Are we reigning in our real life, through Christ Jesus?

Romans 5:17 “For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one (Adam); much more they that received abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.”

But how do we do this?

As Christians, we are given the Holy Spirit to reign within us.

I’m sure all of you have heard, that in our hearts and lives there is a throne, where someone must rule.

And a footstool, where someone must serve.

For the natural man, the throne is occupied by themselves. They rule in their lives.

For the Christian, the throne should be occupied by Christ, through the Holy Spirit within. He should rule.

He should rule within us, and through us as we yield to Him. This is “reigning in life”—our life.

This is the same as Ambassadors. Ambassadors are still servants of their countries, but can and do speak for their country. They have been given authority because of their loyalty and service to their government.

For the child of God, our government is the Kingdom of Christ which should be within us.

Ephesians 2:19 “Now therefore we are now no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”

Our country is Heaven, and we are children of God. Christ represents us before the Throne of God, as our Mediator. And we represent Him, on earth, in our day to day lives.

It is the Holy Spirit we are to yield to, daily. Giving thanks for all things.

And it is in our everyday life we serve Him most. By being His servants: finding out His will, and being obedient to it.

Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

We have access granted us, to come boldly to the Throne of grace for our needs.

We have access by faith, into this grace.

Wherein we stand.

Real help to be and do, is here. For this grace is an enabling grace.

We can rejoice in hope.

(Have you ever noticed how many times in Scripture, the words rejoice and joy are mentioned? Our lives are to be joyful ones. We are to mourn that we so often fail Him. But when forgiveness comes, we are to “get up, wash our face, and go on” with Him.)

This hope is a faculty of the Holy Spirit. It is not, “I hope, I hope so”; but the confident expectation that God will do what He said.

It is hope, because we have not yet received what God has promised; but we expect God will do so, for us.

Romans 5:3-4 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience, and experience, hope:”

Now, Lord, you must be mistaken! Surely, there is nothing to glory in when we are troubled. (These tribulations here are trials.)

But there is. It is a wonderful paradox of life that we, as children of God, may glory in the trials of the day.

Faith must be tried, to prove it to be real.

How many rejoice in the thought of Heaven, but not in the thought of Christ as Lord?

So our faith will be tried, to see if we will stand in the grace given (And grace is the unmerited favor of power), and stand with Him…..each day.

Patience is acquired as we do stand. (And patience is a very misunderstood grace, I think.)

Patience helps us to wait in hope. (It helps me in traffic, in grocery lines, and yes, in doctor’s offices.)

Patience is that virtue that knows……God knows what is going on and that He is seeing to it;…….even if we can not see Him doing it now.

These will increase our experiences with the Lord. How wonderful to know what He will do for me.

(We have heard and read of what He will do for others, but how great to know what He will do for us.

As Joshua said, “…and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you,…” Joshua 23:14

And we, too, should know this is so, for us…..”not one thing hath failed…. all are come to pass unto you.”)

Which will increase our hope, for future promises and blessings.

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

Faith believes.

Hope enjoys those things that God has prepared for us, for we know His love and faithfulness to us.

It is “taste and see” that the Lord is gracious. (Psalm 34:8)

This is reigning in our real life….for we are reigning with Him, in it.

Amos; and our calling.

Amos 7:14-15 “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son but I was a herdsman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit: (wild figs)

And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go prophesy unto My people Israel.”

He was not a prophet or a prophet’s son, but called from being a shepherd and gathering wild figs, he was called to preach repentance to Israel, that they might remember their Shepherd, and bring forth fruit to God.

Israel and Judah had separated. In Jerusalem was the temple. And the king of Israel was afraid that Israel would go back to Judah to worship at the Temple.

So he set up two idols to worship. He told them that these were just a representation of God; but he lied to them.

Israel apostatized. They had begun to worship the idols which were calves.

This was great sin. God is a jealous God, and so He sent them prophets to rebuke the king, the people, and this sin.

But the practice stuck. They refused to be healed of it. And so finally, after many years; God was going to send Israel into captivity.

And to a terrible people: cruel and vicious; the Assyrians.

But before He did, He sent Amos to call them to repentance, and to tell them what was going to happen if they refused to hear, this last time.

Amos 3:1-2 “Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

It was because Israel knew the Lord, He was God, that He was going to punish them for turning away from Him. They had seen His works, they had been given His Word, and they knew He was the real God.

