The Greatest Need for our day is a return to First Principles

Matthew 16:24 “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.”

The very first principle for all who would follow Jesus, is the message of the cross—our personal cross.

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

We will never have what Christ Jesus has for us in reality, unless we will deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him….

Bearing our cross to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything….(This is not sinless perfection, but it is final obedience….you will obey what He wills.)

And He sits enthroned in our hearts, and lives.

What is our personal cross? This deals with our wills.

First, it is something you can say “no” to; for it is “whosoever will”, “ if any man will”.

Second, it is personal. My cross is not your cross, and visa-versa.

Third, it is any thing in God’s Will that crosses our wills; or brings up resentment and a feeling of wanting to run away from it.

[I usually feel a bristling in me. And as soon as I do, I know I need to talk to the Lord about this….

“I am not liking Your Will, for whatever reason, but I surrender right now, and ask that Your blessed Holy Spirit will help me, not just do this for Your sake, but change my attitude about it.”]

When we come to the willed decision that Christ is going to rule our lives; then Jesus calls us on to a more intimate calling:

Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: And whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

This deals with our personality: that which is truly us.

You see, from children to grown-ups, we take on the mannerisms and habits and attitudes of the world around us.

What this call deals with is: Jesus freeing us from these entanglements; and giving us liberty to be us….the true us, He created.

He redeemed and saved us…not someone we think we would like to be like.

This is to “lose our lives in ourselves”.

We believe, our souls are the seat of our personality. We are unique, no two are exactly alike.

We believe also, that our souls are the most precious thing to God in all of His Creation….for Christ Jesus paid the Atonement price to save them.

When we are freed and under the liberty of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18), only then do we find our life in Christ.

As we continue to deny our self-life (our attitudes, our way of thinking things out, our affections, our reactions),…..so we may find our life in Christ.

Christ deals with us in His own way.

(I knew a child, that every time he became scared…..he would get angry. This was a “mechanism” he used, to cover his fear.

He would yell, he would stomp,….not for the reasons his parents thought, but because he was really scared.

Once they saw that, they were able to deal with him…..not as a brat, having a fit….but as a scared kid……trying to act tough. And that changed everything.)

You see it is only as we get past the “covers” of our attitudes,……that we can deal with the real issues.

Then our attitudes change.

We walk by faith and not by sight.

We “learn, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11). We learn discernment…what is good for us, and what is not.

And we gain confidence in our walk with God. We know…

Philippians 3:15 “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect (complete), be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

It is ever an onward walk with Christ….more and more of Him in us, freeing us from every sin and iniquity (anything unequal to your high calling in Christ Jesus)….

….till we are complete: there are no half measures with God.

Free from the bondage and influences of the world, and sin;

Obedient—having our obediences up-to-date;

Surrounded by His peace (Philippians 4:7), practically…..we are at peace with God, with the circumstances….and even, at peace with ourselves.

Rooted and grounded in His love (Ephesians 3:17).

He wants us to be fully free, and fully His.

Will we begin to “follow Him”, by denying ourselves and picking up our cross (those things of His Will that cross what we want,….how we think…..how we feel)…….till we no longer resist His Will in anything.

Then going on to lose “our life”, that we might truly be who He has created us to be….finding our life and purpose….in Christ Jesus.

Why must we lose our self-life?

Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

Why must we lose our self-life?

Does not God love me? so why does God want me to change?

Sure, I can give up my sin….the bad things, but why “me”?

Would true love to Christ, ask such a question?

The “me” we give up….is not our true personality…..that is saved and brought into complete subjection to Christ, by His Spirit.

The “me” we give up…..is our way of doing things, our attitudes picked up from the world, our narrowness of self…..which always looks for “what will this do for me”.

When I first heard of denying myself, and losing my self-life…..frankly I thought that it would be easy.

After all, I am saved….I want the Lord’s Will…

…..that is all there is to it, right?

….but did I really want His Will? Do I really want to have His life, instead of mine?

Yes, actually I did….

…..and through this process, I learned that.

It is one of the wonderful things that comes from it.

So many,….like I did…..

…..think they have surrendered to the Lord’s Will for their lives, yet constantly reject the Way, that Will is to be brought to pass.

Surely, the Lord would not care if I do this…..this way…after all, it gets His Will done….

….when the reality of it all is, His Will is certainly HIs Way.

How many problems could we avoid, if we would be more attentive to the Lord’s way of doing things.

