An Open Face.

An “open face” in Scripture is an honest one.

How many times God asks us to get honest with Him. To come to Him “as we are”, and not in hypocrisy, or pretending.
Honesty to God is of primary importance.
(It is only the “good and honest” heart in Luke 8:15, that bears fruit, and is blessed.)

2 Corinthians 3:18 “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.”

The Lord showed me this verse once: I was standing in front of a mirror (glass), and looking at my reflection, I saw the Lord’s face superimposed upon it. So that when I saw myself, I also saw Him.

This is what this verse means. As we get honest with the Lord about ourselves, our attitudes, and our thoughts; The Spirit of God changes the inclination of these things, and we “are changed, into the same image”.
This is to have the characteristics of Christ in you. Worked in you by the Holy Spirit, as you get honest with Him.

This is often not as easy as it seems. We think we are generally honest people, but the Scriptures tell us, and experience shows us that we are dishonest.

This began with Adam and Eve. Their sin separated them from God; so much so that they knew they were naked before Him.
So they sewed fig leaves together, and tried to cover their fault.
Then they tried to hide themselves, among the trees of the garden.
And lastly they blamed their sin, not on their own choice, but someone else.(Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed “the serpent”.). They refused to come to God in honesty, confessing their sin; but tried to cover and lie about it. (Genesis 3:7-13)

We are their descendants. We are all born with sinful natures, and we are generally dishonest with ourselves (the Bible calls it being “deceitful”), as well as with others.

Thankfully, God has made a way for us to have victory here. For without honestly coming to God, “you” are not coming. (The pretend you may be coming, the excusing you may be coming; but “you” are not)

Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

If you are going to get honest with God, by the help of the Holy Spirit; He rewards you accordingly. He will give you what the honest heart seeks: His Power and Presence in our lives.
Remember the “open face” being changed into His image, or character.

As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit within us, and He will:
John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”

He will guide us into all truth. He will teach us the things of Christ, changing us, into His image, as His face was superimposed on mine. I will still be there, but He will be seen as well, in my everyday life.

Ephesians 4:13-15 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (complete) man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

This is something you acquire, as you yield to the Lord.
We begin to see that we have been covering up our attitude to this, and our anger for that; and turn to Him for the victory over these things only He can give.

We are us. The things that have happened to us, have happened. THEY can not be changed.
But we can. God gives us His life, instead of anger, resentment, lust, and lying.

Will we with “open face” be changed from glory to glory (one characteristic of Christ, to another)?

If you are born again, you have the Holy Spirit within you, ready to guide you into all truth; Will you have it?
For surely God will reward your yielding, many times over, in fellowship with Him.

To Experience the Call of Christ

Matthew 4: 18-20 “And Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”

When Christ Jesus calls someone to follow Him into a work, He says “Follow Me”.
Then He adds the job that He calls you to.

It is of first importance, that we know we are following Him, for He will ever be with us in the work, as He was with His disciples of old.

He empowers us by His Holy Spirit for the work we are given to do; as we follow Him.

His call, first, takes us away from something. They were fishers, and they left their nets and followed Him.
We are not necessarily, to leave the jobs we have; but we are all to leave the lives we have, in ourselves; and follow Him, into the lives He has for us.

This is said many ways in Scripture:
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.”
Paul said about the same experience:
Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

So when these fishermen were called of Jesus; they answered, leaving all their lives: what they had, and did; to be disciples of Jesus.
The call of Christ is away from OUR way of doing things; to obedience and subjection to our Lord.

But it is not just away from our old lives. It is a call to lead you on to something else: your life in Christ, as His servant, and friend.
(Christ Jesus NEVER asks you to “give up” something; without giving you something to replace it.)

John 15:14-17 “Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call ye not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you.
These things I command you, that ye love one another.”

You can see that a life of faith, is a life of obeying His commandments, in love to our Friend, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

This call from Christ to us, begins a way of discipleship and fellowship.

Matthew 13:17 “For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you have seen, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”

1 Corinthians 2:9-12 “As it is written, Eye hath not seen, or ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of the heart.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given us of God.”

The Lord loves for us to be in constant contact with Him. To be listening to His Holy Spirit within, and talking to Him through our day.

