The Blind Man   

Mark 10:46-47 “And they came to Jericho:  and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people,  blind Bartimaeus,  the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

                            And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,  he began to cry, and say,   Jesus, Thou Son of David,  have mercy on me.”

Going up to Jerusalem, going toward the end of His ministry here, Jesus goes through Jericho.

On the side of the highway, where he could be seen, sat Bartimaeus.  He was a blind man.  He was a beggar, and he did not want to miss an opportunity for anyone to give to him.

He heard the crowd passing, and eager to get a coin,  he asked what the procession was.

It is interesting to note,  that after three years of ministry,  Jesus’ name is well known.

As soon as Bartimaeus hears Who is passing by, he knows this is his opportunity for healing.

This is belief.  He believed that this Jesus,  Who he had heard about, could heal him.   He called Him “the Son of David”,  for this was one of the titles of the Messiah to come.

The Savior would come as the Son of David, and Bartimaeus believes that Jesus is He.

Mark 10:48 “And many charged him that he should hold his peace:  but he cried the more a great deal,   Thou Son of David,  have mercy on me.”

“Quiet!  We are going up to Jerusalem.  We have important things to do,  we don’t have time for a blind beggar.”

But….

Mark 10:49 “And Jesus stood still,  and commanded him to be called.  And they call the blind man,  saying unto him,   Be of good comfort,  rise;  He calleth thee.”

But Jesus did have time.   

Jesus had waited to give others the opportunity to bring him……to show kindness to a blind Israelite.   (Deuteronomy 15:11)

But they only told him to be quiet…..which he wasn’t……he yelled even louder trying to make Jesus hear him….which He did.

Mark 10:50-51 “And he,  casting away his garment,  rose,  and came to Jesus.

                    And Jesus answered and said unto him,  What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?     The blind man said unto him,   Lord, that I might receive my sight.”

Notice how the blind man, when he knows Jesus calls him;  how he throws away his garment (his outer cloak).    

He wanted nothing to hinder his step to Jesus.    He was sure that the old garment of a beggar,  he would wear no more.

“What do you want me to do for you?”  (How many times, when we have come to Jesus in prayer, do we believe He will hear, and act for us?)

“Lord” (one of the most important Names of Jesus Christ.  

Lord:  when you say it, it is almost like you are bowing before Him).  

“That I might receive my sight.”

Mark 10:52 “And Jesus said unto him,  Go thy way;  thy faith hath made thee whole.    And immediately he received his sight,  and followed Jesus in the way.”

“Go thy way;”.   You can go home,  you can stay here in Jericho.   

But Bartimaeus  chose the best way:  he followed Jesus.

“Thy faith hath made thee whole.”  

Jesus healed because of his faith in Him.  

What the blind man had heard of Jesus, caused him to believe that He was the Son of God,…..so he put his trust in Him to heal.

And that faith led him to cry out to Jesus, and be healed;  but also led him to follow Jesus.  

The blind man was blind no more;  not in eyes…..or in heart.  

True North

Proverbs 29:28 “Where there is no vision,  the people perish:  but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

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

True north is the fixed point where the lines of longitude meet at the North Pole….somewhere out in the Arctic Sea. (The North Star is fixed over it, and was used for centuries.)

You can navigate with a compass,  for short trips….

….but to navigate accurately for long trips over any time or distance, you have to ascertain True North.

So for the long distance trip….which is our life,  we need to ascertain True North.

And just what is True North for our Christian lives?

Just what should we use for the long journey of our lives?

For most people, our moral compass is True North….but for Christians, True North is

….that Jesus Christ is your Lord. 

This is to ascertain True North.   This is to have our guide till the end of our days.

The term “Lord” means many things to the people of the world…

….but what it means in the Bible, is “God,  controller”.    We know God controls everything…but it must come to a personal 

knowledge.

In other words:  God is in control, by a deliberate act of my will, in my life.

Now when I say this,  that does not mean He is just like a boss,  to tell me what I need to do, so I can get the work done…..

But  Lordship is in every area of my life,……He is in control of the circumstances I have been,    am,    and will come into.

I preach on Matthew 16:24 a lot,…..

…..which speaks of denying myself, picking up my cross, and following the Lord.

For it is the beginning decision in making Christ,  Lord of my life.

And it is something we must continue to do while we are in the world,  and surrounded by so many enemies.

Our example is Joshua…for the battle of Jericho.

Joshua had a big job.   He was to take the children of Israel into Canaan….and win the inheritance God had given them….

….and the first battle was Jericho.

Joshua had done all he could…..where Jericho was concerned, so far….

