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.”

Launch out into the Deep
Luke 5:4 “Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”
Here the Lord is getting surrounded about with people , who want to hear more of the word of God, by the lake of Gennesaret.
Two fishing ships were at hand, although the men were out of them, so Jesus enters into one of them and asked the owner, named Simon, to:
Luke 5:3 “And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.”
There was some effort to this favor for Jesus, and now Jesus is going to do Simon a favor.
“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nests for a draught.”
Simon, here, was trying to be polite; and gently tells Jesus that they had already done everything they could to get a catch of fishes.
Luke 5:5 “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing: Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”
But he also added, “But at thy word ”
Here is obedience. Peter might not have agreed with the plan. Might not have thought it would work; but would do it anyway, to honor Jesus.

Jesus had “borrowed” Peter’s ship, and now He would “pay” him for the use of it.
Luke 5:6-7″ And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.”
A net full of fishes, to the breaking point, was what He gave.
“Pressed down and running over”. (Luke 6:38). He spoke this word…He fulfilled this word to Peter, here.

But now, with the “payment” given; Peter realizes this Jesus was who John the Baptist testified; “The Lamb of God”. (John 1:35-41). That He was indeed the Christ.
Peter then fell down (probably a most unusual position for the energetic fisherman)
And cried “Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Luke 5:8-9 “When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes that they had taken:”
“Lord” is the right title for Jesus. And it led to following Jesus.

Luke 5:10-11 “And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him.”
They forsook all and followed Him.
This is the best gift–to be called to follow Jesus.

Launch out into the deep. A simple command, simply followed; which led to becoming a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus also calls us to “Launch out” with Him in our everyday lives, to be obedient to Him.
We may not “agree” with the command; or think we have already done all we could;
but we will obey.
“They forsook all”; they had known Jesus before (as John 1:35-41 shows), but now their lives were at Jesus’ command.
What about us? Do we know Jesus, yet have not “launched out” with Him into true discipleship?
He calls, will we follow?
We may never “forsake all” in the same way as Peter, James, and John did here….but we are always called to place Him first.
And with Him first, everything else is seen to. (Mark 1:20)
Matthew 6:33. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

Daniel 3:1 “Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was three score cubits, and his breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.”

We are all inclined to “success, and praise”. Nebuchadnezzar was. He had been given a interpretation of a dream by Daniel which spoke of himself as a “golden head”. (Daniel 2:37-38)

He then sought to show everyone, just how great he was. The “golden head”, became a golden statue.
And now everyone gathered,and especially his princes, and people placed in authority, was to bow down to it!

Daniel 3:4-6 “Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sacbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

But there were three Godly men, who had been appointed into positions of authority in Babylon, who did not bow to his image. Their names were: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
It was not that they did not respect the king, but they were to worship one God, only: the God of Heaven. So they could not bow down to any other “god”.
But, because of their positions, there are others ready to accuse them before the king.

Daniel 3:12 “There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar, knowing the jealousy of princes when they inform on one another, gives these men another chance to bow down to his image.

Daniel 3:14-15 “Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abend-nego? Do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Now if ye be ready at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sacbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image that I have made; well:
but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace;
And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand?”

Now here is a trial, which we, as Christians, often face: Should we go along with the world in certain things?
Should we sacrifice our position, to honor the Lord?
Surely, we can do “good” in a position of authority; so, should we jeopardize it for God?
Does it matter, if it is in a minor thing?

Yes, every Christian knows the answers to these questions; yet how often do we follow through?

These men were not only going to lose their positions, but their lives. Nebuchadnezzar was making it very clear where he stood: Honor me or die; because “your God can not deliver you from my hand”. (Boy, was he wrong!)

Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said unto the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

But these three Israelites were also making it very clear where they stood: with God, their God.
They said they “were not careful to answer” him. Simply put, they did not care about his threats, or actions against them, if it meant dishonoring their God, the real true God.
And further, they said, that God would deliver them, whether by death or some other way. But what ever happens, they would not worship Nebuchadnezzar’s gods, nor bow down to the golden image.
That would dishonor their God.

