When Saul met the Lord

Acts 9:3-5 “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

Saul, a very religious Pharisee, had become enflamed against the followers of Jesus, after seeing Steven (the first martyr of the church) die.

Now here was the way a man who was true, would die.

Forgiving his killers, and asking God not to lay it to their charge.

Steven saw the heaven’s open and Jesus sitting on the throne, high and lifted up. (Acts 7:55-60)

But Saul would not believe his testimony.

That would make his nation guilty of condemning and killing their own Messiah.

No, No,…he would not believe it.

And the more Saul worked at not believing, the madder he got.

He devised a plan to destroy this belief.

He would persecute Jesus followers, and cause them to be stoned, too.

He would get rid of this Jesus.

But when some of the disciples in Jerusalem fled to other cities (the apostles, and a lot of other disciples did not), Saul determined to search them out and bring them back and stone them.

So off to Damascus he goes. He has letters which entitles him to grab these believers and arrest them and take them to Jerusalem for judgement.

He is fully empowered: first by hate; and then by the established religious rulers which crucified Christ.

Going along, quite sure nothing is going to stop him.

But one thing he could not be empowered for: the meeting with Christ Jesus, Himself.

First, there is light: “a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun…”(Acts 26:13)

God always gives light first…..so we are able to come out of the darkness.

Then He gives His Word.

Acts 26:14 “When we were fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?

It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

This got his attention! Here was Someone he had been persecuting. How could this be?

So he asks who this Person is.

Acts 26:15 “And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”

(Twice Jesus says how Saul had persecuted Him.

But it was His believers Saul had beaten and stoned.

But when anyone hurts a child of God,…..He sees it as hurting Him….for we are one in Him.)

Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?….”

Saul, empowered of man; meets Jesus Christ the Almighty God……the God of Light….the God of the Word……and yields.

Jesus Christ was now Saul’s Lord;….and he declared Him to be so…..and that changed everything!

And the first thing it changed was Saul’s Purpose:

Acts 26:16-18 “But rise and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,

(Here it is, his purpose from now on!)

to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things that thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.”

As you read this, it reads just like the experience he had.

His eyes were open by light; so he was to witness of Jesus Christ and give this Light all over the known world.

He was under the power of Satan when he refused to believe Steven’s witness, and instead gave himself over to hate, and viciousness.

So Saul/Paul was to turn others from the power of Satan unto God.

His Message:

There is forgiveness of sins by Christ Jesus, and an inheritance given us in Jesus.

Then we are set aside for our purpose,…..the moment we are born again by faith in the spirit Lord Jesus Christ

When Saul met the Lord, everything changed.

And Paul’s ministry changed the world.

He preached before kings, soldiers, religious rulers, and idolaters.

Everywhere, he preached Christ.

His own testimony was:

1 Corinthians 2:1-2, 4-5 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

When Saul/Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ for himself, everything changed.

He went from hating the Lord,….to loving Him.

From trying to destroy Him, and the believers,….to building them up in the faith.

From just following religion….to following “the Lord”.

Have we met the Lord?

To be Saved Spirit, Soul and Body

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it.”

Sanctification is when we are “set aside to sacred use”; to God’s use.

We are sanctified by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; for in their purpose and Will for us, they are One….

“Sanctified by God the Father…” (Jude 1)

“Sanctified in Christ Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 1:2)

“Through sanctification of the Spirit…” (1 Peter 1:2)

Sanctification is done by God and us, cooperating together…….by us yielding to the Holy Spirit’s “artea” or force within….as He manifests the Will of God to us.

Now the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly.

We can not be at odds with God in anything and know this peace. This peace is not judicial (the peace between us and God we get, when we are born again: Romans 5:1)…….but this is personal peace….the peace that garrisons our hearts. (Philippians 4:7)

And this sanctification begins with our spirits. We bring ourselves into subjection to the Holy Spirit, which indwells our spirit.

You yield to the Holy Spirit within…..and when you do, you are empowered to do.

He manifests a “force” within us.

Luke 9:54-56 “And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?

But He turned, and rebuked them and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.”

Jesus turned to his disciples, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are manifesting. For it is not what I will to do…..for I came to save men, not destroy them.”

The spirit they were showing, was the spirit of anger and revenge. They wanted to “show them”, for rejecting Jesus, and them.

But Jesus said, that it was not the Spirit He would show…..and walked away.

