His Pleasure for me.

Revelation 4:10 “The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne,  and worship Him that liveth forever and ever,  and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,”

The glory of having a crown in that day,  will be, to cast it at the feet of Jesus.

He deserves all the honor:  for He created us,  saved us,  sustained us, and brought us to the place of all joy:  heaven and His Presence forever.

This crown is truly our own;  we have “earned” it as a reward for our devotion to the Lord Jesus.   We could walk around heaven with it on, if we wanted to.

[There are three crowns for us in heaven,  spoken of in scripture:  

the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) to them that love His appearing;   

the crown of life (James 1:12) to them that love Him;  

and the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4) by feeding the flock of God, by being examples to the flock.]

But the real glory of having a crown;  is to cast it down at His feet.  

He has shown me this verse, I read it everyday:

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.”

He created all things: By His Almighty Power He made something out of nothing.

And for His pleasure they are , and were created.  

“Pleasure” here means determination.

If, indeed, we exist for His Pleasure/Determination,  what is His Pleasure where we are concerned?

What has He determined for us?

It is to be reconciled to Him…..in all things. 

(Is there something you are not reconciled to God, about?  I wish to tell you….He comes to meet us….as we come to Him.  [the prodigal])

2 Corinthians 5:19-20 “To wit,  that God was in Christ,  reconciling the world unto Himself,  not imputing their trespasses unto them,  and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

                                         Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,  as though God did beseech you by us:  we pray you in Christ’s stead,  be ye reconciled to God.”

This is to put first things,  first.   

And it is in today’s situation that this must be done.  

We can not wait for “better” opportunities,  or a “more convenient season”.

“Lord, I am here now, by Your pleasure……In this set of circumstances.   

May I adjust to them,…..seek Your will in them,…..and see Your will brought to pass in me, by them.  

And may I know Your joy and peace in them.”

(How many opportunities have I missed because I thought that this situation was just like before?    Too many. )

But we can be “crowned” here, by the Lord, as well:

Psalms 103:2-5 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

        Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;  Who healeth all they diseases;

        Who Redeemeth thy life from destruction;  Who crowned thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

         Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;  so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

The “crownest” here,  means to encircle for protection.

Here,   we are crowned with God’s lovingkindness and mercy for our protection…..crowned also suggests noticeable,  for testimony to others for our God.

In heaven,  we are given crowns to reward our devotion to Christ…..the joy of which, will be to give them back to Jesus….Who won us to Himself….by His sacrifice and life.

We are created for a purpose.   Saved for a purpose.   Guided into that purpose,  which is His Pleasure/Determination, by the Holy Spirit.

Will we be reconciled to Him in all things,…..and our purpose….day by day?

Let us have the crown of love and mercy encircle us now….and look forward in devotion to Christ, to be able to throw our crowns down at His feet.

Guidance 

James 3:3 “Behold, we put bits in the horses mouth, that they may obey us;  and we turn about their whole body.”

There are two ways to break a horse.  Gently, over time, getting the horse to accept you, and your weight on him;  till the horse and you become partners.

He is mastered,  but by love.

Or severely, which makes the horse accept you and your weight—now, by wearing down it’s resistance.

He is mastered, but by force of circumstances.

How would you like to receive your guidance from the Lord?

We can be brought to the place that we are directed by the force of circumstances;  which is like the bit and bridle.

We must do,  because we have no choice in the matter.  

But this is not what the Lord Jesus Christ would have for us. 

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go:  I will guide thee with Mine eye.”

This is gentle guidance.  Remember one look from the Lord sent Peter out weeping.

The Lord would have us, all look to Him for our guidance,  if we would just see Him as He is.  The Creator, and Sustainer of the Universe is our Lord and Savior.

He loves us, and wants us to enter into—with Him—all the joys of service to Him.  

For in Him is glorious liberty of spirit!

True freedom is freedom from the power of our sin, and self.  

The bondage of…..I have to do this (which can be any addiction),  

…..and the bondage of…..I want to do this (how many “things” we want:  no contentment,  just want).

We can be free from these, by the liberty of the Holy Spirit’s control.

The closer to God we get,  the more freedom we have.

I will instruct and teach you, in the way that you shall go.

What this means, is that He will go with you in each step, showing you what to do, and helping you do it.

So often, we refuse the gentle way, for one reason or another.  

We fight with Him,……even though we want what He is leading us into.