…he had sent two men to spy out the city….and received their report:

Joshua 2:1, 23-24 “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying,  Go view the land, even Jericho…

            So the two men returned,….and came to Joshua…and told him all things….And they said unto Joshua,  Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.”

Now he had some information…..but he had not heard from God about this city….so…

…..he went out to reconnoiter the city….

It is interesting that Jericho….a walled, fortified city…..

….is the first battle that the Israelites were faced with!

(They say the the top of the wall was wide enough that two chariots could travel around it unhindered….people’s [Rahab’s Joshua 2:15] houses were in the wall, it was that wide.)

I believe it was to show to Israel…..and all the inhabitants of Canaan….that God is with Israel.

If it had been an easier battle (not that any they fought,  were “easy”)….then Israel might begin to feel that…..”Yes!….we can do this!”  And boast of their accomplishments.

Also,  fear of God from the inhabitants……was one thing that would be on their side…..as long as they were on God’s side.

The Way God deals with things is always amazing…..and always for the best….

……although Joshua,  looking at this towering fortress of a city…..might have had other thoughts…..

….but….though he was not sure what he would,  or even could do against such a city…..

……he knew God had a plan….and he knew the fear of the Lord was already in the city.

This is True North….to do all we can do…..always looking up to the Lord….who is  in charge….of me, first….then of everything else….leaving the details to Him.

When we do this,  God bless us with encouragement, as He does Joshua, here:

Thinking on these things he sees a Man,  with a sword drawn

Joshua 5:13-15 “And it came to pass,  when Joshua was by Jericho,  that he lifted up his eyes and looked,  and behold there stood a Man over against him with His sword drawn in His hand:  and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him,  Art Thou for us,  or for our adversaries?

            And He said,     Nay,  but as Captain of the hosts of the Lord am I now come.        And Joshua fell on his face to the earth,  and did worship,  and said unto Him,  What saith My Lord to His servant?

           And the Captain of the Lord of hosts said unto Joshua,  Loose thy shoe from off thy foot;  for the place whereon thou standest is holy.    And Joshua did so.”

Notice Joshua’s attitude in everything….

…he was busy looking over the city….although not looking at the problem….for he  “lifted up his eyes and looked”….

….which meant he was looking up to God to hear what He had to say about Jericho…

….then when the Man appeared….he was not a slacker,  but instantly challenged Him….”for us or for our adversaries?”…

….And when The Lord introduced Himself as Captain….Joshua “fell on his face” and worshipped….

….following that,   with the complete subjection, by taking off his shoes before the Lord.

         

This Man is the Captain of the Lord’s hosts….Our Lord Jesus in human form……already having gone before in the battle….to see His Will and glory manifest…..

…….and now ready to give instructions and encouragement to His servant.

He is there to command the battle…..not just Joshua’s troops…..but the battle on both sides…..for He is the Lord of all.   

Everything is under His control….every stone in that wall,…..every heart in that city….all is under His control.

(If you ask,   If everyone is under His control,  why then, did God let Achan sin? Joshua 7:1

And yes, “let” is the right word.   

For God deals differently with those who are His…..

….He can make anyone do anything….but for those He has called to nearness to Him….He says “If any man will, let him”….”My son, give Me thine heart”……

….He wants our hearts to obey His commands….and that requires “will you?”.

And Achan would not.)

And this is what “Lord” means in the Bible…..He commands everything around us…..and with us…..as well as us.

Have we made Him  Lord?

Our response should always be,…..worship!….

….and “What saith My Lord to His servant?”

Hebrews 2:10 “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 (complete in the Father’s Will) through sufferings.”

God is the first and the last….

….and as such,  He worked out HIs Victory for our redemption,   through the Captain of our salvation.

The battle for our inheritance is won, by our Lord Jesus Christ.

He has seen to it all….

…and now,  He stands at the right hand of the Throne of God for us.

Let us fall before Him,  and worship.  

Let us subject ourselves to the Lord,  and take the instruction He has for us….

…. as how to get our personal inheritance…those heavenly blessings He has in Christ (Ephesians 1:3)….into us.

For every battle….for every encounter….for everyday.

True North in our lives is making Christ Jesus….my Lord….in control of all in my life…..in charge of all, in my life.

By this we are able to go the distance, without getting lost in the world of changing circumstances.

Light 

Genesis 1:3 “And God said,  Let there be light:  and there was light.”

The first thing God said to His re-creation, was:  Let there be light.

God did not need it.  But it was to be in opposition to the darkness prevailing, at that point.

When He created the Sun, the moon, and the stars;  He did it so that their light (even the reflected light of the moon) would “rule”  the day and the night.

