O My dove, that art in the clefts of the Rock

Song of Solomon 2:14 “O My dove, that art in the clefts of the Rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let Me see thy countenance, let Me hear thy voice;  for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.”

The Lord has just called His loved one on to a more victorious life….”leaping on the mountains with Him…and skipping on the hills.” (Song of Solomon 2:8-13)

And now He calls her to a One on one fellowship…and it is a call to be what we are…which is His.

First He calls us….His dove….My dove.  Intimate and personal. 

Doves can see only one thing at a time.   He is stressing the singleness of vision that we should have…keeping our eyes on Him……for we are following on with Him.

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

     Simply said,  When our vision is full of Christ and “things”….we are not seeing in the light.   We are accessing the situation.

     But when our eyes are seeing Christ and His glory alone….no matter what is around us….then we are full of the light of His instruction and grace.

Then the Lord states that we are “in the cleft of the Rock”.   He is that Rock that was cleft.  And He would have us spend precious time with Him.

     (In the Rock.  This, we know, is our state.  We are born again.  We are in Christ Jesus, seated in Him, “in the heavenlies.”

And as He is there representing us before the Father…we are to represent Him before all men.

This is what the Lord is calling this believer to.

Ephesians 1:3, 2:6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

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

Ephesians is the book of our possessions….in Christ)

“In the secret places of the stairs”

     This is a “lovers’ rendezvous”…a place where you can tell Him everything…and He makes known to you His heart concerning you and the things that concern you.

This is the same as in:

     Psalm 91:1 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

     The wonderful safety here is for those who “abide”….or have continuous communion with the Lord.    Some picture this as a castle….wherein the storms of life rage around…but do not enter.

Here we make known our hearts…our needs,  our thoughts and feelings, our anxieties, our sorrows and our joys…to our loving, perfect Friend.

     And here,  the Lord makes known His “secret”….or the personal communion of Himself.

And here is the crux of the verse:

     “let Me see thy countenance…let Me hear thy voice”

We must, if we are Christ’s, show Him in our lives.    But how does He want us to manifest Him?  

     Our countenance…or our seeing.   The way we are now, because we belong to Him.

1 Peter 4:4 “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:”

1 Peter 2:12 “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers,  they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

    Our voice….or our testimony and way of speaking,  to and about others.

We are His….therefore we speak of Him,  and His Word and Way.

Then the Lord reiterates:   “let Me hear thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.”

    Whether others will hear it,  the Lord wants us to speak to Him and of Him.

                     1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

    Because we belong to Him,  we are “beautiful”…for the Holy Spirit dwells within us.

                     1 Peter 3:4 “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God  of great price.”

How many examples of this is spoken of in the Word!   Knowing God brings separation and testimony!   (Think Abraham…Genesis 12:1-4.   Think Saul/Paul…Acts 9:20-21)

The closer we come to the Lord….”in the clefts of the Rock, in the secret places of the stairs”…

….the further away we go from the world….and it’s clutter in our thoughts and lives.

So the Lord calls His dove….the one who seeks to see Him only, in everything;  to come along further. 

Do we have set times of devotions and prayers?

Do we set aside time for the reading of the Word of God, when we can really hear what is being said?

Well, He calls us on….that we may please Him,  Who loves us.

Abominations

Abominations in the scriptures means…”disgusting things”

      Sin is always wrong….but when those who are called to closeness to God, sin….it is especially wicked.   To have light….and choose darkness is great evil. (Matt.6:22-23)

Ezekiel 8:1 “And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.”

Why so specific a time?   It was a year and a half after Ezekiel’s call….and God has been relating the judgments to come on Jerusalem….something that had never happened before.

     But was there no hope?  

So here, God shows Ezekiel in a vision,…and through him, to the elders which have come to hear the Word of the Lord. 

God is going to show them the abominations Judah has done in Jerusalem…and especially in the Sanctuary or Temple…

….the things Judah does…”in the dark”.

Ezekiel 8:3 “And He put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head;….and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door for the inner gate that looketh toward the north;  where was the seat of the image of jealousy,  which provoketh to jealousy.”

Here is the first abomination…at the north gate of the Temple….”the image of jealousy”.  

    This is, most believe, the image of Baal, that was replaced after Josiah’s death.   Josiah had taken all the idols out of Judah and Jerusalem,….but now, instead of continuing to follow the Lord….they have reinstituted the idol of Baal….for worship….and right in the gateway to the Temple!

Ezekiel 8:6 “He (God) said furthermore unto me,  Son of man, seest thou what they do?  even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here,    that I should go far off from my sanctuary?….”

The sadness in His voice….for God is a jealous God; and will not give His glory or honor to another.