I have found that no one likes to be told what to do….and obedience is the first lesson we must learn….obedience, without knowing the way….but knowing Christ;

Obedience, without our “two cents” being added….just bowing to His Way.

We need to understand that the Lord must lead us(or we will surely go the wrong way).  But how will He lead us?

Psalm 32:9 “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 (or trample thee).”

The “something” which hinders, is our unbroken will.   Like the horse, or mule;  we must be broken or mastered, to be usable.

It is the method of the breaking which is spoken of here.  

He wants us to yield to Him,  which is what we do when we “look to Him”….

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.”

For the look of faith and trust,  in Christ Jesus our Lord,  is yielding.

If we are looking to Him,  we are looking away from other things.   Choosing Him.

And when we look?

Ephesians 1:18 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened;  that ye may know   the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

                            And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe,  according to the working of His mighty power,”

We need to know….

….and we need this mighty power in our everyday walk;   instructing us and teaching us in the way we must go.

I want that gentle instruction of His eye.    

How do you want to be guided?

Manasseh 

Manasseh was one of the Bible’s worst persons:  he was a king,  born into luxury and position.

Loved of his father,  Hezekiah, who was a Godly king.

As a matter of fact,  years before, when Hezekiah was going to die;  he prayed that he might live.  That God would extend his life.

He had no son,  and wanted to have an heir,  before he died.

Manasseh was the result.

From the first,  he departed from the ways of his father. And forsook the worship of God,  for idols.

The pleasures of this life was all he was interested in;……that, and leading others into the same sin.

2 Kings 21:1-2 “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign,…

                            And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord,  after the abominations of the heathen,  whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.”

 2 Kings 21:6 “And he made his sons pass through the fire,  and observed times,  and used enchantments,  and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards:  he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord,  to provoke Him to anger.”

He destroyed those who spoke out against him,  and became worse and worse in “having his own way”.

2 Chronicles 33:10. “And the Lord spake to Manasseh,  and to his people:  but they would not hearken.”

How often it is, that sin leads to more sin.  

We can begin by getting angry, and the next minute,  we can be thinking about getting even.

We can begin by speeding, and end up endangering others.

Sin is addictive;    that is why we need our Savior, Jesus Christ, to save us from it. (Matthew 1:21)

The blood that Manasseh shed, and the idols he worshipped,  brought the curse of God onto the nation of Judah.

(Tradition says that he killed Isaiah for preaching against him, and his sin)

2 Kings 21:16 “Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much,  till he had filled Jerusalem from one end unto another;    besides his sin where with he made Judah to sin,  in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

2 Kings 21:11-12 “Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations,  and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him,  and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols:

                               Therefore  thus saith the Lord God of Israel,  Behold,  I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah,  that whosoever heareth of it,  both his ears shall tingle.”

Yet….

And this is amazing grace….Manasseh repented.  

2 Chronicles 33:11-12   “Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria,  which took Manasseh among the thorns,  and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

                                          And when he was in affliction,  he besought the Lord his God,  and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,”

To “humble ourselves” in the Hebrew is to “bend the knee” or submit to God.

This is what Manasseh had never done.  He had not submitted to anyone or anything.

No matter what image he had brought and set up;  there was always something else to seek after. 

For none of them satisfied Manasseh’s real desire.  

He had used power to do what he wanted,  when he wanted, as he wanted;  no matter who got hurt in the process.  (Remember he sacrificed his own children.)

God, the true God,…..was to be sought, heard, and obeyed;…..not refused and rebelled against.   And there is usually a time limit to our rebellion:  either repentance….or destruction.

God knows how to bring down a person’s pride.  

And how to finally awaken the person to His claims,…….upon the life He gave us.

(For some, it comes in rebukes: to back-strike with words, to get them into the way of life.

For some, it comes in chastening:  things happen that would not have happened had we heard His rebuke….sometimes to others we love…..sometimes to ourselves.

All so that we will not continue our mad dash toward death.

For Manasseh….nothing affected him,…….until he was afflicted.)

2 Chronicles 33:13 “And prayed unto Him (the Lord):   and was entreated of him, and heard his supplication,  and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.

Then Manasseh knew that the Lord  He was God.”

The prison brought him to the place he needed to be:  alone….before God.

Repentance brought him to the place he needed to be: saved from his sins….

And brought him to his kingdom again. This time he was in subjection to God, bringing back the worship of God to Judah;  whereby saving many of his people.