Genesis 1:16 “And God made two great lights;  the greater light to rule the day,  and the lesser light to rule the night:  he made the stars also.”

When light comes,  darkness has to flee.  They can not exist together.  One rules the other.   Even in the dusk of day,  when shadows come on, it is still light enough to see.  

The night comes, and God still has a witness in the moon and stars; but then the dawn breaks.  It is grey at first, but light comes, and darkness goes.

Darkness is a terrible curse.  When the last judgement has sounded;  God will cast all those who have refused His Blessed Son into great torment, and darkness. 

(Jude 12-13 “These are spots in your feasts of charity,  when they feast with you,  feeding themselves without fear:  clouds they are without water,  carried about of winds;  trees whose fruit withereth,  without fruit,  twice dead,  plucked up by the roots;

                       Raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame;  wandering stars,  to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

Most think of the Lake of Fire as light.  No, the fire of torment will burn forever, but the darkness will be thicker and blacker than being down in a cave with out light.  You can not even see the person standing next to you.)

1 John 1:5 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you,  that God is light,  and in him is no darkness at all.”

God is light.  He is the author of it and the maintainer of it.

He came as Light, to a world darkened with sin, to save all who come to Him, that He might give us light.

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,  I am the light of the world:  he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness,  but shall have the light of life.”

John 12:46 “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness.” 

Psalm 36:9 “For with Thee is the fountain of life:  in Thy light shall we see light.”

He shines the light into our hearts  (Notice, it is our hearts, not our heads.  We are to love Him,  not just know about Him.):

2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God,  who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,  hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Jesus was the perfect example of God:  manifesting His Will and His Goodness….His Light.

So we should follow Him, and manifest the light of God, we have.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are chosen generation,  a royal priesthood,  a holy nation,  a peculiar people;  that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light:”

But He does not just call us;  He enables us, for all His will for us. 

Ephesians 5:8,11,14 “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:  walk as children of light:

             And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

              Wherefore He saith,  Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

And then He calls us to walk in the Light, so we will not stumble and fall; either by the wiles of the devil or the influence of others:

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

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

To do this we need to protect ourselves with the armor of light:

Romans 13:12 “The night is far spent,  the day is at hand:  let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,  and let us put on the armor of light.”

Christ is that light, and we are told to put on Christ….His character, as we put off our self life.    

His Word gives us light:

Psalm 119:105, 130 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

                    The entrance of Thy words giveth light;  it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

When we are obedient to the light we have , by the Holy Spirit,……we receive more.

As we are covered with His Light as armor,  we become lights in this world:

Matthew 5:14,16 “Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is city that is set on a hill can not be hide.

                               Let your lights so shine before men,  that they may see your good works,  and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Micah 7:8 “Rejoice not against me,  O my enemy:  when I fall, I shall arise;  when I sit in darkness,  the Lord shall be a light unto me.”

God is Light,  He enlightens us by His Holy Spirit when we are born again,  and He enables, guides, reveals,  and encourages us by the light.

As we walk in His light,  we become lights ourselves;  as the moon is light,  by reflecting the sun.

And when His light comes, darkness flees.

The Helmet of Salvation 

Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:”

Thinking saved.  

(Salvation is four-fold: being saved from the love of sin…conviction.   Being saved from the guilt of sin….being born again.   Being saved from the power of sin…sanctification.  Being saved from the presence of sin…Heaven.)

This is not just:   I know I am saved…..even though that is a great and grand truth….but the helmet is made for battle…and God never gives the armor to babes.

(2 Timothy 2:3-4 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

           No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him Who hath chosen him to be a soldier.”

“Entangleth” means to be intertwined as a braid….so you can not move forward.)

He gives HIs armor to full grown children….who have come through the experiences of:

Knowing they are born again, and have the Holy Spirit within them. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Those that recognize that they are seated in the heavenlies, in Christ, and the He is seated in them, here on earth.  (Ephesians 2:6)

We are responsible to do the good works God has purposed for us,…to know that He has given us all we need to do them. (Ephesians 2:10)

Knowing that no man’s birth identity is counted in the church….we are all one family….in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:19)….and that we are to keep that unity in practice (Ephesians 4:3)

Knowing we are called to be rooted and grounded in love,  and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  (Ephesians 3:17, 5:18)

Submitting ourselves to God,  to each other,  to our parents, and to our bosses. (Ephesians 5:21, 6:1-9)

Then:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

It is finally….for God would never cause HIs might to be used by babes in Christ….but by those who have begun to be exercised in their salvation.

That is why the helmet of salvation is so important in the armor.

Our armor is for protection….and nothing protects our minds….our thinking process like having learned to think God’s thoughts after Him.

