The Power of God unto Salvation

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation of every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

This is Paul writing the Romans. At this time Paul had not visited Rome….but he had heard of the church there, and wanted to instruct them on the basics of doctrine.

Do you believe?

Do you evidence this salvation in your life?

For this power unto salvation is real….and it is what we need, to live in these days.

(Matthew 1:21) “….for He shall save His people from their sins.”

This is the power of salvation….to be saved from our sins,….to be delivered from them.

The salvation God has willed for us….is four fold:

First we are saved from the love of sin…..this is called conviction of the Holy Spirit….where sin begins to loose it’s attraction.

Second, from the guilt of sin….this is being born again.

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Third, from the power of sin….this is sanctification.

Romans 6:16-18 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

Here is where we really show that we are saved….that we are under new management….the Lord’s.

Fourth, we are saved from the presence of sin….in heaven….by the Rapture, or through death.

How wonderfully complete is God’s salvation for us!

Hebrews 7:25 “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Paul was writing the Roman church….showing them the completeness of God’s power.

To take a sinner…and we are all sinners….by being Adam’s children (Romans 5:19)…and our own choices:

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

We have all missed the mark…we are all sinners before God.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

In God’s sight, our sin (our works) has earned us wages….and someone must receive those wages.

Us….or our Substitute.

Those wages for sin, is death….this is eternal separation from God.

The lost are separated from God, now….it is called “dead in trespasses and sins”in (Ephesians 2:1-3)…..but it will continue throughout eternity….in darkness and agony (Jude 13).

But God has a free gift for us….the gift of Eternal Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Life, through Christ….instead of death! This is a marvelous gift!

Now when you are offered a gift; you do one of two things:

You receive it…..

…or you reject it.

When you receive that gift of Eternal Life, by receiving Christ Jesus the Lord…

…it is then you are born again.

This Eternal Life is a life that begins the moment we are born again….and continues throughout Eternity.

It is Christ’s Life, placed within us by the Holy Guest we are given….the Holy Spirit…the third Person of the Godhead, comes within us and abides with us…giving us faith, peace, grace, joy, etc….evidences of Christ’s life within us.

How?

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

Paul writes the Romans, about this power to change a dying sinner into a living child of God (Romans 8:17):

Romans 10:8-10, 13 “But what saith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

But that power does not stop at being born again….but continues it’s work in us…..and through us.

In us:……giving us (Romans 5:1-5) peace with God, access by faith to stand before Him in rejoicing, power to glory even in trials…for by God’s power they work in us patience (patience is cheerful constancy…amazing power!)…

….and this power works in us experience with God, that we may know, what He will do for us

….and His power gives us hope…that confident expectation that God will do what He has told me.

Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.”

And the power of God, through us:….

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

This shows our complete salvation….every part of us….our spirit where the Holy Spirit lives…

….our soul where the character of Christ is formed in us, by His power…

….our body where we show that we belong to Christ and not the world…

We are transformed….changed….into a living, walking, breathing, sacrifice…..here on earth,…..for our Lord.

God’s Power unto Salvation, is a full power….seeing all our sins, and all our transgressions….and (hallelujah) saving us to the uttermost, in spirit, soul and body…

….when we come to God, through Christ Jesus.

Thy Kingdom Come.

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Where is His kingdom to come? Where is His will to be done?

In earth….

….not on earth; but in earth….in us who are made of the earth, and formed by God into a living soul….we are to have His kingdom come “in” us….and have His will done “in” us.

This is the second most important thing we are to pray for…..according to the prayer Jesus Christ taught his disciples. (Matthew 6:9-15)

(The first most important thing is to ask that His Name would be “hallowed” or honored.

We know His Name signifies all that He is….so the first thing we should pray for,…..when we pray, is that God would be honored by us.

That His Name would not be ill-spoken of,…..because of our behavior.)

But the second thing we are to pray for, is that we might have His kingdom come, and His will be done within us….it is that important.

Luke 17:20-21 “And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, Lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

The Pharisees thought of “the kingdom” as a place and a time, which would surely include them….because of their lineage.

They did not understand that the kingdom is only where the King is.

