The Heart’s longing after the Lord, Himself

Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the Lord,  that will I seek after,  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,  and behold the beauty of the Lord,  and to inquire in His temple.”

David was called the man after God’s heart, for his love to Him.  Despite David’s many failures,  some terrible,  David always returned to God.

Notice the action of this verse:   

“One thing have I desired of the Lord”;  this is of the heart.  He wanted it so much that he asked the Lord for it.

But he did not just ask.   He said, “I will seek after.”

He put his actions with his heart, and did everything he could to “dwell” with God.

That is what it means by “I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life”.     He did not want to lose his fellowship with God.  Or the joy of His presence with him.

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

We praise God for the mercies we receive,  the grace given.

But how much do we love Him?

Love is willed.   Emotions come and go.

But love will last,  or will not.   If you “give up” on love,  you are willing to end it.

If you will to;  you may keep loving.

David said, he would keep loving and seeking after the Lord;  for the Lord was beautiful in all His glorious character:

He was merciful,  for He had heard David and helped him even when he kept his father’s sheep.

He was powerful, for the Lord strengthened David against a bear, a lion, Goliath, and many enemies he came against.

He was present, always.  In help, and in correction.

We can deny ourselves and do our duty, as Christians, because we know we have to.

Or for a benefit;  perhaps the Lord will answer my prayer and give me what I want, if I do what He wants here.

But love to God sees things differently.  It sees God as beautiful in character.   He is the One whose love sought me, redeemed me, and upholds me.

The Lord always blesses obedience.  But He loves to be sought after;  and gives double blessings to those whose obedience is in love.

“I will seek after” is the loving heart’s response to the Lord, Himself.

Psalm 63:8 “My soul followeth hard after Thee:  Thy right hand upholdeth me.”

With the Lord, there is always an answer to our love.  He will show more of Himself to all those who want it.

The Heart’s longing after the Lord, Himself

Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the Lord,  that will I seek after,  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,  and behold the beauty of the Lord,  and to inquire in His temple.”

David was called the man after God’s heart, for his love to Him.  Despite David’s many failures,  some terrible,  David always returned to God.

Notice the action of this verse:   

“One thing have I desired of the Lord”;  this is of the heart.  He wanted it so much that he asked the Lord for it.

But he did not just ask.   He said, “I will seek after.”

He put his actions with his heart, and did everything he could to “dwell” with God.

That is what it means by “I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life”.     He did not want to lose his fellowship with God.  Or the joy of His presence with him.

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

We praise God for the mercies we receive,  the grace given.

But how much do we love Him?

Love is willed.   Emotions come and go.

But love will last,  or will not.   If you “give up” on love,  you are willing to end it.

If you will to;  you may keep loving.

David said, he would keep loving and seeking after the Lord;  for the Lord was beautiful in all His glorious character:

He was merciful,  for He had heard David and helped him even when he kept his father’s sheep.

He was powerful, for the Lord strengthened David against a bear, a lion, Goliath, and many enemies he came against.

He was present, always.  In help, and in correction.

We can deny ourselves and do our duty, as Christians, because we know we have to.

Or for a benefit;  perhaps the Lord will answer my prayer and give me what I want, if I do what He wants here.

But love to God sees things differently.

The Lord always blesses obedience.  But He loves to be sought after;  and gives double blessings to those whose obedience is in love.

“I will seek after” is the loving heart’s response to the Lord, Himself.

Psalm 63:8 “My soul followeth hard after Thee:  Thy right hand upholdeth me.”

With the Lord, there is always an answer to our love.  He will show more of Himself to all those who want it.

Rahab

Hebrews 11:31 “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not,  when she received the spies with peace.”

Rahab was a Canaanite and a harlot.

Rahab had heard of God, and believed what she heard.

She, therefore, knew in her heart that she was doomed to die with all in Jericho,  unless God would extend to her mercy.  But how to get this mercy?

Joshua 2:1 “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy out secretly, saying,   Go view you the land even Jericho.  And they went,  and came into a harlot’s house,  named Rahab, and lodged there.”

These spies had come to look over Jericho,  but had not gotten any further than inside the gate,   before they saw  they were recognized. 

They quickly ducked into a house on the wall,  which was a harlot’s house.

