Jeremiah’s Call and Work

Jeremiah 1:4-5 “Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Jeremiah was called to be God’s prophet to Judah; and to those nations which would deal with Judah.

A prophet is one called of God, to tell His people what is on His mind, for them; for now and sometimes, for in the future.

Yet he was a young man. He thought he would not be able to speak such an important message to the elders and people, because of his age.

Jeremiah 1:6-7 “Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.”

The Lord told him that his age would not matter, for he would help him go and speak as God wanted. It sounded like the Lord had a long work for him to do.

But then God dealt with the fear in Jeremiah’s heart.

Jeremiah 1:8-9 “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.”

God not only spoke, but acted. He touched his mouth, promising deliverance from the enemies that these words would bring.

(He does the same to us, when He places the Holy Spirit within us, giving us His life, and grace. His touch to us.)

When we speak for God; preach His word, or give out the gospel; then all those who fight against God, will “fight” against us.

Then Jeremiah, who was of the priestly tribe, was chosen by the Godly king Josiah to go to the villages around his home town and teach the law, so that God would be honored again in Judah.

But the men of his town, including those of his own household, tried to kill him. (Jeremiah 11:19, 21-23)

He was sent by God to go to Jerusalem, and this is where his real calling began.

There he dealt with the priesthood, to get them to honor the word the Lord was giving.

Jeremiah 4:5-6, 14, 18; “Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land; cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defensed cities.

Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.”

Jeremiah 5:1, “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that execute the judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.”

(God would have pardoned Jerusalem from much judgement, if there would have been “any” that would do His will. We, too, are the salt of the earth…are we preserving our church, family, etc, as we should?)

He dealt with the people, to simply honor God’s commandments. But everywhere his word went, it stirred up anger.

(We do not like to hear that we are not doing right. Some honor religion, and not God. Some honor God only if He does what they like.)

Then the rulers became aware of his message.

God was saying: to submit to God’s chastening through the king of Babylon.

If they would, God would let them remain in the city, and in the land.

They would be under the rule of a foreign nation; but in the land.

It would be humbling, but the only way to stay in the land; the only way to be blessed by God.

Jeremiah 5:5 “I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.”

(In other words, they left the path of faithfulness, and went after “success”, and promotion)

(God had warned about this when Moses was warning the people before they came into Canaan: To obey God, or suffer under the dominion of other nations.

Deuteronomy 28:47-48 “Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

Therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies, which the Lord shall send against thee, and in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in the want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck,……”)

But now the time had come to see the hand of God in all His dealings, and submit.

If they refused; they would be forced out of the land God had given them for their sin. (Yet, it would not be forever; but just seventy years.)

When Jeremiah told the people this; the princes and rulers tried to kill him.

Jeremiah 5:11-12 “For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord.

They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not He; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:”

Hidden by friends( Jeremiah 36:16-19); then put in a deep pit with mire in it (Jeremiah 38:4-6); yet he proclaimed the truth.

Warning again and again, the king of Judah, and the princes to yield to the king of Babylon, because it was really yielding to God.

But they refused; and the whole city suffered under starvation, thirst, and finally the enemy breaking through, and death.

Thousands of men, women and children died because they refused to submit to God’s dealings with them. Thousands of others were taken away from the land as slaves.

How often are we dealt with by God? Things are happening, and we refuse to pray about them. When God is really trying to awaken us to what needs to be changed.

(Yes, I, too have been dealt with, and tried to excuse myself. Why won’t we just yield? How silly to be so stubborn….for what?)

Yes, our faith is tried; but when things come to us; we should seek the Lord’s face about them.

If we are being tried, He will increase our faith, by the trial.

If we are being corrected, He will let us know; and it will be our blessing to set it right, and submit to the correction.

But Jeremiah, too, was in the city. He was there when the city was taken, and the Temple destroyed.

But God saw to his servant; he was given bread and water through the siege, by the very king he tried to warn (though he refused the good warning).

