The refining fires of our lives

Song of Solomon 3:6 “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?”

This is a picture of the Spirit-filled walk.(Joel 2:28-30).

Smoke, which is weak and easily blown around is strong….a pillar….holding truth and moving with the Lord…out of the wilderness of wandering experience…and into usefulness and witness.

Smoke is a by-product of fire. To have a fire….and smoke,…..something must burn.

Fire in scripture is pictured many ways….. but the ones we will deal with are the refining fires…..which produce spiritual change within us.

There is the fire of the Holy Spirit within us….giving us zeal and reverence for the Lord….as the Lord was said to be clad with zeal as a cloak.

Isaiah 59:17 “For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon His head; and He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.”

This is an interesting description of “zeal”…which is to be “burning hot” for God.

He is “clad” with it….surrounded like a cloak. It covered and protected Him.

It kept Him focused on the Father’s plan for now….and purpose for all. With that kind of focus….He could see clearly anything that was out of order….and “cleanse” it….speak to it…..and set it right or purify it.

(Matthew 21:12-14 Mark 11:11, 15-17 Luke 19:45-46 John 2:13-17

These are the verses for cleansing the temple. It is interesting to note that all four gospels give an account of Jesus doing this.

John gives the account of Jesus, at the beginning of His ministry….a relative unknown….making a scourge of small cords, and driving out the animals and money changers.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke give the account of Jesus cleansing it at the end of His ministry.

And it is interesting to see….that Jesus declares His Father’s house….a house of prayer…..He did not mention sacrifice (for the Great Sacrifice was standing there…..

….and it is not to be a place of merchandise.)

With the fire of the Holy Spirit within us, too…..we become boiling hot for Christ and His kingdom. He enflames us with love for the Lord. (Jude 20-21)

We begin to see, all that is out of order, with us….and set it right…

….and help what is out of order around us…..by giving His Word, to draw them to Christ….and give comfort.

“The word comfort is from two Latin words meaning “with” and “strong” – He is with us to make us strong. Comfort is not soft, weakening commiseration; it is true, strengthening love.” – Amy Carmichael

Then there is the fire of affliction….sent by the Lord’s hand,…whether through troubles,….or enemies…..so we will leave off the world and it’s influences….and turn again to seek the Lord….(Isaiah 55:6-7)

….burning up all the dross….making us pure….

Psalm 66:10, 12 “For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

……we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed is the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Revelation 3:18 “…gold tried in the fire…”. With all the impurities burnt out….so it is pure gold.

(In scripture, silver is a type of salvation…..gold is a type of God in our lives)

Dross is the impurities which are in the metal…..making it less valuable to the owner.

If you have ten pounds of what you think is silver or gold…..and you put it through refining….and only nine pounds come out…..one pound was dross….worthless….and burnt up.

We think of purity as a picky thing….not letting the hem of our garment even touch the ground….

….but God sees purity as the faithful seeking….and diligent staying after ourselves to keep ourselves unspotted in the world (James 1:27)……because of devotion and love to the Lord.

It is the gentle force of the Holy Spirit within us….keeping us, and cleansing us from the defilement of the world (Ephesians 5:26-27)…..even as we walk in it.

Purity comes from love…..not the law. It comes as we yield to the fire of the Holy Spirit within.

It is the refining fires of our everyday lives….through our obedience and devotedness to Christ…..that we will attain the pure silver and gold, as all the dross is burnt out of our lives.

In this Laodicean age, we will either be burnt out for Jesus…

…or spued out by Jesus! (Revelation 3:16)

For He calls us to “Be zealous therefore and repent” (Rev. 3:19)

And in this age…as when Jesus cleansed the temple….we need to be zealous….to repent.

To be clothed with zeal as a cloak.

What will you have of Him?

Will we yield to the purifying fires the Lord will send upon us?

Will we yield to the purifying fires of the Holy Spirit within….and become pillars of smoke….filled with the Spirit….a manifestation of the grace of God…..in us and through us?

“Give me the Love that leads the way

The Faith that nothing can dismay

The Hope no disappointments tire

The Passion that’ll burn like fire

Let me not sink to be a clod

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.”

– Amy Carmichael 

The Power of the Word of God.

Psalm 119:9 “Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word.”

[Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. It is divided into 22 sections, a number according to the Hebrew Alphabet. Almost every verse has a reference to God’s Word. (Commandment, Statutes, Precepts, Testimonies, Way, Law, Judgments, and Righteousness)]

These verses (9-16) deal with the power of the word of God to cleanse, and to keep the soul from the influence of the world.

So God shows a test-case: a young man. He is just starting into the world. And there are a lot of natural attractions to draw him away from God. Things untried, which could lead him into a path, away from God.

Is the Word of God able to keep him?

Yes. For the light of the Word draws the soul,….showing it the whole scene, not just what the world wants to show you.

(Psalm 119:105 “Thy Word is a lamp until my feet, and a light unto my path.”)