Light brings responsibility. When we know to do good and do it not, that is sin. (James 4:17)

And sin added to sin, is spitting in the face of God.

He is long-suffering, and merciful; but He knows when enough is enough.

He decides when drastic measures are called for. It is to bring all who will hear His Words, to return to Him.

They knew that what they were doing was against God’s Commandments and laws; yet they continued in them, because they thought they could get by with it.

So Amos came up to Israel, and preached repentance to the people, and at Bethel. (This was one of the places where the idols were, and one of the palaces of the king.)

Amos 7:1-3 “Thus hath the Lord God showed unto me; and, behold, He formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth;…

And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I beseech Thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? For he is small.

The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the Lord.”

First, it was grasshoppers to eat the grass to feed the flocks. But at Amos prayer, God “repented” or stopped His judgement, so that all would not be destroyed.

(This show us how important our prayers are. The Lord hears the prayers of the righteous, and many times it is our prayers that change a situation for good.)

Second, God sent scorching heat to lay waste the waters they counted on.

But again Amos prayed for them, and God halted the judgement that way.

But the third time, The Lord showed Amos a plum line. (A plumb line is a line with a weight on the bottom to hold it down straight.)

Amos 7:7-8 “Thus He showed me, and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand.

And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb line, Then said the Lord, Behold, I have a set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:”

God would put a plumb line in the midst of His people. If they would “straighten out” their lives by turning back to Him, they would be spared.

But those who refused, and remained “crooked”, would fall as a wall which leans.

And how did God want them to repent?

First to return unto Him.

Amos 5:4 “For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me, and ye shall live:”

Second, The Lord wanted them to treat the poor with dignity, and fairness.

Amos 8:4-6 “Hear this, O ye that swallow the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail,

Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? And the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah (like a bushel) small, and the shekel (their money) great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?”

The title of this is Amos; and our calling.

As Christians, we too, are called to our family, our friends, our church, and our nation: to pray for and to seek their good.

And the greatest good we can pray for,……is for them to know and love The Lord, and to treat others as they want to be treated, with dignity and respect.

Under the idolatry of Israel, many were destroyed spiritually, long before God sent them out of their land, in judgement.

He sent prophets to preach His Words, and chastening circumstances so they would see His hand.

Finally, He sent them out of the good land, to sift them as wheat:

Amos 9:9-10 “For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.

All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not over take or prevent us.”

But even as Amos left Israel to return to being a shepherd, he heard a promise:

God would not utterly forsake His people.

They would have to go through terrible trouble to finally learn the lesson He would have easily taught them, had they listened and turned to Him.

But…

“In that day will I raise up….and I will build…saith the Lord that does this. I will bring again…and I will plant. (Amos 9:11-15)

The Lord sent Amos to preach repentance to “all who will” hear.

And we are all called to witness to our Lord Jesus Christ. To let our lights so shine that all may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.

And repent…..and turn to the Lord.

We are Created in Christ Jesus

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.”

There are two creations: the natural creation, and the spiritual creation.

We were created in Adam; naturally he was the father of all people.

We were created in Christ Jesus; spiritually, when we were born again.

1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”

This shows what we have as a new creation, in Christ Jesus.

First there is Wisdom:

Wisdom is that sudden light from above which illuminates our lives.

We were afraid: wisdom came, and suddenly the thing we were afraid of, is seen against the background of God.

We were without understanding: wisdom came, and suddenly the “muddle of our minds” disappears, and we know.

And with the knowledge, that wisdom gives power to do, for this wisdom is from the Lord.

Second, there is Righteousness:

There is the imputed righteousness of Christ which is given to us. But this righteousness spoken of here, is the righteous acts of obedience which we do for His sake.

When we see what He wants us to do with the wisdom He gives, then, we will with Christ to do those acts of obedience to please Him.

(I also believe that with these righteous acts, comes a knowledge of God’s goodness and love which flows through us to others.)

Third, there is Sanctification:

Sanctification is the setting yourself aside for sacred use. To be used by God, for His glory and honor.

This sanctification is in Christ Jesus, but it is worked in us by all three of the Trinity: that is how important God thinks it is!

It is by our Heavenly Father that we are sanctified.

Jude 1: “Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:”

It is by the Lord Jesus Christ that we are sanctified.