When everything Jeremiah had warned them of, had come to pass; he walked out of the place the king had kept him, into a city destroyed and burning.

Still, when approached by the remaining people for good counsel, he prayed for them, to get it.

He never left off trying to help God’s people know, and do His Will.

(Tradition says Jeremiah was finally cut in half by those who kept refusing God’s Way.)

Often we are the same; we see the very thing God has warned us of, through preaching, teaching, and Bible study; yet we still do not heed God’s warning to us.

We think, God has to take care of us.

Yes, if saved, we can never be lost. But God can allow severe chastening in our lives, because we refuse His Word.

Which, when we yield to, life is given; His life and grace is given more abundantly. (Think of the prodigal.)

When Jeremiah first started to preach to the people; God told him:

Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

Cisterns are like a whole dug, and filled with rain water; like a reservoir. Cisterns are often dry, even when not broken.

To rely on anything other than our God, for our life, is to turn to cisterns.

But our God is like a fountain of living waters. Ever springing up, ever availing.

What will we do today, with God’s Word to us?

[I used to think that Jeremiah was the saddest man in the Old Testament. Many, so many refused God’s Word….but I have come to realize, that Jeremiah suffered often alone, and in terrible ways….yet he was always helped in abundant measure, inside. God was with him more abundantly.

The saddest people in the Old Testament, and any time are those who refuse God’s Word.

Listen to his cry’s:

Lamentations 3:18-19 “And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:

Remembering my afflictions and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.”

Here is depression…from anxiety, from troubles, from perceived failure…

But the very next verses:

Lamentations 3:20-26 “My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

Then I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: Great is Thy faithfulness.

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; Therefore will I hope in Him.

The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”

Jeremiah remembers God, Who He is, and what He has done before….how through all the years, He has been faithful to His People….and he trusts.

It does not take away the troubles….but rather redirects them to God….and He has broad enough shoulders to carry Jeremiah and all the troubles.]

Missing the Mark

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Sin means missing the mark.

We are all sinners, by birth and by choice.

But this sets forth more than this….we have all missed the mark for the goal for our life…..that goal for which we were brought into being for……

…..until we come to submit to the Truth of God, in the Person of Jesus Christ.

John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Then when truth is faced, then grace (the unmerited favor of power) is given to us.

2 Timothy 3:7 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

When you have come to the knowledge of a truth, you have what that truth sets forth….in your experience.

2 Timothy 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

(And when you only agree with the truth, but refuse the power of the Truth, you are as a cistern (Jeremiah 2:13), holding only enough water for a time; but not having the Living Water (John 4:14).

You are only holding enough facts to look good. You are still missing the mark….the purpose that God has for you, in Christ Jesus)

How do they “refuse the power”? In words? No, they talk the talk of religion….but they never have subjection to the Holy Spirit and His Word; therefore no real power in there lives.

For it God working through us that is the power of our lives.

Down through the ages, God has called by Wisdom.

Wisdom in scripture is that revelation (light)from God: that comes to our minds, when were in a muddle; our hearts, when the world dazzles; our wills, when we are at a standstill. We suddenly know….what God sees, and wills.

Proverbs 1:20,22 “Wisdom crieth without;…..How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

Wisdom cry’s out in joy, of the Lord’s invitation to all: (remember God deals with our wills….what will we do?)

“Simple” here means: the easily seducible. They will be led away easily.

“Scorners” are those who mock as well as reject the truth.

And “fools” are those who are indifferent to God’s character or government. They don’t know, or want to know.

Having addressed them in truth…..will they come and have grace applied to them?

Proverbs 1:23 “Turn you at My reproof: Behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you.”

Wow! What a promise to those that hear the truth and come to the wisdom in Christ! His Spirit, poured out to them. His Word understood by them.

Again….Wow!

Wisdom is from God, it is “from above”.

James 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

This is the way God’s wisdom speaks:

First, pure….there is no admixture…it is simply the truth.

