Forgive

Forgive in Scripture, in the Greek, means:  to send away whole.

Plainly,  sin and offenses leave “holes” in our lives;  so to forgive, is to make each place healed, and as it never happened.

Matthew 18:21 “Then came Peter to him, and said,  Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  till seven times?”

Jesus had been talking about people offending children, and other people.   As He said, “it must needs be that offenses come;  but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!” (Mat. 18:7)

In that light,  Peter asks the Lord, how many times should he forgive an offending brother?

Jesus then sets down a clear statement about how we are to forgive.

Matthew 18:22 “Jesus saith unto him,  I say not unto thee,  Until seven times:  but,  until seventy times seven.”

I don’t know what Peter thought of this number,  but I would have thought, “How am I to keep count?  I’ll never remember what number I am at.”

But that was the point:  we are to forgive, and to forgive, and to forgive,  without trying to count to a certain point,  because God forgives us, and our offenses to Him,  without measure.

The Whole Duty of Man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  fear God, and keep his commandments:  for this is the whole duty of man.”

God is Sovereign. 

Man is Responsible.

Man the creature, before God the Creator.

We are responsible to use the prescribed means to bring about the Creator’s foreordained ends.

Sadly, all around us, people have lost the true view of God.

And the reason, I believe, is that we don’t see ourselves as creatures before the Creator.

As Christians, whose relationship is one of light and love to our God, we are still required to obey Him, as His creatures.

At the first, man’s only requirement to maintain Paradise, was to obey.  This was Creator to creature.

Christ, our Redeemer, has redeemed us from the penalty of the Law….but not the essential duty of obedience to God’s commands.

God’s promises do not set aside His precepts;  on the contrary,  Jesus said plainly that we should “continue in His word”(John 8:31);  and He came to do the Will of God.

John 6:38″For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”

We just need to get obedient to the light we have.  That light is shown by the Scriptures.

By One man’s Obedience, we are restored to God.

Romans 5:19″For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

That One, Who shall make many righteous, is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul also says:  Grace reigns through righteousness,  not without it.

Romans 5:21 “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Grace is the unmerited favor of power.  Power from the Holy Spirit within any Christian, to be obedient.

We often think that doing good for man, is what God wants us to do.

Sometimes that is true…

John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Sometimes those ideas simply get in the way of what God really wants you to do.

Acts 16:6-7 “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,  

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia:  but the Spirit suffered them not.”

Paul wanted to go into Asia, but could not.  Then thought to go into what is now the upper part of Turkey, but was told not to by the Holy Spirit.

The Reality of the matter for each person, (and should be especially acknowledged by each Christian) is:

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

His “pleasure” here, is  His determination.  And His determination for all creation, is that His Son be glorified, and honored;  and especially by those Christ has redeemed.

Ephesians 1:11-12 “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

That we should be to the praise of his glory,…”

The whole duty of man is to love and obey God; 

This should be a joyful duty, because it is to the One Who gave so much to save me.

The Brazen Laver

It is the maintaining of fellowship with Christ, that we wish to speak of.

And one of the examples of this, is:

Exodus 30:18-20 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass,  and his foot also of brass,  to wash withal:  and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar,  and thou shalt put water therein.

                                 For Aaron and his sons shall wash there hands and there feet thereat:

                                 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation,  they shall wash with water,  that they die not;  or when they come near to the altar to minister,  to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord:”                         

The brazen Laver was made for cleansing.   It was set just outside the door of the Holy Place, in the court of the tabernacle.  This was in the natural sunlight.  The priests, and people offering, could be in this court;  but the people could not minister at the altar or the laver.

When Aaron and his sons were given for the service of the priesthood,  they were brought to the laver and given a bath by Moses;  once.

Exodus 29:4, 9 “And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,  and shall wash them with water.

                           And thou shalt gird them with girdles,  Aaron and his sons,  and put the bonnets on them:  and the priest office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute:  and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.”

This pictures our regeneration;  when we are born again.  It was never repeated.

They were priests from then on.

So with us.  When we are born again, we are forever His children.

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

But as priests, they would minister, by sacrifice, at the brazen altar.  There, the sacrifices for sin and peace would be given.

Their hands would be bloody, and their feet would be dirty from walking on the bare ground.

So, they were commanded to come to the Laver to wash both their hands and feet, before they went into the Holy Place to burn incense at the golden altar,  or light the lamp (M’nourah).    

This they were to do every time they went into the Holy Place.