Psalm 119:10 “With my whole heart I have sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.”

The Word of God shows things in there true character.

It does not “sugar-coat” the darkness which the “highs”, “fun”, or “following the crowd”, can bring; but shows it plainly.

It brings God into the picture before him. The world would leave God out of everything. Saying, “He will ruin everything. He is so narrow-minded.”

(The world sees the “narrow way” [Matthew 7:13-14) as restricting, and harsh. But every child of God which walks in this way, finds it freeing. We are watched over, guided, provided for even in trials, and most of all, we are never alone.)

But God’s Word testifies that God always has His children’s best interests at heart. He draws them with the Word, which opens up everything before them….including their own souls.

The soul, when sees what God says, believes and gets freedom, or the power of choice.

(We are not able when we are first born again to be free from the besetting sins which so easily plague us. They come back again and again.

But as we deny ourselves, and follow Christ, we begin to be free from these things; for the power of the Word and the Holy Spirit enable us to master ourselves and our circumstances. At the same time we know our need of Christ more and more.

This is a blessed paradox: We are more free, yet more dependent. It really comes down to the “master” we choose.

This is sanctification, or willing to be set aside to God. This is freedom: closer to God, further from sin.)

John 8:31-32. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed;

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

And with that freedom, there is such enlargement of heart, mind, and will.

There is power in the Word, by His Spirit. And by our obedience we bring that power within our own set of circumstances.

Psalm 119:11 “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.”

Since it is hid in the heart, it begins to mold and shape it. Opening it up to more of the love, and peace of God.

Praise God: Where the Word is taken in our hearts, it leads. When the Word of God is written on my heart, it brings joy.

Joy is a choice fruit of the Spirit. It lifts us, it strengthens us, it teaches us to believe and trust the Lord.

Psalm 119:14-16 “I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways.

I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy Word.”

The young man, who was the “test-case”, and we, ourselves, can find the power of God’s Word in our circumstances, now.

Light given, sight received, and power to enable.

Listen to some of the other verses in this psalm:

Psalm 119:28 “My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen Thou me according unto Thy word.”

(No matter how I “feel”, Your strength is there for me. Let me see it)

Psalm 119:45 “And I will walk at liberty: for I seek Thy precepts.”

(His precepts, are His prescriptions for my spiritual health. He writes them, like medicine: which may not taste good going down, but heals.)

Psalm 119:114 “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy word.”

(We are always “hidden” in Christ, and behind Him. In Him, and can never be forsaken. Behind Him, for as He leads, we are protected.)

Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have they which love Thy law; and nothing shall offend them.”

(Have you ever met a person which could not be offended? they forgive freely, and they have great peace; for they are founded upon a solid Rock of Love.)

Psalm 119:176 “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant; for I do not forget Thy commandments.”

(We are always the sheep of His pasture. We are always cared for, lest we slip or stumble; His word is always our foundation .)

Let us use the power of His Word to us, and be strong in the Lord.

The God of Peace

Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”

At least six times in the New Testament, God is called the God of Peace.

(Romans 15:33, Romans 16:20, Philippians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 2 Thessalonians 3:16 [here it is said “Lord of peace”], Hebrews 13:20)

Christ Jesus, Himself is the source of our peace.

We are not given peace by self effort….but it is given by the Holy Spirit as we “stay” ourselves on Him.

Perfect peace of mind……and freedom from the gripping hand of “cares”;….can only be known only as we learn to commit all our ways to Him.

“Cares” grab ahold of us, and say: “You need to do something about this!”

“Mind” here is the imagination; which can think of all kinds of thoughts about the things that…will happen….could happen……the “what ifs” of the situation.

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”

Casting,….it is a energetic action….we are not to think of them awhile, then think about giving them to the Lord…

…no, we are to cast them upon Him….He is able….He has seen to these cares and worries already….and will see to them in us, through us, and by us…

…..for He cares for us. (this is a term for “taking care of us”)

Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and He demonstrated this so marvelously on the cross.

1 Peter 2:23 “ Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously:”

The first part of the verse, is what He did before the Sanhedrin, Pilate, the soldiers, and on the cross….here was His obedience…

..He reviled not…He threatened not.

And it was because…He “committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.”

He did this at Gethsemane, when the thoughts of the shame and defilement of the cross came fast and furious…each, an attack against Him.

Matthew 26:38-39 “Then saith He (Jesus) unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with Me.

And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

But His answered these attacks on His peace, with: “Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

This should be our stand, as well….when the attacks of concern, worry, doubt, and panic come against us.

We, too, should commit ourselves to God, for all that will come to us…and let the peace of God guard us….keeping our hearts and minds.

1 Peter 4:19 “Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”

He created us for a purpose, we need to submit to that purpose, for today…..not my will, but thine be done…and be obedient…for this is the “way of peace”…

Isaiah 48:17-18 “Thus saith the Lord, Thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit (by My teaching), which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:”

Obeying His Word….we will be lead into His peace.