He is going to tell you what you need to hear, in order that you will be saved from sin and self……and go on to be adult sons of God, with the responsibility and authority from God that He has for you.

Ephesians 4:13-15 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (complete) man,….

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, ……

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

Second, peaceable. “The entrance of His Word brings life…”. He is interested in us….not what we can do for Him (we really can’t do anything for Him…we are called to obedience for that is subjection and love for Him; but we never add anything to God).

Peace is one of the first things He gives us, and He calls us to it again and again, in all our trials and joys.

(Luke 1:79 He came to:”guide our feet into the way of peace” ; The sinner at Simon’s house, and the one who touched the hem of His garment: “go in peace.” Luke 7:50 and Luke 8:48; John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you…”; John 16:33 “in Me ye might have peace.”; Three times after His resurrection, when He greeted His disciples “Peace be unto you”. John 20:19, 21,26….there are more, but you get the idea.)

Third, gentle, and easy to be entreated. In other words, the Lord does not rebuke us for not knowing…..only not coming to Him, to know.

James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Fourth, full of mercy and good fruits. Mercy is God’s kindness to sinners. Spiritual mercy leans down and picks us up, lifts up our head, and applies whatever medicine we need.

Which in turn, brings out mercy from us, to others….that good fruit produced in us and through us.

Fifth, without partiality and hypocrisy. God does not give wisdom based on who you are, or your spiritual status. (Acts 10:34 “God is no respecter of persons:”)

God gives wisdom to those who need it and come to Him for it.

We have all missed the mark; but what are we going to do about it?

Will we come to Jesus Christ and receive His Life, by being born again?

Will we go on and really learn by subjection and love to Him, and become grownups for His sake?

Will we come and keep coming to receive His wisdom?

For He promised He will “pour out” His Spirit upon us, and “make known” His Word to us.

Let us stop missing the mark for our lives, in Christ.

The Elder Brother

Luke 15:25-26 “Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.”

Here is the elder brother of the Prodigal, doing what he always does….coming in from the field after seeing to the work there.

This he had done many times since his younger brother had left.

As the eldest son, he had been given the first two-thirds of the inheritance; while his younger brother had taken his one-third and left (to squander it).

But what he had not realized was, that when the Father divided his living among them (Luke 15:12)…it was a legal transaction that transferred all the substance, authority, and wealth to them.

So when the younger left with his….everything (2/3 of the estate), was now his, to do what he wanted with.

The elder son was lord of the manor…..his Father was nothing more than an honored guest in his house.

(Yes, he was to honor and to see to him as long as he lived….but the place, house, money, and servants, etc. was his….with all the legal standing of this position.

He could do what he wanted with all of it.)

Frankly, this was because he never really knew the Father, and his goodness.

He still saw things as they had always been….a son just doing his chores.

There was no enjoyment of his inheritance….no enjoyment or fellowship between him and his Father….just the duty, somehow to gain……something.

(that is the intangible “something”, because we should not do our duty for gain; but for love’s sake)

But sadly, he had everything….and never enjoyed it.

I am emphasizing this, because there are a lot of Christians the same way.

We have an inheritance…..yes, it will be complete in heaven….but, we have the earnest of that inheritance, now….in the Person of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

We have “all spiritual blessings” in Christ, waiting for us to get them down here in our practical life. (Ephesians 1:3)

We have the fruit of the Spirit to enjoy….and the ability to fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Do we really know this? What are we doing about it?

Or are we like the elder brother, who never really knew his Father….so did not know the enjoyment of the life he (or we) have been given.

(The Prodigal, though a mess and a failure….losing so much of his life on riotous living in the world….yet he, at least, knew his Father, and knew he would be given a place (even as a servant)…..if he returned to Him. When he did, the Father ran out to meet him, for he had been “dead” to all the life he should have had, till he returned. [Luke 15:32])

But the Father also “came out and entreated” the elder brother. When the elder brother found out the younger was home, and the Father had killed the fatted calf for him (something that was reserved for honored guests and special occasions)….

