Would you be a Follower of Jesus?
Matthew 16:24. “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

(This is for born again ones, for they have received the Holy Spirit, and grace for all their way.)
If any man will come after Me. What does it mean to come after Jesus?

First, it means that you get up from where you are in your life and leave it. To come after means leaving; But not in the physical sense.
It is a “leaving” of the past attitudes, past sins, and past pursuits to come after Him.
2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, ”

Second, it means you follow Christ, by being obedient to His commands on your life.
John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

Third, it means to suffer for, and because of Christ. Every follower of Christ will, sooner or later, come to the place where they must choose the world or Christ, and if you choose Christ; the world will make you “suffer” in some respect.

Fourth, it means to stand with those for whom Christ died: other Christians.
John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

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

You deny yourself and take up YOUR cross and follow Him. You need to “bear” your cross, to the place in your experience that you no longer resist His will in anything.
Your cross is anything God has required, which cuts across your will. There you need to say “no” to your will; and do God’s Will for your life. This is to bear your cross.

This is a very personal thing, between you and your Lord; for He says, “if any man will”. It is not any Church, any group, any family, even; but any man.
The personal aspect is important. The necessity of it dates back to our beginnings:
We were not consulted in our creation: Where we were born, in what family, or when we were born, and the person we were born as.

We just were, and that was that.
As Christians, we are to come to the place in our experience that we don’t just acknowledge God’s Creative Right, but we submit to it.
We will be the creature before the Creator.
Letting His choice for us, be our best.

For some of us, we must acknowledge, we have been having a fit with God about ourselves, in some realm, since we knew God.
Maybe it was our family: Why put me with these people?
Maybe it was our abilities: Couldn’t you at least make me GREAT in something?
Maybe it was our looks: My nose is too big; my eyes not blue enough; You could have made me prettier than “them”.

Whatever it is; we are not satisfied with our circumstances, or (often) ourselves.

So, here is a GOOD place to follow Jesus:
Matthew 11:25-26 “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.”
Jesus came to do the Father’s Will, and never tried to do otherwise; even to His shame and death.

Jesus said He came to give life, and to give it more abundantly. (John 10:10)
If you are a Christian, He offers this abundant life within the life He gave you in your beginning; and in what He gives you now as His servant.
In this abundant life there is joy of spirit, peace of heart, courage in peril, love of others, and a personal relationship with the One Who loved and saved you. (More personal than any other relationship you will ever have: for He knows everything about you, and loves you.)

Would you be a follower of Jesus?
Then come after Him, by denying yourself, picking up your cross and following Jesus into your abundant life. Not without troubles, but always with His presence and power by the Holy Spirit to help.

The Fountain of Life
Psalm 36:9 “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.”

Have you drank from the fountain of Life?

Well, if you have, then that living force ought to be turning into a “river of living water” within you.

You see, God’s power is living. It is not a dead, or stagnant thing. He does not save, then desert, and say in effect, “Go ahead and make your way through a hostile world; you will get to heaven alright, but you have to fight you way there by yourself.”
NO! Christ Jesus has promised never to leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus saves to the uttermost.

That means: He saves from the love of sin. This is conviction by the Holy Spirit of the wretchedness of it.
He saves from the guilt of sin. We are born again, and become clean through His sacrifice and resurrection.
He saves from the power of sin. Called Sanctification: it is a setting aside to God of all ourselves, little by little, till we are willing subjects of His Kingdom here, and now, in all our circumstances.
He saves from the presence of sin, when we go to Heaven.

John 7:37-38. “In the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
Now when you get water flowing, what does it do?
It keeps flowing, one way or the other: when it flows downhill, and it meets a rock in its path, it just flows around it.
This is the way of the Living Water, which is the Holy Spirit within you giving light (John 14:26) and life, by the graces of joy, peace, consolation, strength, and love. (Galatians 5:22-23)

But what if there is a dam to the living water? Then it builds up until it flows over.
Living water cannot be stagnant, it will find a way around, over, or through any obstacle it meets. (Yes, in us as well.)

It is, of course, better if there are no hinderances to the flow of life to us, and through us by the Holy Spirit. (He will get His help through to us, but how often the enjoyment of it is quenched by some hinderance within us. Some hardened place within our hearts: a root of bitterness, or hurt feelings, which will not respond to the gentle influences of the Spirit, as we should.)
Ezekiel 36:26-27: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues (here is the working of the force of that Living Water), and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them.”

