Guard your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Above all that you guard…..guard your heart; for out of it comes all the ups and downs….all the joys and griefs,….all the issues of life.

(Our natural hearts are spoken of in Mark 7:20-23, and in:

Ephesians 2:3 “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

But God has plans for our hearts…..they are to be filled with Him…..His joy and peace; His love and kindness….so we are warned:

1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

Jude 21 “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”)

The “issues of life” are those things that count for eternity….for real life has it’s foundation in fellowship with God.

Our action concerning the Will of God, comes from our will….but our hearts either move our wills to run after God…..or after the world.

So God looks to see: Who or what do we love?

Proverbs 4:20-22 “My son, attend to My Words; incline thine ear unto My sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart,

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

Proverbs 4:11-13 “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”

Most believe that love is a whimsical emotion that comes unbidden.

But “agape”, is that love of God that comes from our yielding to the Holy Spirit within….for it “rejoices in the truth, bears all things, never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:6-8)

1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.”

Guarding our hearts for God, is our duty to Him. He claims our whole being…..for He redeemed all of us.

He then asks us to guard it for Him….and it is a “guard” or wall of separation from the world.

(In the Song of Solomon the believer is seen as a “enclosed” garden (Song of Solomon 4:12)…..one which is for the pleasure of the Lord.

“Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.” (Song of Solomon 4:16).

But if we guard it not….then the things of this world can enter into it….and stay there, influencing our willed actions:

lust (I want it and I want it now),

and pride (the arrogance and lifting up of self interests, over God)

1 John 2:15-16 “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.”

So, we are to guard our hearts……but how?

First we are to have that wall of separation from the world…..a wall made of:

Prayer, praise, and peace….

Philippians 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (garrison) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

At the gate of our hearts, we will ask the Holy Spirit to place faith and grace as guards…..

Faith sees God….and helps establish us…

Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:

Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Grace is our support and help….

2 Timothy 2:1, 3 “Now therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Now therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Let us guard our hearts….for Him; keeping ourselves in His love……and learning to: (1 Corinthians 13)

“Suffer long, and be kind”

“Envy not”

“be not puffed up”

“Thinks no evil”

“Rejoices in the truth”

“Bears all things”

“Believes all things”

“Hopes all things”

“Endures all things”

“Never fails”

These are all the things which can come from our hearts…..when it is separated to Jesus Christ., and guarded.

How much He has for us…..will we begin to learn?

The Sword of the Spirit and Prayer

Most of our armor is defensive…..for we are called to “withstand, and Stand” (Ephesians 6:13)

For the battles come to us, as we go along in our Christian walk….

….we are not called to go out and conquer. (Christ has conquered….and won the Victory)

We are to stand and “hold the ground” Christ Jesus has given us to hold.

What is this “ground”?

It is the fact that you are born again….how many times does the devil try and give us doubts concerning this?

It is the calling you have been given….God called me to preach! Me, who am frightened to stand before people and speak….yet, He did. And empowered me to get up and do just that!

It is the message you are to give…..we are all called to contend for the faith. Stand on HIs Word, and tell HIs good news of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It is the promises Christ Jesus has given you. How we need courage to stand here! For the devil will certainly try and put doubts for faith,…or try to add or take away what God has said!

These are the ground we are to stand on….the ground we are to hold, not to gain Victory…..but merely to hold on the Victory Christ has won!

Ephesians 6:17-18 “….and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Here are our only offensive weapons…..

…..the Word of God, spoken under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit is quite something…..

….it slays our doubts and fears…..

….. keeps the Adversary “at swords point”….keeps him from getting into our thoughts and feelings.

(We often have a hard enough time denying ourselves…..but when the devil suggests things….and we consider them….they are sliding ever closer to our hearts and minds.)

I want to say here, that the Lord can bring back a part of a verse so easily to mind. One you haven’t heard for years, even.

But He wants us to know His Word, for He speaks through it to us. And should we not want to read His Book to us?

Sometimes it is as a “hammer” which breaks the hard part of our hearts in pieces. (Jeremiah 23:29)

Sometimes it is as a warm reminder of His goodness and care. (Hebrews 4:16)

Sometimes it is a love letter to us….”come, take my hand, and walk with Me…and talk with Me…whatever it is, we can deal with it….together.” (Isaiah 1:18)

……And prayer….always.