2 Chronicles 33:15-16 “And he took away the strange gods,  and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord,  and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

                                        And he repaired the altar of the Lord,  and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings,  and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel.”

Peace offerings!  Because he had found peace with God.  (So can we.  Romans 5:1-2)

Thank offerings!  Because he had finally found true satisfaction in God.

James writes:

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

Grace is the unmerited favor of power in our lives, by Jesus Christ our Lord.

He has power for us:  everyday power to live for Him, and enjoy the peace and joy,  He only can give.

And power to save and deliver us from the worst sins.

He can save to the uttermost those that call upon Him, and come to Him….He did Manasseh.

                                       

It is High Time to Awake 

Romans 13:11 “And that, knowing the time,  that now it is high time to awake out of sleep:  for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”

In the Greek,  “awake” means to collect all our faculties, to rouse up from obscurity, sickness or death.

It is when you start using all your spiritual faculties,  to do God’s Will.

It is as the Prodigal, when he “came to himself”. 

Luke 15:17 “And when he came to himself,  he said,   How many hired servants of my Father’s have bread enough and to spare,  and I perish with hunger!”

The Prodigal was the younger son of two boys.  He had lived in the Father’s House, and became restless for “something more”.

So he came and asked his Father for his portion, and his Father gave both boys their inheritance:  the older, as was the custom, received two-thirds of the estate;  the younger received one-third.

What is this “inheritance”?  

I believe it is our wills.  As God’s children (Yes, these are Christians—sons of the Father),  we will use our wills to will after God, and bring forth fruit;   Or we will “waste” our wills on things of this world.

Luke 15:13 “And not many days after the younger son gathered all together,  and took his journey into a far country,  and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”

The “far country” seemed to be a great place,  but the heart of this boy knew that it was just “wasting” time and effort, with nothing to show for it.

Luke 15:14 “And when he had spent all,  there arose a mighty famine in that land;  and he began to be in want.”

See God’s hand in this?

How could he spend all his will?     By wasting his efforts chasing shadows: and refusing reality.

Look at Solomon:

Ecclesiastes 2:10,  6:12  “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them,  I withheld not my heart from any joy;  for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor.

                                For who knoweth what is good for man in this life,  all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow?  For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?”

Solomon and this Prodigal spent all their effort of will “tasting” of things which they knew to be nothing, in comparison to God’s Will.

But they continued,  till they were “spent” or like dead inside.

What to do?  the Prodigal,  deadened to spiritual feelings, went and begged a job from a pig farmer.   (Swine were unclean to the Hebrews,  but as I said, this poor boy is deadened to things as they should be….until…)

Luke 15:17.  “And when he came unto himself,  he said,   How many hired servants of my Father’s have bread enough and to spare,  and I perish with hunger!”

Now here, thankfully,  he “Awakes!”.   For that is what “he came unto himself” means:  he remembers,  “Hey, I am a Christian.  I have a Father that is good to servants,  and gives them the Bread of Life.”

Then, because he is awake,  he begins to use his will,  for God’s Will:  notice the “will” here:

Luke 15:18-19 “I will arise and go unto my Father,  and will say unto Him,  Father,  I have sinned against heaven, and before Thee,  

                           And am no more worthy to be called Thy son:  make me as one of Thy hired servants.”

We know the rest.  He does what is God’s wills, and returns:  confessing all to his Father.   

But instead of the lowest place in the Father’s House, the boy is given the Father’s kiss of forgiveness,  the best robe,  a ring of authority for his finger, and a fatted calf.

Paul in Romans is calling for these Christians to “awake out of sleep”……to realize that time is moving forward……are they?

Romans 13:11-12 “And that,  knowing the time,  that now it is high time to awake out of sleep;  for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

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

Are we still living “riotously”in the far country?  

Have we felt the “famine” of the Word of God to our souls? (Amos 8:11)

Are you ready to “awake”?

Well, wherever you are…..

….Gather your faculties,  all the things you possess in Christ, to one grand end:  to do the Will of God in these days.

To “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ (Be conformed to His character).

Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,  and make not provision for the flesh,  to fulfill the lusts thereof.”

Come to yourself…who you are, as Christians, in this world.  Remember the Bread of Life, and put on the armor of light.  His light is real protection, for in His light we see everything clearly.

The Prodigal forgot the goodness of his Father, for a while,  but was awakened, and returned to Him.

We, too, often forget the mercy, and grace of God.  But we can remember Him, awaken, and come to His light.  