The Holy Place signified fellowship with God:  

the golden altar and the burning incense showed the prayer which ascends to God (the fire to burn came from the brazen altar everyday, tying Christ sacrifice and our prayers together)

the table of shewbread showed forth the sufficiency of God for our needs;  

and the lampstand  showed forth God as the only light for our work.

All showed forth fellowship with God.

But before they could go in and have this fellowship,  they must wash at the brazen laver.

As Christians, we need daily cleansing from the defilements of the way, if we are to maintain fellowship with God.

In our walk, we constantly have dealings with those who are dead in trespasses and sins; and their influence defiles us. (You can not go very many places without hearing cursing, filthy references, or anger.  How much anger is about.)

In honesty, we are also aware of the blemishes of our service (which speak of our hands), and the failures of our walk (our feet).

We obey;   but we often hesitate. (as though we were ashamed of Christ)

Or we don’t do what God wants us to do, as He wants. (We have good reasons, we think.)

These do not interfere with our standing as Christians.  We are still born again.

But it does interfere with our communion with God.  (For every time we step back from God, we are further away from His help)

Ephesians 5:26 “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”

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

The Laver, like everything else in the Tabernacle speaks of Christ’s sufficiency to meet our every need;    for the priests could not enter the Holy Place, without washing there.

The Laver was there, but they had to wash in the water that it provided.

Christ Jesus has made a way for us to come and wash in His word.  

Do we want that fellowship and communion which enlivens us?    Will we go to the Word of God and judge our ways before Him?

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

Water is also to invigorate.  And the Word of God gives us comfort and refreshing. It revives our spirits.  It makes us feel whole, and clean again.  Ready for the next moment, the next day.

Revelation 22:17 “And the Spirit and the bride say,  Come.  And let him that heareth say,  Come.   And let him that is athirst come.   And whosoever will,  let him take the water of life freely.”

Don’t come short, when it comes to God’s Promises

Hebrews 4:1 “Let us therefore fear,  lest,  a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

Have you ever tried to reach up or out to something and it is just out of reach?

This is the way many of us think about the promises of God.   They are great and we want them;  but they seem just out of reach.

But God never intends His Word to be seen, and not used.   He intends us to have what He promises us.

The means we need to use to make them ours, really, is faith.  It easily reaches out and gets what God has for us.

Every promise in the Word, and every promise given to you personally,  is nothing until entered into by faith.

And there can never be completed faith without obedience.

Promises are only promises,  until we have them.

First we apprehend them (get them for ourselves) by faith.   

That is,  you see that God has this for you, personally,  and you reach out in belief to His Word and receive it.

When you do, you should have the hope (remember hope is the confident expectation that God will do what He says) of these promises by the assurance of the Holy Spirit within.

Second, you apprehend these promises, by obedience.    You live them.

Sometimes there are conditions to the promises the Lord gives,  like the seed on the ground:

one, a hard walking path—no receiving there.  

Others on rocks and thorns,  which received by faith,  but never put it to use.

The last, the good ground, which was tilled and received it by faith,  and also put it to use.   Some thirty-fold, some sixty-fold,  some one hundred-fold.

(Mark 14:14-20)

Without the element of faith, there is nothing.  

For faith is that which makes the things of God,  real to us.  

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

It is a true substance.  It exists within you by the Holy Spirit.

It gives us the proof we need to use the word God gives us.  In other words,  you know it. 

Faith is what is within us that reaches out to God in times of trouble, in praise, for help, for comfort, and for fellowship.

Hebrews 11:3,6 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,  so that things which are seen were not made by things which do appear.

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

By faith we understand, or perceive truths which were mysteries before.

And again,  we are to use our faith, and reach out to God in obedience, and get what He promises.

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

Let us not lose what He promises, by not believing Him.

But let us gain all that He has for us to have, through the Holy Spirit, and His promises, which He wants to give.

Let us apprehend His promises to us, and gain one hundred-fold for Christ Jesus, in believing obedience to His Word.

Stand ye in the Ways

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

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

Under King Josiah, who was a godly king; Jeremiah was given the job of going about Judah and instructing the people in the laws of God.

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

Jeremiah 2:13

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

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

He would forgive and help them:

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

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

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

For what God wanted of His people was that they obey His commands.

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

Start actively seeking My ways.    If you just do this seeking, you are serving your God and honoring Him.   This I will count, and will honor you in return.

And ask for the old paths:   The path which leads you to straighten out your life, and the path of obedience to His Word.

