If any man Will

Will is the determining factor of our lives. But it is influenced by our reasoning (our minds), or by our wants (our hearts).

By our will, we push ahead to the next step, in our walk through our lives.

In the Natural man, this is all for himself. The attitude of the Natural man is to see to Number one.

Sad, because if they would but come to Christ, He would see to them.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

In the Spiritual man (one who is born again, and yielding to the Holy Spirit within), our will is the power that helps us to do the Will of God in our lives.

We will with the Holy Spirit, and the grace of God comes to us, to do His will.

Philippians 2:13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and do of his good pleasure.”

Every man will come to judgement before God.

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement:”

Romans 3:19 “Now we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”

Every man will come to judgement before God…….Every mouth will be stopped.

There will be no excuses why God’s Will for their life, was not done by them.

They have a will, they could have exercised it for God. Did they?

Will God bring to mind the reasonings that they followed, rather than following God?

What reasons have influenced our lives?

Will He bring before them the emotions which lead them into the wrong paths, instead of following God’s ways?

Who or what takes first place in our affections?

And where do they lead us?

Paul says that God will work within us both to will…and to do; and he exhorts them to “work out their own salvation”.

Philippians 2:12 “Wherefore, my beloved, as he 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:”

(Salvation as we know, is four fold:

Saved from the love of sin (conviction by the Holy Spirit).

Saved from the guilt of sin (being born again. John 3:3).

Saved from the power of sin (which is Sanctification, which is what Paul is talking about here).

And saved from the presence of sin (being taken to Heaven through death, or in the Rapture).

God does work within us, as we want His will.

He gives understanding to know His Will,……and He gives power to do His Will; as we will with Him.

This is to “work out” what God “works” in.

Man (and of course, women) have three faculties of the soul. Reasonings or mind, Affections or heart, and will.

God has placed within each person that desire for the things of eternity……That is our God consciousness.

That is the light that lighteth every man (John 1:9).

It is placed within us by the true Light, Christ Jesus; for He would not leave Himself without a witness in the man, that He created.

But it is what we do with that light, that makes us responsible to God.

Yield to it, and follow it, to know Christ as Lord and Savior?

Or refuse it, and follow our own ways?

Romans 1:19-20 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

All are without excuse before God……all we have to do, is come to Him and yield to Him.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this the whole duty of man.”

So you have a problem with God, and His ways? Then hear what He says to you about it:

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

“Talk to Me.” He says. “Give Me your reasons, lay them out before Me, and see if I will not forgive you from your sins, and make you clean.”

What will you will?

Abraham and the Great Sacrifice

(This is a “picture” of God’s great sacrifice of His beloved Son.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”)

Genesis 22:2 “And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, who thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”

Abraham and Sarah finally had a son by a miracle. Sarah had been enabled by God to have Isaac. They both had been past age for child bearing, and Sarah had been barren, as well.

But God had given them Isaac. And now, some years later, God calls Abraham to sacrifice this well beloved son.

The obedience of Abraham is necessary for us to see.

We often hesitate, or try and get around what God wants (and yes, this happened to Abraham, too, especially in the early life with God.), but Abraham believes God’s word: that in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Genesis 22:3. “And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place which God had told him.”

Abraham gets up early. Not eager to go; but eager to return, and that would not happen without going.

He takes two servants to keep the donkey that carried the wood, and to carry the fire in a container.

He and Isaac go. It is a three days journey to Mt. Moriah, where God has told him to take Isaac.

Three days to contemplate his failures: was this in consequence for his many failures?

Three days to look at the promised son, and remember the love he and his mother have for him.

Three days to remember his first step, first word, and the strong quiet young man he had become.

Three days to consider this command, and therefore the obedience was more reasonable and honorable.

What did they speak of? Of the promises of God, I believe, for Abraham was counting on God to fulfill His Word.

Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”

They could have talked of the promise of the land in the future. The promise God had told him of future generations. And the promise that the coming Savior would come from them.

They come to the mountain, and Abraham leaves the servants with the donkey at the foot of the mountain and says:

Genesis 22:5 “And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again unto you.”

“We will come again”

To believe is to place the whole of our being upon the thing or person we say we believe in.

Abraham believed God. Isaac and he would come back down the mountain.

Abraham believed that God could raise Isaac from the dead.

So they climb up Mt. Moriah (in the New Testament, it is called Calvary), together.