We can use our wills to do His Will.

As Paul says,  “It is high time to awake out of sleep”.

Psalm 136: A psalm of praise for the Lord’s Mercy 

Psalm 136:1 “O give thanks unto the Lord;  for He is good:  for His mercy endureth forever.”

In this Psalm, every verse ends with the phrase,  “for His mercy endureth forever”.

“Endureth” means that it is established and stands fast.   God’s mercy for us has been established in eternity past….and will stand fast….immovable for us throughout eternity future.

He is the God of gods, the Lord of lords,  Who alone does great wonders.

Whose wisdom made the heavens, stretched out the earth above the waters.

Who made the sun to rule by day, and the moon and stars to rule by night.

Who redeemed Israel from Egypt,…protecting under Blood, their firstborn;  while slaying the firstborn of Egypt.

Who brought them through, dry shod, the Red Sea.  

Yet slew Pharaoh’s army when they followed, bringing the same Sea to drown them.

Who lead them through the wilderness, bringing  them into the Promised land.

All these things are the marvelous works He has done….

….but then,…. the personal memory of God for “us”….the personal pronoun.

Who remembered, and remembers “us” now (for it is in a continuing sense)…..and here it takes a personal turn.

And “hath redeemed us”….

Psalm 136:23-24 “Who remembered us in our low estate:  for His mercy endureth forever:

               And hath redeemed us from our enemies:  for His mercy endureth forever.”

It is good to see and acknowledge…to praise and extoll God for Who He is, and what He has done.

But it is better to know God’s mercy personally……that He remembers me, or us.  And redeems us.

How often we are in need of His mercy.   

Mercy is God’s kindness to sinners.  

There is temporal mercy:  He sends the rain on the just and unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

And there is Spiritual mercy, which is only found in Christ Jesus,  for ”us”.

This redemption is personal Salvation, guidance, and victory.

Let us acknowledge Who God is, and praise Him for it.

But let us make sure we have a personal interest in Christ Jesus, that He is our Redeemer.

We are ever in His memory…ever before His eyes.  

2 Timothy 1:9-10 “Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began;

                                 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”

This seal of mercy is set on all the circumstances, people, and paths that comes to “us”:      “His mercy endureth forever.”

His mercy reaches us where we are.

His mercy leads us out of bondage.

His mercy delivers us and gives us the promises. 

His mercy remembers us, and in Christ Jesus, our Lord,  brings us before His throne to get what we need. 

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

How much He has for us, if we will but come to Him and get it,  and then with the help of the Holy Spirit within,  use it.

God is Nigh unto them with a Broken Heart. 

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart:  and saveth such that be of a contrite spirit.”

This is a promise from our God.

Often the broken heart thinks that God is far away….but not so.  He is near.

This broken heart is found in all places.  

We are broken in heart by our sin and many failures to such a Good God.

We are broken in heart, often, when we are in troubles and afflictions.

We are broken in heart by people’s cruelty, and circumstances which seen out of control.

We are broken in heart as we go through this weary world…..by grief, and loss.

Isaiah 32:2 “And a Man (and that man is Christ) shall be as a hiding place from the wind and a culvert from the tempest;  as rivers of water in a dry place,  as a shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”

“Broken” here means “burst,  to break in pieces.”

But we have a promise:  The Lord is near us.   I don’t know about you, but the greatest joy of my life, has been His Presence.

I’ve known it since being born again,…..and though I have failed and wavered (often),…….He has not.  

He has loved me; and helped me.

Yes, I can say it has not been always the way I wanted.   

But I can also say, it has been what I needed.

My broken heart, (by loss, by hate, by hurt feelings, by money troubles, by other troubles)  was not always miraculously healed,  but always mended. 

(And “mended” means “to fasten upon,  to strengthen, to cure, repair, make courageous”.)

Ezekiel 34:16a  “I will seek that which was lost,  and bring again that which was driven away,  and will bind up that which is broken,  and will strengthen that which was sick:..”

“And saveth such that be of a contrite spirit.”  

When we are broken in heart by our sins, and contrite (bruised)…….when we remember that we have rebelled against our Loving Lord;  then God is well pleased….and is more than ready to save us.

Our sin crucified our Lord.  He died for me.  

Psalm 51:14, 17 “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness,  O God,  thou God of my salvation:  and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

                The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:  a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,  whose name is Holy;   I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,  to revive the spirit of the humble,  and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

Jeremiah 30:17a  “For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds,  saith the Lord;…”

When our hearts are broken by loss, hurt, or grief;  He is not there just to comfort;……but to restore.