Daniel 3:19, 21 “Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more that it was wont to be heated.
Then these men were bound in their coats, and their hose, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”

Furious, Nebuchadnezzar told his men to heat the furnace (his appointed means of destruction for those not willing to bow to his image), seven times hotter than previously!
It was so hot that when the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego , into the furnace; they died from the heat!
Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t so sure of himself. Perhaps their God would be able to deliver them, after all.

Daniel 3:24-25 “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

While waiting for them to disappear from view, Nebuchadnezzar gets surprised by the men, up and walking in the furnace. (They had been bound)
But there were four men walking there. And one was like to the Son of God.

This is an amazing sight. But unlike others, Nebuchadnezzar saw the truth, and acknowledged it.
He did not try to ignore it, and say: “No, I will not believe that there is this kind of power, which can withstand me, and my fiery furnace! I will close my eyes to this, and let them burn.”
He did not do this. He saw, and he acknowledged, and then he believed.

Some men refuse the truth right before them. They refuse to see, and will not acknowledge God’s Authority. He can, and does what He will, with His own.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego knew this.
Now Nebuchadnezzar does, too.

Daniel 3:26-27 “Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
And the princes, and the governors, and captains, and the kings counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of the fire had passed upon them.”

There was no smell of smoke; nor was there burnt clothing on them. God had not only brought the men through, but everything of theirs through without hurt, as well.

Nebuchadnezzar was changed himself; though not completely purged from self-honor, yet.
But he honored the God which could deliver “after this sort”.
For he said (and he was talking about his own gods, as well): “because their is no other God that can deliver after this sort.”

Daniel 3:28-29 “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that had trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve or worship any god, except their own God.
Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; Because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.”

The principal we always need to remember is:
(1 Samuel 2:30). “…for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

We are to be in the world, but not of it.
We are, instead, to be looking to the Lord, for His Word, and His help; for His honor.

Psalm 34:4-8 “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (This is when they were first called to come before Nebuchadnezzar. How many fears went through their minds. But the Lord saved them from these fears)

“They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.” (This is when they spoke boldly before Nebuchadnezzar, for their God.)

“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”(This is when, bound and thrown in the furnace, they lifted their prayers to God.)

“The angel of the Lord campeth round about them that fear him and delivereth him.”
(This is when God saved them by the Presence of Himself, with them.)

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (This is the conclusion for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; And all who will trust in the Lord.)

 

 

Forgive me, O Lord, and Restore a Right Spirit within Me.

In Psalm 51, David pours out his heart to God for forgiveness.

He had sinned terribly, by adultery; and then, the fixed murder of the woman’s husband.
Worse, he had refused to seek forgiveness for it, trying to hide it; until God sent someone to show him that God knew, and was very displeased.

Sin is rebellion against God. It is seeking my will over His Will; seeking to have me as ruler of my life.

This is what happened to David. It started innocently enough. He had been home from the war with the Ammonites. And he wanted to stay home; to have a little more rest and relaxation than God wanted. It was the time for kings to go out to war, and he should have been at the head of his army.
2 Samuel 11:1 “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.”

But instead, he stayed in Jerusalem, and “took time off”. He was sleeping all day, and got up; and went on top of the roof of his house, when he saw Bathsheba.

If he had been at the battle, all the other things would not have happened.
He first lusted after a little more rest. (Was his army “resting”? Did he think because he was king, he could skip his duty?)
Then he lusted after a woman. And when lust was conceived: sin.

Instead of setting it right, he continued in it for months; for Bathsheba told him she was “with child”.

Then, came the choice of a lifetime. David comes up with the plan to dupe her husband into thinking the child was his.
This did not work, so he plans it, that the husband would be killed by the enemy.
2 Samuel 11:15 “And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.”

David, even now was not repentant.

