That Thou Mayest

Revelation 3:18 “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich,

and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and the shame of thy nakedness do not appear,

and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

Now it used to be a favorite correction of my Aunt, to tell me which to use: “May I?”

Or “Can I?”

I would say, “Can I go outside, and play?”

She would say, “I don’t know, do you have legs to take you?”

Of course, she would be stressing what was the proper English. I should have said, “May I go outside and play?”

Can, she would say, denotes ability. May, denotes permission or will.

So Jesus Christ says, “That thou mayest”, He means that He will give permission to open up the windows of Heaven and pour us down the blessings He describes here.

All in Heaven are just looking to Him, and waiting for His permission to give abundant manifestations of His power and presence, to each who will “buy of Me (The Lord Jesus Christ)”.

Malachi 3:10. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

We will speak about the blessing offered by the Lord Jesus to us……..and the means to get these “windows of heaven” opened up to us.

We will start with the last blessing that we “may” have,……for this is the beginning of the rest.

Eyes that really see, by the use of eyesalve. Without this, we are still blind; or with blurry eyes, seeing unclearly.

And what is this eyesalve we are to use?

It is honesty. If we are to see God as He is; then we must see ourselves as we are. They go hand in hand. (Let’s face it, when we are angry at God, He seems like an angry God.)

As we get honest, and let the Lord search our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9-10), we stop losing our way in our emotions; because we can now see the truth.

And anytime truth is faced; grace is given. (Grace is the unmerited favor of power)

John 1:17 “For the Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

The Lord once said to me: “That if any Laodicean would get a good look at his own heart, he would do something about it immediately.”

White raiment that thou mayest be clothed:

If we are Christians, we must be clothed upon with Christ’s Righteousness.

But Christ’s righteousness, enables us to do righteousness. And this is the garment spoken of here…..our righteous acts done for His glory.

We must determine to have Christ formed in me.

We are told to:

Colossians 3:8-10, 12-13 “But now ye also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communications out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

Put off the old man; put on the new man created in Christ Jesus. All this you must do, that the shame of your nakedness do not appear.

Gold, tried in the fire.

Gold in Scripture speaks of God in my life.

When it says, “tried in the fire”, it means that it has come through the purifying process, and there is no impurities, in the gold. It is pure gold.

We are truly “rich” in the Spiritual Blessings of love, joy, peace, long suffering, patience, etc.

But pure gold, signifies being filled with the Holy Spirit, by surrendering to Him: giving up my right to rule my life; and yielding my life, moment by moment, to the Holy Spirit’s Presence and Guidance.

I will remind everyone, this begins with losing our blindness.

To be blind in this verse is “opaque, surrounded with smoke”.

And how many “smoke screens” has the devil used to try and come between us and the truth? Or between us and the Lord?

It may be mental or physical.

(In other words, we can blind ourselves. By our imaginations: pretend to be someone we are not. Or we can blind ourselves by the “things” we choose to love.)

There is no cure for blindness; except Truth. Getting honest with God about everything.

When you do, the Lord will open up the windows of heaven and pour you down a blessing.

Stand ye in the Ways

Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”

Jeremiah was called to a time, like ours, where much religion was going on; but very little true obedience to God. They had all the outward trappings and show…….but none of the devotion to God and His commandments.

Under King Josiah, who was a godly king; Jeremiah was given the job of going about Judah and instructing the people in the laws of God. This was important….to know the Word of God….what it says and what He promises those who turn to Him and obey Him.

Many did not want to hear, for they had been influenced by the idolatrous nations round about them; and refused subjection to the Lord, although they went along with the outward ceremony….along with worshipping idols.

Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living water, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

Then he was told to go to Jerusalem and preach there…telling the people what God would do, if they would repent and turn back in obedience to Him.

He would forgive and help them:

Jeremiah 7:5-7″For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor;

If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.”

For what God wanted of His people was that they obey Him, from the heart.

“Stand ye in the ways”. In the Hebrew, means “Get up and do it”

Start actively seeking My ways.

If you just do this seeking, you are returning to your God and honoring Him.

This I will count,….and will honor you, in return.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.

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

And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:….”

And ask for the old paths: The path of obedience to His Word,….which leads us to straighten out our lives before Him.

God has made a way to return to Him…..take it.

(How was it with those who came before us?

