Your Knowledge of God

Job 42:5 “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee:”

Is your knowledge of God, by hearing about Him and His great works, only?

Or have you met Him in the circumstances of your daily life, and known His authority there?

Jonah met God in the belly of the great fish….(Jonah 2:1, 9)

Saul met the Lord on the road to Damascus….(Acts 9:3-6)

The Philippians Jailer met Him when he was about to commit suicide….(Acts 16:27-31)

Where, or under what circumstances you meet the Lord, is not important. What is important is,….that you do.

(Job is a book on several levels….God lets us see into His Universal Rule: for it is a book showing us how God rules and overrules for us.

In this book, God show us how our adversary, the devil, is always accusing us before God…..but God shows us how He deals with His whole universe….letting the devil hurt or harm only so far….in a measured way. Job 1:12, 2:6 After these two terrible trials…God allowed no more harm to come Job from the devil.

In this book, God shows us how He feels about obedient servants….and how He hedges us about…..often. (Job 1:8-10)

In this book, God shows us how He uses our trials to bring us to a more wonderful knowledge of Him,….and draws us to a closer walk with Him.)

I want to explain here, that Job was a righteous man. His attitude toward God was amazing (in my opinion)….at the loss of his wealth and children…

(there have been many times when things have gone wrong, that I wished my attitude was as his.)

Job 1:20-21 “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.

And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

And at the loss of his health,….his attitude toward God did not waver:

Job 2:9-10 “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”

As I said, Job was a good and righteous man.

The trials of the devil were ended, but the trials from others were not:

After these terrible things happened, three “friends” came to comfort him, in his grief.

But instead of comfort, they came and told him….”something must be wrong with you, for God to have let these things come upon you”.

They said:

Job 4:7 “Remember, I pray thee, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the righteous cut off?”

They thought maybe his children had sinned, or he had:

Job 8:4, 6 “If thy children have sinned against Him, and He have cast them away for their transgression;

If thou wert pure and upright; surely now He would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.”

They were trying to help Job, or so they thought……. but he had not sinned, as they thought.

What they said was right, if Job had sinned or turned aside from following the Lord. But that was not what was happening here….

Job had walked quite a ways with God. Job had knowledge of God and believed and worshipped the Lord……that was true…..as far as it went…..

But God wanted Job to know more of Him, in a different way, then just a provider and caretaker.

(Every trial that comes to us, is to open our eyes to His provision for us. To bring us closer to God.

They are measured trials….some relatively easy….others extremely difficult…and others, impossible.

But they are all sent, to bring us closer to God, that we might know Him in a new way, for our lives….what He will do for us, in the trial; and how He will bring us through it….for He will.)

Frankly, Job had stalled out. He was a good man, doing charitable works….happy in his experience with God….but he was not going further in the knowledge of God…he was just coasting along…..but he did not know it.

It wasn’t the trials which he passed through that showed Job how he was…..but his “friends”.

When his “friends” came,…then his reputation came to be on the line….and Job bristled under the charge that he had sinned.

Job felt his friends were treating him badly….they should have realized that God tries the faithful….and he wanted God to show that he was pure.

But was he?

Job 10:2-3, 7 “I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; show me wherefore Thou contendest with me.

Is it good unto Thee that Thou shouldest oppress, that Thou shouldest despise the work of Thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of Thine hand.”

Job knew that God was allowing this; but he began to be angry, when God was not defending him as he thought He should.

But wasn’t that part of the trial?

(I want to put in here, that we can not see all, of what God is doing…most times. We may see part….and for some, it is a great part, but not all.

We must trust that when we come through the trial we will be “as silver is tried” Psalm 66:10-12, and be “brought out into a wealthy [satisfying] place”)

Job continues,….only this time he begins to spout off about what he would say before God, Himself!

Job 23:3-6 “Oh that I knew where I might find Him! That I might come even to His seat!

I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me.

Will He plead against me with His great power? No; but He would put strength in me.”

(How bold we get in defending ourselves!)

I must admit, Job’s friends were being harsh in their words….they would not hear what he was saying…..God does try the faith of the righteous to bring out more faith….

Actually, what they said was true…..if, Job had sinned, like they thought.