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

How was it with those who came before us?  Who martyred their lives for God and his gospel?  From the apostles to our forefathers?

How did they attain to what they had?

Through the Word of God to them.

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

For now?  For our calling and ministry?

As Jeremiah said to Judah:

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

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

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

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

His disciples did, and they stirred the whole world.

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

God speaks through His Word:  Hear Him,  and return to the ways of peace, knowing His presence with you, and for you everyday.

Mark:

2 Timothy 4:11 “Only Luke is with me.  Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.”

It was not always so.   Mark the writer of the Gospel of Mark, was first named in:

Acts 12:12 “And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark;  where many were gathered together praying.”

He was a believer, young and right in the middle of things from the first.

The verses where  he is first mentioned, was where Herod began a persecution against the church.   James was taken and killed by the sword. (Acts 12:1-2)

Then Peter was taken, and put in prison to bring him out so the people could decide what to do with him.(like Jesus)

But Peter we know was kicked awake by an angel and brought out of prison (Acts 12:6-11).  Then he found his way to Mary’s house, a Christian who had kept a prayer meeting going for his release.

Acts 12:5, 12 “Peter therefore was kept in prison:  but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; for many were gathered together praying.”

Mary was John Mark’s mother, and he witnessed many things in those early days.

But his personal faith was not so strong. (Which suggests that seeing miracles, or great spiritual acts does not increase faith, of themselves.)

Paul and Barnabas had John Mark for their minister(helper).

Acts 13:5 “And when they were come to Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews:  and they had also John to their minister.”

But as they went on in their missionary journey;  John Mark became frightened and decided to go back from the work to Jerusalem, where he thought he would be safe.

Acts 13:13 “Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.”

Paul and Barnabas continued their journey, experiencing many wonderful and terrible things(this missionary journey was where Paul was stoned: Acts 14:19).

But no John Mark.

After the first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem to speak about the growing problem of Judiazers.  (Those that taught they could not be saved except they follow the Law, as well.)

Acts 15:1 “And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said,  Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”

Paul and Barnabas were sent by the brethren to go to Jerusalem, and having spoken about what the Holy Spirit was doing among the Gentiles;  it was determined to receive the Gentiles without making them follow the Law.

Along the way, John Mark must have come with the men which came back to Antioch, for he is found there, when Paul and Barnabas begin to talk of visiting  the churches they had preached to before,  “and see how they do.” (Acts 15:36)

But before they get started,  a contention;  so sharp that it pulled them apart.

Acts 15:37-38 “And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.  

But Paul thought not good to take with them,  who departed from them from Pamphylia and went not with them to the work.”

You will notice the terms the Holy Spirit uses here:

Barnabas “determined”.

Paul “thought not good”.

John Mark was Barnabas’ nephew, and he would want to give him another chance.

But his “determined”,  meant, he already had his mind made up.  He was going to do this.  No matter.

Paul “thought not good” was looking at the churches.  How would it appear to them to have someone who would not hazard his life for Christ to come and minister to them?

The churches that had begun had to stand against persecutions, and blasphemes….how could he stand before them?   How could they, with him along?

Now notice the Holy Spirit’s terms for the results of this contention:

Acts 15:39-40 “And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.”

Barnabas “took”.  Hard, unmoving.

Paul “chose”.  Thinking what should be best for Christ’s work.

Barnabas took off  with Mark.  It seems as if the Holy Spirit is emphasizing his willfulness.   What a shame!    You never hear of Barnabas’ work in the Scriptures again.

Paul chose, having the recommendation of the brethren, unto the grace of God.

Two different choices…two different ways.  

But what about Mark?

He grew up, and was restored to the ministry with Paul.

Colossians 4:10″Aristarchus my fellow prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom you received commandment: if he come unto you receive him:)

2 Timothy 4:11 “Only Luke is with me.  Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.”

And he was a fellow helper of Peter.

1 Peter 5:13 “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.”

Some say the Gospel of Mark is actually Mark writing it for Peter.

Whether that is true,  Mark was restored to a work for the Lord.

He grew up, and began to understand the value of true life in Jesus.

Later Paul writes about bishops:

1 Timothy 3:6-7 “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without;  lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

We are to keep growing, yielding to the Holy Spirit. (Don’t become willful in your own opinion.)

We will never have sinless perfection…but we can be forgiven, grow, and go on with Christ.

Mark did.

Wild as Horses,

Stubborn as Mules,

Or Guided by God’s Eye.