The guards came and told the King of Jericho, that two Israelites had come into the gate; and they thought that they had seen them go into the harlot, Rahab’s house.   

The KIng of Jericho sent to Rahab to bring the men out to him.

But Rahab did not.  Instead she hid the men of Israel, and told the King that they had gone out as soon as it grew dark.   She told him that if they hurried, they might catch them.

From the time they came into her house, she had a plan.  She wanted to talk to their God, and knew that they represented Him.

Joshua 2:6,8-11 “But she brought them up to the roof of the house,  and hid them with the stocks of flax,  she had laid in order upon the roof.

                              And before they were laid down,  she came up unto them upon the roof;  

                              And she said unto them,  I know that the Lord hath given you the land,  and that your terror is fallen upon us,  and that all the inhabitants of the land faint  because of you.

                             For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you,  when ye came out of Egypt;  and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites,  that were on the other side Jordan,  Sihon and Og, which ye utterly destroyed.

                             And as soon as we had heard these things,  our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man,  because of you:  for the Lord your God,  He is God in heaven above,  and in earth beneath.”

Here is her testimony of her belief in God, by just hearing about Him.   Pretty amazing!  

Romans 10:17-18 “So then faith cometh by hearing,  and hearing by the word of God.

                                  But I say,  have they not heard?  Yea verily,  their sound went into all the earth,  and their words unto the ends of the earth.”

She then asked for that mercy she had wanted from these men,  who were representatives of God.

Joshua 2:12-13 “Now therefore,  I pray unto you,  swear unto me by the Lord, since I have showed you kindness,  that ye will also show kindness unto my father’s house,  and give me a true token:

                             And that ye will save alive my father,  and my mother,  and my brethren,  and my sisters,  and all that they have,  and deliver our lives from death.”

This was her request to them,  and they agreed;  only with three conditions:

Don’t tell anyone about them.

Get and keep everyone of your household in your house, when we come.

And tie a scarlet line, which they gave her, to her window.

Joshua 2:18-20 “Behold,  when we come into the land,  thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by:  and thou shalt bring thy father,  and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household,  home unto thee.

                              And it shall be,  that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street,  his blood shall be on his head,  and we will be guiltless:  and whosoever shall be with thee in the house,  his blood shall be on our head,  if any hand be upon him.

                              And if thou utter this our business,  we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.”

She agreed;  letting them down a window, and telling them to go and hide for three days before returning to their camp.

“And she bound the scarlet line in the window.” (Joshua 2:21)

She did not know when they would come and fight the city;  and she wanted to be ready.

This scarlet line would have been bright, and easily seen;  even by the returning  king of Jericho.

But she believed God,  and right then decided to obey Him with all her heart, so she kept that bright scarlet line in her window.

It was a few weeks before Israel came to Jericho: 

They came to the Jordan River, and camped there three days. (Joshua 3:1-2)

They crossed Jordan, as they did the Red Sea, on dry ground; for the Lord dried up the flooded river for them.  It was the tenth day of the first month. (Joshua 4:19)

Then they circumcised all the males.  It was a sign of renewed communion with God as His separated people.   (Joshua 5:7, 9)

They kept the Passover  feast on the fourteenth.  (Joshua 5:10)

For six days the people (yes, all of them) were told to encompass Jericho without saying a word, once each day.  The armed men were to go first,  then priest blowing rams’ horns, then the Ark of God, then the people. (Joshua 6:8-9)

Then on the seventh day, they were to encompass the city seven times.  Only on the seventh time,  when Joshua told them to “Shout”,  did they speak.

Then they shouted, and the walls of the city came falling down. (Joshua 6:20)

Except the house on the wall of Rahab.

Joshua 6:22-23, 25 “But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country,   Go into the harlot’s house,  and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath,  as you swear unto her.

                                     And the young men that were spies went in,  and brought out Rahab,  and her father, and her mother, and her brethren,  and all that she had;  and they brought out all her kindred,  and left them without the camp of Israel.

                                     And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive,  and her father’s household, and all that she had;  and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers,  which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”

Rahab was saved, and for a time of cleansing kept without the camp of Israel.  

Later she was admitted into Israel, and married Salmon (Matthew 1:5), of the tribe of Judah.    