Those that martyred their lives for God and his gospel? From the apostles to our forefathers?

How did they attain to what they had?

Through the Holy Spirit’s enabling, and the Word of God to them.

We must seek out the truth of the Scriptures for ourselves: What does it say to me?

For now? For my calling and ministry? And yield to the Holy Spirit within!)

As Jeremiah said to Judah:

Jeremiah 7:23 “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

Obey My voice….and I will be your God….and ye shall be My people.

(This is an amazing promise…..the Almighty, Eternal, Personal God will be my God…..me, who am one of how many millions?….

….me, who have fought against Him?…

….me, who can do nothing for God…

Yet, me, whom He loved enough to save me,….I shall be His….

….and that means He will “see to” me….spiritually, physically, and emotionally….

….amazing promise!)

Jesus said the same thing when He was talking to His disciples, before He went to the cross.

John 15:10″ If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.”

Though there were failures,…….His disciples did, and they stirred the whole world, for Christ Jesus.

If we get our life in order before Him, and honor Him in this,……He will honor our obedience, in our everyday life.

God speaks through His Word: whether read, preached, or spoken by His inner Voice, by the Holy Spirit.

Hear Him, and return to the ways of peace,…..knowing His presence with you,……and for you,……everyday.

Malachi 1:6-8 “A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a Father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, where is my fear?….”

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted Thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

And ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts.”

Malachi means “My messenger”.

The prophets were God’s helpers to the godly rulers and people…..who gave the message from the Lord…showing them their sins….

….so that the people would be awakened to God’s thoughts about their attitude.

The sacrifices pointed to Christ….and their faith in Him.

Their contempt of the sacrifices….was a contempt of God, as their KIng.

When Malachi was written (he was a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah which was about 500 years before Christ’s birth)…

….their actions were at a low point….their obedience to the sacrifices and the Temple were partial,….and with deceit to themselves and dishonor to God.

They had returned from captivity…with a willingness to re-build the Temple. Though they had been hindered and stopped….the work began again….and now the Temple had been re-built….and the walls of Jerusalem was almost done.

They had an ally in the court of Persia….and instead of this increasing their faithfulness…..

….things just got sloppy.

Their diligence waned….their devotion cooled….they became a nation of “just getting by”….

…and the worst of all, was that the priests were leading in this regard.

They should have been most working for the Lord,….but instead, were great with excuses….but not with faithful obedience.

Malachi 1:12-13 “But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even His meat, is contemptible.

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! And ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts;…”

The people were selfish….becoming proud of themselves.

They did not want to give their animals to sacrifice which were healthy and could be used by them….

…and they would not just stop going to the Temple with sacrifices.

So…..they gave the sick, or lame, or damaged animals….thinking they “deceived” God….but He was not fooled or unseeing.

Malachi 1:14 “But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and My Name is dreadful among the heathen.”

How sad that the great lesson of the authority of God over all the earth…

(in their captivity…how God showed them His power by destroying and making even their enemies to be their benefactors)….

…had not continued to awe and impress them, during the time of prosperity.

But is it not the same with us?

Have we seen so clearly HIs mercy to us…..and then, forgotten it….or at least placed it in the back of our memories when we have friends and things are going well?

Are we offering “polluted bread” or the blind or the lame and sick for sacrifice in our ministries?

Are we being double minded in our efforts….

…..or are we going ahead with plans we made without the guidance of the Holy Spirit…

…..or are we grudgingly doing what we have to, without joy or love?

These are times of great division…..no, I do not just mean in opinions.

We are spirit, soul, and body….made in the image of God.

And the Adversary would bring us down to “feelings”, “emotional responses”….and worldly, carnal “reasons”.

But as Christians we are to always “to be led by the Spirit of God..” (Romans 8:14).

Jesus Christ said that when the Spirit would come…He would guide us into all truth (John 16:13)….”guide” here is to “show the way, lead”.

The Spirit will lead us into honoring the Lord in all our ways. “He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of mine,and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:14)

We, too, are to offer sacrifices….of praise and obedience.

Hebrews 13:15-16 “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name.

But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

The heart of religion…is the practical part. The Lord wants our praise (certainly He deserves it)…

….but praise is to be with….”to do good and to communicate”. We are to be righteous…which is simply walking in obedience…and witness of Christ….both in actions and words.