     He is telling Ezekiel….they will worship God,  or He will leave them to their abominations…for there are more abominations to show him.

So Ezekiel is told to “dig in the wall”.   Inside the Temple,  are priests’ chambers.  

     So Ezekiel is told to go in and see what they do there.

Ezekiel 8:10-12 “So I went in and saw;  and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about.

      And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients…..and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.

     Then said He unto me,  Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients…do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery?  For they say, The Lord seeth us not;  the Lord hath forsaken the earth.”

[And what do we do in the chambers of our imagery?   What is portrayed on the walls of our minds?   

Our imaginations can be a great snare….and we are told:

     2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

     Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”]

These seventy men were the great council of the nation…the Sanhedrin!  Yet see what they do.  They are worshiping the images of Egypt…”creeping things and abominable beasts”.  They do this in secret…right in the Sanctuary!   

         They should have been leading the nation in repentance….yet they did abominations.

Then…the Lord brought Ezekiel to the door of the house of God….and “there sat women weeping for Tammuz.”  (Ezekiel 8:14)

       Instead of weeping for their sins,  they find women weeping over an idol….over a story….not over what’s real!

Ezekiel 8:16 “And He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east.”

This place between the porch and the altar was to be the place of gathering for repentance…(Joel 2:16-17 “Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say,  Spare thy people, O Lord,…”)…

…yet here, the priests are gathered to worship the sun…

…and notice…..with their backs toward the Sanctuary…showing contempt on His worship.

     (There are twenty-five because of the twenty-four courses of the priests and the high priest was present.)

Ezekiel 8:17 “Then He said unto me,  Hast thou seen this, O son of man?   Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit     here?….”

Again, you can hear the sadness in the Lord’s voice.

Four abominations….in every direction….right in the Sanctuary!  

   “…seest thou what they do?…that I should go far off from my Sanctuary?” (Ezek.8:6)

God was showing Ezekiel…and through him to the people in captivity….that the sin of Judah was great.    That it was this sin,  that leads Him to judge His people.

(There is a judgment that leads to repentance….…and there is a judgment that is final.   

       God would have us seek Him….then we will find Him 

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near:

       Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

And there is some who do seek the Lord in Jerusalem, and cry out because of the abominations.   For the Lord calls out a man, with an inkhorn by his side….to seal those that cry against these abominations.   They would be spared…though they must be tried.

      Ezekiel 9:3-6 “And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up….And He called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;

      And the Lord said unto him,   Go through the midst of the city,…and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done…”

And I must include here,  that before the Tribulation judgments fall on the earth…we Christians, who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise will be removed in the rapture.

     And God will also seal 144,000 from Israel, before the worst plagues will fall on the unbelieving and unrepentant world.)

God, now show Ezekiel, that at this time He  will leave His Sanctuary….

      First He leaves the Holy of Holies, over the mercy seat….and goes to the threshold of the door of the Holy of Holies . (Ezekiel 9:3 “And the glory of God was gone up from the cherub, whereupon He wast,  to the threshold of the house….”)

Then, He elevates His throne above the threshold. (Ezekiel 10:1 “Then I looked…there appeared over them….as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.”)

Then He moves to the threshold of the Holy Place…outside in the outer court…..His glory shining there….but the house gets filled with “the cloud” which is more like smoke.  (Ezekiel 10:4)

He and the cherubim stand for a time at the east gate, where the people enter…then He lifts up to be over the cherubim….(Ezekiel 10:18 “Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims.”)

He waits to see if any will look toward the glory of the Lord….

…then He goes up altogether from the city to the Mount of Olives…

Ezekiel 11:23 “And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.”    

    (This is, of course, where Christ Jesus, forty days after His resurrection, ascended to heaven…and where,  one day He will come again.   Acts 1:9-11)

The abominations…..of what should have been the closest of His people,  were what drove the Lord away.

     Abomination means disgusting things….

….and God will not give up His honor….to another.

Yet, in HIs Word  to Ezekiel…God looks beyond the judgment that had to be…because of their abominations….

….to His great mercy and light to those in captivity:

Ezekiel 11:17-20 (condensed) “…Thus saith the Lord God; I will even gather you….and I will give you the land of Israel.

     And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things…and all the abominations…

     And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you;   and I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh,  and will give them a heart of flesh.

    That they may walk in my statutes…and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.”

Seven  times the Lord speaks of what He will do that He may once again be with them….

Ezekiel 43:2, 4 “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and His voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with HIs glory.

      And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.”

Now, let me ask each Christian….is not the Lord pictured, standing outside the door of HIs church in Laodicea? (Rev. 3:20)

      Yet there is hope….for the Lord speaks of a way for all who would have His fellowship and presence in their lives…

Revelation 3:18-19 “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou may be rich; and white raiment, that thou may be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thy eyes with eyesalve,  that thou may see.