Let us talk of the spirit we show, and how the Lord wants us to be, by the power of the Holy Spirit:

A proud and haughty spirit…..which is surprisingly easy for us to manifest…..we can even be proud that we are born again!

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

An indefensible spirit….we go this way, then that way,….letting circumstances rule us….and our conduct.

Proverbs 25:28 “He that no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls.”

We are responsible to rule our own spirit, by keeping the walls of separation from the world…..up.

An unforgiving spirit….how hard it is to let go of hurt and anger…..until the Lord helps us.

Matthew 18:35 “So likewise shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.”

We must through the power of the Holy Spirit, forgive from our hearts….and know we have forgiven. To forgive is to not feel the influence of the hurt or insult any more.

The spirit of faithlessness and unbelief:

To start well, and backslide….to come to some temptation which is too strong for us….. unless we give it to the Lord, and get the victory,…..in Him.

Hebrews 3:12 “Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.”

2 Timothy 4:10 “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world,….”

And a broken spirit, which the Lord will not despise

Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite spirit, O God, Thou wilt not despise.”

The Soul is next:

The Lord Jesus taught that those that truly follow Him, must lose their “life” in themselves,…..in order to gain it….in Him.

We must lose our own way of reasoning and looking at things…..and then….we can begin to value things from an entirely different viewpoint…..His.

The will is dealt with by denying ourselves: saying no to our attitudes and thoughts and going with the Lord in His.

Luke 9:23-24 “And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

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

In this, the mind and heart is also dealt with….till our minds are “renewed”,…….so we want to think about things the way the Lord does…

Romans 12:2 “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.”

And our hearts are brought out from the prison of worldly lusts (I want this, and I want this now)….to the open sunshine of His love….

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

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

This requires honesty between the Lord and us….but…

…..when this happens our souls quiet ourselves under the loss of anything it formerly loved, and lives….peacefully and joyfully….upon God, and His grace.

Yet these are not separate from our body…..they are seen in our body. The facial expressions we use….the reactions to comments, and to people.

All these are seen in our body.

And our body is to be the temple of the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “What! Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own.

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 “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.”

We manifest through our bodies….which we are to give to God,….His character.

Here is where the ordinary living comes in.

As an old preacher once wrote:

“We may enjoy the heavenly things now and again…..or we can elevate the ordinary things we do, each day.

Doing each act as a sacrifice to the Lord….whether sleeping or waking,…..working or resting,….whether with others or by myself; I am walking with the Lord, and all I do, is for Him.”

Sanctification is to set ourselves aside to sacred use….to be used by God anywhere or any how.

And we only set ourselves aside, as we yield to God’s influence, by the Holy Spirit, His Word, and His working:

Philippians 2:12-15 “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings.

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

Shining as His lights in this world…..is HIs use of us.

We are taken from darkness, and given light.

Then we are to shine all the light we have, in a world which is in darkness.

What a purpose we have!

And we accomplish it by letting God sanctify us….yielding to Him….and letting His life be manifested,…..in us.

(There have been a lot of verses, and a lot set forth here…..but I wanted to show that the “so great salvation” which God prepared for us, is extensive.

He saves to the uttermost, all who come to Him.

And for those who keep coming to Him…..for that is what true believing does….keeps coming to the Only One Who can do anything about me…..then He leads us on, and He will continue to do so, through all eternity….more, more of our blessed Lord.)

To Count the Cost.

Luke 14:28 “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”

Luke 14:31 “Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?”

The Lord told His disciples that they were to count the cost of service, and following Him.

He gave two examples; and one of building, and one of warfare.

We are to do both.

If we follow Christ, we will be in a battle against the wiles of the Devil. The Adversary will seek to dissuade us, by fear. Or seek to destroy us, if we stand with Christ.

If we follow Christ, we are to build. First we are to build our house upon the Rock of Christ and His Word.

Then we are to add to the building of the Church. From the foundation to the roof, we are to build up His Church, by edification (teaching); exhortation (to wake up) and comfort.

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

We are to count the cost, because to stand with Jesus in this world, will cause you to be mocked, hated, ridiculed, and left out of, a lot of what the world has.

You sit down and count the cost. And He says to do it first.

To run after Christ emotionally, will play out. (Emotions do)

To run after Christ mentally, will lead you to reasons, and when reasons run out, so do you.