He supports us, so we go on through the sorrow, together;  and not be overcome.

(He never dismisses our loss;  but seeks to hold on to us,  through it.)

David felt this way, for he knew many losses, enemies, and troubles; and turned to the Lord:

Psalm 69:2, 20, 29-30 “I sink in deep mire,  where there is no standing:  I am come into deep waters,  where the floods overflow me.

                                         Reproach hath broken my heart;  and I am full of heaviness:  and I look for some to take pity,  but there was none;  and for comforters, but I found none.

                                          But I am poor and sorrowful:  let Thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

                                          I will praise the name of God with a song,  and I will magnify Him with thanksgiving.”

Christ Jesus has carried our sorrows;……so we can receive His joy and peace.  

His joy lifts us up out of the depths of despair.   

His peace surrounds us, in His arms.

Isaiah 53:4 “Surely He had borne our griefs,  and carried our sorrows:  yet we did esteem Him stricken,  smitten of God,  and afflicted.”

He did that for us.   Receive His comfort.

Jesus quoted this promise when He was here on earth:

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;  

He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted,  

to preach deliverance to the captives, 

and recovering of sight to the blind, 

to set at liberty them that are bruised,

                    To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

He has promised.  He will give it.  Ask for it.  

Look to Jesus, and He will heal your broken heart;…..no matter how it got broken.

Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort.

1 Corinthians 14:3 “But he that prophetieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.”

Paul is speaking concerning prophesying….or preaching what is on God’s mind for His people.    

1 Corinthians 14:4 “….but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.”

As preachers,  we are to bring before the people we preach to,  three things:

Edification….which is to build up.   

       We are to preach the Word of God in such a way that the people will grow in grace.   That they will grow from children…tossed to and fro in doctrine…..to grown men of God.

       Ephesians 4:13-15 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

       That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

         But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things which is the head, even Christ:”

       God’s Word is full of “building blocks”….that will fortify us against this world’s tricks and allurements….for through His Word, and by HIs Spirit, we will know our God.

        Daniel 11:32 “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries:     but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

        Psalm 61:3 “For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.”

       Psalm 62:2 “He only is my rock and my salvation;  He is my defense;  I shall not be greatly moved.”  

       

To know the Lord,  and HIs Word to us….builds us up.   We are not tricked….for we know HIs Will.   

       We are not “greatly moved”….it does not say we are never moved by emotions, troubles, or adversity…..but we are not greatly moved….because Christ is our Rock and fortress.

Then we are to Exhort.

Exhortation is to awaken….

Hebrews 13:22 “And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation : for I have written a letter unto you in few words.”

When we exhort,  we are preaching to wake our hearers up.   It is so easy to fall asleep,  or settle down in what we consider a time of rest.

 The  Adversary of our souls, the devil, never rests….but seeks to trick or beguile us.

              So we must be watchful of our souls….and awake to hear the calling of our Lord for the next step.

Paul wrote the Ephesians in the early part of his first imprisonment….a letter of affection….reminding them of the Will of God from “before times eternal”….and the blessings He has for us.   But he exhorts them to be awake….not comfortable in their spiritual lives….but staying in the light.

               Ephesians 5:14 “Wherefore He saith,  Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

Paul wrote the Romans about the Purpose of God….and the importance of continuing in it.

Romans 13:11-12 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep:  for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

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

Exhortation is an important element in our growth in grace….for it we are not awake to Christ’s call and direction….we may surely take a wrong turn.

Then we are to Comfort.

How important this is to godly growth in grace!   For to comfort a Christian is to turn their eyes upward to Christ….and His love and peace.  

          Romans 8:35, 38-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?…

….For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,   Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

To see and feel the needs of others….their grief, sorrow, pain,….tiredness even.  As a Christian, we are to pray for….and speak the words of Christ which will heal, and give something to lean upon.

For God is the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3)

Paul, when the Thessalonians were sorrowful about those who had died already…thinking that perhaps since they were dead,  the Lord would not raise them up when He came….wrote to them.

         1 Thessalonians 4:13, 16-18 “But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

             For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

            Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

           Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

The Holy Spirit is the Comforter (John 14:16, 26)….for He abides with us forever.

       The scriptures are for our comfort…..

….”…that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”(Romans 15:4)

         And we are to comfort each other.    

