True North on the Compass of Your Life. 

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision,  the people perish:  but he that keepeth the law,  happy is he.”

There is, on the compass, a magnetic north,  which is not true North.

You can navigate with this, for short trips.

But when you have long trips over any length of time or of distance; you must be able to ascertain True North, or you will be off your point of destination, miles and miles.

We should all have a goal to which we are headed in life; and a way of getting there, which is not going to lead us astray.

That goal keeps our eyes focused on the real purpose of our existence.

As Christians,  our purpose of life, should come from the Lord:

 Ephesians 2:10. “For we are his workmanship,  created in Christ Jesus unto good works,  which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We are “created in Christ Jesus” or born again;  for a purpose.

Our purpose is to “walk” in the good works God appoints us, as individual Christians, to do.

We all have the “work” of manifesting Jesus Christ in our life.  His character should shine through us;  His peace, His gentleness, His love, and His determination to do the Father’s Will.

So what is the True North in this walk?

It is making Jesus Christ, Lord of your life, so that you will know what to do, and will be empowered to do, by His life, within you.

Making Him Lord means that we are His servants; obeying Him. 

We are His disciples; learning from Him and teaching what we have learned.

And we are His friends, walking with Him through this world, to the next.

John 7:17 “If any man will do His will,  he shall know of the doctrine,  whither it be of God,  or whither I speak of myself.”

Hosea 6:3 “Then shall we know,  if we follow on to know the Lord:  his going forth is prepared as the morning;  and he shall come unto us as the rain,  as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”

As certain as this old earth keeps turning,  there will be sunrise tomorrow.

You may not be able to see it, for there may be clouds and the day dark and dreary;  but the sun will be there.

This says that we can rest easy in Christ;  we can expect Him to show us His Way for us, and for Him to give us His blessings (the former and latter rains),  in the time we need them.

It also encourages us, to continue to follow Him. 

Psalm 42:8 “Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,  and in the night His song shall be with me,  and my prayer unto the God of my life.”

Psalm 37:40 “And the Lord will help them, and deliver them:  He shall deliver them from the wicked,  and save them,  because they trust in Him.”

He knows where we should be, and how we are to get there.

In life,  in attitudes, and in troubles;  with Him as our Lord and Savior;  we shall know.

Our whole life is a journey. 

(I used to tell a friend, life is an adventure. They thought of “lions” and “tigers”;  and they were not happy about the thought.  But I think of going with a Great Guide into a world that changes all the time….and to me, that is an adventure.)

It is a journey of a life time.  

And, lets face it,  we need help;  we need a guide, who loves us, to get us to the end.

We are to “walk” from here to heaven, with Christ Jesus.

That is a daily walk with Him.

That is how we grow to know Him more.

True North on the compass of our lives,  is to make Him Lord of our lives.  

Then we will see His Purpose for our lives, done.

Then we will get to the end in peace.

Appointed    

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

By God’s appointment, every life shall end in fire:

                For the Christian, it is the purifying fire of the Bema of Christ,….before we enter the eternity of Heaven:

1 Corinthians 3:13. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,  because it shall be revealed by fire;  and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

             

                For the unsaved, it is ultimately the Lake of Fire:

Revelation 20:13, 15 “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

           And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

[Matthew 25:41 “Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand,  Depart from Me,  ye cursed, into everlasting fire,  prepared for the devil and his angels:”

Notice:  God made the Lake of Fire for the devil and his angels.  Not man.  Man chooses to rebel against his Maker, and refuses the only Savior.]

God has appointed this day:  it is not for anyone to know, when it is…

Acts 1:7 “And He said unto them,  It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,  which the Father hath put in His own power.”

But it is put into God’s appointment book;  it will happen.

As John the Baptist warned those Pharisees and rulers that came to be seen,   when John baptized in repentance:

Matthew 3:10-12 “And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees:  therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,  and cast into the fire.

             I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:  but He that cometh after me is mightier than I,  Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:   He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

             Whose fan is in His hand,  and He will thoroughly purge His floor,  and gather His wheat unto the garner;  but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Yet they would not accept his word….or his baptism unto repentance….and so perished in their sins.

As Job said:

Job 23:14. “For He performeth the thing that is appointed for me:  and many such things are with Him.”

God performs the thing appointed.  

