Continue, continue.

John 8:31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed;

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

To continue….to stay, be present, abide.

Here Jesus was in the treasury of the Temple,….He had forgiven the woman taken in adultery….and said that He was the Light of the world….and spoken of His Father, as HIs witness, always with Him….and that He was doing those things that please the Father.

John 8:30 “As He spake these words, many believed on Him.”

Wonderful….but Jesus would lead them on with Him….so He said….

“If ye continue in My word….”

Belief is the putting of my self, onto Christ….but it is only the beginning.

There is so much more to following Christ. We must come under subjection to His Word…then we will know the truth of things in our lives….and be free from the world and the constraints of sin!

Example:

The potter and the clay. (The Lord and us)

First, the potter chooses the clay….there are various kinds of clay, for various uses….so a clay is chosen….and placed in a bowl with water.

For next, the clay has to be made pliable in the water…..worked, so that there are no hard lumps…..no unyielding places.

Then, the clay is placed on the wheel…..finally we are going to be made into a useable vessel for the Master!

And the potter pushes and shapes…..letting the wheel turn….some places need more water applied…..some need a rougher hand to form…..

Then….we are done, right?

No….now we need to be fired…..the soft and pliable clay needs to be hardened to stand, or continue. We could never hold water, or things without being fired just right.

Then, for some vessels….the work is done….they are used. For others there is the painting and glazing….and firing; and glazing and firing again.

All, so that we may be a useable vessel, meet for the Master’s use.

Will we continue?

Our Lord Jesus says: “Continue in My word…then you will know the truth…and the truth shall make you free.”

Truth is of primary importance…..it leads us out of darkness into God’s light, for God is True. It keeps us from evil and error….and shows the way we should go. It frees us from all other ways, attitudes, and the opinion of the times….for it anchors us in God.

So Jesus says in….John 15:9 “As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love.”

This was spoken to His disciples….those who had stayed with Him for three years…they had continued in His word….now, for the trials ahead….continue in My love. Know it,…hold on to the truth of it,…shelter under it.

In Acts, Paul encourages those Jewish believers, to continue in the grace of God…..not in the traditions of the Law.(Acts 13:43)

In Colossians, Paul stresses that true reconciliation is in Christ.

(In Colossians, Christ is set before us as the object of our hearts. The Spirit of God is only mentioned once.)

It is His work in the cross, in a double sense: atonement for our sin….and the power of grace conquering the heart!

Therefore, Paul says to “Continue in the faith…grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel….”. “To present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight:”. (Colossians 1:22-23)

In the practical part of Colossians, where home life, and job life are discussed…..we are told to:

Colossians 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”

Continue to pray for the work…..ours, and our church and pastor….and watch….expecting His answer….both in His Word, and in the lives of others.

(I have come to see the value of the family altar. Having prayers at the start of the day with family members, for the things going on today….a song and prayers.)

Paul, at the end of his life, writing Timothy, who was a young man when Paul took him as a helper…..yet had grown into a Pastor and godly man….so Paul says to him…

….I am going to die, I have finished my course…..now you continue yours and follow the Word….continue to grow, and finish the work you have to do.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Continue in the Word…..you have grown from it…..continue in it.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The Lord Jesus comforted by His Word,

…..and rebuked the “little faith” of His disciples….and the hard-hearted of the Pharisees….

…..and instructed and led His own…..even to restoring Peter after the resurrection….

…..telling them and us:

“Go, teaching and make disciples…with all the things I have said….lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Let us continue in His Word, His love, His faith and grace, till we too finish our course.

He never Slumbers.

Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

As Christians where should we look for help? There is only One who can really help us.

And our testimony should be: “my help comes from the Lord…”

He is the creator and sustainer of heaven and earth.

He rules and overrules in the affairs of men, whether they acknowledge Him or not, for He is God, and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:22-23 “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Isaiah 50:7 “For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

And how does He help us? By a guidance in the Holy Spirit, which keeps us from “being taken” in the devil’s traps. And gives us courage to follow Him.

And if we are tripped up; He keeps us from being “utterly cast down”.

Psalm 121:3-5a “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper:…”

He, who numbers the hairs of our head, will watch the steps that we take.

The illustration here, is as children are watched by their parents; ever ready to intervene if needed.

