Are we just looking Real?

Revelation 3:17 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

“Knowest not”! How could that be?

Because they are hiding,…covering themselves with external works ; therefore they can not see they are empty inside…..

They talk of what they have, before men……Jesus speaks of what they are to Him.

The gospel of God only saves…if we have it in our experience. If we have been born again.

Paul tells of those that…

2 Timothy 3:7 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Ever learning, but never really acquiring the experience of this truth. Never having it in present possession.

They knew something about it, and worked at learning facts about it,…..but never subjected themselves to Christ Jesus, to get the experience of those facts,….into themselves.

Head knowledge will lead to a mental agreement of certain facts, but it is the apprehending of those same facts in our experience that will save us and set us free.

2 Timothy 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:…”

If our lives do not show the power we profess, then we are denying the power of Christ somewhere in our lives….for Jesus will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

We may have the “form”, we may look real,……but still deny the power He wants to give us, through subjection to Him.

If we are Christians we have come to see ourselves as lost, in need of a Savior….

Without hope in this present world.

Then we have come to believe, and receive Christ Jesus,……Whom to know aright is to have Eternal life….being born again by the Word of God that liveth and abideth forever (1 Peter 1:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9)

This is to experience Justification.

We are made “not guilty” before a Holy God, because of what Christ Jesus did on His cross….taking all our sin and guilt and penalty on Him.

And more, in Christ,…..we are given a righteous standing before God.

But justification is only half of the life of a Christian. The other half is Sanctification.

Justification deals with our guilt. Sanctification deals with the problem of the power of sin in our lives as Christians.

Justification is once for all….but sanctification is day by day, minute by minute, in the experiences of our life.

In sanctification, the cross must do it’s work….not Christ’s cross, but my cross.

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

Our cross is anything of God’s Will to us, that cuts across our will,…anything we can say “no” to.

For it is, “If any man will”.

We “resist”, when we refuse to yield to Him and His Will.

But when we deny ourselves, and take up our cross, then we are willing with God.

By denying ourselves, we can come to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything. We obey because we want to please Him.

It is not sinless perfection,….nor instant obedience….but final obedience.

We will to do God’s Will….no matter what.

(I want to take a minute and explain: “resist”. It means to stand against or oppose. It is where we are saying,……..I will not do this, or I will not do this, Your way.

We may not like what God wants us to do, or be afraid of doing it….but when we refuse, for any reason, we are resisting His Holy Spirit. [Acts 7:51])

The cross deals with our will….making it willing. For God works within us both to will and to do (Philippians 2:13), if we will deny ourselves and yield to the Holy Spirit.

And when our will is yielded to Christ’s Will, our will becomes a real powerhouse.

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

But then God deals with our “life”. Our self-life, our character, our habits. Not necessarily bad things….just “my” things.

Most of us will get rid of the “bad” things of our life, pretty easily….but the “good” things….or the habits that do no harm (we think)…..are ours….we can keep them.

Jesus Christ came to save us to the uttermost. He saves us from the guilt of sin, and the power of sin;…..then He sets us free in all the areas of our life.

(Sometimes we forget this was always Christ’s Ministry…….offering it when He was here, though rejected……..and it continues to be His ministry, by His Holy Spirit, in all who belong to Him.

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”)

He deals with every facet of our personality and life, and makes it His.

When He does, we are freed from everything which has a hold on us, in anyway.

Sometimes we never realize how strong an influence an idea we have,…..our habits,…..or our plans have on us.

Not “bad” in themselves….but the Lord wants to free us from their influence,…..to have spiritual liberty in Him.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)

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

As we have said, the Lord Jesus usually starts with some strongpoint…..some “stronghold of reason” that we have in our makeup….that we have acquired by some experience, and which must be brought into subjection to Christ…

And it is by the insistence of the Holy Spirit, pulling down these strongholds.

(I “learned” at an early age…..if anyone was going to defend me….it was going to be me.

No one else was going to.

But when I became a Christian, the Lord began to deal with me about this attitude.

It was not “bad”,…..but it hindered my growth in Christ, for I could not trust Him fully.