It is interesting to note, that three times the word “all” is used in this verse about prayer….”all prayer”…..”all perseverance”…..”all saints”.

All is a small word, but inclusive to the greatest degree. It does not mean some….or half….or part. It means “all”.

“All prayer”…..prayers of intercession, prayers for needs, prayers for help, prayers for others, prayers of all kinds. But it also is shown to be “in the Spirit”.

Paul says…Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

Jude says…Jude 20 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,”

Both stress that the Spirit of God is willing and there to help us pray….

….that the Lord wants us to pray……me…..you.

But it is also “all perseverance”….we are not to give up, because we have prayed….but “Ask, Seek, and Knock.” And we will “Receive, Find, and it will be Opened.” (Luke 11:9-10,13)

And our prayers are to be for “all saints”.

Because we belong to Christ, the world is not our friend (1 John 2:15)….we have many spiritual enemies (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Yet the support group should be huge…..we are to pray for all saints….our selves, our family, our church, our friends, our town, our country, and in the world. (If all of us are praying….the Holy Spirit will work mightily)

The Sword of the Spirit…and Prayer. Both are our offensive weapons…and both are to be used in the power of the Holy Spirit within.

Eve, and Us

1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

As my daughter was giving a Sunday school lesson on Eve, it struck me that Eve was taken out of Adam (his rib); and made a into a woman;……

……to be to him something he needed more….a partner….a helpmeet….a companion in all his life.

Genesis 2:21-22, 24 “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof.

And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

And as born again believers, we are put back into Christ to be His bride, and friend, and helpmeet for Him and His work.

Romans 12:5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another.”

Revelation 19:7 “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.”

We become members together of His mystical body, here on earth….showing Christ Jesus wherever we go.

1 Corinthians 12:12 “For as the body is one, and hath many members and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

Eve was made a separate person, to show that the personalities of man and woman, could unite…..in the work God called them to do.

Adam was as responsible for Eve, as he was his own body….to take care of her, guide and direct her (if he had done this, she would have turned away from the temptation of the devil…..to get his help), and love her as he would himself.

Ephesians 5:28 “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”

So believers (each of us personally and together)…..is put into Christ’s mystical body to show that Christ has taken responsibility for us……to take care of, guide and direct, and love us…..as He does Himself.

And yet, we are separate personalities, each fitted into their place in His body….to show that we can unite with our Lord…..in the work God has called us to do.

Ephesians 5:25-27, 29-30 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;

That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,

That He might present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.

For no man ever yet hateth his own flesh; but nourished and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.”

There is a fullness in the Purpose of God……what Adam lost, by not fulfilling his duty, and yielding to sin….

……Christ has regained in power; because He has paid my penalty and debt…..and has taken me into Himself in union (by faith and love)……

…..and more so…..for He has empowered me by His Holy Spirit to regain also, the place of helpmeet to Christ Jesus.

To speak for Him,…..to act for Him,…..

…..and He is the lover of my soul. (“Set me as a seal upon Thine heart, as a seal unto Thine arm:…” Song of Solomon 8:6)

Eve was taken out of Adam, to become a different kind of support (the rib cage supports the back, and covers the inner organs).

She was to support him spiritually, by learning about and obeying God. (A faithful wife is a wonderful thing.)

She was to support him emotionally, by encouraging him to be God’s servant and friend. (Not tempting him to sin, as she had done.)

She was to support him physically, by being where she was suppose to be,…..not wandering off to look at a tree she knew was not to be eaten of.

We, believers, are put back into Christ, to become a new creature….all things should become new within us (2 Corinthians 5:17)….

That we should be to His praise and glory, in our lives….

That we should honor Him and His Word, in obedience….

That we should overcome by the faith He has placed within us….and be one with Him.

John 17:21-23 “That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.

And the glory that Thou gavest Me I have given unto them, that they may be one, even as We are one:

I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.”

Eve, and us, as believers:

God’s purpose lost in Eve…..and can be regained in us…..for we are in Him.

We are called to “come….in the unity of the faith”….

Ephesians 4:13, 15 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

Will we come to Christ, and fulfill the work as His helpmeet?