But their knowledge of God, did not cover a righteous man being tried, to bring him closer to God.

They thought that blessings, and only blessings were the way that you should know God.

(And how many of us think the same?)

If you were righteous…..God blessed you.

If you were wicked….God cursed you.

That was the extent of their experience, and knowledge of God.

But God was trying to teach them all, more of Him.

Job then proceeds to explain to them his righteousness……he had been righteous, in reverence to God,…..all his days.

And he begs God to show how he really is….

“Oh that One would hear me! Behold, my desire is that the Almighty would answer me,…” (Job 31:35)

Interesting request….for God does:

Job 38:1-2 “And the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

Who is this that darkened counsel by words without knowledge?”

God answers Job from a whirlwind….Job had wanted God to do something mighty, and powerful, and He does….but not to the friends,….but to him.

The Lord then shows Job how little he knows of Him:

Job had spoken as though his righteousness had added something to God.

As though, Job’s knowledge of God and his obedience, had earned him God’s respect.

No, Job, it does not. God loves us, and the greatest thing He does for us….is bring us closer to Him, in experience….for that is true knowledge.

God speaks:

Job 40:2, 8 “Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct Him? He that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Wilt thou also disannul my judgement? Wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be righteous?”

“So you are going to walk right up to Me, Job and tell Me off because I am doing My Will, so you will be brought closer to Me?

Is that righteousness, Job?”

“You say you are righteous….declaring it to all…

If your righteousness is so great, Job,….

Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency;….look on everyone that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place… (verses 10, 12)

I have everything in control, Job….the wind, snow, elements….the animals; the largest to the smallest, I have given direction to….are you able to do this?”

Job, awed,…..and humbled,…answered, laying his hand upon his mouth, which is a sign of contrition where his words are concerned. (Job 40:4)

Then Job answered God,….rightly

Job 42:2-3, 5-6 “I know that Thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be witholden from Thee.

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee:

Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

You see, God is interested in us….and the trials which come to us are all under His hand.

Are we gaining knowledge of Him, everyday?

Or are we at a stand-still, rather proud of how far we have come?

Well, Job was….but he did not know it.

Until the Lord, through trials of loss, and through trials of friends made him speak all that was in his heart….

Then God showed him all that was in his heart, and he repented of his pride.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?

I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

The Lord also corrected his friends, and had Job pray for them. (Job 42:7-9)

Job 42:10, 12 “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:…”

Blessed in scripture means twice happy.

God blessed Job,…..and if we could ask Job, I think he would have said that the greatest blessing, was his greater knowledge of the Most High.

What is your knowledge of God? Is it continuing….or have you stalled in your growth in grace?

The Beauty of Holiness.

Isaiah 6:1-3 “….I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims:….

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.”

Revelation 4:8 “….Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

Holiness in Scripture is the Sinlessness, and perfection of the character of God:

which is Light…..not darkness…(James 1:17)

is Mercy,

is Peace,

is Grace,

is Love,

is Supreme Goodness, and our Refuge,

Is Wisdom, and Judgement, and so much more.

We think of Holiness, and sometimes tremble……because we are sinful…..even with our sins confessed, and cleansed…..we can remember the terrible things we have done against Him,….and that is when “Holiness” puts weakness into our hearts….

Isaiah when he heard the “Holy, holy, holy”……..

Isaiah 6:5 “Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

When Peter saw the “great multitude of fishes” the Lord gave, after a night of catching nothing……

Luke 5:8 “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

In scripture the Lord is called Holy, seventy times. Twenty-eight times in Isaiah, alone. Sixteen times in the Psalms.

(If God were not Holy, there would be unspeakable horror for consequences: He could not save sinners….nor could He have power over the unrighteous works of darkness. There would be no Heaven….where every tear shall be wiped away, and no unclean thing, will enter. Chaos, not order, would rule.)

But in this, we are going to speak of the Beauty of Holiness…..for surely God’s Holiness is beautiful.

It is an attribute of splendor….spreading out like a rainbow, unto abundant goodness.

And, that He would plan a Way for us to share in His goodness, by Jesus Christ….is blessing….twice blessed for us.

