Our Purpose as Christians

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

The Purpose of God for us, was set in motion before the world began.

Before He created anything at the first; God saw us in Christ Jesus, according to His Purpose.

It is according to His Purpose and grace. His Purpose is His Will; and His grace is His unmerited favor of Power to bring His Will to pass.

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

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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

This is written to Christians, telling them how they were saved.

It was by the power of grace, not anything they did to deserve it.

It was through faith, a gift given them by the Holy Spirit.

And they are “created in Christ Jesus”; given new birth and a new nature.

So created, not to stand by and watch; but to take part in His Purpose: those good works we are to walk in.

We are so created as a “workmanship”; which is a molded image.

We are to be molded into the image of Christ. (Remember the word Christian means: Little Christ)

And how are we to do this?

By using the means and provision God has given.

That is what “ordained” means.

It means that all the provision for our walk with Him, has been set aside for us.

Let us talk, for a moment, about the things which hinder His Purpose.

(If you ask, How can anything hinder God’s Purpose? I answer, that as He gives us choices, He is allowing His Purpose to be fulfilled or hindered by us. It is His way of teaching us, and training us. He knows all things, and makes arrangements for it. His Will, will be done; but He wants it to be done through us, so He can bless us.)

The greatest hinderance to God’s Will, is that we do not go on with Him as we should.

Our walk with Christ is progressive:

We are babes in Christ, being seen to, fed with the milk of His Word, so we can begin to crawl and then walk with Him.

We come to the place of walking; and often like mules, stop and stand and bray. Having a fit about some part of His Will.

He must, and will correct us: sometimes with rebukes.

Rebukes are words which awaken us to His claims on us. Showing us where we should be, and how to get there. (Hebrews 12:5)

Sometimes He must chasten us. This is serious; He does not do this lightly. (1 John 5:16)

But He will not empower rebels with His Spirit. That would be joining our rebellion against Himself. But what He does, He does because He loves us. As a parent corrects a child, for their good, so God corrects us.

The answer to this is to will to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24)

We preach on this often; because it is the backbone of progress. We will deny ourselves, and follow Him.

Or we will put up with ourselves, and lose another opportunity to please our Lord.

It is a choice the Lord gives us: for it is “if” any man will.

Those that love Me, Jesus said, keep My commandments.

John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

When we truly want His Will and have denied ourselves, daily; we come to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything.

(Resist is a good term. Do you instantly want to “back up” every time you hear about what you should be doing? )

Well, we can come to the place, in our experience, that we don’t resist. It is not instant obedience, but it is final obedience. We will obey.

But the crowning glory, in this life, is to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:17-18 “Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

When we are filled with the Spirit of God (and this only happens as we are emptied of the fullness of self); then the blessed influence of His life, love, peace, joy, and patience, is flowing within us.

And can be seen through us.

We are expressions of His life, and Purpose. That Purpose He wanted for us before the world began.

Imagine a life full of the Lord’s light, and joy.

Better yet, don’t imagine it. Get it.

If you are in Christ Jesus, born again; then His Purpose for you is to be filled with all the fullness of God. Filled to your capacity.

Ephesians 3:16-19 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;

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 the 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.”

We never truly know the love of Christ, the way He wants us to, until we walk along with Him, in the Spirit.

His hand for our strength,

His Word for our help,

His Spirit shining in us for comfort, and joy.

His Purpose for us, in Christ, is to walk with Him, into those good works He has ordained us for.

Will we go on with Him?

Borrow Vessels, not a Few

Elisha was a prophet in Israel.

There were many who, though contrary to the “popular religion”, followed God.

They would gather together to hear Elisha, as he traveled the country.

He ministered to the people with the Word of God, and instruction.

Many followed the teachings of God, and they were called the “sons of the prophets”.

Some set themselves aside for ministering, and prayer.

Others had families, and lived for God in their jobs.

A widow of one of these men came to Elisha in dire straights. After her husband had died, things had gotten very tough financially, and they had come into debt.

2 Kings 4:1 “Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.”

This was very serious. Both sons being taken, must have meant a large debt.

But she came to Elisha;…..he would be able to pray for her, or tell her what she could do by the Word of the Lord.

2 Kings 4:2 “And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee?

Tell me, what hast thou in the house?

And she said, Thy handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil.”

At first, it is as if Elisha is not asking the woman at all….but rather praying for direction…”What shall I do for thee?”

Then, he asks her, according as the Holy Spirit showed him, “What do you have in the house?”

She had nothing to sell, nothing to trade. She only had a pot of oil.