He was angry…

Luke 15:28-30 “And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his Father out, and entreated him.

And he answering said to his Father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”

Now you might think, having heard this….that he had good reason to be angry.

No, he did not. He could have had a party with his friends, anytime he wanted….with a kid, or the fatted calf, if he wanted.

But sadly, he did not know this. He thought he was a servant….not a son. He thought his inheritance rested in his merit….how hard he worked, and obedient he had been.

“I never transgressed Thy commandments….even though I grudgingly did them for merit”.

Is this obedience…..maybe to the letter….not to the heart of them.

For the heart of any commandment, or direction from the Lord is to guide you into greater enjoyment of the life of God, in you.

I deserve better than You have given me…..what?! He did not even know what the Father had given him.

I deserve better than You have given the prodigal….But you had it all the time…to have and use, anytime!

No, his inheritance (and ours) rests in the fact that we are sons of God, not in our merits.

The Father had come out, and “entreated” him. He earnestly beseeched, implored, begged him to come on in, and party with them.

How this shows the desire of the Father’s heart for His sons….to have them fellowshipping with Him.

Luke 15:31 “And He said unto His son, Son, thou art ever with Me, and all that I have is thine.”

All that Christ obtained for us, in His death and resurrection, are laid up for us…..not just for the by-and-by….but for now, to own and use.

It is in Christ….but we are in Christ. (“In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance…” Ephesians 1:11)

Ephesians 1:3, 7-9, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.

Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: “

1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:….”

We have our inheritance now….what will we do with it?

Manna, or the old corn of the Land.

Joshua 5:11-12 “And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the marrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the self same day.

And the manna ceased on the marrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.”

On this day the manna stopped. They did not need it any more. It had been God’s miraculous food for His people, in the wilderness. (Exodus16:14-16)

But now there was the old corn of the land, stored up from the harvest of the inhabitants.

When they entered Canaan, the people had fled into Jericho, and had left this supply of food behind.

Now Israel had a supply, not from heaven each morning…….but from their enemies.

Certainly, both supplies came from God:

One was directly from Him, each morning.

The other was a supply He gave from the land which they were entering.

These supplies were also different in the way they were presented to feed Israel.

The manna was on the ground, right outside the tents of each Israelite. So he could walk on it if he so chose.

So Christ when He came in His humiliation as the Man Christ Jesus, was presented in an earthly manner.

John 6:33-35 “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

He came as one of them, presented Himself as the Son of God, and was despised and trampled on, as often the manna was to Israel.

John 6:41-42 “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am bread which came down from heaven.

And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?”

As the manna was given directly from heaven, but placed upon the ground round their tents for them to honor and receive, or walk on…..

so Jesus Christ came to this earth to be received or rejected.

John 1:10-11 “

The old corn of the land was discovered, as they came to possess their possessions in the Promised Land.

And when discovered it, the manna ceased.

It was part of their inheritance, which this generation wanted, and so they received it with thanksgiving.

This is like Christ being presented as Lord and Savior to a lost and dying world; after He had ascended into heaven again, receiving all power, and set down at the right hand of God.

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

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.”

(You must remember that the apostles began the work of the gospel to the world in Jerusalem, among the very ones who had crucified Jesus. They preached Christ there, and on the first day of Pentecost three thousand were saved. From Jerusalem, it was Judea, Samaria [the places Jesus had preached] and to the uttermost part of the world from there. [Acts 1:8])

Christ Jesus was presented to the lost world, and where it was received, there was thanksgiving.

Was their battles? Yes, in both cases: Israel in Canaan.

And the Gospel of Christ to the world.

(I do not believe there has never been a time when Christians have not been persecuted somewhere in the world…..for Christ’s sake.)

Yet Christ is set before us as our inheritance;

He nourishes us; builds us up; and sustains us.

Let us give thanks for His Salvation, and all He has done for us.

Christ is still the Bread of Life. He is still being presented to the world.

Both supplies of food represent Christ; one sent from heaven to be presented to Israel, on the ground.