Hebrews 13:5 “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.”

In the Bible (KJV)…”conversation” means what we do, our actions and the general tenor of our lives,….as well as what we say.

We are to live without coveting….wishing for and wanting what another has.

This can only be as we are “content with such things as ye have”.

Contentment is an amazing grace…..yes, I said grace. It is a lesson learned like patience….but acquired by the grace of the Holy Spirit within.

We learn: “that in whatsoever state I am….therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11)….or at peace….and in joy.

And this is only…..as we realize the value of Christ to us….”for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Far more valuable and precious than anything this world can offer.

This is a message for the days and years to come….for the trials and persecutions….for the prosperity and times of applause….

….Christ is our all in all.

It is not that we believe this…..we know this….for He has been there for me….through all.

…for He has spoken to me in all times.

…for He has strengthened my hands to do the right thing (even when I did not want to)….strengthened my mind to see the truth….strengthened my heart to love Him…and my fellow Christians.

…for He has given me His help.

This Israel gave up….to follow selfishness and deceiving practices.

We have Christ….and He demands faith and obedience….to His praise and glory.

What will we do with Him?

The Door of our Ears

Mark 4:23-24 “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

And He said unto them, Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete (give out), it shall be meted unto you; And unto you that hear shall more be given.”

Has the door of our ears been opened? Do we take heed to what we hear?

Let’s be honest. We hear a lot that, as my Mother used to say, goes in one ear and out the other.

We hear it. We could probably repeat it, if we had to. But it makes no difference in our attitude. Because they are just words…just noice that may or may not sound good to us.

Hearing ears come from the Lord. He will give them to us, if we want to hear Him.

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

These are ears which take in what is spoken, and apply them to “me”, because we know the words come from God.

Jesus goes on to describe the words which are “heard”, as seed:

Mark 4:26-29 “And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

For the earth bringeth forth of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.”

Now these words have been planted, through the open door of the ears, into the heart.

This is a wonderful thing. Because I have known people who remembered what they were taught as children in Sunday School, about Jesus Christ, and been born again,…..

……or used those scriptures in the situations of life, they were in now.

You see, it is the door of our ears being opened that let’s in the Word of God. Once planted in the heart (it may take time), it brings forth fruit unto eternal life.

How do we “open the door of our ears”? We will to believe, that His word is God speaking to me.

It makes a huge difference when we know the Lord wants to speak to me, now, today….for today.

We “open” our ears, often for jokes, and songs, and other sounds (not that there is anything wrong with friends and family talking…I wish there was more of it.)

But we should be as willing to hear God speaking to us, as to hear everyone else.

Mark 4:33 “And with many such parables spake He the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.”

“As they were able to hear it.” Multitudes came to hear Him (Mark. 4:1), but did they really “hear” what He was saying?

Did they understand that He was presenting Himself and God’s word to them, so that they would believe on Him, and have true life?

Not many;……

……but some came,…..did open their ears….want to hear what He was saying to them……and followed Him.

He always had those who left all and followed Him.

To those, He gives light (knowledge of what to do, and how); and He gives grace (the unmerited favor of power or ability to do).

And that is why today, He is still speaking His Word to all who will hear.

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”

Behold! I Stand!

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My Voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

This “sup” in the original means fellowship. “I will fellowship with him, and he with Me.”

What is fellowship? It is a coming together in attitude, and thought.

When we have fellowship with the Lord, we are letting Him in to our thoughts….and our feelings, in subjection to Him.

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

Opening up to Him, to come in and talk to me about all that is in my life….and to share with Him all that is going on.

Abraham was called the “friend of God”…..he was called out of idolatry, called to follow God into a new land….and he did.

There were many failures….and set backs; but Abraham knew God’s voice and had fellowship with Him.

Genesis 18:1-5 “And the Lord appeared unto him (Abraham) in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

And said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in Thy sight, pass not away, I pray Thee, from Thy servant:

Let a little water, I pray You, be fetched, and wash Your feet, and rest Yourselves under the tree:

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort Ye Your hearts; after that Ye shall pass on: for therefore are Ye come to Your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.”

Here Abraham is setting in the flap doorway of his tent; in the shade….when he sees the Lord, with two others (angels).

He does not inquire who they are….he knows One is the Lord, and bows in reverence, at His feet.