It used to be preached, that as a man thinketh in his heart….so he is 

(Proverbs 23:7)

And it is true.

No matter how much of a smile we have,  if we hate….or feel resentment….we are those things.

No matter how much we do, to cover up what we think….perhaps very well…

….still God knows….and the devil does too.

We can not stand in the battle when we are double-minded,  or unforgiving, or self-righteous.

The armor is not so we can battle our sins…..

…..the Holy Spirit and sanctification does that….

(yes, that is part of salvation…but by the time we put the armor on,  we have learned many of those things.)

The armor is so we can stand,  hanging on to the finished work of Christ,…..in us.

The battle that the devil wages is to trick us and wile us….out of our possessions in Christ….into misery, and failure….

….if he succeeds,…..then we have not lost what we had…..but we have lost our enjoyment of them….and our strength, to go on into greater things.

Fear replaces peace….distrust replaces stability….and we begin to thing the Rock is moving beneath us.

When actually,….it is us shaking and trembling…on it.

To think saved….is a helmet that protects us by keeping our eyes focused on what is important….Christ and His Will….and His Word….for our minds must always find time in His Word. (It is our sword)

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 “And every man that striveth  for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

               I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; (not as a babe in Christ, who is unsure of God’s Word)

               So fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

               But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:  lest that by any means,  when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway”. (Useless in the work God has called me to.)

To think saved….is a stability in our thoughts that sees the terrors in the night,…..yet,….is not afraid,   for we are looking to the Lord.

Psalm 91:5 “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;”

              

To think saved is to see your fellow men as sheep without a Shepherd,  not just wicked and evil men:

Matthew 9:36 “But when He (Jesus) saw the multitudes,  He was moved with compassion on them,  because they fainted,  and were scattered abroad,  as sheep having no Shepherd.”

To think saved is to see…now…..that you are never alone,….though the battle is long and hard,…

….He is strengthening you for the next blow, and your Victory:

Micah 7:8 “Rejoice not against me,  O my enemy;   when I fall,  I shall arise;

When I sit in darkness,  the Lord shall be a light unto me.”

To think saved…..is to be in harmony with the things of Christ:

Philippians 2:1-2 “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ,  if any comfort of love,  if any fellowship of the Spirit,  if any bowels and mercies,  

          Fulfill ye my love,  that ye be likeminded,  having the same love,  being of one accord,  of one mind.”

The helmet of Salvation protects His soldiers……so we can walk on in the Way the Lord has sent us,…secure, established in peace and love in God’s Word,  in our thought life….for the battles of our life ahead.

(In Pilgrims Progress….a book I love….I have read it at least ten times….and get something new from it every time….

…when Christian leaves the House Beautiful….picturing the Church assemblies….he is given Armor.

That is good,  for the next thing he faces is the Valley of Humiliation.   He must go down into this valley…and he slips a little, for to humble ourselves is hard.

As he crosses this Valley,  he is stopped by Apollyon….(the devil) who try’s to convince him to go back to the life he had….

…which he refuses.

Then,  Apollyon starts throwing flaming darts…..but Christian has his armor,  and manly fights against them.

But the accusations (the flaming darts) come so fast that Christian is wounded in his head (his thoughts)….his hand (good works), and his foot (peace).

This weakens him,….and Apollyon thinks he has him destroyed….so he comes close,  knocks him down

Christian’s sword flies from his hand….and Apollyon is about to do him in….

….when (and I love these words…..for they are for every Christian)…

….”As God would have it”….

….Christian reaches as hard as he could, and his hand finds the sword (Word of God)….and He cry’s…

…”Rejoice not against me, O my enemy.  When I fall,  I shall arise.

And with that,  Christian strikes Apollyon in the chest….which makes him give way….and then Christian says,..

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us.”   (Romans 8:37,39)

And Apollyon flew away!  That battle was over.)

James 4:6-8 “….God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

        Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil,  and he will flee from you. 

        Draw nigh to God,  and He will draw nigh to you….”

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord 

Psalm 33:12 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.”

Two things are considered……

The nation….

And the people….

…..both in their relationship to the Lord.

Moses, in his conversation with Israel right before he died…..and right before they would go in, under Joshua, to inherit the land given them by God,…

……spoke of the faithfulness and mercy of God to His people….and what their relationship to God should be:

Deuteronomy 4:32-33 “For ask now of the days that are past,……since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other,      whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is or that been heard like it?

         Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out to the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?

         Or hath God assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation,…….by a stretched out arm,   and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?”

Frankly, Moses is saying:

       “Think of it!   You have heard God.   You have seen His mighty works.   He has done this because He loves you….remember His faithfulness.”