1 Corinthians 1:2 ” Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”

It is by the Holy Spirit we are sanctified.

1 Peter 1:2 “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ : grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

Fourth, there is Redemption.

(Now, I would have put this first…but Paul puts it last, for here is where we fit into God’s redemptive purpose for us; and become showcases to the world of Christ’s redemption.)

Redemption is to be bought back. The ransom for our lives was paid in full by Jesus Christ. We are saved from the guilt of sin, forever.

We are redeemed in every part of our lives….spirit, soul and body.

We are redeemed in our personal lives; Our school and work lives; Our habits and our hobbies.

We are redeemed in our thought life…..Jesus Christ has redeemed us wholly. Not any part is left out of His perfect redemption.

We are His purchased possession, and now nothing in the world (unless we let it have a hold on us) owns us. We are His.

Now all these things we have in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:31 “That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

I am Come that they might have Life.

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

The purpose for which Jesus Christ came to earth as very man, and very God; was to save His people from their sins.

He did so by the propitiation (the appeasing of God’s holy wrath against sin).

This was by the sacrifice of Himself—the Perfect Man.

In order to fulfill that purpose, He had to become a perfect man. To live in subjection to parents which misunderstood Him; to be tempted of the Devil; and to walk according to the Father’s will always.

(John 8:28-29 “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things.

And He that sent Me is with Me: The Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things which please Him.”)

Till the time appointed to be the sacrifice for the world, He kept Himself unspotted from the world; unblemished in character, and attitude toward all.

(Hebrews 5:7-9 “Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared;

Though He was a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;

And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; )

Then He let Himself be taken, tried, and beaten.

He bore His own cross toward Golgotha, till He could stand the weight no longer, because of the beatings.

Even then, Jesus Christ did not throw off the manhood, but left everything in the hands of His Father.

The Cross was the purpose of God, and although He was placed upon it in anger, and hatred; yet He would not come down from it (although He could have) because if He saved Himself, He could not save us.

Our sins have the penalty of death (separation from God forever). Someone must pay that penalty. Us, or a substitute.

He paid that penalty by His Perfect death.

Our sins were laid upon Him, and the sky grew dark—at noontime; the time of the most light.

God could not look upon Him, because He bore our sins on His body on the cross.

The pain of the corruption and pollution of our sins being placed upon the Sinless One, and the separation from God the Father, was Christ’s greatest pain.

He cried out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” In an agony which was more than the beatings of fists, and rods.

But He did all of this for the salvation of His people. That we might have life—His life within us, by receiving Him into our hearts and lives.

Then we can set ourselves aside to His Will, as He set Himself aside to do the Father’s Will.

This is Abundant Life. A life open to and receptive to Him in all that we do.

The joy of His being in charge of our lives is wonderful. We are not alone, ever.

We are walking in a way He has chosen for us, and His Holy Spirit enables us.

“I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.”

Will we receive Him, and His life?

The Altars of God

An altar is erected, to place a sacrifice on…..whether it is stone, or wood overlaid with brass; it’s sole purpose is for sacrifice to God…for sin or sweet-savor.

(Although I believe there was an altar for Cain and Abel to sacrifice at the gate of Eden, for Abel’s lamb was “accepted”….which meant that fire came down and consumed it. Cain’s was rejected—no fire.

Still, it does not say “altar” there….so…..)

The first mention of “altar” was after the flood….the waters having cleansed the earth from “the wickedness of man was great….every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis6:5)

Noah “found grace” (the first mention of grace)…..and by faith he obeyed God and saved himself and his house by building an Ark.

After the waters dried up….Noah and his family came out of the Ark, and the first act was to build an altar.

Genesis 8:18-20 “And Noah went forth….out of the Ark….And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.”

This sacrifice was accepted and God made a covenant with Noah for the earth, because of this sacrifice.

The second time an “altar” is spoken of is Abraham’s.

Genesis 12:7 “And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, Who appeared unto him.”

He had been called of God to come out of idolatry, and follow His call to a land which God was going to give him and his seed.

When he got there, the Lord appeared to him again,…..

….and Abraham built an altar to sacrifice to the Lord.

The last known altar of Abraham was on Mt. Moriah (Calvary)…..where he was sent to sacrifice Isaac. (He believed that God could,….and would raise him.

Genesis 22:5 “and I and the lad will go and worship….and come again…”)

When he went to sacrifice Isaac…..