Psalm 32:8-9 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:  I will guide thee with mine eye. 

Be not as the horse,  or as the mule,  which have no understanding:  whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.”

Horses are beautiful and wild.  When you break a horse, you don’t want to break its spirit,  but its will.

Mules are very good animals of burden and work.   They work hard….when they do;  but it is getting them to do it,  that is the problem.  

Bits and bridles for both of these animals are often called for, in the training period, and sometimes,  beyond. 

We are often like this,  the Lord says.   We are wild,  wanting our own will.   

And we are stubborn;  this is written in a Psalm of David, where he confesses his refusal to go to God in confession of sin.

Psalm 32:3-4 ” When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.  

For day and night  thy hand was heavy upon me:  my moisture is turned into the drought of summer.  Selah.”

David knew he had sinned.  He just refused to acknowledge it.  He did not want to think of it.  

But when God dealt with him;  he could think of nothing else.  It took all his strength and vitality;   and left him withered,  until he did come and confess it.

(Selah  means:  stop and consider!)

But there is a remedy for this way of behaving.  God says He will instruct us.

This means that He will gives us knowledge to do;  but also understanding  in that knowledge.

Men can instruct as to what to do,  

But only God can give understanding.

Then He says He will teach us. 

He will take our hands and place them on the work,  and show us how it is to be done.

It is the “on job” training of God for us.   It is Amazing!   

God personally taking us aside and guiding us in everything we are to do.

“I will guide thee with my eye.”     How many looks have we received from our parents,  our spouses,  and friends.    We know so well what they mean,  without  them saying a word.

This is the relationship God wants to have with each of us, for He loves us.

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God,  who is rich in mercy,  for His great love wherewith He loved us,

                               Even when we were dead in sins,  hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;)”

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 so”;  but the confident expectation that God will do what He said.  

It is hope,  because we have not got it yet,  but we expect God will do so.

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.

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 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)

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)

The Faithful and True Witness

Revelation 3:14 “And unto the angel of the Laodiceans write;  these things saith the Amen,  the faithful and true witness,  the beginning of the creation of God.”

This is Jesus Christ.  He is seen here as the Amen:  the only One who can say “Let it be.”

He is also seen as the beginning of the creation of God:  before the Godhead created,  God the Father and God the Son made an Everlasting Covenant. 

(For they saw all that would happen to their Creation in the rebellion and fall of the devil,  and the fall of Adam.)

That Everlasting Covenant was the agreement that the Son of God would come as man, in the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4-5), and pay the full ransom price for those that would be saved,  that God the Father promised Him.

Jesus Christ is also seen as the faithful and true witness;  and this is what we are going to deal with here.

(It is interesting to note:  that in these three names for the Lord Jesus, it is His Word that is stressed.   

In Amen,  it is future.     In the faithful and true witness, it is present.  And in the beginning of the creation of God, it is past.    All are His Word,  for He is the Word.   John 1:1-3)

Now a witness states the facts;  nothing more.

He tells what He sees and what He knows to be true.

So Jesus tells us what He sees in this church;  the last of the church ages before it is raptured. (taken up to heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

And what does the Lord see in His last church?

Revelation 3:15-16 “I know thy works,  that thou art neither cold or hot:  I would thou wert cold or hot.

                                   So then because thou art lukewarm,  and neither cold or hot,  I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

He sees that we are lukewarm.   Neither cold or hot,  but just natural body temperature.   

If we were cold,  we would see and feel the deadness of our spiritual life and do something about it.

If we were hot,  we would be what He wants:  zealous from “zeto” or boiling hot,  and He would bless us.

But we are just normal body temperature,  or lukewarm.   We feel no coldness,  so think we are alright.

Yes, we are not as “alright” as maybe we should be;   But we’re OK.   We will make it to heaven,  and that is all that matters,  right?

But to the Lord,  who is outside of this church,  it is not OK, or alright.

It is all wrong.

For our religion is a relationship to Jesus Christ:  a love relationship.

Yes, we come as sinners to a Savior, to be born again.

But then, after being born again, we begin a great journey:  with Christ.

It is the journey of our lives in a love relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Are there difficulties, or troubles?  Yes.  Are there joys, and peace?  Yes. And all is with Christ Jesus.)

And here, as the faithful and true witness,  Jesus Christ says,  “You are acting toward me as you were in your natural state:  indifferent,  neither seeking Me, nor outwardly rejecting Me,  just indifferent to My words, and My call.

It is as if you do not need to hear Me.”