Rahab believed God.  And God sought her out, by the spies, because of her belief.

Her faith is recorded in the Old and New Testaments, to show that God sees and honors faith in Him;  no matter what sort of person they were before the faith.

Every person born, is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,

                               Even when we were dead in sins,  hath quickened us together with Christ,  (by grace ye are saved;)”

“Quickened” means made alive to God.

Rahab was given this mercy and a life with God.

All who come to Jesus Christ in faith will have life, abundant life, as well.

Take us the foxes

Song of Solomon 2:15 “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines:  for our vines have tender grapes.”

As Christians, we are all called to bear fruit:

John 15:5,8 “I am the vine,  ye are the branches.  He that abideth in me,  and I in him,  the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.

Herein is my Father glorified,  that ye bear much fruit;  so shall ye be my disciples.”

The Lord Jesus is saying to His beloved believer:  Let us work at those things which  hinder you from bearing fruit.   But they are “little foxes”.  They are not major problems;  for we would go to Jesus at once for help with them.

They are “little” foxes;  which come in through the fence anywhere, and eat the tender blossoms of grapes. (Big foxes will eat on the fruit of the grapes, but the little foxes nip in the bud,  whole clusters of grapes in one single bite,  because it is still in the blossom stage.)

But if these “little foxes” are not seen to;  then there will be none, to very little,  fruit.

So Jesus says “Let us see to them,  together”.

These “little foxes” are the natural way we do things.  Instead of relying on the Holy Spirit, we “think things out” and come to a “conclusion”.  We often do them, by choice, automatically.   They are the natural us, and it takes effort to set them aside,  and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance and help.

Instead of seeking for joy and peace,  we seek “happiness”,  which is fleeting and deals with what is going on with us. (Joy comes from knowing the Presence of God in my life,  and it does not rely on circumstances.)

Instead of following close to Christ,  we rely on the experience we had Sunday,  yesterday,  even this morning.   Those experiences are good,  but not when Christ is calling you on to what is next.

Real fruit comes from the Holy Spirit within.  There is the fruit of the Spirit, in our lives:

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,  goodness,  faith,

Meekness,  temperance:  against such there is no law.”

And there is the fruit of a Christian,  which is another Christian;  for we are all called as witnesses of Christ Jesus:

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power,  after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,  and all Judea,  and in Samaria,  and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

But to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit,  we need to “take us the foxes, the little foxes,  which spoil the vines”,  with Him.

God is Light

From the first few verses of the Bible to the last chapter, the Bible shows that God is Light.  (Genesis 1:3,  Revelation 22:5)

Spiritual Light is the manifestation of God.  Whether it comes to a person, a people, or a church;  when Light comes, God is shown in His grace and power.  When light comes, darkness flees.

Genesis l:2-3 “And the earth was without form, and void;  and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

                         And God said,  Let there be light: and there was light.”

When all was darkness and chaos;  the Spirit of God moved, or brooded on the waters which covered the earth.

Then God said,  Let there be light.   That was all that was needed.  He spoke, and it was done.  

Light came, darkness departed.

Later He made a great light, the sun to rule over the day; and He made a lesser light, the moon, to rule over the night. (Genesis 1:16).  

We would always have a manifestation of His Way by the lights.

When man was created,  God breathed into him the breath of life,  which is the Holy Spirit, and man became a living soul,  with the Light of the Holy Spirit within.   Man was spirit, soul, and body.

At the fall,  the Holy Spirit left them because of sin;  but the consciousness of God, or the “light that lighteth every man”,  remained.  (John 1:9)

Man was still spirit, soul, and body;  only without the Holy Spirit within him, giving him Spiritual Life.  He was spiritually dead. (Ephesians 2:1-3)

He gave the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of light by night, to lead the children of Israel all the way to the Land of Promise.  

Exodus 13:21 “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud,  to lead them the way;  by night in a pillar of fire,  to give them light;  to go by day and night.”

That light separated them from the forces of Pharaoh’s armies at the Red Sea Exodus 14:19-20 “And the angel of God,  which went before the camp of Israel,  removed and went behind them;  and the pillar of the cloud went before their face,  and stood behind them:

                                And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel;  and it was a cloud and darkness to them,  but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all night.”