……..God told him to stop, and gave him a ram to sacrifice, saying, “…I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me.”

Moses built the first altar for the children of Israel in Exodus,……..only after they had come out of the bondage of Egypt:

Exodus 17:15 “And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi.”

Then he built an altar and sacrificed, making a covenant with the children of Israel concerning the Ten Commandments….sprinkling the blood on the people. (Exodus 24:6-8)

After Moses was given the pattern of the Tabernacle, the altar of God for sacrifice, was the Brazen altar in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple….

Exodus 38:1 “And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was four square; and three cubits the height thereof.”

The people were to come “before the Lord” at this altar and sacrifice there, through the priests…..

But though they had an altar of God in the Temple at Jerusalem……you found the children of Israel often sacrificing in groves and mountain tops…..to idols.

Forsaking the Altar of God,…….for the worship of the heathen gods, on altars of their own making.

Even to the point that the Temple was defiled….

The last time time, before the Israel and Judah were taken away captive, the altar was used, was with Josiah. (He was the king Jeremiah lamented…for he was a godly king….the last). He made a Passover feast:

2 Chronicles 35:16 “So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keep the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the Lord, according to the commandment of king Josiah.”

After the Captivity, the first thing they did for the Temple was to build the altar:

Ezra 3:1-3 “And when the seventh month was come,…..the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

Then stood up Jeshua….and his brethren the priests……and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

And they set the altar upon his bases;…..and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening.”

But not many generations passed till……the Lord again had to speak to them concerning their sacrifices on the altar….for they were defiling it, again….

God sent Malachi, the prophet…..who spoke to the priests, who were allowing the people to give sacrifices which were lame, or broken…..in direct contradiction to the law….

…….for the sacrifices were to be “without blemish”….because they were to picture Christ.

Malachi 1:8 “And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? Saith the Lord of Hosts.”

God told Israel, through Malachi, that there would be One coming which would make the offering “pleasant unto the Lord” (Malachi 3:1-4)

Coming to the times of the New Testament; the physical “altar” was done away…..but the spiritual altar was given:

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the times was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

John 10:15, 18 “As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.

No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.”

The Lord Jesus Christ was the great Priest and Sacrifice. It was to Him that all the other sacrifices pointed.

He “laid down His life”…..for He was Priest….sacrificing Himself: His life, His blood…..to God for our sins,…

…..on the altar of the cross……brought about by the rejection of His own people.

He gave Himself over to them……”He came unto His own and His own received Him not”. John 1:11

…….They were the ones that cried “crucify Him”….till Pilate agree…..and they watched as a Roman cross was laid upon Him….and then Him on the cross….

….which lifted Him up between heaven and earth.

He was “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world”.

(John 1:29)

His was the only Sacrifice that was acceptable to God….therefore He gave it…..to please the Father, and fulfill all His Will.

And then there is our altar:

Although the word “altar” is not used….yet…our “altar” is our everyday lives where we “present” to God our sacrifice.

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

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

We are a living sacrifice….for only Christ Jesus could die for our sin.

But we are to deny ourselves, lose our lives in ourselves (that is being identified in His death)…..and live unto God (that is being identified in His resurrection).

We, too are priests….for we are “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5)

The sacrifice we are to offer is ourselves to God…..as Jesus Christ offered Himself up to God, for our sins…..we are to offer ourselves up to God, through the merits of Christ….to live unto Him in believing obedience, in this world of sin.

He offered Himself, for us……we offer ourselves, to Him.

The altars of God have been varied….but they all do the same thing:

They receive the sacrifice given to God, by His appointing.

Have we placed ourselves on our “altar of everyday things”, to God, today?

Guard your Heart

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Above all that you guard…..guard your heart; for out of it comes all the ups and downs….all the joys and griefs,….all the issues of life.

(Our natural hearts are spoken of in Mark 7:20-23, and in:

Ephesians 2:3 “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

But God has plans for our hearts…..they are to be filled with Him…..His joy and peace; His love and kindness….so we are warned:

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

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

The “issues of life” are those things that count for eternity….for real life has it’s foundation in fellowship with God.

Our action concerning the Will of God, comes from our will….but our hearts either move our wills to run after God…..or after the world.

So God looks to see: Who or what do we love?

