True North

Proverbs 29:28 “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

There is on the compass….a magnetic north, which is not True North.

True north is the fixed point where the lines of longitude meet at the North Pole….somewhere out in the Arctic Sea. (The North Star is fixed over it, and was used for centuries.)

You can navigate with a compass, for short trips….

….but to navigate accurately for long trips over any time or distance, you have to ascertain True North.

So for the long distance trip….which is our life, we need to ascertain True North.

And just what is True North for our Christian lives?

Just what should we use for the long journey of our lives?

For most people, our moral compass is True North….but for Christians, True North is

….that Jesus Christ is your Lord.

This is to ascertain True North. This is to have our guide till the end of our days.

The term “Lord” means many things to the people of the world…

….but what it means in the Bible, is “God, controller”. We know God controls everything…but it must come to a personal

knowledge.

In other words: God is in control, by a deliberate act of my will, in my life.

Now when I say this, that does not mean He is just like a boss, to tell me what I need to do, so I can get the work done…..

But Lordship is in every area of my life,……He is in control of the circumstances I have been, am, and will come into.

I preach on Matthew 16:24 a lot,…..

…..which speaks of denying myself, picking up my cross, and following the Lord.

For it is the beginning decision in making Christ, Lord of my life.

And it is something we must continue to do while we are in the world, and surrounded by so many enemies.

Our example is Joshua…for the battle of Jericho.

Joshua had a big job. He was to take the children of Israel into Canaan….and win the inheritance God had given them….

….and the first battle was Jericho.

Joshua had done all he could…..where Jericho was concerned, so far….

…he had sent two men to spy out the city….and received their report:

Joshua 2:1, 23-24 “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho…

So the two men returned,….and came to Joshua…and told him all things….And they said unto Joshua, Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.”

Now he had some information…..but he had not heard from God about this city….so…

…..he went out to reconnoiter the city….

It is interesting that Jericho….a walled, fortified city…..

….is the first battle that the Israelites were faced with!

(They say the the top of the wall was wide enough that two chariots could travel around it unhindered….people’s [Rahab’s Joshua 2:15] houses were in the wall, it was that wide.)

I believe it was to show to Israel…..and all the inhabitants of Canaan….that God is with Israel.

If it had been an easier battle (not that any they fought, were “easy”)….then Israel might begin to feel that…..”Yes!….we can do this!” And boast of their accomplishments.

Also, fear of God from the inhabitants……was one thing that would be on their side…..as long as they were on God’s side.

The Way God deals with things is always amazing…..and always for the best….

……although Joshua, looking at this towering fortress of a city…..might have had other thoughts…..

….but….though he was not sure what he would, or even could do against such a city…..

……he knew God had a plan….and he knew the fear of the Lord was already in the city.

This is True North….to do all we can do…..always looking up to the Lord….who is in charge….of me, first….then of everything else….leaving the details to Him.

When we do this, God bless us with encouragement, as He does Joshua, here:

Thinking on these things he sees a Man, with a sword drawn

Joshua 5:13-15 “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold there stood a Man over against him with His sword drawn in His hand: and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou for us, or for our adversaries?

And He said, Nay, but as Captain of the hosts of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto Him, What saith My Lord to His servant?

And the Captain of the Lord of hosts said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.”

Notice Joshua’s attitude in everything….

…he was busy looking over the city….although not looking at the problem….for he “lifted up his eyes and looked”….

….which meant he was looking up to God to hear what He had to say about Jericho…

….then when the Man appeared….he was not a slacker, but instantly challenged Him….”for us or for our adversaries?”…

….And when The Lord introduced Himself as Captain….Joshua “fell on his face” and worshipped….

….following that, with the complete subjection, by taking off his shoes before the Lord.

This Man is the Captain of the Lord’s hosts….Our Lord Jesus in human form……already having gone before in the battle….to see His Will and glory manifest…..

…….and now ready to give instructions and encouragement to His servant.

He is there to command the battle…..not just Joshua’s troops…..but the battle on both sides…..for He is the Lord of all.

Everything is under His control….every stone in that wall,…..every heart in that city….all is under His control.