And the King, Jesus Christ was standing before them, right then….

….inviting them to come into His kingdom, by believing and submitting to Him.

He is doing the same thing to each of us, today…

There are two principles at work in the universe:

God’s principle of Obedience, and the devil’s principle of Rebellion.

God’s principle of Obedience…..which is to place ourselves at God’s disposal to do, or be what He wants.

This principle was seen in all the children of God, to a decree, down through the ages….

….but especially in His Son, The Son of God/the Son of Man…..Who did always those things that pleased His Father (John 8:29)

Hebrews 5:8-9 “Though He were a Son, yet He learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;

And being made perfect (complete in His Work), He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him;”

Christ Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself and became man. Many things He did for others, by the power of God….but…

…..He had to be obedient to Mary and Joseph……for eighteen years—from twelve to thirty (Luke 2:49-51)

…..He was tempted for forty days and nights by the devil….yet without yielding (Matthew 4:1-11)

…..He had to wait for others to bring Him food, and ask for water at a well (John 4:6-8)

…..He was silent before His accusers, as a “sheep before His shearers is dumb” (Isaiah 53:7)

Everything He did, here as man,…every act, every word,…..was in obedience to God His Father.

He did everything in obedience, as man….without the indwelling inclination to sin….but as man….

…..an obedient man….worthy in His Person, for Who He was and what He had done….to be the perfect sacrifice for sin.

Taking away the sin of all who would believe in Him.

And the devil’s principle of Rebellion….where we place ourselves against the things of God….against His will and His way.

The devil would persuade us (“wiles”Ephesians 6:11)…..that we can have things our way and God’s….but we can not.

We must choose:

Romans 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

(Hell was made for the devil and his angels….not man.

Until the day of Adam’s sin, then it was opened up for those who refuse to believe God, and obey Him.

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

I started this with “Thy kingdom come.”

For every Christian, if we do not have Christ’s kingdom come within our hearts, we are leaving things in our lives open to the devil’s wiles to rebellion.

Christ has made a way for us,….to come to God in peace, and have full access to His grace: the unmerited favor of power (Romans 5:1-2)

….to be led by the Spirit of God and be joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14, 17)

….to come boldly to the Throne of grace and obtain mercy (Hebrews 4:16)

….to be saved from the lusts of the world (2 Peter 1:3-4).

He is the Author and Finisher of our faith:

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God.”

Christ’s Way, is by His kingdom being set up in our lives. He sits on the throne of our lives….and we occupy the footstool, as HIs servant.

It is the second most important thing we are to ask for: Thy kingdom come.

Are we seeking it for ourselves? Are we acknowledging Him as our King?

Wisdom from Above

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

Wisdom is from God and of God. Man gains knowledge, and can get very smart; but wisdom is only from God.

God says that if you don’t have the wisdom for this situation; you can ask Him. He will not rebuke you for not knowing, but will give you the wisdom you need.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

God gives light, which is knowledge, and understanding. He shines His light on a situation, and the truth is seen. The way it really is; and how it really affects us.

Wisdom is that light so we know what to do, and wisdom also empowers us to do, as we yield to Him.

(I remember a bad situation where I was getting worked up about what I thought was going to happen. I imagined all sorts of scenarios in my head about what I would say in return, and what would ultimately happen. [Not good, I can tell you that].

“Ask the Lord!” It seemed like it was shouted in my ear. When I asked, He simply told me to stop worrying; that I was to stay out of any retaliation; in word, or action! That, in fact, I was to keep my big mouth shut, no matter what the other person said.

It worked! [should I have been surprised?]. God gave me wisdom: to know, and yes, to do…..as unto Him…..and there was peace in it.)

Wisdom for that situation is what we are to do about it, and the power to do it, in peace.

This He gives liberally, or generously. He is not a miser. He wants us to know His Will, and gives us what we need to find it out, and to do it.

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

Remember this comes from God, to you.

Wisdom is first, pure. There is no mixture of many opinions, but truth, plain and simple.

It is peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated. It seeks the good of all.