(Let me say here, that if Adam had fulfilled his duty to Eve; she would not have been at the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil….to be tempted of the devil.

And let me also declare, that the Lord will never forsake us….nor neglect His duty to us….who He loves.

He will never will He leave us….never will He let us go……but He will:

1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.”)

Lukewarm

Our religion is heart religion….therefore the Lord always speaks to our hearts.

Revelation 3:16 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, and I will spue thee out of My mouth.”

Lukewarm…or indifferent…..not caring one way or the other. It is hard to understand….but a believer can become indifferent to God.

When my husband first started this message….and read this verse….all of a sudden, he felt sick….like he was going to vomit.

The Lord showed him,….that is the way He feels about lukewarm believers….sick!

Sick enough to finally spue them out, if they will not repent…..to finally let them go…and let them lose the peace, joy, strength and help He would have given them…..to let them be repulsive to all.

Neither cold or hot….just sickening. Spue out means vomit….to spit it out!

If we were cold…He could just judge us for what we are.

If we were hot He could bless us for what we are.

Instead, we are just sickening…..lukewarm.

We are as Israel of old:

Isaiah 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:”

Israel had no new revelation, they had no real knowledge of Him.

Their fear was taught by man…by their precept.

They had enough light, they could have known their God…

…..but they have “removed their heart”…far from Me.

They did not want to know Him.

We can say the right things….we can do religious things…but if our hearts are not in them….we are lukewarm.

We can draw near to God with our lips….singing, the occasional “Praise God” in church, even testifying of God’s goodness to us (Luke 18:11)…

…but our hearts—though moved at times—is not fully in it.

We do not love our Lord. We may like what He does for us….but we do not love…Him.

“The lack of desire is the ill of all ills,

Through the dark pathway many thousands have trod,

The balsam, the wine of predestinate wills,

Is the jubilant pining and longing for God.”

Our hearts are made for God. He created our hearts to love Him.

And for each of the redeemed….He paid our debt….that we might draw near His heart.

If we are different then we were…..even from last year….it is by the power of God in our life and not by something we have done. He has led us through the circumstances….and brought us through.

“But their hearts had waxed gross and their ears were dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed.”

They had become indifferent to God.

It was not that Israel could not see, it was that they would not.

(The church, too, is robbed by servants who preach, or teach without this most personal knowledge.

2 Timothy 2:6 “The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits.”

The church can’t have what her husbandman won’t get in their experience.

The precepts of man are taught as God’s Word….and others teach truths that they personally know nothing of…..all they have is head knowledge.)

We often come to the place in our churches, that if we know about certain things….we are “good”….

….but knowledge of God is personal experience….you know a certain truth, because you have experienced that truth in your life.

(Years ago, I once heard about a lady who lent a woman her Bible in church. The woman was a guest and had not brought a Bible.

When the woman gave this lady back her Bible after the morning service, she asked….”I do not want to enter into your business, but there are marks in your Bible by some of the verses. T&T. And T. May I ask what these mean?”

The lady smiled, and said, “Oh, yes….the T&T, means “Tried and True”. The T, means “Tried”….I have yet to experience the True.

But I will….God is always faithful. Sometimes my patience wears thin….but then I look at all He has already done for me….and I will wait for Him.”)

What of us….are we experiencing His many promises to us?

If we are indifferent to His Will…..if we do not care to go along His Way….through the plains of ease and through the trials of today…..

…..our attitude will not change tomorrow….unless….

…He awakens us again to our danger.

And that is what He is doing in His most personal letter to this last church age….

Revelation 3:19 “As many as I love, I rebuke…”. I will speak through My Word, My Holy Spirit, My servants….and if you will not hear, then…

“….and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent.” To rebuke is to use words to awaken….to chasten is to use circumstances to awaken to our danger.

And our danger is real….for there are many things that will thrust themselves into our lives which will pull….jerk,….or beguile us away from our heart’s love and care.

And one of the worst….is….indifference.

We must want God’s Will done in our own life.

We must want the Lord to be testified to.

We must want Him to get the glory from my life.