We are to learn how to hear aright. We are to learn how to walk in the Spirit; and we are to learn how to love one another, as He loved us.

It is all by fellowship with Christ Jesus, AND maintaining that fellowship; by confession of sins, and being cleansed from the power of them. (1 John 1:9)

They go together: forgiveness, and cleansing.
(What good would forgiving a small child for getting his new clothes into the mud, if you did not cleanse him from it? So, Christ does not just forgive us from sin, but cleanses us from it. And from this cleansing, we learn to love purity, and the right way.)

And then our call leads us to being filled with the Holy Spirit:
We are filled with the Spirit to the degree we are emptied of ourselves.

Ephesians 5:17-20 “Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord:
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

This life is a joyful one, not without trials, or afflictions: but with Power and Strength which comes from the Lord Jesus being present with us in all our days and nights by the Holy Spirit within.

The call of Christ is a call away from the world, and onward to fellowship and joy by the Holy Spirit through Christ Jesus our Lord.
It is a life of discipleship, and learning. We learn Christ, and that learning will/can go on for all Eternity; for His Life is Endless.

Have you heard His call? Saying, Arise, and follow Me? It may not come in those words, but He will speak to you, your name, for He knows it; He knows you.

John 10:2-3 “But he that entereth by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep heareth his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.”

The call of Christ is never away from Him, but a drawing closer and closer to Him.
For that is the life He has for us.

The Temptation of Christ Jesus

Matthew 4:1 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”

Jesus was “led up of the Spirit”. This temptation, then, was God’s Plan and Purpose for His Son.
He was in all points tempted, like as we are, the writer to the Hebrews revealed. (Hebrews 4:15)

So this temptation shows us how to act when we, too, are tempted.

First, notice that our hardest temptations come after we have gotten more Spiritual power and grace.
Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist, and the Holy Spirit had come down upon Him without measure, as He came up from the water. A Voice had announced that Jesus was God’s Beloved Son! And that He was well pleasing in God’s sight!

 

Matthew 4:2-4 “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command these stones to be made bread.
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live be bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Jesus was hungry. He had been fasting for forty days, and nights; so when He could, He wanted to break the fast by food.
But when tempted by the devil to change stones into bread, so He could satisfy His hunger, AND prove that He was the Son of God; Jesus refused.

But He did not just say “No”, but rebuked the suggestion by quoting “It is written”.
What the Scriptures say, help us to live aright.
The suggestion of the devil, was that because Jesus was the Son of God, He could do what ever He wanted, have whatever He wanted, whenever He wanted, by simply commanding it to be so.
Of course Jesus could, but that was not why He became man. It was ever to do the Father’s Will, that He came, and that was what He lived and died by.

So should we do the Father’s Will for us. It puts us in the wonderful position of being able to stand back from suggestions and plans, and seeking His Will in everything.

That puts temptations in a new light. It is not: “You want this, it is not too awful, why not do it?”
It is: “Is this what the Lord would have me to do, now?”

Notice this first temptation was for bodily wants.

Matthew 4:5-7 “And the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple.
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Jesus had quoted Scripture, so now the devil quotes it. Again he says, “If thou be the Son of God”.
Here the temptation is for public announcement. Cast yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple. What a better way to prove the fact that You are the Son of God! And it is said in the Scriptures, so God will have to do it.
Sneaky.
For God would certainly do it, and those that saw it, might have been awed into following Jesus for awhile, because of it. But that is not true believing. It would have been useless, for the heart will only follow what it loves.
And awe is not love.

But Jesus refused it, for it was not the Father’s Way of announcement. His Way was for Jesus to go about preaching, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. He was to do good to all. (Matthew 4:17)
Certainly it was not as exciting as angels catching Him. But it was what God wanted.

The devil’s suggestion was just tempting God; and Jesus refused it and quoted that Scripture: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
(To tempt God is to make God prove Himself or His Word, by demanding that He do something for us NOW: Do this, or we won’t trust You.)

This second temptation was for Fame, and prestige. He would be Famous, everyone would know He was the Son of God!

Matthew 4:8-10 “Again, the devil taketh him up unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them:
And saith unto him; All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
The saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Some say that the devil had no right to offer the kingdoms of the world, but he is the prince of this world:
Luke 4:5-7 “And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for it is delivered unto me; and whomsoever I will give it.
If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.”