Full of mercy and good fruits. Forgives other people’s mistakes, and would help them set them right.

Without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Does not argue to win; or defraud another.

Proverbs 3:21-23, 26 “My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.

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.”

This is wisdom; and God gives it to any of His, who want it,…..abundantly.

Will we choose the path where the Lord leads?

Deuteronomy 8:2 “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no.”

All the circumstances which come into our lives….in the path that the Lord leads us in….is laid out…to…

….show us our weakness….and show us God’s faithful might for us…that we might become totally dependent upon Him….leaning on our Beloved through this world.(Song of Solomon 8:5)

We do not know what is in our hearts until certain circumstances come….which show our weaknesses.

Peter truly felt he would never betray Christ…but he did.

He got into circumstances which “pushed” against his fear for his life….and he denied the One he loved. (John 21:15-19)

Paul speaks of this…

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead;”

This trouble came in the path of duty….and the Lord had a lesson in that path.

Because of this trouble….Paul despaired. (Despaired here means that mentality there was no way out…so that it distressed his mind.)

But he learned…. “that we should not trust in ourselves”:

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”

When we begin our journey on our path with Christ, we do not know our own hearts.

But as we go further into the path He leads us in,…circumstances are placed in front of us which will bring out of us how we truly are.

True, we love the Lord…..but will we stand with Him in the face of trouble?

Yes, we know the Lord knows everything….but do we trust Him when suddenly things seem to fall apart….now?

◦ The more we see our lack….the more we should stay close to Christ….getting more of His grace for our circumstances.

Sometimes the lessons show us that…..we trust Christ with our hearts…..but not with our bodies. Illness…broken bones….and weakened abilities, often can cause us to look to someone or something else other than Christ.

Sometimes the Lord shows us that we trust Him…for eternity; but fear and doubt Him for our “daily bread”. Are we trusting our own wisdom or schemes then?

Luke 9:23-24 “And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me,…”

(Here is the crux of the matter, will we come after Him, no matter what the situation or circumstances? If you will…then…)

“…let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.”

We have heard this call before (Matthew 16:24-25)…..but here is added the very telling word….”daily”.

This is an everyday, ongoing thing, until we stand in His presence.

As an old preacher once wrote….”only when we realize we are unable to do without God for a moment….do we find what He is for us, moment by moment.”

I remember many colossal crises in my life….times when the Lamentations of Jeremiah (Lamentations 3:1-25 “…when I cry and shout,…”)……were more my prayers than the praises of the Psalms…but again and again the Lord reminds me….

….”I have led you….I will lead you…do not just “hang on”…..but hang on to Me, and see My hand in it all.”

Sometimes I did not want to….I wanted to see the people or the situations….but He kept lifting my face to His….

“This is the key….this is the answer….deny yourself today, and follow Me…..and I will lead you through.”

His life….think of it as I often do…..His life in mine….here and now….this is what He offers all who will.

Will we choose the path where the Lord leads?

That Thou Mayest

Revelation 3:18 “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich,

and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and the shame of thy nakedness do not appear,

and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

Now it used to be a favorite correction of my Aunt, to tell me which to use: “May I?”

Or “Can I?”

I would say, “Can I go outside, and play?”

She would say, “I don’t know, do you have legs to take you?”

Of course, she would be stressing what was the proper English. I should have said, “May I go outside and play?”

Can, she would say, denotes ability. May, denotes permission or will.

So Jesus Christ says, “That thou mayest”, He means that He will give permission to open up the windows of Heaven and pour us down the blessings He describes here.

All in Heaven are just looking to Him, and waiting for His permission to give abundant manifestations of His power and presence, to each who will “buy of Me (The Lord Jesus Christ)”.

Malachi 3:10. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

We will speak about the blessing offered by the Lord Jesus to us……..and the means to get these “windows of heaven” opened up to us.

We will start with the last blessing that we “may” have,……for this is the beginning of the rest.

Eyes that really see, by the use of eyesalve. Without this, we are still blind; or with blurry eyes, seeing unclearly.

And what is this eyesalve we are to use?