For every Christian, this is a blessed fact.

Every trial,   every person,    every circumstance  which is in the path that I am to take, following Him,……is appointed for me.

1 Thessalonians 3:3 “That no man should be moved by these afflictions:  for yourselves know that we are appointed thereinto.”

Paul was writing them about the persecution he was facing…..and that they were going through…

….God has put in the appointment book of each of us….certain trials….and troubles….and even persecutions….

…but we should not “be moved” (to shake or be disturbed) by them….

….instead Paul was praying…

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another,  and toward all men,  even as we do toward you:

            To the end that He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God,  even our Father,  at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”

So because God has appointed this day of judgement for each of us….

He would have us as His born again ones to receive the reward and crown He has for us.

In that day:  He will purify us with fire.   

Today:  He wants to purify us by trials.

Faith must be tried to show us that it is there,  and how much we have.  That is the way we learn what God will do for us.

Micah 6:8-9 “He hath showed thee,  O man,  what is good;  and what doth the Lord require thee,  but to do justly,  and to love mercy,  and to walk humbly with thy God?

                        The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city,  and the man of wisdom shall see Thy name:   hear ye the rod,  and Who hath appointed it.”

[The rod here is the same as “Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23). They are given the Shepherd, both to correct the sheep…and protect them.]

Our path is one in which we deal with ourselves,  and others.  

We ask for mercy, and deal with others in mercy.

We ask for forgiveness, and forgive others.

We ask for help,  and pray for help for others. 

(Giving it in comfort, and encouragement, as we can)

Our path is one which follows our Lord,………”to walk humbly with our God”,  in the many “appointments” He has made for us…

….including the appointment of the day of judgement.

We agree with Him in this path,  leaning on Him and His Word to us, to see us through in safety……And in joy…

…that we might hear,  “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”

He has appointed for me, and for you.   Let us receive a full reward (2 John 8),  and enter into all He has for us:    both here,….and there.

In Him

John 1:4 “In Him was Life; and the Life was the Light of men.”

If we are to come to the completeness of Christian Life….then we must have these two things:…..Life, and Light.

And both are found in Christ……”in Him”.

      Without life,  we are still dead in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1-2)

      Without light,  we are still blind….unable to move forward….we are just wandering. (Ephesians 4:18)

Both life and light are found in Christ Jesus…..and now are given unto us through His Holy Spirit within us.

1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit”.    

       Don’t put out the fire of the Holy Spirit within.   Fire is associated with purifying, and with warmth of affection and zealousness.

(My husband likes the Williams version, here.   1 Thes. 5:19 “Stifle not the Spirit”…..simply do not choke Him off.

        You know how you are impressed with something….and the first thing you do is….”what?!  Oh, no that can not be!”

….or, the Holy Spirit speaks to you through the Word,….and you say,  “oh, that must be for so-in-so.” 

        We “choke” Him off…..won’t let Him finish HIs instruction to us…..and very often,  lose by it….though we seek it afterward….it is not with the same power.)

God would have us joyful,….strong,…..in Him.

The Joy of the Lord is our strength….

       Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said unto them,  Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared:  for this day is holy unto our Lord:  neither be ye sorry;  for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

(This…”neither be ye sorry”…is not the sorrow of repentance….they had that, and were gathered to hear the Word of God….

…but this “sorry”,  was the sorrow which won’t let you move forward….which only has you looking back….and which often leads you to fall back into the same sins. 2 Corinthians 7:10

     That is why Nehemiah said….”neither be ye sorry”….because it was time to move forward—in joy—with the Lord.)

         This Joy is a ever bubbling up of knowledge…..it is the difference between the sun through the window…..and going outside in it’s brightness.

         This joy is all from the Holy Spirit within…..nothing we work at,….only yield to.

          It is not just power….although there is power and strength within….but in some of my weakest moments,  I have had joy….this knowledge of God with me….this strength of heart, and overwhelming feeling of God’s love.

But, as I said,  the Holy Spirit must be yielded to in all our doings.

     “Know ye  not,  that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,  his servants ye are….”

And one of the first places we learn to yield, is in our thought life….the thoughts we think and the motives behind them.

        In reality, we must think God’s thoughts after Him…..not in the grand things of the Universe….but where I am concerned.

        What is His thought concerning this?    

