Let us

Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works:”

“Provoke” here, means to stir up…..to incite…to nudge someone….to come along….into the things God has for us.

All through the book of Hebrews….and I think this is wonderful….the writer says, “let us”….

It is not: you guys need to do this, or that……but “let us”.

(“Let” is an interesting word…..I did a message once on how many “Let” there were in the Bible….a lot, beginning when God, by Christ, speaks……”Let there be light” Genesis 1:3….

…..to the end of the Bible, when God by His Spirit says…..”And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

When God says “Let”,….it is a beseeching imperative….

As God, when He speaks, He commands obedience.(Period)

He is not asking our approval.

But,….”let” is also beseeching us to yield, to go along with Him, to submit to His plan for us….and be blessed.

When we say “let us”…..we are acknowledging that we, as well as those we are speaking to….need to keep these truths before us.)

The first “let us” is….

Hebrews 4:1, 11 “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

Simply, we should be “afraid” of losing out on a promise that God wants to give us…..

…..like the Israelites did when they refused to go into Canaan the first time.(Numbers 14:28-31).

That whole generation lost the Promised Land…..their part in it….because of unbelief….

….and we, too, should “fear”…be afraid of losing those promises God has given us in His Word….

….and that usually means a battle with our unbelief.

The term “let us” suggests that we, as Christians, have one goal….to follow on till the end.

The writer does not say he has been made so spiritual, that he does not need to be encouraged to “hold fast”….but he includes himself in all of these exhortations…..he is saying, so “let us”.

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

This is a promise we may all have…..Let us….come boldly….not in fear that our prayer will not be heard…..but boldly, because we have access to His throne, as His beloved children.

We can come into His presence any….and all times, for our needs…..some we do not even know….till that moment….but at that moment we may come.

Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Hebrews 6:1 “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.”

“Let us go on unto perfection”. We have begun in Christ….by the gospel preached to us….

….let us go on….not going back to “wallow” around in those dead works you did when you were lost…..but yielding to the faith that you have….take a onward step into….

“…those things that accompany salvation…” (Hebrews 6:9), which are the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)….

….and the promises of God to us (“…those exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers…” of God’s character….escaping the world’s corruption. 2 Peter 1:4-8)

Hebrews 10:22-24 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”

How hard it is, sometimes, to persevere till the end! That is what we are being reminded of here…..”hang on, God is with us”.

The writer is stressing the only means of doing this:…..drawing near with our hearts to God in faith,…

…and holding fast to the gospel of God….”For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;…” Romans 1:16.

Our salvation encompasses being saved from the love of sin, guilt of sin, the power of sin, and one day the presence of sin. God’s salvation is complete and powerful,….let us draw near Him.

Then he exhorts that we should help others hang on, by encouraging others to love the Lord, and do good to others.

(I had the Lord show me, once, a lot of batteries….all connected together, so they were putting out a steady power.

When one battery in the connection started to grow weak….although there were lots of other batteries there,…..they all started to grow weak….for the one battery started to draw off from the others.

The Lord said, we are like this….either keeping each other strong….or drawing off from each other.)

Hebrews 12:1, 28-29 “Wherefore, seeing we are also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

For our God is a consuming fire.”

Now the writer points down the road….to the place where we will be in heaven….the end of the race, and asks….

….can you see all the saints of the Old Testament….and the New Testament, that have gone before us….

….they are standing in their places….in heaven.

They stood here with the Lord God,….and now they are waiting for us to complete the race set before us….to finish our work, which is a part of the Great Purpose of God.

Scared? Afflicted?….then remember Who we serve:

We serve a King….Who has taken us into His kingdom…..a kingdom which can not….and will not be moved….no matter what enemies come against it.

And our God…..our King is a consuming fire…..

….fire that will purify for Himself a people without spot or wrinkle….He will see to us….whatever the fear, trouble, or sickness….if we will….

….”let us have grace”.

You must use the grace given….by the Holy Spirit within….use it….you can not spend more than He is willing to give….use it….like you were a citizen of the Great King Jesus….for you are.

Hebrews 13:13, 15 “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.”