You wonder how a man so close to God, could be so overcome with sin! But, the truth is, we underestimate the power sin has on our life. It’s power grows as we refuse to deal with it. Had David stopped, and sought forgiveness after the first sin with Bathsheba; God’s power would have easily overcome the power of the lust; and saved him from continuing on to deceit, and murder. (2 Samuel 12:9)

He went on, till God had to send someone to him. First the rebuke, then the chastening.
David was forgiven; but suffered by illness, and rebellion in his children because of his sin. He was not paying for his sins; but reaping what he had sown.
Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Though David sinned terribly, yet he repented greatly. True repentance comes, as we come to God, without merit of any kind from ourselves, to get an answer from God, Himself. Not to just be satisfied with the seeking of forgiveness; but the word of forgiveness from God, personally.

Psalm 51:1-2 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”

David calls upon God for mercy. Mercy presupposes sin. And David had sinned. And he knew it. He had known within his heart for months, and he had known it by the word of the Lord through His servant. The rebuke brought about the right results. He sought for spiritual mercy.
It is the benevolence and kindness of God to a sinner, who seeks forgiveness, and salvation from their sins.
In God’s mercy, was his only hope, and so David’s faith reached out to that character of God, and cries for God’s mercy. It is only in God himself that the wiping away of sin could be found. (For the promise of the coming Messiah, who would bring victory over sin, and sin’s consequences, was known. And all who trusted in God, looked forward to Him.)

David could do nothing. There was no sacrifice for the sin he had committed, “else he would give it”
Psalm 51:16 “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offerings.”

The mercy he asks of God was “according to his loving kindness”; according to the character of God.
He did not know whether God would hear his cry; for David had turned a deaf ear to God.
He wasn’t asking because he had earned it, even with the repentance.
He was asking God to do according as His character was.
And David spoke plainly concerning his sin.

“Blot out my transgressions”, or “revoltings”. These acts he had committed were not “slips”, or just defective obedience. No, they were acts of rebellion against God.

David had revolted against God’s rule in his life, and wanted to do his own will.
His actions were great perversity; the twisting of God’s grace into sin.
God had given David the kingdom, and great help in all that he had done; and with God looking on, David had misused the grace, and despised His goodness.

What would God do with him?

He wanted forgiveness; he would not be able to come before God without it; but he wanted complete removal of all this defilement within.
To be throughly washed from his the mass of his filthiness, and iniquity!

Here is a way we can all test ourselves and “our repentance”.
Are we content if we just ask for forgiveness, and not to seek cleansing?
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

It is forgiveness and cleansing.

God had sent a man to rebuke him. This was a great grace, not to let him continue in his rebellion.
God had made David willing to confess, so he asks God to finish the work of grace within him. To forgive and cleanse him.

Psalm 51:9-10 “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

God’s “hiding” His face from our sins, is putting them away. (Psalm 103:12)

So David prays for a new life.
“Create in me a clean heart” cries out for a new heart within him. David realizes that he will revolt again, if God does not give him clean affections. And God needs to create them within him.
Give me a submissive heart, and make me steadfast to You.

Psalm 51:11-12 “Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and up hold me with thy free spirit.”

Do not leave me to my own way.
Do not throw me away; or take away Your Holy Spirit from me.

David had know the joy of God in His life, and he prayed that it would be restored.
And that he would be kept (“lead me not into temptation, and deliver me from evil”, as the Lord Jesus taught us to pray. Matthew 6:13) from falling into evil again.

To be free from sin is true freedom indeed.
Sin is the worst bondage.
Though some call it “freedom”; it enslaves, by a constant growing desire for “more, more, more”.
With each step forward, the slave is “unknowingly” sinking. As quicksand does not suck the victim in immediately, but slowly brings him down, till the mire covers his head in death; so sin does the same.

Only God can free us from sin.
First, He brings us to repentance: a “repentance not to be repented of”.
2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Do we want to be free from our sin, or just the consequences of it?

Second, He leads us to Christ.
John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Third, He leads us in the desire for true liberty of Spirit, which is the freeing us of the power of sin over us.
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 the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

David’s faith in God, lead him to cry to God, for this forgiveness and cleansing.
The desire to be able to worship, and come near God again.
Is this what we want, as well?
Christ’s Sacrifice is able to cleanse us from all sin.
Will we seek it from Him?