         And how should I act and react?

Now there should come to each of us, that transformation of the mind;  where our natural mind becomes Spiritual.

Philippians 3:15 “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:  and if in anything ye be otherwise minded;  God shall reveal even this unto you.”

        It is there we become aware of how we think of our lives,  as a whole.

We have our sacred life,…..we have our secular life.

We have our natural life,……we have our Spiritual life.

We have a habit of dividing our lives up into parts….this part for me, this for God, this for my family, this for work….etc.

But our lives should not be separate…..but all….”in Him”.

      We must come to the place wherever we are,  whoever we are with, we are before the Lord as well…..His servant and Ambassador.

      This is to bring all our dealings up into an act of worship.

Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

“Heartily”….with every breath,…every action, beginning in the heart.

Hebrews 13:15-16 “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,  that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name.

        But to do good and to communicate forget not:  for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

HIs life and light lead us on….giving every day a purpose….and a new way to praise and worship Him.

They mocked Him, beat Him, and Spit upon His Face 

Three times Jesus had to endure the humiliation of the mockery, and the cruelty of the various beatings:

The chief priests and elders:

Mark 14:63-65. “Then the high priest rent his clothes,  and saith,  What need we of any further witnesses?

                              Ye have heard the blasphemy:  what think ye?    And they all condemned Him to be guilty of death.

                               And some began to spit on Him,  and to cover His face,  and to buffet Him,  and say unto Him,   Prophesy:  and the servants did strike Him with the palms of their hands.”

They first spit on Him,  covering His face with their spit.

They struck Him and said,  “Tell us who hit you?”     “Tell us which hand hit you,  left or right?”

But notice it is the servants of these priests and elders which do the striking.   The chief priests and elders would not get their hands bloody, so they could say they were “clean” when it came to His blood.

(How they fooled themselves!)

Then they led Him away,  so they could get Rome to kill Him.

Herod and His soldiers:

Luke 23:11 “And Herod with his men of war set Him at nought,  and mocked Him,  and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe,  and sent Him again to Pilate.”

Herod did the least, but mocked Him in his court.

He made Him contemptible in front of his soldiers, by putting a robe on Him.   Then they bowed,  and called Him king.  Laughing at the sight of Jesus with such a beautiful robe.

But Jesus was a king.   

The King of kings:  as He said later, “My kingdom is not of this world:  if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight,  that I should not be delivered to the Jews:  but now is my kingdom not from hence…..To this cause I was born….that I should bear witness of the truth.   Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” (John 18:36-37)

Pilate and His soldiers:

John 19:1 “And Pilate therefore took Jesus,  and scourged Him.”

The scourge was made of the sinews of oxen.   Sharp bones were intertwined in places, so that every time the lash came down,  these small bones would tear into the flesh of the prisoner.

Though Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent,  yet he commanded Him to be scourged.

The cruelty of this is seen in Pilate washing his hands;  saying he is innocent of Jesus’s blood.

Matthew 27:27-31. “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall,  and gathered unto Him the whole band of soldiers.  

                                   They stripped Him,  put on Him a scarlet robe. 

                                    And when they had pleated a crown of thorns,  they put it upon His head,  and a reed in His right hand:  and they bowed the knee before Him,  and mocked Him,  saying,    Hail, king of the Jews!

                                   And they spit upon Him,  and took the reed,  and smote Him on the head.

                                   And after that they had mocked Him,  they took the robe off from Him,  and put His own raiment on Him,  and led Him away to crucify Him.”

First they beat Him with out mercy with the scourge.  Tearing into His flesh, and making the blood run.

But that was not enough sport:   They stripped Him naked,  giving only a scarlet robe and a crown of thorns to wear.    They gave Him a reed as a scepter,  but there was a cruel reason.

Bowing and mocking,  first.    Then taking the reed the whole band of soldiers beat Him on the head with it.

Isaiah 52:14 “As many were astonished at Thee;  His visage was so marred more than any man,  and His form more than the sons of men:”

(This was the prophesy concerning the beatings.  His face was so beaten,  they could not tell it was the face of a man.)

Jesus was beaten in cruel mockings.     But He endured all of this for us.

Isaiah 53:5 “But He was wounded for our transgressions,  He was bruised for our iniquities:  the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;  and with His stripes we are healed.”