2 Thessalonians 5:11 “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

  

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 “Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,  

            Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work.”

We are called help each other grow in grace…..

Maybe you can not preach or teach…..but you can witness to God’s grace and comfort to you….and pray for His people,  that they may know Him as they should.

         

       

Real Spirituality begins when we take our place before our God, our Maker.

Romans 9:19-20 “Thou wilt say them unto Me,  Why doth He yet find fault?  For who hath resisted His Will?

       Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?  Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it,  Why hast Thou made me thus?”

“Why have You made me thus?   If You had not made me as I am,  I would not have these problems….it is Your fault, I am as I am.”

(I told this to the Lord once……I was so angry about the mess my life was in!                                Even though I had been born in a “Christian” family….had gone to church….yet there was an anger in my life….from hurts and resentments I refused to deal with.

Down through the ages,  we have wondered why God made us the way we am.

Or in this time,…..or in these circumstances.

(And are we not seeing this more and more….people refusing God’s Way of life for them?)

When that is exactly what He did….He made me for now….for the time I am in,  to manifest to this age…….our God.

That is the purpose of every man.

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.”

(This is a marvelous verse….for it pictures the Raptured church in heaven.   And what do they praise the Lord for first?    That He created all things for His pleasure.   His Will is best for all His creation…especially me!)

He has created all things, and placed them….for His glory.

All things means all things.   He says,  “…yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.”   

Romans 3:19 “Now we know that what things soever the law saith,  it saith to them that are under the law:  that every mouth may be stopped,  and all the world may be come guilty before God.”

Here is the last word….that every mouth may be stopped:

No more alibis

No more excuses

No more reasons why we did…..or did not do.

But every mouth will be stopped.

Now there are two ways that this happens:

For the lost, it happens at the White Throne judgement….every knee shall bow to Christ Jesus,   at the mention of His name.    Every sin will be read, and there will be no “talking back”…no excuses…just silence….as the Judge of all the earth gives the verdict….”depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity.”

For the saved,  it happens when we realize we are sinners…..lost….without hope in this world. 

Our mouths are stopped….we see we can give no excuse for our actions…against God and others.

But once we stop….and come to Christ,  Who alone can save us….and become born again….

…….then the Lord opens our mouths to speak His Word.

When Job had this experience, he spoke plainly of it:

Job had served the purpose of God in his wealth and prosperity;….as well as in his poverty and want.

He spoken a lot of words….good words….

….until the Lord showed Himself to him….then….

Job 40:1, 4 “Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,     Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct Him?   He that reproveth God, let him answer it.

        The Job answered the Lord,  and said,   Behold,  I am vile;  what shall I answer Thee?  I will lay my hand upon my mouth.”

It is quite one thing to…know about God….even a great deal.

And another thing to….know God.

Job 42:5-6 “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear;  but now mine eye seeth Thee:  

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

This is taking our place before our Maker.   

He speaks, and I listen.

He decides, and I do.

That day Job knew God as His Creator and Sustainer.    And Job repented and bowed.   

        But then Job got up, forgave his “friends”…who had criticized everything he went through…

….and went on with the life God gave him…as a witness to God.

        Every time we know God more personally,  we will see ourselves more clearly….and marvel of marvels….we will in our humbling, be exalted to a more spiritual life in Him.

Matthew 25:1 “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,  which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.”

This begins the parable of the ten virgins…..

…five which are wise…for they not only brought their lamps….but extra oil for them….”in their vessels”….trying to be prepared for every good work (Ephesians 2:10)…..while waiting for their Bridegroom.

(In scripture, wise means reverent to God and His commandments.  Only the Holy Spirit works this awe in us.)

….five which are foolish….for they brought lamps but no extra oil for them….”shining”,…..only looking forward to their reward and happiness forever.

(In scripture foolish means “heedless”….turning a deaf ear to God’s commands….as though they could bypass them.  The Lord said,  “If ye love Me, keep My commandments”.    It is not agreeing with His Will, but doing His Will that shows our love to Him.)

They were all …..full of excitement for the celebration to come….at the first.

They thought that they were all ready to light their lamps when He came!

But the bridegroom  tarried.   He did not come when expected….so they first sat down…..then they fell asleep….all of them.

But there was a shout,  to wake them up….(praise God that He sends some to wake us up!  How many awakenings and revivals have come by the voice of….”the Bridegroom cometh!”)

So they all got up….and tried to “trim their lamps”…..

