Behold!    I Stand! 

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

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

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

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

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

      This “sup” in the original, means fellowship.

I will fellowship with him, and he  with Me.

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

       This also sets forth fellowship.   

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

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

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

And  that temptation brought about their sin.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The longest Day 

Joshua 10:12-13 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;  and thou,  moon,  in the valley of Avalon.

                               The sun stood still,  and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.    Is not this written in the book of Jasher?   So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,  and hasten not to go down about a whole day.”

A little background is necessary:  

Israel was in the five year process of fighting the different sections of Canaan,  to inherit the land God had given them.

Five kings got together to come against Gibeon,  which Israel had made a league with.   Gibeon was a great city, and the men were mighty. (Joshua 10:2)

So these kings thought if they all came together to destroy Gibeon,  then the Israelites would be no match for them, at all.

But in this process,  they did not take into account,  Israel’s God.

Israel had made a league with Gibeon,  and God honored the league. 

(Actually, it was wrong to make this league.   They failed here.   

Joshua and the rulers of the tribes “looked” to what the Gibeonites wanted them to see, when they lied to Joshua;…..instead of asking counsel of God. Joshua 9:9-11, 14-15

But their mistake did not annul the league.   And God said they had to honor it.

The Gibeonites had been made servants of God’s house,  and they believed in the Lord God of Israel.)

So when Gibeon, who was now an ally to Israel,  was attacked by the five kings,…….word was sent to Joshua and the Israelites, to come and help.

Joshua 10:6 “And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua  to the camp of Gilgal,  saying,   Slack not thy hand from thy servants;  come up to us quickly,  and save us,  and help us for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.”

This was a mighty force…..not only a huge army….but warriors of superior status!   

(“Gathered together against”…..how many times have we, as His Church, had a mighty force come against us?)

When they got the word,  Joshua and his army took a forced march of 20 some miles…..at night,…..to get there;…….so they could honor God and the league,….and then started to fight the five kings and their large armies!  

Thankfully they heard from God about the march and the battle.

Joshua 10:8-9 “And the Lord said unto Joshua,   Fear them not:  for I have delivered them into thy hand;  there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 

                            Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly,  and went up from Gilgal all night.”

Now I want to add a word of our Great Shepherd here:

John 10:4 “And when He putteth forth His own sheep,  He goeth before them,  and the sheep follow Him:  for they know His voice.”

He goes before….   

God has a plan and a way;  even when we fail.   He is ever ready to lead us into the right way.

Joshua 10:10-11 “And the Lord discomforted them before Israel,  and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon,  and chased them along the way…

                               And it came to pass,  as they fled before Israel,  and were in the going down to Beth-horon,  that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:  there were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with a sword.”

The Lord “discomforted”them.  

If you look at other scriptures that this word is in, for battle,  it means:  the Lord sent thunder and lightening,  scaring the horses.   

And then,  He sent hailstones!  (These, God had reserved for the day of battle. Job 38:22-23)

God had said, “Fear not,…I have delivered them into your hands”.   But the day was waning.   It would soon be sunset.

So Joshua asked for help.   He would need more time,  so he asked for it.  

To me, this is amazing faith…..(faith always sees God)….for Joshua asked God, for what God wanted….and promised…..the defeat of these five kings.

But what did Joshua ask for?    Light and time….to see the job done.

(And we too, can ask for the light we need, to fight our battles,….to see them done.   For the Lord wants to fight for us.)

He did it publicly,  in front of his men, to encourage them in their faith.   

God was with them.

He did not guide from a distance;  but was in charge in the battle.

So he asked for the sun to stand still, for twenty-four hours.

Joshua 10:12-14 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon,  in the valley of Ajalon.

                                And the sun stood still,  and the moon stayed,  until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies….So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,  and hastened not to go down about a whole day.

                                And there was no day like that before it or after it,  that the Lord harkened to the voice of a man:  for the Lord fought for Israel.”

                     

The sun stayed up for an extra day,  so that the enemy could not escape.  It was to stand still over Gibeon,  where they were fighting.    

(Some believe that God’s might was shown here, so strongly, because these city-kings were sun worshippers.

God was showing them that He was greater than the sun above them.  That the sun was at His command.  And could do nothing but what He said.)

The battle continued the extra day.   “For the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.”

The territory they took in this battle was large!……More than they had taken so far.    “For the Lord fought for Israel”

We often fail.  Israel had failed in making a league with the Gibeonites.

Can God get “good” from our failures?   Yes.  All things work together for good…..it is God’s good…and God’s glory….and isn’t that what we want?

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,  to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

This showed the Israelites a new power of God in them, and for them….and taught them the faithfulness of God to His people.