Wild as Horses,
Stubborn as Mules,
Or Guided by God’s Eye.

Psalm 32:8-9 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.”

Horses are beautiful and wild. When you break a horse, you don’t want to break its spirit, but its will.

Mules are very good animals of burden and work. They work hard….when they do; but it is getting them to do it, that is the problem.

Bits and bridles for both of these animals are often called for, in the training period, and sometimes, beyond.

We are often like this, the Lord says. We are wild, wanting our own will.
And we are stubborn; this is written in a Psalm of David, where he confesses his refusal to go to God in confession of sin.

Psalm 32:3-4 ” When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.”

David knew he had sinned. He just refused to acknowledge it. He did not want to think of it.
But when God dealt with him; he could think of nothing else. It took all his strength and vitality; and left him withered, until he did come and confess it.
(Selah means: stop and consider!)

But there is a remedy for this way of behaving. God says He will instruct us.
This means that He will gives us knowledge to do; but also understanding in that knowledge.
Men can instruct as to what to do,
But only God can give understanding.

 

Then He says He will teach us.
He will take our hands and place them on the work, and show us how it is to be done.
It is the “on job” training of God for us. It is Amazing!
God personally taking us aside and guiding us in everything we are to do.

“I will guide thee with my eye.” How many looks have we received from our parents, our spouses, and friends. We know so well what they mean, without them saying a word.
This is the relationship God wants to have with each of us.

 

 

What does it mean to Overcome?

To Overcome means to subdue, have the Victory, prevail , or conqueror.
For us, as Christians, we are called to overcome everything which stands in the way of our doing the Lord’s Will.
This is a battle. We are to do battle with our lusts, our self life, and the world, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

First, Christ speaks of His Overcoming:

Luke 11:21-22 ” When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace:
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.”

This is speaking about His overcoming the Devil and releasing his prisoners.

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

This is speaking about His overcoming the world.

Both of these He overcame for us. On the Cross, when He said, “It is Finished”, the Victory was won.
The Devil would have to open his prison house for those who received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The World and it’s influence, would not be able to persuade the Christian, who truly obeyed Christ; to follow it’s corruptions.
1 John 2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

The Victory is won; but we still have to enter into it, for ourselves, personally. This is the Battle.
We have to exercise the faith Christ gives us, in our lives, today. For faith lays hold on God and His promise of Victory, and brings down from God the grace needed; that we can have it.
1 John 5:4-5 “And whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Faith looks to God. It says that God will, with Christ, “freely give us all things.”
Romans 8:32 “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

In the letters to the seven Churches; Christ Jesus commands those who have ears to hear; to “Hear what the Spirit says”. (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28, 3:5, 12, 21-22)

From the times of the Apostles, who warned of “wolves in sheep clothing”; to the present age, Christ Jesus is saying:
“Follow My Holy Spirit, by hearing what He is saying to you; and overcome that which stands in the Way of doing my will for your life; He will show you what hinders you, and how to remove it from your life.
Or follow the spirit of the times (each age had it’s “spirit”. Some full of violence, others full of dishonesty, others full of experimentation into feelings, and the mind).”

Just as the Man Christ Jesus, overcame every obstacle that stood in the Way of His Father’s Will for Him, here.
(He went to the Cross, was Resurrected, and received all power in heaven and earth for His Church. Matthew 28:18-20)
So must we overcome everything which stands in the way of Christ’s Will for our lives

He gives the faith which overcomes, the light which makes the darkness in our lives flee away, and the grace, by the Holy Spirit within, to finish the work He has given us.

The work of the Spirit in us, by us, and through us for others.

The Man with the Withered Hand.

Matthew 12:9-10 “And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
And behold, there was a man who had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? That they might accuse him.”

Jesus had been on a teaching tour through the cities of Israel. And now he was come to their synagogue.