[Sometimes we are “beaten up” in our social life, cruel things happen.

Sometimes we are in troubles from finances, or “pressed down” under circumstances which seem without a solution.  

Sometimes we are depressed, in darkness, because of the past, present, or what we see as a hopeless future.

Life is very hard at times…..impossible for us….alone.

Let me remind you, here, that the Lord never belittles our pain, or our anxieties.

On the contrary, the Bible says:

Hebrews 4:14-15 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens,  Jesus the Son of God,  let us hold fast our profession.

                        For we have not a high priest which can not be touched with the feelings of our infirmities;  but was in all points tempted like as we are,  yet without sin.”

He knows how we feel.  He knows pain and darkness…and trusted in the only One who could bring Him through it,  to do so.   

And God, the Father, did.       He is our God, and Father, too.    

And that is not all.  Because Jesus went through this,  we now can go through these things, too.   He has gone before us, and had the victory over them already….so we can.

But He also goes with us….

God, the Father, is our Father….

Jesus is our Mediator, and Counselor….

The Holy Spirit is our inner light……Hold on to Him, and He will not fail you.

He knows, and since He knows,  He is already working in us,  and for us, to bring us through.

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

Mercy is God’s kindness (spiritual and temporal) to sinners;   And grace is His unmerited favor of power (ability to do).]

Imagine,  He did all of this for us,  for me.   

Hallelujah,   What a Savior!

Asa

Have we gotten “mad” at God….and stopped hearkening to His Word to us….and “slid” away from His Will?
Asa did….which was sad, for Asa was a good king for a long while.

Asa came to the kingdom after his father died:
2 Chron. 14:2-4 “And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God:
For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.”

Notice it says: “the Lord his God:” Not just the Lord God….but his God! How blessed, in a king!
God gave Asa ten years at the beginning of his reign to see to the things at home….and he did.

Then, after that:
2 Chron. 14:9 “And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots;…

When God’s work is being done,….there are always enemies. Yet, it is what we do about the enemies, that counts with God.

2 Chron. 14:11-12 “And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said,
Lord, it is nothing with Thee to help, whether with many, or with then that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy anime we go against this multitude. O Lord, Thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee.
So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.”

Coming back from this battle….Asa is met by a prophet, who tells him: 2 Chron. 15:2, 7 “....Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.”

(What a blessing that God speaks to our hearts in trouble and in triumph! How easily for us to be discouraged…and puffed up with victory!)

Here, Asa hearkens and he “…put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin,…and renewed the altar of the Lord.
And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their sou;
And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with their whole desire; and He was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.” (2 Chron. 15:8, 12, 15)

For twenty years there is rest in Judah! Hallelujah!
But then, the king of Israel, the ten tribes, come down and seeks a war with Judah.

And here, we must pause and look to our own hearts, and lives:
Hebrews 13:5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
How many times we do not want our circumstances to change….or how many times we wish for things to be different than they are? Our walk is often straight through the valleys, and storms, and over the mountains….yet the Lord is with us!

In prosperity and in battle, God has helped Asa…..kept him and the nation of Judah….given a time of blessedness and rest…
…but when another battle looms on the horizon….Asa forsakes God, and looks to the help of man! 2 Chron. 16:2-5 “Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the kings’s house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria,...saying There is a league between me and thee,....I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break they league with…Israel, that he may depart from me. And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel….and Baasha (king of Israel)...left off…and let his work cease.”

Now this looks like it worked! But God is displeased….and sends someone to rebuke and correct Asa.
Would he hear as he had before,….and repent?

2 Chronicles 16:7 “And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him,
Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.”

(the Lord was plainly telling Asa that He would have given victory over both the king of Israel, and the king of Syria!)

2 Chron. 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord run to and from throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.
Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.”

If peace was what Asa wanted when he turned to Syria, he was greatly deceived. God is not mocked, whatsoever we sow, we reap.
But if Asa had repented, at least God would have been with him in these battles….and his last years as king would have been blessed ones.
Instead:

2 Chron. 16:10 “Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.”
(Terrible actions toward God, and HIs servants!
The only other thing that is recorded of Asa’s life was that he got a disease in his feet….which grew exceedingly worse. But he still refused to call upon the Lord! How his childish anger ruled his emotions and heart! How sad.)