Perhaps, something hinders your enjoyment of the Lord to you? Some error of hearing His Words, or anger, or hurt.
Then seek the Lord, for He is willing and able to see that it is put right. Are you willing to give it up?
The Holy Spirit will help with that as well, if you will come to Him and seek it.

Let the Living Waters flow out of your inner most being, and yield to the Lord: He is the Fountain of Life: and in His Light you will see light.

The ground of our Heart
Luke 8:5 “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.”

Today we are going to talk about the ground of our hearts. All ground is not the same.
Some, is prepared ground: cultivated, ready for the seed and growth.
Some is hard, for it has been traveled on. The feet of many have walked over it, so it is hard and unable to receive the seed, without a lot of work.

Which ground are we?
Let us consider the Lord’s parable:

Luke 8:5 “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.”

Here is one of the hard ground hearers. They have been beside the field, but are not part of it. There has been no making the ground ready for the Word. When the word of God comes in the seed, the ground does not receive it. The Word sits on top of the heart.
Luke 8:11-12 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
Those by the wayside are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.”

In other words, the heart hears the word, but pays no attention to the serious warnings about sin , or the Gospel of good news.
The devil is very glad for these people. He has no trouble taking the word from their hearts, and making it disappear in their memories. They have had a life where everything that has happen to them, makes them hard against the world, people, circumstances. Nothing will make them yield. They are defiant against all, though they may appear very smooth. These are the people who hear the Word, but nothing changes, because the Word of God can not sink into their hearts so they could believe, and be saved.

Luke 8:6 “And some fell upon rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.”
This is the ground that has stones in it. Since it is part of the field, it gets seed, and it springs up! But then the roots come against the stones and become unable to grow. They soon die.

Luke 8:13 “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation, fall away.”
This ground is the hearts of those who, having heard of the Gospel of Salvation, are overjoyed! Their minds are understanding the Word, and all it’s promises, and are ready to go forward in the Christian Life. Or so they think.
Until there are problems, and temptations.(These are things which say, “You want me. I am really great, greater than what God is giving you). And as Christians we have the same problems and temptations, as everyone else. The difference is in the presence of the Holy Spirit within us for guidance; and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) encouraging us through the difficulties.

But when the decisions to stand with God come, the Stoney ground hearers, give up. Their minds had received it, making their hearts joyful. But now it was time, for the hearts affection for Christ Jesus, to hold fast. But there was no real affection for Christ; only joy at the promises the Word gave, for themselves.

Luke 8:7 “And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.”
Here is the ground which is cultivated, but not all the weeds and thorns were out of it, when it was. They are there, though not seen, when the seed is sown. When the seed springs up, so do the thorns.

Luke 8:14 “And that which fell among thorns are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with the cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”
These are the hearts which have hidden resentments, lusts or worries. They are ready to receive an answer for their problems. So when the Word of God comes, promising a NEW LIFE, they jump at it.
They are so anxious to get started with this life, that they “go forth”, eager to tell others of a change in life.
But then, their hidden resentments, or lusts, or worries come to the front, again; and they wonder why they are not different?
The truth is they have never received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. They have received the word about the new life–yes, but not the person of the Savior. And when you receive Christ, His Holy Spirit comes to live and empower us .
Our old life, or flesh is to be subjected to Christ.

Galatians 5:16-17, 24 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

Therefore the old life choked out the Word, and they never truly had that new life promised: in Christ Jesus.

Luke 8:8 “And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bear fruit one hundred fold. And when he had said these things he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
The ground which is good ground, bears fruit. It too, had been prepared by cultivation, but the difference being: fruit.
And the reason for the difference is:

Luke 8:15 “And that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

An honest heart.

We are what we are by circumstances, birth, place, and the people around us, who have shaped us.
But when the Word of God comes, and we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then all that we are, comes under the rule of Christ. We are to get honest about our past hates, likes, loves, and circumstances; giving all these things to Christ.
And in honesty, we are to do what He wants us to do. Seek to yield to the peace of the Holy Spirit, the patience, and long-suffering for others, that He wants us to do.
The “keeping” of the Word, is holding on to Him in love. And what He has given us by His Spirit, and in His Word, and believing He will see to us.
We bring forth the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). And that helps us grow and bring forth more fruit…the fruit of a Christian, which is another Christian.

Which ground are we? Jesus said, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

Sanctification is not imitating Christ; but Living by Christ’s Life.