I tried and tried to let it go.

But…..finally I came to Christ Jesus….and He showed me what had happened to make me this way. And I forgave.

Denying myself, then became easier. Trusting Christ became a real joy….and I had liberty….real freedom from myself, here.)

Than we cast down imaginations….past, and future.

Of what could have been,…..or might yet be.

Than the Holy Spirit deals with every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Anything that would cast doubt on the Truth of what God has said to us.

All of this is by the power of the Holy Spirit within us,…..and us cooperating with Him.

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

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

We must yield, but it is His power in us, that gives us the victory and liberty of Spirit….bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

True liberty is freedom from sin, and freedom from ourselves.

There is a lightness of spirit, and a wholeness beyond measure, when we yield our everything to Christ, and His Holy Spirit within.

May we all have it.

Paul writes, “That we should put off concerning the former conversation the old man…..and that ye put on the new man, which….is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:22,24)

I used to think, when I was first born again, that this seemed so easy…..just stop doing the “bad” things….and start doing “good” things….

…..but Paul is talking about “putting off the former conversation (way of life), the old man”.

Who is the “old man”. We call it “the flesh”, the “old nature”,…..which simply means our old life in the darkness of this world.

My old habits, my old way of finding direction, my old attitudes toward others, my old speech.

( A lot of “my” there…..and that is the “former conversation the old man”….which centers around “me”.

Frankly I believe the Lord implants within each of us a love for the truth, for goodness, for kindness…which is for ourselves and others.

But we also must….and I believe it is imperative….if we are to “put on the new man (Christ’s life in us)…which is created in righteousness and true holiness”….

…..we must learn to discern God’s thoughts or attitude about things……for this circumstance. The important word is “learn”.)

James 4:7-8 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

And Jesus Christ is our greatest teacher.

It might seem odd to quote these verses and use Jesus as our example….but He, as the Man Christ Jesus is our greatest example in everything. He put aside HIs glory, and became obedient (Philippians 2:7-8)….and every word He said, every act was in obedience to the Father.(John 12:49-50)

Example:

Christ Jesus has just been baptized….a Voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt.3:17)

(Hallelujah, the work for our salvation begins!)

But,….before there is the ministry of Word, there is the ministry of battle.

Jesus is led,….”the Spirit driveth Him into the wilderness”.(Mark 1:12)

The Spirit’s guidance is immediate….He is to go into the wilderness…to be tempted of the devil. (As Jesus was our example….and are we not often tempted of the devil….especially when we have made gains in our spiritual lives?)

Luke 4:2 “Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, He afterward hungered.”

For forty days (the number of testing and trials) Jesus is tempted of the devil. I believe this is so bad, that these tests are not even recorded!

But when they were ended….he was hungry…

(Now I want to say here, that Jesus had been tempted of the devil already….it does not start here…..but that these three temptations are recorded for our learning.

He was the Son of God, yet He was tempted in all points like as we are (Hebrews 4:15)…

…..and here we are shown Jesus denying himself,…..resisting the devil, drawing nigh to God (James 4:7-8)….and using the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God in these temptations….for our learning)

Luke 4:3 “And the devil said unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.”

Just like this, the devil always starts with “who” we are. “If”….is the question…..If Jesus was the Son of God. If we are really born again….then surely God would supply your needs…He would not let you “go hungry”….or go without….so do something!

But to Jesus, there was no “if”…..so He would do what His Father wanted….and He used God’s Word.

“It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Wow! He included me, when He quoted this.

I shall not live by seeking to solve all my problems the way the world or devil wants…..not even the necessities….but I shall live by every word of God to me…and do what He says.

We know that the next test was a time test: Jesus came to save the world from sin….to make it the kingdom of God, and His Christ.

The devil said that he would give Jesus all the kingdoms…..now,…without the cross, suffering, shame….if (there is that word again)….Jesus would worship him.

The Lord Jesus Christ will certainly have all these kingdoms….they shall come and worship Him….

…..but it would require the path of duty…and the cross.

(And the devil tries us the same way.