That He has made a Way to come to Him;……..we as sinful creatures, to come to the Most Holy God,……by the expiation of our sins…..has not changed His Holiness;…

…..but rather enhanced it; showing to us, by the abundant sacrifice of His Son, how Holy He is.

When we think of the price Jesus paid, that we might “be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21)…..

…….we again tremble at the Holiness of our God, Who would allow His Son to die to wipe away our sin,…….and not allow any, but those who receive Christ Jesus, as Lord and Savior,……to come near to His throne, and dwell with Him.

Isaiah 33:15-17 “He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shuteth his eyes from seeing evil;

He shall dwell on high; his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty, they shall behold the land that is very far off.”

God’s Holiness is worthy of all our praise. For as He is lifted up above all things, so He raises us up, in Christ….to sit in the heavenlies. (Ephesians 2:6)

But for what purpose, are we raised to newness of life?

To be to the praise of His glory. To find our satisfaction in Him.

(Colossians 3:1-2 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth.”)

1 Chronicles 16:29 “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His Name: bring an offering and come before Him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

2 Chronicles 20:21 “……..he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth forever.”

God’s Holiness is beautiful,…..and He calls us to worship Him for it…..and to set ourselves aside to Him,…..to be “partakers of” it.

Hebrews 12:10 “For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.”

“Partakers” here, means to accept and use.

In Christ, we are made righteous; given a new nature. And we are to accept our new life and “use” it…..we are to bring forth the fruit of His holiness within us…..the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

We are to spread out within us the manifold goodness of God, by the fruit of His Spirit, and use it, to have joy, peace, love, gentleness, etc.

Psalm 29:2 “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto HIs Name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

Psalm 96:9 “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before Him all the earth.”

God is Holy, holy, holy…..in the Trinity. And praise God, that He is.

Faith

We know faith is the first gift, along with the Holy Spirit, that God gives to those that receive His Son as Lord and Savior.

Without the element of faith, there is nothing. (Hebrews 11:6)

(Hebrews 4:2 “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”

This is speaking of that generation which died in the wilderness, because they refused to believe God and go into the land.)

Faith, by the Holy Spirit,…..and His Word needs to be “mixed”….then amazing things get done.

Faith is the substantiation of the things of God (Hebrews 11:1)….that which makes them real to us. Faith ever keeps Christ in our view.

But how do we use our faith? In obedience….in receiving the promises, in receiving correction, in receiving direction.

For this is how we know we have true faith….we obey the Lord.

Matthew 9:22 “But Jesus turned Him about, and when He saw her, He said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”

Here, a woman who had been plagued by an issue of blood for twelve years….spending all that she had to get well…..with physicians….but only grew worse….

…..till she heard of Jesus.

(Every woman who had this issue of blood….was unclean. Leviticus 15:25-26. It was a terrible thing….for she could not give sacrifice, or enter the circle of worship. After twelve years, she felt hopeless. But then she heard of Jesus! And faith led her to seek Him)

Mark 5:27 “When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched His garment.”

Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17), and this woman had heard of Jesus.

(How this should make us earnest, to tell others of our Lord! And what He has done for us!)

Mark 5:28 “For she said, If I may touch but HIs clothes, I shall be whole.”

I love this verse! Here, she has a conference with herself, and decides to place her whole life on Christ Jesus! To come to Him!

But how?

Her plan of action….touch His garment.

She did not think she should ask Him for this miracle of healing….she wasn’t anyone important….but she had faith that He could heal her…..even by a touch….and faith leads to obedience of action.

(Some say she crawled up to touch the “hem of HIs garment”! Matthew 9:20. Have we the faith of this woman? Are we mixing His Presence and Word to us, with our faith?)

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

Now I want to stress…..Jesus did not do anything here. He did not touch her. He did not speak to her.

Her faith in Him was the vehicle of blessing…..and it can be the same with us. We can touch Him, by faith, and receive from Him…..what we need.

Was there a conversation between Jesus and this woman? Yes….He would not let her faith be left unacknowledged….

….He would speak to her…only to confirm what her faith in Him had gotten for her.