Jesus was crucified outside of the city…”suffered without the gate”. (Hebrews 13:12)

If you read the gospel accounts….the women that follow and ministered to Him with their substance were at the cross…..John was there….Mary, Jesus mother was there…..these followed Jesus in His reproach……to the foot of the cross.

Now, another invitation comes to us……”let us” follow Him in this time of His reproach by the world in which we live……wherever we are….how ever it comes against Him now……..we can stand with Him, in it.

1 Peter 4:14 “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.”

And “let us” give thanks to God…..giving thanks to His name, for all that has, and will come to us. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

“Let us” is a call to “come on”…..we can all work toward Christ’ goal and purpose, for us.

“Let us go on…”

The Hearing ear will hear.

Proverbs 20:12 “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.”

The first thing I want to stress is the Lord hath made even both of them.

So you see we are responsible to hear because He has given us hearing ears.

Notice how He speaks to us Laodiceans:

Revelation 3:19-20 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

For all who hear His rebuke and repent….a great deal is promised. Constant fellowship and overcoming authority.

But what is it that we need? And how is it that we repent?

What we need is Reality, and where we need to repent is our lukewarmness.

Do we want His constant Presence? Or would that interfere too much with our thoughts and plans?

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.”

If we close our eyes….we can not see. If we put our hands over our ears…we can not hear.

But, If we will but seek the Lord, even though we are wicked (rebellious)…and unrighteous (sinful)……yet mercy is offered…and abundant pardon.

To seek the Lord is to stop seeking the world and the lusts thereof, and turn by prayer and searching the Bible, for His Word to us.

The Lord will have mercy….our God will abundantly pardon.

Paul thought Eternal life (which is a condition of life, now….as well as for eternity with God)…..was worth the loss of all things.

Philippians 3:7 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”

Paul had lost his old life, his standing and prestige, the moment he stood up for Christ.

But he did not look back or yearn for them….but counted them but refuse/garbage/dung….that he might have Christ.

Philippians 3:8-9, 11 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

The excellency of the knowledge….this is the way Paul thought about knowing and hearing Christ….what of us? Is the knowledge of Christ….and His Word to us worth anything?

Do we want His constant presence and grace?

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 fullness of God.”

Many people mistake the promise here. It is a promise of constant fellowship….both with Christ Jesus….and with other Christians….and the power (grace) it gives our lives.

“Dwell” means to abide, to become part of the life….not just on Sunday….but become a part of everything, where I am concerned.

“Rooted and grounded…in love” means to come to the place where love to Christ and His people…strengthens you. It does not take from you….but gives to you. (Notice, we are filled with the fullness of God…as we know the love of Christ more)

We need to get honest with ourselves…and with God!

We receive as much light as we are obedient to….

…when we stop obeying for whatever reason….the light becomes dim. But when we repent and obey….the light becomes bright again.

Again, we must get honest with ourselves and God….in our prayers, in our thoughts, and in our actions…and reactions.

John 1:16-17 “And of His fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Christ came, lived, died, and was risen again, that we might become His….of His fullness have we all received….the fullness of righteousness, of mercy, of faith….

….and grace for grace. Grace is given…and as we use that grace in our lives….more grace is given.

Moses gave the law…and it showed us our sin….how far we were from God.

But Jesus Christ came to give the Truth….and as we submit to the truth about ourselves….grace (the unmerited favor of power) is given to overcome.

Will we hear Christ? Will we see what He has for us?

Well, the hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made both of them.

Let Us Go On

Hosea 6:3 “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth”

To know about God; that there is One, that He is up there “seeing” to things; is enough religion for some people.

Religion and everyday life are seen by these, as two separate and distinct issues.

Though they may not come out and say it, they agree with those that keep religion on Sunday,……and their real lives, the rest of the time.

Let me tell everyone who names the name of a Christian:

Jesus Christ interferes with life;……namely our life.

He makes claims upon us. He wants us.

Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give Me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe My ways.”

Matthew 10:37-38 “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more that me is not worthy of me.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me , is not worthy of me.”

To know only about God is a knowledge that does not save.

They need to be drawn to Jesus Christ for themselves.

Luke 18:9-12 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

I fast twice in the week, I give titles of all that I possess.”

The attitude of some is: that God should be God, and I’ll be me.