One sent by heaven through the very enemies they were to overcome, as they entered into their possessions in the Promised Land.

Let us praise God for all the ways He sees to us, to His Gospel, and to the honor of His Son.

Will the iron swim for you?

2 Kings 6:6 “And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast in thither, and the iron did swim.”

Elisha is a prophet in Israel. As an itinerant preacher, he would go around Israel meeting with the sons of the prophets; a group of people separated to God and His worship. (There was still a lot of idol worshippers in Israel)

Some of them come to Elisha, telling him that they need more room for their growing numbers. So they plan to go down to the river Jordan, and cut down saplings from along the bank.

Elisha agrees to the plan…”Go ye.”

But one of them asked him to accompany them; not to work, but to be there.

And Elisha agrees…”I will go”.

A decision of the will, therefore considered in the light of God’s will.

2 Kings 6:4-5 “And he went with them. When they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

And one was felling a beam, and the ax head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas master! for it was borrowed.”

This would have been an expensive tool….valuable and rare.

And he had borrowed it; so the honor of their word to return it, would have been on the line.

So he told Elisha….perhaps this was the very reason God wanted him to be there.

(Perhaps a word about Jordan: it is a very muddy River. If that ax head, or “iron” fell into that; it would be impossible to find it….it would be covered with mud.)

2 Kings 6:6-7 “And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it thither; and the iron did swim.

Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand and took it.”

Up from the muddy depths came the “iron”, by the simple obedience of Elisha.

This was an impossible situation, but the iron did swim.

Are you confronting an impossible situation? Then, hear our Lord Jesus to His disciples:

Matthew 19:26 “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

I want to point out (as the Lord pointed out this word to me, years ago) this little word “all”.

What does it signify? The numbers, and the vastness of things. It is inclusive…it leaves nothing out, not small or large, not physical or spiritual, not anything. It includes “all”.

And that is what the Lord says is possible to God….and it was in answer to a question about salvation.

Matthew 19:25 “When his disciples heard it, they were exceeding amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?”

(Remember salvation is everything related to us from the time we are born again through all eternity. Conviction, being born again, being saved from the power of the world, sin, and ourselves, being saved from others [Romans 8:35-39 “…nothing can separate us from the love of God…”], being taken to heaven.

All that effects our walk with Jesus (and everything does). is included in the term salvation.)

We are placed in situations, as Elisha was at Jordan, for us to have the Lord’s direction and help, for ourselves….and others.

(Often by helping others in prayer, word, or deed, I have been strengthened myself. By giving the Lord’s Word, grace is also received.)

This is a simple story of a miracle….there are no trumpets or bands….seven short verses describe a amazing feat.

It also is a story of personal loss….not just the money which he did not have to replace it; but of his word to do so.

And a story of the Lord’s goodness, to something we would think insignificant for the Lord to “bother with”.

But He did it. The iron did swim.

Sometimes I believe we pray as though we know the Lord will not answer us….sure, He could….if He would…sort of prayers.

Matthew 21:21-22 “Jesus answered and said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

By faith, is according to His Will, as He has shown it unto you.

Believing is the act of obedience to what He wants you to do about it.

(Elisha had to cut down a stick and cast it in the Jordan, to make the iron swim.)

Will the iron swim for you, in your situation….big or little; crisis or not?

No matter what the size, or extremity; God hears, and gives guidance.

Will we come to Him believing, and receive it?

Are There Shadows in Your Christian Life?

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

When we are born again, we are given the Holy Spirit and a new nature. One that loves God, and wants to please Him.

But we are Spiritual Babes, and often fail the Lord, when called to follow on with Him.

It is the Spiritual growth of our lives that brings us, as babes, to full grown children.

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:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

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

To bring us to this point, the Lord, through His Word, and by the Holy Spirit within us, will bring us to the Light again and again; till we are walking in it, with no Shadows between us. (1 John 1:7)

We fail, often, to fully realize that our own Natural Aversion to all things of God, is a clear manifestation of the ever present Old Nature within us. The old man wants his own will, and rebels at being in subjection to God.