It showed them that they are to honor the word they speak to others.

And it showed the Gibeonites that the God they began to believe in,  was worthy of their trust and subjection.

Yes.   We can learn the lesson our failure teaches us;  that to  rely on God alone, is true victory…..and then be obedient, honoring Him in it,…..and He will honor us.

Notice that in this battle:  Israel fought,  but God really won the victory.  The “discomfort” of the thunder and lightening.   The hailstones.  And the sun standing still.

Yet Israel had to hear the call for help,  march all night,  fight, and keep fighting till the victory was won…..throughout the longest day.

The longest day, was a day of power….God’s power above all,….and the power of obedience to His Word….in them, and by them.

We can learn a lot from this story.   

How many times we fail or fall;  yet God forgives and restores us to victory,…..by His power, light, and faithfulness.

And He calls us to “Fear not,”…..but trust Him, and be obedient.

A more excellent Way.

1 Corinthians 12:31 “But covet earnestly the best gifts:  and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.”

Love to God is that more excellent way.   We should love Him, for He first loved us. 

1 John  4:19 “We love Him,  because He first loved us.”

Where serving the Lord Jesus Christ is concerned,….He looks to our hearts….do we love Him?

1 Corinthians 13:1 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal”

Though I could speak in every language of this earth;  proclaiming the gospel far and wide.

And if I could testify of the gospel story in angels language:

If love for Jesus is not the motivation for all that talk…

          It would be just so much noise.    

Loud noise; “sounding brass” like trumpets.  “How great!” man will say; but to God it would be just noise.

Soft noise; “tinkling cymbal” like the end of a orchestra piece.  Empty and just noise….without love to Jesus.

1 Corinthians 13:2 “And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

This is the one that used to shake me up.   I am a preacher; and I study a lot.  I would say I know a lot…but all of that would be useless if I don’t use this knowledge,….even in preaching His Word,  out of love for Him.

And faith to remove mountains;  that’s something that everyone wants….but without love to Jesus as our motive; we will be nothing.  (Remember Paul was writing this; and he had great knowledge, and understood many mysteries.)

But Paul also understood,  that to do for God, without love to God;……is to really doing for a reward from God.   

Which is another way of saying, you are doing it for you.

1 Corinthians 13:3 “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

If I give all my possessions to God’s work of feeding the poor;  and if I die a martyr’s death.

Though it cost me everything, as well as my life;  if love for Jesus is not the reason I do it;   then it profits me nothing.

I am none the better, for eternity, for it.

1 Corinthians 12:31 “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.”

The “more excellent way” is to love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.   The first and greatest commandment.

1 Corinthians 13:13 ” And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

To truly love God is the greatest work,   greatest gift,   greatest sound we can do.

This is what He looks for in all our obediences…..our love to Him.

He did His work of Salvation for us, out of love for us…..and He wants us to do our work for Him….out of love to Him.

The Called according to His Purpose 

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

If I am one of the called according to His purpose…..when did He call me?  And for what purpose?

The “when” is most interesting:

2 Timothy 1:9 “ 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;”

Before anything that is,  was….He saw you in Christ Jesus.

Now it is….Who saved us and called us with a Holy Calling….not according to our works.

It is a Holy Calling….not something that we earn,….

…..but to be holy means to be separated unto the Lord….so it is a calling that separates us to Christ and His honor.

We did not come into being,  to live for ourselves….to do our own thing.

We are bought with a price,  and we are not our own.

But let us consider the “purpose”.   

The purpose or reason for my personal existence?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He hath made every thing beautiful in His time:  also He hath set the world in their heart,  so that  no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

“Also He hath set the world in their heart”….the proper rendering would be “eternity”

“He hath set eternity in their hearts.”

We all have within us a longing for that which is Eternal…..without change….to have fellowship and knowledge of something or Someone…..Who is beyond our understanding….for, if we are honest,…..our hearts feel Him….even when we do not acknowledge Him

This desire is there….and must be satisfied….for without this we know that we are incomplete.

The human heart can know no true rest until it rests in God…..Who created it for Himself.

Run as far as you can and as fast as you can…..you will still find God is there and that there is no escaping Him….He is waiting for you there.

And this is our Purpose…..to know Him,  Whom to know aright is to have Eternal life.

Then,  our Purpose has to do with faithfully fulfilling the work God has called us to:

Acts 26:16, 18 “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this Purpose,  to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and those things which I will appear unto thee.

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

Our Purpose has to do with witnessing to others of Christ…..of “opening the eyes” (“open” here means reversing how they see, now)……pulling away the veil of disbelief and scoffing….