The Pharisees had laid a trap for him, in the appearance of a man with a withered hand.

To have a deformity in Israel, was to be disgraced, for it meant that sin was somewhere in the family of the person. This man had sinned, or someone in his family had sinned, and he was being punished for it.

So the Pharisees asked a question, that they thought was pretty straight forward.
Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?
The Sabbath was the day of rest. A day which should be spent in contemplating God, and His Word. A day of fellowship with others of His people.

They were to do no work on the Sabbath, or it would be defiled.
But what is work, and what is mercy?
Jesus points out the difference.

Matthew 12:11-12 “And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
How much then is a man better that a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”

Would you save you one sheep? Your only sheep?
This is interesting. Jesus does not say one out of a hundred. Or a thousand.
But one.
That is exactly the way He feels about us. If He only came to save one, He would have.
We are that one. The man with the withered hand was that one; and He would save us, and He would save him.

So His question to the Pharisees was really: would you, save the one sheep you own; would you save your livelihood?
The answer He gave; of course you would.
Therefore, since you would save your one sheep on the sabbath, I will save this one man on the sabbath.

Also notice, the way He talked of the sheep: “if it fall into a pit”. Are we not also ready to fall into a pit, without His Salvation?

Christ’s answer was God’s Character. The Sabbath was made for man to have rest with His God. It is lawful, then to do well on the sabbath days.

Matthew 12:13 “Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.”

This man may have been a tool of the Pharisees to use against Jesus, but heard enough to know that the mercy of God was being extended to him.
But it would cost him something.
It would cost him embarrassment.(And how many of us would be stopped right here?)
He would have to show his deformity for all to see.

It would also cost him the company of these people. For to be obedient, would show that he believed Jesus. This was dangerous, as these people were influential.

So, here is the choice: Jesus, and God’s mercy; or his normal existence, but accepted by the religious rulers.
Which would he do?
“And he stretched it forth.”
His choice was Jesus, and obedience. For it, he was healed.

But Jesus was also offering mercy to all those in the synagogue: including those Pharisees.
Matthew 12:14 “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.”
Their choice was to keep the life and influence they had; not to yield to the mercy offered.
How much they lost by their choice!

Jesus talked of saving the “one sheep”, because each of us are that one sheep.
He came to save us: from the guilt of sin, the power of sin, and one day from the presence of sin.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

 

Spiritual Warfare: Our thought Life.

Our thought life is important. We often just think that what we do is important, and it is. But what we think, and what we allow ourselves to think on, is important to God.

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

Our flesh is our natural self life. It is what we have become over the years as Adam’s children. It is our habits, our desires, our plans, and our way of thinking; all of which make us do, and say, and act, the way we do.
This is the flesh.

When we become born again, and Christ’s life is within us by the Holy Spirit, then our flesh fights against the new life; so that it will not have to obey Christ, but can continue to do what it pleases.

A warfare takes place within us:
Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

“The things that ye would”, are those things that Christ leads you in, for you are born again, and want to serve Him.
But, because there is warfare within, it hinders the joy of service, and often the service is marred.

What to do? Can we eradicate the flesh?
No, we can not get rid of the flesh, it will always be with us; but we can win the battles to bring it into subjection to our King, Christ Jesus.

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;”

What are these “strongholds”? They are those thoughts that take hold in our minds and do not let go.
They could be presented by strong argument or reason; or by the emotions flowing and giving sympathy to a motive. In the Spirit, we may know it is not right, though we can not tell how; but how ever it comes; if it is not dealt with, it builds a fortress in our thoughts.

It could be about the value of a certain thing. Simple in itself; but given power over the thought life by the flesh, in reason or emotion; and then built upon again and again, because every time you go to get rid of it; and don’t, it’s value becomes stronger.
(I once knew a Christian who became convinced that there was no hell. He, of course, did not want to think about some of the people he knew who would go to hell, because they were not born again. It became a big snare in his life; and dulled his sense of urgency where dealing with the lost was concerned.)