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Sanctification is the setting ourselves aside to God.
Sanctification does not require us to fulfill the will of God as He makes it known to us, without the power to do so.
That would be like the Egyptian taskmasters which required Israel to make bricks without straw. (Exodus 5:9-11)

Instead, Sanctification is the growing life of Christ, in our life; whereby we experience by His Holy Spirit, the holiness, patience, love, peace, and power over the enemy of our souls; that is in Christ.

When Paul said:
Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

This is what he meant. That the life he used to live as the self-righteous Pharisee was over. He saw himself dead in Christ’s death.
“Good riddance” was probably his thought, for the life he had before, did not bring him closer to God, though he worked hard at it.
He also saw that now he lived by Christ’s life. That the life of Christ was so powerful that, not only himself, but everyone who trusted in Christ, could have His character formed in them.

For some time after being born again, I prayed about sanctification.
I had thought this must be some sort of holiness experience, which we have at some altar; or with some crisis experience in our lives.
Years ago, a man was teaching a Sunday School class about:
Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

And, if no one else got the message; I did.
This was the means of being sanctified.

I was to deny myself.
We think, that when we talk of denying ourself, we mean: just not doing what we want. We think it means denying things in our life.

When Jesus speaks of “denying ourself”, He means denying our intention to rule our life. And denying every way it shows up in our lives.
It is not just things we deny, but ourselves we deny.

If I wanted to follow the Lord, then I must co-operate with God, when He shows me His will. I must put aside my thoughts in the matter and do what He commands.
I must be honest about my attitude toward what He shows me, and ask for the power to change.
But again, Christ does not demand that we do His Will, without His enablement.

Christ has given us His Holy Spirit, not only to indwell us, but to give us the grace and power we need.
That power comes from our Risen and Glorified Christ. He has all spiritual blessings for me in Him, in Heaven.
Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
They are there in Christ, for us.
But how do we get them down here into us, especially in these circumstances?

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”

Notice, it is “in earth”, in us.

This is the means whereby we receive into our lives what Christ has for us.
As we yield to His authority in our lives, we become ambassadors of His Kingdom, and authority, here.

Sanctification is the setting aside of ourselves to God, for sacred use.
It is the practical work of having Christ’s Kingdom come within our hearts, and lives.

Where He rules, there is peace, joy, patience, and all the characteristics of Christ, in our lives.

The Seven sayings of Christ on the Cross

Luke 23:33:
“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.”

Christ is now brought to the place of His greatest suffering. The beatings are past but the shame and desertion by God; death, and burial ahead.
But how does He meet them?

Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

The first thing He says on the Cross is: “Father, forgive them.”
He forgave them first. They did not ask for it; but He, as the greatest King, forgave the greatest debt, and He did it first.
The “them”, were those chief priests who tried Him and took Him to Pilate, the Jews who cried “Crucify Him”, and those who stood and mocked Him, even in His miserable suffering.
The people who refused to believe in Him, and the Gentiles, who under Pilate, beat and lead Him away; nailing Him to the Cross.(The Romans harshest type of death.)

As the mocking continues, the malefactors enter in. But then one speaks up for Christ:
Luke 23:40-42 “But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly;…but this man hath done nothing amiss.
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”

Here, one is saved, by belief in the Lord; and one is not. For the second thing Jesus said on the cross was another word of forgiveness, and also blessing:

Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be. With me in paradise.”
Then, looking down Jesus saw His mother, and John, the beloved disciple, who was the only one who had followed Him from the Garden to the Cross. He, alone of the disciples, stood at the foot of the cross, ready to be arrested, if necessary, to stay close to Jesus.

So Jesus speaks the third sayings:

John 19:26 “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!”

John 19:27 “Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”

Here, Jesus sees to His mother, committing her into the hands of John, the beloved disciple.
She was to look on him as the son she lost.
He was to look on her as his mother, and take care of her, seeing to her in her old age.
This he did, and it is said, that she went with him on his preaching tours; that her bones are buried in the wall of Ephesus.

Six hours the sun had shone down upon all of this suffering.
Luke 23:44-45 “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.”

The sun “was darkened”: The awful agony of the sin bearer, fulfilling the suffering of the wrath of God on our sin, was “darkened”. No one but God and Christ, could enter into this propitiation.
God darkened the sun, to show that this was not for view; no one would understand such suffering, and so, no one could truly view it in it’s terror. This suffering went on until He paid the price for all His.

In this time, Jesus spoke the fourth saying:
Matthew 27: 46 ” And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ? That is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
God forsaking Him was because of our sin; for God can not look upon sin, without wrath. And Jesus was “‘made sin for us”. (2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.”)