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “For if our gospel be hid,  it is hid to them that are lost:

          In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,  lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,  Who is the image of God,  should shine unto them.”

In Ecclesiastes….”purpose”  is mentioned several times….

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season,  and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 3:17 “I said in mine heart,  God shall judge the righteous and the wicked:  for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 “Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerned both time and judgment.

          Because to every purpose there is time and judgment,  therefore the misery of man is great upon him.”

(How many of us know when we are out of place?   Of course, because the Holy Spirit within us….leading us in our purpose for this time,  shows us….gives us discernment.)

Our purpose has to do with time….our time here….and what we are doing with it.

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, who first trusted in Christ.”

Our purpose is to be born again….and come into a personal relationship with Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our purpose is to grow in grace….and the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 1:2-4)

Our purpose is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind.

Our purpose is to manifest Christ to others.

Isaiah 14:24 “The Lord of hosts hath sworn,  saying,  Surely as I have thought,  so it shall come to pass;  and as I have purposed,  so it shall it stand:”

The Lord has a Purpose for each life….

….the grand thing is,  that as born again ones….we can enter into and enjoy our Purpose!

Many fight against the very thing which will bring them Peace and satisfaction….the life Christ has for them.

King Solomon  (who was one of the wealthiest monarchs) was happy during the time of building the Temple, which was the Purpose God gave him to do…..but after it was built….

….instead of finding his next Purpose from God….

…..he gave himself to “things…under the sun”….and found them “vanity”, or nothing.

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 “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.

        Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought,  and on the labor that I had labored to do:  and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”

In conclusion….Solomon wrote…

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.”

Our Purpose before God is like the “light at the end of the tunnel”…..no matter what we must pass through….God has made a way,  and given us His Spirit and grace…for it.

And Paul, whose Purpose had been outlined to him by the Lord,  even on the road to Damascus,  said….”I follow after”

Philippians 3:12 “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect:  but I follow after,  if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

Are there any sweeter words to life for a Christian than….”I follow after”?

Paul had been active in church building,  in missionary work,  in taking the gift offerings to other Christians….

….and in prison,  cold and alone….he still sought to “follow after” Christ by the letters he wrote the churches,  and the encouraging he gave to those who were permitted to visit him.

His Purpose from Christ was his joy,  his peace even in troubles,  and his life.

Are we “following after”….apprehending what Christ has for us in the Purpose He set us aside for us?

“Truly God is good…”(Psalm 73:1)

Do we believe it?

In this psalm there is an inward battle against the Lord’s ways……the inward cry for knowledge…..and the answer given from the Lord, to His servant.

Some sins are quite prominent…..some, slide into our minds and hearts….and give us quite a battle.

The psalmist sees the wicked….those that should be judged for not keeping the Law…wealthy and successful.   

While the righteous are poor and often being persecuted,….or worried because of  their situation.

Psalm 73:2-3 “But as for me, my feet were almost gone;  my steps had well-nigh slipped.

              For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

This is a psalm of Asaph (1 Chronicles 16:4-7).  He was a leader in the Tabernacle for the songs and praises.

This was a high office,…..yet he was troubled…..he was having a heart-battle about  the Lord’s way of dealing with His people…….that is, the way he saw things….

“I was envious at the “foolish” or wicked.”    

(We think of envy as a green-eyed monster…..well, it is a monster…..disturbing our thoughts, and emotions:

It says:  I wish I had what you had…I wish I was like you…..I wish I was you.

It is truly a monster.)

He sees that they are confident and prosperous…..even though they are wicked,…..and that troubles him….he can not hush the questions that come to his mind.

“My steps had well nigh slipped.”   He was in trouble….spiritually…he was beginning to doubt God’s righteous ways.

Psalm 73:5-9 “They are not in trouble as other men;  neither are they plagued like other men.

             Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

             Their eyes stand out with fatness:  they have more than heart could wish.

             They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression:….

             They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.”

Pride is the chief hardener….

For pride separates….making the proud better than others…..even if it is just a little better.    

It puts everyone else beneath them.

Others rights or feelings,  do not matter to them….they intend to have their way.

They slander God,….does He let them get by with it?….

Psalm 73:11 “And they say,  How doth God know?  And is there knowledge in the most High?”

It seems as if God is letting the wicked slide…….they think God does not see.

……while the righteous are coming to the Lord,….troubled and sorrowful.

Here is a stumbling block to faith….so…

Isaiah 57:14-15 “And shall say,  Cast ye up, cast ye up,  prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of My people.

             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.”

Considering this,  Asaph is so troubled….he wants to speak about these things…but….(Psalm 73:15) “If I say, I will speak thus;….I should offend against the generation of Thy children.”