If you refuse, once, to deal with it; then the Adversary inflates the object with all sorts of affections, or opinions to keep it.

“Casting down imaginations”. Our imagination is a faculty which brings to view in pictures, the things we are dealing with.
It can be a big snare; when it is not kept under control of the Holy Spirit.
We can let our thoughts “go”, and pretty soon, we are in a world of our own making; no reality; where the truth is what we want it to be. Dangerous, because the truth then can be twisted to be what the Adversary wants it to be.
Casting down imaginations is tearing them down, to reveal the Truth that is in Jesus for this situation.
It can be a tough fight, if we have let our imaginations begin to rule us.

But again the fight is not with carnal or natural weapons, but mighty through God, by His Holy Spirit, to cast them down in our view and affection; so that we can be free from the influence of the Adversary through them.
In a world where “virtual reality” is accepted everywhere, we need to be especially careful, if we want to please the Lord Jesus Christ; Who is the Truth.

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Or we may end up like those Paul warned of:
2 Timothy 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

The power of God is mighty to pulling down strongholds with in our minds; and to cast down imaginations which have given a alternate view of Reality.
The power of God through the Holy Spirit.

“Every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God”.
God will tell you something; through His Word, the preaching and teaching of ministers, or personal communication. Then you hear, “You don’t really believe that do you?”
That is a high thing which is exalting itself against the knowledge of God.

God has said something to you, He is dealing with you about this situation; and the Devil would sent a doubt, and a hesitation, or a “very good reason, not to do what God said”.

What is it that we must do? Try and reason with the Devil? No! Eve tried that and sin was the result.
We can not reason in the flesh, or try and work up affections for God in the flesh; but we can yield to the Holy Spirit within us, and let Him lead us, in bringing every thought and affection, into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
When we do, we will be captives of God’s reasons, And captives of His love.

If ye love me, keep my commandments; Jesus said. (John 14:15). And when we do love Him, we will. This is where God’s power comes in.

His Power is given to us as we bring ourselves into captivity by the Holy Spirit to have His Life.
To have His Light, to see reality.
To have His love shed abroad in our hearts. (Romans 5:5).
To have His peace, shelter us.
To have His joy, make us strong.(Nehemiah 8:10)

We can make ourselves our own lord; and every time we refuse to yield to the clear command of God, that is what we are doing.
But that is bondage of the worst kind. Strongholds, Virtual Reality for Reality, and a form of godliness.

Or we can yield to the Holy Spirit, and have the power of God, which is mighty, working within us, to bring us into the captivity of the Life of God.

Which will we have?

 

 

 

 

 

The Test of Devotion/Where is the Lord God of Elijah?

2 Kings 2:1 “And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.”

Elijah was God’s Prophet. He had been called, when Israel was at one of it’s worst times. He had proved that God was “THE GOD”, before all Israel in a “showdown” with the four hundred priests of Baal, who were supported by Jezebel, the queen. (1 Kings 18:36-39)

His success there, thwarted the efforts of Jezebel to destroy the worship of God.
There were still those who were idol worshippers, but she could no longer kill, and torture those who believed in God, as she had before. There had been a renewal of the worship of the Lord, because of Elijah.

But now it was time for Elijah to be taken to heaven. Years before, Elijah had been told to anoint Elisha as prophet, in his room. (1 Kings 19:16, 19-21)
And Elisha had been a servant to Elijah, as his helper, while his training had been going on.
2 Kings 2:2-3 “And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.
And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yea, I know it, hold thee your peace.”

Elijah and Elisha traveled from Gilgal to Beth-el together.
Elijah had asked Elisha to stay at Gilgal, but Elisha would not leave him. Where he went, his helper would go also.

Elisha knew that God was going to take Elijah, and he wanted to hear every instruction, every prayer, and every help he could, before that happened.
He also felt that being with him till the end was his duty; that God would show him what to do by it.

We have been called to follow on with Christ Jesus. He has shown us many things, and we have learned of Him. We know He is with us, but we are conscious of a lack of power. How are we to do all we have been called to, without the power of the Holy Spirit resting on us?
This was Elisha’s thoughts, too.