The listening and obedient ear knows true peace….for it knows the Voice of the God of Peace….and follows Him.

The Man with the Withered Hand.

Matthew 12:9-10 “And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue:

And behold, there was a man who had his hand withered. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? That they might accuse Him.”

Jesus had been on a teaching tour through the cities of Israel. And now He was come to their synagogue.

In the synagogues, every Israelite could stand up, read the scriptures, and interpret them for those gathered. Then there would be a general discussion of the scriptures.

That day there was in the men gathered, a man with a withered hand. He hid it in his cloak, so no one would see it….but he was known by the men gathered, and Jesus knew, of course.

The Pharisees were watching Him,…not to find out whether He was the Messiah,….or to hear the scriptures interpreted…..but….”that they might accuse Him”.

Mark 3:2 “And they watched Him whither He would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse Him.”

To have a deformity in Israel, was to be disgraced, for it meant that sin was somewhere in the family of the person.

(They thought that this man had sinned, or someone in his family had sinned, and he was being punished for it.)

So the Pharisees asked a question, that they thought was pretty straight forward.

Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?

The Sabbath was the day of rest. A day which should be spent in contemplating God, and His Word. A day of fellowship with others of His people.

They were to do no work on the Sabbath, or it would be defiled.

But what is work, and what is mercy?

Jesus points out the difference.

Matthew 12:11-12 “And He said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

How much then is a man better that a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”

Would you save your one sheep? Your only sheep? Are you not commanded in the ceremonial law, to save a sheep, even of your neighbors? (Deuteronomy 22:4)

This is interesting. Jesus does not say one out of a hundred. Or a thousand.

But one.

That is exactly the way He feels about us. If He only came to save one, He would have.

We are that one. The man with the withered hand, was that one.

He would save us, and He would save him.

So His question to the Pharisees was really:

would you save the one sheep you own; would you save your livelihood?

Or the livelihood of your neighbor?

He said the truth: of course they would.

Therefore, since they would save their one sheep on the sabbath, He would save this one man on the sabbath.

Also notice, the way He talked of the sheep: “if it fall into a pit”. Are we not also ready to fall into a pit, without His Salvation?

Christ’s answer showed God’s character.

The Sabbath was made for man to have rest with His God. It is lawful, then to show mercy on the sabbath days.

Matthew 12:13 “Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand….”

This man with the withered hand, had heard enough to know that the mercy of God was being extended to him. Did he believe it?

To believe Jesus and obey,….would cost him something. He would have to stretch out his hand for all, to see his deformity.

It would cost him embarrassment.

(And how many of us would be stopped right here?)

It could also cost him the company of these people.

To obey Jesus might be dangerous, as these people were influential.

So, here is the choice: Jesus, and God’s mercy; or his normal existence, but accepted by the religious rulers.

Which would he do?

Matthew 12:13 “…And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.”

His choice was Jesus, and obedience. For that choice, he was healed.

But Jesus was also speaking to all, who were there in the synagogue.

He was offering mercy to all those who heard Him: including those Pharisees,…..if they would simply submit to the truth and believe in Him.

But they refused to believe Him. They refused His healing their hearts.

Matthew 12:14 “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him.”

God’s mercy and salvation was refused by them that day.

Their choice was to keep the life and influence they had; not to yield to the mercy offered.

How much they lost by their choice!

Jesus talked of saving the “one sheep”, because each of us are that one sheep.

He came to save us: from the guilt of sin, the power of sin, and one day from the presence of sin.

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Reality, is it for you?

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.”

This is a real invitation to us from the Almighty God. “Come boldly”: to obtain, or get for us, mercy and grace to help in this time of need. Whatever that need is.

Christianity is an ideology (a body of ideas reflecting the social needs and goals of a group or people).

To a great many people, it is nothing more than that, for they have never been Born Again. It takes the element of faith in Christ Jesus our Lord to make these things of the Bible, real to us.

If it is only an ideology, then we are left up to our own means and power to bring His Will to pass in our lives. That is impossible.

Only by God’s enabling, can we do His Will.

God’s plan for us is the fullness of the Spirit: The Holy Spirit of power.

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

This is how we have the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And His kingdom must first be set up in our personal heart.

If we are citizens of His Kingdom, God is honored and obeyed by us. And that can only be done as we voluntarily submit to His Rule over us, in His personal direction for our lives.

Jesus said, “ If ye love Me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

Hebrews 4:1 “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

Every promise in the Word, and every promise given to you personally is there: ready for you to enter into it by faith. (The Holy Spirit gives you hope: or the confident assurance that God will do what He says. We feel it! Hallelujah!)

There can never be true faith without obedience.

Faith takes us by the hand and guides us to do, what we believe.

God may have given you this promise, and this…and this, but until you have these promises in your experience, they are only promises.

True and Sure; but like money in a bank, sometimes not used.