Asaph wanted to talk about his thoughts…..after all he was accusing God of being unjust!

But he was concerned of speaking injury to the younger generation…..of letting his battle with envy spread to others.

(He was the leader of the singers….appointed under David the king.)

Psalm 73:13-14 “Verily (truth) I have cleansed my heart in vain,  and washed my hands in innocency.

            For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.”

It would seem that all his right living,  watching that he might not sin,…..had not given him any advantage….at least, the reward of this life.   

(When faith is covered up by envy…..we can not see correctly.)

Everything seemed to be upside down……”Until”….

“Until” is a word expressing time,…..and experience….

Psalm 73:17 “Until I went into the sanctuary of God;  then understood I their end.”

Looking toward the mercy-seat: 

The heart which had dragged with sadness, and doubts…..he lifts to God.

Chaos began to depart, and God’s light…..and order…..began to be seen.

Until….

He “saw their end”…..that changed everything.   

There he saw their final destruction…..and their guilt now, clinging to them like a bad smell…

….it was if they were puffed up,  weight added to them…..so if they continue to the end this way….they will sink lower in hell.

He does not envy them now….for God has showed him, by His mercy:

Instead of being placed upon the Rock…..they were sinking in the sand of time already….they just did not recognize the ruin that was coming (Matthew 7:26)

Everyman owes their existence and prosperity to the goodness of God…..in a moment all can change (Psalm 73:19)….so we should use it wisely.

Psalm 73:22-22 “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

        So foolish was I, and ignorant:  I was as a beast before Thee.”

And here is the lesson learned….his confession to God…

…..”I was as a beast before Thee”. 

My thoughts were only of myself….and satisfying my desires…..I am ashamed….

And then…..his praise is back in his heart….

Psalm 73:23-26 “….Thou hast holden me by my right hand.

          Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

          Whom have I in heaven but Thee?  And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.

          My flesh and my heart faileth:   but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”

Faith, again,  is not hidden behind the curtain of envy….but has been released from doubt.

Faith is true sight…..getting wisdom from God.    Trust and you will know.

God had upheld him…..and he praises Him for it.   

With the Lord is counsel….and when we come to Him we are sure to be given light…..and to be led aright.

…”and afterward”….what a blessed word.    After this life, which is so short.

After the troubles, and sorrows.     

Asaph see that God is the portion of the righteous,…..

…..we are blessed in Christ, here….and with Him there.

He had been foolish….envious and doubting….but God had kept him….taken out of his way, his stumbling block…..and led him back into His light….into faith again.

Asaph had learned that natural sight is not faith.

All other things pass away;  let our hearts abide in Him…..Who abides forever.

             

              

Jesus Forgave us;  we should Forgive 

Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

Matthew 6:14-15 “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you:

                                 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

I can never acquire that which I am to be, finally,…..if I fail to pass through those experiences that must lead to it;  acquiring now,  to a degree;  that which I will be fully, then.

For the Christian, that means going into all situations,……with Him.

Luke 22:40-41, 45-46 “And when He was at the place (Gethsemane),  He said unto them,   Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

                             And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down,  and prayed,

                             And when He rose up from prayer,  and was come to His 

disciples,  He found them sleeping for sorrow,  

                             And said unto them,  Why sleep ye?  Rise and pray,  lest ye enter into temptation.”

They were sleeping for sorrow….you know how when you are really sad, you become so tired…it wears you out.   

So with them:  they had heard how He was going away,  and became so sad, that they became sleepy. 

They had been told to “watch”,  but they fell asleep.   They could not even watch with the Lord, one hour.

If they had watched,  they would have been prepared for His arrest…and trial…and crucifixion.     

But they slept because of fear, and sadness;  and ran away when faced with the next trial.

We think of power (and the Lord has it for us in the Holy Spirit), mighty acts of valor…..

…..but the Lord looks on devotion to Him, and obedience to the way He has chosen for us,   as the manifesting of His real power in us…..persevering through all,  with Him.

In this, all the disciples failed.   But Jesus forgave them, even before they did it.

(Matthew 25:31-32)

Then Peter went on to deny the Lord,  but the Lord forgave him,  and restored him. (John 21:15-19)

Jesus has seen and does see our every failure as well.  And He has made full provision for us.  He has and does forgive us.

But what about us?  Do we forgive,  as He forgave us?  For as His disciples, He commands us to.

The trouble is…..

Self digs in, and hangs on to control with much force. (Whether it is fear, anger, jealousy, or self-conceit, pride….and there are a thousand emotions and thoughts which come to us.)

So it must always be a deliberate act of our will to deny ourselves, and yield to God, and do what He says.

A victorious Christian should not feel resentment.