Genesis 22:6-8 “And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father, and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is a lamb for a burnt offering?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.”

“Together”, Abraham is trusting that God will bring Isaac back to life; and Isaac is trusting that God will supply the sacrifice.

Genesis 22:9 “And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.”

Abraham bound his sons hands; those that had been held out to him when he was learning to walk.

He bound his legs, and placed him on the wood. Perhaps taking a final kiss on the forehead of Isaac.

Let me mention here, that Isaac was a strong young man—not a child. If he had willed to, he could have resisted Abraham, anytime.

But he did not……which is a picture of the willingness of God’s Son, Jesus Christ to do all His Father’s Will….even unto the death of the cross.

Genesis 22:10 “And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.”

Abraham begins to do exactly what God told him….

He does not hurry, nor delay, to sacrifice his well beloved son.

Sacrifice means: to place on an altar, with the intent of giving all to God, whither by knife, or fire, or other means.

When you place it on the altar, it is dead to you.

Genesis 22:11 “And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.”

The angel calls Abraham twice, to make sure he got Abraham’s attention.

God had wanted to test Abraham’s devotion to Him, by his obedience to Him.

Genesis 22:12-13 “And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything to him: for I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me.

And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns; And Abraham went and took the ram; and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

The test was done. God had provided the sacrifice.

Genesis 22:14. “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.”

Jehovah-jireh means in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen to, or provided for.

God did provide the true sacrifice through His Son, Christ Jesus; to take away the sins of the world.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

God, the Father, sacrificed His well beloved Son that we might be provided for.

We might be provided salvation: full and free.

We might be provided His Holy Spirit: and all the power and guidance He brings us.

We might be provided a place with Him forever.

Let us praise His Holy Name for all He has given us in His Son…..even the trials He leads us through, to manifest Himself in us.

A New Nature

Perhaps a explanation of what the term “nature” means, would be helpful:

Nature is the inclination of the heart and mind, and the characteristics of that creature.

As man, our nature comes from Adam, our first parent.

As born again man, our new nature comes from Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Romans 5:12 “Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

When Adam sinned, death passed to his children…..spiritual death, which is separation from God, and physical death…to those of his nature: to all men.

For we are all Adam’s children, and all have his nature, or characteristics.

(Mark 7:20-23)

God in all His Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, made a way for us to be justified before God, and saved from our sins; for He loved us.

1 John 4:9 “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

That way was for God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth and live a perfect life; then become obedient unto death, and pay the price for our sins; be raised the third day and make a way for our eternal life.

This He did. A way, then, was opened up for life, His life (nature) to pass on to His children, to those who have received Him.

Those who are born again.

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:”

Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath He quickened (gave life) who were dead in trespasses and sins;”

The Holy Spirit, Who abides with us forever, imparts Christ’s nature to us, giving us faith.

Romans 5:18-19 “Therefore as by the offense of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.”

We are made righteous: Think of it! Sinners made righteous, or not guilty before a Holy God!

By the merits of Jesus Christ, who sought us, and saved us from our sin!

Romans 4:7 “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered.”

But this is not all. Jesus Christ gives His new nature, His inclination and character; so that we may walk in light all our days.

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

We were in darkness, fear, and anger; now we are in light, and can have joy and peace.

Ephesians 5:8-9 “ For we were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)”

His new nature within us gives us access to come to God as our Father, receiving all the Father has for us, as His children; through the merits of Christ Jesus, our Lord.

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:”

“Spiritual blessings in Christ”……but the wonderful thing is….that we are “in Christ”….

Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

We are in Christ, and He is in us.

In Christ we have access to all the heavenly blessings God has for us

So all that the Father has set aside for us….can be in us, and for us….here and now; because we are “in Christ Jesus” and He is in us.

His new nature within us, implanted by the Holy Spirit, gives us the graces and the power to use them that we need.

To love Him.

To grow in grace.

To know His will.

To be empowered to do His will.

To obtain the many promises He has for us.

New Life is not just receiving Heaven; but receiving His new nature and becoming all we can be, to His praise and glory.

Ephesians 1:17-20 “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you….

The Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened;

That ye may know what is the hope of His calling,

And what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

And what is the exceeding greatness of His power in us-ward who believe,….

According to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places,”

He has this for us…wisdom, revelation by knowing Jesus more, understanding, hope, spiritual riches, power in us….that same power that raised Jesus from the dead….working in us….

To raise us up in our everyday struggles and trials.