They say, in their hearts:

“God,….You stay up there in heaven, watch offer me, keep me from harm, care for me, and take me home to heaven when I die;

I’ll stay down here and do nothing too terrible. I will go to church, read my Bible when I need to and pray whenever I’m in trouble.”

These imagine that the bargain is struck.

So off we go completely convinced, like the Pharisee, we are on good standing with the Lord.

But this is a religion that never touches the heart….that never rises above what is good…..for “me”.

Luke 18:13-14 “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

We have talked of “humbling” before. It means to abase yourself…..place yourself (everything of your self)….under Christ.

Some people reject Christ…..not as Savior….but as Lord.

But the truth is….that it is the Lord Jesus Christ that saves….completely and eternally.

The sincere follower has heard the call of Christ; and has left any bargaining behind. He has decided to follow Christ whithersoever He leads.

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

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

And this decision has far reaching consequences, both to ourselves, and any we come into contact with.

Christ’s life is Eternal Life.

It is Him we receive at new birth, He is our life.

Eternal life is a condition of life, here and now; as well as for eternity.

We receive His nature by the Holy Spirit.

He places the love of God and His Word within, as well as a desire for holiness of life.

Faith, joy, peace, all the graces of God, are at our disposal.

Philippians 3:8-14 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

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

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.”

The prize? This high calling of God in Christ Jesus. This calling is to everyone who is born again.

We are called to bring forth fruit.

We are called to walk together with Christ.

We are called to obtain promises.

We are called to witness of Christ.

We are called to know Christ.

To know Christ: this is the goal of any true follower of Christ.

Not to win salvation: that is in Christ.

Not to win heaven: that is the end of those who belong to Christ.

But to know Christ:

For to know Him is the real gain of all things. Real satisfaction, real joy, real peace.

This is to “go on to know the Lord”

When you do, you will also find His going forth with you in power and loving presence.

To follow on. To go on. To seek. These are words we need to activate in our everyday lives.

And the One we need to follow after is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mightily Grew the Word and Prevailed

Acts 19:20 “So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed.”

Prevailed here, means had a force or power in the lives of those that heard.

And how is it, that the Word grew?

Background:

Paul was in Ephesus. He had been preaching there for about two years….”so that all they that dwell in Asia (Minor) heard the Word of the Lord Jesus…”

He had also, by the Holy Spirit, worked miracles.

Acts 19:10-12 “And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they that dwell in Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”

When we hear the Word…it makes demands on our life; which we either yield to, or refuse.

All, in this area, had heard….God was making demands on their lives about His Son, Jesus Christ…

And by Paul, the Lord was healing many from spiritual and physical illness.

Paul not only preached the Word of God, concerning Jesus Christ,….but that Word had prevailed in Paul….so it could prevail, through Paul.

But when God does a work, then there are always those that seek to mimic it, especially for money…..some were even using the names of Jesus and Paul…

Acts 19:13, 15-16, 20 “Then certain…took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them and overcame them….so they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

This was known to all….dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed.”

The Name of the Lord Jesus was magnified….for God showed that He will not honor the use of His Name,…… except by those who believe and receive Him, as Lord and Savior.

His Name is powerful only to those who shelter beneath Him, in believing obedience.

The Word of God is the instrument of salvation.

1 Peter 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”

Now this Word lives and abides.

If it is not a living Word to you, you have not heard it aright.

If the Word does not make demands on your life, you have not heard it aright.

The gospel must wound, before it can heal.

It wounds our pride: for we are sinners, like everyone else.

It wounds our reason: we can do nothing to save ourselves.

It wounds our hearts: it points out our secret sins.

“And the Name of the Lord Jesus was magnified”.

Here was the prevailing influence. He showed that He would honor His obedient servants…..

……but not those who did not know Him, and only wanted to use Him (Matthew 7:21)

“And fear fell on them all”….the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom….and it drew many to hear the Word…..believe on the Lord Jesus,…..

…..for it amazed them that Jesus Christ knew their heart’s motives, as well as their words.

Acts 19:18-19 “And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds.

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.”

And many that believed came and confessed…

God requires honesty….getting right with Him….and your brethren.

And showed their deeds,….to know the healing power of forgiveness from these things.

Acts 19:19 “…and burned them before all men:…”

This was an act most necessary to have done with it all.