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 “The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people;  for ye were the fewest of all people:

          But because the Lord loved you,  and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you….”

Deuteronomy 7:12-13 “Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which He sware unto thy fathers:

           And He will love thee, and bless thee,…..”

           

An older preacher once wrote:  “All religion is in effect,  love.”

That is…..when we truly believe….when we obey His Word…..when we truly worship….when we truly pray….we are loving the Lord.  (John 14:15)

Faith sees God,….setting the affections of our hearts,…and our eyes of understanding upon Him, and His Word.

True repentance is mourning love.

         Hungering and thirsting after righteousness is searching love.

         We prove our love to God,  by obedience to Him.

         When we deny ourselves…..we are actually denying our self-love.

Everyday that passes, the Christian should be more and more out of love with sin, and self, and the world…..and more in love with God.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people He hath chosen for HIs inheritance.”

This is truth.

Moses goes on to enumerate the blessings and the curses that the Lord would bring upon them.   

Blessings for following Him…..and being His people.

Cursing for following the other nations of the world around them….and forsaking His Way.

Deuteronomy 7:9-10 “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God,  which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations;

         And repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them:  He will not be slack to him that hateth Him, He will repay him to his face.”

The reason for any falling away from the Lord is also given by Moses:

Deuteronomy 28:47 “Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart,  for the abundance of all things;”

When we are born again…..we come under the Banner of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are given liberty of spirit,  and freedom from sin.

Are our hearts serving Him with joyfulness…..with gladness?

I started this with:   “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people He hath chosen for His inheritance.”

I pray for our nation…..May God bless America….

…..but as the early Christians were subjects of the Roman Caesar;…

…yet had another King,  Christ Jesus.   So we too, are subjects of our nation’s laws….for that is the Lord’s Will (Romans 13:1-5)….yet…

We are subjects of the King of kings…..and He rules, not just in outward laws and ordinances….

….but in inward joy and peace.  

Romans 114:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;  but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Let us hold up our nation in prayer for it’s salvation…..from sin and tyranny.

Let us hold up our states,….our communities….and our homes,  that the blessing of a Faithful God may come upon it.

Let us know and tell, that:

……the blessing of God comes in knowing and loving Him.

Why is it necessary for me to bear my cross?

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

We preach on these verses a lot, because they are the vital working of the life of God within us.

God will never use the corrupt natural self. He will only use the yielded life to the Holy Spirit, the devoted life to Christ, the spiritual life He has placed within us.

All self effort….even though it seems good….must end in flames at the Bema or Judgment seat of Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)

The cross….our cross is the instrument or means of us following Christ.
There used to be a saying….”Shall I sail on to heaven on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?”

The answer is no. We can not, if we are born again, be without battle or wounds.
Many of these are when we take up our cross and follow Christ. The world will at first mock us….then slander us….then outright hate us….for we are Christ’s and do not follow according to their thoughts. (1Peter 4:4)

The cross pulls us away from our old way of doing things, because it causes us to know the importance of God’s enabling grace. When we first come into the Way of God, we come to may choices….which bring us to choose Christ, over and over again.
(Not for Salvation, but for life…His life in us. We must have it….or die. Sometimes we cry out like Paul,…”Oh, wretched man that I am”….but the cross teaches us to look away from self, to Christ.)

The cross will give clarity to what is important. God gives us HIs Will….and we begin to hesitate….or feel the old resentment rising up so we can have our own way…..
….and praise God, the cross digs deep into our shoulder….and reminds us of what He went through for us….
….showing us that we are resisting HIs Will. This is not just a difference of opinion….this is rebellion….and it calls us to bow our shoulder to Him and to the work.

(I want to say here….that this is a glorious thing. It is hard oftentimes to yield….to give up nursing that grudge, or to speak out for Christ, or to give up our plans for His. But our cross becomes our greatest help, if we let it….for it brings us to the place where we praise the Voice that corrects us….and where we kiss the hand that chastens us! And when He enlivens us again and again in the work…what a blessing and thanksgiving it is!
Christ becomes my life….it is not sometimes, but a constant loving conversation with the Lord Who loves me and leads me.)

The cross of Christ bought our Salvation from sin….but by our cross, we become usable.

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

The cross deals with our rebellion and will. We must deny ourselves, take up our cross and carry it to the place we no longer resist the Lord’s Will in anything.

Then, we must by self-denial lose our lives in ourselves….for His sake.

Here shows the importance God places on us loving the Lord. On our devotion to Him, Who gave up His life to save us.