The writer says “fear” coming short of the promises God gives us.

Fear means to be alarmed! To wake up to what you have in God’s Word, and reach out for it.

In praying, “Thy Kingdom come.”

(And notice it is a complete sentence, all by itself. It is not a part of God’s Will………It is God’s Will: that His Kingdom should come to each and every child of His, and that by it, they will enjoy communion and fellowship as they come into all that God has for them.)

We are to pray for His Kingdom to come within us, and submit to Him. We are praying for the Power and blessing of the Holy Spirit upon the Word; when we hear it, read it, and on the preaching of it.

We are praying that we may understand and know His Will; and willingly do His Will. (Philippians 2:13)

We are praying that the Word of God will be spread abroad by believing ministers, and that their lives will show forth God’s praise. (Matthew 5:16)

We are praying that His Kingdom which has come within us, may go on and influence those around us. That we might be a sanctifying influence to those we come into contact with.

This is the furthering of Christ’s Kingdom here. It always begins with us: getting by faith what God has for us, and sharing Christ and His Word to others.

For this we should come boldly to the throne of grace, God’s Throne, and get mercy (that help to sinners in need) and grace (the power that we need) for this time, and the next time, and the next time….onward.

For to will is present with me

Romans 7:18 “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me;  but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

There is within me a principle of rebellion, left over from my old nature, that must be overcome if I am to find “how to perform that which is good.”

Romans 7:22 “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:”

       Here is where I need to be strengthened….in the inward man.

I need to learn how to yield to that inner unction; that is the impressions of the Holy Spirit in my spirit. (1 John 2:20,27)

       Paul stresses “yield” to the Romans. (And they are all found in the sixth chapter. Romans 6:13, 16, 19)

       Romans 6:13 “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:  but yield  yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

       Yield means to stand beside, to assist, to be at hand, ready.   And this is what we are to do for the Holy Spirit.   

We are to stand beside Him in what He tells us to do….giving Him our full, diligent obedience.

There is ample strength in Him, if we learn to stifle not the Holy Spirit.  Our new nature, is the Holy Spirit in our spirits…and we need to learn to be ready to assist Him….to yield to Him.

Jude 20-21 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

We cannot save ourselves….but by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can build up our spiritual life by faith, on the Rock of Jesus Christ…..and keep placing ourselves under His arm of love….all the while watching for Him to supply mercy for us, and for others.

And this is the call:  to mortify….to put to death the old nature….by yielding to the new nature (the Holy Spirit)….this is how we build a spiritual life on Christ.

(My husband used to say that,…”To build our lives on Christ will take a lot of spiritual consecration”…..but the Lord showed him once that it is really “spiritual concentration”…..concentrating all our faculties on the Will of God…on honoring the Holy Ghost.)

2 John 1:8 “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought,  but that we receive a full reward.”

Watch for any cooling in our love for the Lord or for HIs work in others….watch for a loss of peace…..watch for a neglect of the services or of reading HIs Word.

      The Holy Spirit has given us love, joy, peace…..have we  appreciated them enough to seek the Lord when they seem to vanish?

All the things you are aware of, you deal with them first.  This is how you get honest…and get fruit in your life.

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.”

Our hearts are good only because they are honest.  Honesty brings forth the 

fruit of the Holy Spirit….within a Christian.

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart:  try me, and know my thoughts:

      And see if there be any wicked way in me,  and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Let God do this,  and you will begin to know the honesty that leads to a fruitful life.

We, as the creature must bow to the Creator…..rather than ascert ourselves, or demand anything…we must bow to God, Who is ruling all things for our good.

We are new creatures in Christ, and that new nature should have supremacy over our old nature…”all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17)

We are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)    What will we do with that fact?

We started this with….”For to will is present with me….but how to perform that which is good, I find not.”

But Paul did find out how…..

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,  He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

So we need to yield ourselves as unto a Faithful Creator, that we may find how to perform that which is good….for ourselves For He doeth all things well.

The Word of the Amen.

Amen means “so be it, or let it come to pass”.

When we say it, we are affirming our faith, that God will do what He said.

But when God says it….He is the affirmation and the confirmation of every Word of God.

He says….and it is done. He spoke all into being in the beginning….and He is still speaking to bring His Purpose to pass….with us….

2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

One of the places in scripture, where it is a name of Christ is:

Revelation 3:14 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God.”

It is odd to me that this Name would be at the end of the Church age….

…I would think, that since His work in the church is almost over, as far as this world is concerned….that He would not use this Name.

After all, this church, if you read the letter, is in really bad shape…..

Why identify Himself, here, as the Amen? Or as the One Who can say and bring it to pass?

To remind us of just Who He is…..for at HIs Word the world was made.

I believe it is to encourage our hearts….He has not given up on this Laodicean church….even though He stands outside it’s door, knocking….

…..and because He is the Amen, the One who can say….and it will be…

….He calls us to join Him in what He will do….not could do….