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

So when the Holy Spirit shows us that we are harboring resentment,   we should bring those resentments—the people, places, actions (both theirs and ours) to Christ.

How?

By the “artea” or force that is the Holy Spirit in your spirit, to get honest about it.   

Yield to Him, and what He shows you….spread it out all before the Lord.

You see, when the Lord hears the honest telling about this resentment,  He begins to speak peace about it.   The hurt,  or pain,  or loss,  or thoughts of violence, retribution, or “turning your back” on that person;  is seen as He sees it.   

No, this is not the preachy “everything is going to be alright” stuff.  This is real forgiveness.  Real setting it right.

You say,  “It can’t be set right.  What happened to me affected me, and still does.”

Yes, some hurts are like shadows that follow you around.  Only sometimes breaking through into the emotions.

But, remember,  God is light…He is peace….and He is joy!

Shall we have it?

But God’s powerful “force” of forgiveness, heals.     Heals the wound, our emotions,……and our thoughts about it all, if we let Him.

The Lord has shown me that, except for the time we are injured….and we are often….we do not need to suffer.   We can come to Him and receive His life.

My husband’s testimony:

I had a co-worker once that worked very hard at making me miserable.  Comments, taunts, and worse; were the things I put up with day by day….and for quite some time.

I was newly restored to the Lord, and tried to act right, even if he did not.  

But no matter my actions…his were the same.

Sometimes I thought I could not put up with it any more.  I wanted to deck him,  and show him that he had picked the wrong person to terrorize.

I started to imagine all sorts of bad things happening to him.  

And yes, as terrible as this is,  I really wanted him to hurt, as bad as I was.

I had prayed that the Lord would stop this man;  but He did not.

Why?   Because the Lord had something better for me.

Praying about it, the Lord showed me this man in front of me.  

All the terrible things he had done came rolling through my mind, and I wanted to…..to….

To what?   That is what the Lord asked me:   If you could do anything to this man,  with no consequences;   what would you do?

I started to say a few of the things I had imagined….but suddenly, I started to laugh.

That’s right,   I laughed.

I knew I would do nothing to him.     Right then I was joyful, and powerful…the Holy Spirit filling me up with laughter!

I knew freedom from this man,  from the situation….because of the power the Lord gave me,  then.

I laughed!  The man could say whatever he wanted, do whatever he wanted….he could not hurt me again.

I knew also that I could forgive him for anything he did and would do.  The Lord helped me, the Holy Spirit empowered me, and I had peace.

When we forgive,  the Holy Spirit rejoices our hearts.   His power uplifts us into a realm where we are victors,  we are overcomers,  we are healed.

We know joy and peace;  and most important,  His presence is like a light shining in a dark place!

This is what Jesus did to those men who crucified Him.  “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

This was not pretend…..it was in the midst of agony….He looked down upon those men who taunted Him….and forgave them.

(And Stephen, the first martyr, did the same Acts 8:60)

This is power.  Real power in our lives;  for us to live in this world where offenses abound….and they do….God does not minimize it….they are real.

Real power for us to look our enemies in their faces, and see how Jesus’ forgave…

Real power to forgive and put it behind you forever.

Living in Christ,  by Christ, and for Christ is never without real pain,  real hurt,  or real injury;   He never belittles our suffering (Psalm 56:8),  but remembers every slight done to us.  

One day He will wipe away all tears—there will be no hurts, then (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 21:4),……no more offenses…

……but here in this life, He will also wipe them away,  if we let Him; and have His peace.

My Voice speaks clear

Many times lately the Lord has spoken of hearing Him.

Mark 9:7 “And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son: hear Him.”

Peter, James, and John had the privilege of being in the mount with Christ and seeing Him transformed in glory, before them….with Moses and Elijah. Yet they were directed to only One….”This is My beloved Son: hear Him.”

And it is the same today, for us, as His children.

Are we hearing what He is saying to us?

We can hear His Voice:
In creation.
Psalm 19:1-3 “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”

Everyone is without excuse. All can be aware of the beauty and workings of this earth…the day and the night…the sun and the moon,….all show God. From the smallest of His creation, to the largest….all manifest God, the Creator…the Almighty. They shout out His glory.

We can hear His Voice:
Through His Word.
Isaiah 55:11 “So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
John 12:48-50 “He that rejecteth Me, and receive not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak.”

We can hear His Voice:
Through preachers and teachers.
Romans 10:14-15 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

1 Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

1 Thessalonians 2:13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”

We can hear HIs Voice through the Holy Spirit within:
John 16:13 “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.

1 John 2:20 “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.”
1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.”

We can hear His Voice within us, especially in this Laodicean age….for that is what He has promised:
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.”