The whole objective in the Lord’s call to deny ourselves and pick up our cross…..the reality of it….is

……that we might lose our life in ourself….

And even that is not the end….although it is an amazing freedom from the narrowness of self….

….but the end is…..that we might find our life in Christ, which is liberty of the Spirit in all our days.

This losing our self-life is a step by step process of giving over to Christ…..my habits, my ways, and my opinions….and taking on His character….His ways….His thoughts…

…His gentleness,….no one was more gentle than Christ.

I am not talking about “wishy-washy, it is ok” stuff.

I am talking about bending down….and reaching out to those who suffered…and drawing them out to a belief in Him.

(The leper, the man at the pool of Bethesda..John 5:6-8, the Samaritan woman, the demon possessed living in tombs..Mark 5:2-15)

…His boldness in the face of evil.

Twice, driving out the money sellers in the Temple.

Accusing those that did not want Him to heal on the Sabbath of hypocrisy because they would pull one of their sheep out of a pit on this day.

Standing face to face with the mob and Judas, who came to arrest Him,….unlawfully.

…His truth.

He never excused sin…..He forgave it.

…His prayer life.

Many nights alone, all night with His Heavenly Father in prayer.

Praying for Peter when the devil would “sift him as wheat”

…His ministry of warning all that the kingdom of God is come.

Christ came to die…..but He was not silent…..nor did He do nothing, but wait His time.

He “fulfilled all righteousness”….in a world of sin, hatred, and illness.

We, too, need to fulfill all the righteousness we are called to.

And the only way to really finish our work….is to become conformed to Christ, and His character.

To lose our life….we need to come to the place that we see:

It is not Christ for me……unless Christ is formed in me.

That it is not our life we are living…..but an extension of His life, in my circumstances….to His honor.

This can only be by love. The willed tendency of our heart to yield, to give, to be completely His.

To love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, will….this is to lose our lives in our selves…..so we can find His life rising in us.

We will be what we will to be:

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

Will is our whole being active. Our minds are in it, our emotions are there, and our wills are the force within each person, which says, “I will do this.”

In this verse, “yield” is the action word.

Here, in Romans (Romans 6:13,16,19) it means: “to be at hand or ready to aid”.

It is a picture of a servant who is at the side of the master, ready to assist in any way.

(As David’s servants said to him,…

2 Samuel 15:15 “And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.”)

For as Christians, we have our blessed new nature which was placed within us at new birth. But we also have our old nature which would led us away from God. That makes the struggle (Galatians 5:16-17) we often feel within ourselves.

We forget, sometimes, that we are servants. (Some people think that they can rule their own destiny, but it is a false premise.)

We are all ruled by something, or Someone. For Christians, we should be ruled by Jesus Christ: His Will and His Word.

And this is what Paul is setting forth here:

We are servants of sin,….we choose some sort of sin,….and are under the power of that sin.

Or,

We are servants of righteousness,…..choosing to be obedient to the new life,……Christ’s life within.

And the way to choose His life, or righteousness; is to yield.

We yield to obedience to Him.

We must ask ourselves: Is Jesus Christ really necessary to me? Or could I get along without Him in my life?

Jesus Christ could change anything! But He desires most to change us into His likeness, and character.

He has given us our wills, and He has chosen that we must “yield” or be ready to give Him all the aid He requires to bring His Will to pass in, by and through me.

He would have us to be His servants and become the persons He will mold us into.

He wants heart-servants. Those that love Him.

Those that love to be with Him, in fellowship and in the work. (For He has a work of witness for all of us).

And to do this, we must exercise our wills, and be ready to do whatsoever the Lord says.

Are we demanding the Lord prove Himself to us?

Jesus had been performing His ministry for about the three years….it would soon lead to the cross of our salvation.

From the first, His message was that the kingdom of God is at hand. (Matthew 4:17)

What does “at hand” mean? It means that it is close enough….that if you want it, you can reach out in faith and receive it.

Luke 17:20-21 “And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or Lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

They “demanded”…..a term that includes anger, pride, and imagined authority.

They demanded Him to speak….to say something to them, right then……about the kingdom of God, which He was calling men to.

It was not that they wanted this information to enlighten their hearts to believe….no….for their hearts were “far” from Him.

They demanded….

….because they wanted to “see” something from Him….and if He did not do as they wanted…..and show them….a time….or a place….or a action,….then they were right in rejecting Him.