(If you ask, If everyone is under His control, why then, did God let Achan sin? Joshua 7:1

And yes, “let” is the right word.

For God deals differently with those who are His…..

….He can make anyone do anything….but for those He has called to nearness to Him….He says “If any man will, let him”….”My son, give Me thine heart”……

….He wants our hearts to obey His commands….and that requires “will you?”.

And Achan would not.)

And this is what “Lord” means in the Bible…..He commands everything around us…..and with us…..as well as us.

Have we made Him Lord?

Our response should always be,…..worship!….

….and “What saith My Lord to His servant?”

Hebrews 2:10 “For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect (complete in the Father’s Will) through sufferings.”

God is the first and the last….

….and as such, He worked out HIs Victory for our redemption, through the Captain of our salvation.

The battle for our inheritance is won, by our Lord Jesus Christ.

He has seen to it all….

…and now, He stands at the right hand of the Throne of God for us.

Let us fall before Him, and worship.

Let us subject ourselves to the Lord, and take the instruction He has for us….

…. as how to get our personal inheritance…those heavenly blessings He has in Christ (Ephesians 1:3)….into us.

For every battle….for every encounter….for everyday.

True North in our lives is making Christ Jesus….my Lord….in control of all in my life…..in charge of all, in my life.

By this we are able to go the distance, without getting lost in the world of changing circumstances.

“Who at the door is standing, patiently drawing near, entrance within demanding….Whose is the voice I hear?”

Song of Solomon 5:2 “I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to Me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for My head is filled with dew, and My locks with the drops of the night.”

“Sweetly the call comes ringing, open the door for Me, if you will heed my calling, I will abide with thee”

Song of Solomon 5:4 “My Beloved put in His hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for Him.

I rose to open to my Beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh,….upon the handles of the lock.

I opened to my Beloved; but my Beloved had withdrawn Himself….my soul failed when He spake:…”

So what can we do, when we fail to answer His call?

Forget it! It’s over?

No, get up and search for Him….and get what He has for you now.

Jeremiah 29:13-14 “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

And I will be found of you, saith the Lord:….”

For every true believer, the call comes…..and we must answer—one way or the other.

What does your heart want? Where is your treasure? Who is “my Beloved”?

In every instance, it is His Voice that awakens us….to HIs knock and call.

HIs Voice spoke to Noah….to build and ark for the saving of souls.

And His Voice has called us to come to Christ for our salvation.

His Voice spoke to Abraham….to come out of the world he lived in….and follow Him into a place He would show him.

And HIs Voice has called us to “deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him.”

His Voice spoke to Moses to deliver His people from slavery, and showed them the protection under the blood.

And we are we called to shelter under His blood and be delivered from the bondage of sin.

HIs Voice came through the Old Testament Prophets to awaken His people to the commands of His Word….when they turned to idols.

And we are called to….”Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light”(Ephesians 5:14).

Some may say, “What is thy Beloved….more than another beloved,…” (Song of Solomon 5:9)…..that you are so diligent in seeking His fellowship? So careful to stay close to Him?

Song of Solomon 5:10, 16 “My Beloved is….the chiefest among ten thousand.

His mouth is most sweet: yea, He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend,….”

Have we heard His Voice speak to us?

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

And if we have failed to answer….let us get up and seek Him…..and follow as we should.

O Taste and See

Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.”

When you taste things…you experience them…you know them….you have them.

You can know about the Lord….

But to really have the experience that the Lord is good….is to taste.

Our taste, is a very sensitive faculty (unless it has been compromised).

It lets us know things….salty, sweet, bitter, savory….

It brings to mind memories….my Grandma teaching me to slurp the vinegar in the pickles she made….”it’s good for you!”….and I have loved the sour vinegar taste ever since! And it reminds me of her, every time.

It lets us know whether things are “good” or “spoiled”.

Our taste was given to us so we can discriminate between one thing and another.

And we can only “taste”, for ourselves….not for another.

So David says…..”Taste and see that the Lord is good”.

David says….”I have tasted….but I can not even begin to explain or show you how good the Lord is.