The temptation here is: Forget the path to the cross. If You will fall down and worship me, You can have all the kingdoms and the power of them, NOW, without the suffering and shameful death of the cross.
This was the devil’s attempt to destroy Who Jesus was: “I will give you all I have, to make God finally submit to me, in the person of His Son.”
But after this final suggestion, Jesus commands the devil to depart; quoting the verse, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
Jesus would do ALL the Father’s Will. And He was confident that those kingdoms would be His, God’s Way; and that was through the cross, to resurrection and glory.

The third temptation was for personal power, and glory; without suffering.

And does not the devil tempt us in the same ways:
1)See to your needs first. Yes, your a Christian, but God has not forbidden you to do this, so He probably doesn’t care.

2)If you are going to have a ministry for God, make it flashy. People will remember you. They will admire you. They will think you are great! (There is a whole lot of “you” in that “ministry”)

3)If you will just go along with the world, you could skip a whole lot of trouble. Sure, you can look like a Christian, but you don’t have to walk in that “narrow”way.
In other words, “Go ahead, lose your Christ’s Life, to have your self life”. (Matthew 16:25)
These, and others like them, are the things the devil tempts us with.

Looking to the Father’s Will, Jesus went through these temptations, standing on the Word of God. Jesus went on to the work the Father had for Him, and finished it.

So we need to Look to Jesus, and go through all He has purposed for us, with Him. He was empowered without measure with the Holy Spirit; and He will empower us, to our measure, in the Holy Spirit to know and to do His Will.

 

 

 

Paul’s Conversion, and a Certain Disciple

(Conversion, here, means to spiritually change the direction of your life, by placing yourself on the foundation of Christ Jesus.)

To begin this, we must understand that Paul/Saul was a “up and coming” Pharisee. He was going to be SOMEBODY in the Jewish Religion! He was zealous concerning the Law; “a Hebrew of the Hebrews”. (Philippians 3:5)

But things began to “change”, when he heard, and saw a follower of Jesus Christ, die a martyr’s death. For the man, Stephen, asked God to forgive them; and Saul knew that this is how a true follower of God would act. (Saul was there as a representative of the Council who judged him. Acts 7:54-58)

But this “change” was not toward the Light he had seen, but fighting against it. Vicious was his attack on all, of this Way.
Acts 26:9-11 “I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
And I punished them in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”

And why was he “exceedingly mad against them”? Because, as we shall see, God was pricking his heart; and telling him that “this Way” was the right way. That Jesus Christ was indeed the Son of God.
But he refused to listen, or to bow to God’s Way. He would fight against it. By destroying Christ’s followers; he would destroy this Way. (So he thought)

Acts 9:1-2 “And Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest.
And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whither they be men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”

So he is going to take his hatred of this Way to other cities; to Damascus. He gathers men to come as escorts for the prisoners he will bring back.
Everything is proceeding according to his plan.
But he has a surprise in store; for this is not according to God’s plan.

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

Almost to his journeys end, close to Damascus; God shines a light down upon him that he can not ignore!

Acts 9:4-6 “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, Why persecutest thou me?
And he said, Who art thou Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”

Here, Saul/Paul falls to the ground. The Light is blinding, and he can not stand against it. He falls (finally in the right position before Jesus Christ), and then he is spoken to: Why are you persecuting Me, Saul?
(Notice that Jesus always identifies Himself with His people: Their persecution is His, as well.)

Saul is quite shocked! He thought he was just fighting against people; Who was he fighting against?

The Lord Jesus Christ then tells him, “It is I, you are trying to destroy. And I am here to tell you, you can not. I have been pricking your heart with the Truth of Who I am for some time. You just keep kicking against it. Stop fighting My Way. Stop fighting the Light I have given you. Yield to the Light given, or be destroyed yourself.”

Saul, having heard Christ Jesus for himself, gives himself over to Him: “What would You have me to do?”

Yielding simple allegiance, and seeking to obey; Saul gives up his life into the hands of Jesus Christ.
“I am Yours, what do you want me to do? Go on, or go back, or what?”

The Lord then calls him on to Damascus, not as persecutor of His people, but as brother to those of this Way. The rest would be “told” him, when he got there.

