Nebuchadnezzar’s Humbling

Daniel 4:1-3 “Nebuchadnezzar the king unto all people,  nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth,    Peace be multiplied unto you.

                        I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the High God hath wrought toward me.

                        How great are His signs!  And how mighty are His wonders!  His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,  and His dominion is from generation to generation.”

Here is the story of God against a powerful…maybe the most powerful ruler of the times.

And of course, God wins.   The stories of God’s victories are all around us,  but we do not get news flashes about them.

So in the Scriptures, God has set aside a record of His humbling of a heathen world-ruler.  

Not by mighty armies,  or by high intellect;  but by the will and word of God.

Why is this important? 

Because God still rules, and “He does according to His will in the army of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth…”

How we yield to that fact shows our subjection to the True King of Kings, and Lord of Lords,  Jesus Christ.

Daniel 4:4-5 “I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house and flourishing in my palace:

                         I saw a dream which made me afraid,  and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.”

It seems funny that someone so powerful would feel afraid by a dream,  but many believed that they were signs of things to come. 

This time he was right.

So he calls for all his wise men, and astrologers; but they could not tell him what the dream meant. 

Then Daniel came in and the king told him the dream. 

(Daniel had made known another dream to him before.  Daniel had given all the glory to the “God in heaven that reveals the secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be…” Daniel 2:28)

So Daniel heard what the dream meant:

Daniel 4:20, 22-23, 25 “This tree that thou sawest,  which grew,  and was strong, whose height reached unto the heavens,  and the sight thereof to all the earth;

                                     It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong:  for thy greatness is grown,  and reacheth unto the heaven, and thy dominion unto. the end of the earth.

                                     And whereas the king saw a watcher and a holy one coming down from heaven,  and saying,  Hew the tree down,  and destroy it;  yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth,  even with a band of iron and brass,  in the tender grass of the field;  and let be wet with the dew of heaven,  and let his portion be with the beasts of the field,  till seven times pass over him.

                                   …till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men,  and giveth to whomsoever He will.”

Daniel gives the interpretation:

The tree is you.   You have grown so powerful that the whole world is under some part of your influence.  But….because you think that you have done all this,  there will come a time that God will make you out of your mind, and you will be as a beast…till…”thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.” (Daniel 4:25-26)

Daniel also tries to give the king some counsel:

“Break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor;  if it may be a lengthening of thy days.” (Daniel 4:27)

But pride (whether of person, or of accomplishments) is a great sin.

“Who hath made thee to differ?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). 

Simply, is not all that we have from the Lord?  If He gives beauty, or ability, or opportunity?   Is it not all from Him?   

[Does not God give to us from His wealth? What we do with what we have been given, is important—even if you do not believe in God…He takes note.]

Daniel’s counsel suggests that Nebuchadnezzar did nothing about the cruelty of the victors over the conquered people.

The lives of many destroyed, or changed at a whim.

But now the question is:  would he change?

The next verse says it all. 

Daniel 4:28 “All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.”

May I say here, that though many have reformed their actions;  real change comes from God, within the person.

Nebuchadnezzar was given time to come to God.  A year,  twelve whole months…but then:

Daniel 4:29-31 “At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.   

                            The king spake, and said,  Is not this great Babylon,  that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power,  and the honor of my majesty?

                             While the word was in the king’s mouth,  there fell a voice from heaven, saying,  O king Nebuchadnezzar,  to thee it is spoken;  the kingdom is departed from thee.”

We must remember that Nebuchadnezzar is telling the whole world about his experience!   Pretty amazing that he would do so;  and that he would include the details of his sin, and what God did to him:

Daniel 4:33 “And they shall drive thee from men,  and thy dwelling shall be with the beast of the field:  they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen,  and seven times shall pass over thee,  until that thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men,  and giveth it to whomsoever He will.”

He was driven out, a mad man!  He ate grass… till seven times—a complete time for him to get a taste of God’s power and kingdom over all;  and repent.

But,  then….how great a time-word…when repentance is spoken of:

Daniel 4:34-36 “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven,  and mine understanding returned unto me,  and I blessed the Most High and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever,  Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion,  and His kingdom is from generation to generation:

                            And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing:  and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven,  and among the inhabitants of the earth:  and none can stay His hand,  or say unto Him,  What doest Thou?