Why? Because if the Holy Spirit dwells within us….He will give us this “want to”…..it is placed within us, and it grows as we yield to Him….into a zealous burning love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Are we lukewarm?…..then listen to Jesus rebuke, and repent….and allow the Holy Spirit to give you that zeal for Christ again.

The Family Prayer to our Father, God

Matthew 6:9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.”

Here Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray. Showing them God, in a most tender aspect: Our Father.

Since He is God, He is Almighty. We do not come to One who can do nothing; but One who will see His Will done.

Since He is our Father, He looks on us in Christ, and He is concerned for our well-being more than we are.

We are to come as sons and daughters to God, our Father; for Christ Jesus has given all the born again ones, a place in the family of God.

We are joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and have received the Spirit of Adoption. (Romans 8:15-16)

As God is our Father, there is that special love relationship.

Jude 20-21 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Keep yourselves in the love of God, in other words:

Walk in the sunshine of His love.

When we pray “Our Father which art in heaven”,…….we know that the Great God is ready to give us an audience.

This raises our eyes to see Him above, and it raises our hearts from earth to heaven’s court.

We come before Him with our requests in full assurance that He will hear. That we can pour out our hearts before Him.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

It is to a Divine Person we come.

One who has our best interests at heart.

And He, through Christ Jesus, has invited us to come, and come boldly, to His throne.

Boldly means that without fear we come close to God.

When we pray “Our Father which art in heaven”;…….we realize how elevated, and blessed we are,…..by His grace, given us.

How much we have,……because Christ Jesus is our Savior.

We also see that we are a member of a family. Fellow Christians are our Brothers and Sister in Christ…….for it is to “Our Father” we pray, and we are told we should love them, and pray for them.

He is in heaven, directing all things on earth. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and He has an answer for every situation.

Psalm 115:3, 16 “But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.

The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lords: but the earth hath He given to the children of men.”

And we should pray for the glory of God’s Name. “Hallowed be Thy Name.”

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

The glory of God is the ultimate end of everything.

Psalm 115:1 “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake.”

We are to seek the glory of God in every prayer and act. His Holiness is a beauty which makes the glory of the sun and stars, pale in comparison.

Imagine a world full of His Holiness (as it will be one day): full of compassion, and goodness. Full of joy and peace.

Sin has brought all the evils, sickness, and death with it.

But God’s Holiness has redeemed us from sin by His sending His son to die for our sins, and taking all the penalty of them from us.

Colossians 1:12-14 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

How easy it should be for us, as His beloved children, to pray and seek the glory of His Name, here on earth and in our lives. “Let Thy Name be magnified.”

A More Convenient Season

Acts 24:25 “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

Felix was the Roman governor of Israel. He lived in Caesarea, near the sea.

Paul had caused a riot in Jerusalem, when he preached that the gospel of Christ was given to the Gentiles also. (Acts 22:21-22). He had then been taken by Roman soldiers, and though there was no charge, he was kept in the jail house; because they did not know what to do with him. They were afraid to let him go, to cause another riot.

Normally they would never send a prisoner to the governor, except under extreme conditions: but this seemed to be one.

Paul’s nephew had come and told the Roman chief captain, of a plot to kill Paul, even under Roman guard. (Acts 23:16-22). This would have caused the captain a lot of trouble, maybe even death, so he sent Paul to Felix the governor, for review.

Felix had heard both sides of the accusation by the chief priests against Paul.

He understood that it was about this new way of religion; about Jesus Christ.

Realizing that there was really nothing to judge, Felix held off judgement.

He knew that Paul had done no harm, that it was really a matter of who believed what.

But he also wanted to pacify the chief priests; so he kept Paul in prison, but let him have visitors. (Acts 24:22-23)

On one occasion, he called for Paul to come and talk to him and his wife concerning the faith in Christ.

Acts 24:24-25 “And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

But when is a “convenient season” to be born again? When could be a better time, than now?

Was Felix afraid of believing in Christ because his wife was there? Or in front of his soldiers?

Or was it because he was “someone” of importance, and was afraid to submit to God?

Though Felix often heard Paul, the more convenient season never came.

Acts 24:26-27 “He (Felix) hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.”

How many times we have heard the gospel message: Christ Jesus came to earth to save sinners.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Born of a virgin, born under the law to redeem us; that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)

We are to believe and receive Him into our hearts and lives.