Acts 9:8 “And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they lead him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.”

Refusing to see the Light God first gave him, Saul is now blinded for a time, by the Light he could not refuse to see. They lead him to Damascus.

Saul is now fasting, waiting to hear from the Lord the instruction he was promised.

And now to the Certain Disciple:

Acts 9:10-12 “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision; Ananias, and he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,
And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.”

Ananias spoke up; he did not say he would not go, for he had called Jesus, Lord. (He is not Lord to you if you will not do what He says.)

But he prays a prayer that we all would be well to imitate, when we are afraid about doing God’s Will:
Ananias told God what he had heard about Saul, the evil he had done in Jerusalem, and that he had come to do the same here in Damascus.
Now God knew this, but as Ananias prayed this information to the Lord, peace would have come upon his heart. A peace that passeth understanding.
Ananias was then ready to hear what Jesus said to him: “Go”

Acts 9:15-16 “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

And so Ananias, went; doing exactly what Jesus had commanded him to do for Saul. Praying for him to receive his sight, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. (And because he went and prayed for Saul; every reward Saul/Paul will receive from the Lord, Ananias will receive a part, too.)

And what did Saul/Paul do?

Acts 9:19-20,22 “…Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.
And straightway preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

And Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which were at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.”

Acts 26:19-20 “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:
But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coast of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”

Saul/Paul continued on, doing the Will of Christ Jesus, his Lord, through many afflictions, and persecutions of his own; till, at the last he could say:
2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

Conversion meant for Saul/Paul, that he spiritually changed the direction of his life by placing himself on the foundation of Jesus Christ, his Lord.

Have you been converted to Christ?

Have you Settled Things with God?

In the garden of Getheseme, Christ Jesus “settled” with God that He would finish the work.
Matthew 26:38-40 “Then saith he (Jesus) unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.
And he cometh unto the disciples and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?”

The life He lived was not a easy one. Holy and undefiled, He lived in a world which was corrupt, perverted, and in bondage.

But in the garden, Jesus was to face the hardest battle. Alone, He struggled with the upcoming pain, and humiliation (imagine having the power to destroy, or even change the mind of those who arrested and tried Him; yet having to be silent in defense.)

John 19:10-11 “Then sayest Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.”

He struggled with the fact that Judas betrayed Him, and His disciples couldn’t stay awake.
He struggled with the fact that the very people He came, in love, to; had rejected Him and His Word about the Kingdom of God.
He struggled, knowing the beatings, both by Romans, and Israelites, He would be subject to; the crown of thorns being pushed into His head in cruel mockery. He was a King, but refused to show it.
He struggled most: with the awful fact that on the cross He would be deserted by His Father, who had always been with Him:
For all our wicked sin, was placed upon Him; as our substitute. All God’s wrath, which should have been placed upon our heads for our sins, was placed on His.

Yet at Gethesemne, He settled the matter. He had come to do these very things, so He willed to do them; so it was settled there, that He would do them. For they were the Father’s Will. And that is what He wanted.
And He did all His Father’s Will, even unto death.

So we must “settle it”, that we will stand in the place God has for us, and do His Will.

1Peter 5:10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

He will help us, by His grace; which is the unmerited favor of power. He is the God of ALL grace, so He has enough for us.
He can help us in suffering: to endure, making us “perfect”, which means complete.
He can stablish, giving us the firm foundation of His love, and peace in all the circumstances of our lives.(And how much we need His peace in our days!)
He can strengthen us, for out of weakness we can be made strong, to will and to do His will.
He can “settle” us; which is to make the way for the rest of our lives into a path that is plainly seen, and give us power to walk in it.

Christ settled things in the Garden; the fear and amazement was there. All that came after, was just the doing.

We, too, can settle things with God; so that we can do His Will, without fear, by grace; in confidence, that He will be with us, and empower us by His grace for all that we face.
But, because of Jesus’s atonement; we will never be alone. He will always be with us; in, and through everything in our lives.

Have you settled things with God?

The Judgement Seat of Christ

1 Corinthians 3:13 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

When we stand before Christ Jesus, in that day, the most important aspect of our service will not be how much we have done, but “of what sort it is”.

The most telling thing, will be our motives behind the work we have done for Christ.