                             At the same time my reason returned unto me;  and for the glory of my kingdom,  mine honor and brightness,  returned unto me;  and my counselors and my lords sought unto me;  and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.”

Nebuchadnezzar was a great king….but it was God’s purpose that he be so.  

He was at the head of his army.  He led into battle, and overpowered other great nations.  He  built his country into a great world power.  He built a beautiful city.  [Babylon’s hanging gardens was one of the world’s wonders]

So when Nebuchadnezzar was told that all he did was only because God allowed it to happen!?

He heard,  but refused to submit.  

It is a hard thing to submit to,  especially when we would like to get at least part of the credit.

But when Nebuchadnezzar did submit to God, then….”I lifted up mine eyes unto heaven”….mine understanding returned unto me”….”my reason returned unto me;”.

[This is like the prodigal,  “When he came to himself”.  Luke 15:17-18]

Most people do not like to think of the damage sin does to our minds.  The ideas it gives, or the murderous thoughts,  or the imaginations it leads into:  but sin destroys and corrupts every good thing it can.  

We think of “bad attitudes”, or “being illogical”,  but sin twists the truth.

Only when we submit to God as we should, does the truth begin to be seen.

And when we apply that truth to our hearts and lives:  we find our minds leaving  anger, imaginations, and despair;  to find peace, gentleness, mercy and joy.  For ourselves, and others.

Daniel 4:37 “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven,  all Whose works are truth,  and His way judgement:  and those that walk in pride He is able to abase.”

Here he praises God!   For bringing him into submission!

May we all come to the place where we too are submitting to God, and His purpose.   

Leaving the pride of life (1 John2:16),  and entering into the fullness of the Spirit.

In joy and peace, going on with Him….in praise.

Overthrowing the Moneychangers

John 2:13-16 “And the Jews Passover was at hand,  and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 

And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves,  and the changers of money sitting:

And when he had made a scourge of small cords,  he drove them out of the temple,  and the sheep,  and the oxen;  and poured out the changers money,  and overthrew their tables;  

And said unto them that sold doves,   Take these things hence;  make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise.”

This is the first of three Passovers, which Jesus attends to fulfill His work, after He was baptized of John the Baptist.

He came with no fanfare,  but walked into the temple, fulfilling God’s commandment.

There He finds those men which had been allowed to go into the outer court of the temple, to sell their wares.

This would be very convenient.  (And how many times we give into the convenient way of doing God’s Will;  not His way).  

If you had traveled from a far distance, you could not bring a proper sacrifice with you.  It would certainly be damaged by the time you got to Jerusalem. Which would not be acceptable. (Deuteronomy 17:1)

So, you would need to buy one there.   Certainly at an exorbitant rate!

The priests had an arrangement with the sellers.  (Most likely getting some of the money they charged to the visitors.). And so at the time of the Passover, the outer court was turned into a market place.

When Jesus came, and saw it;  He drove out the sellers, and reminded all  that the temple was God’s house.   It was not to be a house of merchandise. 

John 2:17 “And his disciples remembered that it was written,  The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”

This was the first public rebuking of the Priests, and authorities.  It was for His Father’s glory, and they should have easily submitted, if they wanted God’s glory.  

But believing in God’s Law, in general;  and being corrected by it, are two different things.  It requires heart submission, to God. 

Paul said of them, later:

Romans 2:21-23 “Thou therefore which teaches another,  teaches thou not thyself?  Thou that teaches a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Thou that sayest that a man should not commit adultery,  dost thou commit adultery?

Thou that abhorrest idols,  dost thou commit sacrilege?

Thou that makest thy boast of the law,  through breaking the law dishonorest thou God?”

Jesus had ministered with others, and had done miracles;  but this was the first time He publicly showed His authority:

He not only demanded the removal of that which was defiling His Father’s House;  He drove them out!

He spoke with Power, and used His power to cleanse the Temple!  None had done, as He was doing.

There were three years of the ministry of Jesus:

It is not certain when the priests went back to the arrangement of selling in the temple  court;  but in the third year of His ministry, He came again to Jerusalem.