And as sheep are watched by their Shepherd to protect, as well as guide into right paths.

He is called the Keeper of Israel…He guides and preserves those that are His.

(It also suggests that He fights for us: as David did against the lion and the bear. [1 Samuel 17:34-36])

Proverbs 3:23, 26 “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”

Psalm 37:23-24 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand.”

God neither sleeps nor slumbers.

He neither sleeps at night….so we can.

Nor slumbers during the day….when it is time to work, He is right there to help us.

The Keeper of Israel is a covenant Name of God. When He looks at us, He sees us in Christ, covered by His blood and righteous, in Him.

His eye is ever toward the righteous.

Psalm 33:18 “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;”

Psalm 121:7-8 “The Lord shall preserve thee from evil: He shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

Three times in these two verses, it says: preserve. Preserve means to hedge about with thorns, so nothing can come in, to harm.

He shall preserve from all evil. From sin, the world, and the devil. (“The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation…” 2 Peter 2:9)

He shall preserve thy soul. With all its emotions, thoughts, and actions; He shall keep us by His Spirit. (1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to revealed in the last time.”)

He shall preserve thy going out and coming in. Our every day life is here spoken of.

We go out of our prayer times to face the world and all that comes to us;…..

…..and we come in to seek Him for strengthening fellowship and love.

(John 10:9 “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”)

The Lord our Keeper shall preserve “thee”. It is always personal.

He shall preserve you. He shall preserve me.

Praise Him for all His wonderful works.

1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Luke 12:35-36 “Let your loins be girded about (the sign of a servant), and your lights burning;

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”

Every born again one is a servant of the Lord….with duties in His service to accomplish.

As servants of the Lord, there will be an accounting for each of us….what have we done with what He has given to us?

1 Corinthians 3:10-13 “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

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.”

The fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is….not how much it is….but what sort it is!

We will all give an account of “created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10)…those good works we were, to walk in.

We will either let Jesus purify us in the fires of trials….here; or see HIs fires burn up our wood, hay, and stubble at the Judgement Seat of Christ….there, in heaven.

When we are before His Judgement Seat….there are three materials that will not burn…..gold, silver, and precious stones.

Gold….those acts done by the Holy Spirit through you. In your yielding to Him in

Your spirit, He works through you to bring His Will to pass.

It matters not if it is but a “word in due season”…..if the Holy Spirit has worked through you….it is gold.

Silver….always speaks of redemption and every redeeming act.

Every tract passed, under His direction,….every redeeming word of testimony,…every prayer or simple witness pointing to HIs invitation of redemption is silver.

(In the Tabernacle, all the poles, which held the beautiful while curtains around the Tabernacle…..were wood overlaid with silver. They were placed in pure silver holders, set on the desert floor. In the holy place within all was overlaid with gold,…….

……but all that encircled the place of God’s Presence with HIs people, spoke of redemption.)

Precious stones….these are those that we have led to Christ….or assisted leading them to the Lord.

His jewels (Malachi 3:17)….which He paid the price for, and we are to bring to Him and help.

(The High Priest had twelve precious stones set in his breastplate….each with the name of one of the twelve tribes engraved on it. He carried them near his heart….to show the love God has for His people.)

These will not burn in the day of Christ judging His church….”well done, thou good and faithful servant”.

But….. wood, hay and stubble will be manifest by fire….they will be burnt up.

All those acts done in the energy of the flesh….through self-will; or to the lifting up of self….(for if we are not doing it because we love Jesus, it is for the “love” of something else….praise, or appreciation, or because “we should”.)

….these will be revealed by fire….they will be burnt up….some will see little burnt up…..some will see a life time of acts burnt up….

….but “he himself shall be saved”(1 Corinthians 3:15)

In heaven some shall receive a reward…..

….(there are three crowns mentioned in scripture: the crown of righteousness for those who love HIs appearing 2 Timothy 4:8…..

….the crown of life for those who endure temptation James 1:12……

….and the crown of glory, for those who feed the flock of Christ, being examples to the flock 1 Peter 5:2-4)…

……and some shall “suffer loss” of the reward…they could have had.

Now I want to mention here….something so beautiful and blessed….

As we stand before Jesus and every thought and act we’ve done, is manifested…..every sin we did not confess….every rebellious thought….every hate filled act……and every trial and trouble seen (and our attitude toward them)….