Christ Jesus was raised up from the dead….and by His life being formed in us, we are raised to newness of life.
Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Ephesians 1:19-20, 2:6 “And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of HIs mighty power,
Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at HIs own right hand in the heavenly places,
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

His life in us…..or our life in ourselves….which will we choose? It is our cross that brings us to the place of usefulness….will we follow our Lord, and deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him, till all that used to say, “This is me”….says, “This is Christ”?

The absolute necessity in the bearing our our cross lies right here. God will not use the corrupt natural self.
Hence the necessity of the cross.
All self effort must end in flame at the Bema or Judgment Seat of Christ.
Are we ready to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and have Him lead us into His life for us?

The Law and the Promise

Galatians 3:19-22 “Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to Whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is One.
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” The law here is not the Ten Commandments, but rather the law given to Moses that directed the sacrifices, and the Israelites lives.

Let us consider the difference between the law and the promise.

The Law was given by “angels in the hand of a mediator”. Moses in turn gave the law to the children of Israel.
The Law was twice removed from God, for the people.

In the Promise….God stands alone and sovereign. For they come from God to the people…God is the One who gives them, both in Word and to us.

The Promise spoken of here is justification by faith. (Gal. 3:8, 10-11)

The Law was given because of transgressions, or sin. It was given to convict them of their sin, and to restrain them from sinning. (It would never stop their sinning, but it was to restrain it…showing them the right way to act)

The Law was to lead men to see their need of God….and to lead them to see that He was their only solution for their sins.

Was the Law against the promises of God?
No,…but was to show the way to it.
The Law is not the problem….for if there had been a law that could have given life, then righteousness could have been attained by the Law.

Notice what is lacking in the Law…is “Life”. Only true life through Christ leads to righteousness.
Moses gave the Law….and it was beautiful and perfect….but the people were not. They could not keep the Law, for they had no life of God in them. The only way they could have forgiveness, was through belief in God….or by faith in Him. (Hebrews 3:17-19)
It is the reason why, when the Law was given….then sacrifices were given next (Exodus 29:36-42), for the transgressions of the people.
And those sacrifices all pointed to Chirst’s complete sacrifice…the only sacrifice which could blot out our transgressions, once for all. (Hebrews 10:8-10)
And that is only entered into by faith.

Only the Promise of justification….whereby God puts His life, through Christ, in us….giving us the only Life that leads to all other promises. Only justification leads to the righteousness that God accepts….for we have Christ’s righteousness, and His acceptance with God, placed in us. The Law was designed to convince man of his need of a Savior….that they were in need of a “better righteousness” than the Law could produce. The Law showed them their “wounds”....for sin leaves a deep wound in our souls….but the Law gave no remedy for them. The great design of the Law was to persuade men to believe on God….and look to Him, in faith for their good….

……for there was no good in them. (Isaiah 64:6 “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;…”)

Galatians 3:22 “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”

That we might be persuaded to look for salvation in God….and believe.

Galatians 3:24-26 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

In goodness, God gave the law to furnish them with helps. It directed their minds to HIs Holiness….and their duty to Him, and each other.
And it showed them their need of a permanent and personal Salvation….which only God would give. Therefore it directed their eyes and hearts to hope for the Messiah, or Christ to save them.

The mistake was that they believed that they could get justification through the keeping of the Law….whereas it was merely there to bring them to Christ, by faith, Who is Salvation.

“We are no longer under a schoolmaster.” A schoolmaster was simply there for the young children to teach the lesson.
Once the lesson is learned, the schoolmaster is no longer needed. Paul is saying that those who have seen their sin, and the need of salvation….
….and come to Christ Jesus in faith, do not need to try and keep the law for justification.
No, they are justified in Christ.

They are made children of God…..Who has given us all the Promises in Christ!

Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Colossians 2:9-10 “For in Him (Christ Jesus) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

Justification means they are given Christ’s Life….and righteousness.

In this, it must be seen, that all who sincerely believe in and on Him are accepted in the Beloved, and become His children. This is through real and true faith in HIm.
This is the same for all who come to Christ, regardless of what nation they come from or what walk of life they come from….
…if they by faith come and believe on Christ as Lord and Savior….they are justified. They have Christ’s Life….and peace with God (Romans 5:1).

Do you see your sin? Do you want to be saved from them? Do you have this faith, which looks away from self to God?
If not, come to Christ Jesus the Lord….and receive Him, by faith. And have the Promise of justification…peace with God.

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:”

Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His Name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.”

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

To Fail of the Grace of God

Hebrews 12:15 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;  lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you,  and thereby many be defiled;”

Grace is the unmerited favor of power.  It is a gift from God to His children.  God’s grace saves,  upholds us,  and strengthens us for the work.

So how can we “fail of the grace of God”…if it comes from God?