Jesus Christ did, in fact, answer them….but not as they “demanded”, but as always….in truth.

“….He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation (or with outward show):

Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, Lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Notice the word, “said”.

They had demanded…..and “He answered them”….that would have been enough…

…but it was if the Holy Spirit wanted to emphasize the peace and calm that Jesus had in the face of His adversaries….”He answered them and said”.

Not shouted….not pointed out…not anything, but “said”.

“Take My Word, or leave it…..I am the Truth, and My Word is truth….

….My kingdom is not for pomp and show,…..but for righteousness, and peace and joy.

Right now, it is at hand….if you will “behold” it….

….right now, I, the king, am within your midst…

….and My kingdom is to be set up within you….

It is a kingdom which comes in power…..in your soul and life.”

God’s glory is not something that is “flash and bang”….but it is something that changes…lives, from the heart….outward.

But this they did not want….

…they could perform the outward commandment….to the letter….

…but refused the inward love and devotion to God.

Notice, also, He said….” For behold”.

This “behold” is in the imperative sense.

In order for them to “see” the kingdom….they would have to….absolutely, have to see….the King, Jesus Christ.

But instead of “beholding” Him, or understanding the kingdom of God….they demanded He prove Himself, and His Word.

Sad…..but how many of us do the same.

My question to all of us, Christians, is…..

Are we demanding an answer from the Lord about His call to His kingdom, for ourselves?

Are we saying: Prove that you will do this for me, if I give you my heart.

Have we gotten past the bargaining table (I’ll do this, if You do that, Lord)…..to just be devoted servants of the Lord Jesus Christ?

And this is of our hearts…..and in our hearts.

The kingdom of God is:

Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Righteousness is, of course, right standing with God, which comes from Christ’s righteousness…..so that we may come into His Presence.

But it is also right living….a change in our thoughts, attitudes, actions, and yes, words.

For as His righteousness is applied to us….it transforms our hearts in thanksgiving.

Peace….peace with God, yes….but also a peace with ourselves, and with others.

Though the Pharisees grieved Jesus, yet He kept speaking to them….informing them of the Way to life.

This is a peace which settles down into our whole being….a peace which walks in Christ’s steps….and leads others there, by the same example.

Joy….a truly choice and uplifting characteristic of Jesus. Joy is not in the circumstances….but in the Presence of God, in our life.

He is with us,…amazing, powerful, and encouraging….again, no matter the circumstances.

“….He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or Lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

This is still His message….will we receive His kingdom….within us? Will we receive Christ Jesus as our King?

And when we do…….we will have righteousness, peace, and joy.

When you go to war or battle

Deuteronomy 20:1 “When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”

In order to have what the Lord had for Israel, in the land God gave them…..there would be battles.

(And so with us, as Christians….we have to stand and hold the ground the Lord has won for us….and that includes battles with our spiritual enemies.

Ephesians 6:10-12 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”)

Deuteronomy 20:2-5 “And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,

And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel,….let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;

For the Lord your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”

The first thing is to recognize that God is going with them…..and still their hearts and minds against fear and the desire to give up….or compromise with the enemy.

(Romans 8:37 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved them.”)

As Christians, we have been told to Stand.

Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Stand is a military term….it means to hold our ground. Christ has been Victor….and has given us an inheritance in Himself…this is the ground we hold.

He has given us our calling and ministry….He has given us the fruits of the Spirit….we are to manifest Him as our Lord.

And we are to stand against the wiles of the devil.

But….God makes provision for those who are fearful and faint-hearted:

Deuteronomy 20:8 “And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and faint hearted? Let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart.”

This was practical, in a very important way….if this person went into battle with this fear…he would make the men around him fearful as well….

…which could lead to defeat, in that section of fighting…or even to lose the whole battle.

Our emotions are contagious…we can strengthen….and we can weaken those around us with our attitude.

The person who does not trust God and tries to bluff their way through a trial…pretending to trust Him….pretending things will be alright…can be tripped up,….or may get through, but get no joy.

To be built up in the faith, we need to exercise our faith in Him…and not give way to self. Faith sees God…even in trembling.

(Paul in trouble…but not in distress 2 Corinthians 4:8)

To say “I’ll do this…we’ll see what happens”…..is not the Way God leads.

Trust is hanging on to God and His Word…not because you are courageous, but because God is with you.