Forget Christianity….I can give you “happiness” now….you do not have to deny yourself anything….Just listen to me.)

But Jesus gave the answer we all should, “Get thee behind me Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”

Then there was the test of appearance, and announcement:

The devil took Jesus to the top of the Temple and said, “If Thou be the Son of God, throw yourself down….for the Word says, that He will keep you, angels shall catch you and you will not even hurt your foot.”

What an announcement of Who He was, that would have been!…..

…and I believe angels certainly would have caught Him….

…..but God wanted Him to preach the kingdom to people all around the country….again the simple path of duty….

….so Jesus, and we too should say, “It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

I will follow God’s Word….and keep in God’s Way.

Luke 4:13 “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from Him for a season.”

The temptations were over…..for a season. And when we have stood in our place….and had the victory over a temptation…..let us rejoice in HIs Spirit, and His Word, which has given us the victory in this battle…

…and know that there will be others, for we belong to our King and Lord Jesus Christ.

But that with the temptation….He will make a way to escape:

1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Let us look for that way….His way….and escape the temptation….and have His Victory in us.

Haggai

Ezra 5:1 “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.”

Haggai was an old man, and Zechariah was a young man.

Both were told to talk to the leaders of the returned remnant (they had been seventy years in captivity in Babylon, for their sins, but had come back, after the opportunity came to return.)

Zechariah spoke mostly in visions, telling the people, that they had returned for a purpose: which they should continue in, and finish.

His was a message to encourage and build up.

But before they could be built up; they needed to Awaken! To God’s claims on their lives. This Haggai did.

Haggai was a man who got right to the point.

Haggai 1:3-5 “Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house (God’s temple they were to rebuild) lie waste?

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.”

You see, the people who had returned to Israel, had started building the temple with great enthusiasm.

As soon as God’s work was started: enemies came.

They said, Let us “help” you.

They wanted to stop God’s people from being separate from them and their ways. (The world always wants to interfere in God’s Will and work.)

But when the remnant refused, saying they alone would build God’s house. Then trouble began. (Ezra 4:4-6).

The enemies accused the remnant of rebellion to the king of Persia, and he believed them, and commanded that they stop what they were doing!

What should the remnant do? (What they should have done was send their own letters to the king, reminding him of what the former king had promised and decreed for the house at Jerusalem! Ezra 6:1-7)

This was their purpose: To rebuild the temple, so that the first thing (and the Lord is always to be first in our lives), would be His people in a right relationship to Him, by sacrifice.

(We must remember that the sacrifices of the temple were looking forward to the Great, and Only True Sacrifice for sins: Jesus Christ, our Savior.)

When they had stopped building the temple; they started working on their own houses, and estates. They built very elaborate houses for themselves.

But God would not let them forget their purpose, so:

Haggai 1:7-9 “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? Saith the Lord of hosts.

Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”

This fierce and serious message was heard (thankfully), and obeyed.

Haggai 1:12 “Then Zerubbabel…,and Joshua…,the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.”

And the Lord encouraged them:

Haggai 1:13-14 “Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.

And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel….,governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua…., the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,”

When the Lord is “with us”, we are in a very secure place, for His power is at work for us.

For the Lord also made Darius the king find a decree, which had not been found before.

By that decree, the Israelites were not only to be left alone to build the House of God…….but they were to be funded, and encouraged! (Ezra 6:2-3, 6-7)

And the Lord gave them a very great promise:

Haggai 2:7, 9 “And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with (the)glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Part of the temple they were finishing, would be there when God sends His Son, Jesus Christ. (It was; for Herod built his temple around part of this original building. Jesus walked on the stones they laid.)

(Notice how many times Haggai uses the name The Lord of Hosts. This name signifies that the Lord is Captain of His army…..and that army can be anything….angels, hornets, hail,…..and He uses His army for our protection.)

And, when they obeyed; The Lord blessed them in all the other things:

Haggai 2:19 “Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”

The Lord has said to us:

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

We are to concentrate on His Purpose for us: to do His Will.

And He will be “with you” today, tomorrow, and so on.