This time He came with fanfare….if anyone wanted to really see and receive their Messiah;  here he was:  according to prophesy.  (Zechariah 9:9)

Matthew 21:6-11 “And his disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them,

And brought the ass,  and the colt,  and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way;  others cut down branches from the trees and strewed them in the way.

And the multitudes that went before,  and that followed,  cried,  saying,  Hosanna to the Son of David:   Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord;  Hosanna in the highest.

And when he was come into Jerusalem,  all the city was moved,  saying,  Who is this?

And the multitude said,   This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”

By this time He was recognized,  as the one who did many miracles, throughout the land.   Not so long ago He had raised Lazarus from the dead.   For all these things, the crowds in Jerusalem praised Him.

There were many who believed on Him as the Messiah;  but the crowds were looking for miracles,  for healing,  for a show.  (Were they who praised here,  crying “Crucify Him”,  in a few days?)

Matthew 21:12-14 “And Jesus went into the temple of God,  and cast out all of them that sold and bought in the temple,  and overthrew the changers of the money changers,  and the seats of them that sold doves,

And said unto them,  it is written,   My house shall be called a house of prayer;  but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the blind, and the lame, came to him in the temple;  and he healed them.”

When He came the first time, He said, “My Father’s House”.   Here it is called the temple of God, still. (Later He will say, “your house is left unto you desolate”. Matthew 23:37-38)

But here, in front of all,  He said “My house”.   Showing clearly that He is the Messiah, that was to come, and restore the hearts of Israel to God. (Isaiah 56:7)

But the leaders refused.  There was no subjection to His claims.

He did teach and heal those who came to him,  but when it was evening;  he left Jerusalem.  

Matthew 21:15 “And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did,  and the children crying in the temple,  and saying,   Hosanna to the Son of David;  they were sore displeased.”

After all, He was the Messiah,  that meant they would have to submit to Him.   This they had refused to do;  and  still refused.  

Their hearts were full of themselves.   They had a good thing going here.   They were in charge of the money,  gifts, and offerings, given to the Lord.

They had influence and power.   They had place.   

And they did not want the Messiah coming along,  and ruining it for them.

(How sad to refuse salvation because of things!  How often have we felt  the same about our plans, and position?    I know I have.  We think,  “If we yield to God, and do His Will;  how will that effect us?”  

When the Lord pointed it out to me,  I confessed my sin;  for how awful for me to think this way, after all He has done for me!)

The next day, when He comes back into Jerusalem, to the temple to teach;  the chief priests send people to prove Him wrong.  Then they could accuse Him of something.

But He knew their tricks,  and confused them. 

Then He spoke to them, directly:

Matthew 21:31-32 “….Jesus saith unto them,  Verily I say unto you,  that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.   

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness,  and ye believed him not;  but the publicans and the harlots believed him:    and ye,  when ye had seen it,  repented not afterward,  that ye might believe him.”

Here is the crux of the whole matter:  “ye repented not afterward, that ye might believe”.    He had given them time to repent,  to come and believe Him.  But though they heard Him many times (and acknowledged His answers),  yet their hearts would not yield.

John the Baptist had come, preaching repentance;  to prepare for the Messiah.  

The Son of God had come, preaching the kingdom of God was at hand.  Would they hear and enter in?

Isaiah 65:2 “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people,  which walked in a way that was not good,  after their own thoughts;”

We seldom understand the grip that the world has on us; until we see it next to Jesus.

Repentance is changing our minds and hearts about God; then changing our actions toward Him.

Once we fought against Him:  His will and our subjection to Him.

But when we repent:  we give in.  He will be our Lord and Savior.  

He will command in this holy temple of my body (1 Corinthians 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”),  and I will yield to Him.

Repentance toward God, and faith to our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21)

For Christ Jesus is still saving His people.  He cleanses us that we might be His dwelling place here on earth.

May the God of Peace Sanctify you Wholly

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;  and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

                                             Faithful is He who calleth you, who also will do it.”

Sanctification is the process where God and you work together to set aside everything in your life, to God.

It can, of course, begin by committing your life to Him;  but it is worked out by the day by day “agreements” with the Holy Spirit.

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

It is amazing how many times in scripture, our life with God is talked about as a “walk”, “path”, or “way”!  