….then….then…we will be given enlightened understanding as to why this had to be dealt with…..why they had to be…..what He purposed in this trial, and that terrible trouble….

….and then….we will see His hand upholding us against the devil’s wiles and fierceness….and how the losses we had, led us to Him…..

….everything in our lives will be understood….and blessedly put away. No more tears, no more hurt, no more trouble.

The white robe of purity will be given….and we shall dwell full of joy and peace….forever.

But now,….for now…..we are encouraged and empowered,….as we yield to the Holy Spirit, to be faithful and receive a full reward.

2 John 1:8 “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”

1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah

Ruth 1:1 “Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.”

Background:

In the land of Israel, at the town of Bethlehem, there was a famine.

So a man and his wife, with their two sons, left there home there, and went into the near country of Moab.

They thought they would “sojourn” there till the famine was over.

(They could have sought the Lord, for the cause of the famine; but instead they left that to others, and in doing so missed a blessing.)

Their “sojourn” turned into ten years! During that time Naomi’s husband died. Her sons married two women of Moab, but soon also died, leaving her alone in a strange land, far from her God, and home.

She longed for her country; and she had heard that the famine was over in Israel…”the Lord had had visited His people in giving them bread.” (Ruth 1:6)

So she “arose”, always the first move in returning to God. Arise from where you are, to come home to Him.

She started to leave Moab to return to Bethlehem.

Her two daughters-in-law followed her; and how far they went is not told…but after a while, Naomi realized it would be a hardship for them if they followed her.

They had parents they could return to, for they would certainly take them back.

They could have new lives: marry and have children among their own people.

If they followed her to Bethlehem, she did not know what would happen there.

For herself, she could at least die among Israelites, back home with her God; but for them…..she could not say whether there would be even a place to lay their head.

Ruth 1:8-10 “And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return each unto her mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

The Lord grant that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.”

Naomi prays for them here…using the name Jehovah (the Lord) twice. Seeking for them kindness from the Lord, and in doing so, gives witness that all true good comes from the Lord.

Both had real affection for Naomi. And both declared that they would continue the journey with her.

An old woman alone, is a sad thing; and they felt her kindness in so speaking to them.

“Surely we will return with thee.”

But again Naomi spoke. Seeing them as young women, able to live full lives with other husbands, and have families. She would not have them return with her out of duty, but out of a real determination, having seen the cost to them…and choosing this way into her nation and with the Lord.

She spoke for their benefit, not hers…for she loved them.

Ruth 1:11, 13 “And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Are there yet anymore sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

Would you tarry for them till they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters; for it greiveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.”

Here Naomi confesses that the Lord had dealt with her this way. Her family should have stayed in Israel, the promised land, and sought unto the Lord for removal of the famine and the reason for it.

(Israel often followed after other gods, to their hurt. And the Lord often had to use circumstances to awaken them to His voice. Judges 2:14-16)

Naomi told Ruth and Orpah, that she could not give them a life like they had.

She again suggests that they go back where you can have an easier life for young women.

Now both had said that “Surely they would return with her”; but now…..

(There comes a time in each life where we choose the thing we love most.)

For Orpah, though she had affection for Naomi, her choice was her nation, her people, her god.

She wept over the situation, but the decision became easy….she would go no further.

A life of relative ease is what her heart loved most…..and so she went back, and left Naomi.

There are many who have an affection for Christ, because of Who He is and what He has done.

But who do not love Him enough to go on with Him in all of the sufferings and situations which come, by following Him.

Many, therefore, go back to the world. For that is where their hearts are.

Ruth 1:14-15 “And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.

And she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her god’s: return thou after thy sister-in-law.”

But Ruth hung onto her. What ever would come, she was staying right beside her….to suffer want, or to get by; Ruth would not leave her.

She would return with Naomi.

Here she takes Naomi’s God as hers.

And instantly calls upon the Lord to be her witness, of her decision.

(“The Lord” as a name here is very important. It is Jehovah, the personal name of God. Jehovah means the ever-existent, becoming One…the Almighty God becomes what we need.

She was not just acknowledging a god of Naomi’s nation….but she was placing her whole life into the hands of The Lord, Who was Naomi’s God)

Ruth 1:16-17 “And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.”