Then…..fellowship:

Come….and be refreshed by water….rest….and eat….and talk.

The Lord had come to him, and Abraham quickly opens all he has to them.

There conversation was for the future: Sarah would have a son….”I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life;”…..and Sarah shall have a son.

Abraham listened….Sarah laughed, for it was an impossible thing: they were both old, she had never had children, and she was past “the time of women”, she was not having periods any more.

Fellowship is opening up to the Lord, and letting Him in…..in thoughts and feelings.

Sarah had laughed, but God was faithful. But Abraham listened….God had promised before….and now He had appeared to speak of this promise again.

After the food, The Lord, the angels, and Abraham arose….and walked together….

Genesis 18:17-18 “And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?”

The Lord told Abraham of Sodom and Gomorrah wickedness……and that He was sending angels to see, if it was according to the “cry of it”.

(Sin and Wickedness brings a “cry” from creation itself.

Romans 8:21-22 “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”)

This leads to the greatest example of intercessory prayer (except by Christ) in the Bible.

Abraham interceded for Lot,…and all the other righteous in the cities……

……although there were none…yet his heart wanted their salvation,…and knew the Lord’s mercy. Do we?

Fellowship is the conversation between “partners” in the work.

It is the sharing of all that is going on, and will go on.

It is the coming together to know each other better.

Jesus Christ stands at the door of His Church in Laodicea, and knocks for entrance…..but it is His Voice which is heard by those who will open the door…

….for it is a personal call:

“If any man will hear My voice and open the door…”

And so the door you open is the door of your life:

To answer the call of Christ in this age, requires not an answer of words….but an answer of a life open to and receptive to Christ Jesus our Lord.

Behold! He stands!

Anytime He is seen standing, it is a sign He is ready to do….and He is standing at the door of your life, ready to do for you.

Will you let Him in to have that fellowship that begins with bowing before Him,……continues by talking and listening to Him…..and ends in walking with Him in partnership?

The Son of Man

Hebrews 2:9-10 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

I did not for a long time, understand why the Lord Jesus called Himself the Son of Man….

…my thinking was influenced by the world….I thought….

“Show Yourself as the Son of God…let people know Your the Messiah….keep before them how great You are….and they will believe.”

(Wow! even looking at it, I wonder how I could have thought this way….for God’s Ways of doing things are not like this at all.

Belief does not come by manifestation of power…..but by revelation of Christ Jesus to our hearts.)

Jesus was the Son of Man from Eternity Past…..by the Covenant He made (called the Everlasting Covenant, Hebrews 13:20-21)….concerning the plan of our Salvation.

When He said the Son of Man, He was referring to this great contract about the purpose of God….for man’s redemption….

…..for from eternity past, the Godhead knew the need for man’s salvation from sin….and that would be through the Son of Man.

As man, He had to live a perfect life.

As the perfect man, He had to die a sacrificial death for all.

(Romans 5:17-18 “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

This was the work of the Son of Man…..and He fulfilled it.)

There are many aspects of Christ being the Son of Man which is amazing.

HIs understanding of our situation…today….is of course divine,…yet it is also because He walked here.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

He was sometimes hungry, often tired or weary, seeing the worst cases of illness and disease, both spiritually and physically…..waiting on others, explaining His Words again and again.

Though the Son of Man was a postition of humility and service, yet He had joy, and rejoiced in the Father’s Will. (Matthew 11:25-26 “…I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth….Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight.”)

And He wanted His disciples and us to receive His joy. (John. 15:11 )

John 17:13 “And now come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”

Though walking in a world which rejected Him…..yet He never stopped amid temptations and trouble….till He had finished the work of His Father’s plan of redemption. (“It is finished” John 19:30)

And He calls us to do the same…..finish our work…..”If any man will, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Hebrews 1:8-9 “But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom.

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness, above Thy fellows.”

“Oil of gladness” is a name for the Holy Spirit (Psalm 45:6-7)

How that should make us think about the joy Christ had…even here, in His humility…..looking forward to fulfilling the Salvation Plan for everyone of us….

…redeeming us from our sin, and giving us His life, HIs peace, and His joy.

John 15:11 “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

….. the joy we should have, because we have received this “oil of gladness” or the Holy Spirit, too.

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

Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Eighty-three times in the gospels, once in Acts, and twice in Revelation…Jesus Christ is seen as the Son of Man.