The seer called Asa’s actions “foolish”….but he could have heard the rebuke and gotten God’s wisdom (James 1:5-8)….and returned to righteous and blessed living before his God.

Let me ask again….Have we gotten “mad” at God…and stopped hearkening to His Word…and slide away from His Will?
Are we being corrected….and instead of repenting and getting His blessed Presence again…are we looking to others…or to entertainment,….or to anything else but Him?

Let us learn a lesson from Asa….and seek the Lord…..and He will be found of us.
As the prophet told Asa at the first:
“Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands we weak: for your work will be rewarded.”

The Seven sayings of Christ on the Cross 

Many people have preached on these.    They are wonderful….for think of the beatings He has had…yet He speaks….not for His benefit….but for others.

     And wasn’t that His whole life’s work?

He had come to manifest the Father,  to show God’s Will and Mercy….and even at the end He speaks only for that purpose.

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

Christ is now brought to the place of His greatest suffering.   The beatings are past but the shame and desertion by God; death, and burial ahead.

But how does He meet them?

Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus,  Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

            And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

The first thing He says on the Cross is:  “Father, forgive them.”   

He forgave them first.   They did not ask for it;  but He, as the greatest King, forgave the greatest debt, and He did it before they asked.

The “them”,  were those chief priests who tried Him and took Him to Pilate,  

the Jews who cried “Crucify Him”,  

and those who stood and mocked Him, even in His miserable suffering, 

the people crying, 

and the Romans who nailed His hands.

As the mocking continues, the malefactors enter in.  But then one speaks up for Christ:

Luke 23:40-42 “But the other answering rebuked him, saying,   Dost not thou fear God,  seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

             And we indeed justly;…but this man hath done nothing amiss.

             And he said unto Jesus,   Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”

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

Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him,  Verily I say unto thee,  Today shalt thou be. With me in paradise.”

Then, looking down Jesus saw His mother, and John, the beloved disciple, who was the only one who had followed Him from the Garden…to the Cross.  

He, alone of the disciples, stood at the foot of the cross, ready to be arrested, if necessary, to stay close to Jesus.

So Jesus speaks the third sayings:

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

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

Here, Jesus sees to His mother, committing her into the hands of John, the beloved disciple.

She was to look on him as the son she lost. 

He was to look on her as his mother, and take care of her, seeing to her in her old age.

(This he did, and it is said, that she went with him on his preaching tours;  that her bones are buried in the wall of Ephesus.)

Six hours the sun had shone down upon all of this suffering.   

Luke 23:44-45 “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

                 The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.”

The sun “was darkened”:  The awful agony of the sin bearer, fulfilling the suffering of the wrath of God on our sin,  was “darkened”.   No one but God and Christ, could enter into this propitiation. 

God darkened the sun, to show that this was not for view;  no one would understand such suffering,  and so, no one could truly view it in it’s terror.  This suffering went on until He paid the price for all that would come to Him.

In this time, Jesus spoke the fourth saying:

Matthew 27: 46 ” And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,  saying,  Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ?  That is to say,  My God, My God,  why hast thou forsaken me?”

God forsaking Him was because of our sin;  for God can not look upon sin, without wrath.  

And Jesus was “‘made sin for us”. (2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us,  who knew no sin;  that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.”)

The price paid, Jesus spoke the fifth saying:

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

They had offered him wine mingled with myrrh to deaden the pain, earlier;  but He refused it.   He would feel every moment of pain,  that He would be able to pay the full debt of our sin.

Mark 15:23 “And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.”

But this time, they gave him vinegar.

John 19:29 “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

Then, He spoke the sixth and seventh sayings:

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

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

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

Christ was our High Priest,  who offered Himself as the Sacrifice for sin, for us.    

In every saying there was love, offered again and again, for those who would receive it.

He drained every drop of suffering for us.  And died, was buried, and rose again to give us His Eternal Life.

Have you received Him as Lord and Savior?

Do you have Him in your life?

Are you Listening?

Luke 8:18 “Take heed therefore how ye hear:  for whosoever hath, to him shall be given;  and whosoever hath not,  from him shall be taken that which he seemeth to have.”

Take heed how ye hear.  

Now this is not just good advice,  but it is a saying of Jesus.  