How often we think we need something more, before we can serve God.

More knowledge, more courage, more understanding.

But really, we just need to use what we have: God’s grace which He has already given us, by the Holy Spirit.

When we do, then God will enable us,…..and He will supply more of what we need.

2 Kings 4:3-4 “Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

When thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.”

Here was the answer:

She would have to be obedient,……and God would supply her need.

She would have to borrow empty vessels; for the Lord was going to work a miracle for her.

But it was to be for her and her sons. No one else was to be present, or even see through the door.

Elisha was not present. He did not do this.

The Lord did this for her, and her sons;……..using empty vessels……and their obedience.

Did God supply the need? Yes!

2 Kings 4:5-6 “So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel.

And he said unto her, there is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.”

Abundantly the need was met! All the vessels they had borrowed were filled,…..till there was no more.

God would have us bring our “empty vessels” to Him to be filled with His Spirit, for our everyday needs.

Shutting the door, so we may be alone with God in prayer and devotions, is often the means He uses to supply our need for the day.

The oil of joy, and strength, and peace…..and increased faith is often given as we close the door on the world, and seek Him, only.

2 Kings 4:7 “Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.”

After the miracle, she did not get “swelled head” and say, I know what I will do.

No, she came and asked for guidance as what to do next.

Amazingly, the answer was an answer for the rest of her life.

God saw to the need, and more. He gave to her, so that she would be able to live beyond this debt.

That is what God always gives us: life. It is what He supplies, even as He is supplying a specific need, for now.

Our life as His children, here and now; and every time we need it.

It does not say whether the oil came drop by drop, or poured out fast from the vessel she had.

Only that the oil came, the need was met. He supplied it for her and her son’s life.

Let us look to God to supply the need of our life, bringing our “empty vessels” for His Spirit to fill….that we may have His life for us,…..and live by His direction.

Are we staying in the middle of the Way?

Proverbs 30:7-9 “Two things have I required of Thee; deny me them not before I die:

Remove far from me vanity and lies; Give me neither poverty or riches, feed me with food convenient for me:

Lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

This “middle of the Way”, comes from my reading Pilgrims Progress.

It is when Christian is hurrying up the hill of Difficulty, and it is growing dark….that he sees two lions; one on either side of the Way!

This sight frightens and stops Christian for a moment…..till the Porter of the House Beautiful (the local Church), calls out to him:

“Can’t you see they are chained….they can only come so far into the Way. You will be safe….as long as you stay in the middle of the Way.”

And how often it is the same for us…..when circumstances frighten….because we were not prepared,….

…..or we have expected,…..since we have “climbed this hill of Difficulty”,…..that things will be easy…..

We get frightened….then stop.

It is good the Lord often calls out to us, through the Word, or a message, or a fellow Christian…..that we may see that the lions are chained.

(How grateful to the Lord Jesus for this!)

These verses are some I love. They set the goal of my life on the right footing.

Giving God charge of what is in store for me….and petitioning (“required” here means “earnestly beseeching”) our Lord, that He keep us “in the middle of the Way.”

“Remove me far from vanity and lies”. “Far from”, is where we all should want to be, from the useless things of this world,….and that is what “vanity” is.

And from lies…..lies that I want to believe….or that are spread abroad about others, or me.

Our Lord taught us to pray: (Matthew 6:13) “And lead us not into temptation”…..for He has made a way to escape, if we will seek it (1 Corinthians 10:13)……but when I fall into it…….

…..”but deliver us from evil”…..the evil one, the devil, and his tricks…..and the evil of coming under the influence of my fall.

Let me…

Not be rich….either in money, prestige, or success….so I won’t get proud and begin to think I do not need the Lord. (Luke 12:16-21)

Not be poor….either in money, friends, or spiritual experience….so I won’t envy others…..or be angry with You, Lord, and “take the name of my God in vain”.

This “take the name of my God in vain” (and notice is it “my God”)……does not mean swearing…..

……but in the Hebrew, means: “accusing God of not being what His Name says He is”. To accuse God’s mercy and love, of being false.

He is Merciful, Righteous, Glorious, Gracious, full of loving-kindness, and peace.

But when circumstances grow difficult…..trials come…..and we seem quite unable to meet them….we are poor, then….

…do we still feel the same way, toward the Lord?

My husband had taught a study on Galatians, and then began Philippians, once,……when our son….who was little at the time….

….said, Dad, I like this study better than that other one.

….Really, why?

…..Because this one has happy people in it…the other one didn’t.

And he was right, though I had not seen it before,….like that…..