And the results?

Acts 19:20 “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”

God’s Word was being shared….neighbor was telling neighbor…..and it was having the victory in the lives of these people.

Do we want to know the power of the Word of God?

Then we must give ourselves to God….to be prevailed upon.

If we, in believing obedience act upon what I know He requires of me now….I will know that prevailing power for myself.

There is for each of us that believe on Christ Jesus…..that power that is “exceeding, abundantly, above all that we ask or thing….according to the power that works within us”. (Ephesians 5:20)

Are we born again? Are we sheltered under Him, and obedient to His Word?

Then that Word will prevail in us…..and through us.

It is in knowing His Will, and doing it.

And as His children,……we are as responsible to know His Will,….as to do it.

In our progressive walk before the Lord, we must always leave the better…..for the best.

This must always be done if the Word of God is to prevail through me…..it must prevail in me….where I am….with the circumstances I am in now.

Every one in their place…

Judges 7:21 “And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the hosts ran, and cried, and fled.”

Before we deal with the historical setting…..I want to talk of the work of the church….and every Christian, “in their place”:

First, we are to grow in grace…

Philippians 1:9–11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement;

That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and with out offense till the day of Christ;

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

Second, we are to pray for, and edify one another…..”till we all come”….no one that belongs to Christ, is to be left out….or “unimportant”……it is “we all”:

Ephesians 4:12-13 “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:”

Third, we are to stand, holding the ground Christ has won and given us…..

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

And, then….we are to shine our lights, that all those that see us….can see Jesus….whether they receive Him, or not.

Matthew 5:16 “Let your lights so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which in heaven.

In all of these, we….as His children and soldiers…..are to be in the place the Lord has given us.

He has chosen you…and He wants to bless you in your place, doing your task.

John 15:16 “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye may ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you.”

He does all things well.

For we are ordained for the work He has called us to…..and we should all bring forth fruit to Christ.

(Ordained means that all the provision we need is set aside for us.)

Judges 7:21 “And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.”

Israel had sinned….and God was allowing them to be invaded by the Midianites….which would strip them of their crops….the bread they needed.

But God also was calling a man to lead an army to force these enemies out of Israel!

And when Gideon answered that call….thousands showed up to help…..but they were quickly sent back to their tents…

….God had a better plan.

God chose…..three hundred men….chosen, and separated for the work….(Judges 7:2, 5-7)

The number is small….so the glory to God is great!

The work itself was to follow their leader:

Judges 7:17 “And he (Gideon) said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.”

(As His church, we should follow our great example….Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:21)

They were given trumpets….to blow…to wake everyone up!

They were given lamps and pitchers…..so they could break the vessel and shine at a particular time!

We know that they were also equipped with Words….how important they were….again….at the right time.

Judges 7:20 “And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in there left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.”

(How much this is like the church’s work….for we have been chosen to be His witnesses on earth, now:

….there will be awaking to Him, by the Holy Spirit.

….there will be His light shining to others.

….there will be His Word spoken.)

Gideon’s men got into place….and when all was right….Gideon, himself blew his trumpet and shouted…..and they all did as he did…..breaking the pitchers, so their lamps might shine brightly…

….all around the camp of the Midianites….

There is no fighting yet….for God “fights” for them…..bringing panic to the enemy….

….when they hear the trumpets…..seeing the lights all around….and hearing the shouting….

….in the dark, these Midianites, fight one another….uncertain of who was who.

Then, Gideon’s men come down and fight….driving the enemy out of the land.

This battle was about bread….food for God’s people.

The Midianites would come and loot all they could take….of the grain, grown.

And take it away.

Are we ready to stand and shine and speak for God and His Word?

Christ is the Bread of Life…..and in this world people are starving….

….for Him.

Are we ready to stand in our place, that the Bread of Life would be given to His people….wherever they are?

The Lord has chosen us….and ordained us….that we might bring forth fruit…to His honor and glory!

The Lord ordains….by His Spirit….by His grace (the unmerited favor of power)….by His guidance….

….giving us all we need….when we need it.

Are we in our place?

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

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for HE shall save His people from their sins.”

Luke 2:7 “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke 2:11-12 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

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

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

….and draw us to God.