He warns all who will hear Him,  to take notice of what they are hearing.

They are not just nice sounding words to lull you to sleep. 

     Or assure you that everything is O.K.,  if it is not.

His Words are not just to enter our ears,  but our hearts;  and bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, to Eternal Life.

Jesus had just finished the parable of the sower.   Four types of ground.  

There was the wayside ground:  hard and not tilled.  

There was the rocky ground:  which sprang up, but withered.

There was the thorny ground:  which choked the word.

And then there was the good ground:  which brought forth fruit.

What was the differences between these grounds?    The preparation of the ground, itself.

The wayside had no preparation.  The Word was “walked upon, and devoured by the Adversary.” (Luke 8:12)

The rocky ground had too many things which needed to be removed to be useful; and so the Word of Christ just died in the life.

The thorny ground had been tilled but without removing the roots of bitterness,  which spring up again and again into weeds and thorns;    to choke the Word in the life. (Hebrews 12:15)

But ,……the good ground was prepared to hear…..by getting honest before the Lord….so when he heard,…..he obeyed (took heed how they heard), and brought forth fruit to Christ’s glory, and honor.

How do we hear……take heed?

Do we listen as if our Eternal Soul’s were dependent on just how we heard!

Is your life hardened to the Gospel?  

Have you trodden down Christ’s Words to you?

The Adversary is waiting, to remove those Words that are given you; and leave you hardened, and dead.   

Christ is speaking,   still…. will you prepare your heart to hear?

The reality of these verses is told by Jesus when He says:

“From him shall be taken that which he seemeth to have”!

They looked good;   They probably said the right answers,  but their hearts separated themselves from the impact of Christ’s Words for themselves……so they would not have to obey.

Christ claims our hearts,…..and requires,   not an answer of words;….but an answer of a Life, open to, and receptive to Him.

Remember,  when Christ saves a life,   He also claims that life.

From that time on,  that saved one is bought with a price,…and no longer their own.

Jesus says,  “Take heed how ye hear”.    Prepare your ears to hear,  and your heart to receive.

And He will give into your soul the goodness of His life and the everlasting fruit of His Spirt.

The Two Thieves

Mark 15:27 “And with Him they crucify two thieves;  the one on His right hand, and the other on His left.”

Matthew 27:41,44 “Likewise also the chief priests mocking Him, with the scribes and elders…..

        The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in HIs teeth.”

Luke 23:39-43 “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying,  If thou be Christ save thyself and us.

         But the other answering rebuked him, saying,  Dost not thou fear God,  seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

         And we indeed justly;  for we receive the due reward of our deeds:  but this man hath done nothing amiss.

         And he said unto Jesus,  Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

         And Jesus said unto him,  Verily I say unto thee,  To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.”

The two thieves are a picture of every person born.

  We are either persuaded of Christ…….as Lord and King…..

….or we are with the crowd which mocks and hates Christ.

You will notice that they were thieves…..men who had stolen something which did not belong to them.

        We, too, are thieves….for we have stolen God’s honor from Him….we have usurped HIs throne of authority.

We have chosen to be in control of our destinies…..so that  we decide what is “right” and what is “wrong”…..for us.

This is theft in the Kingdom of God…..we have taken from God the honor due HIs Name…

….stolen it for ourselves.

The thieves both mocked Jesus, at first…

….they “cast the same in His teeth”.   

Which means they were throwing insults,   just like the chief priests and scribes and elders.

        They were not good men,…..they were glad to be able to mock the Son of God, the Son of Man…..

….maybe it would make their pain less.  

(Of course, it did not….and it does not for us, as well)

        

But a change came….first innocence was recognized.   

Luke 23:39-41 “And one of the malefactors…railed on Him….If Thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

         But the other….rebuked him, saying,  Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

         And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds:…”

Here was a recognition that he was a sinner…..that God judges right!

         Though it was a simple confession…..yet anytime we get honest about ourselves…..light is given…..for Truth is Light…..

…..and God’s grace is offered.  (John 1:17)

Luke 23:41 “….but this man hath done nothing amiss.”

This, too, was a confession…..only about Christ.   He had mocked few minutes ago….

….but now he begins to recognize Christ’s purity and goodness.

(Grace does this….it brings us the ability to see Christ as He is, not as we have thought of Him.)