       That is,  they began to be diligent in the outward forms of religion….Bible study, going to church, praying.

But the error was not in the lamps……in the outward actions……but in the oil (a picture of the Holy Spirit)…..

…..some had Him….some did not.

The wise had extra in their vessels…..for the Holy Spirit is always with us…..and when we yield to Him there is abundant power for enlightening, and courage.

It is true they were guilty…..they did not stay awake and shine for Christ as they should…..but when they were awakened…..they got themselves right with God, yielding to the Holy Spirit……and right with others…..

….standing ready for the Bridegroom’s coming.

But the foolish had none.    Why?   Did not they have lamps?  Yes….there are many which have the outward form of Christianity…..many good works are done by people who love what Jesus stands for….yet who have never given themselves to Christ Jesus the Lord.

Weren’t the foolish prepared at first?   No,  for they never had a supply of oil….or the Holy Spirit.

Many have a ‘spirit’ of enthusiasm….or a ‘spirit’ of happiness at being part of something larger than themselves….

….but only the wise had the supply of oil (Holy Spirit) that would not run out.

Matthew 25:8 “And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil;  for our lamps are gone out.”

You would think this the right thing to do…..but the wise said that they could not provide for them…..

….Only God could…and that is what these foolish refused to do from the first…they would not “go” or submit to God…….for “foolish” is heedless.  

Matthew 25:10 “ And while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut.”

Jeremiah 8:20 “The harvest is past,  the summer is ended,  and we are not saved.”

Time runs out for every person on earth.   

These foolish virgins had let their time of “seeking the Lord” go by…..without doing it….till time had run out.

Like Jeremiah, I often look at our generation and feel:

Jeremiah 8:21, 9:1 “For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt;….astonishment hath taken hold on me.

          Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears,  that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” 

How many around us need to hear the gospel?

How many we meet, can see the Light of Christ shining in us?

Jeremiah 8:22 “Is there no balm in Gilead:  is there no Physician there?  Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?”

Yes, there is a balm to heal every ailment. 

Yes, there is a great Physician to mend and heal every sin…..Jesus Christ the Lord.

Let us awaken…..and…..be wise and receive Him and His Word to us…..and shine as lights in this world.

We can not give the “oil” of the Holy Spirit to others…..but we can sure lead them to the Lord Jesus Christ….before it is too late.

         

The Lame man at the gate Beautiful 

Acts 3:1-3 “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

           And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

          Who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms.”

This is days after the giving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost,….

Peter and John were going up to the temple to pray (remember the church met in the porches of the temple as well as in their houses, for prayer and preaching in the early days)

As they are about to go in,  a lame man asks alms.

Now this man, though an Israelite…one under the covenant……had never entered the temple….for from the day he was born, he was lame.   

So he begged from those who could.

He was just outside…always just outside….but never having gone in,  to come near to God,….or worship

Acts 3:4-7 “And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said,  Look on us.  

            And he gave heed unto them,  expecting to receive something of them.

            Then Peter said,  Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee:  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

            And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.”

This miracle is done in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth…

(Philippians 2:9-11 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

          That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

           And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”)

Then Peter took him by the right hand, and lifted him up….

….notice the confidence of Peter in the name of Jesus.

He does not wait for the man to obey….but reached down and grabbed him….lifting him.

When he is lifted—then his ankles and feet receive strength…..

…….it is when strength was required by standing,  that strength was given  to stand.

(How much the same way we should be:  

We should lift each other up in prayer in Jesus Name.

We should lift up each other in words of encouragement, edification, and exhortation.

How many people’s “walk” would become stronger….being helped from a crippling sin,  habit, or resentment….by our faith in Jesus Name, and lifting them up in our prayers.)

And then joy…..and abundant strength is given:

Acts 3:8 “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”

This lame man,….lame from birth…..entered…for the first time into the temple to praise God.

Acts 3:11 “ And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s ,  greatly wondering.”

This man was so joyful….so grateful….so praiseful….

….he held Peter and John…..and would not let them go!

This was quite the sight!  Joyful praise from a man,   who all knew to be lame….yet he was leaping now….and walking.

Peter takes this opportunity to preach to those gathered:

First, he tells them that it was not their own power or holiness that caused this man to walk…..

Then he tells them that God…..the God of their fathers has glorified His Son Jesus….

….who they crucified….

Acts 3:14-16 “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just,….and killed the Prince of life whom God hath raised from the dead;  whereof we are witnesses.  