Proverbs 4:20-22 “My son, attend to My Words; incline thine ear unto My sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart,

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

Proverbs 4:11-13 “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”

Most believe that love is a whimsical emotion that comes unbidden.

But “agape”, is that love of God that comes from our yielding to the Holy Spirit within….for it “rejoices in the truth, bears all things, never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:6-8)

1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.”

Guarding our hearts for God, is our duty to Him. He claims our whole being…..for He redeemed all of us.

He then asks us to guard it for Him….and it is a “guard” or wall of separation from the world.

(In the Song of Solomon the believer is seen as a “enclosed” garden (Song of Solomon 4:12)…..one which is for the pleasure of the Lord.

“Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.” (Song of Solomon 4:16).

But if we guard it not….then the things of this world can enter into it….and stay there, influencing our willed actions:

lust (I want it and I want it now),

and pride (the arrogance and lifting up of self interests, over God)

1 John 2:15-16 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

So, we are to guard our hearts……but how?

First we are to have that wall of separation from the world…..a wall made of:

Prayer, praise, and peace….

Philippians 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (garrison) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

At the gate of our hearts, we will ask the Holy Spirit to place faith and grace as guards…..

Faith sees God….and helps establish us…

Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:

Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Grace is our support and help….

2 Timothy 2:1, 3 “Now therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Now therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Let us guard our hearts….for Him; keeping ourselves in His love……and learning to: (1 Corinthians 13)

“Suffer long, and be kind”

“Envy not”

“be not puffed up”

“Thinks no evil”

“Rejoices in the truth”

“Bears all things”

“Believes all things”

“Hopes all things”

“Endures all things”

“Never fails”

These are all the things which can come from our hearts…..when it is separated to Jesus Christ., and guarded.

How much He has for us…..will we begin to learn?

Really determining to do His Will

John 7:17 “If any man will do His Will, he shall know of the doctrine, whither it be of God, or whither I speak of myself.”

Let us consider what “to will” means.

The will is the whole man active…..the will alone, does not rule the person….for it is brought into subjection to our thoughts (our reasons, and attitudes) and to our hearts (our emotions and feelings).

Both of these push and pull the will into doing things.

But when we will something….we become wholly active….and begin do it.

The Lord often spoke to the will…..especially to His disciples (those that follow Him)….”If any man will, let him…” (Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-35, Luke 9:23); but He was speaking to the whole man….”Let the heart want to….the mind take hold of My Words….and the will move you, to follow Me.”

If any man will do His Will…..the Living New Testament says, “If any man really determines to do His Will…”….

…that is to “will” to do.

Thus, you prove His Will by doing it. When you have really determined to do God’s Will, then when you hear His Word…..you will know what He wants you to do.

And you will know whither it is of God, or your own idea…..He will not leave you in darkness….but will give you light for your walk.

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.”

The creature must find that resting place…..and that resting place is in the Will of the Creator….in the light and knowledge of it.

It is not the “success” or “failure” of any given task…..but was it what the Lord wanted?

Hebrews 4:9-11 “There remainth therefore a rest for the people of God.

For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.

Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

We “labor” by willing it.

And that “rest” is in the Will of God. It is a calm of being…..by the Holy Spirit….no matter the outward circumstances; because we are uniting with the Almighty.

We can live a productive life, in the world; a successful life; a kind life;….all of which is good….

But God wants us to live a restful life in Him….in His Word….in His Will.

That “rest” is of the spirit, soul and body……looking to Jesus Christ for help, and sustaining grace….because the enemy of that calm in Him…..is unbelief.

(Paul said he believed in the power from the “treasure” of the Holy Spirit within, against all that came to him: including suffering, hurt, trials, and peril…

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

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

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed:

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”)

Unbelief is not some little sin…..it is the worst of all sins….it crucified the Lord of Glory.

It says: I do not trust You, Lord….I am scared.

It says: Surely, this is something even You, Lord, can not see to.

It says: I do not see You doing anything, therefore You won’t.

Unbelief says a lot of things to our hearts and minds….it can lead us away from God quite quickly…..into imaginations of panic, or anger, or hurt…

But when unbelief comes….telling us all, what God can not do….we need to quickly say:

“I believe….help Thou my unbelief” (Mark 9:24)

…..and then hold on to the Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

This is an amazing verse….The Word of God (yes, read, spoken, and heard) is quick: It acts now, making a difference to all who will hear it.