Galatians 5:16-17 “This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

For the flesh lusteth (fights) against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary one to another; so that ye can not do the things that ye would.”

It is the flesh which “attacks” the new nature which is of God within us, for it still seeks to rule us, with our old habits, attitudes, and affections.

Romans 8:13-14 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

The “flesh”, “old man”, is our old nature; and remains in us, even though we have become born again.

We are to choose to obey the Spirit of God within us, and walk in the Light; so that the old nature is kept in subjection to Christ.

God’s Light, when it is submitted to, yields Power within us to do His Will.

It is a process.

This is an act of the will.

“…If ye do through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

And what a life! A life with the power of the Holy Spirit in us, and helping us, to do and be His Will!

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

Quicken is to make alive, active, and effective. As I said, What a life!

Mortify is to “put to death”.

That is, it is brought to the place where it has no influence in us.

Thus by an act of our wills, willing with the Holy Spirit, we do put to death the natural life, that it might become Christ’s life in us.

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

Where Shadows are in our life, full Light has not come.

Shadows are cast by something between the Light source (Christ’s Life), and that which is lighted (us).

It is a mountain of myrrh (which speaks of death), because it takes a lot of denying ourselves, and yielding to the Holy Spirit.

And then it is, the hill of frankincense (which speaks of reigning authority) comes in.

For when we yield to Him, and get out of the way; it takes very little of the power of God, to empower us for His Will….in anything.

To consider these Shadows, we must go back to our very beginnings, and first consider: “Why hast Thou made me thus?”

Romans 9:20 “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him who formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?”

It is a point of our rebellious old man, that we were never consulted in our being.

But just brought into being, with the parents I had, in these circumstances, looking as I do; and then forced to deal with it.

(How many of these thoughts have we had? The sad thing: we do not bring them to the Lord and deal with them.)

Sadly, many refuse to, seeking meaning in things, or emotions; or in oblivion, and finding it not.

(The death wish the Psychiatrist talk about, is not just a wish to die, but a desire for non-being. To never have been; or to go into nothingness.)

Once we are, we are Eternal beings.

We will exist forever, either in Heaven with God in bliss; or in agony with the Devil.

But God has for us an “expected end”.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Our expected end is Christ, and the joy and peace He has for us, as we walk in His Light.

As the thing formed, we must be reconciled to God, Who formed us…..As we are.

This is a deep thing of the soul, and worked within us by the Holy Spirit in our spirit.

It is not just living because we have to; Or trying to find joy in “things”….but…

We can come to the place where we love who the Lord has made us…..really….and to enter into the life He has for us.

Here is where subjection is real…not just words.

Your spirit, with the Power of the Holy Spirit, by an act of your will, brings your soul (the place of your intelligence, affections, and will) into subjection to God’s Will.

And you do it on that mountain of myrrh.

He begins as soon as you are born again, to encourage you to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Christ. (Matthew 16:24-25)

Every time you do this, His power works in you; creating in you that image of Christ in you.

Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

God’s Will for you, has had it’s “beginnings” in Eternity past:

2 Timothy 1:9 “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;”

He thought of you in Christ Jesus before He created the world. And so has made provision for your complete Salvation from sin: the guilt, penalty, and power of sin.

These shadows, are not the sin itself; but are the influences of our sin. They cast a shadow, a darkness over us.

It may be because of self pity because we have done these things: “Oh, how could I do that? How could I be so stupid?” (I have said this to myself)

It may be that the sin is gone; because you know it will cause problems, or because of God’s chastening.

But the desire for that thing, still remains.

And must be removed, before the Shadows will “flee” away.

There is still an element of darkness in your life.

He can do it, keep coming to Him.

So many of these Shadows are of our Adversary, the Devil; deeply implanted within us , down through the years.

Things done by others, to us!

To which he has whispered many angry thoughts: “God should not have let them get by with this.”

