The Children of Wrath.

Ephesians 2:3 “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

I have been exercised a great deal lately about anger. It is not just other people’s anger…..although there seems to be so much of that….but it is my anger.

How easily I can begin to be angry! Silly things, which are trivial, should never make me frustrated or angry.

Praying about this, I was struck by this verse….and how much it says!

“We all had our conversation (our walk) in times past….and were by nature the children of wrath..”

Anger is a natural part of our being….it came with the nature of sin from our first parents: Adam and Eve, and their disobedience.

(Cain, the first born son of Adam and Eve, became angry….refusing God’s warning about this sin (Genesis 4:5-7)……he became the first murderer.)

Proverbs 29:22 “An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.”

But, as Christians,…..far from excusing us,….this merely shows us the extent of the lust of the flesh….for anger has to do with “me”, or “mine”….and how things affect me.

As Christians, we have a new nature….received when we were born again.

It is Christ’s nature, implanted within us by the Holy Spirit.

(I am going to share a verse with you, that the Lord showed me a long time ago. I have preached on it many times since….for it is an amazing revelation!)

Hebrews 12:14-15 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord:

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

How can we “fail of the grace of God”? By not using it. The Holy Spirit supplies it,…..but when we refuse to use it, and side with ourselves against God’s Way…..we “fail” of it.

We think of God’s power ripping through things, changing things….this way and that;….and it has….and does…….but God often limits His power (grace) to…..how much we receive it at His hands.

Example:

Mark 6:5-6 “And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

And He marveled because of their unbelief, and He went around about the villages, teaching.”

Jesus had come back into the country of Nazareth, and when it was the Sabbath….He came to the synagogue and taught.

You would think that they would be excited to hear Him, (a hometown boy made good)……since He had performed miracles and healed many, in other places.

And they acknowledged His works…..it was Who He was, that offended them.

It was His authority……He was the Messiah…the Son of God…..and He was telling them how God is.

And they refused to receive this grace offered them in this synagogue……and by doing so….refused Him.

(And how many times have we heard people say Jesus was a “good person”….but when it came to acknowledging Him as the Son of God….they refuse.

And what of us…..do we refuse to submit to His authority? Are we amazed at His miracles….and….are we submitting to His authority, as well?)

But no, they became “offended”……not because of His works….but because of Who He was, to them……so they refused His words, and His works, as well.

Mark 6:2-3 “And when the Sabbath day was come, He began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing Him were astonished saying, From whence hath this man these things? And what wisdom is this that is given unto Him, that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands?

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him.”

They saw His Wisdom……they knew His hands worked the miracles they’d heard about…..

…….but they refused His grace to believe what all these things showed: that He was the Messiah, the Christ of God…….

….they refused to believe it……and in anger, set about to kill Him.

In Luke, it says about the same visit to Nazareth:

Luke 4:28-30 “And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

And rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong.

But He, passing through the midst of them, went His way.”

And He, Jesus, the Son of God, could do no mighty work there,…..And He marveled at their unbelief.

Jesus limited Himself to their receiving Him….

And Jesus often limits the grace given….to how much we receive it at His hand.

How much of our anger as Christians is because we refuse to receive His Word,…..His Way,……which leads us to refuse Him, and His grace offered to us?

Let us stop getting angry at God….

Let us receive and keep receiving what the Holy Spirit wants to work within us…..

Let us open up our hearts everyday to Him, His Word, His Way, and His grace by His Holy Spirit…..putting away anger, bitterness, wrath, etc.

And taking all the grace we can…….to stay close to Him.

Oh Lord, Thy Kingdom Come

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

When we think of this prayer the Lord taught his disciples,…..are we thinking of the many times we repeat it….

…..without thinking of the tremendous power we are asking for…first, in ourselves….and then through us?

If we pray this prayer, we should surely have our armor on, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, for there will be a battle…..

….no one stands with Christ Jesus in this world, without opposition from the world, the flesh and the devil.

How does His kingdom come?

His kingdom comes to me when I bow to His rule over me….when I make it my principle aim to do His Will….as I know His Will.

When He shows us His Word, or what we should do…..we should immediately submit to it…..not debate it; then do it, as soon as we can.

There is always a battle for our minds.

“Why?” Is always one of the first thoughts that pops into our heads….