To run after Christ willfully, will lead you to count the cost for yourself, and choose.

Christ wants you to run after Him willfully; eyes wide open, to what is ahead.

He has a great life for all who follow Him; here in our lives: peace, and joy in Christ Jesus, even amid the trouble this life gives (and He always tells His disciples that there will be trouble).

There in Heaven: face to face with Christ; which makes heaven, heaven.

Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

“Forsaketh” here means to bid adieu, to depart from, to leave.

We are to count the cost of giving up all that we have, for the life Christ has for us.

That way you know, if there is something in your life that you will refuse to give up, even for Christ’s sake.

That is what counting the cost means. Christ requires of His servants, that they should obey Him, and His words to Him. It costs everyone the same amount: everything.

Jesus did not seek to persuade men to follow Him with false promises.

He spoke plainly, that to follow Him was the most costly of decisions, for it meant putting Him above everything and everyone else in our lives.

Luke 14:25-26 “And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

Multitudes were following Christ, but instead of encouraging them, He put a hurtle in front of them.

Why? Because the only reason to follow Christ, was love to Him. If you love Him, no cost is too much.

He was saying:

“To follow Me, means that the affections you feel for everything else, even yourself, will be like hatred in comparison to the love you have to Me.”

Are you a disciple of Christ Jesus? Have you counted the cost?

On the Way to Gethsemane

It was the night Jesus was taken, arrested, illegally tried by the Sanhedrin, and taken to Pilate.

Jesus was to have the passover feast with His disciples. He had washed their feet…Judas still being there.

(John 13:4-12. What an act of great mercy;….rejected mercy…..but it shows the mercy of God….one last act to Judas, though his heart was too greedy to receive it. It is either sin or Christ which rules within us.)

Then Jesus sat down and announced that one was there that would betray Him. None knew that it wasn’t them…..

(All thought they would be loyal…..but they did not realize their own weaknesses.)

Jesus shows the betrayer is Judas….giving him the first piece of the passover bread.

Judas goes out:

John 13:30 “He then, having received the sop, went immediately out; and it was night.”

(Terribly, it would never be “light” for him again.)

Then the Lord goes on to begin a new service;….what we call the communion service: the disciples given broken bread….to symbolize His body being broken for us….and the wine…symbolizing His blood being shed in sacrifice for our sins; and their being partakers of His gift….

Matthew 26:26-28 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

They left the house, and began to walk to Gethsemane.

On the way, Jesus explains to them of His coming death and resurrection:

Mark 14:27-28 “And Jesus said unto them, All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.”

Peter emboldened by the fact that Jesus had not said he was the betrayer, confidently says he will never leave Him….

But Jesus speaks to warn…..and comfort him….

Luke 22:31-32 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

Then Jesus begins to speak of the future….

…..a future without His bodily presence with them….beginning His final conversation with them, before His crucifixion:

John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.”

He begins to turn their eyes to Someone else….always with the provision of His love and peace.

“Trust Me that I will not leave you as Heavenly orphans,……but will send the Holy Spirit to take My place”…..(John 14:16, 18)

Twice He says that “whatsoever ye shall ask in in My name, that will I do….”(John 14:13-14)

The theme this part of His discourse is: peace….don’t be afraid, I will give you peace.

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, giveth I unto you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Then Jesus speaks of their future work, letting them know….even in this He will not leave them….He will be their strength and life, in the time to come;…..as the Vine is to the branches.

He promises them fruit.

(Seven times He mentions the “fruit” that comes by abiding in Him….once He mentions the end of those branches which do not bear fruit, even though they are in the vine.)

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

And what is that fruit?

First the fruit of joy….

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

Then the fruit from bearing witness of Jesus….

John 15:26-27 “But when the Comforter is come, Whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me;

And He also shall bear witness, because ye have been with Me from the beginning.”

(Once He says to ask in His Name.)

Jesus turns now to showing them what the world will do, now that He will go away…

John 16:2 “They shall put you out of the synagogue; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”

But that even in this, He has provided for them.

The first provision being the Holy Spirit….

John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.

The other provision: the truth….

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

In the truth, there is great safety…..we know what the Lord says,…..therefore we know what we need to ask for….

And again He three times says to ask in His name: John 16:23, 24, 26.

He here tells them beforehand that He had overcome the world.