For me, I always picture (maybe because we are) two older people, holding hands;  out, enjoying the scenery and enjoying each other’s company.

But if you have had a argument,  that walk is not very pleasant.  

That is why sanctification is to be a complete work:  spirit, soul and body.

The Holy Spirit “turns on a light” within us when we are born again;  and makes us to see things in His light.

When we do,  He speaks to us about those things which need removing, cleansing, or changed.  And He shows us the way to do it:  often using scripture to do so.

Removing: Ephesians 4:22-24 “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man,  which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;  

                                                       And be renewed the spirit of your mind;  

and that ye put on the new man,  which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

We are to “put off”, like an wet coat, our old habits.  If we continue to “wear” them, they will make us spiritually “sick”.   So the Spirit will tell us:  “lay this aside.”

 

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.”

He not only forgives us,  but cleanses our conscience, and our desires; as we ask Him to.

 

Changed: 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 (mirror) the glory of the Lord,  are changed into the same image from glory to glory,  even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

As we see the Lord:  who He is,  what He did for us,   and what He is willing to do in us;    we yield to that image He gives us…yielding to the power of the Spirit within us; and are changed, more and more into His character.

It is a gentle call, like the cooing of a dove:  which He is often pictured as in the scriptures. (Matthew 3:16)

It is God that sanctifies us; yet we are called to yield to Him in His work, in us.

Philippians 2:12-13 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed,  not as in my presence only,  but now much more in my absence,  work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:

                                   For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

He works within;  but we are to take those graces (the unmerited favor of power) and work them out in our lives.

(The word “lives” is correct, but general;   so for specifics:     For He sends the grace we need, sometimes, as we need it;  

sometimes, ahead of time to give us security in the situations we are in; 

sometimes, it has been there,   unused,   till  a particular time:  then we know we have what we need!   

His grace is amazing!)

But notice it is the God of peace which does this sanctifying.

When  He gives a specific Name for Himself,  it is to show us the specific power He is using.

His peace is what He promises us….in this world we live in….to help us be sanctified to Him.

John 14:26-27 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,  whom the Father will send in My name,  He shall teach you all things,  and bring all things to your remembrance,  whatsoever I have said unto you.

                            Peace I leave with you,  My peace I give unto you:  not as the world giveth,  give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

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

Our God  sends His Holy Spirit into us;   to stay with us through all the changes: failures, and victories.   Giving us peace, as we walk with Him.

He Knows 

2 Chronicles 6:30 “Then hear Thou from heaven  Thy dwelling place,  and forgive,  and render unto every man according unto all his ways,  whose heart Thou knowest;  (for Thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men;)“

He knows us;  will we seek Him out in all our ways?

As Christians, we should grab  a hold of all of God’s Words to us;  of what He will do for us.   That He knows us, our feelings, our troubles, our situation, our plans;  should be a fortress around us.  

Psalm 44:21 “Shall not God search this out?  For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.”

He Knows.

Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.”

2 Peter 2:9 “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,….”

God knows everything about us.  How great a comfort this would be, if we let it.

Job 23:10 “But He knoweth the way that I take:  when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

This says that the trials that come to us, are allowed by His hand, to bring us closer to Him.

If they are from our own folly and sin;  then they are to bring us back to Him, and to His care.

Psalm 41:4 “I said,  Lord, be merciful unto me:  heal my soul;  for I have sinned against Thee.”

If they are sent from Him as a hurtle in our way;  then He wants to show us, that He will supply the ability to jump it. 

Psalm 18:29-30 “For by Thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.

                               As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried (tried and proved):  He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.”

But in some trials,  He knows also how much we can grow,  now:  so….

Psalm 103:14 “ For He knoweth our frame;  He remembereth that we are dust.”

John 16:12 “I have yet many things to say unto you (His disciples),  but ye cannot bear them now.”

God knows, and He helps us to know ourselves:

Psalm 139:1-4 “O Lord,  Thou hast searched me, and known me.

                            Thou knowest my downsittings and my uprising,  Thou understandest my thought afar off.

                             Thou compasseth my path and my lying down,  and art acquainted with all my ways.

                              For there is not a word in my tongue,  but, lo,  O Lord,  Thou knowest it altogether.”