The price paid, Jesus spoke the fifth saying:

John 19:28 “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

They had offered him wine mingled with myrrh to deaden the pain, earlier; but He refused it. He would feel every moment of pain, that He would be able to pay the full debt of our sin.
Mark 15:23 “And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.”
But this time, they gave him vinegar.
John 19:29 “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

Then, He spoke the sixth and seventh sayings:
John 19:30 ” When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, (That is He cried for all who would hear, to hear “It is finished”) he said, Father, into they hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”

Jesus, having finished the work of Expiation, cried out; but then he gave his spirit unto the Father, in the last solemn moment before death.

Christ was our High Priest, who offered Himself as the Sacrifice for sin, for us. In every saying there was love, offered again and again, for those who would receive it.
He drained every drop of suffering for us. And died, was buried, and rose again to give us His Eternal Life.

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 had to do them; but 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.

The Path of the Just

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

When the sun first begins to break the sky begins to be light. Then the sun comes up, and in the east, the light comes streaming.
But there are shadows, for the light shows all that stands in the way of complete light.

Song of Solomon 4:6 “Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.”

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away. When the shadows are gone, then there is nothing between us and the Son of God, our Light source.

Our Lord, here, is inviting us to come with Him further into the Light of His love, so even the shadows “flee” away.

Now shadows are not the thing itself, but the impress of it. But it is in darkness.

What this means is that the sin itself has been taken care of:
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.”

But the influence of the sin or the resentment because of the consequences of the sin are still there. These are the shadows.
They are darkness, but not the substance of sin.

Many people are confused about this.
They think that if the sin is confessed, and they know they are forgiven; then all the other emotions concerning the sin, are gone to.

Suppose you have a habit of lying: you have hurt your family, people at work, etc. by your habit.
Then you are given real light about this, and you confess it. (Perhaps you say, why would we need light about lying. Surely everyone knows it’s wrong. Maybe they know in a general sense, but the offense of lying when it lays upon YOUR heart, is an eye opener.
Then it is not just “wrong, because God says so”; but then it is wrong, because you have placed the value of your family, friends, and co-workers in contempt. You have spit upon them, in order to cover yourself up.)

But even though you have confessed your sin, and asked God to cleanse you from the desire and habit of lying; the reason for it is still there to face everyday.
These are the shadows, the image of the sin, though not the sin.
The trouble with Shadows is that the influence of our Adversary, the Devil can be felt through them.

But how do we deal with shadows?
First, it is the work of the Spirit of God within you to show you what needs to be dealt with, and what needs to be put away with past things.
Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

This requires us to be in subjection to the Holy Spirit, for He asks you to be obedient to the Light He gives in these matters.

The mountain of myrrh: myrrh symbolizes death in the scriptures. And it is a mountain of myrrh, we are invited to come to, because it takes a great deal of denying self to set these things right.
It is a hill of Frankincense, because it takes very little of the Power of God to deal with these things, once we have denied ourself.

A child of the Light, confesses the fault, and the attitude; when the Holy Spirit shows it. They have the “good and honest heart”; it is “good” only because it is honest.
Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

A child of the darkness says, “Oh, I can explain that away; I did that because of them, or that circumstance; it was a small thing, anyway. It was not like the really bad things I used to do. It is really their fault.”

Be a child of the Light, and when the Holy Spirit convicts you of wrong; confess it, and God will deal with what is wrong.

These shadows that remain, are shadows only; but they are there and the influence of the the Adversary can be felt through them.
They are there because of the choices we have made, true; but we can also make choices which remove them, by coming more into the Light.

Shadows do not exist in light
Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

We are to go to the high noon of Light with Christ Jesus. Most do not; choosing, instead to stay in the shadowy existence of the fear of the truth.
But don’t.
God’s Light shows truth, yes, and when we see the reasons of our actions, it gives us the ability to deal with what is really behind the: “why we did what we did”.

Let’s face it, we all have REASONS we act the way we do. But have you dealt with the reasons? Or just the actions?

True Light; the Light of Life, deals with both. It frees you from both the sin and the reason of the sin.
And gives you joy.
John 16:24 “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

Joy is one of the grandest attributes of God, himself.
Joy is not dependent upon the people or events around me.(That is happiness, which has to do with how things or people treat us.)
Joy springs from the presence of God in my life, for He is the abundant power of good, and peace.

Enthusiasm and deep delight is seen in the one who receives God’s joy.
There is direction in their lives; and purpose, even in the little things. For they are enjoying the Presence of God everywhere.