Remember, this is even before they took Him,…He was beaten,…He was mocked and given over to the cries of the mob,….and crucified……

….He knew all that was going to happen to Him; and He said they would treat His disciples the same way….

John 16:33 “….but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

(This He calls us to do in Revelation 3:21)

And then, as He grows closer to Gethsemane….(for He will be arrested before they leave)…..

He becomes very, very intimate….for He begins to pray to the Father:

John 17:1 “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee:”

He was showing us the pattern for our lives….glorify God, and He will honor us.

Telling how He had finished the work God had given Him to do….so we should “finish our course”.

He tells the Father that He had manifested His Name (verse 6)…..and His Words (verse 8, 14)

And then, right then….He begins to pray for them:

John 17:9 “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine.”

He prays that they will be kept:

John 17:11, (15) “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee, Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are.”

He prays they will be sanctified,

John 17:17, (19) “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth.”

Five times He prays that “they may be one, as We are.” (John 17:11, 21-23 )

That they may know God’s love through Christ Jesus.

John 17:26 “And I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

(Sixteen times in these chapters Jesus speaks of love

Six times He speaks of joy)

In this last part of His talk with them, He prays also for us: You and me, there.

John 17:20 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word;”

Then He came to the garden: All the things He needed to say, were said….everything would proceed according to the Father’s Will (Acts 2:22-23).

The Nation stood on the brink…..what would they do with Jesus, Who was called the Christ?

But it was in this very important, intimate discourse with His disciples….that Jesus showed His Father’s heart and plan for them…..and us.

Jesus wants us to know His peace…..

…..His purpose for each of us: abide in Him and bear fruit……

…He wants us to know His overcoming amidst the tribulation and suffering of this present world;…and because He has, we can too……

……and HIs prayer—intimate and full of tender love for those who follow Him.

Will we walk with Him this day, and hear these things for ourselves?

There is a famine in the Land

Amos 8:11 “ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:”

Have you heard God lately?

Have you heard Him in your Bible reading? Or in your Church services? Or in your innermost spirit, where the Holy Spirit dwells and speaks?

Well, if you have not heard Him lately, you are starving.

1 Peter 2:2-3 “As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

All our growth comes through Him; by the interaction of His Word to us by the Holy Spirit, and our receiving it.

This verse in Amos was given to Israel when they had turned from God, to idols.

And Amos was sent as a prophet to speak to Israel to warn them, so they would repent: turn around and choose God.

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:

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

So he did, but those around the king were afraid that the people would believe him,……..for he told of God’s promise of judgement on those who followed the idols.

So they just wanted him to go away. Go back to Judah and live a normal life there.

Prophesy there, if you must speak God’s Words;……..but not here.

How ridiculous! How could Amos be obedient, and not do what he had been told?

How could the people have a chance of repenting, and returning to the Lord, without hearing His Word to them? (Romans 10:14-15)

Well, Amos did not leave, but gave out the Word of God to His people. He stood fast in a land that had turned to idols,……and forgetting everything God had taught them about His love of justice and truth.

Instead they turned to stones, and wooden stocks covered with silver and gold, but no life.

This is what they wanted. This is what they looked to….it was ridiculous: for these idols did not answer, or hear….there was no life in them.

(How sad, to exchange true life, for illusion; to exchange the love of God, for the love of things. Isaiah 44:9-11)

Amos 8:4-7 “Hear this, oh ye that swallow up 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 the wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances of 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 Lord has sworn by the excellency of Jacob, surely I will never forget any of their works.”

The merchants were cheating the buyers. Giving less for more; by changing the balances. Saying they had got what they paid for, when they did not.

It was all so that they could have more power over people, to have greater leverage in bargaining, because of this wealth.

The idols that they worshipped were not only images to bow down to; but the idols of silver and gold in their hearts.

Amos preached God’s Word, and not many listened and turned; but he had warned them faithfully, and God was pleased with him, for his faithfulness to Him.

Amos warned them that there would be a day, when God would stop speaking and calling them to repentance; then would come the day:

Amos 9:1, 10 “I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the post may shake: And cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.”

Who is He talking to?

“All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake or prevent us.”

All those who think to get around God and His Word, won’t.

We, too, in this Church age have been warned against turning from God to idols of our own making.

Instead of staying true to God, and His Word:

2 Timothy 4:1-2, 4 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

Preach the word; be instant in season; out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables.”