Let us praise our Lord for what He has for us….and more….let us use it.

As Christians, What are we to seek First?

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

We are to seek His kingdom, first. It is a kingdom which comes within each of us. He will surely see to us.

It is a reign of Grace.

God is the God of all grace, and He gives us what we need.

1 Peter 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 (complete), stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

Grace is the unmerited favor of power. The grace of God is manifold (1 Peter 4:10), which means that God’s power is shown many ways:

By grace are ye saved

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men,”

Also by grace, we live for Christ Jesus. (Remember it is His power that enables us to do.)

2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of God may rest upon me.”

Hebrews 12:28 “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which can not be moved, let us have (hold on to) grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:”

By grace we are kept, or upheld by His power within us, so we continue to the end.

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.”

By grace we are made strong for the work before us.

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

By grace we show to others, what God has done for us.

Example: Paul’s own testimony.

1 Timothy 1:12-14, 16 “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern for them which should hereafter believe on Him to everlasting life.”

Paul, who persecuted the church, putting some to death by his witness against them, received mercy, and grace.

He said, “..the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

For such a sinner (he calls himself the chiefest of sinners. 1 Timothy 1:15), great grace was needed to bring him to the mercy of salvation.

And Who does he praise for this grace?

1 Timothy 1:17 “Now unto the King eternal immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen.”

Now unto the King—my King, Paul says, be honor and praise forever.

As Christians, we should seek His kingdom to come within ourselves, first; and praise our King for all He has done, by grace, for us.

Are we using the grace Christ Jesus has for us, today?

The Means of Victory: Pray, Believe and Praise

2 Chronicles 20:1 “It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.”

Now Jehoshaphat was a godly king of Judah.

And so when he heard of their coming to war with them, he feared; but sought the Lord.

2 Chronicles 20:3 “ And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”

He knew that his small country could not stand against the superior numbers and warriors of these three nations.

But He knew God could save them.

2 Chronicles 20:6, 12 “And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art thou not God in heaven? And rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

O our God, wilt thou not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.”

As they were praying and seeking God’s help; the Holy Spirit gave them direction through one of the appointed singers, that stood seeking God.

(2Chronicles 20:15-17) “….Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.”

They knew they would have to go out and face the enemy; but the Lord said He would be with them, and fight for them.

They all started worshipping, and thanking God for it!

2 Chronicles 20:20-21 “And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness…: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah,…; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth forever.”

Notice Jehoshaphat did not stay in Jerusalem, but led his people.

Also notice, when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers. They all wanted to praise God, even before the actual victory.

And what was the battle?

It was the Lord’s. For He caused two of the armies to unite against the third army; destroying it.

Then God caused those enemies that were left, to turn on each other!

2 Chronicles 20:22-23 “And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord sent ambushments against…which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of mount Seir, everyone helped to destroy another.”

Judah did not have to fight at all!

2 Chronicles 20:24 “And when Judah came toward the watchtower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, Behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.”

Four days later, after taking the spoil of the armies that came to destroy them, they gathered in the same Valley.

They renamed it “Berachah”,….or Blessing.

2 Chronicles 20:26-28 “And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the Lord:…

Then they returned,…to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord.”

Jehoshaphat was a godly king, but even godly people have enemies.

So God was sought after for His help,…..and He was found of them.

We, too, can seek the Lord and His help when we are in fear of being overcome.

Whether by enemies, troubles, or fear itself.

We are to pray, looking to Him for the help.

We are to believe Him.

And we are to praise Him for the help He sends. Whatever way He sends it.

He is the means of Victory in our lives; and He has appointed prayer and belief and praise to go before us into the battles we fight.

God is Light

From the first few verses of the Bible to the last chapter, the Bible shows that God is Light. (Genesis 1:3, Revelation 22:5)

Spiritual Light is the manifestation of God. Whether it comes to a person, a people, or a church; when Light comes, God is shown in His grace and power. And when light comes, darkness flees.

Genesis l:2-3 “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”

When all was darkness and chaos; the Spirit of God moved, or brooded on the waters which covered the earth.

Then God said, Let there be light. That was all that was needed. He spoke, and it was done.

Light came, darkness departed.

Later He made a great light, the sun to rule over the day; and He made a lesser light, the moon, to rule over the night. (Genesis 1:16).

He wanted us to show His Way, by the lights….they would “rule”.