I wholeheartedly believe, that true trust in Christ, costs us something. We are not robots….but people whose hearts and minds can be fearful.

Yet the cost, is in denying ourselves and getting honest with the Lord….and letting Him give us peace to trust Him.

(There is a Story of WW1 soldier who was in the trenches. He had to climb up three sets of ladders to get out on the No-man’s land in between the lines.

Yet as he climbed each rung with men before him and behind…he prayed. His body was shaking as he got to climb up that last ladder….and he would say, “That’s okay body…you just shake. If you knew where I was taking you…you would really be shaking.”

Years later as a preacher, he would tell his congregation that story and say.

“We may shake and tremble….but make no mistake…if we will with God, we will go where He leads, and fulfill the duty He calls us to.”)

For us Christians, we are called to stand. But it is always a stand with Christ. And if we can’t trust Him, we can give in to being…“fearful and faint-hearted”…ready to give up.

Stand is a military term….it means to hold our ground. Christ has been Victor….and has given us an inheritance in Himself.

And the battle for it…is in holding onto His Word…in believing obedience.

Are we standing on it? Are we encouraging others to trust the Lord?

There will be battles….let us get honest with the Lord about the way we feel….and let Him take away our fear….or panic, or dread….and replace it with trust.

Trust that He is with us….in the battle…to bring us through.

Blessing and Cursing

Deuteronomy 11:26-29, 32 “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:

And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.

And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.”

This was what the Lord had commanded Moses to tell Israel, on the far side of Jordan; right before he died.

Now Israel had come in to Canaan by crossing Jordan…..been circumcised (for during the time in the wilderness, they were not),…

…held the first Passover since Egypt,…

…and taken and destroyed Jericho, and Ai.

Then,…..though there was hardly any land that was theirs….

……they believed God and went to Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim…..all of them….all Israel went up to the place appointed.

Here the blessings and the cursing was to be read before all the people.

Joshua 8:30-34 “Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal,

As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel,…..an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings.

And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

And all Israel,…..stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord,….half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal;…..

And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursing, according to all that is written in the book of the law.”

Here on mount Gerizim, they were to read aloud the blessings God would perform if they were obedient….in the land He was giving them.

(Deuteronomy 28:1-14, it is a beautiful record of prosperity, and fruitfulness to themselves, each other, and the nations around them, in their obedience and devotion to the Lord their God.)

Here on mount Ebal, they were to read aloud the cursing, God would perform if they were rebellious and disobedient.

(Deuteronomy 28:15-68; it is a terrible record of people gotten “fat” or comfortable in their lives, so that they forget God and His goodness….coming under the hand of idol worship, famine, diseases, and then their enemies…all because they forgot and forsake God:

Deuteronomy 28:47 “Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;”)

It is a beautiful thing to see Joshua so diligent and eager to perform this duty, which Moses commanded them to do.

And there, on mount Ebal (where the curse was read) they sacrificed burnt offerings,….offerings for sin, and whole burnt offerings, showing they were completely His.

There they sacrificed peace offerings, showing that they celebrated the peace they had with God….even before their enemies.

It was a spiritual seal on the land God gave them.

It was to show that God’s Law and commandments were now to rule in this land.

All would hear about it, and know these Israelites were different…(in the middle of the conquest of the land, they were claiming it in the name of God, and His Principles)….

….their God was different….He was letting everyone know that He would be honored in this land.

Joshua wrote the words of the law upon the stones he used for the altar, so all could read….and remember them.

This honoring God’s Word, would have taken a whole day, at least; maybe more, for all of them went.

Their camp was at Gilgal, yet they were at Mt. Ebal and Gerizim.

The enemies could have come up against the women, children, as well as the troops among them….

….but according to God’s Word, they went up and honored the Lord…and His law, here in Canaan….

…….and God honored and protected them.

God has set before each man by His Word the blessings in His Son, Jesus Christ….

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

….and the cursing by refusing Him.

Mark 16:15-16 “And He (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature:

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned.”

They are written plainly for all who will read and see….to come to Him.

And we Christians, as Joshua, are to be diligent in our duty of manifesting the Word….

….even in the midst of our battles….we are to honor the Lord’s Word….that they might be seen and heard of all.

To grow up into Christ

Ephesians 4:15 KJV  “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”

Ephesians 4:15 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.” (Gideon Bible)

This growing up spiritually, is not like growing in age, like from 8 to 20.   But it is growing up….into Christ.