The Galatians were trying so hard to be superior Christians…..and had gotten tricked into thinking their own works…following the law…..would add to their value to the Lord. (Galatians 1:6-8)

The Philippians, on the other hand,

(and I recommend, if you have not read it lately, to do so again! Nine times, more than any other book in the New Testament, “rejoice” is used. Six times “joy” is used.)

They were being persecuted, [Philippians 1:28-30],….yet only sought to be steadfast to the Lord Jesus Christ…..and they were joyful in it!

They were a poor church, yet sent an offering to Paul for his needs. (Philippians 4:15)

What a difference in the two books!

Listen to the epistle the Apostle wrote:

Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;”

Philippians 1:25-26 “And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.”

Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord…..”

He tells them of the way he has walked….what the Lord has shown him:

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Paul loves them dearly, writing:

Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”

And then, in this epistle, he clearly speaks of true contentment:

Philippians 4:11-12 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

This is the same thing the writer of Proverbs was writing about…..but Paul adds a blessed reality of how we can do this:

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Let us take His strength in righteousness, joy and peace…..and be content.

Here is the secret of contentment…..of being neither rich or poor…..but staying in the middle of the Way……

….”through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Our Way is before us,…..our life is always a next step with Jesus Christ.

Let us “stay in the middle of the Way”……

…..the lions are chained, though they roar, and frighten….

…..stay with Him, and let Him give us the strength for what is ahead.

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—your 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.

Genesis

An old preacher used to say….instead of giving new converts the gospel of John to read….we should have them read Genesis.

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

      Here is where we meet God…in power and glory…as Creator.  Here we see Him deal the seeming defeat of His Purpose…when Adam sins….and all the human race is lost.

     Isaiah 45:18 “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens;  God Himself that formed the earth and made it;  He that established it, He created it not in vain,  He formed it to be inhabited:  I am the Lord; and there is none else.”

Here we see the first promise of a Redeemer….and His ultimate Victory…

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

Here we see the effects of sin….death.   Gen. 5 if you read it, this one died, and that one died….all through the chapter.

      Here we also see God dealing in judgment on His responsible creatures…who continue to turn from Him…and sin (Romans 1:19-23 describes this descent into gross sin).

And He deals in judgment…both by flood. (here is the first time grace is used in connection with Noah)

…and in the tower of Babel.    

Here we see God laying aside for a time the masses of nations….to deal with one man….Abraham.   

      He was as bad as everyone else…:an idolator….yet God appeared to him and called him….to come away from idolatry to believe in Him ….and follow Him. 

Genesis 15:6 “And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness.”

      And Abraham did follow….becoming the friend of God. (James 2:23)

(how much we learn from this….God deals with individuals….calling them to Himself…away from the old life…to the new life with Him.)

Here we see Abraham’s call to sacrifice his son…ending in a ram given in exchange for Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14)…..”And Abraham said,  My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering:…”

….which is a picture of God’s sacrifice of His Beloved Son….for us. (John 3:16-17)

Here we see Isaac, the son of promise….never leaving the land of Canaan….receiving everything through his father….(Abraham even sends a servant to bring Rebekah as a wife for Isaac)…

….yet in his old age…he begins to take everything for granted….he becomes presumptuous…and…his eyes become dim….

….(this is the only feebleness which is spoken of…because the “dim” eyes are spiritual as well as physical.   He gives up fellowship with God and sits around only wanting the “savory meat” from Esau.   One preacher says…”Isaac rusted out…the fine metal being eaten away, slowly”)

Here we see Jacob…the schemer who after many years of the Lord dealing with him….though He never leaves him….becoming Israel.   

       Here is the first place God promises…”I will not leave thee…” (Genesis 28:15).  

       Here is the battle between the Lord (the Angel of the Lord) and Jacob at Peniel …a picture of the Lord’s victory over us. 

       For like Jacob, we have many schemes and plans that must be surrendered to God…and that only way they are…is for us to be defeated in our self-rule….and for us to become love-slaves of Christ.

Here we see Joseph….beloved of his father….yet hated of his brothers (as Christ was hated by His own John 1:11).    Mistreated again and again…..

…..yet God delivers him…and exalts him.

        And when Joseph could have gotten revenge on his brothers….he forgives them and cares for them….seeing God’s hand in all that happened to him (as we should.  Romans 12:19-21  “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” verse 21)

Genesis is a book of  creation….emotion,….deliverances, and judgements….of altars and the promises of God to come in Christ.

Genesis shows God…who He is and what He will do….for any who will believe and follow Him.

And  in the end….God is looked to…to fulfill HIs promises….through the people He has chosen.