When God gives us guidance or a revelation of Himself….He calls it light.

When man was created, God breathed into him the breath of life, which is the Holy Spirit, and man became a living soul, with the Light of the Holy Spirit within. Man was spirit, soul, and body.

At the fall, the Holy Spirit left them because of sin; but the consciousness of God, or the “light that lighteth every man”, remained. (John 1:9).

Man was still spirit, soul, and body; only without the Holy Spirit within him, giving him Spiritual Life. He was spiritually dead. (Ephesians 2:1-3)

Whenever He dealt with anyone, He would offer them light…..light to bring them closer to Him.

He gave the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of light by night, to lead the children of Israel all the way to the Land of Promise.

Exodus 13:21 “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.”

That light separated them from the forces of Pharaoh’s armies at the Red Sea Exodus 14:19-20 “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went before their face, and stood behind them:

And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all night.”

The call to Israel was to obey, and “walk in the light”.

Isaiah 2:5 “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

David’s psalms are full of the love of God’s light to him.

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 37:5-6 “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement as the noonday.”

God gives light to anyone, the moment they hear and turn to Him.

Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

God shows it to be as the dawning light, which keeps rising as we follow Him, till it is at high noon.

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

There are often shadows, and things that we let get in the way of the light, but as we follow and obey the Lord, we will come to high noon….where there is nothing between us and the Lord.

Jesus Christ was the Light

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

And calls us to be lights, by His life in us, in this world.

Matthew 5:16 “Let your lights so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Spiritual Light is the manifestation of God. And think of it, He gives it to us!

When Light is shown, we are given knowledge of God, and what He would have us to do, or how to do.

And with the light, power to do, is given.

We are called to come to the light; and as Christians we are able to walk in the light.

Ephesians 5:8 “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light;”

1 John 1:7 “For if we walk in the light, as He is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

What a great privilege it is to have God’s Light shining in us and for us. To know His will, and do it.

For with the Light, comes grace (ability) to do.

Terrible will be the day when those who have rejected the Light, will be judged.

Jude 13 “Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

There will be no light in the lake of fire; only darkness, and torment.

But that is not what God’s wants……..He would have all come to the Light of Himself, and live in the sunlight of His love.

Enjoying His fellowship and growing in the knowledge of Him, day by day, till we reach heaven.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:”

Behold I stand at the door, and Knock.

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

This is Jesus, standing outside the door of the Laodicean Church, knocking.

He is Standing, so our Faithful Lord is showing that He is ready to do, for the church. But He is outside, not inside, where He should be.

So, He speaks. He lets His Voice be heard.

But it is to the individuals inside the church that He speaks.

“If any man (that is woman, boy and girl, as well) will hear My voice and open the door”.

It is never to a particular building, that Jesus speaks; but to particular people.

Those that will “hear Him”.

There are many noises, and “voices” in this world.

They are all making demands on us: our emotions, our thoughts, and our time.

His Voice is the still, small voice in our hearts, calling us to “open to Him”. (1 Kings 19:11-12)

And what “door” are we to open to Him?

The door to our lives……our everyday lives.

This is to Christians, so the Lord Jesus is in our hearts; but He is calling us to let Him in every part of our lives.

When we get up,….He is there.

As we go out to jobs, school, doctor’s visits, wherever;…..He is there.

If we have sleepless nights,…..He is there.

Open to Me.

Open to fellowship. “Let us sup together”.

In Bible times, you never ate with an enemy, but only with friends, family, or to honor a guest.

This call to “sup”, means to let Him in your life as family. Let Him sit at your table and talk with you.

Let Him lead you into all His Will for you……at work, or relaxation, with friends, or wherever you go….open to Him there.

It is a life open to and receptive to Him.

Do you want Him more than you have Him now?

Then open to Jesus. He waits at the door of your life, for you to answer His call to you. To open every part of your life to Him.

Come in , come in, dear Lord Jesus; and let us have fellowship. You lead, and I will follow. I open my life to You. A life open to and receptive to You. Thank You, Thank you, dear Jesus, for standing and waiting for me.

Are we hiding behind our Wall, because we are afraid of the next step?

Song of Solomon 2:8-9 “The voice of my beloved! Behold, He cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, He standeth behind our wall, He looketh forth at the windows, showing Himself through the lattice.”

As we go on with God, we come to many places where we are given difficult problems to overcome….some harder than others.

Some are mountains of difficulty….impossible things for us, in our own strength, to overcome….