In this, we know the purifying of the Holy Spirit, assuring me that I am right with God.
I am made right with others,
And, importantly, I know that I all is well between me and myself. (How many things come from the disappointment we have about ourselves? How many times have we hated what we have done, but refused to look at it? How many times have we hidden our hurt behind a phony face of ridicule?)
These all can be brought out into the Light; AND PUT BEHIND US. WE CAN BE FREE FROM THEM.

The Joy of the Lord can become a force in my life.
It is a great light, illuminating the whole of my being; dispelling the darkness, and despair that dominates so often. He has it for us, in His Light.
The shadows do flee away in the Light of the Lord.

The Leper

Mark 1:40 “And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

The fact that Jesus healed many was well known. He had been preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God. (Mark 1:15). Wherever He went, He healed the sick, and diseased, as well.

As He went, a leper came asking for cleansing. “Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou can make me clean”.

Jesus was moved with compassion. Leprosy is a terrible disease. How far along in the disease he was, is not said here; but in Luke 5:8:
“And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy; who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

This man was “full of leprosy”. This man’s case was hopeless. Leprosy starts as a “rising,(swelling), a scab, or bright spot” and continues till “raw flesh” appears. (Leviticus 13:2, 14)
It destroys and eats away the flesh, until fingers fall off, etc.

Leprosy is like sin. It begins small–a “swelling”. Wherever it breaks out, it puffs up the flesh.
But it is small–something you could ignore, if you choose to. Till it needs a scab.
That means there has been a open sore. It still could be small…but open, open to the contaminants of the world.
And so it goes on, eating up our flesh, destroying us; unless it is cleansed.
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.”

Yet, this man cried for mercy from the Lord Jesus; and received it.
Not only the Word of Healing; but Jesus “put forth his hand, and touched him”.
Mark 1:41-42 “And Jesus moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.”

Isaiah 59:1 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it can not save; neither his ear heavy, that it can not hear:”

This was compassion only the Son of Man/the Son of God, could do:
Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Jesus touched the leper; but it was His Word, “I will” that cleansed him.

Jesus heart reached out and touched him, who should never be touched.
Jesus will spoke the word, and he was cleansed.

But now the Lord wanted him to do what God required for the cleansing:
Mark 1:43-44 “And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;
And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: Go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.”

We can not save ourselves from our sin. We must come to Christ for that.
But we can be obedient to what He requires us, afterward, as a testimony to His Love and Word.
The leper was cleansed:
He came to the right person, and in the right way; seeking mercy.
And he was cleansed.

Luke 21:19 “In your patience possess ye your souls”

This sounds odd: surely, we have our souls, don’t we?
But do you? Are you a person who has an uncontrollable temper?
Do you have a habit you can not give up?
Do you let your feelings “get the better of you”?
Anytime we, as Christians, let something else but God rule in our hearts, minds and wills; we do not “possess” our souls; they are being influenced by the World, the flesh or old nature which fights against God, or the Devil.

Our souls are our personality; mind, heart, and will are it’s faculties.
What we think, influences our personality. (How often what we hear and see around us in the world, shapes our way of thinking about certain things.)
What we feel, influences our personality. (Hurt feelings, unforgiving anger, or inappropriate affections; all are part of the world around us, and often get into our hearts as well.)
What we will really influences our personality; for our wills are the whole of us active.
From an early age, we decide what we will, whether we can carry out our decisions, or not.
“I will do this, no matter what you think.” “I won’t, even if you want me to.” These are often what we say within ourselves, building up resentments; instead of yielding to authority. And yes, this includes God’s Authority.
When we are born again, then our wills are beginning to be trained to yield to God; because the power of the Holy Spirit is within us, helping us to yield.

Then we can truly “possess” our souls, and free them from the constraints of sin and self, and the effects of the World system around us, and the tricks of our Adversary, the Devil.

Every faculty of our souls is brought into subjection to His Will and Way for us.
2 Peter 1:5-8 “Beside this, giving all diligence (to will with the Holy Spirit), add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness;
And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

By the faith given us when we are born again, we are to acquire the Artea or power of the Holy Spirit by learning to yield to Him; which will give us knowledge of what He will do in us and for us; which will help us to be moderate in all our dealings, and help us to learn patience.
Then we will begin to have the Family resemblance, and act as the Lord would want us to; first toward our brothers and sisters in Christ by love, and then in all our dealings in the world in which we live.
This will give us the fruit of the Spirit, and the fruit of a Christian (Another Christian).

The Lord wants us to “possess” our souls. Become free from the influences of the world, the flesh, and the Devil; and be who He has created us to be.