     As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

The Lord is still speaking to His church…and waiting to see if they will look toward Him….. to “Open to Me”.

What will we do?  Will we…

….follow the world in worshiping idols, 

…or hide in secret our sin

…or emotionally weep over things that have no meaning

…or turn our backs on the Lord?   As those did in Ezekiel’s time?

HIs Holy Spirit is still convicting and speaking…what will we do?   

     Let us see the uselessness of idols…

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

And seek the Lord, who offers His Presence and power…grace and truth.

Are we growing in grace?

2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”

Peter knew a lot about this; having denied the Lord three times, once even before a maid.

Yet he was restored, and became the first preacher of the gospel after Pentecost. Three thousand were saved that first day.(Acts 2:41)

He had grown some since he had bragged about his loyalty; and then failed Jesus so terribly.

He had learned his own weakness….when his courage and devotion failed…..even when he loved the Lord….

After he was filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, he learned how to preach……he learned about persecution,…and determined they must obey God rather than man…

…..about the Lord including the Gentiles into the church….

….about the importance of the Word of God….

….and he learned that we are never “too sanctified” to get tripped up.

Galatians 2:11-13 “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried with their dissimulation.”

When this happened, Paul corrected him in front of everyone there…..”when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel…”

Was this Peter,….the one who had opened the door to Gentiles….yet, tripped up? How could this be?

Because we are never out of danger, this side of heaven.

And Peter was weak before the influence of men,……for he was not yielding to the Holy Spirit….he let his emotions lead him, instead.

It says, “….fearing them which were of the circumcision.”

Fear is a terrible enemy….how many have stumbled under the “roar” of the devil, causing fear

(1 Peter 5:8-9 here Peter warns of this very thing).

Peter, corrected, though….went on to preach many places….taking with him Mark…discipling him…till he was a old man…

But he knew he was not done growing….he would continue to grow as long as he would be “in this tabernacle”…..for he (and we) should never stop learning by the Holy Spirit, in our experiences of life about Jesus, and what He will do for us.

And so when he was old, he warned others about this very thing…”that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”(verse 1:16)

2 Peter 1:2-4, 12-13 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle (body), to stir you up by putting you in remembrance:”

Every true Christian stands in need of growing in grace.

To do so, we must “eat” the Bread of Life which is Christ.

That involves fellowship with Him….in our everyday tasks.

(Are we spending time with our lovely Lord?)

We must “drink” the water of Life freely which is His Holy Spirit.

That involves yielding ourselves to His guidance and convictions.

If we are to become strong Christians, and not babes, we need to grow.

We need to use what He gives us and gain experience with Him.

(If Jesus were here on earth, and came and invited you to follow Him, would you?

But, though He is not here on earth,…..He is still inviting us to:

Come and Follow Me into the everyday experiences of today, tomorrow, and onward.)

Hebrews 5:14 “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

We have spiritual senses, as well as natural ones.

We are to have “hearing ears” to hear what the Lord says to us. There is no audible voice; but the internal Voice which guides us.

We are to have “seeing eyes”……eyes of faith…..enlightened by the Holy Spirit and His Word.

We are to have the sense of “smell”.

This Spiritual sense tells us if a thing is good or rotten, just like our nose does. It is discernment.

And we have “taste”. We are called to taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalms 34:8)

That means, we are to experience His sweetness in the comfort, help, and word He gives.

It is of the Holy Spirit, as all of these are:

but we are to use His enabling, and learn by the experience. This is how we grow in grace.

Peter did…..and when he was old, said….

….remember my example, both failures, and successes……and learn of Christ, by the Holy Spirit.

If we sit on the sidelines….we certainly may be Christians,…

….but we will not grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and become strong,….having those “all things that pertain to life….and godliness…” (think of it!)

Again, Peter did…..perfectly? No, but he learned.

Are we willing to learn of the Holy Spirit?

Worldly wisdom

I want to talk a little about the wisdom of this world.

1 Corinthians 3:19-20 “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

And again, The Lord knowest the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

All around us, people are talking up…..or talking down….something.

From toothpaste to the state of the Union…..people all want to tell people what is “best”.

Well, I too, am going to tell what is “best”……

…….and what is best is:

……whatever the Lord wants for me,…for you,…for us.

Praise God we are not left to ourselves to see to what is ahead….

…or what is “best”.

No, He gives us direction and peace…..He gives us light and grace for every task.

And that is the best we can ever have.

The examples I am going to give about worldly wisdom:

Goliath…..was a giant. He was nine feet tall. His armor was of brass….the best there was. And he had been a warrior all his life. His life was to kill and maim.