John 1:12 “But as many as receive Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:”

We have heard, let us also confess Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Romans 10:8-9,13 “For what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

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

For Felix, the convenient season never came. He left: afraid to confess Christ, afraid to let Paul go, afraid to anger the chief priests.

Have we received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Have we come to that convenient season to believe?

Obedience

John 14:15 “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”

Obedience is more than simply receiving guidance and instruction; and doing it.

(In the Greek, it means willingly doing what we have been told. Obedience is always a matter of the heart’s actions.)

It is a recognition that we are the creature….and He is the Creator, Who has the right to do what He will with His own. (Matthew 20:15)

It is the act of acknowledgement: We acknowledge we have heard His Voice to us….and yield to that Voice.

It is the act of a learner to His Master-Teacher: learning discipline, and seeing what God is showing me, in this obedience.

Obedience is the act of submission. We may not see the logic of the command, but we believe and trust in the God of the command.

And obedience is worship…..counting the Lord Jesus Christ worthy of our all.

(It is interesting to note, that Jesus, Himself, only used the word “obey”, once, and then He was speaking about our faith, and the removal of hinderances:

Luke 17:6 “And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto the sycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you.”)

He used the word believe, in it’s forms ( believed, believest, believeth, believing) eighty-four times.

Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21), and He presented Himself, and His call was….come unto Me:

John 6:40 “And this is the Will of Him that sent Me, that every man that seeth the Son and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him at the last day.”

Only after His resurrection, in power, did He command His disciples “Go ye…and teach all nations,…..teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen”. (Matthew 28:19-20)

They were to teach all men to “observe” His commandments and Word.

“Observe” means to guard with the eye upon, so as not to lose it.

They were to teach this reverence of Christ’s Word, so that the believers would guard them; in their hearts and lives.

It was only after the Holy Spirit was given…..the power of God within us to do; that Peter, at the beginning of his ministry, boldly said:

Acts 5:30-32 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

And we are His witnesses of these things: and so is also the Holy Ghost, Whom God hath given to them that obey Him.”

And then they went out from Jerusalem, to preach the gospel throughout the world.

And at the end:

1 Peter 1:13-15 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

But as He which hath called you is Holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;”

Paul at the beginning of Romans (the most comprehensive declaration of what God has done, and purposed since the beginning, for those that would believe on Him.)

Romans 1:1, 5 “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.

By Whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience of the faith unto all nations, for His name:”

The grace and the apostleship authority, was given to Paul, to preach “obedience to the faith” of Christ,…..wherever he went.

And at the end of Romans, Paul prays:

Romans 16:25-27 “Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

But now is made manifest, by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the Everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”

Paul preached Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, risen, and sitting at the right hand of God……and that those who have faith in Him, should obey Him, as Lord and Savior.

We believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…..and then, by the Holy Spirit and the gift of faith,….we obey His Word to us…..and live to please Him, Who gave so much for us.

“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”

Psalm 136: A psalm of praise for the Lord’s Mercy

Psalm 136:1 “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever.”

In this Psalm, every verse ends with the phrase, “for His mercy endureth forever”.

“Endureth” means that it is established and stands fast. God’s mercy for us has been established in eternity past….and will stand fast….immovable for us throughout eternity future.

He is the God of gods, the Lord of lords, Who alone does great wonders.

Whose wisdom made the heavens, stretched out the earth above the waters.

Who made the sun to rule by day, and the moon and stars to rule by night.

Who redeemed Israel from Egypt,…protecting under Blood, their firstborn; while slaying the firstborn of Egypt.

Who brought them through, dry shod, the Red Sea.

Yet slew Pharaoh’s army when they followed, bringing the same Sea to drown them.

Who lead them through the wilderness, bringing them into the Promised land.

All these things are the marvelous works He has done….

….but then,…. the personal memory of God for “us”….the personal pronoun.

Who remembered, and remembers “us” now (for it is in a continuing sense)…..and here it takes a personal turn.

And “hath redeemed us”….

Psalm 136:23-24 “Who remembered us in our low estate: for His mercy endureth forever:

And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for His mercy endureth forever.”

It is good to see and acknowledge…to praise and extoll God for Who He is, and what He has done.