The call to Israel was to obey, and “walk in the light”.

Isaiah 2:5 “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

David’s psalms are full of the love of God’s light to him. 

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation;  whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life;  of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 37:5-6 “Commit thy way unto the Lord;  trust also in him;  and he shall bring it to pass.

                          And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,  and thy judgement as the noonday.”

God gives light to anyone,  the moment they hear and turn to Him. 

Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,  and a light unto my path.”

God shows it to be as the dawning light,  which keeps rising, till it is at high noon.  

Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is as the shining light,  that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

There are often shadows, and things that we let get in the way of the light, but as we follow and obey the Lord, we will come to high noon. (there is nothing between us and the Lord)

Jesus Christ was the Light 

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them,  saying,   I am the light of the world:  he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,  but shall have the light of life.”

And calls us to be lights, by His life in us, in this world.

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

Spiritual Light is the manifestation of God.  And think of it,  He gives it to us!

When Light is shown, we are given knowledge of God, and what He would have us to do, or how to do.  And with the light,  power to do is given.

We are called to come to the light; and as Christians we are able to walk in the light. 

Ephesians 5:8 “For ye were sometimes darkness,  but now are ye light in the Lord:  walk as children of light;”

1 John 1:7 “For 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.”

What a great privilege it is to have God’s Light shining in us and for us.  To know His will, and do it. (For with the Light, comes ability to do)

Terrible will be the day when those who have rejected the Light, will be judged.

Jude 13 “Raging waves of the sea,  foaming out their own shame;  wandering stars,  to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

There will be no light in the lake of fire;  only darkness, and torment.

But it is not God’s Will.  He would have all come to the Light of Himself, and live in the sunlight of His love. 

Enjoying  His fellowship and growing in the knowledge of Him, day by day, till we reach heaven.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation,  a royal priesthood, a holy nation,  a peculiar people;  that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:”

David versus  Goliath 

1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren:  and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David upon that day forward.  So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”

David had been anointed King of Israel by Samuel, because King Saul, had been set aside for his disobedience to God’s command.

Of course, Saul was still King.  (The Lord would remove him when the time was right.)

And David, though anointed King,  still kept his father’s sheep.

Months passed, till:

The Philistines, who were enemies of Israel, had come up to fight against Saul and his army of Israelites, and three of David’s older brothers had been called up to join the army, and fight them.

But as they come into view of the Philistines, they are terrified to see and hear the taunting of a giant, named Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:4-9 “And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath,  of Gath,  whose height was six cubits and a span.

And he had a helmet of brass upon his head,  and he was armed with a coat of mail;  and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

And he had graves of brass upon his legs,  and a target of brass between his shoulders.

And the staff of his spear was like a weavers beam;  and his spears head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.

And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel,  and said unto them,  Why are ye come out to set  your battle in array?   Am I not a Philistine,  and ye servants to Saul?

Choose you a man for you,  and let him come down to me.

If he be able to fight with me,  and to kill me,  then will we be your servants:  but if I prevail against him,  and kill him,  then shall ye be our servants,  and serve us.”

This was quite a speech!   “I am a Philistine”,  but you are just “servants of Saul”.

Discounting Israel, and Israel’s God.

Defying God’s Purpose, for Israel was brought into possess the land, by God;  and defying God’s continued protection of His People.

Back, taking care of the family’s sheep, was David.   David loves the Lord, yet had not been called to go up against Goliath, either by the army (at that time they did not even know anything about David), or the Lord.

Until:

1 Samuel 17:17-18 “And Jesse said unto David his son,  Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn,  and these ten loaves,  and run to the camp of thine brethren; 

And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.”

David’s father sent him on an errand, to supply his brothers with some food from home.   Little did Jesse realize that in doing so,  he would set in motion the rest of David’s life work.

Yet, now it was just an errand, that David did with faithfulness:  He left the sheep with a keeper (for he did not neglect the small duties);   And went, rising up early to do as his father commanded.

As he came, the battle between the armies was setting up, and David came and spoke to his brothers.

At the same time,  Goliath came and taunted Israel again.  David heard the taunt, and knew that it was against Israel’s God, not just Israel.

So he wanted to hear what would happen to anyone who went up against this giant.