And why are we indifferent?

Revelation 3:17 “Because thou saith, I am rich,  and increased with goods,  and have need of nothing;         and knowest not that thou art wretched,  and miserable,  and poor,  and blind,  and naked:”

Perhaps we have forgotten, that the riches that we have,  are in Christ Jesus.  We are taught to pray for our daily bread,  which shows how much we have need of Him, each and every hour of every day.

When He gives us promises, or experiences of success, it is so we may bring them back and lay them at His feet in praise and thankfulness;    not hang on to them, and make ourselves “rich” in our own eyes, or in the eyes of others.

We get to thinking, “We have need of nothing.  We are great.”  

But when we do this, the spirituality we’re gaining,  turns to natural pride, and selfishness;  for we have forgotten the basic principal of following the Lord:

Matthew 16:24 “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.”

We are actually becoming “wretched”,  as Paul exclaimed in:

Romans 7:24 “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

And when this happens, and we do not “see” it (we do not want to see ourselves),  then all the rest happens, as well.

Miserable (how can you be joyful, without God’s active Presence)

Poor (for your true riches are in Christ:  In Him is our portion)

Blind (when we refuse to see, we are blind)

Naked (the only “garment” of righteousness that is acceptable to God is Christ’s righteousness applied to us,  and then worked out through us)

What to do?

First,  turn your eyes back to Jesus.  And ask for sight.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 “For God,  who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,  hath shined in our hearts,  to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

                                     But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,  that the excellency of the power may be of God,  and not of us.”

Isaiah 45:22 “Look unto Me,  and be ye saved,  all the ends of the earth:  for I am God,  and there is none else.”

Second,  look to yourselves, to repent (repent means to turn around.  Since we are obviously going contrary to God,  turn around and get in step with Him again.)

Revelation 3:19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:  be zealous therefore, and repent.”

2 John 8 “Look to yourselves,  that we lose not those things which we have wrought,  but that we receive a full reward.”

And all this begins with “hear My Voice”. (He is the Word!    Halleluia, that He is still speaking to us!)

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

This “door” that we open is the door of our lives.   A life open to and receptive to Him.

Hear, and Live.   Look at Him, and Live.

Our relationship to Jesus is our life as Christians.   

How do we stand in it?

What is Brotherly Love?

1 John 4:11 “Beloved,  if God so loved us,  we ought also to love one another.”

Hebrews 13:1 “Let brotherly love continue.”

I am going to use Abraham as an example,  for he is the father of all who believe. (Romans 4:16)

Abraham came out from Mesopotamia with his wife, his father, and his nephew Lot and his wife.

He was suppose to come out alone:  He and Sarah (At first his name is Abram and her name was Sarai. The Lord changed them later.) (Genesis 12:1-3)

His father died before they reached Canaan, the land God had called Abraham to;  but Lot was still with him.

(Lot was a believer in God, but he is a picture of a worldly Christian; who hung onto the world’s illusion till it was too late.)

After a time they both had large herds, and servants.    As they were still together, a struggle for pasture and water broke out between the servants of both men.

Abraham called Lot and talked to him. (Notice it was not Lot that sought a solution, but Abraham.)

Genesis 13:8-9 “And Abram said unto Lot,  Let there be no strife,  I pray thee,  between me and thee,  and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen;  for we are brethren.

                             Is not the whole land before thee?   Separate thyself,  I pray thee, from me:  if thou wilt take the left hand,  then I will go to the right,  or if thou depart to the right hand,  then I will go to the left.”

To Abraham God had spoken and given a promise concerning the land, and his dwelling there.   

But instead of asserting his rights,  he gives Lot the choice of what portion of land he thought best.

Genesis 13:11-12 “Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordon;  and Lot journeyed east:  and they separated themselves the one from the other.

                                 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan,  and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain,  and pitched his tent toward Sodom.”

Lot chooses the plain, and soon pitches his tent toward Sodom.   Then next we read, he lives in Sodom.  

Then there is war.  And four kings come against the cities of the plain.  They are a huge army and they attack and loot Sodom.    Lot is taken with the captives.(Genesis 14:11-12)

As soon as Abraham hears, he gathers his servants to go and save Lot.

Genesis 14:14 “And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants,  born in his own house,  three hundred and eighteen,  and pursued them unto Dan.”

Now these men are not soldiers.  But “trained servants”.   Ones which probably kept watch at night for any trouble with the herds that Abraham had.