It is honesty. If we are to see God as He is; then we must see ourselves as we are. They go hand in hand. (Let’s face it, when we are angry at God, He seems like an angry God.)

As we get honest, and let the Lord search our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9-10), we stop losing our way in our emotions; because we can now see the truth.

And anytime truth is faced; grace is given. (Grace is the unmerited favor of power)

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

The Lord once said to me: “That if any Laodicean would get a good look at his own heart, he would do something about it immediately.”

White raiment that thou mayest be clothed:

If we are Christians, we must be clothed upon with Christ’s Righteousness.

But Christ’s righteousness, enables us to do righteousness. And this is the garment spoken of here…..our righteous acts done for His glory.

We must determine to have Christ formed in me.

We are told to:

Colossians 3:8-10, 12-13 “But now ye also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communications out of your mouth.

Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

Put off the old man; put on the new man created in Christ Jesus. All this you must do, that the shame of your nakedness do not appear.

Gold, tried in the fire.

Gold in Scripture speaks of God in my life.

When it says, “tried in the fire”, it means that it has come through the purifying process, and there is no impurities, in the gold. It is pure gold.

We are truly “rich” in the Spiritual Blessings of love, joy, peace, long suffering, patience, etc.

But pure gold, signifies being filled with the Holy Spirit, by surrendering to Him: giving up my right to rule my life; and yielding my life, moment by moment, to the Holy Spirit’s Presence and Guidance.

I will remind everyone, this begins with losing our blindness.

To be blind in this verse is “opaque, surrounded with smoke”.

And how many “smoke screens” has the devil used to try and come between us and the truth? Or between us and the Lord?

It may be mental or physical.

(In other words, we can blind ourselves. By our imaginations: pretend to be someone we are not. Or we can blind ourselves by the “things” we choose to love.)

There is no cure for blindness; except Truth. Getting honest with God about everything.

When you do, the Lord will open up the windows of heaven and pour you down a blessing.

Stand ye in the Ways

Jeremiah 6:16 “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”

Jeremiah was called to a time, like ours, where much religion was going on; but very little true obedience to God. They had all the outward trappings and show…….but none of the devotion to God and His commandments.

Under King Josiah, who was a godly king; Jeremiah was given the job of going about Judah and instructing the people in the laws of God. This was important….to know the Word of God….what it says and what He promises those who turn to Him and obey Him.

Many did not want to hear, for they had been influenced by the idolatrous nations round about them; and refused subjection to the Lord, although they went along with the outward ceremony….along with worshipping idols.

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

Then he was told to go to Jerusalem and preach there…telling the people what God would do, if they would repent and turn back in obedience to Him.

He would forgive and help them:

Jeremiah 7:5-7″For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor;

If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:

Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.”

For what God wanted of His people was that they obey Him, from the heart.

“Stand ye in the ways”. In the Hebrew, means “Get up and do it”

Start actively seeking My ways.

If you just do this seeking, you are returning to your God and honoring Him.

This I will count,….and will honor you, in return.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.

And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:….”

And ask for the old paths: The path of obedience to His Word,….which leads us to straighten out our lives before Him.

God has made a way to return to Him…..take it.

(How was it with those who came before us?

Those that martyred their lives for God and his gospel? From the apostles to our forefathers?

How did they attain to what they had?

Through the Holy Spirit’s enabling, and the Word of God to them.

We must seek out the truth of the Scriptures for ourselves: What does it say to me?

For now? For my calling and ministry? And yield to the Holy Spirit within!)

As Jeremiah said to Judah:

Jeremiah 7:23 “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be My people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

Obey My voice….and I will be your God….and ye shall be My people.

(This is an amazing promise…..the Almighty, Eternal, Personal God will be my God…..me, who am one of how many millions?….

….me, who have fought against Him?…

….me, who can do nothing for God…

Yet, me, whom He loved enough to save me,….I shall be His….

….and that means He will “see to” me….spiritually, physically, and emotionally….

….amazing promise!)

Jesus said the same thing when He was talking to His disciples, before He went to the cross.

John 15:10″ If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.”

Though there were failures,…….His disciples did, and they stirred the whole world, for Christ Jesus.