….but will do for this church.

And what will He do?

He will rebuke…..to awaken us to our condition. (Revelation 3:15-17)

(Has He done anything to you, lately, to awaken you?)

But then He promises His blessings for all who will awaken to His rebuke (Revelation 3:18-19)

His empowerment (the gold tried in fire—pure with no dross in it; which speaks of God in us,…losing our self dominion)

His manifested righteousness (the white raiment—covering our nakedness which comes from no obedient fruit to God: either fruit of the Spirit [faith,peace,love,gentleness,etc]……or the fruit of another Christian)

His enlightenment, which is power to see things as He sees them…(the eyesalve which is honesty with God)

He will knock on our hearts door….and more….

….He will speak, personally, to us.

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

And more….

…He will give us authority in our lives….and as ambassadors of His kingship, here on earth…..as we overcome every obstacle to His Will in our lives.

Revelation 3:21 “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with My Father in His throne.”

And when we set our hearts to obey Him, however He chooses to speak…..

……He will soon bring all the needed direction….

……and the needed grace to do.

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

Matthew 21:21-22 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

And just what is it, that He is saying to us?

Micah 6:8-9 “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see Thy Name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.”

This “rod” is the same word as in Psalm 23:4 “….Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.”

The comfort comes in our hearing Him….hearing His rod of correction….waking up to His Word….and obeying Him.

He is the Amen,….He can say, and it will be done.

How He chooses to do His Will in my life, depends on how I hear….and answer His call…

He looks for an answer….not of words….( “I go, sir…and went not.” Matthew 21:27-31)

But an answer which will show itself in our hearts, and lives….when we “open the door” to Him……and give our lives over to Him, to lead us as He will.

Finally,

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”

Finally….

Paul had begun this letter to the church in Ephesus, with:

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

Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

Paul told of all the spiritual blessings that are ours….in the heavenlies….in Christ…

….as we are in Christ Jesus,…..those spiritual blessings can flow down to us, here on earth….

……and the means of getting those blessings to flow down….is to give Christ complete charge of our lives, as King. (Matthew 6:10)

He represents us up there before God the Father…so we are seated “in Him” in the heavenlies before God, too.

And we represent Him down here before the world…..and He is “in us” here before every person we meet with.

This is a great blessing….the Presence of God within us…..and those spiritual blessings, He has won for us.

The blessing of the Holy Spirit’s power within us (Eph. 1:13-14)

The blessing of understanding, and power (Eph. 1:18-20)

The blessing of quickening….both for salvation, and against sin. (Eph. 2:1-5)

The blessing of the works we are to walk in. (Eph. 2:10)

The blessing of letting the Gentiles into the church. (Eph.2:19)

The blessing of being rooted and grounded in Christ’s love (Eph.3:17)

The blessing of grace given in His measure…to us personally (Eph. 4:7)

Then after Paul speaks of all the blessings Christ has won for us…..those that should be coming down to us, in our every day life….

….he speaks of the practical life we are to live….as children, parents, workers, and employers.

Christianity is very practical. Eternal life is not for heaven alone…..but for the life we live now.

The Lord never intended us to be saved,…..and then wait for heaven to know His love or peace or joy or mercy or grace…..but, to have them now in active fellowship and communion with Him.

That is why the blessed Holy Spirit lives within us….to bring down to us all that Christ has won for us….and that we will use in obedience to Him.

Then…..”Finally, my brethren”…..

Paul is summing up his thoughts for this beloved church….by showing them another blessing….the blessing of the armor of God.

Armor (Greek “panoply”) is a covering for warfare.

And here, he states, it covers our “loins”….or the pivotal power of our body….the place of real power of our movement……our will.

And our will, needs to be covered by the truth…otherwise our will go this way and that….without purpose.

Our armor covers our chest….our heart and affections…..with righteousness.

(Righteousness is being right with God.)

It is given us by Christ….it is His righteousness that we are clothed with….but for the armor, it is also our righteousness….our seeing that we are kept right before God….our sins confessed….our obediences up-to-date. (1 John 1:9)

Our armor covers our feet….our movements in this world.

And they are to be in peace. This is to go with God’s peace firmly in place….not in fear….resting upon the promises of God….and then we will not slip. (John 14:27)

Our armor includes our shield….a moveable piece which can help….for extra covering against the “fiery darts of the wicked”.

This is our faith…..true faith overcomes. (1 John 5:4)

Faith stops those suggestions which “fly” at us….in our minds….and those emotions which come to us in our hearts….

….with the internal knowledge of God. Faith puts God in front of us…and if God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31-32)

Our armor….our covering for warfare…includes covering for our minds….the helmet of salvation.

Our Salvation is a complete one……God saves every part of us.

He firmly places over our thought life a covering….to keep us safe from every panic and imaginations which suggest that God is not able. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

Our armor gives us a weapon….it is the Word of God….it is like a sword in our hand….to use against the wiles (tricks, and flattery) of the devil.