The psalmist saw that God knew, and saw everything about him!  It was a comfort that God saw him even in the womb, and every time since.  

Since God knew him;  he understood that God would not lose him in the crowd.  God would not forget him.   

God would not leave him, even because of his sin;  but lead him like a child with His hand:

Psalm 139:10 “Even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me.”

 And so he praised Him for His thoughts of him:

Psalm 139:17 “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me,  O God!  How great is the sum of them!”

God knows us, what we need (both spiritually and physically), and the way we will grow closer to Him (for each of us there is a way.  Some need more attention here,  and others need more attention there.  Each child of God is seen to according to that need).

This should be a safe place to rest, in every situation:  I may not know;  but God does…and He will surely lead me on.

Luke 12:30-32 “For all these things do the nations of the world seek after:  and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

                             But rather seek ye the kingdom of God;  and all these things shall be added unto you.

                              Fear not,  little flock;  for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Let us seek to Him, that knows;  and rest in His will and word.

To Count the Cost

Luke 14:28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower,   sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”

Luke 14:31 “Or what king, going to make war against another king,  sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?”

The Lord told His disciples that they were to count the cost of service, and following Him.

He gave two examples;  and one of building, and one of warfare.

We are to do both.

If we follow Christ, we will be in a battle against the wiles of the Devil.  The Adversary will seek to dissuade us, by fear.  Or seek to hinder and destroy our peace,  if we stand with Christ.

If we follow Christ, we are to build.  First we are to build our house upon the Rock of Christ and His Word.

Then we are to add to the building of the Church.  From the foundation to the roof,  we are to build up His Church, by edification (teaching); exhortation (to wake up) and comfort.

1 Corinthians 3:10 “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, another buildeth thereon.  But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”

We are to count the cost, because to stand with Jesus in this world, will cause you to be mocked, hated, ridiculed, and left out of, a lot of what the world has.

You sit down and count the cost.  And He says to do it first.   

To run after Christ emotionally,  will play out.   (Emotions do)

To run after Christ mentally, will lead you to reasons, and when reasons run out, so do you.

To run after Christ willfully, will lead you to count the cost for yourself, and choose.

Christ wants you to run after Him willfully;  eyes wide open,  to what is ahead.

He has a great life for all who follow Him;  here:  peace, and joy in Christ Jesus, even amid the trouble this life gives (and He always tells His disciples that there  will be trouble).  

There, in Heaven: face to face with Christ;  which makes heaven, heaven.

Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

“Forsaketh” here means to bid adieu, to depart from, to leave.

We are to count the cost of giving up all that we have, for the life Christ has for us.

This is not saying that He will require all things;  He certainly will require you to give up sin, and anything which leads to it.

But, you need to count the cost, as He says.

That way you know, if there is something in your life that you will refuse to give up, even for Christ’s sake.

That is what counting the cost means.   Christ requires of His servants, that they should obey Him, and His words to Him.   It costs everyone the same amount: everything.

Jesus did not seek to persuade men to follow Him with false promises.

He spoke plainly, that to follow Him was the most costly of decisions.

Luke 14:25-26 “And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters,  yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Multitudes were following Christ,  but instead of encouraging them,  He put a hurtle in front of them.

Why?  Because to follow Christ for any other reason but love for Him,  will not stand the test of time, of battle, of worldly affections.

But love for Christ will follow on.  Maybe slowly here, and faster in other circumstances.  With failings and triumphs; our life with Christ, in love,  moves ever forward.

“To follow Me means that the emotions you feel for everything else, even yourself,  will be like hatred in comparison to the love you have to Me.”

Are you a disciple of Christ Jesus?   Have you counted the cost?

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, even in just this one thing.

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?

The Calling of Matthew

Matthew 9:9 “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew,   sitting at the receipt of custom:  and he saith unto him,   Follow me.  And he arose and followed him.” 

Matthew was a publican, or tax collector.  These men were hated of their own nation, because they worked for the Romans.

They were also often corrupt, and took more than they were suppose to, or stole from their own people.

But Jesus passed that way, and did something others would not (unless it was in cursing).  He spoke to Matthew.

And called him to follow Him as one of His disciples.

By this time He had called the fishermen,  Peter, James, and John.