So when the Philistines came up against Israel…..after Israel had chosen a king (king Saul, who was head and shoulders taller than the normal Israelite)….

….Goliath thought himself very wise when he simply went out and challenged any Israelite to battle.

“If I win, Goliath said….you are our servants.

If you win (not going to happen)….we will be your servants.”

Brilliant, he thought!

Who could stand against such an enemy? King Saul did not try….and for forty days the challenge went unmet.

Enter David, a young man of God….who accepted that challenge in the Name of God.

……and all the worldly wisdom of Goliath was destroyed.

God’s power was shown that day…..against all worldly wisdom.

As the scripture said, “For He (God) taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” Yes, He did!

The second example:

In Jeremiah’s day, Nebuchadnezzar had come three times….twice taking the best, most educated and talented artisans and workers.

The third time, destroying Jerusalem’s walls and temple…….taking many as mere slaves.

But because he had heard of Jeremiah’s prophesy…..he brought Jeremiah out of the prison (where the king of Judah had put him)….and let him go free.

Jeremiah could have returned home….could have let the remnant of the people who were left to fend for themselves.

But when they came and asked for God’s Will concerning staying in the land, now that the temple was destroyed…..he sought God’s Word for them….hoping they would finally listen to God’s wisdom,….

…..and do what He said.

Here was the choice: Stay in the land as caretakers of it under Nebuchadnezzar….which was what God wanted for the last of the Israelites…

….or go down to Egypt….where they thought they would be safe from Nebuchadnezzar.

Worldly wisdom said, “Go, and you will live a life of safety.

But God said, “Stay and I will now take care of you here.”

Jeremiah 42:19 “The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.”

But they refused God’s Word…..and were destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar who conquered Egypt. (Jeremiah 43:4-6)

“God knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain”……nothing.

The last example:

When Christ Jesus came to save us…..all the worldly wisdom said that they could kill Him….and be rid of His Words and authority….to save their “place” in the world. (John 11:48)

They paid a good price for betrayal….

….they took Him where He prayed….

….they brought Him to Rome’s Governor…..

….they chose Barabbas instead of Jesus….

….they cried crucify Him….

….they watched as He suffered and died on the cross…

….and they even set a watch of soldiers at the tomb.

But they could not keep God from raising Him up from the dead! And giving Him all authority and power as the Son of Man/Son of God for salvation.

Worldly wisdom tells you…..that you can do….without God.

But that is vain….nothing…

…and leads to all sorts of traps.

But God’s Word is our sure footing.

What He tells us to do is right…..even though it may seem impossible.

Let us believe His Word to us….and walk on.

Isaiah 43:2 “When thou passes through the waters, I will be with thee;

and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee;

when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;

neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

God’s Words

Isaiah 28:9-10 “Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast.

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little.”

If we would grow up into Christ—go on to maturity—this is the path that we must walk.

We are never “zapped”, But the scriptures speak of “growing in grace”, “grow up in Christ”. And these take time and a little effort.

When we first learned to walk as children,….there were a few bumps.

So our Christian walk is a series of lessons, and experiences…..lessons, and experiences….toward the goal the Lord has for us.

Paul said, “I have learned…”

And that should tell us that we, too, must learn from Christ, through the Holy Spirit,…..how to, when to, and what to do.

Philippians 4:11-12 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

I have never met any Christian that has not suffered defeat…..at least once.

I have never met any Christian that has not battled something….some with terrible battles……some mild….but they would not call it anything but what it is…..a battle.

But our Teacher is the Lord.

And He builds on the foundation of “Come unto Me”(John 6:35)…..our first command.

Then He says, “If any man will…” (Matthew 16:24)

And it is onward from there.

“Precept upon precept”:

Precept means appointed rules, or an authoritative command.

(precepts is used most in Psalm 119:

Psalm 119:4 “Thou has commanded us to keep Thy precepts diligently.”

It is used twenty times, in this psalm. [this is the psalm that every verse but one has a reference to the God’s Word in various forms: law, commands, precepts, etc])

We must realize, that what He says to do, we must do. He is not giving suggestions for our lives…..but He is giving us the authoritative rules to follow, so that we will know the way to go.

“Line upon line”

Line means a cord put together to connect things….and for measuring.

And it is used here to speak of the Voice which has been heard….connecting God’s purpose to His Word…..measuring our response to His Word.

(Psalm 19:4 “Their line is gone out to all the earth, and their words to the end of the world….”. Paul repeats this changing “line” for “sound”, in Romans 10:18)

When Christ was here, the Bible often tells of His “teaching” them. (Matthew 11:1, 26:55. Mark 4:1, 6:2, 6:34, Luke 13:22)

And so He continues to do, to us…..teaching us, through the experiences He leads us into.