The Word of God divides false from true….and shows us God’s Way to go. (Psalm 119:11,36-37)

Our armor is prayer…..and how many times has our prayer saved us, when we are under attack! Remember, God answers prayer because we believe Him….not because we say all the right words. (Peter when he was drowning…”Lord, save me.” Matthew 14:30)

A soldier does not put on his armor, after going into the battle….but a soldier puts his armor on….knowing the coming battle, and is prepared.

God has given us in Christ Jesus….by His Spirit, many blessings.

God has given us instruction as….how to live….

…..whether we are son, or daughter, father or mother, wife or husband, employee or employer….God has showed us that we are to think of each other in light of what Christ has done for us…..

….not what we or they have done.

And, finally….God has supplied His power to cover us…

….with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and His Word…and prayer…

….as a covering for us in the battle which we are in, here on earth.

Are we discovering all that Christ has for us?

Lift up the Hands that Hang Down

Hebrews 12: 12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

This has to do with the race we are called to finish for the Lord.

God never intends that we go through life miserable.

It is true that we are in a battle with sin, self, and the Adversary, but it should always be a path of Light.

In this part of Hebrews, the writer has just told of heroes of faith (Hebrews 11).

Not just how they had faith….but how they used their faith.

And he calls all who have faith now, to:

Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

In every race, it is those who lay aside every weight, who will win.

You can not be weighed down, and run well.

This race is not a sprint….but a long distance race; it is the race that compasses our lives.

Weights are those things which we carry, which are unnecessary to our walk with the Lord. In fact, they hinder it.

These can be habits we have picked up, which need to be put aside;

or acquaintance which we have let get an advantage over us;

or ideas from the world which sound right, but are not.

These weights interfere with our race; and hinder our faith’s growth.

We can still run; but with difficulty….and perhaps a fall.

So, the writer says, you need to “lay aside” these; and run with patience the race that is set before us, by the Lord.

A good way to start this is:

Hebrews 12: 2-3 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him that endured such contradictions of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

We are to look to Jesus: look at His example, and look at the reason He went to the cross.

Jesus Christ our Lord came from His glory, into humiliation for us; that we might have His life and peace.

We are His joy, and satisfaction.

(Isaiah 53:11 “He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.”)

It was not just His suffering in death, but the “contradiction of sinners”.

That was in the unbelief of the people he came to;

the anger of the chief priests and Pharisees, who refused to acknowledge Jesus’ authority;…..

…..and in the face of so many proofs, rejected Him and sought to make others refuse Him as well.

Yet Christ Jesus went to the cross to die and save all who would come unto Him.

He ran the race His Father placed before Him, that He might have us with Him for all eternity. Again, we are His joy.

The writer also goes on to say that we should be prepared to be corrected, if you wander from the path of life.

Your Heavenly Father loves you, and seeks to keep you safe.

The further you are from Jesus; the further out of His Light and Love you go; the more in the dark we are.

This is not what Jesus has for us.

Hebrews 12:11 “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

“Them that are exercised thereby” are the people who really want to learn.

(A group of people are all training for a big game.

The trainer is working hard with all of them, in order for them to win.

But he will take extra time with those who get bruises, or sore feet, or are failures at first; and still get up and want more of the training, so they can get it right. These are those that are “exercised thereby”.)

When we have seen the value of the life the Lord gives us, and we come to the place where we need correcting (and we all do)…..yet if we go on with Jesus, and learn; we will bare the fruit of righteousness within ourselves….because we stayed with Him.

So in Spiritual Life:

Our Trainer is the Holy Spirit He is come to us to guide us in the Lord’s Way, in grace.

But we are often slow learners; or frightened; or we want to do it another way.

But the Holy Spirit does not give up on us; but rather seeks to point us to Christ; and keeps working in us. (Philippians 2:13)

He tells us: don’t give up, do not get discouraged; but go on with Him.

Hebrew 12: 12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

Lift up the hands which hang down in fear or tiredness.

Strengthen the knees which want to just sit down, and forget it.

Make your paths straight, by:

Trusting in the Lord.

Listening to Him.

And holding on to His love.

He is always with us, let us stay with Him.

Ask for these to be shown to us; and be prepared to be strengthened by His Holy Spirit, in peace and joy.

the lessons of Mt Sinai

The lessons of the children of Israel in the wilderness, are varied and many.  

       But the lessons at Mt Sinai, are special.

Here, they heard the voice of God themselves….here,  they became, officially, a nation, under God….here, they built the Tabernacle, where God dwelt in the midst of them….here, they spent one year (half of the time it would have taken them to get to the promised land, if they had entered it in believing obedience, the first time)!

One year spent in the shadow of the Mt of God! (Exodus 19:1-2)

They came to Mt Sinai, right after the first battle they had  to fight,which was over the water the Lord gave them….from the Rock.