Is powerful: for it works within us to enlighten the situation, and encourage, and tell us what to do,….or what God will do.

Is sharper than any two edged sword: the Word “cuts”…separates the spirit, and what the Holy Spirit is impressing us…..

…..and the soul, what we feel, and think of the situation.

It shows us what we are really thinking…..what we are really feeling.

(How many times have you thought…..”It’s Ok….I can deal with this hurt”.

Then you hear a message,….read a devotion….or speak to a Christian concerning some scripture:

And, “bam”…..you know you have not gotten this healed.

But then, this Word can show you how to get it restored.

[There are many verses which show His healing: spiritually, mentally, physically. Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 53:5, Malachi 4:2, 1 Peter 2:24. And sometimes, it is healing of our whole being.])

This requires us to hear His Word….and be honest with Him about what He is saying to us. (Luke 8:15)

But the quick, powerful, sharp Word of God will be that guide we need, to get the “rest”, here, the Lord has for us….in the knowledge of His Will.

It will show us what His Will is, that we may “really determine”….or “will to do His Will”,…

….that we may know that we have done His Will….no matter the outcome, and be at rest in believing obedience to Him.

Make Room For Christ, by Repentance

Luke 3:2-6 “…the word of God came unto John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

And he came into all the country about Jordon, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Baptism was done to proselytes (Gentiles who wanted to be admitted into the worship of God). Then they could go into the Temple. (There was a court of the Gentiles)

But here, John the Baptist comes to Israel, God’s chosen people; and preaches repentance from their sins, as he was told to do…..by baptism.

Prepare yourselves: for the Lord is coming.

If you want to be in the kingdom of God, prepare your hearts by repentance, and bring forth fruit in your life that shows that you have repented.

Luke 3:8-9 “Bring forth therefore fruits of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the tree: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn (cut) down, and cast into the fire.”

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” But how? Bring all who would hear, to the place that they know that the Christ is coming to set all things in order,…in their lives, and on the earth.

Malachi 4:4-6 “Remember ye the law of Moses my servant,….

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

“To turn the hearts”…..that is repentance.

It is time to remember who we are….the called of the Lord….and what is important for our lives!

Luke 3:10-11 “And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”

These were simple things which were written in the Law. But the poor state of most of the people, had caused them to think only of themselves.

Luke 3:12-13 “Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

And he said unto them, Exact no more then that which is appointed you.”

Publicans were tax collectors, and were most often cheats.

They demanded extra taxes to be paid, and kept the extra. The people could not say anything about it, for they were under the authority of Rome.

Luke 3:14 “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”

Again, these would have been things which were written in the Law. Things which they should have already been doing……

But everyone had stopped paying any attention to God’s Word: going, instead, after their own way, or the way of the times (everyone else is doing it, so I can too.).

The “valleys to be filled”, were those who had given up: depressed, despondent; they were to be given joy in the Lord.

The mountains and hills to be “brought low”, were the proud and rich, with the attitude of piling up riches, to gain power or influence.

Not caring about their responsibility in caring for their brethren. They were to come to a new understanding about mercy. (Matthew 9:11-13)

The “crooked” were the flagrant sinners; those who everyone knew to be sinners.

They were to be saved and “sin no more”. (John 8:11)

The “rough ways” were the practices of the scribes and Pharisees, which instructed the people in the traditions;……yet did not practice them, themselves.

All needed repentance. To change their hearts and lives. To live according to the Word they had already received. To make room for Christ.

Isaiah said, “…make straight in the desert a highway for our God….And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh see it together ; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)

A highway is a road built up; set up above the ground around. It is a road that all can see, for it is higher then the fields and streams.

John the Baptist came building up a way that all could see and follow.

It would be straight;…..and all who would repent and come,….could walk in it.

Isaiah 35:8 “And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”

“Wayfaring men” are those whose whole lives are moving from one thing to another. Yet even though they are just passing by, they will know God’s Will for themselves.

John the Baptist came preaching and baptizing all who wanted to have the reality of true worship of the Lord their God.

The people who knew they were not right, and wanted to be. Maybe they were called the “down-and-out”…..

Maybe they were so far from God, they thought they would never be able to come back……

But John preached to all: and whosoever will, may come.

Then Jesus came.

“And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

John 1:29 “The next day John seeing Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!”