It is a testimony of God’s great purpose for us….as man….

…..to be saved and brought back to Him,….in heart, mind and will….in life and purpose….and joy.

And it is encouragement to fulfill our own ministry of….”…righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”….for His sake.

The Fountain of Life

Psalm 36:9 “For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light.”

Have you drunk from the fountain of life?

A fountain is water, contained in some way…but still bubbling up…..

…..so is our life in Christ, contained in us…..but bubbling up by the Holy Spirit in us….

….refreshing…

….enlivening…

….and satisfying our hearts, minds and wills.

Is it? Or is it a trickle…..barely satisfying our need?

I am going to mention here….that there were twelve disciples….

Some were fishermen….one was a tax collector….most from Galilee…but not all…some older….some younger….some had followed John the Baptist….

I mention this, because all of them were different.

All heard Christ Jesus for almost three years…..but each had different reactions to what they heard.

Some believed, readily…..others were often puzzled about what He said….

Why did He speak to the Pharisees and Scribes (they were important!) the way He did?

How could He calm the storm, yet be tired….asleep in the boat?

Why did He walk and talk to the multitudes…..yet only in parables?

….and one followed for “the bag”.

All had plenty of time to change their mind…..but they stayed and followed on….each coming to the place where Jesus was their Lord…..or was only a means, to their own end.

I mention all of them, because…..like them, we are all different.

We take in the Word of God….sometimes with enthusiasm….and then turn around and fail of what we just learned.

Some are more diligent….some are doubting (remember Thomas)….

But we all must come to the place where we make Jesus Christ….Lord of our lives….or we backslide and “return” to our self-life.

(Backslide is a term used for putting in your heels, where you are, so that you will not go any further, with God.)

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

We think of contentment as being happy in the place, or circumstances that we are in.

No, contentment has nothing to do with circumstances…..but with our attitude with the Lord of the circumstances!

Contentment is settling in with the warm mug of grace, in the comfortable lap of God….in whatever circumstances.

It is satisfaction with “my God”

….Psalm 118:27-28 “God is the Lord, which hath shown us His light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt Thee.”

(Forty-nine times in Psalms is “my God” written….mostly when there are troubles or enemies harassing His people)

Remember Paul and Silas in jail, bent over in stocks, after being beaten….praying, then singing. (Acts 16:23-25)

They were not trying to cheer each other up…..they were praising God, for the privilege of suffering for Christ Jesus.

That is contentment.

Again, I ask, have you tasted of the fountain of life….are you drinking each day from it….and getting the contentment in Christ, He has for you.

Or…..

Jeremiah 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils, they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them our cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

“And in Thy light shall we see light.”

God is light….and in His light we see…

…for light is the glory of life.

Life in the dark is miserable…..and spiritual blindness is a curse…

….therefore, God, who is light….gives us His light….and also, enlightens us (Ephesians 1:18)

But we often think of it,…..as seeing others, or the circumstances, in truth around us….

…all of which is true…..but that is not all…

…for in His light we can be cleansed.

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.”

For in His light….we see light…

2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

This light is power, as well….

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.”

Paul’s testimony was:

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; We are perplexed, but not in despair;

Persecuted but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed;

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”

This is life and light…..help, comfort, power….from my God….to me personally.

Are we letting His life and light shine through us?

Are we drinking to the full

Remember Lot’s Wife

Luke 17:32 “Remember Lot’s wife.”

Why would our Lord want us to remember Lot’s wife?

Because looking back is a trap we should not fall into.

The story:

Lot lived in Sodom. Sodom and Gomorrah were situated in a beautiful valley; full of lush pastures, and full rivers. They were rich cities, and Lot and his family had moved there to enjoy all they had to offer. But…

But they were also wicked places. Terrible sexual practices were carried out in the city, and all of them were allowed on any who would venture in. They were also idolatrous people; so bad that “the cry of them is great before the face of the Lord”.

God sent angels to Lot, so that he and his familxy, could escape the coming destruction.

Genesis 19:12-13 “And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any beside? Son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of the place:

For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.”

Well, Lot told his family,…..but no one would listen to him; “he seemed as one that mocked”. (Genesis 19:14).

They thought he was joking.

After all, Lot lived in Sodom; had been there quite a while, surely this was not going to happen.