His brother was angry, thinking he had come just to see the battle; but David ignored the anger, and kept after his goal of learning about this giant’s challenge.

Saul, hearing about this man’s bold words against Goliath;  sent for him and questioned him.    David spoke just as boldly, when the reality of fighting this giant, was presented.

I must pause in the narrative, and explain that in our life time we are presented again and again with these things:

There will be simple errands the Lord will send us on that will change the course of our lives.   (Or the lives of others)

 We will be misunderstood, and have angry (a lot, sometimes) words thrown at us.

We must ignore the anger; and speak our words, or do our duty faithfully.

And we must be prepared to act in faith and boldness, on the Lord’s side.

1 Samuel 17:32 “And David said to Saul,  Let no man’s heart fail because of him;  thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. ”

Here, David presented himself as a warrior.  Not a soldier in Saul’s army, but a warrior for the honor of the Lord.

He told of God’s past protection against a lion and a bear; and saw no difference between them and this Philistine, because he hath defied the armies of the living God.

In other words, Goliath was not taunting men,  but God.  And in that case,  Goliath was in a lot of trouble;  even if he was a giant.

1 Samuel 17:34-37 “And David said unto Saul,  Thy servant kept his father’s sheep,  and there came a lion and a bear,  and took a lamb out of the flock:  

And I went out after him,  and smote him,  and delivered it out of it’s mouth: and when he arose against me,  I caught him by his beard,  and smote him,  and slew him.

Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear;  and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

David said moreover,   The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear,  he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.    And Saul said unto David,  Go, and the Lord be with thee.”

We must understand, that David trusted the Lord.   He felt, that since no one was going to fight Goliath, that God’s honor was being slandered.

And he realized that he should do something about it.

That his life would be forever changed;  he did not yet think about.  

There was no long preparation to fight Goliath:  Saul tried to give him his armor,  but David put them off;  for he had not used them before.  “He had not proved them”.

But instead, with confidence in God to deliver, David took what he knew.

(And so should we.  We should not get talked into conversations of philosophy, or other doctrine;  when what we need to say is about our Lord Jesus Christ and His work; in us and for us).

1 Samuel 17:40 “And he took his staff in his hand,  and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook,  and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had,  even in a script,  and his sling was in his hand:  and he drew near to the Philistine.”

Notice how the Holy Spirit in the Word does not magnify the means of deliverance which David took.  Instead He emphasizes that they are common, and simple.

(As Paul said, himself: “And I, brethren, when I came to you,  came not with excellency of speech or wisdom,  declaring unto the testimony of God. 

For I determined not to know anything among you,  save Jesus Christ, and him crucified”  1 Corinthians 2:1-2)

Now let us consider Goliath.  He was a champion:  had many battles, and won.   He was a giant.  Taller, and broader, and stronger than all the men of Israel, even Saul (of whom it was said he was head and shoulders above  the Israelites.  1 Samuel 10:23-24)

He did not want subjection to Israel, or the God of Israel;  he wanted to rule, and make these God fearing Israelites his servants.

He had taunted Israel for forty days, and not one Israelite had come to take his challenge.

He felt very confident that none could beat him, and so when he saw David, with his shepherd staff, he mocked.  He took it one step further, for he cursed David by his gods.     (I told you Goliath was in a lot of trouble.)

But now, for David. (This should be our position, any time we go to do our duty:  in work or battle.  We are to do it in faith, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ)

1 Samuel 17:45-47 “Then said David to the Philistine,  Thou comest to me with a sword,  and with a spear, and with a shield:  but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts,  the God of the armies of Israel,  whom thou hast defied.

This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand;  and I will smite thee,  and take thine head from thee;  and I will give the carcasses of the hosts of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air,  and to the wild beasts of the earth;  that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.”

For the battle is the Lord’s.   This we should realize for our work, as well.  If we have been sent, and are obedient; then the Lord will be with us, guide us, and will see His Will done.

1 Samuel 17:49-51 “And David put his hand in his bag,  and took thence a stone, and slang it and smote the Philistine in his forehead,  that the stone sunk into his forehead;  and he fell upon his face to the earth.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone,  and smote the Philistine,  and slew him;  but there was no sword in the hand of David.