And some hills….not impossible, but hard going.

But, these are the experiences, the Lord often calls us to. Not alone, but with Him. That is what is set forth in these verses.

The Lord is seen as a Roe or a Young Hart….ever vigorous, and ever victorious leaping toward us, calling us…on with Him.

Seen through a window, with lattice over it. We know it is the Lord, for we heard His voice…went to the window, to see Him….but He is outside, ready to go on….but we are still behind our wall.

Song of Solomon 2:10 “My Beloved spake and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.”

This is personal…”said unto me”. He is not calling His church, but “His love, His fair one”; His personal call to you…..to come away.

But from what are we to come away?

We are to “come away” from “our wall”; for He has come and found that we are behind a wall.

I believe that this “wall” is our spiritual experience up-to-date. It separates us from the world….but, when we continue to stay behind it, it can also separate us from going on with Him.

(It is wonderful to know how far we have come with Jesus; we can rejoice in what we have! But He is calling us on,…..to keep going with Him)

It is safe, here. I know I am saved….I go to church…I love the Lord.

I see those mountains up ahead…and they are too much for me.

I see those hills,…and when I think I could, maybe, go out and walk them….I worry about….what if I fall?

But Jesus, calls again.

He has already shown me that He is able to surmount any of the obstacles that stand in our way…..He leaps mountains, and skips hills…..and He is asking me to do the same….in His strength, with Him.

Song of Solomon 2:11-14 “For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle(dove) is heard in our land;

The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, My love, My fair one, and come away.

O My dove, that art in the clefts of the Rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let Me see thy countenance, let Me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.”

The Lord shows that the winter conditions of the soul are past (I have heard His voice)…..new life is springing up (my heart is moved to answer His call)……now is the time to arise, and leave the good that I have, for the better He calls me to…..with Him.

What is this next step He is calling us to?

I know He is calling me to come out completely…to be seen as His, even in the difficult and impossible times of my life….to trust His might.

I know He is calling me to speak to Him more,…..and of Him.

Jesus calls us:

“Arise, My love, My fair one, My dove, and come away. Don’t be afraid, but come out from behind our wall,….trust Me, and come with Me.”

The Centurion’s Faith.

Matthew 8:5-7 “And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him.

And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.”

(In Luke, it says that he sent the elders of the city, and then friends, which represented him to Jesus. Luke 7:1-10. He thought himself unworthy of the Lord coming to his house, for he was a gentile.

This representation was, as if he came himself)

Jesus has said he would come and heal the centurion’s servant.

And this draws a statement of faith from the centurion, which “marveled”, or pleased the Lord a lot. So much so; that He speaks of it to the crowd.

Matthew 8:8-10 “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say unto this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith took hold in this centurion’s heart, when he heard of all that Jesus was doing, both in Capernaum, and other places.

(Capernaum was the place Jesus lived, after leaving Nazareth. It was the place he did many miracles.

Luke 4:31-32 “And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.”

Luke 4:36-37 “And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! For with authority and power he commanded the unclean spirits, and they come out.

And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.”)

When this centurion heard of these things, he must have thought they were wonderful, for he loved Israel.

But, until he needed Jesus’ power for himself (for his sick servant, who was dear to him), it was just information.

Good news, but it had not touched him.

Then, his servant got sick, grievously tormented, and ready to die.

Suddenly, those things he had heard about Jesus, were for him.

(How many times we are the same: we have heard Bible lessons for years, and they are good news, but then something happens that affects us, and “Wham”, that good news hits us where we live.

We can have this! This is real! This is for me.)

Faith has made the information real from the first. We believe it.

Then faith evidences that information within us, because we have a need that is only met by Christ Jesus.

The centurion also knew, by faith, that if Jesus heard of the need, He could meet it.

Faith reached out, through the elders, and friends, to Jesus; and stated the need.

When Jesus said He would come, the centurion’s faith reached out further by the evidence of Jesus’ coming; and said:

“Speak the word, only”

Why? Was he testing Jesus?

No. But he felt unworthy that Jesus should come into his house.

And why did he feel Jesus could do this? Was it just because of what he had heard?

No.

It was from his own experience. He was a voice of Rome, as a centurion (he had one hundred men under him).

Under the authority of Rome, he spoke and told men what to do. And they did it.

So he knew that Jesus, who was the voice of God, had the authority to speak, and make things happen, because He spoke for God.