Luke 23:42 “And he said unto Jesus,   Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom.”

I love this,…..”Lord”…..not “king” in a mocking tone…..but “Lord”…..in subjection to Christ, and HIs Will for him.

“Remember me”…..

Psalm 25:6-7 “Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies and Thy lovingkindness;  for they have been ever of old. 

         Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;  according to Thy mercy remember Thou me    for Thy goodness sake, O Lord.”

For God to remember someone, is for God to fix that person in His affections.

Isaiah 49:15-16 “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?   Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

          Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands;…”

Christ’s graven palms,  speak of His remembering all for whom He died…..the penitent thief…..you,  me…..for our names are there where the nail prints are.

Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him,   Verily (Truth) I say unto thee,  To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.”

This thief died…..but lived by faith in Christ Jesus.

We all, too, are presented with Christ Jesus.

To some He is nothing more than an object to mock and insult….

     To others, they begin to see the goodness and holiness of Christ, and are drawn to Him…being honest about themselves and their sin….and receiving Him as Lord and Savior…

….and live,…everlasting life.

And He will always remember us.

The Promise of Christ to my soul 

1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”

I believe the whole Bible was written to the people of God.

Not to the world who will not,  and can not (except the Holy Spirit convicts and enlightens) understand it.

I also believe that the whole Bible speaks of Christ…..from  “In the beginning, God”…..which was Christ speaking the world into being….

….to “Behold, I come quickly…”

As HIs people,  we need to find the treasures of blessing and correction,….and grow thereby.

In 1 Corinthians,  Paul has just been talking to these proud Christians (proud of their gifts, although they had cliches and arguments)….

….and spoke of their calling from the world to Christ and HIs Will.

Paul puts into perspective the reality of all of us…..no matter education, personality,  place, or ability…..we are really:

1 Corinthians 1:26-28 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

        But God hat chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 

         And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen,  yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:”

        

Ouch!   This a list of people we do not want to be like, in this world…..

….but that is just it…

……we are not to be part of the world’s judgement any more…..we are to see as God sees.

We are to see ourselves as God sees us…..unable to understand, or lead,  or do rightly…..without Him and HIs grace.

1 Corinthians 1:29 “That no flesh should glory in HIs presence.”

(That is not just in heaven…..but now, when we come before His throne of grace to pray for ourselves or others.)

This is  to see ourselves as we are…..to get honest with God….not just about “them”….or about the situation….but about how we are….and think…..

……then,….the Lord gives us this promise:

1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus,…”

Here is the beginning of all blessings and help…..to be “in Christ Jesus”….born again by the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 1:30 “….Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”

Wisdom (how much we need this!):   Wisdom is personal knowledge of God in ever expanding ways. 

James 3:13, 17 “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?…..

      But that wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be untreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

The Wisdom from Christ, never puts down anyone…as though it is superior…..

…….but raises others up with…..”The Lord showed me this, I hope it helps you too.”

           It brings peace…..not strife.

Righteousness:  Christ applies and imputes His Righteousness to us…..and then we are to be righteous…..to work those obediences and good works that He has for us…..working out what He has worked within 

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

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

           This is righteousness.

Sanctification:  this is to be set aside to God for sacred use….in our personal, everyday lives.   

It is to become holy, or complete….to fulfill the will of God in attitude, action, word, and thought….

……..and it is only done by yielding to and obeying the Holy Spirit within.

Hebrews 12:14 “Follow peace with all men,, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

(Notice, we can not be holy….or set aside to God, without the right attitude toward our fellow man…..to follow after the peaceful attitude that seeks the good of all men.   

This is not pacifying…..but seeking their peace with God, and being at peace with them….allowing no anger, resentment, or bitterness to linger or stay,  concerning them.)

           Christ Jesus has this for us.

Redemption:  we would think this should have been first,….but….

…..this redemption is…….to be claimed and brought to your original purpose,  in the Will of God.

Christ has redeemed us……are we fulfilling in our lives that redemption?   

       Are we living as we should….having and proclaiming liberty to the captives of the devil and this world?

       Have we known the claim of Christ Jesus on our lives…..not just at some altar…..but everyday?

This is Redemption……

…and again Christ Jesus has it for us.

The Promise of Christ Jesus to my soul is wisdom,  righteousness, sanctification, and redemption…..in my life!