What is a Christian Life?

Our Christian life is one in which God leads us to trust Him in trouble.

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

To wait on Him in anxiety, and fear.

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

To praise Him for Himself, alone.

Psalms 34:1 “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

To look to Him in every situation.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

Psalms 34:6 “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”

To love Him in correction.

Psalms 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”

Hebrews 12:5,11 “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

And mostly, to believe that He knows, and does best.

Psalms 34:7 “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.”

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.”

Our Christian life is one where we learn to lean on Jesus Christ for everything and in every situation….because He loves us, we learn to love and trust Him.

Continue, continue.

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

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

To continue….to stay, be present, abide.

Here Jesus was in the treasury of the Temple,….He had forgiven the woman taken in adultery….and said that He was the Light of the world….and spoken of His Father, as HIs witness, always with Him….and that He was doing those things that please the Father.

John 8:30 “As He spake these words, many believed on Him.”

Wonderful….but Jesus would lead them on with Him….so He said….

“If ye continue in My word….”

Belief is the putting of my self, onto Christ….but it is only the beginning.

There is so much more to following Christ. We must come under subjection to His Word…then we will know the truth of things in our lives….and be free from the world and the constraints of sin!

Example:

The potter and the clay. (The Lord and us)

First, the potter chooses the clay….there are various kinds of clay, for various uses….so a clay is chosen….and placed in a bowl with water.

For next, the clay has to be made pliable in the water…..worked, so that there are no hard lumps…..no unyielding places.

Then, the clay is placed on the wheel…..finally we are going to be made into a useable vessel for the Master!

And the potter pushes and shapes…..letting the wheel turn….some places need more water applied…..some need a rougher hand to form…..

Then….we are done, right?

No….now we need to be fired…..the soft and pliable clay needs to be hardened to stand, or continue. We could never hold water, or things without being fired just right.

Then, for some vessels….the work is done….they are used. For others there is the painting and glazing….and firing; and glazing and firing again.

All, so that we may be a useable vessel, meet for the Master’s use.

Will we continue?

Our Lord Jesus says: “Continue in My word…then you will know the truth…and the truth shall make you free.”

Truth is of primary importance…..it leads us out of darkness into God’s light, for God is True. It keeps us from evil and error….and shows the way we should go. It frees us from all other ways, attitudes, and the opinion of the times….for it anchors us in God.

So Jesus says in….John 15:9 “As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love.”

This was spoken to His disciples….those who had stayed with Him for three years…they had continued in His word….now, for the trials ahead….continue in My love. Know it,…hold on to the truth of it,…shelter under it.

In Acts, Paul encourages those Jewish believers, to continue in the grace of God…..not in the traditions of the Law.(Acts 13:43)

In Colossians, Paul stresses that true reconciliation is in Christ.

(In Colossians, Christ is set before us as the object of our hearts. The Spirit of God is only mentioned once.)

It is His work in the cross, in a double sense: atonement for our sin….and the power of grace conquering the heart!

Therefore, Paul says to “Continue in the faith…grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel….”. “To present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight:”. (Colossians 1:22-23)

In the practical part of Colossians, where home life, and job life are discussed…..we are told to:

Colossians 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”

Continue to pray for the work…..ours, and our church and pastor….and watch….expecting His answer….both in His Word, and in the lives of others.

(I have come to see the value of the family altar. Having prayers at the start of the day with family members, for the things going on today….a song and prayers.)

Paul, at the end of his life, writing Timothy, who was a young man when Paul took him as a helper…..yet had grown into a Pastor and godly man….so Paul says to him…

….I am going to die, I have finished my course…..now you continue yours and follow the Word….continue to grow, and finish the work you have to do.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Continue in the Word…..you have grown from it…..continue in it.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The Lord Jesus comforted by His Word,

…..and rebuked the “little faith” of His disciples….and the hard-hearted of the Pharisees….

…..and instructed and led His own…..even to restoring Peter after the resurrection….

…..telling them and us:

“Go, teaching and make disciples…with all the things I have said….lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Let us continue in His Word, His love, His faith and grace, till we too finish our course.