Jesus Christ stands at the door and knocks, but it is His Voice which is heard by the individual within….and we either hear and answer….
….or refuse and disobey…for His call is to “open to Me”.

And as the sheep of His pasture, we hear His Voice….and follow Him.
John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

To hear aright, we need to get obedient to the light and word that we have….and then continue in it.

Jesus had just declared that He was the Light of the World: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)

He was in the treasury of the Temple, having dealt with the woman taken in adultery.
John 12:30 “As He spake these words, many believed on Him.”

But then He spoke about continuing to hear and believe….and be free of sin and self:
John 12:31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word, then are ye my disciples indeed:
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

This caused strife and argument…..why? Because He pointed out their sin….
John 12:34,36 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

It is one thing to believe, in general, what Jesus teaches….and another to see our sin, and know that….it is I that need to be saved from it!

John 12:42,43 “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for I proceed and came from God;….
Why do ye not understand My speech?
Even because ye cannot hear My Word.”

In the Hebrew, to truly hear God is to determine to obey Him.

Are we hearing and continuing in His Word to us? If we are, we will certainly have the liberty of Spirit that the truth of God gives.

His Voice speaks clear…..He has made the call very clear….”Come unto Me, and learn of Me”
Open up the door of your life, and give Him the best place….the throne of our hearts.

And then let us continue to hear HIm, however His Voice comes to us….and have the liberty and freedom from sin, self, and the world, that He gives.

Reality, is it for you?   

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.”

This is a real invitation to us from the Almighty God.  “Come boldly”: to obtain, or get for us, mercy and grace to help in this time of need.  Whatever that need is.

Christianity is an ideology (a body of ideas reflecting the social needs and goals of a group or people).

To a great many people, it is nothing more than that, for they have never been Born Again.   It takes the element of faith in Christ Jesus our Lord to make these things of the Bible, real to us.

               If it is only an ideology,  then we are left up to our own means and power to bring His Will to pass in our lives.   That is impossible.  

Only by God’s enabling, can we do His Will.

God’s plan for us is the fullness of the Spirit:  The Holy Spirit of power.

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come.   Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

This is how we have the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  And His kingdom must first be set up in our personal heart.

                If we are citizens of His Kingdom,  God is honored and obeyed by us.  And that can only be done as we voluntarily submit to His Rule over us, in His personal direction for our lives.

Jesus said, “ If ye love Me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

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.”

Every promise in the Word, and every promise given to you personally is there: ready for you to enter into it by faith.     (The Holy Spirit gives you hope: or the confident assurance that God will do what He says.  We feel it!  Hallelujah!)

There can never be true faith without obedience. 

                  Faith takes us by the hand and guides us to do,  what we believe.  

God may have given you this promise, and this…and this, but until you have these promises in your experience,  they are only promises.

                  True and Sure;  but like money in a bank, sometimes not used.  

The writer says “fear” coming short of the promises God gives us.    

                   Fear means to be alarmed!  To wake up to what you have in God’s Word, and reach out for it.

In praying, “Thy Kingdom come.” 

(And notice it is a complete sentence, all by itself.   It is not a part of God’s Will………It is God’s Will:  that His Kingdom should come to each and every child of His, and that by it,  they will enjoy communion and fellowship as they come into all that God has for them.)

We are to pray for His Kingdom to come within us, and submit to Him.  We are praying for the Power and blessing of the Holy Spirit upon the Word;  when we hear it, read it, and on the preaching of it.

We are praying that we may understand and know His Will;  and willingly do His Will. (Philippians 2:13)

We are praying that the Word of God will be spread abroad by believing ministers, and that their lives will show forth God’s praise. (Matthew 5:16)

We are praying that His Kingdom which has come within us, may go on and influence those around us.  That we might be a sanctifying influence to those we come into contact with.

This is the furthering of Christ’s Kingdom here.     It always begins with us: getting by faith what God has for us, and sharing Christ and His Word to others.

For this we should come boldly to the throne of grace,  God’s Throne, and get mercy and grace for this time,  and the next time,  and the next time….onward. 

Before

Before David fought and slew Goliath….before David became a leader and soldier….before he had to hide for his life, from Saul….before all these…

…David was a shepherd….who was called of God….to be king of God’s people, ….a man after God’s own heart.

We are going to consider that call.  It begins with Samuel, the prophet.   

         He receives Word from the Lord to stop “mourning” over the fact that God took the kingdom from Saul,…

        (Saul lost the kingship because of his disobedience…..and very important…his lack of honesty about his sin,  when he was confronted with it.    