Not  that there were not failures…..there were….grand ones.    But that God never wavered from His Purpose. 

Isaiah 46:9-10 “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else;  I am God, and there is none like Me,

        Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:”

Genesis is a book of beginnings….In the beginning, God….

….and that is where each of us must come.   We must see that He is God….beginning, middle, end.   

Here is …the beginning of the earth,    the beginning of time (”and God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night…”,  the first Sabbath or day of rest unto the Lord,…

…. the beginning of man,  the beginning of family,  the first place to worship God,  the first murder,  the first  natural death,  the beginning of Israel..the chosen nation,…and God’s covenant of grace with Abraham…

…and all along the way…

….God shows His Will and Purpose will not be defeated…for He is God…and there is none else.

Genesis is a book that shows that God is not mocked….by sin.   For sin is always dealt with….either by correction and chastening….

…who can forget God called to Adam, after he had sinned, that he might come and confess.

…that He told Cain how to become accepted, after he had failed to bring a right sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22).

…that He gave those who saw Noah build the ark…one hundred years under his preaching to repent.

…that He would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah if ten righteous people had been there.

This book also shows so many deliverances that God does for His own.  

God will see HIs Will done….

…let us learn from the beginning of HIs Word….and follow Him…for…

Hebrews 13:5-6 “….for He hath said,  I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

 There are walls…and then there are walls

Proverbs 25:28 “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”

There are walls that the Lord gives for our protection and care.

      And there are walls that we erect to keep the Lord at a distance….or  because of some sin in our lives.

One of the great walls that the Lord gives us…to keep us protected….is separation from evil.   We are to keep ourselves from “the unclean thing” (impure, lewd).

      2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

      And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

(It is interesting to note that “touch” here means to attach oneself…to have a relationship with)

God says that His Almightiness is used, as we keep ourselves from evil.

Proverbs 2:6-7, 10-13 “For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

      He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous:  He is a buckler(shield, armor) to them that walk uprightly.

      When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

      Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee;

      To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the  man that speaketh froward things;

      Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;”

To keep ourselves separate from those who walk in darkness is wise….and thankfully the Lord gives us wisdom.

One of the walls of the Lord’s protection is peace

     Philippians 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

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

This “keep” is garrison….like a fortress.

Peace is a mighty protector.   When we are upset, or have worry,  or are anxious….then we are seeing the circumstances more than our God.

     But when we “in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” come to Jesus and tell Him “everything”….then He gives us His peace. (John 14:1, 27)  Peace steadies us….when we are wobbling back and forth.   Peace encourages us to believe and trust.

Another wall the Lord fortifies us with…is love…His love.

     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 the 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 fulness of God.”

This breadth, length, depth and height…I picture as surrounding us on all sides…holding us up….from the anger and hate….from the resentments and hurts that come by walking in this world.

Deuteronomy 33:27 “The Eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:…”

      His love gives courage to stand the way He wants for us….and clears away the debris of circumstances in the mind….that we may see clearly!

But then there are walls which we have erected,  to keep the Lord at a distance….these need to come down.

Song of Solomon 2:9-10 “My Beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, He standeth behind our wall, He looketh forth at the windows, shewing Himself through the lattice.

        My beloved spake, and said unto me,  Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.”

This believer had come a long way with Christ, the Beloved….but during that time, she had also built a wall, stone by stone.  Things which had not fully been taken care of by confession….some things she had put off doing, for one reason or another….some resentments she did not know how to deal with….some people she would not have anything to do with.    

       All of these are stones in this wall…..part of her experience….yet an experience that had not led her out with Him…in victory (leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills)…but instead kept her from growing in grace with Him.

      For she did not deal with these things….but rather tried to ignore or excuse them.

This wall is easily dealt with….for the Lord is calling her on…”Rise up my love, and come away.”    Rise up and deal with these….I will help you, show you what each stone is.   Then you can leap these mountains of impossible things….and skip these difficulties, with Me.

But there are other walls which are built….built to hide us from the Lord, because of sins of imagination.

Ezekiel 8:8-10, 12 “Then said He unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door.

        And He said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.

        So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about.

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

              (the term imagination comes from “image”….a term for idol.  Imagination is first used in the Bible in Genesis 6:5 “…that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil…”  It means to form a conception of something in the mind…to fabricate,…twisted.   In the Bible it is never in a good sense.)

How can we deal with these walls?….do not worry, the Lord has us covered here as well as in everything 

            2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

           Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

           A sanctified mind is what Paul is speaking of….a mind fully taken up with Christ,… putting everything in relationship to Him.