He never Slumbers.

Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

As Christians where should we look for help? There is only One who can really help us.

And our testimony should be: “my help comes from the Lord…”

He is the creator and sustainer of heaven and earth.

He rules and overrules in the affairs of men, whether they acknowledge Him or not, for He is God, and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:22-23 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Isaiah 50:7 “For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

And how does He help us? By a guidance in the Holy Spirit, which keeps us from “being taken” in the devil’s traps. And gives us courage to follow Him.

And if we are tripped up; He keeps us from being “utterly cast down”.

Psalm 121:3-5a “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper:…”

He, who numbers the hairs of our head, will watch the steps that we take.

The illustration here, is as children are watched by their parents; ever ready to intervene if needed.

And as sheep are watched by their Shepherd to protect, as well as guide into right paths.

He is called the Keeper of Israel…He guides and preserves those that are His.

(It also suggests that He fights for us: as David did against the lion and the bear. [1 Samuel 17:34-36])

Proverbs 3:23, 26 “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”

Psalm 37:23-24 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.”

God neither sleeps nor slumbers.

He neither sleeps at night….so we can.

Nor slumbers during the day….when it is time to work, He is right there to help us.

The Keeper of Israel is a covenant Name of God. When He looks at us, He sees us in Christ, covered by His blood and righteous, in Him.

His eye is ever toward the righteous.

Psalm 33:18 “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;”

Psalm 121:7-8 “The Lord shall preserve thee from evil: He shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

Three times in these two verses, it says: preserve. Preserve means to hedge about with thorns, so nothing can come in, to harm.

He shall preserve from all evil. From sin, the world, and the devil. (“The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation…” 2 Peter 2:9)

He shall preserve thy soul. With all its emotions, thoughts, and actions; He shall keep us by His Spirit. (1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to revealed in the last time.”)

He shall preserve thy going out and coming in. Our every day life is here spoken of.

We go out of our prayer times to face the world and all that comes to us;…..

…..and we come in to seek Him for strengthening fellowship and love.

(John 10:9 “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”)

The Lord our Keeper shall preserve “thee”. It is always personal.

He shall preserve you. He shall preserve me.

Praise Him for all His wonderful works.

1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Luke 12:35-36 “Let your loins be girded about (the sign of a servant), and your lights burning;

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”

Every born again one is a servant of the Lord….with duties in His service to accomplish.

As servants of the Lord, there will be an accounting for each of us….what have we done with what He has given to us?

1 Corinthians 3:10-13 “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

The fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is….not how much it is….but what sort it is!

We will all give an account of “created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10)…those good works we were, to walk in.

We will either let Jesus purify us in the fires of trials….here; or see HIs fires burn up our wood, hay, and stubble at the Judgement Seat of Christ….there, in heaven.

When we are before His Judgement Seat….there are three materials that will not burn…..gold, silver, and precious stones.

Gold….those acts done by the Holy Spirit through you. In your yielding to Him in

Your spirit, He works through you to bring His Will to pass.

It matters not if it is but a “word in due season”…..if the Holy Spirit has worked through you….it is gold.

Silver….always speaks of redemption and every redeeming act.

Every tract passed, under His direction,….every redeeming word of testimony,…every prayer or simple witness pointing to HIs invitation of redemption is silver.

(In the Tabernacle, all the poles, which held the beautiful while curtains around the Tabernacle…..were wood overlaid with silver. They were placed in pure silver holders, set on the desert floor. In the holy place within all was overlaid with gold,…….

……but all that encircled the place of God’s Presence with HIs people, spoke of redemption.)

Precious stones….these are those that we have led to Christ….or assisted leading them to the Lord.

His jewels (Malachi 3:17)….which He paid the price for, and we are to bring to Him and help.

(The High Priest had twelve precious stones set in his breastplate….each with the name of one of the twelve tribes engraved on it. He carried them near his heart….to show the love God has for His people.)

These will not burn in the day of Christ judging His church….”well done, thou good and faithful servant”.

But….. wood, hay and stubble will be manifest by fire….they will be burnt up.