When I was a little girl, my mother would often buy a dress for my sister,  with the idea that as I grew older and bigger, I too,  would be able to wear it, when she outgrew it.  It was there, ready when I was big enough for it.

This growing up into Christ is the same idea.   We are “in Christ” the moment we are born again (praise God for His marvelous gift)..And we are given peace with God….

……but we grow up in Christ as we set aside our childish views and opinions….and take on HIs views of things and His attitude toward everything.  Being formed into His character….taking on the family resemblance….God’s family resemblance. 

We “grow” into more and more of what He has for us.  We “grow” more and more like Him.  It is there for us, as we grow.

This is not attained in a moment,…or even in our surrender to it…though that is important…

…but we need to see ourselves as children that needs to grow up….in this attitude,…and then in that feeling.

        The onward walk of a Christian, is usually upward….into higher and harder battles.  Into higher and harder victories.  For the victory that is the hardest, is usually over ourselves and the way we feel or think….in these circumstances.

Ephesians 4:13-15 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,  unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

        That we henceforth be no more children,  tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,  by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness,  whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

        But speaking the truth in love,  may grow up into Him in all things,  which is the head, even Christ:”

When we grow up in Christ…..we acknowledge and confess we are responsible for our actions. We no longer excuse ourselves, or our sin….we confess and seek cleansing from ourselves, and our sin.

Ephesians 4:13-15 “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

        So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

        Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him Who is the head, into Christ,” (Gideon Bible)

We are to “grow up…in every way” into Christ.

First, we are to “attain to the unity of the faith”.  Faith is singular,  it looks to God….and as we grow and mature…we, too, look to God in every situation.    Here is a unity that is stabilizing….I see what is happening all around….but it’s influence is second,  because God is in control in my life.    What a foundation!

Second, “knowledge of the Son of God”.  When we are born again we know that Jesus Christ the Lord is the Son of God.  

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

     But as we grow, we recognize and  gain knowledge of the Son of God in His character.   The character that is to grow in us.

     There is “knowledge” of the mind and understanding.   You read the Bible and see the Lord, believing what you read.   The Holy Spirit can take that knowledge and turn it into “knowledge by experience” in the circumstances in which we are….which gives you strength to face what is next.   The Lord’s faithfulness,  He is Truth,  His all-sufficiency…this is knowledge we need to see us through our lives.

Third, “to mature manhood”.  An adult in Christ walks through this world….not with “I want, I want, I want” in his heart; but with a loose hand on the things he has,…and a firm grasp on the promises of God.

For he looks beyond this moment of time…(for children are all about “now”)….and sees that God’s Purpose has a time and a way….maybe now, and maybe after we wait on Him.

      With the Holy Spirit within, we are given a member of the Godhead to show us….ourselves, others, and things to come.   We are often warned in the spirit.  He is the one to show us His Word, and what it means to us….and we yield to what He shows us.

Growing up in Christ….we are also given courage….and a strength to finish the work,….to give to God all the glory,….to stand with the Lord in the face of trouble.

Fourth,  “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

      (I find it interesting that the Spirit uses the term…”stature”.  Mom used to put markers on the side of our kitchen door as to our height, year after year.  How much we had grown taller.  And this is what this means….there are markers for our growth in Christ.) 

Do we forgive?    Christ forgave the very ones who crucified Him. Luke 23:34

     Do we speak of the kingdom of God?   Christ preached that the kingdom of God was at hand. Mark 1:14-15

     Do we seek to do good to those we come into contact with?   Jesus went about doing good to all.

     Do we seek to disciple those who want to know more about Jesus?   He spoke often to His disciples the full meaning of the scriptures…because they wanted to know. Luke 8:9-10

     Do we pray for those we know…who the Lord has laid on our hearts?    Jesus spent many nights in prayer for the work of God, for His disciples, for Peter (Luke 22:31-32)

Do we love the Lord more today than yesterday, last week, last year? John 14:15

And now,….how do we grow up?   

The most important thing in growing up is to stay with the Lord….no matter what we are going through.  

        Believing and trusting, that He loves us, and will guide us through, even in the midst of the Valley of the Shadow of death.

        The disciples saw,…and experienced miracles for themselves and others. 

        Yet they also experienced storms…so bad, they thought they were going to die.  

         They experienced the authority of the name of Christ Jesus as they went out into cities before Jesus.    