I can tell you what He did for me…..but you must come and experience Him and His goodness, for yourself….so come and taste”

The Lord said to my husband once, that the people he was preaching to were getting a banquet….a feast of His Word…in the Bible study we were having (I certainly was!)…..

…..but though they were coming…and listening…..

…when it came to “tasting” the good…..they were settling for a sandwich….

….and going away….instead of the feast the Lord had for them.

There are some spiritual truths, that you can not truly know….without experiencing them for yourself.

Being born again is just such a doctrine….unless you come to Christ Jesus and receive Him into your heart….and know the forgiveness of your sins….you are not born again.

So is deliverance from our besetting sins (Hebrews 12:2), or self-sins…

The verses He showed me….might encourage you…..but not touch the soft spot of your heart’s rebellion….

….and so do nothing for you.

The Lord is “good”. The word here is “sweet”….like honey.

Yet the sweetness of the Lord is only for those who will come and experience it.

(The Song of Solomon is a book of experience: it tells of the believers desire to go further with the Lord. To know the sweetness of Him in personal fellowship and the walking together in our life.

Song of Solomon 1:2-4, all speak of this desire….

“Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth;”…

….and then compares that communion, with taste….

“for Thy love is better than wine.”)

We must make the blessings of His grace (the unmerited favor of power) our own.

We know His grace in salvation….”For by grace are ye saved….” (Ephesians 2:8)

But there are graces given us day by day….which we need to “taste and see”….and we will not “see” them in our lives, if we will not use them.

2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”

“All grace”…..all the different graces we need….strength, peace, knowledge, joy, power to do…….all the enablement we should have….

….And these we need to use….day by day.

1 Peter 2:3 “If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

O taste….(for yourself)….and see…(with eyes that are really opened to Him)…..that the Lord is good.

He is….do you know Him so?

For to will is present with me

Romans 7:18 “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
There is within each of us, the old nature. Exactly, what is the old nature? It is called by several names…the old man, the flesh, and as here, the old nature.It is that principle within us, that has been dominated by sin and rebellion against God’s right to rule our lives.
Our old nature rules us, when we are unsaved….but when we become born again, a new nature…Christ’s nature, comes within us, by the Holy Spirit…to lead us into the forming of Christ’s character within us.
(We often cry, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:24, for the old man harasses us often…demanding the old reign within us. But we can also cry, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord….For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 7:25, 8:2 )
Romans 7:22 “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:” Here is where I need to be strengthened…the inward man. I need to learn how to yield to that inner unction (1 John 2:20), or power; that is the workings of the Holy Spirit in my spirit. (For He is the new nature within us)
He has ample strength for us, if we learn to “quench not the Spirit”…but yield to Him.
Jude 1:20 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, “ This sounds like a exercise regimen, for good health….…..and in a way it is.If we want to have sound spiritual health….we must “build up”…which is to build on the foundation of faith…to strength the things that are already there….….but how?“Praying in the Holy Ghost.” is the first thing we need to exercise ourselves in. When we pray, we should listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit.
(That is to say, we are not to stop praying…and just wait. But we are to yield to the way the Holy Spirit would have us pray.Example: a man who had helped my husband, when he was first come into the ministry, had a controversy with the Lord…(though my husband did not know it)…..and came to my husband and asked him to pray for him. Well, as I said, he had been a help, so my husband started praying to encourage this man. Well, not too far into the prayer, my husband plainly received…”Pray My will done in that man’s life! He does not need to be encouraged, he needs to submit to My will.” And so my husband did. Later that man told my husband that the Lord really dealt with him about a change in his life….he wanted. But was not according to the Lord’s will.)
The next thing we need to exercise ourselves in is: Jude 1:21 “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
This is “keep yourselves”….how often we skip over the times of fellowship, or do not stop to thank the Lord for an answered prayer…(and how often our old nature pushes us, here).
And “keeping” requires holding on to what we have….standing on the promises of God…and guarding our hearts that we will not lose the knowledge, for ourselves, of : “the love of God”, no matter what comes to us. 2 John 8 “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”
Our old nature needs to be brought into subjection to Christ’s nature within us. It is never an easy thing….we must exercise our wills. It will take a lot of spiritual concentration on the Holy Spirit….and honesty….but the reward is great.
Luke 8:15 “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Good only because the heart is honest.And real honesty begins with turning to the Holy Spirit for help:
Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
When God does this, we will know honesty….and if we bow, as creature before the Creator, we will become meek.Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” The meek shall He guide in judgment. And the meek shall He teach His Way.
Not the self-assertive, or the self-demanding……but those ready to lose their self-life….their old man, that they might find their life under the rule and reign of the Holy Spirit.
This is to truly find…”how to perform that which is good” in our everyday lives.
“ Living for Jesus a life that is true…striving to please Him in all that I do.Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, this is the pathway of blessing for me. O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me; I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne, My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.”