Beside, when was the last time Lot talked about God? He must be joking.

When the next morning came, the angels said:

Genesis 19:15 “And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.”

It was time to go, but he hesitated.

Hesitation is such an easy thing for us to do.

We wait, a moment or so,…….wishing things were different;……and by doing so, lose the joy in doing the Lord’s Will, in what is next.

In mercy the Lord had His angels take hold on their hands and guide them out of the city.

Genesis 19:16-17 “And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand and upon the hand of his wife and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful to him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.”

Standing outside the city the angels warn them not to look back, but to keep moving forward.

God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, for their awful sin, before it corrupted more of the world.

They started to go to a little city, at the far end of the plain. And when they got there, two things happened:

The Lord did destroy the cities with fire,…utterly.

And Lot’s wife looked back.

Genesis 19:24, 26 “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;”

“But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

But why did she look back at such destruction?

She did not want to leave that life. They were pretty well-to-do. They had a standing in the city, for Lot had a position of judge; for he sat in the gate, as judge.

Even though it was a wicked place, she enjoyed the life of “being somebody”…..and she did not want to leave it.

She did not want to go on, to what she did not know. She did not trust the Lord.

No! She only wanted what she had.

So she looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt.

But why salt? As a warning….For salt is suppose to preserve.

She should have preserved her family in the belief of the true God….and kept looking forward.

But, she got wrapped up in the things of this life,…..and she began to love them too much….she expected that it would continue….so she gave herself over to them…..and it cost her, her life.

Even though she felt like this,…..(and I want to stress this!)…..if she had simply obeyed God’s Word,….she would have been delivered.

But…she didn’t.

How much our unbelief takes away from us.

How many of us have tripped and fallen here?

Wishing for…..something,…..instead of taking the next step with Jesus.

Matthew 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt hath lost it’s savor: wherewith it shall be salted? It is therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

Jesus says: Remember Lot’s wife.

Some times it is hard to go forward: very hard.

But we need to remember that God always has our best interests on His heart.

God does all things in mercy to His people.

We need to receive it, and go along with Him.

Paul said:

“…Forgetting what is behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

We are called to take each step with Him; that is all.

That will save us from the destruction that is in this world, all around us….

And He often takes our hand, when we hesitate, and even helps us do that.

We just need to believe and obey Him.

Remember Lot’s wife.

Lift up the Hands that Hang Down

Hebrews 12: 12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

This has to do with the race we are called to finish for the Lord.

God never intends that we go through life miserable.

It is true that we are in a battle with sin, self, and the Adversary, but it should always be a path of Light.

In this part of Hebrews, the writer has just told of heroes of faith (Hebrews 11).

Not just how they had faith….but how they used their faith.

And he calls all who have faith now, to:

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

In every race, it is those who lay aside every weight, who will win.

You can not be weighed down, and run well.

This race is not a sprint….but a long distance race; it is the race that compasses our lives.

Weights are those things which we carry, which are unnecessary to our walk with the Lord. In fact, they hinder it.

These can be habits we have picked up, which need to be put aside;

or acquaintance which we have let get an advantage over us;

or ideas from the world which sound right, but are not.

These weights interfere with our race; and hinder our faith’s growth.

We can still run; but with difficulty….and perhaps a fall.

So, the writer says, you need to “lay aside” these; and run with patience the race that is set before us, by the Lord.

A good way to start this is:

Hebrews 12: 2-3 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him that endured such contradictions of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

We are to look to Jesus: look at His example, and look at the reason He went to the cross.

Jesus Christ our Lord came from His glory, into humiliation for us; that we might have His life and peace.

We are His joy, and satisfaction.

(Isaiah 53:11 “He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.”)

It was not just His suffering in death, but the “contradiction of sinners”.

That was in the unbelief of the people he came to;

the anger of the chief priests and Pharisees, who refused to acknowledge Jesus’ authority;…..

…..and in the face of so many proofs, rejected Him and sought to make others refuse Him as well.

Yet Christ Jesus went to the cross to die and save all who would come unto Him.

He ran the race His Father placed before Him, that He might have us with Him for all eternity. Again, we are His joy.

The writer also goes on to say that we should be prepared to be corrected, if you wander from the path of life.

Your Heavenly Father loves you, and seeks to keep you safe.