         The kingdom was “rent” from Saul, by the Lord…..”and given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.”  1 Samuel 15:28)

1 Samuel 16:1 “And the Lord said unto Samuel,  How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?  

         Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite:  for I have provided Me a king among his sons.”

It was time to stop mourning over what Saul had done…..and over what God had done….

…and do what was next in God’s purpose for Samuel,  Israel, and the next king.

           (There is a time for sorrow for sin,….but then, it is to be put away and get up and go on.)

But before Samuel goes….he speaks of fear.

         (I find this unusual for Samuel.  He was a lighting-rod for God’s people when the priesthood failed….and had led the people to repentance and revival….

…..but fear is one of those sneaky sins which comes in through our reasonings….or sudden onslaught of emotion.

          Samuel felt responsible for Saul…perhaps he should have spoke to him more….perhaps, if he had spent more time with him…things could have been different.     

         Samuel was mourning (bewailed)….or “crying over spilled milk”…my grandmother would have said.   In this emotional state,  Samuel was venerable….and fear came.)

But God speaks to him and gives direction….and Samuel gets up and does as he is told.   The fear is gone…for he trusts the Lord.

So Samuel, takes a animal for sacrifice…..and goes to Bethlehem.   The elders of the town are concerned that he is there because they have done something wrong….

….but Samuel assures them that his coming is peaceable.   He tells them to come to the sacrifice.

         Jesse and most of his sons, come….and Samuel “sanctifies” them….sets them aside to eat with him.

1 Samuel 16:6, 10 “And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said,  Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.

          Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.  And Samuel said unto Jesse,  the Lord hath not chosen these.”

Saul had been head and shoulders above the other Israelites….so looking at the tall men which were Jesse’s sons….Samuel thought that they should have been who the Lord had sent him to anoint as the next king…

But as the Lord told Samuel….

1 Samuel 16:7 “….Look not on his countenance, or on  the height of his stature;  because I have refused him:  for the Lord seeth not as man seeth;  for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

This time, the Lord would choose a man which would love Him….

1 Samuel 16:11-12. “And Samuel said unto Jesse,  Are here all thy children?  And he said,  There remains the yet the youngest, and,  behold, he keepeth the sheep.  And Samuel said unto Jesse,  Send and fetch him:  for we will not sit down till he come hither.

            And he sent, and brought him in.  Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to.  And the Lord said,   Arise, anoint him: for this is he.”

I want to pause here and mention….that the very first description of David is shepherd…”keepeth the sheep”.

             God needed a man with a Shepherd’s heart (2 Samuel 24:17)…to do the work of leading His people…..both in battle, and back to Him, in worship.

The second description is: ruddy (meaning a young man, not shaving yet)….

…..a beautiful countenance (meaning that he was a handsome young man, strong)……

…..and goodly (this term was also used for Moses…and means one which was obedient in heart.)

As David came into the feast,  Samuel looked on him….and did not see a king….but a boy!  

        The Lord had to tell him to get up…and do what I sent you here to do!

But the Lord said….”Arise”  (Get up Samuel….stop looking for another Saul)

        “…anoint him”  (Pour the oil of anointing over his head,  and I will anoint him in his spirit….with My Holy Spirit)

        “…for this is he.”  (This is My choice….a man who knows Me,  and trusts Me  Psalm 89:20-21)

(The Lord first called David….then anointed him….giving him what he needed for the job…the Holy Spirit…..and the Lord does the same for us:  He calls us and then empowers us to do.)

1 Samuel 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.  So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.”

The next king was chosen and anointed for the job….but it would be years and many experiences….before David became officially the king of Israel…to the people.

Yet from the moment he was anointed…..he became the focal point of the next history of Israel.

       (Right after this he became the singer and soother of Saul in the court….he took care of his father’s sheep when Saul and his army went to meet the Philistines…..he took food to his brothers who were in Saul’s army….and defeated Goliath.

        He became one of the heads of Saul’s army….and slew many enemies of Israel.   As Saul’s jealousy grew, he had to run for his life…..

….but the narrative follows him….

….till at last,…..all Israel crowned him king)

2 Samuel 5:1-3 “Then came all the tribes of Israel to David….saying,  Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh…..

……thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee,   Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

…..and they anointed David king over Israel.”

        

It is amazing to me…..since they knew this….why did they take so long to make him king?! 

        But are not we the same way with Christ?

David was a type of Christ.   

       And is this said of Christ…”The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want”

Are we experiencing His guiding, leading, feeding?

Christ is also King….anointed of His Father for the kingdom of our hearts….and the earth.

Are we anointing Him with the oil of joy in our hearts and lives…..for we know that He has always set His heart on us….

…”before the world began”..or before times eternal (2 Timothy 1:9)

What is holding us back from setting our hearts on Him….and letting Him lead us….into all that we should be?