Ruth instantly calls upon the Lord, now her God, to be her witness of her decision.

And the two go on together.

Was there hardship? Yes, for they only had food by Ruth gleaning the fields…but by doing so, she met a man who first gave her permission to continue after his reapers all the harvest, insuring food for some time.

And then a blessing; he called upon the Lord to bless her.

Ruth 2:12 “The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”

This man would become her future husband, putting Ruth into the genealogy of Christ. (Matthew 1:5)

She was the great-grandmother of David. (Ruth 4:17)

The lesson here is: Who or what do we love enough, to leave everything else for?

Affection for Christ Jesus is wonderful….but only leads us so far.

The real determined choice of whether we will continue with Him, in all situations, is the crossroads of our lives.

Temptation, in the form of an “easy life,….or normal life”, comes. And we must choose what we love the most.

Will we like Orpah turn back….

Or will we cling to Christ?

If we choose the Lord; though there are hardships(and there are), there will be blessings as well…now and for eternity.

Peter on the Water

Matthew 14:22 “And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.”

We know Peter. He is impetuous.
He leaps at the chance to do anything.
He is older than the other disciples. And he always wants to speak out, or do something first.

He was a fisherman, when Jesus called him and his brother, to follow Him. But they immediately did.

Now, they had just seen the feeding of the five thousand, and Jesus had told His disciples to go ahead of Him, in boats, to cross the Sea of Galilee.

Then Jesus went up into the mountain to pray.

Matthew 14:24 “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.”

In Mark it says they were “toiling in rowing”. They had the sails down because the wind was so hard, and blowing in the wrong direction. They were rowing to get to the other side.

As Christians, we too, are often called to go out , not knowing what is ahead. It was probably smooth sailing for the first part of the trip, then suddenly a sea storm came up.
Yet they did not turn around; Jesus had told them to cross to the other side, and they were working to do that very thing!
This is obedience.

Now if I was with the disciples, I would have been thinking: “Boy! I wish Jesus was here to help us.”

And then He was!

Matthew 14:25-26 “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.”

The fourth watch is in the early morning. Jesus had been praying all night, and knew they were out in a storm, so He went out to them.
Sometimes the way the Lord delivers us out of trouble, is so unexpected, we too are often frightened.

But it is never too late.

But Jesus puts their fears to rest:

Matthew 14:27 “But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid.”

We should not be surprised to see Jesus, the Son of God, using any part of His creation to help in delivering His own.

He is the Lord of Hosts…..any hosts. He used hornets, and hail in the Old Testament…..and He can use anything to see to the troubles of life we are in.

He commands and it is done. So walking on the waves of the storms of our lives, He comes to us; to deliver us in times of weariness and danger.

Then here comes Peter. Bold, and believing (for a while).

Matthew 14:28-29 “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.
And He said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.”

Peter goes out of the ship, still believing……..and steps out onto the water, and starts walking on it to go to Jesus.
Now he wasn’t out there to walk with Jesus across the Sea of Galilee; no, he was walking to Jesus.
But….

Matthew 14:30-31 “But when he saw the wind boisterous he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried, Lord, save me.
And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

Often what is happening around us, gets our eyes off the Lord. Once we really look at the trouble for ourselves,…..we sink!
Well, it was the same with Peter.

He was doing fine, till he saw how strong the wind was. How high it was pushing the waves.

Then he began to doubt Jesus strength for both of them. Silly Peter. The One who called him to come out, certainly can sustain him; even against the strongest wind that blows against him.

Peter probably prayed the shortest prayer he ever had prayed…..”Lord, save me.”
But it received a very quick answer: “immediately”.

Little faith doubts God, when it sees the frightening circumstances.
Large faith keeps looking to God, even in the frightening circumstances.

Matthew 14:32 “And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.”

Jesus lifted Peter from the waves, and into the ship.
And how many times has Jesus saved us in difficult circumstances?
Many, Many times.

“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
And hasn’t the Lord said that to us many times……doubting Jesus is coming to the view that…..maybe He can not…..or will not save.

And doubting Him, cuts our lifeline to trust….which is holding on to Jesus and His Word.
Jesus said, “Come”. Would He then watch Peter drown?
O little faith that thinks these thoughts!

Matthew 14:33 “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped Him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

Jesus was the Son of God, come to save His people from their sins.