So how shall our motives be seen?

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is lain, which is Christ Jesus.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

The things of God in our life will come through as gold.
The things of Salvation which we have shown will come through as silver.
The people we have helped win to the Lord Jesus Christ (by prayer, witnessing, or leading them to the Lord), will come through the fire as precious stones.

But the selfish, and proud, and willful actions that we have taken, even though they are religious, will be burnt up as wood, hay and stubble.

The motives of our work and service God always sees. He is interested in Who we love.
If we love Him, all our service in obedience to Him, will be elevated to worship. (Which is really worthyship)

1 Corinthians 13:1 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”

Though I speak every language of this earth, and that of angels.
If I can express myself in all these languages to set forth the truth of God; if love to The Lord Jesus is not the compelling factor in my action:
I am so much noise.

1 Corinthians 13:2 “And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (love), I am nothing.”

If I have the highest gift of the Spirit: to know the mind of God and to speak it.

And understand all mysteries: those things hidden from the ages, to be revealed now.

And all knowledge: being able to set forth these great truths, in a way all might understand.

And have all faith: so that I could remove the mountains, or anything which might stand in the way of the Gospel.

AND HAVE NOT LOVE, I AM NOTHING.
My position before the Church counts as nothing before God, if I do not do what I am called, out of love for Him; but for some other reason.

1 Corinthians 13:3 “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (love), it profiteth me nothing.”

Though I give all that I possess to feed the poor, and my body to be burned in a martyr’s death, without love to Christ as the reason for doing it; it profits me nothing where God is concerned.

We see then that, at the Judgement Seat of Christ, where the born again ones will be judged; it will be our love to Him which comes through the fire.
Love in the work and service that He gives us; but love to Him will stand the fire.

All the other reasons for following Christ, and doing good works, will be burnt up:

There is the reason of getting blessed for it: a bargain of types. I do this for you, God, and You do this for me.

There is the reason of position: either in the Church or in the World. To look good before men.

There is the reason to be SOMEONE, even to yourself.

And there is the reason: He told me to do it, so I have to, or else.

Where do we fit in here?

Do you love God? Is He the goal for all your works? To please Him, because you love Him? Are you fond of remembering His love? Do you want to experience more of it?

Then consider your heart: Who sits on the throne of your heart? Is it a divided heart?
You want to please Christ Jesus, but you also want that attention, or prominence that these works gain you.

Give up that thought of “gain”, for the heart will eventually be pulled apart and become bitter, or will begin to give reasons why you can do what you want.

Matthew 16:26 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

Someone has said: God’s love is like an Ocean. It is vast and beautiful. Powerful, and wide.
You can stand on the shore and look at it.
You can step in and out of it, staying on the shore.
Or you can get out into it, by the vessel of faith, and enjoy it.

Are you an Overcomer?

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.”

Before you can become the overcomer of Revelation 3:21; you must open the door of your life to Christ.
He will not knock down the door and come in; nor will He force His way in some other way.
He calls to the individual that hears His voice, to open to Him. It is a Life, open to and receptive to Him, that counts.

This is not sinless perfection; but the desire to have the fellowship offered by the Lord, here.
He will not force us to have this fellowship which is suggested in the, “sup with him, and he with me”.
It all rests with our “want to”. You will never have the Reality of the love relationship that He intends, until the Holy Spirit has created within you this want to.

We can know and claim His love to us. All His children can. But before you can really say “I love you” to Christ; you must give up loving yourself so much.
Again, it is the want to .

Revelation 3:21 “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

And what do we overcome?
Everything which stands in the way of God’s Will for our lives. This is what Christ did while He was on earth, so must we.
We overcome fear, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and trust.
We overcome ourselves in every way, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and deny ourselves, and be obedient to Christ.
We overcome circumstances, in the power of the Holy Spirit, joy for sorrow, peace for chaos, patience for worry, and anger. He empowers. He gives grace (the unmerited favor of power)

To overcome anything is to yield to Christ’s Word, and the Holy Spirit within; and come out of your self life, and into Christ’s life for you.

We must always bear in mind, WHO it is that speaks to us. And What He is able to do; even within the most rebellious, or lazy, or selfish thoughts within us.
Christ is able, and has sent His Holy Spirit to us, to enable us in the very place, time, and circumstances, we are in.