Mark 5:30 “And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that virtue (in the Greek “dunamis”, where we get our word “dynamite”….means force, miraculous power) had gone out of Him, turned Him about in the press, and said, Who hath touched my clothes?”

The disciples….and we would have, too,…thought this was ridiculous to ask. There is a whole crowd of people jostling Him…..all touched His clothes….what was He saying!

Yet none touched Him in faith…..faith that sought Him out as Christ,….and this is what He was asking about.

Mark 5:32-34 “And He looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him all the truth.

And He said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

Here what Jesus said…..

…”thy faith hath made thee whole”…..but because you are fearful that I would be angry about this faith,…..or take back this blessing….I tell you, go in peace and be whole of your disease!

Her faith in Him…..got a hold on His power for her…..and she was healed….and in that healing was cleansing.

Faith is that substance within us, planted by the Holy Spirit, that makes everything of God real…..it proves to us the value and reality of God and HIs Word….

….and that is before it ever moves out through us to obedience.

But once we have faith, we have to act on it.

For this is what faith is for….for us to put ourselves in the hands of God, and obey what He says, because we know He is God….He is the Creator and Sustainer of the circumstances of my life.

He knows the faith we have in Him….

….sometimes I wonder if He is saddened by our not using it.

Faith is of the Holy Spirit…..it is demanding, and commanding. And always leads us to obey.

The whole crowd touched His clothes…..but only this woman, who had faith mixed with hearing about Jesus…..was healed by touching Him.

How great a gift from God to us is the faith He gives. Let us mix it with His Word….believing in Jesus….and then, in obedience, get what He has for us.

Thou art Worthy

Real worship……is worthyship….counting God worthy of our all.

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy Pleasure they are and were created.”

For Thou hast created all things: Jesus as the Son of God created all things by the Word of His mouth.

He is the Word. (John 1:1-3)

And Jesus as the Son of Man brought back all that was lost at the fall to Himself; and for us.

1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

So what is there for me to consider about this?

What is His personal Pleasure for me? (And “Pleasure” here, means “determination” in the Greek.)

Not just where I am to go, but how am I to get there? What am I to become along the Way?

In all my days and all the circumstances of those days, there must be a plan, and a purpose to look to.

One thing I believe our ministry is to stress: Above all else Jesus Christ requires obedience from His own.

1 Samuel 15:22 “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

No amount of religious activity will ever take the place of Obedience.

For this act of placing yourself with Him, and doing what He says now; pleases Him most.

Human evil comes from Adam’s refusal to obey the one rule the Creator laid down. (Sin is, in all its actions, “I will not do what You say, I will not be what You want me to be.”)

This was the cause of man’s fall into sin. And the force behind it was the devil.

But now that we are redeemed;…and we are redeemed for a purpose.

And that purpose is to show forth His glory (the manifesting of His light and power) in our circumstances.

And obedience is the instrument by which this is accomplished.

Will we be children of Adam, and say no to God’s Will; refusing to obey?

Or will we be children of God, and say yes to His Purpose; now.

For it always comes down to….now.

We are to bear fruit, as branches in the Vine.

Fruit, more fruit, and much fruit.

(There are two kinds of fruit: the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and the fruit of a Christian, which is another Christian by our witnessing, praying, or soul winning)

John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman.

Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit; He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

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

We are all to bear fruit to God’s glory. It is by abiding in Him, that we have His life flowing through us, to others.

But how do we “abide” in Him?

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.”

We abide by obeying His Word to us.

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

This is a great promise to those who have the “sap” (life of Christ) flowing through us.

By obeying His Word, we may ask what we will (for we will His Will), and it will be done unto us.

Not for us, or through us…..but unto us. For our personal growth in Him.

We have a lack? Ask, and it will be done unto us.

Christ created us for His pleasure: the way we are is what He intended.

(I can not tell you how many arguments I used to have with the Lord about “the way I am.” If He had only made me less anxious; or if I had a more sunny disposition, etc.)

But here is where the “unto you” , comes in.

God made me: with the parents I had, the circumstances I had to go through, all things were made for His pleasure where I was concerned.

So…and here is the great part: I can abide in Him, and ask Him for the things I need to be different, to be more like He is;…..And He will do it unto me.