Sometimes it takes a storm in our lives to bring us, to see Him correctly.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

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

I am going to start this by asking….

Is Paul’s testimony,….ours as well?

Through these last chapters in 2 Corinthians, Paul is leading them out of themselves and into complete dependence upon Christ….and so he gives an example.

(I say “complete dependence”….because Christians….if they would live for Christ….have a dependence upon Him….for He is there life.

But is it complete….or can we get along without Him,….sometimes?)

He tells of a “man in Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)……this is a blessed title, because he is not speaking as an apostle…..but just one in Christ.

He is stressing that God can give comfort and exhortation to each man in Christ. It is not office before God, but heart willingness.

This “man in Christ” had been caught up to the third heaven…to joy beyond expression—the value and power on his soul he could not even express to others….

….and yet, though he will glory in God’s power, he will not glory in himself because in himself, he was a weak and feeble creature…..who was simply in the hands of God Almighty.

Then he tells them that this revelation had gotten for him “a thorn in the flesh”.

(Some say it was the disease in his eyes, and others a deformity which made him little in the eyes of men. The tendency to pride is within each of us…and it takes but little to make it come out.)

Paul asked the Lord to remove this three times….and Paul received an answer…..yet not like we would expect…

….especially with more ministry and work for him to do.

“And He (the Lord) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness…..”

“Paul, I want you to appear weak,….little in the eyes of others….that My power, which is in you and upon you for the work, will shine out.

What a testimony, Paul, to all who think they are too little for Me to use…..but do not worry, I am and will be sufficient for you.”

Here is the very basis of Spiritual Reality: Christ is sufficient for me.

Sufficient here means that God has placed a barrier around.

If God gave us power to do ourselves,….still that power is only blessed if we are dependent, or “leaning upon the Beloved” (Song of Solomon 8:5). If we act otherwise we run the risk of self-conceit.

Paul came to experience that the power of God is displayed more abundantly through his weakness, itself.

And then he gave this most blessed response…..may it be so with each of us…..

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “….Mostly gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessitates, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Most gladly…..not, “OK,…but it would be better if…”

…..not even simple resignation only….

….but, most gladly….

Paul saw…..God’s plan….God’s way….

Now he glories in the infirmities that he’d just asked to be taken away, realizing that they cause greater power to be given him….and through him.

Who would exchange the power of Christ for the “power of human eloquence”?

Who would want a grand appearance instead of the glory of God?

2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

But we have….every born again one has….(present tense)…has this treasure.

Yes, Paul says, we are earthen vessels…..nothing in ourselves….

…….but we have a treasure within us….which is the excellency of God’s power in us….and manifested through us.

We simply must recognize our weakness….and let the treasure shine forth.

Paul and Silas in Jail.

A little background:
Paul and Silas were on a missionary trip, when Paul received a vision.

Acts 16:9 “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.”

So they went “immediately”. Once there, they went to Philippi, which was the chief city.
There they stayed for several days, but on the Sabbath they went to the river side, and spoke to the women who had gathered to pray.

One woman was born again and baptized, and she opened her house to them, so they had a place to stay.

As we were going to prayer, a demon possessed girl, who could tell fortunes; began to follow Paul and Silas, crying out, “These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.”
This she did for several days.

Perhaps to some, this might seem good publicity.
But not to Paul, who was grieved that the gospel was shouted about like a piece of meat.

Also, that they were spoken about.
The gospel is about Christ.

Yes, there is a “way of salvation”, but cried out like that, made it seem cheap. “Give me a coin and I will show you what to do.”

That was her line.
Not God’s.

So…
Paul turned:
Acts 16:18 “And this she did many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.”

Her masters, who got money from her predictions, were furious.
They grabbed Paul and Silas, and brought them before the magistrates, in the market.

With a false accusation, and no chance of defense; Paul and Silas were given over to being beaten; and jailed.

Acts 16:23-24 “And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely:
Who having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.”

Not at all a good result, it would seem. They were beaten and put into a filthy, small space with their feet in wooden stocks.

But…
Paul and Silas, beaten and sore; were not going to stop seeking God’s Will.

They had been sent there, and so now they needed to know whether what Paul had done about this demonic girl, was the right thing to do.
Or just his idea, because he disliked what she said.