         Yet they also experienced failure, when they could not heal a demonic boy…and had to wait for the Lord to do it. Mark 9:18

         Peter declared his belief that Jesus was the Son of God,….yet later denied Him three times, to save himself.

They all fled from being arrested…..yet all returned to Him, in confession of belief and in obedience,…..waiting for the Spirit’s coming.

This is growing up in every way…..whatever comes to us,  comes by the Lord’s Will…and we willingly yield to it….and learn from it….letting the Holy Spirit lead us into a more fuller life with Christ.

And when we grow up into Christ….we can be fully used,…. be fully owned by Christ as full grown sons of God….and blessed in our doing.

Our provision through this world.

When Israel was finishing their travels through the wilderness….they came to the territory of the Edomites,….then the Moabites, and the Ammonites.

Deuteronomy 2:4-5 “And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take good heed unto yourselves therefore:

Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.”

The same was said of the Moabites, and the Ammonites. (Deut. 2:9, 19)

All of these are “brothers” to Israel.

The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s(Israel’s) brother.

The Moabites and the Ammonites were descendants of Lot…Abraham’s nephew.

“So be very careful.” “Take good heed unto yourselves”, God warned them.

“Do not meddle or contend with them.” (Deut. 2:5,9,19)

Israel was approximately two million persons, plus cattle and sheep. They would make a wide swath through any land…and need a lot of goods.

But they were not there to argue, to demand respect, or to make trouble for these people…

…but they were to “pass through” their land…to go to possess what God has for them.

(It is interesting to note that God plainly says….”I have given Mount Seir to Esau for a possession.”

God has designated for each nation, each people, and each one, the place and

means, in His Will.)

And we too, are to simply “pass through” this world….not being contentious….or making trouble for anyone,…but continuing our walk to get our inheritance in Christ Jesus. (All men are not our brethren, but Jesus Christ plainly taught that we should treat others as we want to be treated.)

Ephesians 1:11-12 “In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own Will:

That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

(The only thing we are to contend for…is the faith of Christ. Jude 3

My husband used to say, “The scriptures say we are to contend for the faith…not be

contentious.”)

Deuteronomy 2:6-7 “Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.

For the Lord Thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: He knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.”

They had money to buy what they had to have from these people…..to get the food and water, they and their flocks, needed.

The Egyptians had given them gold and silver….jewelry and clothing. (Exodus 22:35-36)

God had provided for their needs…all the way through their journeys. He had given water, and manna…flocks of quails.

The Lord’s cloud covered them by day, that they did not get heat stroke…

….and the pillar of fire kept them by night with light and protection from their enemies.

Now….they were to show mercy to these people as God had shown them….giving payment for the things that they would need, which belonged to Edom, Moab, and Ammon.

And we are to show mercy, as we have had so many mercies, shown to us.

I want to mention here that all of these nations became enemies of Israel….but that did not change God’s Word.

God would deal with them as enemies, later….but now Israel was to be merciful to them…

….and in honor of God’s Word, give these people what they require for their Lu Lu I k K goods.

Our provision through this world….through our enemy’s territory is the same. God will deal with them in due time…

….but now, we are to show them mercy……as God has shown us mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10, 12 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:

Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Having your conversation honest…that whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

“For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee…the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.” (Deut. 2:7)

Hasn’t the Lord always been with us? Have we ever lacked anything that was for our good?

He is our satisfaction and supply.

“He knows”….what a blessed statement….God knows all our goings through this great wilderness of the world….He knows, for us.

Let us show mercy to those we deal with…as we pass through this world’s wilderness.

Not for their sakes….but for Christ’s sake.

Keep yourselves in the Love of God

Jude 21 “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

In other words: Walk in the sunlight of His love.

He upholds us by His Word (Psalm 119:116), and “builds us up” by His Holy Spirit (Jude 20); and we are to cooperate with Jesus, and hang on to Him…..Keep ourselves in His love.

There is a lot of talk about God’s love today, which is just not so.

Some say, “If God loved us, why does He correct us?”

Would a loving parent let his child do something which would hurt them, just because he “loved” them?

Sin is the ultimate hurt.

Through sin, Adam fell; which means that he left the state of innocency he was in, to know evil. (Good he knew, for he knew God; after he rebelled, he knew evil. Genesis 3:6-7)

So when it says that God loves us……you need to look beyond the sentimental affection we think is love,……to the Will of God.