…..if we continue along that line (and yes, I have, often…), it leads us down a path of discouragement….where we drop the courage we have in the dust….and begin to look for “an easier way,….or some other way”.

If we settle right away that we will do His Will……then the Holy Spirit blesses our diligence with a sense of rightness, of peace, and of courage to do.

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

Now, when we pray this prayer, than we should,…..with the best of our ability,…..set about to do just that….

….to have His kingdom come in our life, today….

….diligently seeking enabling grace to see His Will done more in us…….for that is where His kingdom comes on earth….in the lives of His people, first.

(If we are not being obedient to Him….we can not show to others the goodness and kindness of God….for we are resisting Him, ourselves.)

We are given the use the means of grace….Bible study, prayer, attending the services in fellowship with the saints….all the things that encourage, and enlighten us, by the Holy Spirit…..

…..and faith.

1 John 5:4 “For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

But how do you use faith?

By being obedient….for faith and obedience are never separate things.

Abraham could not have offered Isaac, by faith…..sitting down in his tent….in his mind and imagination, going to Mt. Moriah….

….no, he had to go….take Isaac,…..and be obedient.

Joshua could not have made the walls of Jericho fall…..but he, and Israel could be obedient and walk around the wall, day by day….by faith, till the Lord made them fall down.

David could not have saved Israel from Goliath, by faith….standing in the camp of Israel….

….no, he had to take the weapon he knew how to use….believing God would deliver Goliath to him…….and go, and be obedient.

By faith, I should ask for help (Hebrews 4:16)…..by faith, I should use that help when it comes.

To know His power flowing through, as you receive the knowledge of His Will…..and go and accomplish His Will.

Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

It is in our everyday circumstances that we acquire this “perfection”……for when it speaks of perfection….it means “being complete”.

And we can not be complete without passing through the daily trials that His Will leads us through.

All our perfection consists in this: entire conformity to Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29)….and Jesus came to do all….and only….His Father’s Will….

….so we must diligently use the grace given to seek to know….and then to do His Will.

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

Whom shall He teach knowledge?

Isaiah 28:9-10 “ Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast.

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”

If we would go on to maturity in the faith of Christ, this is the way we will go.

1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

The Lord Jesus would teach us knowledge: about Himself, and about ourselves (who can really see the way we are without His truth?), and about the world around us (the snares, and phonies there).

Teach means to point out; like the Lord saying, “Look, this is the way things really are.”

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

And the Lord “shall make us to understand doctrine”.

In other words, what we hear, we will understand with our minds:……we will not be confused about what He is saying to us.

The Holy Spirit will give us understanding.

For precept must be upon precept; line upon line.

[precepts in the Bible, are God’s prescriptions. They are like medicine which He gives us for our spiritual health.]

Growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, is by steps.

Putting one foot in front of the other.

A little victory here, a larger one next.

There are falls, but He is ever ready to pick us up.

And at every forward step, He celebrates with us, giving us joy and peace;……..giving us His grace for the next step.

We can go on till our affections have reached maturity. For the walk of a Christian comes down to: Lord, what is next?

1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

Paul is talking about charity, or love here. Putting away our natural anger, and jealousy, and fear; we are to go on and yield to the love God puts in our hearts. Love to Him and others. The more we love Him, the more we trust and obey Him.

Obedience does not save us; the Lord Jesus Christ does that. But we will never know Him in power, till we obey Him.

1 John 3:18 “Little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.”

We are to be children of light, and shine that light:

1 Thessalonians 5:5, 8 “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober (serious about doing God’s Will), putting on the breastplate of faith and of love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.”

The Lord teaches us little by little; pointing out to us:

the way to go,

how to use the means of grace He gives us,

and giving us His light and love all along the way with Him.

An Offering of a Willing Heart.

Exodus 35:4-5 “And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing that the Lord commanded, saying,

Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass,”

The Tabernacle of the Lord was to be made. The very intricate pieces were to be done by those selected by God, and given the ability. (Exodus 35:30-35)

But before they could do the work, materials had to be gathered. And God did not require any to give; but it was to be an offering of a “willing heart”.

Exodus 35:21-22 “And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering to the work of the Tabernacle of the congregation, and for all His service, and for the holy garments.

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought bracelets, and earring, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered, offered an earring of gold unto the Lord.”