Acts 16:25 “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”

First they prayed. Maybe groaned more than prayed. Yet God heard them.

When they had heard that it was God’s Will, then they sang praises unto God.
There was no stifling the Holy Spirit, here. They prayed, then praised Him for these circumstances. Power, real power to praise rose within their hearts and spilled over into song.

They had preached to many people. They had come to the place God sent them. They had preached and led some to Christ Jesus……
……..And they had done what they should, about this girl.
This was still God’s Will. Hallelujah!

Acts 16:26-27 “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed.
And the keeper of the prison wakening out of his sleep, and seeing the doors open, drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.”

The glory of God, and His power came down to them in that prison.
They sang.
There was an earthquake. It opened all the doors.
When the doors opened, not one of the prisoners escaped! They were all there. A showing of power, to keep these men there.

But the real power for Paul and Silas, was in their praise.
It took beaten, sad men, and turned them into praising, joyful peacemakers.

Acts 16:28-30 “But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas.
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

God’s power was also there for the jailer.
He would have killed himself.
(If those in his charge were missing, Rome would have killed him. But if he killed himself, his family might be spared.)

Acts 16:32-33 “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, and all his, straightway.”

And the power of God continued to the saving of the jailer’s family.

When the Holy Spirit is not quenched; power is the result.
Power for you, and through you, to others.

Paul and Silas were badly treated, jailed.
But both praised God for the opportunity to suffer for Him……
….and by that praise, power was given to bring other souls to Christ.
(It is amazing how God works through our bad circumstances for good. But it was as they prayed and praised, that the circumstances changed)

The next day the magistrates sent a message to the keeper, to let them go.

(This seems like a good time for Paul and Silas, to get out of there quick!)

But Paul said, No, for they have beaten us publicly, and we are Romans, and now they want to let us go privately? No, let them come and let us out themselves.

(Romans had rights: they could not be accused without a hearing, or beaten, uncondemned.
Paul and Silas had been rushed into prison; and beaten at the whim of these magistrates.)

Now Paul speaks, not in anger, but for justice. He could have had these magistrates judged, as he had been…….but instead required them to simply,…..personally,…..see to their release.
And they feared, and came themselves,…..and let them out.

God’s Power, for the Christian, is first in us, working joy and peace, and guidance.
Then it is through us, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, to others.

It is always about Christ…..to manifest Christ.

Satisfaction

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

Nothing nor anyone, but God, can satisfy His people.

We have a spirit within each man. It is part of our first creation….and it is the reservoir for the knowledge and light of God.

For the lost, their spirit is lifeless….it has an impress of the light

(Like the impressions of a chair on a rug, which has set there for a while….yet now is gone. The indent is there….but the reality is not.

John 1:9 “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

God has set eternity in their hearts,….they know that there is more than this life, yet often will not come to the Light of God John 3:17-21)

For the Christian, the Holy Spirit indwells our spirit, making them the “candle of the Lord”….the place of the outflowing of grace and mercy into our lives.

2 Timothy 1:13-14 “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”

The Holy Ghost is the means for liveliness and peace.

We are to “hold fast”…..we are to “keep” what the Holy Spirit has given us, and shown us to be His Word and Will.

But this is a joyous thing….it like hugging God, to hold on to HIs Word in our lives…and the effect it has, is growing satisfaction.

If we let them “slide through our fingers”, so to speak….we are the losers.

Jeremiah 2:11 “Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet not gods? But My people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.”

“Changed” here, means to barter away….to dispose of. Israel was bartering away their glory…..being a nation under God….ruled by Him…

…to follow idols, of gold and wood…..

…for they thought that these idols would “profit” them…..because they would be like the other nations…they would “fit in”….and have respect from them.

But there was no profit.

The church also has been negligent in this respect…..

We have looked for “profit” like the world…..when the only real measure of abundance…is in following Christ. (John 10:10)

2 Corinthians 6:14,16 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

We are to walk with God….and not walk after the world.

Paul had started this chapter in Corinthians, with a picture of a victorious life, even in trials and persecutions.

(One which was so different than “going along” with the world.)

“In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in mobs, in labors,….watching and fasting,…

…whether honored or dishonored, whether slandered or sought out; spoken of as deceivers, but not…

…always sorrowing over the lost, yet rejoicing in Christ….as poor, yet showing the true riches of Christ…

….keeping my eye only on Christ, with the knowledge He gives by the Holy Spirit in love…speaking the word of God in the power of God, with HIs armor around us…

Giving no offense….but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God….