       What a lesson!….after the battles we have, The Lord  often prepares to lead us on in communion with Him…that we can know Him better for the life He calls us to.

When they came to the Mt., Moses was given instruction that they were to wash themselves…and their clothes.  A sign of inward cleansing from sin, and an outward setting of things right.

They must not come near the Mt.  Neither them or their animals were to come within a certain distance….for…

…the first lesson God prepares His people to know,…is His holiness.   God must be God to us.     

            He is certainly our Savior….but we must come to adore, love, and submit to His holiness…and rule…if we are to worship Him.

           He was to be their King….and He begins to show them His kingdom…and how they were to be HIs citizens.

Then the magnificent and terrifying sight:   The third day,  God came down on Mt Sinai!

Thunderings, and lightning, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud trumpet!

(Exodus 19:16-18)

The people who had gathered to watch….were terrified….but so was Moses!  (Hebrews 12:21)

       God’s Holiness does this….it shows us as sinners before His sight….unable to stand in His gaze.   

Then the Voice…. God speaking directly to His people.  (Deuteronomy 4:32-33) 

       Before,  He had spoken to Moses,….now He would give His people the Ten Commandments….whereupon all other good laws have been built.   (Deut.4:8)

       The first:  “you shall have no other gods before Me.”  The Lord was to be first in all things.

The people were afraid…and instead of drawing near,  they pulled back…telling Moses he could talk to God on their behalf.

 But though Moses, too, was astonished….yet he came near to God when He called….for he recognized that the Lord was giving them a trial…

…”Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

Here was a lesson, unfortunately they refused…and unfortunately led them to unbelief and sin, many times.   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

We, too have been called to be the Lord’s people…to hear Him, and know Him.

Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” …Hebrews 10:22 

(How do we want to know Him?    

There are two ways to know God.    To know about Him through the words of others (including the Bible)….

…or to know Him in all His characteristics,…personally by fellowship….Holy, Mighty to save, King)

                                 The next lesson was….they were to be His people by covenant of blood.  It was based on His Holy laws….and their obedience to Him,… in them.

Exodus 24:4,7-8 “And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord.  He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain,….

      Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people.  And they said, All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.

      And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said,  Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you….”

          (I want to mention that this covenant was imperitive.   God could not claim a people that would not submit to His laws.)

           Here they became Israel, the nation under the kingship of God,….His nation, by the shedding of the blood (Exodus 24:5-6) of the covenant.  

     They were no longer Jacob’s children.  They were no longer the slaves of the Egyptians….they were Israel….under the rule of God.

                                  Then the Lord begins to teach them about fellowship with Him…what it would be like to “draw near”…..and He began with the elders.

Moses and 70 elders, were called to go up into the mountain a ways,….and eat before God!

     Here they saw a magnificent sight!  And ate in the Presence of God!   This should have given them a look into the character of their King….He would be honored,…but He extended His hand for fellowship and closeness with Him!    They should have loved this closeness….and been willing to learn how to have it in their everyday lives!

                      Exodus 24: 9-11 “Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up,

      And they saw the God of Israel.   There was under His feet as  it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.

      And He did not lay His hand on the chief of the people of Israel;  they beheld God, and ate and drank.”

                     (Here was an amazing example of what the life before the Lord could be.   “..and I will come into him and sup with him and he with Me.”  Revelation 3:20 is extended to us, as well.)

Have they learned anything from this lesson?

                     But as Moses was called to go further on the mountain, and the seventy went back into the camp….

……these same men….did not call this to heart and mind…or even tell others of this wonder.

        Moses was only up there forty days…..it could have been a time for resting, caring for their livestock and family,  discussing their new role as a kingdom under God, and what that would mean for them.  The elders could have told how they saw Him and ate before Him….

…….but…they did not exercise faith….but was ruled by sight.    

        …they did not want to wait for Moses to come down.        Really, they just did not want to wait on God…..sad!   

         Exodus 32:1″When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain,  the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him,  Up, make us gods who shall go before us.  As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

     And it says “the people”….perhaps if the elders had stepped forward here, with a testimony of their experience…. this terrible apostasy would have been stopped!

(We will not go into the terribleness of what they did….suffice it to say, that the idol was one from Egypt….the rites truly horrible.

    Though they were nothing but slaves there,  yet the people kept looking back to it.  A true wile of the devil.  How many times we are warned of the same thing….not to look back, but to go forward in the things of God.   Philippians 3:13    The answer is a communion and fellowship, with the Lord.   That is what keeps us from the world, and sin.)

But God in faithfulness does not leave them in their sin.  

        As He always does,  He moves first….sending Moses down to deal with them.  To show them their sin, and present a way of forgiveness.

        (And when we were at our worst, He sent His only begotten Son down to earth to do the same.   Show us our sin, and give us salvation from our sin.John 3:16)

Moses came down, having already prayed for their forgiveness (Ex. 32:11-13)…..and breaks the stones of Ten commandments (Ex.32:19)….showing that they had already broken them….and turned aside.   