Sometimes it corresponds to something in His Word,…..

…or something someone else has passed through as well.

Sometimes He leads us into new paths, which are to strengthen and encourage…..not only us…..but others who hear of it.

And I believe it is true, that no one experiences things, the same way….though they go through the same set of circumstances.

(Loss and grief, for instance. Some are delivered from the waves of emotion, which others pass through. Some are brought almost to the edge of an abyss by the loss of someone….yet saved from falling over.)

Each lesson is to bring us…..yes, that is “me” and “you”…..each of us, to a closer reliance on God…..and a firmer grasp on the reality of His presence and power for me.

That is to grow up into Christ.

Ephesians 4:20-21 “But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:”

In the battles of life, we need to know what the Lord will do for “me”.

(And on occasion, it is good to make a spiritual inventory of our blessings.

It brings all we are going through into a new focus…..He is able,…..able for me, in this situation;…because He has done great things for me…before.)

Paul, writing Timothy:

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

For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

(“Stir up” here, means to “rekindle” the love, joy, peace, etc of the Holy Spirit within us)

He goes on to say: “….for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”

“Persuaded” here means “an inward certainty”.

Paul’s ministry was in the Lord’s hands,…..what he had done (even before being saved on the road to Damascus,…..and later, in the ministry with the Gentiles),…..what he was doing now (in a Roman prison, and before Caesar),….and what he would do (in the death God appointed for him).

Paul was certain His Lord would keep him in all the things he was to pass through; because “He is able”……and because He had.

2 Timothy 4:17-18 “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul had heard the precept the Lord had laid down for him, and been obedient. (Acts 9:15-16, 26:16-17)

He had gone to the Jews first…..and when they rejected Christ; gone to the Gentiles…..which was his calling.

He was a Jew of the Jews, a Pharisee of Pharisees,…..yet followed the Word of the Lord,…..and did the work the Lord had given him,…..faithfully, even to Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22).

God’s Words to us,……what we read, and what we hear,…….should be the authoritative commands of a Lord to His servant…..leading us to connect His Word to His purpose for us…..measuring ourselves and our response, by it….

….that we too, may have confidence that…..”the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom…..

…to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Peter’s refusal, and quick acceptance.

It was the Passover time. Jesus had come into Jerusalem to celebrate with His disciples, and they were in the upper room.

Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him that night, and that He would be condemned and crucified. (Matthew 20:18-19)

That this night, everything would change.

Tonight Jesus would speak of many things to them, but before this; He washes their feet. (Yes, He even washed Judas feet. How this should have melted his heart, but it did not.)

John 13:4, 6 “He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself.

Then cometh He to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto Him, Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?”

It was Peter’s turn.

Frankly, I think Peter should have known that if Jesus did something, it was for a good reason. But Peter was always quick to say or do something!

“Lord, dost thou wash my feet?”

Peter was right. Jesus was Lord. And He was Peter’s Lord.

Because of this, Peter thought it was not right for Jesus to stoop to such a humble position!

(How much He humbled Himself when He came to earth to save us! Do we recognize His humility and love?)

John 13:7 “Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”

That should have settled it with Peter, but Peter thought he knew better!

(We are the same way, often. We think we know what God will do.)

John 13:8a “Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.”….

Peter would in the next instance, change his mind, but Peter was looking at the moment, not at the lesson Jesus wanted to give.

Jesus wanted to show that they should take care of each other.

He would wash their feet: the job of a servant.

If He would do that for them, they should humble themselves in service for each other.

John 13:8-9 “Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.

Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.”

Finally, Peter is listening. “…no part with” Jesus? No, no, that was not what Peter wanted.

If a part with Christ came with the cleansing,….Peter wanted a full bath! He wanted all the fellowship with Christ he could have.

But a full bath was not necessary.

John 13:10. “Jesus saith unto him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.”

Jesus didn’t say, If I don’t wash you, you will have no part “in” Me.

But He said, you will have no part “with” me.

Jesus told Peter he was clean “every whit”, except for the cleansing of his feet.

“In Christ”, speaks of our being born again.

“With Christ”, speaks of our fellowship with Him.

Jesus wanted His disciples, especially Peter, to know that fellowship with Him is maintained by our letting Him cleanse our “feet”, or our walk.

(That is why the feet were washed when coming into a house, because, having walked on the dirt roads, their feet would be dirty.)

John 13:12, 15 “So after He had washed their feet,…and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

Though Jesus would be taken, tried, and crucified….raised, and ascended…..yet we are to get that cleansing that is through Him everyday….and bring others to Him for cleansing, as brothers and sisters in Christ.