Therefore David ran,  and stood before the Philistine,  and took his sword,  and drew it out of the sheath,  and slew him,  and cut off his head.   And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead,  they fled.”

All that David had told Goliath, happened.  Certainly by God’s Power, through faith.  But also by the means of David’s arm. 

God alone gives grace,  but He gives us the privilege of standing with Him, and acting for Him in certain situations.

The instruction was from the Lord, the Power was God’s,  the faith was by the Holy Spirit;  and the Lord chose to use David.

It should be the same with us.   Instruction, power, and faith to obey His Word to us, to do His Will for our lives.

But we must do it.

To Fail of the Grace of God

Hebrews 12:15 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;  lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you,  and thereby many be defiled;”

Grace is the unmerited favor of power.  It is a gift from God to His children.  God’s grace saves,  upholds us,  and strengthens us for the work.

So how can we “fail of the grace of God”?

Simply, by not using it.  

How many times have we asked for help;  and refused it, when it came, because we did not like the way it came?  

(“I will not take help from that person, they always think bad of me anyway.”     Really?   If God has sent that person to help you,  so what if you don’t like them?   Or even if they don’t like you?   Wouldn’t that make the miracle of help, so much better?)

How many times has God sent a trial for us to pass through, and  we have refused to do so, because we don’t think we can “handle it”?

When you do this, you are failing of the grace that God wanted to give you to go through this trial. 

(He sends us trials to make us stronger in His love, and faith.   

1 Peter 1:5-7 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  

Wherein ye greatly rejoice,  though now for a season,  if need be,  ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  

That the trial of your faith,  being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,  though it be tried with fire,  might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”)

And how many times have we thought that we are O.K.     We don’t need help with this.  We have done this many times.    

And then, because we have refused to take the fresh supply of God’s grace,  we fail:   either in our tongues, or in our reactions to something.

(The disciples thought this,  when they thought they would go back to fishing, after Jesus was crucified, and had arose.

John 21:3 “Simon Peter saith unto them,   I go a fishing.    They say unto him,   We also go with thee.    They went forth,  and entered into a ship immediately;  and that night they caught nothing.”)

We fail of the grace of God, when we allow the bitterness of resentment to “spring up”.    

Hebrew 12:15 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;  lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you,  and thereby many be defiled;”

There are resentments which are buried in our emotions.  Time has passed, and so we think that they are gone.   But they are just gone underground.  Someone’s actions may bring them all out again.

They are there,  because we have not removed them.   It is by the grace of God giving us forgiveness for the person that has hurt us, that removes them.

This is hard,  impossible in some situations, without His grace enabling us to do it!

But, if we won’t remove them,  they will “trouble you”.

They will “spring up” (This is such a good description of how they suddenly appear.)

A little thing can remind us of these.   And once it is in our heads again,  it  needs to be taken to the Lord.

God’s grace is a gift from our Lord, for now.   The grace of this day.  The grace for this hour, even.

How much we need it!     

Let us seek to RECEIVE all He has for us, and stop failing of the grace of God. 

Let us seek to yield to the Holy Spirit within,  and receive His revelations of the things which hinder our walk with Him.

And mostly,  let us receive all the “power of God through faith unto salvation” (our salvation),  for we are kept by it:  kept from the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil;  and kept close to Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

True North on the Compass of Your Life.

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision,  the people perish:  but he that keepeth the law,  happy is he.”

There is, on the compass, a magnetic north,  which is not true North.

You can navigate with this, for short trips.

But when you have long trips over any length of time or of distance; you must be able to ascertain True North, or you will be off your point of destination, miles and miles.

We should all have a goal to which we are headed in life; and a way of getting there, which is not going to lead us in the wrong paths.

That goal keeps our eyes focused on the real purpose of our existence.

As Christians,  our purpose of life, should come from the Lord:

 Ephesians 2:10. “For we are his workmanship,  created in Christ Jesus unto good works,  which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We are “created in Christ Jesus” or born again;  for a purpose.

Our purpose is to “walk” in the good works God appoints us, as individual Christians, to do.

So what is the True North in this walk?

It is making Jesus Christ, Lord of your life, so that you will know what to do, and will be empowered to do by His life, within you.