He could heal, because He was the Son of God.

This was the centurion’s faith. Wow!

Matthew 8:13 “And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”

Believe is the action of faith. And as he believed Jesus could heal by his word, only; so it was.

What of us? We say we have faith in God. We say we believe what Jesus has said, and done for us.

Are we using this faith with God, and having the evidence of His authority and power in our lives?

And for the lives of the people we pray for?

The Lord honors true faith in Himself. (Not presumption, or to ask of Him, what we know is not His will). But real faith, reaches out to Him: that He will do what He wills.

Do we have a need Jesus needs to meet?

Then ask Him, believing.

Jesus’ will was to heal the sick; both sin-sick and many illnesses, while He was here on earth; as He preached that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand.

He did this to meet the need of the people……that the chief priests and scribes had discounted….and for the most part, had abandoned.

But God never abandon’s His people. Those that come unto Him, He will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)

But it takes humbling of our hearts, to come. (As this centurion did)

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

The centurion’s faith was real. He had heard. And he came, humbly to Jesus to ask that He speak a word of healing.

The centurion honored Him, and believed.

And Jesus answered him “according as his faith was”.

What is our faith doing?

The Brazen Laver

Fellowship is a word of intimacy. It means: partnership, participation, or social sharing between close companions.

What does this have to do with the brazen laver?

Because it was at the Laver, that the priests washed their hands and their feet before going into the Holy Place….the place which spoke of fellowship with God.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:”

In the Holy Place the priests ministered at the altar of incense (picturing our prayers ascending to God) or the table of shewbread (picturing our feeding on the Bread of Life—Christ Jesus).

All those things, were things of partnership, participation or sharing with God….in other words they pictured the fellowship we should have with God in prayer and communion.

Fellowship, which could only be entered into by washing outside the Holy Place…..at the Laver.

(It is interesting to note, that at the beginning of their ministry as priests, they were to be given a complete bath, and given the garments for their work. This was not to be repeated! It was a picture of our regeneration….being born again. Exodus 29:4-5)

In our daily walk, as Christians, in this world, we come into contact with trespasses and sins…..in our lives and in the lives of others….and we are in need of cleansing.

Exodus 30:18-19 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and it’s foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the Tabernacle of the congregation and the Altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:”

So the Laver was put between the Altar, dealing with sin; and the Holy Place, speaking of fellowship.

The blood and sacrifice of the Altar deals with sin, and the water of the Laver cleanses from defilements which working and walking in this world, brings us into contact with.

Their hands—their service; and their feet—their walk; was to be cleansed before fellowship with God could happen.

1 John 1:7, 9 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Ephesians 5:25-26 “….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.”

The Brazen Laver represents Christ’s ability to meet every need we have…..for our continual cleansing.

The Laver was not silver or gold….but brass, which represents judgement.

(The Lord judges His people according to the Word He has given them, and what they did with it. Jesus is seen in Revelation 1:13-16 as having brass feet….judging the walk of His church.)

The Lord tells us, now, to judge ourselves in the water of the Word, that we might have fellowship with Him….in all our days through this world.

1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

The priests were to wash their own hands and feet in the provision of the Laver and the water….that they might enter into the Holy Place and have the fellowship provided by the bread and in prayer.

Remember, fellowship is intimate partnership, participation, and social sharing between close companions.

Are we having this for ourselves?

Do we see ourselves as “with Christ” in all His works?

Peter learned a great lesson about this when Jesus was washing the disciples feet at the Last Supper:

“Lord, doest Thou wash my feet?” Peter asked.

Jesus explained that this was one of those things that Peter might not understand now, but would afterward…”

But Peter often jumped in, where he did not need to….

John 13:8 “Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”

Jesus did not say, “in Me”, but “with Me”. “In Christ” has to do with Salvation…..”with Christ” has to do with fellowship and communion with Him.

Peter was saved….all he needed was his feet washed by Jesus….to have the fellowship and instruction which they had as they went to the garden of Gethsemane. (John 14-17 amazing chapters for Christians)

But again Peter jumped in….

John 13:9-11 “Simon Peter saith unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

Jesus saith unto him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

For He knew who should betray Him; therefore said He, Ye are not all clean.”

Christ Jesus washed the disciples feet to show that fellowship with Him requires His cleansing….the cleansing of our walk before Him.

Again, I ask, are we having this fellowship—this partnership, participation, and social sharing between Jesus and us?