2 Kings 2:4, 6 “And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me unto Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.
And they two went on.”
Stay here? Elijah asked, at both places. But again came the reply, “As the LORD liveth and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee”.

Did Elisha know exactly what would happen? I do not think so. But, I believe, he knew that the ministry of Elijah was ending; and his, as Prophet in Elijah’s room, was beginning. He knew that he would need to see the work Elijah started, done.

God would part them, and begin Elisha’s work; but Elisha would continue on as Elijah’s servant, and companion, till God did. He would not leave him, till then.

2 Kings 2:7c-9 “…and they two stood by Jordan.
And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, that a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.”

Here Elisha sees once more the power of God, Elijah could use. And here, Elijah asks him “what shall I do for thee?”
Without hesitation, Elisha asks for a double portion of the power of God.

He felt that he needed more of that power of the Holy Spirit, to help him do what was needed, in this time, in Israel.
If Israel was to be guided according to the Word of God, then Elisha would need double the power that Elijah had.

It is one thing to show God, as “the God”; as Elijah had.
It is another, to guide the believers of God into the life which they ought to have, stay with them, or visit them, to help them again and again. This was Elisha’s ministry.

He felt that such a work, would need great power. The enemies of God were still at work. Idolatry was always a problem.
Elisha felt, if he was to serve acceptably as God’s Prophet, he would need much of the Holy Spirit.

2 Kings 2:10 “And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.”

Now if Elijah had said this at the first, we could understand Elisha’s sticking close to him. But that was not the reason for him staying with Elijah.
His devotion to the man who lead him into a deeper knowledge of God, and His Word and Works, was great. He had taught him many things, shared his experiences, and manifested to Elisha the great faithfulness of God to His people.
Now it was time for Elisha to do the same with the sons of the prophets (groups of believers which met together in various cities), and with Israel.

Elijah’s ministry would now be passed on to Elisha, to be finished.

2 Kings 2:11-13 “And it came to pass, as they went on, and talked that, Behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went by a whirlwind into heaven.
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My Father, My Father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them into two pieces.
He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;”

Going on, walking and talking, as they had done so many times; God parted them, with a chariot of fire and horses of fire.
Elijah was taken up to heaven, and Elisha saw him no more.

Elisha then tore his outer clothes in two pieces, to show he was no longer just Elisha, and he picked up the mantle Elijah had dropped (which had been cast upon him when Elijah had called him. 1 Kings 19:19).
He was now Prophet in Elijah’s place.

2 Kings 2:13-14 “He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan;
And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said,
Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: And Elisha went over.”

He had received a double portion of the Holy Spirit which had been on Elijah.

He was now to finish the work of leading the believers of God, in Israel, on to a more full and joyful life with God.

In his ministry, Elisha dealt with kings, captains, and those which would be kings.
But his ministry mainly centered around the circuit he walked with his servants, to preach and instruct those that believed in God and stayed true to Him.
From Gilgal, to Mt. Carmel, to Samaria, to Beth-el, and around, Elisha went delivering the message of God; saving such as came to seek God’s help, and leading others to a knowledge of God.

We, too, have a ministry for which we should seek the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
He is in us, if we are born again; but to have His power in our lives, we need to submit to Him.
The condition of Elisha receiving the double portion, was that he STAY WITH Elijah, and see him go.
So we, too, need to “stay with” the Holy Spirit, by obeying what we have been given to do, removing all that hinders His influence within us, and standing in the place Christ Jesus won for us in His Victory on the Cross.

Where is the Lord God of Elijah? He is the same, yesterday, and today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:8-9b “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace;…”

He is ever ready to give power to the faint, and to them that have not might He increases strength. (Isaiah 40:29)
But it is as we “stay with”, and yield to the Holy Spirit within.

 

Entering into the Promised Land/ Or Crossing Jordon.