If we get our life in order before Him, and honor Him in this,……He will honor our obedience, in our everyday life.

God speaks through His Word: whether read, preached, or spoken by His inner Voice, by the Holy Spirit.

Hear Him, and return to the ways of peace,…..knowing His presence with you,……and for you,……everyday.

Malachi 1:6-8 “A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a Father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, where is my fear?….”

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted Thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

And ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts.”

Malachi means “My messenger”.

The prophets were God’s helpers to the godly rulers and people…..who gave the message from the Lord…showing them their sins….

….so that the people would be awakened to God’s thoughts about their attitude.

The sacrifices pointed to Christ….and their faith in Him.

Their contempt of the sacrifices….was a contempt of God, as their KIng.

When Malachi was written (he was a contemporary of Ezra and Nehemiah which was about 500 years before Christ’s birth)…

….their actions were at a low point….their obedience to the sacrifices and the Temple were partial,….and with deceit to themselves and dishonor to God.

They had returned from captivity…with a willingness to re-build the Temple. Though they had been hindered and stopped….the work began again….and now the Temple had been re-built….and the walls of Jerusalem was almost done.

They had an ally in the court of Persia….and instead of this increasing their faithfulness…..

….things just got sloppy.

Their diligence waned….their devotion cooled….they became a nation of “just getting by”….

…and the worst of all, was that the priests were leading in this regard.

They should have been most working for the Lord,….but instead, were great with excuses….but not with faithful obedience.

Malachi 1:12-13 “But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even His meat, is contemptible.

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! And ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts;…”

The people were selfish….becoming proud of themselves.

They did not want to give their animals to sacrifice which were healthy and could be used by them….

…and they would not just stop going to the Temple with sacrifices.

So…..they gave the sick, or lame, or damaged animals….thinking they “deceived” God….but He was not fooled or unseeing.

Malachi 1:14 “But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and My Name is dreadful among the heathen.”

How sad that the great lesson of the authority of God over all the earth…

(in their captivity…how God showed them His power by destroying and making even their enemies to be their benefactors)….

…had not continued to awe and impress them, during the time of prosperity.

But is it not the same with us?

Have we seen so clearly HIs mercy to us…..and then, forgotten it….or at least placed it in the back of our memories when we have friends and things are going well?

Are we offering “polluted bread” or the blind or the lame and sick for sacrifice in our ministries?

Are we being double minded in our efforts….

…..or are we going ahead with plans we made without the guidance of the Holy Spirit…

…..or are we grudgingly doing what we have to, without joy or love?

These are times of great division…..no, I do not just mean in opinions.

We are spirit, soul, and body….made in the image of God.

And the Adversary would bring us down to “feelings”, “emotional responses”….and worldly, carnal “reasons”.

But as Christians we are to always “to be led by the Spirit of God..” (Romans 8:14).

Jesus Christ said that when the Spirit would come…He would guide us into all truth (John 16:13)….”guide” here is to “show the way, lead”.

The Spirit will lead us into honoring the Lord in all our ways. “He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of mine,and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:14)

We, too, are to offer sacrifices….of praise and obedience.

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

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

The heart of religion…is the practical part. The Lord wants our praise (certainly He deserves it)…

….but praise is to be with….”to do good and to communicate”. We are to be righteous…which is simply walking in obedience…and witness of Christ….both in actions and words.

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

In the Bible (KJV)…”conversation” means what we do, our actions and the general tenor of our lives,….as well as what we say.

We are to live without coveting….wishing for and wanting what another has.

This can only be as we are “content with such things as ye have”.

Contentment is an amazing grace…..yes, I said grace. It is a lesson learned like patience….but acquired by the grace of the Holy Spirit within.

We learn: “that in whatsoever state I am….therewith to be content” (Phil. 4:11)….or at peace….and in joy.

And this is only…..as we realize the value of Christ to us….”for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Far more valuable and precious than anything this world can offer.

This is a message for the days and years to come….for the trials and persecutions….for the prosperity and times of applause….

….Christ is our all in all.

It is not that we believe this…..we know this….for He has been there for me….through all.