Have you heard His voice to you? Is He knocking again for entrance to your life?
It is fellowship that He desires, do you so desire this fellowship, too?

Are you an overcomer? Will you overcome everything which stands in the way of Christ’s life for you?

 

Not willing that any should Perish, But that All should come to Repentance

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; But is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Jesus’s  promise is:
John 6:37 “All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

Christ Jesus came to save all who would come to Him.
Salvation is four fold:
First, from the love of sin. (Conviction)
Second, from the guilt of sin. (By being Born Again)
Third, from the power of sin. (Called Sanctification, or the Natural man becoming Spiritual)
Fourth, from the presence of sin. (In Heaven)

And we are saved by the Word of God, believing and receiving what Christ has said, in the Bible.
1 Peter 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”

Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.”
John 3:7 “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Now this was said to a very religious Pharisee.
He had come to Jesus (although at night), to understand His message; for he knew it was of God.

John 3:1-2 “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”

And Jesus got right to the point: If you want to see the kingdom of God, you must be born again.

Nicodemus asked what that meant, exactly.
So Jesus begins to teach this very religious Pharisee, exactly what God requires from the man who would have everlasting life.

John 3:5-8 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily,(or Truth, truth), I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but can not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.”

In other words, Nicodemus (and anyone who would know), you must be born of the Holy Spirit from above to enter into the kingdom of God.
It is not natural birth, even for a Jew (though they had the oracles of God, they refused to honor and obey God).
It is the “birth” of the Holy Spirit within you, in your heart and life, that makes you a subject of God’s Kingdom. This new birth gives you a new nature (desires, and attitudes) for it is born from above.

And, Nicodemus, like the wind which blows; it is shown by the effects of it (the wind: by the leaves blowing around).
“So is everyone that is born of the Spirit”: they will show it, by changing into His likeness, and doing His Will.

John 3:9 “Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?”

Under the Law, it was your own power which was at work.
But here, Jesus was saying that God would, by His Spirit, work within each man, who came to be born again.

This was something wonderful. So much so, that at first Nicodemus did not understand it. (It had been spoken of in the Old Testament, but for the future.
Ezekiel 11:19-20 “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh:
That they may walk in my statues, and keep my ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

So Jesus again explains exactly what would happen, and how this life could be; but first He corrects Nicodemus:

John 3:10 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?”

“Are you a ruler of religion, a Pharisee, which ought to know the Scriptures; and yet do not know these things I am speaking about? This life was foretold in the Scriptures, do you not know them?”

John 3:14-18 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
And whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

(Condemnation from God is a horrible thing: To hear “Depart from Me” will sink a man to Hell.
“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19)

Jesus is saying here, quite plainly, that He was going to be “lifted up” (on the cross),
and that all that looked to Him and believed on Him as the Son of God, would be saved.

(Moses “lifted up” or put on a pole, a serpent. He placed it high above the camp of Israel, when they were in the wilderness.
He did this by command of the Lord, because the people had spake against God, Moses, and the manna God had given them.
He , therefore, sent fiery serpents among the people; which when they were bit, died.
Repenting, the people came to Moses to pray for them; and the Lord told Moses to place a serpent of brass on a pole.
Anyone who was bitten by a serpent, and would looked up to the Brazen serpent, would live.  Numbers 21:4-9)

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:”

We are to receive Him into our heart and lives.
To “receive” is to take and put to use. We are to receive Him, and put to use the life He gives us by the Holy Spirit within, to grow in grace, and be changed into His likeness.

And How do we receive Him?
Romans 10:8-13 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

For whosoever that call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

We receive Him, by coming to Him in belief, and calling on Him with our mouths to save us from our sins.
“God, be merciful unto me, a sinner; and save me for Jesus sake. Amen.”

The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Where are you in that statement?

Blessed

Psalm 65:4 “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causeth to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.”

Blessed means twice your happiest moment!
And we are blessed when we come nearer to Christ Jesus our Lord.

But this nearer is of the heart and will, not just of word.

Mark 5:24-28 “And Jesus went with him, and much people followed him, and thronged him.
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
For she said, If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be made whole.”