All those acts done in the energy of the flesh….through self-will; or to the lifting up of self….(for if we are not doing it because we love Jesus, it is for the “love” of something else….praise, or appreciation, or because “we should”.)

….these will be revealed by fire….they will be burnt up….some will see little burnt up…..some will see a life time of acts burnt up….

….but “he himself shall be saved”(1 Corinthians 3:15)

In heaven some shall receive a reward…..

….(there are three crowns mentioned in scripture: the crown of righteousness for those who love HIs appearing 2 Timothy 4:8…..

….the crown of life for those who endure temptation James 1:12……

….and the crown of glory, for those who feed the flock of Christ, being examples to the flock 1 Peter 5:2-4)…

……and some shall “suffer loss” of the reward…they could have had.

Now I want to mention here….something so beautiful and blessed….

As we stand before Jesus and every thought and act we’ve done, is manifested…..every sin we did not confess….every rebellious thought….every hate filled act……and every trial and trouble seen (and our attitude toward them)….

….then….then…we will be given enlightened understanding as to why this had to be dealt with…..why they had to be…..what He purposed in this trial, and that terrible trouble….

….and then….we will see His hand upholding us against the devil’s wiles and fierceness….and how the losses we had, led us to Him…..

….everything in our lives will be understood….and blessedly put away. No more tears, no more hurt, no more trouble.

The white robe of purity will be given….and we shall dwell full of joy and peace….forever.

But now,….for now…..we are encouraged and empowered,….as we yield to the Holy Spirit, to be faithful and receive a full reward.

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

1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah

Ruth 1:1 “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.”

Background:

In the land of Israel, at the town of Bethlehem, there was a famine.

So a man and his wife, with their two sons, left there home there, and went into the near country of Moab.

They thought they would “sojourn” there till the famine was over.

(They could have sought the Lord, for the cause of the famine; but instead they left that to others, and in doing so missed a blessing.)

Their “sojourn” turned into ten years! During that time Naomi’s husband died. Her sons married two women of Moab, but soon also died, leaving her alone in a strange land, far from her God, and home.

She longed for her country; and she had heard that the famine was over in Israel…”the Lord had had visited His people in giving them bread.” (Ruth 1:6)

So she “arose”, always the first move in returning to God. Arise from where you are, to come home to Him.

She started to leave Moab to return to Bethlehem.

Her two daughters-in-law followed her; and how far they went is not told…but after a while, Naomi realized it would be a hardship for them if they followed her.

They had parents they could return to, for they would certainly take them back.

They could have new lives: marry and have children among their own people.

If they followed her to Bethlehem, she did not know what would happen there.

For herself, she could at least die among Israelites, back home with her God; but for them…..she could not say whether there would be even a place to lay their head.

Ruth 1:8-10 “And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each unto her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

The Lord grant that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.”

Naomi prays for them here…using the name Jehovah (the Lord) twice. Seeking for them kindness from the Lord, and in doing so, gives witness that all true good comes from the Lord.

Both had real affection for Naomi. And both declared that they would continue the journey with her.

An old woman alone, is a sad thing; and they felt her kindness in so speaking to them.

“Surely we will return with thee.”

But again Naomi spoke. Seeing them as young women, able to live full lives with other husbands, and have families. She would not have them return with her out of duty, but out of a real determination, having seen the cost to them…and choosing this way into her nation and with the Lord.

She spoke for their benefit, not hers…for she loved them.

Ruth 1:11, 13 “And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet anymore sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

Would you tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters; for it greiveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.”

Here Naomi confesses that the Lord had dealt with her this way. Her family should have stayed in Israel, the promised land, and sought unto the Lord for removal of the famine and the reason for it.

(Israel often followed after other gods, to their hurt. And the Lord often had to use circumstances to awaken them to His voice. Judges 2:14-16)

Naomi told Ruth and Orpah, that she could not give them a life like they had.

She again suggests that they go back where you can have an easier life for young women.

Now both had said that “Surely they would return with her”; but now…..

(There comes a time in each life where we choose the thing we love most.)