He had preached the sermon on the mount;   and a conversation with the scribes, and Pharisees, had been started.

This conversation was about His authority.  

Did He have the authority from God to do what He was doing:  healing the sick,  forgiving sins,  and calling disciples?

Many people were interested in His authority;  not to submit to it,  but  to prove it wrong, so they could go on in their own way.

(And this is what Jesus came to save his people out of:  

Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray;    we have turned everyone to his own way;  and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”)

So the Pharisees and scribes  every opportunity to question His actions,  and His words.    If they could just prove Him wrong,  then that would prove themselves right.  Right?

(Of course, it would not;  but sin makes us believe a lie.   How much we need a Savior from it!)

Matthew 9:10 “And it came to pass,  as Jesus sat at meat in the house (of Matthew),  behold,  many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.”

After his call to follow Jesus,  Matthew invites Him into his home.  Anxious to have others of his acquaintance, know Jesus,  he has a supper for Him, and invites many.

(Perhaps Matthew was going to give his testimony about how Jesus had called him, and how he knew that it was a call from God;  and he had answered it.   

They would not see him at the receipt of customs any more, for he knew that Jesus was from God, and he would leave all and follow Him.)

Matthew 9:11-13 “And when the Pharisees saw it,  they said unto his disciples,  Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

                               And when Jesus heard that,  he said unto them,  They that be whole need not a physician,  but they that are sick.

                               But go ye and learn what that meaneth,     I will have mercy,  and not sacrifice:    for I am not come to call the righteous,  but sinners to repentance.”

Jesus is quoting what God has told His people in the Old Testament.  Verses that set forth what God wanted from His people:

Hosea 6:6   “For I desired mercy,  and not sacrifice,  and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Micah 6:8   “He hath showed thee,  O man,  what is good;  and what doth the Lord require of thee,  but to do justly,  and to have mercy,  and walk humbly with thy God?”

God wanted His people to love Him, and each other.   The sacrifices, set forth the means of coming close to God because of sin,  and in fellowship.

But they were to be given, along with the inward love of their hearts;  not just in outward show.

“Mercy”,  here, means brotherly kindness.  They were always to be helping each other, as brothers.  They were to be seeing to their well fare.  

And what better way to give mercy to another,  than to introduce them to Jesus?

Jesus then rebukes these Pharisees,  by saying what His work, as the Son of God is:

“…for I am not come to call the righteous,” 

For if they were truly righteous, they would know that I am the Son of God, when they hear Me;  or hear of My works.

“…but (to call) sinners to repentance.”    

That is what this supper was about.  To introduce Matthew’s Master to Matthew’s friends.   

Yes, they were publicans and sinners.  

But they,  like Matthew,  needed to hear and see Jesus.

Matthew loved his friends,  so he wanted them to know Him,  who was the Savior.

This is true love.

Jesus said later:

John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,  if ye have love one for another.”

Surely the Pharisees knew that Matthew was now a disciple of Jesus.   

How many believed on Jesus because of this supper, it does not say.  But love was present;  even for the Pharisees,  if they would receive it, and receive Jesus.

To “receive” Jesus, is to let Him come in as Master;  into our hearts, and lives.(John 1:12)

Matthew certainly did this,  for he manifested the greatest calling of a disciple:  mercy and love.

Have you Heard the Lord call you?

Song of Solomon 5:2 ” I sleep, but my heart waketh:  it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh,  saying,  Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled:  for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.”

This is a story of a believer, who has gone to sleep.   But she hears the voice of her Lord, in her heart, and she awakes.

So far, so good.

Then with her understanding, she hears Him call to her to open to Him.

This opening up of her life,  is different than the Salvation she has already experienced.      For He calls her, His sister;  being joint-heirs with Christ.

Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,  that we are the children of God:

And if children, then heirs;  heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

This calling is to His love, for she has had fellowship with the Lord;   and has gone on in that fellowship to be called  His dove.

Now a dove can see only one thing at a time, and this has been her experience in Christ;  keeping her eyes on Him.

Song of Solomon 1:15 “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves eyes.”

Matthew 6:22 “The light of the body is the eye:  if therefore thine eye be single,  thy whole body  shall be full of light.”