        They were in desperate circumstances,  having made an idol and worshiped it….after God had showed them Himself!

The next lesson God teaches them is:

Sin is death.   

First Moses made them eat the ground up idol.( Exodus 32:20)

     ( It is often the case that the Lord makes us “eat” our sinful words  or our actions.   Making us look as silly as we have been.)

Then, Moses, stands at the entrance of the camp…and gives a call here.

            All could have answered this call:

Exodus 32:26 “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said,   Who is on the Lord’s side?  Come to me.   And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.”

                       If they had all come,  Moses would have known that the sin was seen by Israel and repented of.   They would have learned a bitter lesson…..but they would have learned and gone on.

                       But only the sons of Levi came…and the bitter task of teaching that sin is death was given to them.

Exodus 32:27-28 “And he said to them,  Thus says the Lord God of Israel,  Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from the gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.

      And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses and that day about three thousand men of the people fell.”

I want to mention here that these men had also sinned…..they were no better than the rest!   Yet when the call came to leave their sin and stand with the Lord (they did not know what the Lord would do to them)…..they came, willing to receive from His hand whatever He willed.

       That day they were ordained to stand before God as priests,…because of their repentance and obedience.

The next  lesson was of forgiveness…

…..how could they stand and live before their King, as guilty transgressors?  How could they go on and have the inheritance that the Lord called them to?

                             The forgiveness was prayed for,…. by Moses.    Here Moses is seen as a type of Jesus Christ, our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)….going before God for the people.

        When Moses went to see the Lord for the people….the Lord said,  “Go up…but I will not  go up among you…” (Exodus 33:1,3)

        (Important!)   But Moses cried,  “If Your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.”     What good is anything without the Presence of God in it?

                            “Is it not in your going with us?, so shall we be seperate,  I and Thy people, from all the people that are on the face of the earth?”   (Exodus 33:16)

And is it not the same with us?   His Presence with us by His Holy Spirit is what separates us from the world….and keeps us throughout our journey to heaven!

And the Lord said, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do….for you have found favor in my sight..” (And isn’t for Jesus sake that we are forgiven, and taken into fellowship with Him, even after we sin? 1 John 2:1)

So after forgiveness….the Lord led them into knowing His worship.

 Moses then went up into the Mt. again for forty days and forty nights…receiving the second tables of stone, whereon the Ten Commandments were written….that it might be with them, as His law and sign of His presence.

                Here, the next lesson…..with Moses on the Mt.,  God gives the pattern of the Tabernacle.   

But the first thing He mentions in connection with it,….is “willingness” to give and do for the Lord and the work.

 Exodus 25:2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take My offering..” 

Exodus 35:21 “And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom HIs spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering to the work….”

    Many  men and women brought a free-will offering to the Lord, for the Tabernacle.   They had been at Mt. Sinai for a few months….and the rest of the year was in seeing the Tabernacle built from their gifts…and learning to worship.

                          The  lesson of learning to worship :  There is a time and due order for all the work of God: 

        Exodus 40:2 “On the first day of the first month you shall erect the Tabernacle of the  tent of meeting.”     

       Tent of Meeting!  This is what God wanted with Israel….and wants with us….”where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)

Moses was the one who assembled the Tabernacle, and washed and anointed the priests. Piece by piece the Tabernacle was put together and finished….the first piece being the Ark of the Covenant. He set the veils, and all the rest…”So Moses finished the work”

And Jesus on the cross said, “It is finished.” Will we enter into our part of it?

                         “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:34)

Then….Moses instructs concerning the sacrifices….”If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord,..”     

                     And the Lord begins with the whole burnt offering….which speaks of the person’s consecration….wholly unto the Lord….and he ends with the sin offering.     All these sacrifices were to be done, that they might come before their God, in fellowship….all of the people could come….and bring a sacrifice.  

                        How the atonement of the Christ was being taught here.   They could not come without a sacrifice….but when they did,  there was peace and blessing for them.

And all of these happened in one year!   So many lessons, that the Lord wanted to teach His people.   All for His glory and praise….all for their peace and good.

If they had learned the lessons of Sinai,   they would have been ready for the lessons to be learned in the promised land.

How many times does the Lord have to teach us something….he already taught us?  So many lessons are based upon what we have learned before.   

What is a lesson from God?  

  It is a necessary part of the purpose of God, that we have the experience in knowing and doing.   

What is a lesson from God?   

 It is Him reaching out through His Spirit or Word to take us by the hand and lead us out of ourselves and what we have known…..into that strength and wisdom that He has for us next.

      His lessons come many ways….but all with one Purpose….to bring us to the place where His glory and grace are our everyday circumstances.   We begin to live in the awe and joy of His salvation and fellowship…and worship. 

This was what He wanted Israel to know….Him….as their God, as their Savior, as their King.

What is He teaching us?