Here was a woman in need. She had done all she could, and gone to others who did all they could; but she was none better, but worse.

Hearing of Jesus (all the great miracles He had done,and the many He had healed), she came after Him; and seeing the crowd (for they all were pushing to be around Him), she thought she would come up behind him and just touch His clothes.

She came, not just to see, or hear Him, but to be near enough to touch His clothes, to be healed.
She thought that if she could just touched the hem of His garment (Matthew 9:21), she would be made whole.
So she came, pushed forward, and leaned down and touched the hem of His garment.

Mark 5:29 “And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”

Finally, wellness!
She touched His garment, and she felt the fountain of blood dry up, and that she was made whole. She probably stopped, with joy and wonder!

But then she heard Jesus say:

Mark 5:30 “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?”

I want to take a moment here, and point out exactly what the disciples are going to say: There are MANY who are touching Him, around and pushing to be around Him.
But He knows those who really come to Him, and they will always be blessed.

Mark 5:31-32 “And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, who touched me?
And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.”

Jesus was not looking for those who follow for position, or for curiosity.
He was looking for her, who had come to Him, believing that He could meet her desperate need.
That is faith. And faith in Jesus always brings us near in heart, and will.
And will always be blessed.

Although right now she is afraid, she does not run away, or try and hide in the crowd: but came, again, in honesty, and told Him all.

Mark 5:33 ” But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.”

She did not know what He would do. He might revoke His healing. He might be angry at the way she had been healed. She does not know; she fears and trembles: but she comes to Him, and tells Him all the truth.

She should not have feared; the One who heals, saves. The One who saves, receives us again and again, despite our weakness. And so He does here.

Mark 5:34 “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace (always a sign from God that she is saved), and be whole of thy plague.”

The Lord always rewards faith. His first thought is for her peace with Him (salvation); then He doubles the healing by speaking, “be whole of thy plague.”

Blessed is twice happy; and she was. Both saved and healed, because she came to Him; first in secret faith, and then in honesty.
The first was given what she sought.
The next was given blessing; To be brought near to Jesus in Salvation, and to be made whole.

Jesus has said:
Matthew 11:28-29 ” Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy ladened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

It is in our coming to Jesus Christ, that we are blessed. We shall be satisfied as we abide with Him.

 

God is Nigh unto them with a Broken Heart.

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart: and saveth such that be of a contrite spirit.”
This is a promise from our God to Christians.
Often the broken heart thinks that God is far away….but not so. He is near.

This broken heart is found in all places. We are broken in heart by our sin and many failures to such a Good God.
We are broken in heart, often, when we are in troubles and afflictions.
We are broken in heart as we go through this weary world.
Isaiah 32:2 “And a man (and that man is Christ) shall be as a hiding place from the wind and a culvert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as a shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”
We are broken in heart by people’s cruelty, and circumstances which seem like repeat offenders.

But we have a promise: The Lord is near us. I don’t know about you, but the greatest joy of my life, has been His Presence.
I’ve know it since being born again, and though I have wavered (often), He has not. He has loved me (and let me tell you what a big chore that is!); and helped me.

Yes, I can say it has not been always the way I wanted. But I can also say, it has been what I needed.

My broken heart, (by loss, by hate, by hurt feelings, by money troubles, by other troubles) was not always miraculously healed, but always mended.
Ezekiel 34:16a “I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which is broken, and will strengthen that which was sick:..”
And it has taught me to be more sensitive to other broken hearts.

“And saveth such that be of a contrite spirit.” When we are broken in heart by our sins, and contrite (or bruised) to remember that we have rebelled against our Loving Lord; then God is well pleased. For sin is the evil which crucified Christ.
Psalm 51:14, 17 “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

It brings God near to us, and opens the soul to God’s grace, and peace.
(Grace is the unmerited favor of power for our lives; Peace is peace with God, and peace with ourselves. Peace “surrounds” us)
Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Jeremiah 30:17a “For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord;…”

Jesus quoted this promise when He was here on earth, (Isaiah 61:1)
Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Christ Jesus was sent to do this very thing to all who would receive Him.
This was His work. And as we are to follow in His footsteps, it is our work, as well.

He has promised. He will give it. Ask for it. Look to Jesus, and He will heal your broken heart.