When God sent HIs Son is very important. Israel was barely a nation anymore….they were under Rome….mostly despised….and the people and country trampled under foot of all the soldiers, laws, and trappings of Rome.

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

As the song says

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He will perform…would be enough.

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

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

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

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

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

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect , will of God.”

Now there should come to each of us who truly seek the Lord’s Will for our lives….that transformation of the mind.

Our natural mind should become spiritual. When it starts to, we become aware of our lives as a whole….how we divide them up:

We have our sacred life…..we have our lives with family,…and we have our school and job life,….we have our lives with friends….and we have our lives with strangers—those we do not think we will see again.

But as much as we are called to the joy of the Lord, we must come to the place where one “life” is as the other.

(For the joy of the Lord is the felt Presence of God in my life.)

When we do, then every act of ours, should be an act of worship to Christ.

Colossians 3:17, 23 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

Our reactions….those instant looks and words which come out of our mouths….become actions…willed thoughts and obediences.

Our emotions do not have valleys and mountains…..but are continually going after what God feels is important.

A life of service to God is the result….service which is full of joy,…because full of the Presence of God.

I do not want to confuse anyone…..anyone who is born again, has the Holy Spirit with them.

But there is a difference in those born again….there are those giving God time in the morning and at night, or on Sunday and Wednesday service….

….or there are those giving Him my life to live through.

This is God’s Presence….He is there, in charge and giving us the grace needed for all the things we see, and feel.

Romans 12:2 “…but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,…”

To be transformed is to change from one thing into another. We are to transform our thoughts, attitudes, and character by…

…”renewing our mind”.

What is “renew our mind”? My husband used to say, “It is to think saved. I now belong to Jesus Christ, and since He has saved me, I am saved from sin and the world…..for HIs Will and glory. This is to think saved.”

To “think saved”, while in a scene of chaos and death around us…..can only be done really, as God’s grace becomes our daily bread. We hunger for it…we need it….we know we can not make it through today..now…without His grace (the unmerited favor of power)

HIs grace sustains us….daily weaning our hearts from the things of this world…..and faith in exercise, keeps our eyes looking toward the Lord, in fellowship and union with Him.

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

We are lifted above the things which are seen and we are occupied with “that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

This is to be renewed in mind….which will transform our natural lives into spiritual lives….lived for the glory and will of God.

When the fullness of the time was come…

Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”

The whole work of creation is for one purpose….to manifest the Son….to bring about the fulfillment of the Everlasting Covenant.

Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting covenant,

Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

(It is interesting that this Covenant is so explicitly set forth here in Hebrews….certainly the writer is writing the Church in Jerusalem….showing that the sacrifice of Christ was and is the means for the perfecting of the believers….both Jew and Gentile.)

1 Timothy 2:5-6 There is One God, and One Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus;

Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

When the Godhead first decided to Create….They saw by their Omniscience, the rebellion of Lucifer, who became Satan, fighting against all things of God.

They saw the fall of man, and all the evil that man opens his heart to.

They saw the necessity for the flood….giving grace to Noah and saving him in the Ark.

They saw the call of Abram and the establishing of the Jewish Nation….all their obediences and failures….right up to the time of:

Luke 2:1, 3-7 “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.”

(God put out a decree long before this….that all these things should be!)

“And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she would be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

(Is there “room” in our lives for the Christ of God?)

The Godhead saw all this, along with the obediences and failures of the church…..yet decided to create….

And the beginning of that creation, was the Everlasting Covenant.

This covenant was established on an Eternal Foundation….the saving of a people for His Name’s sake.

“Through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant”.

1 Peter 1:19-20 “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”

Christ agreed to come as man….made of a woman….as scripture said.

He would be…”very God of very God, and very man of very man”

He would be born under the law….and fulfill that law perfectly….

….so that He would be a perfect sacrifice…”without blemish and without spot:”

He would die as a substitute for us…..taking our sin upon Him….

…and God would raise Him up….accepting His sacrifice.

God, the Father, agreed to give Him a people….draw them to Christ to be saved,….place His Holy Spirit within them to be with them…..and bring them safely home to Heaven, even through battles and failures.

Everything before Christ’s birth was in anticipation of it….preparing a people to believe and trust.

