that we have been placed in a position to receive abundant Light….and abundant life and grace to shine that light forth!

We must enter into this, where our personal circumstances on this earth is concerned.

Psalm 145:1 “I will extol Thee, my God, O King; and I will bless Thy name for ever and ever.”

“Extol” here means to raise up…..we should raise up our God, our King….as a banner!

That all may see, then come and shelter under Him.

“In earth, as it is in Heaven.”

Servant to Master (Luke 17:7-10)

It is the servant’s duty to serve. To serve in the “fields” of our everyday life….but also to serve the Lord in our personal devotions and prayer times.

The full price of every soul to be saved, and the price of the work to bring them to the Lord….has already been paid by our Master.

We have but to be obedient…..letting Him do the rest.

But we must also serve Him, personally, by becoming molded into our Master’s image. We must be like Him, if we would serve completely…this takes personal fellowship and communion….as it is pictured feeding Him in the house.

“In earth, as it is in Heaven”

Disciple before His Lord. (Matthew 16:24-25)

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

“Learn of Me”….and to learn of Him, we must come to the place of surrender to Him as Lord.

(Usually this comes once, and then worked out in many “agreements” with Him. Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” We agree that He knows best….that His Will will be done. Certainly there are many times we “reason” (Isaiah 1:18) with Him, but we come to agree with Him about whatever.)

In earth, as it is in Heaven.

And then friend to Friend.

John 15:15 “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you.”

True friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ is abundant light. We know, because we have come to the place in our experience that the Lord by the Holy Spirit within, makes things clear.

Understanding and the knowledge of His Presence with us in peace and grace are like the Arm we hold on to. We have come to the place where we are in constant contact with Him….and where we seek to only know more.

In earth….in us….as it is in Heaven.

That is what we should pray….and that is what we can have.

In the very last verse of the fellowship book, John seeks to remind all Christians that anything which takes the place due to God in our lives….anything….is an idol.

Idols are not just images…..but any substitute for Him.

That first place in our lives belongs to Jesus.

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