….as having nothing, sharing everything….yet in Christ we possess all we need.”

Paul’s life was one of trials and troubles…..yet grace abounded to him. He lived day by day in the light and grace of God.

And he exhorted the church to have the true satisfaction of life…..Christ Jesus the Lord….with an amazing promise:

2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

First, “come out”…..which suggests that the entanglement has already been thought of.

Second, “be separate”….which means that our attitudes, as well as our actions are to be as unto the Lord….and not unto men.

Third, “touch not the unclean thing”…..this is leprosy.

(It is not as the Pharisees, which would consider the shadow of a gentile crossing them as unclean.)

But leprosy in the Bible always was a type of sin….eating and destroying us. In other words….do not even touch sin….think of it as leprosy….and stay as far away from it as possible.

“And I will receive you”…the Greek “receive” is only used here….and means a special blessing.

“And I will be a Father unto you”….For a Father takes responsibility for their children, and leads and guides them into good.

“And ye shall be My sons and daughters” There are only two places that speak of God having “sons and daughters”. Here, and…

….Isaiah 43:6-7 “I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

Even every one that is called by My name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”

“Saith the Lord Almighty.” Almighty means all-ruling, sovereign. And the Lord promises to rule within us….guiding and protecting…

……but also to overrule for us…in circumstances and with enemies.

This is an amazing promise….to all who will come out from the world and begin to find their satisfaction in Christ.

The Battle of Ai, and Achan

Joshua 7:1 “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan the son of Carmi,….of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.”

They had just come through the Jordan River at flood time, on dry ground; by a miracle of God.

They had their first convert to the God of Israel, in Rahab.

Then they fought their first battle at Jericho. By faith the walls came down, and they went in and won.

Now, a little proud, and self-confident, Joshua sends men to Ai, a small city close to Jericho, to spy it out. But he does not ask God what to do next. (Big mistake!)

They were to possess the land God had given them, so his thinking was right; but there was a problem within the ranks of Israel, which stopped all blessings to them, till it was dealt with.

Which he would have known, if he had asked.

When we begin to lean on our own understanding; then we are lighting our path with our own spark, expecting God to honor our own plans.

Joshua 7:5-6 “And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them before the gate…, wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, put dust upon their heads.”

All of a sudden, coming before the Lord was very important!

But notice that the Lord makes Joshua wait. It was not till eventide, the time of the evening sacrifice, that Joshua’s prayer was answered.

Joshua 7:7-9 “And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast Thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!

O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!

For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt Thou do unto Thy great name?”

Here is Joshua, before the Lord,…..complaining.

Why had He had brought them over Jordan?

Should they have been content to stay out of the Promised Land?

Did the Lord mean to kill them?

What would happen when the other cities that they were suppose to conquer hear about this defeat? Oh no, Oh no!

Joshua 7:10-12 “And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou upon thy face?

Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I have commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.”

(Joshua could have seen to this before going against Ai, if he had simply asked the Lord for guidance.

How often, our own self-confidence gets us into difficulties we never should have been in….but we did not wait for God’s direction.)

But the Lord paid no attention to Joshua’s whining.

No, He got right to the point: Get up off your face Joshua, and see to the problem.

I have brought you here, but I will not be with you in battle, till you see to the person who stole from the treasury devoted to My Tabernacle.

He stole it, and hid it in his stuff.

His family saw him, hiding it; yet said nothing.

Deal with it.

So he did as the Lord said:

Tribe by tribe came before the Tabernacle and the Lord showed the tribe of Judah.

Family by family of Judah came before the Lord, till at last Achan was shown to be the thief, his family knowing it.

Joshua 7:19-21 “And Joshua said unto Achan, My son give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto Him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:

When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonian garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and behold they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.”

Confession was made, but sadly it did no good. Men had died for his sin.

He had not confessed because of love to God, but because he was already found out.

Achan and the gold and the Babylonian garment, and the silver, and all that he had was to be killed. Notice, The Lord did not take back the gold, silver or garment…it was destroyed with the thief.

(I believe, if Achan had just repented sooner, taking the stolen stuff to Joshua, and the priest; he could have saved his family.