The further you are from Jesus; the further out of His Light and Love you go; the more in the dark we are.

This is not what Jesus has for us.

Hebrews 12:11 “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yeildeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

“Them that are exercised thereby” are the people who really want to learn.

(A group of people are all training for a big game.

The trainer is working hard with all of them, in order for them to win.

But he will take extra time with those who get bruises, or sore feet, or are failures at first; and still get up and want more of the training, so they can get it right. These are those that are “exercised thereby”.)

When we have seen the value of the life the Lord gives us, and we come to the place where we need correcting (and we all do)…..yet if we go on with Jesus, and learn; we will bare the fruit of righteousness within ourselves….because we stayed with Him.

So in Spiritual Life:

Our Trainer is the Holy Spirit He is come to us to guide us in the Lord’s Way, in grace.

But we are often slow learners; or frightened; or we want to do it another way.

But the Holy Spirit does not give up on us; but rather seeks to point us to Christ; and keeps working in us. (Philippians 2:13)

He tells us: don’t give up, do not get discouraged; but go on with Him.

Hebrew 12: 12-13 “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

Lift up the hands which hang down in fear or tiredness.

Strengthen the knees which want to just sit down, and forget it.

Make your paths straight, by:

Trusting in the Lord.

Listening to Him.

And holding on to His love.

He is always with us, let us stay with Him.

Ask for these to be shown to you; and be prepared to be strengthened by His Holy Spirit, in peace and joy.

Reality and Responsibility

The beginning of reality for us, as Christians, is the hearts desire to know God’s personality and character…..intimately.

The end of reality….if end it could be called,….is the hearts love of God only.

To see and know the love of God….to desire to be near to Him always, to ache, to long, to let nothing come between our hearts gazing on Him.

Psalm 42:1-2 “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”

The Song by Fredrick Faber:

“Only to sit and think on God, oh what a joy it is!

To think the thought, breathe the Name, earth has no higher bliss.

Father of Jesus, loves reward! What rapture will it be,

Prostrate before Thy throne to lie, and gaze and gaze on Thee!

Jesus, I love Thee so, I know not how, my transports to control;

Thy love is like a burning fire, within my very soul.

O Spirit beautiful and dread! My heart is fit to break,

With love of all they tenderness, for us poor sinners sake.”

Psalm 43:3-4 “O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles.

Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God.”

We think that our responsibility as His believers is varied….with many things that we should do….

…and though we are called to individual obediences….

…..our responsibility, as Christians, is simply to use God’s foreordained means to bring about His foreordained ends for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

God saw you before He created anything, and gave a purpose and power for your life in Christ.

He gave you a will so that when His life is implanted within you, you could will with Him.

For it is, as Jesus said, “If any man will…”

He gives us the Holy Spirit….Who supplies the means for obedience….

…..but we must exercise our will.

Our will is the faculty of choice….the cause of all our actions.

When we will, we are choosing one thing….and refusing another.

When God, through the Holy Spirit makes known HIs Will, we are to deny ourselves (which is to refuse my thoughts, and feelings about this)….

…and then, I accept His Will for this.

I want to stress in this, that spiritual reality is in the fellowship and communion we have with God along the way in which we will to do His Will.

The Israelites crossed the Rea Sea dry shod, were fed and cared for with Manna from heaven, and had water come out of a Rock so that all had some….

….but they never had spiritual reality.

To them God was either a benefactor…..or a hard taskmaster.

They applauded His mercy….and despised His righteous judgements.

So when it came time to completely trust Him,….they failed.

Hebrews 3:19 “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Faith and Hope are given Christians by the Holy Spirit.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for..” (Hebrews 11:1)

That “substance” means a setting underneath……like the Rock we are to stand and build on…..like the Everlasting Arm that holds us up.

That is faith. It establishes in our hearts and minds that God is real….and is our God…now.

This is the Faith that commands, and it rest in the Hope of all you have been given up-to-date.

Hope is the anchor of our soul (Hebrews 6:18-19)…..which goes deep and embeds us firmly in Christ….so that as He is unmovable, so are we.

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

And how are we to be unmoveable? “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Faith is the substance of things hoped for…

…and both faith and hope take the things the Holy Spirit reveals to us, and makes them real in our experience…..

….makes them part of the building we are building with God…..as we deny ourselves, and will with Him.