Fables might instruct, but only God’s Word gives life—true life. Do you want it?

Have you heard God, or His Word to you, lately?

God’s Words

Isaiah 28:9-10 “Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breast.

For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little.”

If we would grow up into Christ—go on to maturity—this is the path that we must walk.

We are never “zapped”, But the scriptures speak of “growing in grace”, “grow up in Christ”. And these take time and a little effort.

When we first learned to walk as children,….there were a few bumps.

So our Christian walk is a series of lessons, and experiences…..lessons, and experiences….toward the goal the Lord has for us.

Paul said, “I have learned…”and that should tell us that we, too, must learn from Christ, through the Holy Spirit,…..how to, when to, and what to do.

Philippians 4:11-12 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

I have never met any Christian that has not suffered defeat…..at least once.

I have never met any Christian that has not battled something….some with terrible battles……some mild….but they would not call it anything but what it is…..a battle.

But our Teacher is the Lord.

And He builds on the foundation of “Come unto Me”(John 6:35)…..our first command.

Then He says, “If any man will…” (Matthew 16:24)

And it is onward from there.

“Precept upon precept”:

Precept means appointed rules, or an authoritative command.

(precepts is used most in Psalm 119:

Psalm 119:4 “Thou has commanded us to keep Thy precepts diligently.”

It is used twenty times, in this psalm. [this is the psalm that every verse but one has a reference to the God’s Word in various forms: law, commands, precepts, etc])

We must realize, that what He says to do, we must do. He is not giving suggestions for our lives…..but He is giving us the authoritative rules to follow, so that we will know the way to go.

“Line upon line”

Line means a cord put together to connect things….and for measuring.

And it is used here to speak of the Voice which has been heard….connecting God’s purpose to His Word…..measuring our response to His Word.

(Psalm 19:4 “Their line is gone out to all the earth, and their words to the end of the world….”. Paul repeats this changing “line” for “sound”, in Romans 10:18)

When Christ was here, the Bible often tells of His “teaching” them. (Matthew 11:1, 26:55. Mark 4:1, 6:2, 6:34, Luke 13:22)

And so He continues to do to us…..teaching us, through the experiences He leads us into.

Sometimes it corresponds to something in His Word,…..something someone else has passed through as well.

Sometimes He leads us into new paths, which are to strengthen and encourage…..not only us…..but others who hear of it.

And I believe it is true, that no one experiences things, the same way….though they go through the same set of circumstances.

(Loss and grief, for instance. Some are delivered from the waves of emotion, which others pass through. Some are brought almost to the edge of an abyss by the loss of someone….yet saved from falling over.)

Each lesson is to bring us…..yes, that is “me” and “you”…..each of us, to a closer reliance on God…..and a firmer grasp on the reality of His presence and power for me.

That is to grow up into Christ.

Ephesians 4:20-21 “But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:”

In the battles of life, we need to know what the Lord will do for “me”.

(And on occasion, it is good to make a spiritual inventory of our blessings.

It brings all we are going through into a new focus…..He is able,…..able for me, in this situation;…because He has done great things for me before.)

Paul, writing Timothy:

2 Timothy 1:6-7 “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

(“Stir up” here, means to “rekindle” the love, joy, peace, etc of the Holy Spirit within us)

He goes on to say: “….for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”

“Persuaded” here means “an inward certainty”.

Paul’s ministry was in the Lord’s hands,…..what he had done (even before being saved on the road to Damascus,…..and in the ministry with the Gentiles),…..what he was doing now (in a Roman prison, and before Caesar),….and what he would do (in the death God appointed for him).

Paul was certain His Lord would keep him in all the things he was to pass through; because “He is able”……and because He had.

2 Timothy 4:17-18 “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul had heard the precept the Lord had laid down for him, and been obedient. (Acts 9:15-16, 26:16-17)

He had gone to the Jews first…..and when they rejected Christ; gone to the Gentiles…..which was his calling.

He was a Jew of the Jews, a Pharisee of Pharisees,…..yet followed the Word of the Lord,…..and did the work the Lord had given him,…..faithfully, even to Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22).

God’s Words to us,……what we read, and what we hear,…….should be the authoritative commands of a Lord to His servant…..leading us to connect His Word to His purpose for us…..measuring ourselves and our response, by it….

….that we too, may have confidence that…..”the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom…..