          In our walk, there is always the putting off (the old man)….to put on (Christ).   There is always the casting down….before there is the building up.  And we are to cast down imaginations….those things (those “what if’s..) that come to our minds as we are praying.   We are to cast down those lustful thoughts.

           (this is the same as “…gird up the loins of your mind,…” 1 Peter 1:13   We are to pull up our thoughts out of the world’s glitter, or the world’s anger, and get them ready for HIs Work.  When you girded up your garment…you tie it up so that it would not get in the way of our feet….our walk with God.)

Our thoughts of God and of His Christ need to be right. Faith and love are two mighty helpers in tearing down the wrong walls…and giving God the way in us, to build the right walls…His walls of love, peace and protection…. around us.

Enoch and Methuselah.

Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Just seven generations from Adam, Enoch was a man who never died, but was translated to heaven. (It is a picture of our Rapture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

He had evidently been tempted to walk with the rest of the world.

The people around him were turning more and more wicked:

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

The Hebrew for “every imagination” signifies not only thinking about these things but also the purposes and desires: there was the heart’s reaching out to them, and the will to do them.

The world in which Enoch lived was growing worse and worse; no one was thinking about what God had created them for: To walk with Him….not in a garden anymore, but in the labor of their days.

Even the knowledge of good and evil had deteriorated into just the knowledge of evil.

No one kept themselves from doing what he wanted. No matter who it hurt.

And Enoch considered having that way of life; till the Lord showed him the consequences of such rejection of God and the actions which come from it.

Not just for himself, but for the generations to come. For when he was going to have a son, whom he named Methuselah; something changed.

Jude 14-15 “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints,

To execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Enoch was going to have a son, and I believe the Lord gave Enoch the name for him: Methuselah.

Methuselah means “the man of the branch or shoot which dies.” It puts two Hebrew words together; and as Enoch heard this name he knew God’s plan.

All men from Adam had died: if you read Genesis 5, “and he died” is written many times. Generations of men had died, and Enoch’s son would die one day: but this child’s death would be different.

Methuselah’s death: the branch (just a shoot in infancy) would grow up and when he would die….so would the world of wicked men.

Enoch had a word from God concerning the judgement to come; and the reason for it.

The “ungodly deeds”. This means that they were “in Your face, God” rebellions. They knew God, but did not want to give Him the glory: so they became vain in their imaginations and their heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)

And “the hard speeches” they spoke against God.

These “hard speeches” were words of rebellion, inciting others to forsake Him and begin to worship “nature”.

(Romans 1:22-23 “…changed the glory of…God into an image…made like man, birds, and beasts…”)

This shows how much sin corrupts and perverts; for this is what happened just a few generations from Adam’s first sin.

(Jesus also said that these actions would be prevalent in the end times, and He uses the example of a tender branch: Matthew 24:32-39)

So Enoch made a choice, for himself and the generation to come: he would prophesy God’s Word, and warn them of the judgement to come.

Perhaps some would repent.

And how would they know when it would come: Enoch’s son, Methuselah.

When Methuselah would die; as all men had, up to that point: then they would know the judgement was at hand.

(It is interesting to note, that Methuselah is the man who lived the longest of all recorded men.)

God gave those He created, many years to believe His Word and warning.

To turn away from foolishness and come back to God.

Because Methuselah lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years…..that is almost a millennium to repent.

2 Peter 3:8-9 “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Why does God send out His preachers to call all men everywhere to repent, and turn to God?

Because He remembers His promise to His Son, Jesus Christ, who came to save all who will come to Him.

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

If you will come, He will save you.

To walk with God is to make God’s Word our rule of action, and His glory our end.

And twice it is said here that Enoch walked with God.

Genesis 5:22,24 “Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”

For three hundred years Enoch warned his fellow men what God had told him.

For three hundred years Enoch sought to glorify God before the world that was becoming increasingly more wicked and violent.

(Genesis 6:11 “The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence.”)

Then one day: Enoch “was not, for God took him”.

Nothing is said whether there were some who looked to kill him for his testimony: and “he was not, for God took him”.

Or whether, walking and talking along the way with God, when God manifested another sign to the perishing world:

Enoch did not die. “He was not, for God took him.”

God was showing all who would see, that those who believe and follow God, never really die.

Methuselah grew and had a son of his own; who had a son who he called Noah.

Methuselah saw the birth, and lived on as sign to all who would see it, of God’s extended mercy.

But there came a day when that mercy was no longer offered.