…my life!   Think of it.   

Christ Jesus knew our sin and selfishness…..yet saved us by His sacrifice.

Christ Jesus knew our pride and strife…..yet gives us all we need in HIs life.

Will we have this promise?   Will we yield to the Holy Spirit within….and get the life of Christ….within us….today?

The Name of the Lord 

Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower:  the righteous runneth into it,  and is safe.”

We tried to think of all the names of God, the other night;  and there are just too many….

Jesus, Jehovah, Christ,  Adoni,  Almighty , Shield,  Banner,  the God of all grace, the God of peace,  the Branch,  the Rock,  my Shepherd, Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord will provide), the Lord of Hosts, the Way, the Light, the Truth, Counselor, Mediator, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, etc.

But the Name of God, given in scripture at a particular time,  or for a particular situation…….is a promise, of what He will do in this situation.

Jehovah means the Eternal,  Ever existing, Becoming One….the Eternal God becomes our need.

(In the Old Testament:

Jehovah is linked to many adjectives:  Jehovah-Nissi (the Lord our banner), Jehovah-Rapha (the Lord that heals),  Jehovah-Shammah (the Lord is there), etc.

And in the New Testament:

Jesus Christ says:  I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,   I am the Light of the world,  I am the bread of life, I am the door,  I am the good Shepherd, etc.

Jehovah is Christ.)

An example of God, sharing His Name…..and Abraham running into it for safety:

Genesis 15:1 “After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying,  Fear not, Abram:  I am thy Shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”

This was said to Abram (Abraham) after a great battle with four kings, to rescue Lot, his nephew. (Genesis 14:9-15)

Lot had been taken captive from Sodom, when four powerful kings attacked a confederacy of kings,  which included Sodom’s king.

The confederacy which included Sodom’s king, was beaten back,….the city had been sacked,…..and Lot had been taken.

When news came to Abraham,  he gathered three hundred and eighteen of his trained men,……and went after them.

Abraham’s troop came upon them at night, where he divided his men into two groups….each coming on the opposite side.    

They rescued Lot and the other captives, and the goods stolen….quite a large amount of it,  and brought them back to a valley outside of Sodom.

There the king of Sodom went out to meet them, and told Abraham to take the goods (gold, silver, etc);  and he, the king of Sodom, would take the people back.

But Abraham spoke out boldly here:

Genesis 14:22-24 “And Abram said unto the king of Sodom,  I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord,  the Most High God,  the possessor of heaven and earth,

                     That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet,  and that I will not take anything that is thine,  lest thou shouldest say,  I have made Abram rich:

                      Save only that which the young men have eaten,  and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre;  let them take their portion.”

“I will not take a thread or even a shoelace from you.   The young men that went with me….they may take a portion….I will not speak for them;  but as for me, I have sworn to the Lord, my God….the Most High God,  that I will not take anything from you.”

The king of Sodom was a powerful man in those parts…..but God was Abraham’s portion…..His Word was Abraham’s guide.

Psalm 16:5 “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:  Thou maintainest  my lot.”

Then….”after these things”:

God speaks to Abraham, telling him of a new way in which he could think about His Might, for himself….

God said, “I am thy Shield” 

Abraham might be concerned about reprisals from the kings he had fought….but God would shield him.

(fourteen times the name Shield is used in Psalms)

Psalm 3:3 “But Thou,  O Lord,  art a shield for me;  my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”

Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield;  my heart trusteth in Him, and I am helped:  therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth;  and with my song will I praise Him.”

God said, “I am thy exceeding great reward”

Abraham did not need gold or silver from the wicked king of Sodom….for God was His portion.  

Paul writes about the riches of God for us:

Romans 11:33 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgements,  and His Ways past finding out!

Ephesians 1:7 “In Whom we have redemption through His blood, and forgiveness of sins,  according to the riches of His grace,”

Ephesians 3:16 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,  to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;”

He is all we need, and He promises to be what we need:

Proverbs 18:10 “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower:  the righteous runneth into it,  and is safe.”

His Name not only protects….but lifts us up from the situation we are in,  by faith,…..to see, what He sees…..He is a “strong tower”…..for His name show us what He is to us.

And the best thing we can do is….run into Him….and be safe.