Simply, by not using it.  

How many times have we asked for help;  and refused it, when it came, because we did not like the way it came?  

(“I will not take help from that person, they always think bad of me anyway.”     Really?   If God has sent that person to help you,  so what if you don’t like them?   Or even if they don’t like you?   Wouldn’t that make the miracle of help, so much better?)

How many times has God sent a trial for us to pass through, and  we have refused to do so, because we don’t think we can “handle it”?

When you do this, you are failing of the grace that God  wanted to give you to go through this trial. 

        

He sends us trials to make us stronger in His love, and faith.   

1 Peter 1:5-7 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.                                             

       Wherein ye greatly rejoice,  though now for a season,  if need be,  ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  

      That the trial of your faith,  being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,  though it be tried with fire,  might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

And how many times have we thought that we are O.K.     We don’t need help with this situation.  We have done this many times.    

And then, because we have refused to take the fresh supply of God’s grace,  we fail:   either in our speech, or in our reactions to something.

(The disciples thought this,  when they thought they would go back to fishing, after Jesus was crucified, and had arose.

John 21:3 “Simon Peter saith unto them,   I go a fishing.    They say unto him,   We also go with thee.    They went forth,  and entered into a ship immediately;  and that night they caught nothing.”)

We fail of the grace of God, when we allow the bitterness and resentment to “spring up”.    

Hebrew 12:15 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;  lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you,  and thereby many be defiled;”

There are resentments which are buried in our emotions.  Time has passed, and so we think that they are gone.   But they are just gone underground.  Someone’s actions may bring them all out again.

They are there,  because we have not removed them.   It is by the grace of God giving us forgiveness for the person that has hurt us, that removes them.

This is hard,  impossible in some situations, without His grace enabling us to do it!

But, if we won’t remove them (and of course this is by the Lord’s enabling within us);  they will “trouble you”.

They will “spring up” (This is such a good description of how they suddenly appear.)

A little thing can remind us of these.   And once it is in our heads again,  it  needs to be taken to the Lord.

God’s grace is a gift from our Lord, for now.   The grace of this day.  The grace for this hour, even.

How much we need it!     

Let us seek to receive all He has for us, and stop failing of the grace of God. 

Let us seek to yield to the Holy Spirit within,  and receive His revelations of the things which hinder our walk with Him.

(I know I mention this a lot…but “yield” in the Greek means “to stand beside, to recommend, to aid”…and this we are to do with the Holy Spirit within us.  

       When He gives patience, we stand beside Him and use it.   

       When He gives strength, even when we are so weary, we aid Him in the work we are to finish and lay hold on that strength.)

And mostly,  let us receive all the “power of God through faith unto salvation” ……..kept from the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil;  and kept close to Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Ye are the Salt of the Earth 

Matthew 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth;  but it the salt hath lost it’s savor,  wherewith shall it be salted?  It is thenceforth good for nothing,  but to be cast out,  and trodden under foot of men.”

Salt, in scripture, is the preserving power of our active righteousness, and grace.

        How confident of God we are….how trusting, when we are right with God!  

Salt preserves whatever it is in.   

It keeps it from becoming putrid and rancid.  It kills the germs which would destroy it.

So salt, as Jesus talks about here, is the grace which always seeks the right way of acting and doing.   

It preserves us from the corrupt policies of the world, and wrong attitudes and opinions from within ourselves.   

It keeps us set aside to God, and His will for us.   

In the narrow way,  we are helped and maintained by the preserving power of salt…….which is the empowering of God’s grace, which supports our obedience, each day.

Matthew 5:13  “Ye are the salt of the earth;  but if the salt hath lost it’s savor,  wherewith shall it be salted?  It is thenceforth good for nothing,  but to be cast out,  and be trodden under foot of men.”

(Salt works its way into things.   If you salt meat on the outside, and let it set;  that salt will work its way into the meat, and season all of it.)

Like salt on meat, so the “salt” of active obedience, and grace works its way into our hearts,  cleansing and purifying us; so that we can have that strengthening fellowship with our Lord Jesus, that we need.

Every sacrifice in the Tabernacle,  was to be offered with salt.  

The nature of man is corrupt;  and so it must be “salted”,…..so the sacrifice unto God would be acceptable. 

(Romans 12:1-2).   For the salting showed the Covenant of God, who set aside a people to be His, in righteousness, and holiness.  The salt symbolized this. 

The salt for the sacrifice was provided by money which all the people gave.   It showed that fellowship with their Holy God, was to be enjoyed, and preserved by the obedience of all the people…..not just the priests.

Leviticus 2:13 “And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt;  neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the Covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering:  with all thy offerings thou shalt offer salt.”