Matthew 3:16-17 “And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lightening upon Him:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

He was the Son of God, having come to take away the sins of the world.

And when He had done this by the sacrifice of Himself, and HIs resurrection……the message to all His disciples was:

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

May I ask you: what will we do with His Word?

The Good Ground Hearer

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.”

“If we walk in the light”. We know that “light” means knowledge and understanding from the Holy Spirit, by the Word of God.

We are to walk in that light, that the Holy Spirit gives us; to be obedient to the light we have received.

Does that mean sinless perfection? No, it does not!

What it does mean, is: that you get honest with God, in all your dealings with Him.

Prayer, Bible Study, witness, and worship. You get honest with Him.

You, in fact, become a “good ground hearer”.

Matthew 13:23 “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

All that have the seed sown unto them, “hear” it. It is what we do when we hear, that separates us in Christ’s sight.

“And understandeth it”. The good ground hearer, understands the right of those claims made on his life by Christ; and answers them with a life that is open to and receptive to Christ.

(If you think Christ has not made any claims to your life, then you have not heard aright. And you have not understood His claim as Lord and Savior.)

Mark 4:20 “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

The good ground hearers are those individuals which: when they hear the Word given to them, they receive the Word.

They do not reject it, or say, “that is for someone else”.

To receive is to do what that Word requires of them.

Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Here we see the reason behind the good ground: honesty.

Our hearts are never good, in themselves:

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.”

(In other words, our hearts [feelings and thoughts] lie to us. They tell us that we are alright. When the Bible and our conscience tell us something else.)

But in Luke it says: “honest and good heart”. That is the only way it is good. We get honest with God and allow Him to search us and show us if there is anything we need to get straight with Him.

Then we can bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, and the fruit of the Christian; which is another Christian. (We are all called as witnesses of Christ’s life in our life)

This honest heart, “keeps” the word.

It obeys, and perseveres in that obedience.

And in keeping it, we are changed into His character: His lovingkindness we can show.

His truth we can share.

His prayer for all, we can follow.

When we keep the Word,…..we show that God is true,…..and we stay with Him in all the trials that come up.

To understand the Word is to see Who speaks to me. It is to know the reality of the creature before the Creator. We understand that God is God, and does command me to follow Him, wherever He leads.

This is the first agreement in walking together in the light with Him.

Then we receive the Word, that we might be changed into “a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21). In other words, bringing forth fruit…some thirtyfold, some sixty, some a hundred.

Then,….

(and in the Christian life, there is always a “then”. We are never to be stagnant; but always going on to more mature things.).

Then, we “keep” the word. As creature before the Creator, because we have learned that He does all things well…..

….so I’ll keep His Word, and with patience, waiting on Him to bring things to pass; I’ll stand.

Doing what He says, bringing forth fruit….maybe not a hundredfold, but I will bring forth fruit to His glory.

Thank you Heavenly Sower, the Lord Jesus Christ, for allowing Your Word to come to me.

May it bring forth fruit, abundantly to You….in me.

The Burning Bush

Exodus 3:1-3 “Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law,….and he led the flock to the back side of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.”

The bush burned, yet was not consumed.

Moses had been in exile from Egypt, and had married, and was caring for the flock of his father-in-law.

Then he saw a sight that was so unusual that he left the herd, and went to see it.

It was a dry desert bush that was burning….the flame was in the “midst of the bush”……..

…….yet it was not getting burnt up….it was not being destroyed by the flame….but was manifesting the flame.

(I want to talk for just a moment about us…..as that dry wilderness bush.

We are in a wilderness of this world….but more, we are part of the landscape; as that bush was. We fit right in to this world’s scene.

There was nothing unusual about the bush……until it glowed with the Presence of God. [When the Lord manifested Himself to men in the Old Testament, He was often called “the angel of the Lord”.]

But when the Lord “enlightened” it…..it became something which drew men toward the Light.

God does not want to “burn us up”…..but rather burn within us, so we will manifest His light.)

Years earlier, in Pharaoh’s court, Moses had thought that surely he could deliver “his brethren”, the Israelites…..and tried (Exodus 2:11-14)…and failed….

……..but the years out on the desert had withered his pride and confidence in himself…..and he was like this dry bush…….waiting for God’s flame to light him,….call him,….and use him.

Exodus 3:4 “And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses, and he said, Here am I.”

As Moses was coming to see this sight, a Voice spoke to him…..it was a Voice he recognized….