Lust of this world is a terrible thing.

Lust is: I want this, and I want it now. What ever “it” is.)

The wedge of gold represents opulent wealth.

The Babylonian garment represents vanity: how we look before others.

The silver represents spending money.

Each was a temptation.

And Achan found himself overcome by greed, and pride; instead of being in his place in the battle, and overcoming in faith.

After Joshua and Israel remove the accursed thing; They went on to win at Ai.

Joshua did not rely on his own judgement, but only did what the Lord said, and won.

Joshua 8:1-2 “And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given unto thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto to Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves:…”

The spoil from Jericho, their first battle, was to be given to the Lord completely.

(We should always put the Lord first)

But the spoil from the second battle: gold, cattle, silver, etc. was to be divided up between all Israel.

If Achan had only trusted God and waited; all that he stole, he could have had with blessing.

When we mistrust God, and begin to think that He is not giving us what we want; we need to remember:

He should always be first, for He loved us first (1 John 4:19)

And that when it is time, He will see to giving us everything, He has for us.

The Greatest Need for our day is a return to First Principles

Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”

The very first principle for all who would follow Jesus, is the message of the cross—your personal cross.

Luke 9:23 “And He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

We will never have what Christ Jesus has for us in reality, unless we will deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him….
Bearing our cross to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything….(This is not sinless perfection, but it is final obedience….you will obey what He wills.)
And He sits enthroned in our hearts, and lives.

What is our personal cross? This deals with our wills.

First, it is something you can say “no” to; for it is “whosoever will”, “ if any man will”.

Second, it is personal. My cross is not your cross, and visa-versa.

Third, it is any thing in God’s Will that crosses our wills; or brings up resentment and a feeling of wanting to run away from it.

[I usually feel a bristling in me. And as soon as I do, I know I need to talk to the Lord about this….
“I am not liking Your Will, for whatever reason, but I surrender right now, and ask that Your blessed Holy Spirit will help me, not just do this for Your sake, but change my attitude about it.”]

When we come to the willed decision that Christ is going to rule our lives; then Jesus calls us on to a more intimate calling:

Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: And whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

This deals with our personality: that which is truly us.

You see, from children to grown-ups, we take on the mannerisms and habits and attitudes of the world around us.

What this call deals with is: Jesus freeing us from these entanglements; and giving us liberty to be us….the true us, He created.
He redeemed and saved us…not someone we think we would like to be like.
This is to “lose our lives in ourselves”.

We believe, our souls are the seat of our personality. We are unique, no two are exactly alike.
We believe also, that our souls are the most precious thing to God in all of His Creation….for Christ Jesus paid the Atonement price to save them.

When we are freed and under the liberty of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18), only then do we find our life in Christ.
As we continue to deny our self-life (our attitudes, our way of thinking things out, our affections, our reactions),…..so we may find our life in Christ.
Christ deals with us in His own way.

(I knew a child, that every time he became scared…..he would get angry. This was a “mechanism” he used, to cover his fear.
He would yell, he would stomp,….not for the reasons his parents thought, but because he was really scared.

Once they saw that, they were able to deal with him…..not as a brat, having a fit….but as a scared kid……trying to act tough. And that changed everything.)

You see it is only as we get past the “covers” of our attitudes,……that we can deal with the real issues.

Then our attitudes change.
We walk by faith and not by sight.
We “learn, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11). We learn discernment…what is good for us, and what is not.

And we gain confidence in our walk with God. We know…

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

It is ever an onward walk with Christ….more and more of Him in us, freeing us from every sin and iniquity (anything unequal to your high calling in Christ Jesus)….
….till we are complete: there are no half measures with God.

Free from the bondage and influences of the world, and sin;
Obedient—having our obediences up-to-date;
Surrounded by His peace (Philippians 4:7), practically…..we are at peace with God, with the circumstances….and even, at peace with ourselves.
Rooted and grounded in His love (Ephesians 3:17).

He wants us to be fully free, and fully His.

Will we begin to “follow Him”, by denying ourselves and picking up our cross (those things of His Will that cross what we want,….how we think…..how we feel)…….till we no longer resist His Will in anything.

Then going on to lose “our life”, that we might truly be who He has created us to be….finding our life and purpose….in Christ Jesus.