Exodus 35:29 “The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.”

This was wonderful. But the example I want to speak about is:

Exodus 38:8 “And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the looking glasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation.”

These woman had given before: bracelets, and earrings, gold and silver. Yet they continued coming to the door of the Tabernacle to see what else was needed.

Back in those days, looking glasses (mirrors) were not made of glass, but of brass. Highly polished brass. It was an art to make them and they were very valuable.

(Actually it was flattering to the faces, for it gave them a shine, and did not show up every flaw.

In 1 Corinthians 13:12, it says, “For now we see through a glass (looking glass) darkly, but then face to face: for I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

The apostle is saying, “Now you see yourself a little better than you are. You are not seeing clearly. You are also not seeing clearly the love God has for you, as you. But then, when you put away “childish things”, you will see yourself clearer, and God’s Amazing love for you, as you; a lot clearer, too.)

These women had gotten these looking glasses from the Egyptians [who were scrupulous about their looks], and had them stored in their treasures.

To be able to pull them out after journeying through the desert, and brush the sand out of your hair. To see how your face looks after a few years: this would have been a real treasure!

But, they saw the need for brass for the laver.

(the large basin with feet, which was filled with water. It was outside the Holy Place, in the court.

This is what the priests washed at after working at the altar with the sacrifices. They were to wash before going into the Holy Place, and eating the bread, or lighting the Lamp, or offering incense to God.)

These women saw the need, and brought something very personal, and very valuable to them. Their brazen looking glasses. Of all their treasures, these would have been something they would want to hold on to.

They came willingly and gave something which would have made them feel beautiful. So it was a matter of the heart, choosing God’s work, over their vanity.

Not such an easy choice at times.

Yet it was an offering of a willing heart from all of them; and God gave witness of their offering in His Word, as a testimony to their love.

The Lord has before Him books of all the deeds down through the centuries, of those that do something willingly, out of love to Him.

And here, He has written of these willing hearts.

(Malachi 3:16 “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.”)

Is our service to the Lord, of a willing heart?

Our Christian life: sometimes a swinging bridge.

Our Christians life is sometimes cruising along….no problems. Peace is our pillow and fellowship is easy.

Other times, it seems as if one trouble goes, and another pops it’s head up….bigger and louder than the last….

…so it was with Paul.

Acts 14:1, 3 “And it came to pass in Iconium, that they (Paul and Barnabas) went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”

This is wonderful! Coming into the city, they told about Jesus Christ, and many believed….but then….

Acts 14:2,4 “But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

But the multitude of the city was divided:…”

When Christ comes there is always a separation. Those who receive Him, and those who don’t.

(As Moody said, “The whosoever wills, And the whosoever won’ts.)

Sometimes, from the unbelievers, there is “an assault”….whether by word, or action.

Sometimes there is just mocking.

Here, they were going to, “to use them despitefully, and to stone them.” (Acts 14:5)

So they left Iconium and went to Lystra and Derbe.

There they preached the gospel….

(You will notice, that whatever their situation….the gospel is always first.

Whether welcome, or persecution….they are there to tell about the Lord Jesus, and His Way of Salvation.)

Acts 14:8-10 “And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:

The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.”

A man, born disabled, who had never walked….heard Paul and believed on the Lord Jesus.

Paul saw his faith in Christ, and spoke to him,…..to in faith, obey the Lord’s Word….and stand.

And the man did,….and leaped, as well, proving the complete healing of his legs and feet!

Praise and amazement, pour forth for Paul and Barnabas, from the people around who saw this miracle!

The people think they are gods! And would have done sacrifice to them, had they allowed it!

(May I say, that miracles are to point any to Christ….not his servants.)

But Paul and Barnabas quickly spoke against it…..tearing their clothes (a sign of mourning and anguish)….and preached the Living God, to all who were come around them.

Acts 14:15, 18 “…..Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the Living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:…

And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.”

What an announcement of God’s power!…..and so many people hearing the gospel!

But a few days later:

Acts 14:19-20 “And there came hither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium (the place they wanted to stone Paul and Barnabas)

who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.”

Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”

As long as Paul was alive, his work was to preach the gospel….and so he did…

Acts 14:21-22 “And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra (where he had been stoned), and to Iconium, and Antioch, (the places enemies had been sent out)

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

Paul’s testimony here, would have been invaluable. Here was the man, stoned….standing and continuing to preach and testify in the cities, to the people who persecuted him….yet he preached Christ, there, still.

Our Christian lives are full of blessings, and sufferings…..

….sometimes at the same time…..

But our object should always be Christ….

….whether we preach, teach, witness, or pray….

….we should manifest Christ….His gospel…..and His life, through us.

I started this with: Our Christian life: sometimes a swinging bridge.

Because if you have ever been on one,……you know that to cross the expanse….whether river, ravine, or between mountains,…..you want to walk slowly….taking each step as it comes….not looking down….but out.

This is your part….and you can not count on what others do.

(I have been on one where my brothers actually swung the bridge back and forth on purpose….yes, I thought I was going over….it was terrifying to me.)

But, we can not dictate other’s behavior…….hard lesson!

But continue to walk….each step….hanging hard on to God…..till we reach the other side.

Paul and Barnabas had a gospel to preach….each step they did as they were told….which did not exclude persecution….but simply gave more witness to “the Living God” which guides, protects, and empowers His servants.

Are we taking full advantage of our Living God? And His grace to us?

Job 5:19 “He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.”

(This was spoken to Job, who knew troubles….yet understood “the evil” comes to our hearts, from our wrong attitude to the troubles….not from the troubles themselves.)

We are assured of His presence in all the troubles……and His deliverance (personally, within ourselves……or from the circumstances) will come….at His time…and through the means He sees fit.

I do not know the circumstances you are going through…..but I know they will change….whether today or tomorrow….life, our Christian life, is always a walk forward….yet always in God’s hands.

When Saul met the Lord

Acts 9:3-5 “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

Saul, a very religious Pharisee, had become enflamed against the followers of Jesus, after seeing Steven (the first martyr of the church) die.

Now here was the way a man who was true, would die.

Forgiving his killers, and asking God not to lay it to their charge.

Steven saw the heaven’s open and Jesus sitting on the throne, high and lifted up. (Acts 7:55-60)

But Saul would not believe his testimony.

That would make his nation guilty of condemning and killing their own Messiah.

No, No,…he would not believe it.

And the more Saul worked at not believing, the madder he got.

He devised a plan to destroy this belief.

He would persecute Jesus followers, and cause them to be stoned, too.

He would get rid of this Jesus.

But when some of the disciples in Jerusalem fled to other cities (the apostles, and a lot of other disciples did not), Saul determined to search them out and bring them back and stone them.

So off to Damascus he goes. He has letters which entitles him to grab these believers and arrest them and take them to Jerusalem for judgement.

He is fully empowered: first by hate; and then by the established religious rulers which crucified Christ.

Going along, quite sure nothing is going to stop him.

But one thing he could not be empowered for: the meeting with Christ Jesus, Himself.

First, there is light: “a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun…”(Acts 26:13)

God always gives light first…..so we are able to come out of the darkness.

Then He gives His Word.

Acts 26:14 “When we were fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?

It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

This got his attention! Here was Someone he had been persecuting. How could this be?

So he asks who this Person is.

Acts 26:15 “And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”

(Twice Jesus says how Saul had persecuted Him.

But it was His believers Saul had beaten and stoned.

But when anyone hurts a child of God,…..He sees it as hurting Him….for we are one in Him.)

Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?….”

Saul, empowered of man; meets Jesus Christ the Almighty God……the God of Light….the God of the Word……and yields.

Jesus Christ was now Saul’s Lord;….and he declared Him to be so…..and that changed everything!

And the first thing it changed was Saul’s Purpose:

Acts 26:16-18 “But rise and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,

(Here it is, his purpose from now on!)

to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things that thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.”

As you read this, it reads just like the experience he had.

His eyes were open by light; so he was to witness of Jesus Christ and give this Light all over the known world.

He was under the power of Satan when he refused to believe Steven’s witness, and instead gave himself over to hate, and viciousness.

So Saul/Paul was to turn others from the power of Satan unto God.

His Message:

There is forgiveness of sins by Christ Jesus, and an inheritance given us in Jesus.

Then we are set aside for our purpose,…..the moment we are born again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

When Saul met the Lord, everything changed.

And Paul’s ministry changed the world.