But they went with him, and under cover of night he fought against this large army,  by dividing his men on several sides.

Genesis 14:15-16 “And he divided himself against them,  he and his servants,  by night,  and smote them,  and pursued them unto Hoban, which is on the right hand of Damascus.

                                And he brought back all the goods,  and also brought again his brother Lot,  and his goods,  and the women also,  and the people.”

Abraham surely sought the Lord’s guidance and help,  for the Lord blessed him in this very lopsided fight.

Later Abraham said, when offered a reward for returning the goods and people to the king of Sodom:

Genesis 14:22-23 “And Abram said to the king of Sodom,  I have up lifted up mine hand to the Lord,  the Most High God,  the possessor of heaven and earth, 

                                 That I will not take a thread, even to a shoe-latchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine,  lest thou shouldest say,   I have made Abram rich:”

But you hear nothing from Lot.   No Thank you.  No word of regret that he had gotten entangled with Sodom.  Nothing.  

As a matter of fact, Lot goes right back into this evil city.

Time passes.  At least 13 years, and the Lord and two angels appears to Abraham.   They entertained them with food, and the Lord gives Abraham and Sarah a promise of the child they had been waiting for.

When they are done, they rise and walk east, toward Sodom, and the Lord tells Abraham that the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great that it “cries” out for judgement. (The cries of injustice,  and of the victims of it’s evil and abuse,  are great cries.)

But before God judges these cities,  He is going to send His angels to see if the cries are true.

Abraham thinks of Lot and begins to intercede;  not for the cities,  but for the righteous that might be in the cities.

Genesis 18:23-25 “And Abraham drew near, and said,   Wilt  thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

                                  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city:  wilt thou also destroy and spare not the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

                                   That be far from thee to do after this manner,  to slay the righteous with the wicked;  and that the righteous should be as the wicked,  that be far from thee:  Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?”

Now Abraham knows the Lord, and His goodness, so he feels he can speak to the Lord this way.

First he begins with fifty righteous people.    

The Lord said that if the angels found fifty righteous,  He would not destroy it.

Genesis 18:26 “And the Lord said,  If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,  then will I spare all the city for their sakes.”

But then Abraham thought that in a city so wicked, there might not be fifty. (He was right)

So he prayed; what if there were forty-five righteous persons?  The Lord said, He would not destroy it.

Abraham considered, and asked:  What if there are forty righteous persons?  And the Lord said again,  that He would not destroy it.

The  Lord was still walking with Abraham, so   Abraham says,   Oh let not the Lord be angry, (actually, Abraham’s intercession pleased the Lord).    He asks,  what if there were thirty?

The Lord said He would not destroy it for thirty’s sake.

Abraham goes further and asks,  What if there were twenty found there?

I will not destroy these huge cities, for twenty’s sake;  the Lord said.

One last time, Abraham lowers the number to ten.   What if there were only ten righteous persons in those cities?

The Lord said,  I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

But after this the Lord “went His way”.   

Genesis 18:33 “And the Lord went his way,  as soon as he had left communing with Abraham:  and Abraham returned unto his place.”

Abraham had done what he could for Lot, and his family.

God loves to have His people pray for their fellow believers.  That shows their love toward them;  to bring them and their needs before God for them.

But the evil of these cities and their victims also needed to be dealt with.

God did save righteous Lot,   that he perished not with the wicked.

2 Peter 2:7-8 “And delivered just Lot,  vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked,

                         For that righteous man dwelling among them,  in seeing and hearing,  vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds:”

(The story of this deliverance of Lot is quite horrible.  The poor man had prestige, for he was sitting at the gate, as judge of the city.        But when it came to influence for good,  he had none:  he went to tell his daughters and sons-in-law of the coming destruction, but they thought his warning was a joke. “As one that mocked”.)

It is also horrible to think that if there had been just a few more righteous people than Lot’s own family,  the cities could have been saved.  (Lot, his wife, two daughters at home, two married with husbands.   That is eight people!  Two more righteous was all they needed;  but there was none.)

Abraham had shared the Word of the Lord with Lot, and Lot had believed and followed Abraham into the land,  but he became entangled in the beauty,  and riches of the world,  and his testimony for God was ruined.

Abraham looked to the welfare of his nephew at every turn.  No matter Lot’s attitude toward Abraham;  Abraham showed brotherly love to Lot.

So we are called to do:

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give unto you,  that ye love one another, as I have loved you,  that ye also love one another.

                            By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,  if ye have love one to another.”