(We all know that Noah built an ark and saved the animals and his house, after preaching one hundred years to his fellow men. Hebrews 11:7, 2 Peter 2:5)

The year Methuselah died, the flood came.

It is sad, but true:

Ecclesiastes 8:11 “Because sentence against a evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”

God’s Word has come down to us through the centuries that He will be found of any who seek Him.

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.”

Jeremiah 29:12-13 “Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken to you.

And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.”

God has gone beyond this; for He has sent His Beloved Son to seek and to save all who will come unto Him.

Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,”

Titus 3:3-6 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;”

Let us walk with God; waiting for the day of His coming.

Showing forth His glory and mercy to all those who will seek the Lord.

Our Purpose as Christians

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

The Purpose of God for us, was set in motion before the world began.

Before He created anything at the first; God saw us in Christ Jesus, according to His Purpose.

It is according to His Purpose and grace. His Purpose is His Will; and His grace is His unmerited favor of Power to bring His Will to pass.

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

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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

This is written to Christians, telling them how they were saved.

It was by the power of grace, not anything they did to deserve it.

It was through faith, a gift given them by the Holy Spirit.

And they are “created in Christ Jesus”; given new birth and a new nature.

So created, not to stand by and watch; but to take part in His Purpose: those good works we are to walk in.

We are so created as a “workmanship”; which is a molded image.

We are to be molded into the image of Christ. (Remember the word Christian means: Little Christ)

And how are we to do this?

By using the means and provision God has given.

That is what “ordained” means.

It means that all the provision for our walk with Him, has been set aside for us.

Let us talk, for a moment, about the things which hinder His Purpose.

(If you ask, How can anything hinder God’s Purpose? I answer, that as He gives us choices, He is allowing His Purpose to be fulfilled or hindered by us. It is His way of teaching us, and training us. He knows all things, and makes arrangements for it. His Will, will be done; but He wants it to be done through us, so He can bless us.)

The greatest hinderance to God’s Will, is that we do not go on with Him as we should.

Our walk with Christ is progressive:

We are babes in Christ, being seen to, fed with the milk of His Word, so we can begin to crawl and then walk with Him.

We come to the place of walking; and often like mules, stop and stand and bray. Having a fit about some part of His Will.

He must, and will correct us: sometimes with rebukes.

Rebukes are words which awaken us to His claims on us. Showing us where we should be, and how to get there. (Hebrews 12:5)

Sometimes He must chasten us. This is serious; He does not do this lightly. (1 John 5:16)

But He will not empower rebels with His Spirit. That would be joining our rebellion against Himself. But what He does, He does because He loves us. As a parent corrects a child, for their good, so God corrects us.

The answer to this is to will to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24)

We preach on this often; because it is the backbone of progress. We will deny ourselves, and follow Him.

Or we will put up with ourselves, and lose another opportunity to please our Lord.

It is a choice the Lord gives us: for it is “if” any man will.

Those that love Me, Jesus said, keep My commandments.

John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

When we truly want His Will and have denied ourselves, daily; we come to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything.

(Resist is a good term. Do you instantly want to “back up” every time you hear about what you should be doing? )

Well, we can come to the place, in our experience, that we don’t resist. It is not instant obedience, but it is final obedience. We will obey.

But the crowning glory, in this life, is to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:17-18 “Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.”

When we are filled with the Spirit of God (and this only happens as we are emptied of the fullness of self); then the blessed influence of His life, love, peace, joy, and patience, is flowing within us.

And can be seen through us.

We are expressions of His life, and Purpose. That Purpose He wanted for us before the world began.

Imagine a life full of the Lord’s light, and joy.

Better yet, don’t imagine it. Get it.

If you are in Christ Jesus, born again; then His Purpose for you is to be filled with all the fullness of God. Filled to your capacity.

Ephesians 3:16-19 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;

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 the 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.”

We never truly know the love of Christ, the way He wants us to, until we walk along with Him, in the Spirit.

His hand for our strength,

His Word for our help,

His Spirit shining in us for comfort, and joy.

His Purpose for us, in Christ, is to walk with Him, into those good works He has ordained us for.

Will we go on with Him?

Jesus and the children

I have always thought that if we would just understand how much Jesus loves our children….we would be more ready to speak to them of Christ, sooner.

Some wait till Sunday school age….some think that they should let them grow up and make their own decisions….

But Jesus said….Bring them to Me….

Children are to be brought by their parents, either in prayer, or by leading them to the Lord.

Each parent will give an account of what they did, to testify of Christ to their children.