But it is better to know God’s mercy personally……that He remembers me, or us. And redeems us.

How often we are in need of His mercy.

Mercy is God’s kindness to sinners.

There is temporal mercy: He sends the rain on the just and unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

And there is Spiritual mercy, which is only found in Christ Jesus, for ”us”.

This redemption is personal Salvation, guidance, and victory.

Let us acknowledge Who God is, and praise Him for it.

But let us make sure we have a personal interest in Christ Jesus, that He is our Redeemer.

We are ever in His memory…ever before His eyes.

2 Timothy 1:9-10 “Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began;

But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”

This seal of mercy is set on all the circumstances, people, and paths that comes to “us”: “His mercy endureth forever.”

His mercy reaches us where we are.

His mercy leads us out of bondage.

His mercy delivers us and gives us the promises.

His mercy remembers us, and in Christ Jesus, our Lord, brings us before His throne to get what we need.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

How much He has for us, if we will but come to Him and get it, and then with the help of the Holy Spirit within, use it.

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; we are to be complete.

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 to 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, conform them to His beloved Son; and take them home to heaven when they died.

(Salvation in the Bible is: justification and sanctification and glorification.

Justification is a legal term, and means that Jesus made peace with God, by taking our punishment on Himself….and we are made not guilty before God, and more, we are made positively righteous in Him. [Romans 5:1]

Sanctification is the setting aside ourselves to God in a practical sense. We receive from Him, by the Holy Spirit, power to be free from besetting sins, habits, and the corruptions of the world….spiritual liberty and grace (ability) to be all He has for us. [2 Corinthians 3:17-18]

Glorification is the Lord taking us home and changing our corruptible bodies into incorruptible, for the life we will have with Him in Heaven. [1 Corinthians 15:52-54])

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.

These situations mold us and shape us into His likeness….we are complete in Him.

As we follow Him, and are obedient to what He wants us to do……becoming and receiving through these situations all He has for us; 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….in you and through you.

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, those are the good works He has for you.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained (made full provision for) that we should walk in them.”

(It is ever a “walk” with the Lord, in scripture)

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.

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?”

How much it hurt Him, that He was the only one praying….at such a time as this.

He had told them of the circumstances to come…..perhaps they thought “surely not tonight”….

….He had told them to pray….yet for grief….they slept instead….leaving Him alone in this duty.

…He had told them of the betrayal and denial to come….yet they did not pray, even for those things….instead, they closed their eyes to these things…and then slept.

Yet it was there, praying alone….that our Lord Jesus settled with the Father, all that was to come….and the how it was to come.

A settled mind is looking ahead in hope…..a settled heart is looking ahead in believing obedience to the One Who can bring us through.

And so it was at Getheseme for Christ….and so it can be for us, too.

What are you going through….or what it ahead?

Our Heavenly Father knows, and is ready to give the settled peace and hope of mind, and heart.

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

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

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

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

He struggled with the fact that Judas betrayed Him, and His disciples couldn’t stay awake.

He struggled with the fact that the very people He came, in love, to; had rejected Him and His Word about the Kingdom of God.

He struggled, knowing the beatings, both by Romans, and Israelites, He would be subject to; the crown of thorns being pushed into His head in cruel mockery. He was a King, but refused to show it.

He struggled most: with the awful fact that on the cross He would be deserted by His Father, who had always been with Him:

For all our wicked sin, was placed upon Him; as our substitute. All God’s wrath, which should have been placed upon our heads for our sins, was placed on His.

Yet at Gethesemne, He settled the matter. He had come to do these very things, so He willed to do them;…..He came to the place of wanting to go through them for His Father’s sake…..and for ours. (Hebrews 12:2)

So it was settled there, that He would do them. For they were the Father’s Will. And that is what He wanted.

And He did all His Father’s Will, even unto death.

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

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

Grace is the unmerited favor of power; His power within us. It is ability to do, as an old Christian once said….God’s ability in and through us.

He will help us, by His grace.

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,……and to want to walk in it “for His sake”.

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 that He will empower us by His grace for all that we face.

But, because of Jesus’s atonement; we will never be alone. Amazing grace and love!

He will always be with us;…..in, and through us in everything in our lives.

Have you settled things with God?