If we are to have fellowship with Christ, and the strength that comes from it, we must be cleansed, daily from our sins, and defilements….for we walk in a “dirty” world.

Christ cleanses us still…..

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

And we are to help others to come to Christ for cleansing.

If we are born again, we do not need a full bath; but the cleansing of our daily walk.

So that we can walk with Him, and with our brothers and sisters in Christ…in righteousness.

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

The Creator/creature Relationship.

Psalm 139:1-3 “O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsittings, and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

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

Here, the All Powerful and All Seeing God is seen, in a personal sense.

You know me: how I am, how I act, what I think, and the way I like to go.

You know me when I have my fits against Your Providence. You see when I rebel, and seek my ways. You see my imaginations.

Psalm 139:5 “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thine hand upon me.”

The psalmist sees that God has “hedged him in”,……so that he knows he is bare before a Holy God!

That all his plans, and schemes are all known to God.

And in what way do we react to this revelation of God, to our soul?

As we often do, the psalmist runs…just as hard and fast as he can. But….he finds he can not outrun God.

Psalm 139:7, 11 “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.”

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

He ran, but he found…as we often have, that we can not run from God.

We can not escape the Holy Spirit’s conviction, or the fact that God is everywhere.

All circumstances are made by God; we can try a “climate change”, but God can make every climate as “hot” or as “cold”, as where we were before.

[A climate change is where you find yourself in trouble. You “know” that if circumstances were different, you would not have trouble. If you worked with different people, had a better house, had better neighbors, etc. But when you move, you find that the circumstances are different….but you are the same; so the results are the same.]

The right hand of God is the hand of power. The psalmist here acknowledges that God rules, even in the midst of His enemies: He draws to Himself, or pokes, or prods, and moves….till we are willing.

Psalm 110:2-3 “The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies.

Thy people will be willing in the day of Thy power,…”

When we begin to will, to yield as creature before the Creator, we can see ourselves as formed according to His plan.

Psalm 139:13, 16-17 “For Thou hast possessed my reins (our internal moral compass); Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!”

You have possessed; or they are Yours by Your creation,…..make them Yours by redemption.

We are a masterwork: one thing formed upon another, each in it’s place.

His eyes were upon us then.

His plan and power was there for me….that plan and power I have been fighting against.

How precious are Your thoughts of me! “O God!” or as in the Hebrew, “O Master”.

Here is where we begin to bow before God, the Creator; as God, our Lord and Master.

I am finally awakened to Your Purpose: and here, I join with You to fulfill the purpose You have for me.

For now we know the way of Victory: It is in seeking after the Lord’s Way.

For as He sought me for my good, so He will continue to do so.

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

(This “lead” suggests all that God does: bestow, govern, guide.)

To the psalmist (and it can be to us) Creator God has become the One help and Refuge of his soul: for he sees Him as He is…..and not as he feared He was.

The tribes on the other side of Jordan

Background: Israel had finally come to the land on the other side of Jordon after their forty year wandering in the wilderness.

The kings of that land had come out and made war with them….even though Israel had asked to quietly go through their land, paying for water.

But instead they came out with their armies to fight with Israel.

Israel had won the battles against them….

Numbers 32:1-5 “Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses…

Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.”

I have given a definition of temptation before…..but simply, it is something presented to us that holds sway…..whether in heart or mind….and makes us take our eyes off of God’s Will.

This land, on the wrong side of Jordan…..(for Canaan was across the Jordan River….and that was the land promised )….

….was a temptation.

It was a grand place for raising cattle…..and the tribes of Rueben and Gad had cattle.

These men were not of the rebellious generation which wanted to go back to Egypt…..but of the generation which wanted to go into the land promised Abraham….

….at least, until they saw this good cattle raising land.

But now, they were willing to settle for less than God’s best.

Notice, they were not rebellious, demanding this land.

No, they were just tempted to settle for second best.

Numbers 32:6 “And Moses said unto the children of Gad and….of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?”

This was Moses concern. All Israel had helped fight for the land they were now requesting be given them…..

…so…if they would sit down here….

….. and let the other tribes go over and fight for their inheritance….while they stayed here…….they would discourage Israel.

Numbers 32:16-18 “And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones:

But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place:….

We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.”

Well, this sounds pretty good!

Everything that Moses was concerned about….seemed to be taken care of!

So Moses agreed:

Numbers 32:29 “And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the Lord, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:”

And they did exactly what they said they would do! They fought for Israel, till the land was being divided….

…then they went back across Jordan to the land they wanted.

Years pass…..and the Ruebenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh across Jordon, think of themselves as too far away from the place of worship….

……although they were not really any further, for Shiloh….and then Jerusalem was close enough.

Also the River Jordan was a larger barrier then they thought it would be…..they came to think of themselves as separate from Israel.