There is nothing more powerful in the universe than God’s Will; therefore if He wills to love us:…..He will provide for us,…..hold us up,…..protect us,…..and correct us,…….that we might stay in the bright and warm light of His love.

To measure His love is impossible,…..for the measuring line would have to stretch across the immense expanse of the “time” in eternity, when God willed to send His Beloved Son to die on the cross.

And this was because He willed to love us. (John 3:16)

When we are born again, we are receivers of His Love. (It was always there, we just had our backs to it.)

The only thing we are told to do, is walk in it.

This walk signifies that you are obeying His Word to you.

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

If they are “grievous” or burdensome to you……then you are not walking in His love. You might be walking in anger to His Will, as Jonah. (Jonah 4:1-4)

Or you might be walking in fear, as when the disciples were at sea, in the storm (Mark 4:37-38)…”Master, carest Thou not that we perish?”

But when you walk in love…..His commandments are the lightest things.

To sin or turn away from Him, at this time, would be the hardest thing. For love gives songs in the darkest night, and makes His work, joyful.

This walk in the love of God is also shared:

1 John 4:7, 11 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

This tells us that the love of God is to be shed abroad through us to other Christians, and to those in the world.

(Remember, God’s love is willed love. There is nothing in us that would draw out God’s love to us; but He willed to love us.

So we should love others. Often there is nothing in them that merits our love.

No, love is never merited; either in God’s love to us, or our love to others.

That is called respect and honor)

But God commands us to love others, so we will to do so; and walk in His love.

John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

The presence of God within us, comes with His love.

This Presence is felt.

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

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

(This “Abba, Father” is like “Daddy, Daddy”.)

To walk in the love of God, is to appropriate for ourselves the joy found in the statement:

1 John 4:19 “We love him, because He first loved us.”

This knowledge reaches down into the depth of our being!

(You will notice I have quoted a lot from John’s books. John and Paul were the authors that spoke most of the love of God, for us, or for the Church.

1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Ephesians 3:17-19 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is that breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”

2 John 3 “Grace be with you, mercy and peace, from God the Father , and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”

John and Paul bring forward again and again the Love of God to His own.)

Let us walk in the love of God.

Keep yourself in the love of God.

May the God of Peace Sanctify you Wholly.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is He who calleth you, who also will do it.”

Sanctification is the process where God and you work together to set aside everything in your life, to God.

It can, of course, begin by committing your life to Him; but it is worked out by the day by day “agreements” with the Holy Spirit.

Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

It is amazing how many times in scripture, our life with God is talked about as a “walk”, “path”, or “way”!

For me, I always picture two older people, holding hands; out, enjoying the scenery and enjoying each other’s company.

But if you have had a argument, that walk is not very pleasant.

That is why sanctification is to be a complete work: spirit, soul and body.

The Holy Spirit “turns on a light” within us when we are born again; and makes us to see things in His light.

When we do, He speaks to us about those things which need removing, cleansing, or changed.

And He shows us the way to do it…..often using scripture to do so:

Removing:

Ephesians 4:22-24 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

We are to “put off”, like an wet coat, our old habits. If we continue to “wear” them, they will make us spiritually “sick”. So the Spirit will tell us: “lay this aside.”

Cleansing:

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

He not only forgives us, but cleanses our conscience, and our desires; as we ask Him to.

Changed:

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

As we see the Lord: who He is, what He did for us, and what He is willing to do in us; we yield to that image He gives us…yielding to the power of the Spirit within us; and are changed, more and more into His character.

It is a gentle call, like the cooing of a dove: which He is often pictured as in the scriptures. (Matthew 3:16)

It is God that sanctifies us; yet we are called to yield to Him in His work, in us.

Philippians 2:12-13 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

He works within; but we are to take those graces (the unmerited favor of power) and work them out in our lives.

(The word “lives” is correct, but general; so for specifics:

For He sends the grace we need, sometimes, as we need it;

sometimes, ahead of time to give us security in the situations we are in; sometimes, it has been there, unused, till a particular time: then we know we have what we need!

His grace is amazing!)

But notice it is the God of peace which does this sanctifying.

When He gives a specific Name for Himself, it is to show us the specific power He is using.

His peace is what He promises us….in this world we live in….to help us be sanctified to Him.

John 14:26-27 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

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

Our God sends His Holy Spirit into us; to stay with us through all the changes: failures, and victories. Giving us peace, as we walk with Him.