This calling is a deeper calling,  for He calls her His undefiled.   This shows that in that love relationship, she has gone on with Him;  so she is being saved from the defilements of the world,  and self.

1 John 2:15 “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.”

And so Jesus calls her,  as the One who sweat great drops of blood in the garden (Luke 22:44);  putting aside everything, that He might fulfill His work, and save us.

But there seems to be a hinderance.

Song of Solomon 5:3 “I have put off my coat;  how shall I put it on?   I have washed my  feet;  how shall I defile them?”

It would seem that having experienced so much of Her Lord, she has become a little proud. (Remember, one of the things the Lord deals with His own about is the “pride of life”)

I have put off my coat;  simply means she had begun to put off the old man with it’s deeds.

Colossians 3:9 “Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds;”

Was she now to be defiled by working in the world?

I have washed my feet.  All her sins were confessed, up to date.  And she had been cleansed from them.   If she ventures out into the world to work for Jesus, won’t she again be contaminated by it?

These might have been very good questions,  if  Jesus were not the One calling her to go out with Him, to the work of bringing souls to Christ.

Song of Solomon 5:4-5 “My beloved put his hand by the hole of the door,  and my bowels were moved for him.

I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh,  and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh,   upon the handles of the lock.”

The ancient doors used to have holes in them by the handle, so that when someone dear would come, they would put perfume (myrrh) on the inside of the door handle, to show they had been there.

Though she had hesitated to go further with the Lord, for what she thought were good reasons;  still she loves Him and is moved to go and open her hearts door again to His  Call.    When she does, her hands drip with the perfume of myrrh.

Myrrh was used to anoint the bodies of the dead, before burial.

So Jesus Christ is calling this loved one to go with Him into the experience of intercession, and travail for those He wants saved;  and for those who are babes in Christ, to grow up in Him.

Often, this is a hard work, for it recognizes our imperfections, as well as those of others.   Also, it is a long work;  it is not done in a day, or even a week;  but till Christ be formed in them.

Galatians 4:19 “My little children,  of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,”

But she had opened,     but she found Him gone.

Christ never retracts a calling;  but He often withdraws the feeling of His presence, to prove us.

Will we become angry?

Or will be seek Him?

Song of Solomon 5:6 “I opened to my beloved;  but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone:  my soul failed when he spake:  I sought him,  but I could not find him;  I called him, but he gave me no answer:”

She seeks Him.  She sought Christ Jesus in the usual means, hoping to find Him there.

She calls to Him to speak to her again, but it seemed as if He was refusing to call again.

She had come so far with Him,  and now she had failed Him, the dearest Friend she had ever had.   She wanted to go back to the way things were….but the call had come, and she was either going to seek till she did find,  or  yield to the pride she had shown earlier.

What follows is a conversation between her, and those who would seek Him also.

“What is thy beloved more that another beloved?”  They ask.

Then she describes His  Greatness,  His strength in times of her weakness, and that He is the altogether lovely One to her.

Song of Solomon 5:16 “His mouth is most sweet:  yea,  he is altogether lovely.  This is my beloved,  and  this is my friend,  O daughters of Jerusalem.”

When she describes Him,  she realizes that He has never left her,  but proved her love to Him.   

Did she love Him?   Or His gifts?

She loved Him,  and found Him.  They were united in the work as well as in life. 

Theirs was a love relationship;   And true love follows to the end for the Loved One.

Have you heard the Lord call you?    Perhaps you have hesitated, too.   Listen to the love in your heart for Jesus, and answer His call.    

Jeremiah  29:13 “And ye shall seek me,  and find me,  when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

His,  is an everlasting love, for us.

 Perfection for a Christian

Hebrews 13: 20-21. “Now the God of Peace,  that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,  that great shepherd of the sheep,  through the blood of the everlasting covenant.

                                     Make you perfect in every good work to do his will,  working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight,  through Jesus Christ;  to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen.”

Only God is Divine, and Sinless.  

But He calls us to be perfect,  which in the Bible means that we are to attain to that which you were brought into being for.

We are to fulfill the Purpose of God for our lives.

How can this be done?

“..through the blood of the everlasting covenant.”

Or  “…through Jesus Christ;..”

You see, God made a covenant with His Son Jesus Christ, before He created the earth.  