Everything after Christ’s birth was to manifest the Promise fulfilled….preparing a people to believe and trust.

What kind of love would make God the Son, come and place His whole being, as a helpless baby, in the hands of men?

What kind of trust would make the Son of God give Himself up to the hatred of the rulers, the mob of people, the mocking of soldiers, and the pain and separation of the cross….to please His Father’s Will….and give us salvation?

The fullness of the time….is not just a clever phrase…..it is Christ manifested in the flesh for us. (1 Timothy 3:16)

God fulfilled His promise of a Savior…..in His time, and His Way.

Galatians 4:4-7 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

And now the fullness of times has come for you.

If you have not received Him…..will you open your heart to Him now, and be born again?

Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

As joint heirs of Christ, will you be found faithful to that which He has called you to fulfill?

Will we receive that love God has for us…..that peace which will establish us…..in order to complete the work….”make you perfect in every good work to do His will”?

God’s Will will be done…..will we yield to our part of it?

Are we possessing our personal possessions?

Joshua 18:2 “And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.”

When the Israelites came across Jordan, they camped in Gilgal….as they did in the wilderness, around the Tabernacle.

For at least five years they warred with the main armies of the land to possess it for Israel.

They had fought fortress cities, five kings and their armies, four kings who had an army like the sand of the sea….they had fought and won….destroying their enemies which came against them, taking their cities and land.

Yet there was more land to possess….so the Lord told Joshua to divide the land between the tribes…and let them possess their own parcel…destroying the inhabitants…to cleanse the land.

Then Joshua and the high priest divided the land among the tribes which came to them to get…

….among them was the notable Caleb of Judah….”give me that mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day.” (Joshua 14:12)

Amazing man….faithful and brave. At least eighty-five years old….he declared “..as yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me….if so be the Lord will be with me, that I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.”

The whole congregation went up to Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle there. Now was everything set up for the nation of Israel….except…

But seven tribes still lingered in Gilgal. They had grown comfortable there….and they were lazy about getting their inheritance.

Perhaps they did not want to get them without the other tribes help….perhaps they just liked being there….they were safe, why rock the boat?

Yet Joshua rebukes them with the question:

“How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?”

(And may I ask each of us….are we slack concerning some promise the Lord has given us? Have we “fought” for it, wrestling in prayer….asking, seeking, and knocking….to have what the Lord has set aside for us?)

Joshua sends them out of their comfort zone, and three times Joshua tells them:

“Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me that I may here cast lots for you before the Lord…”. (Joshua 18:4, 6, 8).

This was an insistence….

“Go”…no one tribe or family, was to be without their inheritance.

“Walk through the land”….see what the Lord has for you…and your heart will want to fight for it.

“I will cast lots for you”….the Lord would choose the inheritance of each….whether fields or hills….many enemies or few….the Lord will choose and the Lord will give it you. Yes they would have to fight for it, but the promise is sure.

(Until we get up out of where we are in our experience….and “walk” into what the Lord has for us….we are not going anywhere.

Like Israel, we may have great memories of the wonderful works the Lord has done for us….but what about now? What about our personal promises? What about the calling the Lord has for each of us?)

Israel was to stay at Gilgal….until the time appointed.

But then it was time to get up and live in the circumstances the Lord appointed for each.

And Joshua was to see to it.

Joshua 18:10 “And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel…”

Now they were to conquer and live in the inheritance the Lord had given them…personally.

Although Gilgal was a wonderful place, where their foot became assured of God’s faithfulness….yet it was not their personal possession…for that, they would have to leave behind the first steps….and go on with the Lord.

And we, too, have been assured of the faithfulness of God by the wonderful blessing of the Holy Spirit….our first real steps in the life of faith…

….we are born again, and we have the Holy Spirit within us….

Ephesians 1:13-14 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,

Which is the earnest (downpayment) of our inheritance…”

And we certainly know that in heaven we will have an eternal inheritance, laid up for us:

1 Peter 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”

(Notice the personal “you”)

But we also have an inheritance to be possessed by us, by the power of the Holy Spirit within:

Colossians 1:10-12 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness;

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:”

This inheritance of the saints in light….is the grace, and faith, and patience, and long-suffering, and joyfulness to walk worthy of our Lord day by day in our personal good works.