Or thoughts of revenge.

Again, let us consider Christ Jesus’ “expected end” for us: Joy and Peace in believing.

Do you have it? Are you obtaining it everyday, by denying yourself and picking up your cross, and following Him into the Light He has for you?

You don’t have to walk in Shadows. Keep coming to Him. Listen to Him, and His Word to you.

Hang on to His Love; and know He is hanging on to you.

The Lord is my Shepherd.

Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

(Yes, we can really come to the place in our experience that we can say, “I shall not want anything that is not My Lord’s Will.”)

I have always loved the picture of Jesus as my Shepherd.

He is holding a small lamb (and I was one of those once—yes it was a long time ago).

Beside Him is a sheep, looking up and following Him. (Now I am one of those.)

As Shepherd, He leads us out;

which is to say, He wakes up with us in the morning and leads us to work, school, or whatever chore or duty we have.

John 10:3 “To Him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.”

As Shepherd, He guides us.

It is into circumstances where we may grow and get stronger in faith.

And it is into rest, whether it is a quiet time, or peace amid our busy day. He is there, giving it to us.

Psalm 23:2-3 “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

And when there are dangers (and there are many in this life, from from others, from temptations); He will guide us away from them, or protect us through them. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

He correct us when we are following a wrong way, but always in love, to bring us back to Him.

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steel, and to kill, and to destroy: (So do not look to them, but to Me…): I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Psalm 23:5 “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

And when illness and the “shadow of death” come….

(for it is a shadow for every born again one. In death we close our eyes here, and open them in heaven with Him, forever).

Then He is there (yes, I know His presence, by experience in illness, and operation).

Psalm 23:4 “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

He speaks of fear, here….because let’s face it…..it is fear: nagging fear, panicking fear, or sudden fear…that causes us damage to our belief.

He is always there.

(Sometimes I have felt Him closer than any other; sometimes I have felt Him inside, strengthening me; other times, as though He was holding on to me, bearing me up.)

Yes, as His born again ones, we are blessed, and can say:

Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

With Him before me, and goodness and mercy behind me; I am covered with His care…..eternally.

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?

The True Vine, and the Husbandman

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”

Here is a beautiful picture of the care of our Heavenly Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, for us.

He is the fruitful vine nurturing the branches; while His Father prunes and cares for these branches, that they might bring forth fruit…and more fruit….and much fruit.

John 15:2 “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

How does the branch bear fruit?

First, we are part of the vine….He has made us so. Therefore the same life-giving sap which is in the Vine, runs through the branches.

Second, the branch rests in the place the Husbandman has put it.

More sun, less sun; higher on the fence, or lower; it does not matter.

It rests in the place it is put, and yields.

Our Heavenly Father may come along and purge us. This simply means “to cleanse”.

It is the pruning of excess from us….so that all the flow from the Vine will go into fruit bearing, not merely leaves, which are of no value in the harvest to come.

And how does He “clean” us?

John 15:3 “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

Jesus had said a lot to His disciples…some they “heard” with hearing ears. Others would be brought back to them by the Holy Spirit.

But now He is telling them of the importance of His Words.

John 15:7 “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Are you born again….then you abide in Jesus.

Is obedience to His Will the motive of our life….then His words abide in us.

(His Words “dwell in you richly” Colossians 3:16)

Then….and this is an amazing promise….we can ask what we will, and it will be done…….unto us.

This is not unto others….but unto us.

This is the Lord’s personal promise to each of us.

Isn’t this wonderful?

His Word is there for us…..to encourage, strengthen, and correct us.

When we read it, the Holy Spirit teaches us, and as with His disciples, He will bring it back to mind when we need it.

Again, it is a matter of yielding to this life giving flow, which comes from Christ, through His Word, and is applied by the Holy Spirit.

John 15:4 “Abide in me, and I in you, as the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

We abide in Him, when we do not resist His Will in anything in our lives.