…for He has spoken to me in all times.

…for He has strengthened my hands to do the right thing (even when I did not want to)….strengthened my mind to see the truth….strengthened my heart to love Him…and my fellow Christians.

…for He has given me His help.

This Israel gave up….to follow selfishness and deceiving practices.

We have Christ….and He demands faith and obedience….to His praise and glory.

What will we do with Him?

The Door of our Ears

Mark 4:23-24 “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

And He said unto them, Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete (give out), it shall be meted unto you; And unto you that hear shall more be given.”

Has the door of our ears been opened? Do we take heed to what we hear?

Let’s be honest. We hear a lot that, as my Mother used to say, goes in one ear and out the other.

We hear it. We could probably repeat it, if we had to. But it makes no difference in our attitude. Because they are just words…just noice that may or may not sound good to us.

Hearing ears come from the Lord. He will give them to us, if we want to hear Him.

Proverbs 20:12 “The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.”

These are ears which take in what is spoken, and apply them to “me”, because we know the words come from God.

Jesus goes on to describe the words which are “heard”, as seed:

Mark 4:26-29 “And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

For the earth bringeth forth of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.”

Now these words have been planted, through the open door of the ears, into the heart.

This is a wonderful thing. Because I have known people who remembered what they were taught as children in Sunday School, about Jesus Christ, and been born again,…..

……or used those scriptures in the situations of life, they were in now.

You see, it is the door of our ears being opened that let’s in the Word of God. Once planted in the heart (it may take time), it brings forth fruit unto eternal life.

How do we “open the door of our ears”? We will to believe, that His word is God speaking to me.

It makes a huge difference when we know the Lord wants to speak to me, now, today….for today.

We “open” our ears, often for jokes, and songs, and other sounds (not that there is anything wrong with friends and family talking…I wish there was more of it.)

But we should be as willing to hear God speaking to us, as to hear everyone else.

Mark 4:33 “And with many such parables spake He the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.”

“As they were able to hear it.” Multitudes came to hear Him (Mark. 4:1), but did they really “hear” what He was saying?

Did they understand that He was presenting Himself and God’s word to them, so that they would believe on Him, and have true life?

Not many;……

……but some came,…..did open their ears….want to hear what He was saying to them……and followed Him.

He always had those who left all and followed Him.

To those, He gives light (knowledge of what to do, and how); and He gives grace (the unmerited favor of power or ability to do).

And that is why today, He is still speaking His Word to all who will hear.

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”

Behold! I Stand!

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My Voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

This “sup” in the original means fellowship. “I will fellowship with him, and he with Me.”

What is fellowship? It is a coming together in attitude, and thought.

When we have fellowship with the Lord, we are letting Him in to our thoughts….and our feelings, in subjection to Him.

Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

Opening up to Him, to come in and talk to me about all that is in my life….and to share with Him all that is going on.

Abraham was called the “friend of God”…..he was called out of idolatry, called to follow God into a new land….and he did.

There were many failures….and set backs; but Abraham knew God’s voice and had fellowship with Him.

Genesis 18:1-5 “And the Lord appeared unto him (Abraham) in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

And said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in Thy sight, pass not away, I pray Thee, from Thy servant:

Let a little water, I pray You, be fetched, and wash Your feet, and rest Yourselves under the tree:

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort Ye Your hearts; after that Ye shall pass on: for therefore are Ye come to Your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.”

Here Abraham is setting in the flap doorway of his tent; in the shade….when he sees the Lord, with two others (angels).

He does not inquire who they are….he knows One is the Lord, and bows in reverence, at His feet.

Then…..fellowship:

Come….and be refreshed by water….rest….and eat….and talk.

The Lord had come to him, and Abraham quickly opens all he has to them.

There conversation was for the future: Sarah would have a son….”I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life;”…..and Sarah shall have a son.

Abraham listened….Sarah laughed, for it was an impossible thing: they were both old, she had never had children, and she was past “the time of women”, she was not having periods any more.

Fellowship is opening up to the Lord, and letting Him in…..in thoughts and feelings.