…to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

The Heart’s longing after the Lord, Himself

Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”

David was called the man after God’s heart, for his love to Him. Despite David’s many failures, some terrible, David always returned to God.

Notice the action of this verse:

“One thing have I desired of the Lord”; this is of the heart. He wanted it so much that he asked the Lord for it.

But he did not just ask. He said, “I will seek after.”

He put his actions with his heart, and did everything he could to “dwell” with God.

That is what it means by “I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life”. He did not want to lose his fellowship with God. Or the joy of His presence with him.

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

We praise God for the mercies we receive, the grace given.

But how much do we love Him?

Love is willed. Emotions come and go.

But love will last, or will not. If you “give up” on love, you are willing to end it.

If you will to; you may keep loving.

David said, he would keep loving and seeking after the Lord; for the Lord was beautiful in all His glorious character:

The Lord is merciful, for He had heard David’s prayer, when he was under a sky as a shepherd, or fighting the Lord’s battles, or in the palace.

(The Lord hears our prayers, too.)

The Lord is powerful, for the Lord strengthened David against a bear, a lion, Goliath, king Saul, and the many enemies he came against.

(The Lord strengthens us by the many graces He gives us, in all our circumstances.)

The Lord is present, always. In help, and in correction. The Lord did not forsake David when he sinned; but brought him back in love.

(He has promised to forgive and cleanse us from our sin: 1 John 1:9

And He has promised us that He will never leave us. Hebrews 13:5)

We can deny ourselves and do our duty, as Christians, because we know we have to.

Or for a benefit;…….perhaps the Lord will answer my prayer and give me what I want, if I do what He wants.

But love to God, sees things differently.

The Lord always blesses obedience.

But He loves to be sought after; and gives double blessings to those whose obedience is in love.

“I will seek after” is the loving heart’s response to the Lord, Himself.

Psalm 63:8 “My soul followeth hard after Thee: Thy right hand upholdeth me.”

With the Lord, there is always an answer to our love.

He will show more of Himself to all those who want to have it.

The Path to Reality

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.”

To hear and answer the call of Christ is nothing unless somewhere along the line you have this reality.

Reality is what is real…what I have in my experience…..not in someone else’s experience….but in mine.

And reality, where Christ Jesus is concerned, is to have the experience of His life being lived in our life, today…..everyday.

The claims of Jesus, saying to you, “Deny yourself, pick up your cross—deny yourself in those things which cuts across your natural way of doing, of thinking, and acting.

This is to “follow Me”,…….for I walked this way here on earth, too.

Doing only My Father’s Will….and nothing else.”

So many say they have surrendered to the Lord’s Will for their lives, yet constantly fight against the “way” His Will is to be brought to pass in their lives.

When the reality of it all is, His Will includes doing it His Way.

The whole objective of denying yourself and bearing your cross, is that you might lose your life in yourself (You say “no” to what you want to do, and “yes” to the Lord),

That you might find reality, which is your life in Christ.

In Christ is the freedom from sin, self, and the world.

In Christ there is the liberty of walking in the light, which manifests God’s love, joy, and peace to us.

But in ourselves there can be: bitterness, anger, distress, depression,

ungratefulness, and desire….all our natural leanings toward the things and attitudes of the world we live in.

Let’s face it, we are often overcome by one of these things within us.

Yes, they are brought out by circumstances of our lives,…..but the power of the Holy Spirit is in us,……will we not yield to Him, and deny our self-life?

Letting His Life shine through ours?

We can either go back, and make ourselves of no account in the kingdom of God, (remain babes in Christ….never going on to the purpose for which you were born again)…..

Or we can truly lose all these things that make up our old life: our way, our rights (what right do we really have, if we belong to Christ?), and our preferences;….

…..and let Jesus bring another child into the glory of God.

You can not have both your life, and Christ’s life being manifest through you.

One will be seen, the other will be denied. Which will it be, Christian?

This is a process, and it is one where every area of your life is touched:

your past,

your future,

your plans,

the way you think,

your way of doing things.

But, I must stress, and this is important: This is between you and your Lord.

No one can intrude here.

It comes down to: “Not my will, but thine”, everyday.

If you do, you will come to the place in your experience with God (and here is where “reality” is…..your personal life in Christ, experienced)….

…..where you are no longer resisting His Will in anything. Therefore God’s power is flowing through you, unhindered.