He preached before kings, soldiers, religious rulers, and idolaters.

Everywhere, he preached Christ.

His own testimony was:

1 Corinthians 2:1-2, 4-5 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

When Saul/Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ for himself, everything changed.

He went from hating the Lord,….to loving Him.

From trying to destroy Him, and the believers,….to building them up in the faith.

From just following religion….to following “the Lord”.

Have we met the Lord?

God’s Word

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

Do you know anything of that prevailing Word?

Does it, in anyway, prevail in you?

“The husbandman that laboreth must first be partaker of the fruit”(2 Timothy 2:6)

Now this “prevailed” is a grand term; for it sets forth the reality we have…if we will but…be it!

The Word of God prevailed….it had the Victory.

Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not My Word like as a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

A fire….consuming the dross of our fallen natures.

A hammer….breaking the rock of our rebellion and anger against Him.

This should cover all that we encounter….for ourselves…and others.

.

Jeremiah knew about this fire….for when the fire of God’s word burns within your heart….for a people or a purpose….then:

Jeremiah 20:9 “Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name. But His Word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in by bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

This was for himself….and for Judah?

Jeremiah 5:14 “Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts,….behold I will make My words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.”

The Word of God….cleanses….and hammers home HIs Will.

Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

When we speak HIs Word….we do not speak in vain.

His Word will not return unto Him void….but it will accomplish what He pleases…

It is not always what we think it ought to be; but it will prosper in the thing whereunto He sent it.

Sometimes it shows people or circumstances in a new light….sometimes it changes those people or circumstances. It is His Word….it is His Will.

Sometimes we can get to wondering why we are to witness or preach to people who seem to refuse or reject every offer of the Lord’s mercy.

But our words are not in vain.

(I remember dealing with a man several times……and it was a sad experience. Dealing for his very soul….yet, in the end…..his complete refusal of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praying, after it was all over,….the Lord said to me, “That man shall confess that I am Lord, and shall bow before Me, and then enter the Lake of fire for eternity….without excuse.”

Our words are not in vain.

I remember speaking with a woman, for years…..trying to talk to her about the Lord Jesus and salvation….and her having none of it.

Five years later, she was in a nursing home….and when we visited her, the Lord told me, “Deal with her….keep going till she has heard all.”

Well, I began to talk with her again about salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ….and she listened, and listened, and when the invitation to receive the

Lord Jesus came this time….she asked the Lord into her heart and life.

Our words are not in vain.)

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

In our everyday obediences, as servants to the Lord; we will soon become soldiers,….as there will be some real fighting to be done;

And as we partake of that fruit of Victory, we will be come Ambassadors of Christ.

Now an Ambassador speaks for King and country…and with authority of the King.

Our Lord says that His Word was not His own, but His Father’s

John 12:49 “For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”

Jesus is the Word of God, in His own person….and gave His disciples the Words the Father gave to Him….in the authority of God.

So we….as we evidence our being the children of God….ourselves under the authority of His Kingdom (“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Mat. 6:10)…

…..then we speak His Words with His authority….as His ambassadors.

When His Word prevails in me….it shall prevail through me.

It is His Word, and it shall not return unto Him void.

Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”

As His Word and Will is done in my life….I become His Will….an expression of His Will everywhere I go….and in everything I say.

God’s Word

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

Do you know anything of that prevailing Word?

Does it, in anyway, prevail in you?

“The husbandman that laboreth must first be partaker of the fruit”(2 Timothy 2:6)

Now this “prevailed” is a grand term; for it sets forth the reality we have…if we will but…be it!

The Word of God prevailed….it had the Victory.

Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not My Word like as a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”

A fire….consuming the dross of our fallen natures.

A hammer….breaking the rock of our rebellion and anger against Him.

This should cover all that we encounter….for ourselves…and others.

Jeremiah knew about this fire….for when the fire of God’s word burns within your heart….for a people or a purpose….then:

Jeremiah 20:9 “Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name. But His Word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in by bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

This was for himself….and for Judah?

Jeremiah 5:14 “Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts,….behold I will make My words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.”

The Word of God….cleanses….and hammers home HIs Will.

Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

When we speak HIs Word….we do not speak in vain.

His Word will not return unto Him void….but it will accomplish what He pleases…

It is not always what we think it ought to be; but it will prosper in the thing whereunto He sent it.