Sarah had laughed, but God was faithful. But Abraham listened….God had promised before….and now He had appeared to speak of this promise again.

After the food, The Lord, the angels, and Abraham arose….and walked together….

Genesis 18:17-18 “And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?”

The Lord told Abraham of Sodom and Gomorrah wickedness……and that He was sending angels to see, if it was according to the “cry of it”.

(Sin and Wickedness brings a “cry” from creation itself.

Romans 8:21-22 “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”)

This leads to the greatest example of intercessory prayer (except by Christ) in the Bible.

Abraham interceded for Lot,…and all the other righteous in the cities……

……although there were none…yet his heart wanted their salvation,…and knew the Lord’s mercy. Do we?

Fellowship is the conversation between “partners” in the work.

It is the sharing of all that is going on, and will go on.

It is the coming together to know each other better.

Jesus Christ stands at the door of His Church in Laodicea, and knocks for entrance…..but it is His Voice which is heard by those who will open the door…

….for it is a personal call:

“If any man will hear My voice and open the door…”

And so the door you open is the door of your life:

To answer the call of Christ in this age, requires not an answer of words….but an answer of a life open to and receptive to Christ Jesus our Lord.

Behold! He stands!

Anytime He is seen standing, it is a sign He is ready to do….and He is standing at the door of your life, ready to do for you.

Will you let Him in to have that fellowship that begins with bowing before Him,……continues by talking and listening to Him…..and ends in walking with Him in partnership?

The Son of Man

Hebrews 2:9-10 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

I did not for a long time, understand why the Lord Jesus called Himself the Son of Man….

…my thinking was influenced by the world….I thought….

“Show Yourself as the Son of God…let people know Your the Messiah….keep before them how great You are….and they will believe.”

(Wow! even looking at it, I wonder how I could have thought this way….for God’s Ways of doing things are not like this at all.

Belief does not come by manifestation of power…..but by revelation of Christ Jesus to our hearts.)

Jesus was the Son of Man from Eternity Past…..by the Covenant He made (called the Everlasting Covenant, Hebrews 13:20-21)….concerning the plan of our Salvation.

When He said the Son of Man, He was referring to this great contract about the purpose of God….for man’s redemption….

…..for from eternity past, the Godhead knew the need for man’s salvation from sin….and that would be through the Son of Man.

As man, He had to live a perfect life.

As the perfect man, He had to die a sacrificial death for all.

(Romans 5:17-18 “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

This was the work of the Son of Man…..and He fulfilled it.)

There are many aspects of Christ being the Son of Man which is amazing.

HIs understanding of our situation…today….is of course divine,…yet it is also because He walked here.

Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which can not be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

He was sometimes hungry, often tired or weary, seeing the worst cases of illness and disease, both spiritually and physically…..waiting on others, explaining His Words again and again.

Though the Son of Man was a postition of humility and service, yet He had joy, and rejoiced in the Father’s Will. (Matthew 11:25-26 “…I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth….Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight.”)

And He wanted His disciples and us to receive His joy. (John. 15:11 )

John 17:13 “And now come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”

Though walking in a world which rejected Him…..yet He never stopped amid temptations and trouble….till He had finished the work of His Father’s plan of redemption. (“It is finished” John 19:30)

And He calls us to do the same…..finish our work…..”If any man will, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Hebrews 1:8-9 “But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom.

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness, above Thy fellows.”

“Oil of gladness” is a name for the Holy Spirit (Psalm 45:6-7)

How that should make us think about the joy Christ had…even here, in His humility…..looking forward to fulfilling the Salvation Plan for everyone of us….

…redeeming us from our sin, and giving us His life, HIs peace, and His joy.

John 15:11 “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

….. the joy we should have, because we have received this “oil of gladness” or the Holy Spirit, too.

Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Eighty-three times in the gospels, once in Acts, and twice in Revelation…Jesus Christ is seen as the Son of Man.

It is a testimony of God’s great purpose for us….as man….

…..to be saved and brought back to Him,….in heart, mind and will….in life and purpose….and joy.

And it is encouragement to fulfill our own ministry of….”…righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”….for His sake.