This is not sinless perfection, but rather our wills, willing after His Will; and bringing ourselves in subjection (with His help) to all His Will.

You may say: “I want His will, but not that way”

Let me explain about resisting His Will:

Resisting is:

Putting it off because you don’t want to do it.

Arguing that you have a better plan.

Complaining because of the people you are forced to work with or around.

Silently giving place to the resentment of: Why me, and not them?

If you do any of these, you are resisting the Lord’s Will for you.

These are natural reactions. But we are not to be “natural” or under the charge of our “old man” any more.

We are to place our wills, and hearts, and minds squarely at the Lord’s disposal; and deny ourselves, and yield to the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

That power is there, but we must yield to it.

Sometimes that seems harder than others, depending on how much we “want” something else; but the way of fruit bearing is the way of yielding.

Yielding, and counting on the Holy Spirit to help us.

This is abiding.

This, Jesus Christ calls His branches to do: to yield and bear fruit.

John 15:5 “I am the true vine; ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.”

He is giving us His life, by the Holy Spirit in power:

What will we do?

John 15:6 “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”

Notice it is our abiding, which tells our end, because that is where the power for real life is.

We abide, and yield, and live; or we do not abide, and are gathered to be burned.

(1 Corinthians 3:15 “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. This is speaking of the Judgement seat of Christ, when all Christians shall be judged.)

We can never fulfill the Purpose of God for which we are called, without abiding in Him…..and He has willed, that we should will with Him in this.

Jesus does not want robots, which are programmed to do…..but willing servants of God, which follow Him because they love Him.

With His life flowing through us, we bring forth fruit: in us by growing in grace; and through us as His servants.

John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

Here is the fruit: Abiding brings yielding to His Word;

Which brings the prayers we should pray for;

Which brings the answers being done “unto you”.

How much the Lord Jesus would do unto us to help us, if we would simply abide in Him.

Again, what will we do?

“..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.

Blessed

Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man (woman, boy or girl) that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.”

Blessed means twice your happiest moment!

And we are blessed the nearer we come to Christ Jesus our Lord.

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

Mark 5:24-28 “And Jesus went with him, and much people followed him, and thronged him.

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

For she said, If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be made whole.”

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

Hearing of Jesus (all the great miracles He had done,and the many He had healed), she came after Him.

Seeing the crowd (for they all were pushing to be around Him), she thought she would come up behind him and just touch His clothes.

She came, not just to see, or hear Him, but to be near enough to touch His clothes, to be healed.

She thought that if she could just touched the hem of His garment (Matthew 9:21), she would be made whole.

So she came, pushed forward, and leaned down and touched the hem of His garment. (Some say, that she was crawling through the crowd to get to Him)

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

(Luke 8:44 “immediately her issue of blood stanched.”)

Finally, wellness!

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

But then she heard Jesus say:

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

I want to take a moment here, and point out exactly what the disciples are going to say:

There are many who are “touching” Him. There is a large crowd, pushing to be around Him.

(It is an interesting point that none of them were healed.)

But the Lord knows those who really come to Him in faith…….and they will always be blessed.

Mark 5:31-32 “And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, who touched me?

And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.”

Jesus was not looking for those who follow for position, or for curiosity, or to see the next greatest thing.

He was looking for her, who had come to Him, believing that He could meet her desperate need.

That is faith. And faith in Jesus always brings us near in heart, and will.

And again, faith in Jesus will always be blessed.

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

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

She did not know what He would do. He might revoke His healing. He might be angry at the way she had been healed.

She does not know; she fears and trembles: but she comes to Him, and tells Him all the truth.

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

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

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

He heals body, soul and spirit. He heals mind, heart and will.

Blessed is twice happy; and she was. Both saved and healed, because she came to Him; first in secret faith, and then in honesty.

Her faith was given the healing that she sought.

Her honesty was given blessing; To be brought near to Jesus in Salvation, and to be made whole.

(The God of peace will sanctify us wholly: body, soul and spirit: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, and who makes their hope in the Lord.

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