(The only time they were joined unto the other tribes was under Joshua and under king David.)

They “forgot” that they had a duty to stand with the rest of Israel.

And these tribes on the wrong side of Jordan, were always a snare.

They would be the first attacked,….and the last to come and help Israel.

Finally,….

1 Chronicles 5:25-26 “And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them.

And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,….”

We often think God puts certain circumstances in front of us…..for our good….but we need to discern whether this set of circumstances is a blessing or a temptation.

It’s a blessing if it leads us closer to God.

Or,

It’s a temptation when it leads our hearts away from the Lord’s Will.

We are called to have all that God has purposed for us:

To inherit, if you will, the “good land” of joy and peace, of gentleness and patience.

All the graces and promises that God, by His Spirit, prepares for us…..we are to obtain.

This is to be like Caleb, when he came for his inheritance…which was one of the hardest:

“I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day…if so be the Lord will be with me, than I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.” (Joshua 14:11-12)

This is God’s best, Christian…….to use the faith we have, to get all that God has promised us.

2 Peter 1:5 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”.

Peter goes on to list….temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, love.

All beginning with our diligence and faith.

2 Peter. 1:8 “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

To settle for less than that…… is to lose God’s best.

2 Peter 1:9 “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

The “forgotten” here is “let be taken away”.

Though diligent at first to stand with the rest of Israel….these tribes on the other side of Jordan…….let time and circumstances draw them away from the worship of God, in His place…..

….and then with less diligence, came forgetfulness to the duty they said they would do.

Then their love of God was “forgotten”….let to be taken away….and later, they were taken away.

Let us see what hinders our diligence for the Will of God in our lives,…..let us have God’s best…..for ourselves.

We all have a “sin which so easily besets us”

Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”

What is weighing you down? What care? (2 Peter 5:7) What resentment? What grief?

“Lay aside” here means to roll it on to Jesus.

To really give it to Christ, means that you are not carrying it any more. It is gone….

And what is our besetting sin?

Our besetting sin is one which is so ingrained in our character….so intertwined in our personality….

….that it is like cutting off right hands and plucking out eyes….to deal with it.

Matthew 5:29-30 “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”

(Matthew 18:8-9, Mark 9:43-48. This is worth noting, for three times Jesus says this)

Sin is rebellion against God.

It is the desire to rule ourselves.

It manifests itself in lots of ways…..

….but our besetting sin is our “pet”…..it is first in our thoughts….often. It so “easily besets us”….because it has power over us.

God gives us victory through our faith in Him…..but it is a battle we must fight….or we will lose out on the best God has for us.

(And there are many who settle for something other than God’s best….because of their besetting sin.

Think of Demas, who after years of helping Paul….left the work, for love of this present world. 2 Timothy 4:9-10)

This “sin which so easily beset us” is a picture of being surrounded….

…..every way you turn….it is there.

You have to work harder to accomplish anything…….for it is always harassing you.

Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

This sin fights hard for preeminence in our lives…..but the Holy Spirit within us fights back….

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.”

So there is hope against this formidable enemy……for we have the Almighty God in the person of the Holy Spirit within us, if we are born again…..

….which will give us the victory in Christ….

…and that victory is faith.

1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

I have said this often,….Faith is a gift to us from God when we are born again….

….but God gives it to us,……intending for us to use it, to live in this wicked world….unspotted by it.

It is real, making God and His Word real to us, as His Word tells us [Hebrews 11:1].

Real means…..all things are what He says….whether I see it or not.

He will do what He says….whether anyone else believes it or not.

Faith weans us from our sin….pointing us to Christ….

….wooing us to leave all and follow Him….and enabling us to believe.

I knew a woman, who after years of defeat, told about her besetting sin:

She was a little girl, when she heard her parents talking….they did not want her….

…..a feeling of desertion and fierce anger came over her…..and she became determined to never feel alone again.

This led her down a path of self-exaltation….to make her “worthy” of being loved….she would not be “alone” again.

All her relationships suffered because of this….which led to back-and-forth emotions of self-pity and anger.

She was born again, and though she would try and deal with this besetting sin…..trying to commit it to the Lord; yet it always came back….bringing her into failure, again.

Finally,….the Lord dealt with her about the beginning sin of hurt and anger….lead her to reject the self-pity….and brought her….to take her place at His feet….alone! So that He could be her life.

Since then, she has had stronger relationships….she being in her place before the Lord in each of them.

Our besetting sin attacks each of us differently…..though it could be the same sin.

We are to “lay it aside”…..which means that the warfare with it, is personal……God does not do it alone…..nor can we do it alone….

….it is a combined effort of God and us.