He is Worthy! To be praised, for we are offered the great privilege of abiding, obeying, and receiving from our great Lord Jesus Christ, personally.

Faith, so we may Obtain the Promises.

Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

For by it the elders obtained a good report.”

The apostle was writing a record of those in the Old Testament, whose faith in God and His Word had led them into lives of productivity, and peace.

Always opposition, but lives which pleased God, because of their faith in Him.

He is writing it to encourage these failing believers to hang on, by faith, and to obtain all that the Lord had for them.

It is by faith we receive all things from God.

These believers were the very first to believe. They had been through a lot. But time had passed and they had not grown in the grace given them; on the contrary, they had remained children in the faith. (They were “Tossed about” Ephesians 4:14-15)

(Paul rebukes them for this, but encourages the faith that they have, for anywhere along the way, we may wake up, and get back into the Way….going forward in the faith.)

Hebrews 5:12 “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”

Hebrews 10:35, 38-39 “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of Him that diligently seek Him.”

So he reminds these of the faith of their fathers; and the reward God had for them.

At the end of the faith chapter—Hebrews 11, there is a little verse which states plainly the stages of faith, for ourselves.

And all “through faith”.

Hebrews 11:33 “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,”

“Subdued kingdoms”. There are three kingdoms here on earth we are to subdue: the kingdom of man’s soul, the kingdom of the world’s influence, and the kingdom of the devil’s influence.

Each, by Christ’s atonement, have been defeated.

But each, by our faith, needs to be overcome, in our practical living of today.

How?

The blood of Christ was shed to save us from our sin and self (old nature: which is the inclinations of our minds, emotions, and wills, apart from God)

He paid the penalty of death for us. And He opened an access into His life within us. A life of faith.

His life is given us by His Holy Spirit within us, Who gives us love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, etc.

Faith enables us to “see God”.

Many in the Old Testament had a vision of the Angel of the Lord. But we do not need such a vision.

We have much better than a vision, for we have the Blessed Spirit of God indwelling us, and His voice is heard within us.

By faith we can subdue ourselves, our sin, and much of the influence of the world when we “see” that is God with us, in authority and power.

When we see God, then plainly, we are here in this situation, by His appointment.

In other words, He wants to show me something, here.

Either He will show me how He can empower me.

Or He will show me how He can remove any hinderance.

Or He will show me how I must navigate through this trial, lighting my path, and leading me through, for His sake.

The life of faith is a life where we always look to God in the situation. Where does He want me to be, here? And when we “see”; we “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Faith is unique, in that it is a gift of God to us: and it gives access into all the other graces, which God by His Spirit implant within us.

Romans 8:31-32 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

Paul goes on to say we cannot be separated from the love of God, and lists the things that might try to separate us…and there are a lot.

But in the process of this life of faith, we may obtain the reality of the promise of what God will do for us.

We begin to stop arguing about the way to do things, and deny ourselves: and do them as God directs.

There is the influence of the world and the devil: we need extra help here, so the Lord has given us the armor, and the protection of His blood.

(Revelation 5:6, When we plead the blood, He covers us in a effectual way when we are being attacked)

Ephesians 6:10-18 shows us the armor:

The truth: we need to establish the truth of the situation, by the Holy Spirit’s discernment, and that will strengthen our wills.

We need to put on the righteousness of Christ: all that we do, is accepted by His merits, not ours, and our hearts are strengthen.

We need to walk in His paths of peace, keeping our peace, and seeking it for others.

Holding on to faith [seeing God in this] when the Adversary attacks with whispers of doubt, or brings up past failures or successes to distract us. And how much our faith saves us here.

Thinking saved: I am God’s child, and servant, and I do this for Him.

Knowing and using the Word of God, as we need against the words of the devil.

When we do this, we are working righteousness; His righteousness through us to a hungry world.

Then we are obtaining those promises He has given us….actually getting them into our possession. We have faith, grace, hope, and love.

God has given them to us, but now we have them in our experience, as well. They are real to us.

And then we will stop the mouths of lions: the roaring to frighten us away from doing God’s Will. It is all under Christ’s protection, not our own strength.