For Orpah, though she had affection for Naomi, her choice was her nation, her people, her god.

She wept over the situation, but the decision became easy….she would go no further.

A life of relative ease is what her heart loved most…..and so she went back, and left Naomi.

There are many who have an affection for Christ, because of Who He is and what He has done.

But who do not love Him enough to go on with Him in all of the sufferings and situations which come, by following Him.

Many, therefore, go back to the world. For that is where their hearts are.

Ruth 1:14-15 “And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.

And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god’s: return thou after thy sister-in-law.”

But Ruth hung onto her. What ever would come, she was staying right beside her….to suffer want, or to get by; Ruth would not leave her.

She would return with Naomi.

Here she takes Naomi’s God as hers.

And instantly calls upon the Lord to be her witness, of her decision.

(“The Lord” as a name here is very important. It is Jehovah, the personal name of God. Jehovah means the ever-existent, becoming One…the Almighty God becomes what we need.

She was not just acknowledging a god of Naomi’s nation….but she was placing her whole life into the hands of The Lord, Who was Naomi’s God)

Ruth 1:16-17 “And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”

Ruth instantly calls upon the Lord, now her God, to be her witness of her decision.

And the two go on together.

Was there hardship? Yes, for they only had food by Ruth gleaning the fields…but by doing so, she met a man who first gave her permission to continue after his reapers all the harvest, insuring food for some time.

And then a blessing; he called upon the Lord to bless her.

Ruth 2:12 “The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”

This man would become her future husband, putting Ruth into the genealogy of Christ. (Matthew 1:5)

She was the great-grandmother of David. (Ruth 4:17)

The lesson here is: Who or what do we love enough, to leave everything else for?

Affection for Christ Jesus is wonderful….but only leads us so far.

The real determined choice of whether we will continue with Him, in all situations, is the crossroads of our lives.

Temptation, in the form of an “easy life,….or normal life”, comes. And we must choose what we love the most.

Will we like Orpah turn back….

Or will we cling to Christ?

If we choose the Lord; though there are hardships(and there are), there will be blessings as well…now and for eternity.

Peter on the Water

Matthew 14:22 “And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.”

We know Peter. He is impetuous.
He leaps at the chance to do anything.
He is older than the other disciples. And he always wants to speak out, or do something first.

He was a fisherman, when Jesus called him and his brother, to follow Him. But they immediately did.

Now, they had just seen the feeding of the five thousand, and Jesus had told His disciples to go ahead of Him, in boats, to cross the Sea of Galilee.

Then Jesus went up into the mountain to pray.

Matthew 14:24 “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.”

In Mark it says they were “toiling in rowing”. They had the sails down because the wind was so hard, and blowing in the wrong direction. They were rowing to get to the other side.

As Christians, we too, are often called to go out , not knowing what is ahead. It was probably smooth sailing for the first part of the trip, then suddenly a sea storm came up.
Yet they did not turn around; Jesus had told them to cross to the other side, and they were working to do that very thing!
This is obedience.

Now if I was with the disciples, I would have been thinking: “Boy! I wish Jesus was here to help us.”

And then He was!

Matthew 14:25-26 “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.”

The fourth watch is in the early morning. Jesus had been praying all night, and knew they were out in a storm, so He went out to them.
Sometimes the way the Lord delivers us out of trouble, is so unexpected, we too are often frightened.

But it is never too late.

But Jesus puts their fears to rest:

Matthew 14:27 “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid.”

We should not be surprised to see Jesus, the Son of God, using any part of His creation to help in delivering His own.

He is the Lord of Hosts…..any hosts. He used hornets, and hail in the Old Testament…..and He can use anything to see to the troubles of life we are in.

He commands and it is done. So walking on the waves of the storms of our lives, He comes to us; to deliver us in times of weariness and danger.

Then here comes Peter. Bold, and believing (for a while).

Matthew 14:28-29 “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.
And He said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.”

Peter goes out of the ship, still believing……..and steps out onto the water, and starts walking on it to go to Jesus.
Now he wasn’t out there to walk with Jesus across the Sea of Galilee; no, he was walking to Jesus.
But….