It basically was a promise on both sides,  which said:

God, the Son would become the Man Christ Jesus and come to earth, live a perfect and sinless life, and then die on the cross;  taking all our sins on Him.

So that whosoever would come to Him and be saved from their sin,  could be saved.

God, the Father would raise up Jesus from the dead, in the tomb.  He would reward His Son with a people that would love Him.   God the Father would draw them to Christ, and take them home to heaven when they died.

When we are saved,  Jesus becomes our Shepherd.  And by His guidance and strength;  we are lead through this life.  He makes us perfect by leading us in and out of many situations where we are to help, pray,  speak about Him,  or lend a hand.

When we follow Him, and are obedient to what He wants us to do,  then we have attained to the Purpose for which He created us.

This is Bible perfection for a Christian.  To see all the “good works” done.

I have “good works” in quotes, because there are so many ideas about the words. 

When the Bible speaks of good works,  it means anything the Lord wants you to do.    Whether that is a lot or a little,  what ever His will is,  is good.

And Jesus never leaves us.   He has sent His Holy Spirit within each Christian to encourage them,  strengthen them, and guide them into the life He has for each of them.

Let us follow on to perfection:  to do God’s Purpose for our lives,  everyday with Him.

The Rock of our Foundation

Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine,  and doeth them,  I will liken him unto a wise man,  which built his house upon a rock:

                                 And the rain descended,  and the floods came,  and the wind blew, and beat upon the house;  and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.”

Ephesians 2:21-22 “In Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple unto the Lord: 

                                   In Whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.”

A building is laid on the foundation and attached to that foundation;  then built on that attachment.

As Christians, when we are born again,  we choose to build our “home” on the Foundation of Christ, as our Rock.

But we are attached to that Rock by faith, and love.   We build on that.

Our “home” here, in this world, is the life we dedicate to Christ Jesus.  We persevere to the end of our life in obedience to Him by exercising our wills to do His Will.

Then we are building our homes on Christ.  This is to get for ourselves, all the spiritual blessings Christ has won for us.

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:”

This we do when we will to let Christ reign within us.  The channel for blessing is open,  nothing hinders it.

So let us look at our building, and see how our building stands:

Is it straight?

Have we progressed in the straight and narrow way of God, through His Word?  Or have we settled unevenly?  

Is our faith giving in to doubt?  Or our love turning cold?

All houses settle; in fact it is a good thing, if it settles together.  

It actually firms up the house on it’s foundation.

But a house, when it settles unevenly,  is (just a little) down on one side, and straight on the other.    Doorways are affected, strength is lessened.

It is not a “bid deal”,  but it is not as it should be.

Sometimes, it is not the winds or storms which hinder our building on Christ;  but weariness in well doing, and discontent.

We feel we are not getting “ahead” like we should.  

(often this is caused by looking at others, and what we think is happening to them;   Instead of looking to Jesus. Hebrews 12:2)

But where has the imbalance come from?

Often is comes from focusing too much on the present or the future:

When you get to focusing on the present [let’s face it,  things happen that gets us “out of sort” with what we intended to happen.], and forget that there is a goal to reach out for,  we need to heed Paul’s exhortation:

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.”

For you see, it is always how we deal with what happens that makes the difference:  going to God for help with it,  or struggling through yourself.

When you get to focusing on the future [the someday things will be great], and forget to see the work done for now,  we need to:

2 Timothy 1:6-7 “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance,  that thou stir up the gift of God,  which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

                               For God hath not given us a spirit of fear;  but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind [or disciplined mind].”

Hebrews 10:35-36 “Cast not away therefore your confidence [boldness],  which hath great recompense of reward.

                                   For ye have need of patience,  that, after ye have done the will of God,  ye might receive the promise.”

Our lives are a “holy habitation” where the Holy Spirit abides with us.

We  are to face each day with Him,  as another chance to “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise His holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)

It is when our joy gets silenced, by doubt, hesitation, anger, guilt, or worldliness;  then the praise becomes just words. 

Then our peace is attacked…for we feel like God has moved;  when it is actually us.

[you see how our building does not settle evenly]

Christ, as our Foundation, our Rock does not move.  We often do.

It is how we deal with that movement;  Who do we cling to, in obedience, that makes the difference.