A little background is necessary:

Israel had been brought out of Egypt with power.
And they had been brought through the wilderness to Mt. Sinai, where God made a covenant with them; giving them the Ten Commandments, and ordinances or rules to live by when they came into the land.
The generation that came from Egypt were rebellious; so God kept them from entering into the land, but did not take His mercy from Israel, the nation; but brought the second generation to the brink of Jordon, to possess the land God promised Abraham to give to his descendants.

Joshua 3:1 “And Joshua rose early in the morning, and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordon, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.”

Notice Joshua, the leader of Israel, rose early. He was energetic in his duties.

They lodged three days before the Jordon. If it was time to go, why wait three days?

When they will enter Canaan before Jericho, they will find that the inhabitants have all run into the city, for protection. They will not take all the corn or grain they had harvested the last year, and it will feed Israel.

Three days of waiting, would reward them greatly, when they crossed over Jordan.

An announcement is made the second day:
Joshua 3:3-5 “And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then shall you remove from your place, and go after it.
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

It would be the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God among them, which would lead them through the Jordan.
The Priests carry the Ark with poles on their shoulders; so the Priests would have the privilege, and the responsibility of going into Jordan first.

The people were to keep a distance between them and the Ark. For the Lord wanted them to see all the wonders that were going to happen. And how they happened.

The people were to sanctify themselves or to set themselves aside in their thinking and actions to the Lord, and His Way of working.
They would learn to stay in place, their place, and see all that He will do for them, in that place.
From the first tribe which would cross, after the Ark was in Jordan, to the last; all would see God’s wonders for them.

Joshua 3:6, 8, 13 “And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the Ark of the Covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the Ark of the Covenant, and went before the people.
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the Ark of the Covenant, saying, When you are come to the brim of the river Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bare the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon a heap.”

Picture it: All Israel is up, waiting for their turn to cross the river Jordan.
And they see the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant moving out toward the river.
Nothing changes, nothing happens, till the priests and the Ark, carried on their shoulders, get into the water.
The Priests were to walk into the overflowing Jordan, carrying the Ark on their shoulders.
They were to get their feet wet. They were to go into the midst of Jordan, but it was promised that they would stand there on dry ground.

Sanctify, again, means to set themselves aside to God’s use.
God was going to use the Priests obedience as “the signal” for the waters to stop coming down. To be halted and piled up. He would do this miracle, but at the time the priests went into the river, only.

And all Israel would see it, follow them into Jordan’s river bed; and walk around them on dry ground.

Joshua 3:14-16 “And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant before the people;
And as they that bare the Ark unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the Ark were dipped into the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
That the waters that came down from above stood and rose up upon a heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.”

It happened just as the Lord told Joshua it would. They were now in the land God had promised them; “right against Jericho”. They were in the right place.

Joshua 3:17 “And the priests the bare the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.”

This is an amazing wonder. There was no time between the feet of the priests going into the Jordan, and the waters being cut off.
But they did not know exactly how things would go. They believed God would do what He said, and they obeyed; but when, or how much water they would walk into, they did not know.
They determined to do their duty, looking to God to see to the rest.

Trust in the Lord is a wonderful thing. Trust holds on to God, and His Word:
Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

They trusted the Lord, and their trust was rewarded.

Joshua 4:10-11 “For the priests that bare the Ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: And the people hasted and passed over.
And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the Ark of the Lord passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.”

Joshua 4:18 “And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.”

Everything was now put back the way it was, and Israel was in the land. They were camped in Canaan.

God had opened the way for them, and He will do the same with us. No, we will not need to cross Jordan for this; but the way He opens doors is often (to us, anyway) as miraculous.

He can stop someone or something; and at the same time tell us to move forward. To “get our feet wet” by obedience to His Word.

Trust is know the Lord has told you to do this, and to do it; hanging hard on to Him and His Word.
That does not mean there will not be “battles” ahead. (There were many in front of Israel). But it does mean that He will be with us, guiding us, and strengthening us for the days ahead.

Believe and Trust Him. Trust and Obey. And see that God will honor His Word.