The salt of grace,  tests everyone.  

Mark 9:49-50 “For everyone shall be salted with fire,  and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.  

                    Salt is good:  but if the salt have lost his saltiness,  wherewith shall ye season it?  Have salt in yourselves,  and have peace one with another. “

Grace will either preserve us from the uncleanliness of the world, the flesh,  and the devil;   

Or our sins will be a fire within us.  For the pleasures we secretly desire, and won’t put away;  will burn us up. 

Salt is good.  For all who use it.  

Grace is the unmerited favor of power.   It is the power of the Holy Spirit which He gives in every situation.

Need ability?   Or strength?  Or humility?  Or the right words?

Grace is given at the time, by the Holy Spirit within, to our hearts, minds and wills;  as we yield to Him.

Are we putting the “salty” nature of grace to use for ourselves?

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,  that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

We are to “season” our conversations with the knowledge of Christ, and grace.  We are to use wisdom and grace to answer every man that asks us of the hope that is within us, with meekness and fear.(1 Peter 3:15)

Ephesians 3:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,  but that which is good to the use of edifying,  that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Salt is good.  It preserves our hearts, and tongues.  Let us use the salt of grace, and have fellowship with Christ Jesus in all we do.

Let us be the salt of the earth,…..helping to preserve those Christians we come into contact with;…..and by showing the lost the Way of salvation….

….by showing forth the righteousness of Christ, in our own lives.

Behold!    I Stand! 

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at He 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.”

(We sometimes picture this as Christ standing at the heart’s door of a sinner…..knocking and calling….so they will open their lives to Him in salvation.

But Jesus is standing at the church’s door…..knocking.    

For He is outside His own church, in Laodicea……and they are not aware of it…..nor of the cause, in themselves.)

I will come into him and sup with him and he with Me.

      This “sup” in the original, means fellowship.

I will fellowship with him, and he  with Me.

“Can two walk together except they be agreed?…”. (Amos 3:3)

       This also sets forth fellowship.   

Creature before the Creator.   When the creature acknowledges his creatureliness….his utter dependence upon God for every thing….then he is ready for fellowship with his Creator.

(That was one of the temptations for Eve…..”you will be as gods”….

……”you won’t be a mere creature,  no!  you will be like God….and do what you want!” 

And  that temptation brought about their sin.)

Revelation 3:18 “I counsel thee to buy of Me  gold tried in the fire,  that thou mayest be rich; and white rainment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;  and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve,  that thou mayest see.”

(Many years ago, I used to read this and think that the Lord was just giving us good advice…..”I counsel thee”.

      But no,  Christ Jesus, is as our counselor, lawyer before the Court of Heaven.   He knows the Judge and what the Judge expects….and therefore tells us what we should do,  to stand in good stead with the Judge.)

       Gold in scripture speaks of God….we need to get God back into our whole lives….by obedience to Him.

It is the creature (us) taking on the character of the Creator….that He might be seen in us…..instead of our own good opinion.

       2 Peter 1:6 “And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;”

Or… God-likeness.    Not in HIs divinity and power….but in His character.

       “White rainment”.   All the garments of self-will…will be consumed at the Judgement Seat of Christ.

        Nakedness was what Adam and Eve realized when they had sinned.   God clothes us with the righteousness of Christ…..but are we showing His righteousness every day by our obedience to Him?

       God has plainly told me to act like the person He has made me…..not like the old me,  but like the new creature in Christ.

       Sometimes, as Christians,  I think we put off Christ and put on the old man….yet,….”but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13)

…..and Christ counsels us to put on Christ….and keep ourselves in His Will.

And anoint thy eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see”.

          We are to buy gold from Him,   We are to buy the white rainment from Him…..but it does not say that we are to buy the eye-salve.

No,  we are to use it….we are to anoint our own eyes with honesty….the eye-salve of God.   

          Whenever we face the Truth about ourselves….as the creature, before the Creator……the Truth given us by the scriptures or by His Holy Spirit….then His grace (the unmerited favor of power) will be applied.  

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

This is an act of our will….to get honest with God….and see.

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

            Cleanseth is in the present tense…..which takes in past, present, and future sins.

             But walking in the light implies obedience….not sinless perfection….but believing obedience.

Psalms 138:8 “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me:  Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever:  forsake not the works of Thy own hands.”

The Lord will perfect….complete…His work in me….praise God for His mercy!

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

He is not going to stop working in us…..that we might walk in His character through this world….doing the works He has given us to do.

He is going to keep knocking…..keep speaking…..

Do we want that fellowship with Him, which requires us  to put off our old man….and put on Christ?