John 7:17 “If any man will do His will,  he shall know of the doctrine,  whither it be of God,  or whither I speak of myself.”

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

As certain as this old earth keeps turning,  there will be sunrise tomorrow.

You may not be able to see it, for there may be clouds and the day dark and dreary;  but the sun will be there.

This says that we can rest easy in Christ;  we can expect Him to show us His Way for us, and for Him to give us His blessings (the former and latter rains),  in the time we need them.

It also encourages us, to follow Him. (How many scriptures do this very thing?)

He knows where we should be, and how we are to get there.

In life,  in attitudes, and in troubles;  with Him as our Lord and Savior;  we shall know.

Our whole life is a journey. (I used to tell a friend, life is an adventure. They thought of “lions” and “tigers”;  and they were not happy about the thought.  But I still think it is.)  It is a journey of a life time.  

And, lets face it,  we need help;  we need a guide, who loves us, to get us to the end.

We are to “walk” from here to heaven, with Christ Jesus.

That is a daily walk with Him.

That is how we grow to know Him more.

True North on the compass of our lives,  is to make Him Lord of our lives.  

Then we will see His Purpose for our lives, done.

Then we will get to the end in peace.

Let Us Go On

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

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

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

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

Let me tell everyone who names the name of a Christian:  Jesus Christ interferes with life;  namely our life.

He makes claims upon us.  He wants us.

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

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

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

They need to be drawn to Jesus Christ for themselves; for their need, for mercy.

Luke 18:9-14 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

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

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

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

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

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

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

In effect: “You stay up there in heaven,  watch offer me, keep me from harm,  deliver me, care for me, and take me home to heaven when I die;  I’ll stay down here and do nothing to terrible, go to church,  read my Bible when I need to and pray whenever I’m in trouble.”

The bargain struck, and the parties agree;  or so we imagine.  And off we go completely convinced of the soundness of our position.

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

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

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

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

Christ’s life is Eternal Life.     It is Him we receive at new birth,  He is our life.  Eternal life is a condition of life,  as we receive His nature by the Holy Spirit.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,  forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

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

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

We are called to bring forth fruit.

We are called to walk together with Christ.

We are called to obtain promises.

We are called to witness of Christ.

We are called to win Christ.

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

Not to win salvation: that is in Christ.

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

But to win Christ.

This is to “go on to know the Lord”

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

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

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

Read about Him.   Pray to Him.  To know Him is the real gain of all things.   Real satisfaction,  real joy,  real peace;  spiritual reality is in the experiential knowledge of Jesus.

Behold I stand at the door, and Knock.

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

This is Jesus, standing outside the door of the Laodicean Church,  knocking. 

He is Standing, so our Faithful Lord is showing that He is ready to do, for the church.   But He is outside, not inside, where He should be.

So, He speaks.  He lets His Voice be heard.

But it is to the individuals inside the church that He speaks.

“If any man (that is woman, boy and girl, as well) will hear my voice and open the door”.

It is never to a particular building, that Jesus speaks;  but to particular people.

Those that will “hear Him”.

There are many noises, and “voices” in this world.  They are all making demands on us:  our emotions,  our thoughts, and our time.

His Voice is the still, small voice in our hearts, calling us to “open to Him”. (1 Kings 19:11-12)

And what “door” are we to open to Him?

The door to our lives;  our everyday lives. 

This is to Christians, so the Lord Jesus is in our hearts;  but He is calling us to let Him in every part of our lives.

(When we rise up,  He is there.  

As we go out to jobs, school, doctor’s visits; wherever,  He is there.   

If we have sleepless nights,  He is there.)

Open to Me.

Open to fellowship.  “Let us sup together”.  

In Bible times, you never ate with an enemy,  but only with friends, family, or to honor a guest.

This call to “sup” means to let Him in your life as family.  Let Him sit at your table and talk with you.  Let Him lead you into all the ways at work, or relaxation that He wants.  

It is a life open and receptive to Him.

Do you want Him more than you have Him now?

Then open to Jesus.   He waits at the door of your life, for you to answer His call to you.

Come in , come in,  dear Lord Jesus; and let us have fellowship.  You lead, and I will follow.   I open my life to You.   A life open to and receptive to You.  Thank You,  Thank you, dear Jesus, for waiting for me.