Matthew 14:30-31 “But when he saw the wind boisterous he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried, Lord, save me.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

Often what is happening around us, gets our eyes off the Lord. Once we really look at the trouble for ourselves,…..we sink!
Well, it was the same with Peter.

He was doing fine, till he saw how strong the wind was. How high it was pushing the waves.

Then he began to doubt Jesus strength for both of them. Silly Peter. The One who called him to come out, certainly can sustain him; even against the strongest wind that blows against him.

Peter probably prayed the shortest prayer he ever had prayed…..”Lord, save me.”
But it received a very quick answer: “immediately”.

Little faith doubts God, when it sees the frightening circumstances.
Large faith keeps looking to God, even in the frightening circumstances.

Matthew 14:32 “And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.”

Jesus lifted Peter from the waves, and into the ship.
And how many times has Jesus saved us in difficult circumstances?
Many, Many times.

“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
And hasn’t the Lord said that to us many times……doubting Jesus is coming to the view that…..maybe He can not…..or will not save.

And doubting Him, cuts our lifeline to trust….which is holding on to Jesus and His Word.
Jesus said, “Come”. Would He then watch Peter drown?
O little faith that thinks these thoughts!

Matthew 14:33 “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

Jesus was the Son of God, come to save His people from their sins.

Sometimes it takes a storm in our lives to bring us, to see Him correctly.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I am going to start this by asking….

Is Paul’s testimony,….ours as well?

Through these last chapters in 2 Corinthians, Paul is leading them out of themselves and into complete dependence upon Christ….and so he gives an example.

(I say “complete dependence”….because Christians….if they would live for Christ….have a dependence upon Him….for He is there life.

But is it complete….or can we get along without Him,….sometimes?)

He tells of a “man in Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)……this is a blessed title, because he is not speaking as an apostle…..but just one in Christ.

He is stressing that God can give comfort and exhortation to each man in Christ. It is not office before God, but heart willingness.

This “man in Christ” had been caught up to the third heaven…to joy beyond expression—the value and power on his soul he could not even express to others….

….and yet, though he will glory in God’s power, he will not glory in himself because in himself, he was a weak and feeble creature…..who was simply in the hands of God Almighty.

Then he tells them that this revelation had gotten for him “a thorn in the flesh”.

(Some say it was the disease in his eyes, and others a deformity which made him little in the eyes of men. The tendency to pride is within each of us…and it takes but little to make it come out.)

Paul asked the Lord to remove this three times….and Paul received an answer…..yet not like we would expect…

….especially with more ministry and work for him to do.

“And He (the Lord) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness…..”

“Paul, I want you to appear weak,….little in the eyes of others….that My power, which is in you and upon you for the work, will shine out.

What a testimony, Paul, to all who think they are too little for Me to use…..but do not worry, I am and will be sufficient for you.”

Here is the very basis of Spiritual Reality: Christ is sufficient for me.

Sufficient here means that God has placed a barrier around.

If God gave us power to do ourselves,….still that power is only blessed if we are dependent, or “leaning upon the Beloved” (Song of Solomon 8:5). If we act otherwise we run the risk of self-conceit.

Paul came to experience that the power of God is displayed more abundantly through his weakness, itself.

And then he gave this most blessed response…..may it be so with each of us…..

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “….Mostly gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessitates, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Most gladly…..not, “OK,…but it would be better if…”

…..not even simple resignation only….

….but, most gladly….

Paul saw…..God’s plan….God’s way….

Now he glories in the infirmities that he’d just asked to be taken away, realizing that they cause greater power to be given him….and through him.

Who would exchange the power of Christ for the “power of human eloquence”?

Who would want a grand appearance instead of the glory of God?

2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

But we have….every born again one has….(present tense)…has this treasure.

Yes, Paul says, we are earthen vessels…..nothing in ourselves….

…….but we have a treasure within us….which is the excellency of God’s power in us….and manifested through us.

We simply must recognize our weakness….and let the treasure shine forth.