      And His name,  through faith in His name, hath made this man strong,….”

This miracle is done in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.   This is the name of the Lord when he was here, going about Israel,  preaching and doing good.

This is important…..for this is the name they knew Him by…..this is the name used when they cried for Him to be crucified….

And now in this  Name,…..this miracle was performed…..proving that He is not dead…..but risen, as promised…..and that He is approved of God.

Acts 3:18-19 “But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled.

         Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,…”

There is such a scene that the temple guards are called….by the Sadducees.

(The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection.   They believed in being religious so God would bless them…in the now. )

They arrested Peter, John, and the lame man!  (Perhaps thinking a night in “the hold” would dampen their testimony….and cool their devotion.)

Yet many which heard Peter’s message….seeing the proof of Jesus Name….believed.

The next morning,  the council brought them out, before them…..

….and asked a question,…

Acts 4:7 “….By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?”

(We say that God is in control…..and look at this question!   Amazing!  They asked them exactly what Peter needed to show the authority and power of Jesus’ Name….now…before this council!)

Acts 4:8 “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them,….”

(Jesus said, “And when they bring you unto….magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:  

       For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.”

So Peter, given power by the Holy Ghost, spoke boldly)

“…….Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 

            If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man,  by what means he is made whole;

            Be it known unto you all,….that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whole ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole.

            This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

            Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,  whereby we must be saved.”

What an amazing scriptural message….laying out in no uncertain terms….Jesus Christ was the Messiah…

…..they crucified Him,…even though they were given the ministry of “building” God’s nation by God’s law….

…..yet that Name is still calling all who will believe….even them….for there is no other name under heaven whereby they…..”they” could be saved.

Acts 4:13-14 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,  and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

            And beholding the man which was healed standing with them,   they could say nothing against it.”

(When the Holy Spirit speaks through us….there is power, and authority in the words we speak.

He brings back scripture to mind, and can plant that seed in those that hear.)

Because the council could not say anything against the miracle….the man standing right there….

…..they threatened Peter and John…..and commanded them not to speak in Jesus name anymore.

But Peter and John are fixed in their determination to serve the Lord….

Acts 4:19-20 “But Peter and John answered and said unto them,  Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

            For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

….and they speak to the conscience of the council right then, if they will hear it—it is right to serve God more than man.

“God is doing this,  listen carefully….for we will not stop speaking about what we have seen….though you threaten us…

…we will speak about….

….Jesus crucified…..and raised up….speaking to us, before He went back up to heaven….and the giving of the Holy Spirit…”

The council threatens them again….but lets them go.

And they (I believe all three, including the lame man) immediately go to the gathered church….where they told of all that had happened:

        This is a warning of maybe future persecution….and the means of going through it….by the direction and power of the Holy Spirit.

        And it showed the love the church had for each other….for they “lifted up their voice with one accord,…” (Acts 4:24)

Their prayer was praise:  “…Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven and earth…”

And their prayer was claiming the prophesy of the rulers of the earth standing up against Jesus Christ (Psalm 2 which includes in the last days of the Tribulation Period)…and that it was and will be…..all according to God’s plan.

“And now, Lord,….”

Acts 4:29-30 “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings:   and grant unto thy servants,  that with all boldness they may speak Thy word,

               And stretching forth thine hand to heal;  and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy child Jesus.”

Boldness is what they wanted….(not necessarily protection from their enemies….but boldness to honor Jesus.   What love!)…

….and God’s healing….for the nation of Israel, if according to His Will….and to the individual, in salvation…

…and that in Jesus’ Name….signs and wonders would be done….to magnify His name.

Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together ; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.”

The place was shaken….a sign of His Might for them:

Haggai 2:6-7 “For thus saith the Lord of hosts;  Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

              And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come;  and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.”

God had “shaken” the earth at the coming of Christ….everything changed….for God’s people, Israel,  were given the opportunity to receive their King….

….and now again, at the giving of the Holy Spirit, and the power manifested through Christ’s Name….

…..He is going to shake things up….for all the earth…

….for all people can receive His kingdom within in them….”in earth” (Matthew 6:10)….by faith in Christ Jesus.

And He will shake it again,….at the second coming of Christ to the earth to establish His Kingdom….on earth.

The lame man, is lame no more….and more, has faith Jesus…..and is filled with the Spirit with the rest of the church gathered.

He is healed….spiritually and physically…..and praising God…..

….and led into a life of power and prayer.