Truly, faith….which always sees God….is the Victory…..God is real, He is Able and willing for me.

His Word is Truth. All the promises and threatenings in His Word is true.

That also brings the Victory, for we hang on to the Truth, when we believe and trust His Word….and deal with the root of the matter….which clears our way….back to Him.

We each have a besetting sin…..but there is victory in Christ.

Will we come and have it of Him?

In this 15th chapter of Luke we find the Trinity in their offices….and a picture of four kinds of Christians

God the Son, as the Shepherd….

Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if He lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until He find it?”

Christ Jesus never permanently loses a sheep…..He always goes out to find those that have….”gotten side-tracked”….or chosen another path than the Shepherd chooses….or fallen in a pit.

This the Son of God did when He came to earth “to seek and to save” us……and He keeps doing for all His sheep.

God the Holy Spirit, in the Woman who sweeps diligently….

Luke 15:8 “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?”

This coin is in the House (church)…..but it is lost, in the sense that it is out of place.

Some believe the Greek to suggest a coin set, ten silver coins, all in their due order,…..

….all but one, who is out of their place.

This Christian wants to sing in the choir, when they should be praying. Or they want to preach, when they should be witnessing. Or they want to just listen as a by-stander, when they should be teaching. They are not in their place in God’s House.

But the Holy Spirit “sweeps diligently”…..brushing away from our hearts and minds the reasons or fears we have…..and puts us back where God would have us.

God the Father is the certain man who had two sons….

Luke 15:11-12 “And He said, A certain man had two sons:

And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.”

This was a legal transaction….the younger got his one-third, and the elder got two-thirds of the estate (in every family the eldest got two portions, while the rest got one.)

From that time on, the elder brother was completely in charge of the estate….for the Father had given them both their “portion”….what would they do with it?

Well, the younger leaves….

….but the elder does nothing different….nothing changes for him….even though everything had changed. His Father was now to be, willingly, an honored guest in his house….with him owner of all.

This sets up the history of the younger (Prodigal) Son and the Elder Brother….

…..and their important relationship to their Father.

But first, let us ask:….What is the “portion of goods that falleth to me?”

The younger son wanted his, outright, so he could go out into the world and seek satisfaction….

The elder brother never used his aright.

So what is it? It is our wills.

Even as Christians, our wills are our own…..though the Holy Spirit is within us to incline our hearts toward God’s Will….yet…

We can “take” our wills and seek our own plans…..as the younger son.

Or we can never willingly will after God’s Will….but just go along, because it is our duty….as the elder brother.

Both are mistakes, by the way…..for neither will bring you closer to the Father in a love relationship.

Well, time passes….and the younger spends all.

He had his fill of the world, and the “friends” it gives…..

….then there is a famine….a real hunger for what is real….in his heart and life.

So he goes and hires himself out,…..he tries to stay in the working world, but he is barely getting by….realizing this world, without God, is a pig pen….

….his mind is troubled, his emotions spent….what to do?

Luke 15:17 “And when he came unto himself…”

This is probably the most important statement about this younger son! He remembers he is a Christian…..belonging to God.

He remembers God’s mercy, and the many servants of God who are living peaceful and joyful lives!

Luke 15:18-19 “I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee,

And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”

(Now here is a great use of his will…..”I will arise and to to my Father!”)

We know he was welcomed home! All his will was concentrated to honor his Father, and his Father showed him love, peace, joy…..again, in His house.

But the elder? What has he done with his will? Well, he has done his duty….but sadly, only to gain something!

Luke 15:28-29 “And he (the elder brother) was angry, and would not go in (to celebrate the younger’s repentance):

therefore came his Father out, and intreated 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:”

How much bitterness comes from just doing our duty, with no love for our Heavenly Father!

Obedience is essential…..but is it obedience when you are doing it to merit something from God? Or is it just self-righteousness?

But the Father came out to him, as well…..for he wanted him to come in and enjoy the blessing of love.

This rich/poor elder brother possessed everything from His Father……he had his will, and all the blessing of obedience…..if….

….he had really believed and known his Father’s love…what fellowship they could have had every day!

The elder brother could have had a party with his friends anytime! He could have had the fatted calf…..not just a goat!

But he kept plugging away in drudgery……unhappy with everything…..never willingly doing the Heavenly Father’s Will out of love.

If he had, he would have seen the blessing God had….for him…..ready to be used and enjoyed.

He would have gone into his Father the day the estate was divided, and said…..

“Father, I know you have given me all this…..and I willingly honor you in it.”

Then he could have gone out and had a party with his friends, with his Father as the honored guest!

Living the life the Father wanted him to have.

But rich/poor elder brother was owner of all,…..possessor of nothing.

Do we see ourselves in any of these examples?