Sometimes it shows people or circumstances in a new light….sometimes it changes those people or circumstances. It is His Word….it is His Will.

Sometimes we can get to wondering why we are to witness or preach to people who seem to refuse or reject every offer of the Lord’s mercy.

But our words are not in vain.

(I remember dealing with a man several times……and it was a sad experience. Dealing for his very soul….yet, in the end…..his complete refusal of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praying, after it was all over,….the Lord said to me, “That man shall confess that I am Lord, and shall bow before Me, and then enter the Lake of fire for eternity….without excuse.”

Our words are not in vain.

I remember speaking with a woman, for years…..trying to talk to her about the Lord Jesus and salvation….and her having none of it.

Five years later, she was in a nursing home….and when we visited her, the Lord told me, “Deal with her….keep going till she has heard all.”

Well, I began to talk with her again about salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ….and she listened, and listened, and when the invitation to receive the

Lord Jesus came this time….she asked the Lord into her heart and life.

Our words are not in vain.)

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

In our everyday obediences, as servants to the Lord; we will soon become soldiers,….as there will be some real fighting to be done;

And as we partake of that fruit of Victory, we will be come Ambassadors of Christ.

Now an Ambassador speaks for King and country…and with authority of the King.

Our Lord says that His Word was not His own, but His Father’s

John 12:49 “For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”

Jesus is the Word of God, in His own person….and gave His disciples the Words the Father gave to Him….in the authority of God.

So we….as we evidence our being the children of God….ourselves under the authority of His Kingdom (“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Mat. 6:10)…

…..then we speak His Words with His authority….as His ambassadors.

When His Word prevails in me….it shall prevail through me.

It is His Word, and it shall not return unto Him void.

Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”

As His Word and Will is done in my life….I become His Will….an expression of His Will everywhere I go….and in everything I say.

That we may know

In the Bible, when God speaks of “know”….He is speaking of understanding what He says, and to get it in our experience. To know, we actually have part and lot in the matter.

Ephesians 1:18 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,”

Now Bible hope is of the Holy Spirit. When you know the hope of your salvation….you know the witness of the Spirit within you. (Romans 8:15-16)

Those commentators which study the make-up of the Bible, say that Ephesians is the book of possessing our possessions. It is as Joshua in the Old Testament…..the people gaining their Promised Land….through God’s workings, through obedience and battle.

Ephesians is like that. It begins with:

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

There is our promised land…..All Spiritual Blessings….laid up for us to use in the heavenlies….in Christ.

He has chosen us, and predestinated us, adopted us, and made us accepted in Himself….

In Him we have redemption, forgiveness of sins, the riches of grace, and His will made known unto us.

We are given the Holy Spirit, and Himself as Head of the church.

All this we have….and should know as our personal experience.

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

Together, as Christians, we are the people of God….a building of HIs making, and for His glory. (Eph. 2:20-22)

We are in the heavenlies, before the throne….in Christ.

He is working in the world….in us.

(I say in us,….because what is in us, really, comes out. It is shown abroad…especially the love of Christ.)

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.”

(A long time ago, when I was younger and more full of myself….I thought I can surely give explanation of these verses….

….and yes, to a (small) degree I could. I knew the love of Christ Jesus to me, both in salvation…and in fellowship.

But I have come to see….the ministry of these verses is in the church. When those that love the Lord,….are gathered together there is a special love filling the place. Not all feel or know it the same….but gathered together we may have a better glimpse of the Oneness and Abiding Presence.

The breadth….as wide as the church on earth itself.

The length….as long as Eternity.

The depth….for it reaches down to the lowest hell to save us….and keeps saving us for Himself.

The height….to Heaven where we will “know” in our fullest form.)

Our ministry is a personal one, to God and others. And our ministry is a corporate one, in our local church….and beyond….for the church: it’s growth and strength.

God loves His people….and gives us the Holy Spirit that we may know our part of the breadth, length, depth, and height of HIs love….by faith.

And we can never know this as we ought, till we begin to lose our love for ourselves.

(No this is not self-condemnation…that is just self-pity on steroids.

But this is truly to lose all that we worldly love, and place ourselves squarely in the flood of God’s love.

God’s love works for our good, not our wants…..His love works for His purpose in our lives, not our plans. God’s love molds…and sometimes that is in the furnace…but His love also shows that He is with us there.)