The means of Deliverance 

Matthew 5:21-22 “Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time,   Thou shalt not kill;  and whosoever will kill shall be in danger of the judgement:

                                 But I say unto you,  that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement:  and whosoever will say unto his brother,  Raca (silly person), shall be in danger of the counsel:   but whosoever will say,  Thou fool,  shall be in danger of hell fire.”

Sin, self, and the World are connected.   They are our “enemies”.  For they work to lead us away from Christ and His Will.

Sin is wrong doing (we all agree here, although we may not agree with what “wrong doing” consists of).

But it is also wrong being, which includes all the inward sins of resentment, a flash of anger which never leaves the mind,  and wrong attitudes.

Jesus set this forth in the verses above.

And so sin always involves self.

Self is the term for the old nature.   

The old nature is our fallen man from Adam.   

It is our nature which claims your right to rule yourself:  your right to decide and lead yourself (morally or not),  your right to feel what you want,  your right to think what you want.

It is you, as your own lord.

1 Corinthians 3:3 “For ye are yet carnal:  for whereas there is among you envying, and strife,  and divisions,  are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (The natural man)”

And so we see, the old nature is always open to the influence of the World around us: and the wiles of the devil. 

Ephesians 6:10-11 “Finally,  my brethren,  be strong in the Lord,  and in the power of his might.  

                                  Put on the whole armor of God,  that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

The World’s influence comes, as we walk in it everyday.  

(When the Bible speaks of the World,  it is talking of the “spirit of the times”.   

It does not mean the birds, trees, etc.    

But the attitudes, and the rage,  of the times we live in)

As Christians, we are to be in the World,  but not of it.

John 17:14-16 “I have given them thy word:  and the world hath hated them;  because they are not of the world; even as I am not of the world.

                           I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,  but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

                           They are not of the world,  even as I am not of the world. “

The World’s system wants no part of Jesus Christ as Lord.

They may accept or praise Him as a holy man,   a great teacher,  or a good guy;…..but they will not submit and yield to Him as Lord.

1 John 2:15-17 “Love not the world,  neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world,  the love of the Father is not in him.

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

                            And the world passeth away,  and the lusts thereof:  but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

These are formidable foes.    But we are not left to ourselves, thank God,  but are enabled to live and work in the World, as it is, by the enabling of the Holy Spirit within.

1 John 4:4 “Ye are of God,  little children,  and have overcome them:  because greater is He that is in you,  than he that is in the world.”

To overcome is to still be standing with God, when the battle against the influence of the World for today, is over.  

(How many of us hear horrible swearing,  filthy suggestions,  dirty jokes,  hatred filled speeches).   

It is to still be hanging on to God’s Word.  To still be looking to Christ, for everything.

It is deliverance in the situation, as well as out of it.

It is to be energized within, given strength and comfort.  

It is to know what to do, here and now.  (not just for next week, or next year)

1 John 5:4-5 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:  and this is the victory that overcometh the world,  even our faith.

                         Who is he that overcometh the world,  but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

And how does faith give us victory?

Faith centers our life around Christ Jesus.   And if He is the center,  all other things must take their rightful place.  

Faith receives the Word of God, and by the Holy Spirit places within us the power to do it. (Grace is the unmerited favor of power)

         Faith makes us aware that we are not alone in this fight;  on the contrary, we are made to know  His presence in a real way.  

(Remember Elisha’s servant’s eyes being opened to see who was for them, 2 Kings 6:12-17)

We have a powerful friend.

Romans 8:37 “Nay,  in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” 

        God’s grace is provided through the Holy Spirit, that we may do the task at hand.

It is power we receive in our spirits, our souls (our mind, heart, and will), and our bodies.

It comes as light for our walk, so we will not stumble, or be tripped up….

……and ability….whether in our ears to hear, our strength to do, or our minds to understand.

Overcoming should be our everyday experience.  

It usually isn’t.     We fail to hear.  Or we give in to self.

But Christ Jesus has supplied all we need to overcome;  we must yield to Him in the situation we are in.

          1 John 3:22 “And whatsoever we ask,  we receive of him,  because we keep his commandments,  and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.”

1 Corinthians 10:13-14 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but God is faithful,  who will not suffer you to be tempted above which ye are able;  but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,  that ye may be able to bear it.

           Wherefore my dearly beloved,  flee from idolatry.”

The means of deliverance for any Christian is yielding to the Holy Spirit within.

Receiving and using the grace given, in the situation.

Reading His Word, letting it give us all He has for us in it. ( all the promises, and commandments)

Overcoming by faith in Him.

Walking in His Light.