Matthew 19:13-15 “Then they brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

And He laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”

Perhaps we are like the disciples…..and think that it is not important to have our children see Jesus….

….but He does.

(Children means “son, or the builder of the family name”. The children of Israel were to be like Israel…..prevailing with God (esp. in prayer)…..

…..we are to be sons or children of God John 1:12….like Him…..building His Name.)

Matthew 18:1 “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Isn’t this just like us?

Instead of being concerned about bringing others to Christ Jesus, we are concerned with….who is most important…who is the one to get the most prestigious place and awards….in His kingdom?

Matthew 18:2 “Then Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them,”

Jesus makes a very important move……He puts a child in the place they wanted to have….the most important place.

Matthew 18:3 “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever that shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Converted here, means “to be turned back. To be strengthened.”

We do not think of strength when we think of children…..but Jesus goes on to explain….that those that humble themselves….

…….as this little child did when he let Jesus place him wherever He wanted……when he trusted Him completely…..

….the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Isaiah 57:15 “For Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place,….”

And if God had stopped there…..we would have said “yes, amen”.

But not considered, that we have a part in this statement.

Isaiah 57:15 “……with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit (to turn and make strong) the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

To be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we need to humble ourselves, and be ready to go where Jesus tells us…..as He tells us.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up.”

The most important decision we can make as parents, [beside our own decision to receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior]…..is to introduce our children to Christ.

We should pray over them…..and with them,…..teaching that Jesus hears us.

We should show them and read them the scriptures…..real stories from the Word….and explain them.

(I, too, like certain children’s Bible books…..but nothing takes the place of actually hearing the Bible.)

We should give testimony…..by thanking the Lord, out loud, for the things He gives. To say grace over our food, and pray when we take a trip…..thanking the Lord for a safe one.

(My Grandmother was an influence in my life where God is concerned. She loved reading her Bible and talking with as many people about the Lord as she could.

I had a great-aunt who also was very spiritual……when my Grandmother and my great-aunt got together…..boy the verses would fly back and forth!

“Well, what about what it says here?”

“Yes, but it also says this here and here!”

Back and forth…..[I thought they were arguing, at times]….

….but the winter my Grandmother could not come to our house…..you should have heard my great-aunt,

“Not coming?! Oh, how I miss the fellowship of our conversations!” And this was from someone who never missed a church service…..she loved hearing the Word.

But personal fellowship with Christians is different. There is something truly strengthening about being able to sit and talk about Jesus, with someone who loves Him. What a lesson!)

The Lord loves our children…..and wants them to know and love Him.

When Jesus came into Jerusalem in His triumphant procession…..everyone shouted, at first….Hosanna!

But the crowds vanished….the shouts weakened…..except for the children:

Matthew 21:15-16 “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

And said unto Him, Hearest Thou what these say? (The Son of David was another name for the Messiah)

And Jesus saith unto them, Yea, have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”

In Psalm 8:2 it is….”Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength….”

Again strength in children….for their belief did not waver, nor their praise become silent…..they were strong in that day…..for the Lord.

May our children become converted….and full of strength, trust and praise to the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Storm, a Shipwreck and a Snake.

Acts 27:1 “And when it was determined that we should sail unto Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band.”

Several years earlier, Paul had gone to Jerusalem to reconcile his people with the gospel; but instead, had been arrested for causing a riot.

After a plot to murder him was discovered, he was taken to the governor, Felix. (Acts 22-24)

There, he preached to Felix, “who hoped that money would be given him of Paul, that he might loose him”.

Paul was kept for two years there.

When Felix was relieved of duty and Porcius Festus came as governor, Paul showed his case again, several times.

Finally, appealing unto Caesar.

Festus, and king Agrippa both agreed that there was nothing Paul had done, that required his being judged.

So now, Paul is going to Caesar.

He is given into the charge of a centurion named Julius; where he is loaded onto a ship to sail to Italy.

All the way along they are moving slowly, “because the winds were contrary.”

Acts 27:7-8 “And when we had sailed slowly many day, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us,….

And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called the Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.”

The time for good sailing was past, so Paul warns the centurion not to listen to the ship’s captain (he wants the pay from Rome for transporting the prisoners, and goods).

Paul warns him to stay put in this port; for there was going to be loss if they continued.

Acts 27:10 “And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.”

But the port was not a very good place to winter, so the centurion chose to believe the captain, and they began a very dangerous part of their journey.

Acts 27:14-15 “But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.”

The Lord had told Paul that He would “bear witness also at Rome”(Acts 23:11); but the weather, and sea are blasting against them!

Everything seems as though what God said….would not happen!