God has “delivered us from the power (authority)of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: (under His authority)”

Will we sit still….content to stay as we are?

Or will we fight for our inheritance, and receive all His promises to us?

Behold, I am at the Door

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

What door is He at?

He is at the Church door. In the second and third chapters of Revelation, we have the letters Jesus Christ wrote through John to the churches.

They were a cross section of the church of that period; and of all the church ages.

He speaks very personally with each: telling each age what needs to be changed, what He praises them for, and what He promises those that overcome through these changes.

When He comes to the Laodicean Church, it is not their actions that He corrects; but their seeing and hearing.

They don’t see what they truly are, and they are not hearing Him as they should; for He stands outside the door, knocking.

He is calling to those who will hear inside.

But what are they? They are lukewarm Christians.

First, let me say, that though it is the church door Jesus is standing and knocking at; it is to “any man” (man or woman, boy or girl), that He speaks to.

For it is His Voice which is heard, within.

This fact, that we are within the Church, is important.

He is not calling, in this way, to the lost in the world.

He is calling to those in the Church; to those who should recognize His Voice. (John 10:4)

What should they do to open the door?

To “open the door”, or to answer His call, in this Laodicean Age, is not an answer of words (even at some altar, though it may start there), but an answer of a life open to and receptive to Him.

In this age, we have mostly forgotten Christ as Lord.(As “A Lord”, yes. But as our Lord, no.)

For the Lordship of Christ is mostly thought of as: One day He will be Lord of All.

Of course that is true, because He is Lord of all, now. (Matthew 28:18)

But when we speak of Christ as Lord, we mean that He is our Lord. That He commands and we will do, that He can do what He will with His own; meaning me.

It is a surrender of the whole man, active, to Christ. All our faculties are brought into subjection to Him.

So to open to Christ is to give our life to Him, a once done act.

And live our lives to Him, receiving every word He says, because we receive Him.

(Have you received Christ? Has He a place in your life?

You may say, He is in my heart. How much of your heart does He have?

For your heart signifies your life: your thoughts, feelings and affections, and actions.)

He is standing.

And when He stands, He is ready to do for that individual who will hear Him.

Ready to come in and impart power, power within us and power through us; and to have that fellowship which is the backbone of power.

Daniel 11:32b “…but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”

We can do nothing without Him. The real power of life is Christ’s life within our lives.

His fellowship, then is paramount.

It is the “sup with” us, that speaks of the kind of fellowship. For in Bible times, you could never eat with an enemy.

If someone came into your house, and you fed them, they were worthy of your best, both in food and conversation.

If we are not fellowshipping with Him, we are lukewarm.

We think we are just hot enough to get by, He can’t possibly refuse our prayers, our service, our activities.

We are warm. We are O.K.

But that is not the way God sees it. (Revelation 3:15-17)

And He sees everything.

(There used to be a children’s song “Be careful little eyes, what you see. Be careful little feet, where you go. Be careful little mouth, what you say….For the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little eyes, feet, mouth”

Children were trained to know God saw them every where……what they did, what they said, what they saw; and that He loved them, so they should stay close to Him.

It has been stressed of late, that we might be scaring our children, by such language.

No, no, no.

Where love is, there is no fear.

1 John 4:16-18 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath for us. God is love: and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him.

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement: because as He is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in God; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

Caution is a good thing. A little preparation, is better than a lot of sorrow, especially where our children are concerned.

To know they are being seen, yes, if they are going to get themselves into trouble, is good.

But to know they are being seen when anything is going on. God loves them. He knows, He sees.

If they are Christians, this is powerful stuff, for God is powerful for them, as well as in them.)

He is standing at the door of the Church, and His voice is calling us to “open to Me”.

If any person will:

First, hear His Voice.

Second, Open your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

You might say you did this when you were born again.

Yes, you should have received Him then (John 1:12). But have you somewhere shut the door to part of your life?

For those who realize they are lukewarm; His call to come, is for you.

Come, and open your life to Him, completely.

Think of the doors in your life you have shut to Him, and bring them to Him, and open them to Him.

Remember His love to you, and talk to Him about it. And keep talking.

He is Standing ; Ready to do, for you.