It is not instant obedience,…..but it is final obedience….you have determined to leave your old life, and go on with the Lord.

Are you ready for Christ to lead you into a closer relationship with Him?

He said, “ If” any man will come after Me.

So it is not forced. It must be a love relationship.

Nothing will make the way easier, than the growing knowledge of His love to you.

The question is: will you come after Christ Jesus, by denying yourself, picking up your cross and following Him?

It’s your life, what will you do with it?

Keep it for yourself?

Or Follow Him into the reality of His life in me?

The Mighty God, even the Lord

In Psalms 50 we see “the mighty God, even the Lord” call all His people together,……to judge His people.

Psalm 50:4-5 “He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people.

Gather my saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

The term “judge” here means the One who has a righteous balance in His hand. He balances everything against the weights of His Holiness, and His Word.

“Judgement” in scripture, does not just mean hell, or thunderbolts from God…….it is the rules of conduct formed by a Holy God for the well being of men…..leading Him to decisions of approval and blessing;…..as well as correction.

So God “shall come, and shall not keep silence” (Psalm 50:3).

Psalm 50:7 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.”

(There are many things seeking to rule in the world, so it is very important for us to know that “the mighty God, even the Lord” is our God.

Which means that His might, wisdom, and holiness;…all His attributes have been set as a fortress round about us….as we are in Christ.

Which also means that we are His people;….bound by the laws of love; to hear and obey Him.

It is important to understand…..God is Sovereign over all: in Will and Power…..certainly, to those who believe and trust Him,….

….but He is Sovereign to those who do not; whether they see it or not.

He is in charge….He is from Everlasting to everlasting. He is Almighty, the God of all Grace, the Merciful One, the One who holds the world in the hollow of His hand…

Isaiah 40:25, 28-29 “To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One.

Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard? That the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.”)

God goes on to say to Israel:

Psalm 50:9 “I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy fold:”

(The bullock had to do with whole burnt offerings…which symbolized the person giving themselves to God [Leviticus 1:3].

The he-goats were used in the sin offering [Leviticus 16:9-10])

Isaiah 1:11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? Saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of the he goats.”

God did not want sacrifices which did not mean anything….but only served to make the person look good before others……

….but He wanted the sacrifices to be offered from the person’s heart…..the person looking forward to the coming Christ.

Psalm 51:17, 19 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thy altar.”

If you read Psalm 50:17-20 The Lord corrects those who follow the world’s ways of stealing, lying, and slander. Every Israelite was to treat a fellow Israelite as a brother…..helping him if he could,…..but never hurting him.

Psalm 50:21 “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.”

I will not let you continue to follow the Way of the world, but will correct you as a parent corrects his child.

Then I will show you the right way……hear it….and live.

Isaiah 1:16-17 “Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil:

Learn to do well; seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

Jeremiah 31:33-34. “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people.

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for they shall know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord, wherefore I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

(And Jesus promised this in:

John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Paul speaks of this in Hebrews 8:10-12……in Christ Jesus, this new covenant has come to all who believe…Hallelujah!)

In Psalm 50, God speaks to all His own…..all saints.

In this day and age….He calls to His church to judge themselves according to what He said. (John 12:48)

1 Corinthians 11:31 “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

The Lord calls everyone of His, to come to Him….and “come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord….”(Isaiah 1:18).

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the Way everlasting.”

One day the church, and the whole universe will stand in silence, to hear God’s judgements…..”that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19)

He will judge all,….in the righteous balances He holds.

(The born again ones at the Judgement seat of Christ [1 Corinthians 3:11-15]. And the lost, at the White throne judgement [Revelation 20:11-15])

Paul preached this almost nineteen hundred years ago:

Acts 17:30-31 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:

Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man Whom He hath ordained; where of He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him (Jesus) from the dead.”

“Judgement” in scripture, does not just mean hell, or thunderbolts from God…….it is the rules of conduct formed by a Holy God for the well being of men…..leading Him to decisions of approval and blessing;…..as well as correction.

Romans 2:6-7 “Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:”

In that day, I want to hear:

“His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Matthew 25:23

It always comes down to the heart of the matter….what does your heart want?

To honor the Lord, or yourself,…..in this time,….in this place….in this life?

Priscilla and Aquila

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.”