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Faith is a gift from God to us, by the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is to be used and grown. We are to overcome with it.

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

We are to live by it. And by it we will “see God” and obtain HIs promises to us.

In Him

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Joy of the Lord is our strength….

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is His thought concerning this?

And how should I act and react?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A New Way

Joshua 3:4 “Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: Come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which you must go: For ye have not passed this way heretofore.”

“You have not passed this Way, before.”

The Israelites were crossing Jordan to obtain their inheritance as God’s people.

They were to keep in their sight the Ark of God, which was way out front, for that would lead them right.

There would be battles, some miraculous, others hard fought. (Jericho—Joshua 6:20; the forced march to Gibeon—Joshua 10:9-10)

There would be failures, and repentance’s. (Achan’s theft—Joshua 7:10-11)

There would be those who did not want to leave the safety of the camp, to go into their own territory. (Joshua 18:3-4)

And mostly there would be God, always present, guiding and leading….first, by Joshua.

Then by the Law and priests.

Then by their own love of God……if they would continue in it.

We have not passed this Way before. We are entering into new territory, new promises.

There is new ground to walk, new heights to be gained.

Back a few years, my husband gave this testimony to the church…..

Once I was taking one of my prayer walks, and I was praying about some things the Lord had been dealing with me about….when the Lord showed me that I had finally got these things into my life.

(Sometimes, when you have been working at something for a while, as I had, we need to see just how far we have come….it is a great feeling to know you have gone further with the Lord.)

Wow! I felt on top of the heights! And the Lord let me feel that for awhile as I praised Him for bringing me through.

Then it was like He nudged me, and said, “But up there is where we are going”……and as though the fog lifted before me, I saw a mountain, very high, and a pinnacle there.

Yes, I had finally gotten what I had prayed for….. but there was so much more to have in Christ….and He wanted me to know the….’where “we” are going’.

There had been joy before, but now there was joy poured forth. I felt empowered to leap mountains.

I have found, since then, the way up, is difficult….but He has been with me. And He has always been my greatest joy.

“You have not passed this Way, before.”

Our inheritance is in what we become, by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

And the calling and ministries He has given us.

It is the fruit of the Spirit within. As we bare this fruit within, we conqueror our souls.

Christ has saved them…now we are to possess them and give them back to Him, in love, joy, peace, etc.

Luke 21:19 “In your patience possess ye your souls.”

In other words, have your mind, heart and will under subjection to God,….so no matter what is going on around you, you will be kept and steady in the storm.

The Holy Spirit uses His Word to guide us into bearing these fruits; having what the Lord has for us….within us…and then through us.

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith,

Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.”

Love: The Spirit first makes sure, you know, you are loved of God. (1 John 4:19)

Then He implants love within you, for the Lord, and His people. He leads you into desiring Him, in all His attributes.

Joy: This is a choice fruit….for it is the lifting up of our hearts and minds, no matter what is going on. It is of the Lord, and not circumstances…and it can not be “worked up”, but it is a gift from our most Joyous God.

(It makes us like cream….always rising to the top)

Peace: This places us firmly on the only solid ground…the Rock of Christ…and keeps us there. The wind, storm, and enemies below may threaten….but can not move us off our Rock. (Philippians 4:7)

Long-suffering: This is “putting up with” people for Christ’s sake. Giving them another chance. In the Greek it means, “long enduring temper” or patience.

Gentleness: Being as kind to others, as Christ has been to you.

Goodness: This comes from the “good works” we are to do as His workmanship…”created in Christ Jesus unto good works…”(Ephesians 2:10).

We are to be useful: to our family, our church, and others. (Romans 15:14)

Faith: This is a gift from God to us, that we might know Him, and this we are to do…using our faith, we are to increase our knowledge of the Lord by believing.

Matthew 9:28-29 “And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus said unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto Him, Yea, Lord.

Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you.”

If He said, “according to our faith, be it to us”,…..how would we be?

Meekness: This is becoming humble…letting the Lord have all the glory, and letting Him exalt you, when He thinks it is good.

[It is interesting to note, that as we go on with the Lord, we become more focused on giving Him all the praise…for we realize, after dealing with us so tirelessly, He deserves more than we can ever give.]