…….So when he heard this Voice, he answered: “Hear I am.”

He was answering a Person….a Person Who he believed in,…..for the scriptures plainly say that:

“by faith, Moses…refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter……esteeming the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt:…”(Hebrews 11:24-26)

Exodus 3:5-6 “And He said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Moreover He said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.”

Moses came forward….but not too far…….(there is that place where we must recognize the Almighty….and bow.)

Then the Lord began the process of calling Moses to do the work of deliverance.

The Lord said, “I am come down to deliver them….Come now…..and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou may bring forth My people…out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:8-10)

But Moses, instead of rejoicing…..now the time has come…..says:

“Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:11)

The wilderness had done it’s job….the confidence of Moses, the prince of Egypt was gone…..

…..but now hesitation was present. Moses felt that, if in his earlier might and vigor he could not persuade the Israelites…..what could he do now, that he was older, and had no power?

The Lord spoke again of His Presence…..(remember Moses is standing in front of a bush burning….and hearing God)…..”Certainly I will be with thee…”

(It is amazing how many times in the Word, the Lord says the same thing to HIs people….to us!

“I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20; “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” Hebrews 13:5)

Moses then asks, Who shall I say sent me? What is Your name?

God then explains His name: I AM THAT I AM. I am from everlasting…there was no time, that I was not….And I always will be.

God explains Moses ministry, first to Israel….

…..then before Pharaoh, who, God told him, would not listen, or let them go…..at first.

But God would deal with him and his nation…

Moses is still unsure…..not of God…..but of himself, and his ability to deal with the people and Pharaoh.

So God shows him another lesson…..Moses shepherd’s rod. The rod he had been using for years, taking care of sheep.

But by God’s Word, the ordinary rod became a tool of God.

Exodus 4:2-4 “And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

And He said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:”

(You will notice, Moses ran from the serpent, but at the Lord’s command; picked it up by the tail. It was not fear for himself which hindered Moses….but fear of failing in the deliverance of Israel.)

Then God told him to put his hand into his bosom….and it was leprous.

Then put it into his bosom again….and it was whole.

God is able….the message is clear.

….but Moses turns to his speech….he was not a man of words….he did not think he could speak well enough to talk before Pharaoh and the people.

By this time, the Lord’s anger was “kindled” against Moses: The answer God gives comes as a rebuke (to backstrike with words)….

….God was displeased with Moses lack of zeal for his calling….for letting fear, rule his will.

God knew his heart….He knew that Moses wanted the deliverance of Israel….but Moses was letting imaginary hinderances block his sight.

Moses had “turned aside to see”…..and God had showed him that a bush can burn, and not be consumed by God’s Presence…

That a rod can be turned to a terrifying tool for God….

That disease can be given in a moment….and healed in a moment by the God of his fathers….I am that I am.

But Moses was letting his past failure blind his eyes from seeing that in all these examples…..God was saying “I am able….for you”.

God goes on to give him Aaron, his brother, who would speak to the people and Pharaoh, the words Moses would say.

“And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.” (Exodus 4:17)

But God says it in such a way, that there is no “backtalk” from Moses…..”And Moses went…” (Exodus 4:18)

How often do we “see” what the Lord is trying to tell us?

Are we letting past failures, or fear blind us to what God is calling us to do?

Moses went….and as we know, he dealt with Pharaoh…….”The Lord has said, Let My people go.”……..bringing the people out of Egypt, in triumph.

That rod stayed with him to the end…..he used it many times.

(The serpent before Pharaoh, the rod turned the rivers to blood, brought frogs out of the rivers, he held it up at the Red Sea, he smote the rock for water, etc.)

It was just a plain shepherd’s rod….which, when used in God’s service, became a weapon, and a guide for those that were brought out.

The lesson God showed Moses, from the fire in the bush, is just the same for us:

Deuteronomy 4:24 “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.” (It is repeated in Hebrews 12:29)

Jealous means that He is zealous of His commandments and calling….He will not let anything else take His place in our hearts and lives….

He will lead us through failures,….speaking to us, to draw us on with Him…..rebuking us, correcting us….so that we may be instruments in His hands.

For Moses,…..and for all of His servants, that He calls……

……it is not what we are to start with…..but what we let Him make us; that makes all the difference.

1 Corinthians 1:27 “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

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