Proverbs 31:30 “Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”

Priscilla and Aquila were husband and wife;…..and partners in their tent making, and their spiritual work. (They are always mentioned together)

It does not say that they were converted by Paul, so they might have been born again before meeting him.

Whether that is so, or they became believers in Christ Jesus after meeting Paul, they became a strong, spiritual ally in the work Paul did; and in the early church.

Paul met Priscilla and Aquila in his second missionary journey, (they were tent makers like Paul.)

Yet they had a helpful impact on him throughout his ministry….he speaks of them in his last letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:19). They stayed true to the simple gospel of Christ, and to the believing workers which they met.

Acts 18:1-3 “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome) and came unto them.

And because he (Paul) was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.”

Paul spent one year and six months in Corinth….”teaching the Word of God among them.”

All this time he also worked, looking after his needs and the needs of those workers with him, by tent making.

His preaching was successful, though there was opposition, for the Lord told him: “Be not afraid,….hold not thy peace: for I am with thee,….for I have much people in this city.”

It was not a likely place for the gospel to come; for it was a great city, having hundreds of thousands of people living there. They were notorious for sin….some using as a slang for wonton behavior, elsewhere,……they were “Corinthians”.

Paul went into the synagogue first, to listen…then when the opportunity was given, he preached about the scriptures in the Old Testament about Christ….then finally he preached that Jesus was Christ. (Acts 18:5)

That the One: Jesus Christ, that was crucified at Jerusalem, had been raised from the dead, and was even now at the right hand of God.

And all that would believe on Him, would be saved….fulfilling all the promises that were given their fathers.

When the synagogue rulers cried out against the message….he went to the gentiles….and preached there for a year and a half.

When he left and came to Ephesus; Priscilla and Aquila went with him. He did not at this time stay for long…..though he preached in the synagogue there….but left Priscilla and Aquila to encourage those that believed.

In Ephesus, a man named Apollos came. He had been baptized by John the Baptist and believed that the Jews were to repent and prepare for the Messiah. He was eloquent in the Old Testament scriptures and preached diligently the things John had said about the Lord.

When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and showed him all the things of Jesus Christ; and the Way that Jesus’ death and resurrection, had opened up for all who would believe on Him, by faith.

Instantly he believed, and became a powerful preacher, not just in Ephesus, but in Corinth. (1 Corinthians 1:11-12)

Paul came on his third missionary journey back to Ephesus, and stayed two years:

Acts 19:10 “And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwell in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”

Paul mentions Priscilla and Aquila, and the church at their house in Ephesus, when he writes 1 Corinthians 16:19.

Priscilla and Aquila returned to Rome, after that, and began a church in their house:

Romans 16:3-5a “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Jesus Christ:

Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

Likewise greet the church that is in their house….”

When Paul wrote the Roman church, he includes a special tribute to these two helpers, he knew there. He knew that they would read his letter to the church in their house, and pass it on to others in Rome.

Paul tells that they risked their lives for him….willingly laying aside their safety, putting “their own necks” in danger. (Quite a descriptive phrase, since in the end Paul was beheaded in Rome)

And in the end of Paul’s life, (he was arrested, sent to Rome,….released, and arrested again,….then executed)….he wrote to Timothy that if he could, Timothy should come and bring a cloak (how cold it must have been in prison); and some parchments.

He asks that Timothy salute Priscilla and Aquila, which it seems, had returned to Ephesus in Asia…..and had a church in their house there.

(Perhaps they were sent by Paul, because the churches in Asia were turning away from his instructions….he had warned Ephesus:

Acts 20:29-30 “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”)

They were not in Rome when Paul went before Cesear the second time.

They and another Christian, had remained loyal to the simple gospel Paul preached, when others had begun to assert their own authority, and added philosophy to the gospel….corrupting it. (2 Timothy 1:15)

As Christians, we need to know the gospel of Jesus Christ:

The Son of God came in the flesh,

born of a virgin,

lived a perfect life,

died a sacrifice to God for the sins of the world,

was raised again the third day by the power of God,

and sits at the right hand of God the Father in power, as our Mediator for all who believe on Him, by faith.

We should be able to tell it to others;…..and encourage other believers in the Word.

Priscilla and Aquila were just two people who worked and lived in the time of the early church….but they became a force for God’s Will, and Paul’s encouragement….always having a church in their house….always giving the gospel of Christ Jesus to all who would hear.