James 4:6 “But He giveth more grace, wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Temperance: Self-control, or to have the mastery over yourself.

And this leads us back to:

“In your patience possess ye your souls.”

God wants us to obtain all the promises, all the gifts, all the fruits…..all…everything that He has for us, in and by the Holy Spirit within.

He uses every situation, everyday to lead us forth to new things.

Will we be lead out, and follow Him?…..”for ye have not passed this way, before”.

Happy New Year to all who read us. May this year bring us to a closer walk with Christ.

That My Joy might Remain in You

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

Joy and Peace are the criteria of spirituality, for the Christian.

As long as you maintain them, you are strong in the faith.

When you lose them, you grow weak, often unable to stand as you should, against the wiles of the Devil.

They are both given you by Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit; but are to be maintained by our diligent effort.

Joy is not happiness. Joy is from the Lord. It is the bubbling up of His life and Presence within us, and can come even in bad circumstances.(Often does, to help us)

Happiness, on the other hand, is centered around the good things that come to us , or someone we love.

Peace is the calm of heart and mind, even in the storms of life; because again, it comes from God, not circumstances.

Joy is usually lost first. We let something come between the Lord and us; or hesitate to follow Him into what is next; and we feel the Holy Spirit being quenched; so joy is lost.

We can not feel joy without His Presence; for again, joy is the Presence of God in my life. So we begin to lose the feelings of His Presence, and we are weakened.

This is where the Adversary, the devil, would attack with a “why?” Or a “How come?”.

(Remember, the Devil got Eve and Adam to disobey God in the first place, when he gave the suggestion that they did not need to be dependent on God. They could be “like” God, if they just took of the fruit which God told them not to eat.)

So the Devil comes to us, and suggests that we were right in questioning the Lord;……and if we listen, it will lead us further from the Lord, and then, disturb our peace.

When our peace is shaken, our belief starts to break down. It is not that we do not believe the Lord or His Word in general;….but we begin to doubt it, where we are concerned….especially in “this”.

“Perhaps the Lord will not do what He said to us; after all, He has not done it yet.”

When our peace is gone; we have two choices:

1). Keep listening to the fear and mistrust that has come into our hearts.

2). Confess our doubts, and hesitation, to the Lord, and get it cleansed from our hearts.

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

Then we can be restored in peace, and have the joy of the Lord restored to us. It is all about doing His commandments, and abiding in His love; there is our joy.

John 15:10-11 “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.

These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

Abide in His love…..as Jude says, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 20-21)

Full of joy, as we keep His commandments, and abide in His love.

And that is what Christ Jesus wants for us, here and now.

What has taken away your joy?

What has shaken your peace?

Don’t let it continue; seek His forgiveness, and be restored.

“…That My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

Be not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:17-18 “Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

When you are “drunk with wine”; you have brought yourself under the influence and power of that wine.

So it is to be filled with the Spirit of God; you have brought yourself under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit. He is, in fact, in charge in your life.

Paul writes here that to understand what God’s will is, you must put yourself under the Holy Spirit’s control.

He will tell you the truth.

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; He will show you things to come.”

The Holy Spirit impresses us through our spirit, if things are true, or if things are not what they say they are.

He will remind us of verses from the Bible (how important it is for us to know the Scriptures), and He will remind us of what Jesus said when He was here.

He will warn us of things coming up in our life, so we can prepare for them, or against them.

Wisdom in the Scriptures is from God. Paul is saying “Get the wisdom you need, to know and do My will, by yielding to the Holy Spirit.”

We are given the Holy Spirit at new birth.

But we are “filled” with the Holy Spirit; only as we are emptied of self.

Not emptied of our personality…that is precious to God. He died to save our souls, which are our personality.

But emptied of self: self-righteousness, self-pity, self-exaltation, selfishness in so many ways.

Basically, it is putting self first in our life.

As we are emptied of this attitude, we can be filled with the attitude of putting Christ, first.

And this is an attitude that is given us by the faith and trust of the Holy Spirit within….but we need to cultivate it by submitting to it.

How many Christians go through their lives, wanting to know God’s Will….they kinda, sorta, know….in general;……but do not know for themselves, for today, for now.