(Isn’t it the same with us….we have been given promises, and claimed them.

But circumstances are not going as we think they should….Should we continue to believe God? Even when the “storm” comes?)

The sailors do what they know, and “struck sail”. Even so they were driven.

Acts 27:18-20. “And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

With such a storm, who could survive? (How many times doubt and despair knock us down, trying to convince us to give up on God’s Word.)

So for days they fast: no one can eat…the storm sends them up and down and here and there, without their control….they just do the best to stay a float…and hope that the storm stops.

Then Paul steps forward….reminding them that he warned them of this very thing….and then speaking again, God’s Word that was told him, to encourage.

Acts 27:22-25 “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for their shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

For their stood by me this night the angel of God, Whose I am, and Whom I serve,

Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.”

Here is faith. Paul prays and gets an answer from the Lord, about himself and those who were with him.

He tells them what the Lord said….great news!

But he also testifies that he is a servant of God,…and that he believes God!

This is a powerful testimony, especially in the situation they were in….for it was several more nights before what the Lord told him, was brought before their eyes.

Acts 27:27,29 “But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;

Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon the rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.”

Everything seems to be working out! Hurrah!

But the sailors are thinking of self-preservation…..

Acts 27:30 “And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the fore ship,”

We get one problem solved, and a lot of times, another appears.

Selfish men were going to take the life boat and escape. Leaving the others to see to themselves.

But no, God saw to them….all of them.

Acts 27:31 “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”

So they cut away the boat, believing Paul.

Then Paul encourages them to eat, for “there shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you.”

Then he prays (Again testifying of the Lord)

Acts 27:35-36 “And when he (Paul) had spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.”

Soon as it was light, they saw a creek with a shore, which they might point the ship into and get out of the sea, and storm.

So they loosed the rudder, and put up the mainsail; and went toward the shore in this creek.

The front of the ship ran aground on the sand, but the back swayed violently and broke off.

The soldiers, seeing the ship break apart, wanted to kill all the prisoners.

Even though Paul had told them that all would be saved, some are looking out for themselves, still. (Had the prisoners been missing, the soldiers would have been punished…even unto death, for it)

Was God going to fulfill His Word and get Paul to Rome? Of course….He had the centurion save Paul….

Acts 27:43-44 “But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.”

“All safe”. Just as the Lord said…it happened.

That was the end of the troubles, right? Paul was taken on his way to Rome…end of story?

No.

As Paul testified before, that he was a servant of God, “Whose I am, and Who I serve”…..that is everywhere he was, at any time.

It should be the same with us….what ever the circumstances we are placed in; we are the Lord’s, and His servants, we will do what He wants, here.

The people who were on the island welcomed them, and started a fire. Paul (and probably the other prisoners) went out to gather sticks….

Acts 28:3-5 “And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.”

Now why did this happen? Surely Paul had been through enough. (That is the way I would look at it.)

It happened to open doors of service for Paul, there on that island, while they were there (three months Acts 28:11).

This was a poisonous snake, recognized by the locals….and they were looking waiting for Paul to fall over, dead.

But when that did not happen, they thought he was a god….

When this was told around, the chief of the island, lodged them.

The Lord repaid their kindness, by Paul praying for the chief’s father who was sick of a fever; who was healed.

After that, many who had diseases were also healed by the Lord through Paul’s prayers.

What a witness of Christ Jesus…and all because of a snake.

Paul has believed the Lord, and by faith come through a storm, shipwreck and the bite of a venomous snake; all, on the way to Rome, where God promised He would take him. “…so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”

Yes, Paul, as we know got to Rome. He was kept two years in his own house, receiving all who would come to him and hear:

Acts 28:31 “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.”

He was tried…released…and arrested again…and kept in a dungeon (it was cold, for he asks for his cloak. 2 Timothy 4:13)

All the while, preaching and testifying of Christ…his greatest love, even among Caesar’s household. (Philippians 4:22)

Till at last he died: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”

It wasn’t in the storm, shipwreck, or snake bite…for God promised He would take him to Rome; but now it was time.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:…….”

We would say, “Of course Paul deserves a crown!” But notice what he promises next:

(2 Timothy 4:8) “….and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”

Yes, we too are promised a crown, if we love Christ’s appearing!

Our “way” to where we are going next, and next, and next with Christ Jesus is full of many “storms”, or “wrecks”, or “poisonous things”.

If we are going because He is guiding us….then, He will get us there….and give us opportunity to share our faith and testimony of Him along the way.

Do we love Christ Jesus? Then we must follow Him wherever He leads.