As we do, we see what it is to become of use to our God in our lives, and in the church….

Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,”

From the fourth chapter, on…..Paul exhorts about the walk of those that “know”….

We are to walk worthy of our calling…with all lowliness…with longsuffering for others….working to keep the unity of the Spirit….the Oneness we know.

We are not to walk as others do….but since we have learned Christ….we are to “walk in love, as Christ has loved us.”

As we walk with God, we are built up….further learning….further growing up into Christ….

….how infinite the knowledge of Christ is!

And then…..in our possessing our spiritual blessings…..we come to stand…possessing our armor….and holding what Christ has won for us….in our battles.

Ephesians 6:11, 13 “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand agains the wiles of the devil.

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

Twice we are exhorted to “put on the whole armor of God”. All of it,….for if we use the shield of faith,…..but do not put on the helmet of salvation….we may be wounded in our thought life.

God is interested in us gaining all our possessions…..all He has won for us….all He has set aside in Him.

He want us to “know” Him….and be filled with all the fullness of God.

Will we begin to “know” in understanding and experience all of Him….for us?

He is worthy

Worthy means deserving.

2 Samuel 22:4 “I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

(This is repeated in Psalm 18:3)

This is David, when he had been delivered out of the hands of those that sought to keep him from fulfilling God’s purpose to become king of Israel.

There had been those who mocked….there had been those who sought his life….and there had been those who betrayed his goodness….yet the Lord saved him, from them.

David does not say…..

….”I will call on the Lord, and be saved from my enemies…and then I will praise the Lord.”

No, he pauses in his prayer, and acknowledges that the Lord is worthy….deserving his trust and praise.

(It is very odd to me that the “worthy” is not in the gospels or the epistles….except to exhort that we be worthy of Him and His call to us….

…that we do not hear of “worthy” again….until up in heaven…after the rapture, when all the church, and angels…will once again exclaim: He is worthy!

Real “worship” is worthy-ship….counting Him worthy of our all in our lives…but I wonder sometimes, if Jesus could not turn to us, as He did Philip and say,…

“Have I been so long with you, and yet hast thou not known me Philip?…”. John 14:8

Perhaps, it is because with David,….and in the Tribulation Period,…

….the Worthiness of the Lord…..deals with the enemies of His Purpose.

Those who seek to mock, destroy, and betray the true King of Kings….Christ….that they may “rule” themselves.)

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”

The Lord Jesus is first praised as Creator….for by the Word of His mouth the heavens and earth…was made.

Then:

Revelation 5:9 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation:”

Then the Lord Jesus is praised as Redeemer….the One who paid the price to save all who will come to Him.

The offer has been made for over 2000 years….

….many have come and been born again. They have seen their sins forgiven and their lives enriched with the Holy Spirit and grace.

But the world, and those caught in it’s web….have refused Him, and His salvation.

He is worthy, therefore, to take the judgement scroll, and open the sealed judgements…..the direct result of the world’s refusal of His offer of salvation.

He takes the scroll….and unseals each….and the world is plunged into the worst time in the history of it….the Tribulation Period.

Revelation 5:12 “Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.”

All through the church age….the Lord, the Lamb of God, has interceded for those that come to Him….for their help and grace.

Now He robes Himself in new honor and glory and power….still as the Lamb Who was slain….and brings upon the earth and mankind the condemnation and darkness….that they asked for.

John 3:19-20 “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

After the seven years of Tribulation…..Christ will come again to the earth….as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Revelation 19:11, 15 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.

And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

There will be that day….soon, I believe.

“And then cometh the end”

As Paul said,

Corinthians 15:24-25, 28 “Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.

And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”

Here Christ Jesus is conqueror of all who have opposed God down through the ages….for He came….and still works to do all the Father’s Will and Purpose.

And here in Corinthians….we must put ourselves. We were enemies of God at one time….yet,…

….Jesus Christ came forth to us, and brought us under His banner of love….

We received His kingship within us…..and stood beside Him, in this world.

This is still the time of His intercession…..for all who will come to Him.

This is still the time of His call to the light of God.

This is still the time we may choose Him….and lay down the weapons we have fought against Him with….and be placed under HIs banner.

Come….for all things are prepared. This call still rings out.