Perhaps you’re not even sure there is a plan and purpose for your life.

Well, Paul says there is, and to know it, you need to submit to the Holy Spirit’s influence from within.

This is a step by step process.

First, acknowledging His right to tell you what to do.

Second, to begin to hear aright what He says to you. (And for this to happen, you need to become readers of His Word.)

Third, we need to yield. Yield as in:

Romans 6:13 “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

Yield means to assist.

We are to assist the Holy Spirit in His work in us, and through us.

Why do we need to “assist” the Holy Spirit? He is Almighty!

Because, though He is Almighty, His desire is that we cooperate with Him…willingly. To come, to walk with, to talk to, to stand with….these are all the terms of willing, in practice.

He wants to fill us to our capacity; and give us more and more understanding.

This is the wisdom of God…yield, assist the Holy Spirit and learn to be under His influence in your life;….and know God’s Will, personally.

The Path of the Just.

Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

When the sun first begins to break, the sky begins to be light. Then the sun comes up, and in the east, the light comes streaming.

But there are shadows, for the light shows all that stands in the way of complete light.

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

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away. When the shadows are gone, then there is nothing between us and the Son of God, our Light source.

Our Lord, here, is inviting us to come with Him further into the Light of His love, so even the shadows “flee” away.

Now shadows are not the thing itself, but the impress of it. But it is in darkness.

What this means is that the sin itself has been taken care of:

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

But the influence of the sin, or the resentment because of the consequences of the sin are still there.

These are the shadows.

They are darkness, but not the substance of sin.

Many people are confused about this.

They think that if the sin is confessed, and they know they are forgiven; then all the other emotions concerning the sin, are gone to.

Suppose you have a habit of lying: you have hurt your family, people at work, etc. by your habit.

Then you are given real light about this, and you confess it.

(Perhaps you say, why would we need light about lying. Surely everyone knows it’s wrong.

Maybe they know in a general sense, but the offense of lying when it lays upon my personal heart, is an eye opener.)

But even though you have confessed your sin, and asked God to cleanse you from the desire and habit of lying;…..the reason for it is still there to face everyday…..the desire to look better than you are….

…and that “shadow” needs to be dealt with.

These are the shadows, the image of the sin, though not the sin.

The trouble with Shadows is that the influence of our Adversary, the Devil can be felt through them.

But how do we deal with shadows?

First, it is the work of the Spirit of God within you to show you light. Light to see and deal with the attitudes surrounding the sin.

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

There is putting behind,…..and there is reaching forth.

This requires us to be in subjection to the Holy Spirit, for He asks you to be obedient to the Light He gives in these matters.

These shadows that remain, are shadows only; but they are there and the influence of the the Adversary can be felt through them.

They are there because of the choices we have made, true; but we can also make choices which remove them, by coming more into the Light.

Shadows do not exist in light

Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

We are to go to the high noon of Light with Christ Jesus. Many choose, instead to stay in the shadowy existence of the fear of the truth.

But don’t.

God’s Light shows truth, yes, and when we see the reasons of our actions, it gives us the ability to deal with what is really behind the: “why we did what we did”.

Let’s face it, we all have reasons we act the way we do. But have you dealt with the reasons? Or just the actions?

True Light; the Light of Life, deals with both. It frees you from both the sin and the reason of the sin.

And gives you joy.

John 16:24 “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

Joy is one of the grandest attributes of God, Himself.

Joy is not dependent upon the people or events around me.(That is happiness, which has to do with how things or people treat us, or those we love.)

Joy springs from the presence of God in my life, for He is the abundant power of good, and peace.

In this, we know the purifying of the Holy Spirit, assuring me that I am right with God.

I am made right with others,

And, importantly, I know that I all is well between me and myself.

(How many things come from the disappointment we have about ourselves? How many times have we hated what we have done, but refused to look at it? How many times have we hidden our hurt behind a phony face of ridicule?)

These all can be brought out into the Light; and put behind us. We can be free from them.

The Joy of the Lord can become a force in my life.

It is a great light, illuminating the whole of my being; dispelling the darkness, and despair that dominates so often. He has it for us, in His Light.