Christ is the Good, the Great, and the Chief Shepherd….

….and He calls us….yet we must will to follow where He leads….

We choose where we are in His flock….following close to Him, or at a distance….where distractions can lead us astray.

John 10:11, 14, 27 “I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.

I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:”

The Good Shepherd came to lay down His life for the sheep….to save them……to give them life.

He knows His sheep, He calls to them and they answer Him.

He leads them, and they follow Him.

Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the Everlasting covenant,

Make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

The Great Shepherd makes us complete (perfect) in His Will…….molding us by HIs Spirit……that they might live the life He has for them.

He covers us with the protection of His blood. Entering into an Everlasting covenant of peace with us…..and making, and molding us into “that which is well pleasing in His sight.”

1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

The Chief Shepherd has all authority over His sheep, and watches from heaven for any slight done His flock.

When He comes again…..He will reward all who seek the good of HIs people.(Acts 20:28-29, 32, John 13:35)

As our Shepherd, Christ Jesus has and will come to find us….

Frankly, I think, that we sometimes put these verses just for children….but if we are born again, we are His sheep….following Him…..or having wandered away….. lost to His fellowship, guidance and protection.

Luke 15:4-5 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if He lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, till He find it?

And when He hath found it, He layeth it on His shoulders, rejoicing.”

Our Shepherd first found us….and brought us into His flock by salvation

….then He leads us into HIs pastures and HIs paths,…..guiding and forming us into obedient children of the King….finding us again and again, when we have gone astray….saving us from all sorts of danger…

….then, when He comes again…..He will find and reward all who have worked for the good of HIs flock….with a crown of glory.

Christ is our Shepherd…..why should we be wandering?

What has claimed our attention?

What can’t we give up, or talk over with Him?

Problems, grief, pain, hurt?

Maybe we are not even aware of what has come between us….He will show it to us, if we come back to closeness to Him.

This is the Way….Walk ye in it

Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ear shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the Way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, or when ye turn to the left.”

Have you heard that Word?

Do you know this is the Way, Walk ye in it?

[Paul and Silas had come to a cross road….and been led to Philippi….someplace new…..they had not gone into Europe before…

There….they end up in prison.

“this is the way, walk ye in it.”

Beaten, and in stocks….they began to pray.

Did we do what You wanted? Or had we overstepped ourselves in dealing with the demon-possessed fortune teller? Acts 16:16-18, 22-23

And when they heard that they had done the Lord’s Will…than….Praise the Lord….this beating is for the greater glory of Jesus!

And they got to feeling so good about it,…that they broke out into song.

After the beating they had….their backs open and sore,…bleeding and stinging…..they were leaning on the strength of the Lord, and praising Him for the opportunity of suffering for His Sake.

They were in His Way….

….and being in the Lord’s Way….they were given opportunity to deal with someone….the Jailer.

Yes, there were others there that heard their prayers, singing,….and the Word to the Jailer….but it was with the Jailer….tough, efficient, seemingly uncaring….that the Spirit deals most.

Acts 16:30-32 “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

And they spake unto him all the Word of the Lord….”

[they did not just tell him what to do…..but informed him of God’s Word, so he would know…..Who Jesus was….what He had done…and why he needed to believe on Him]

Paul and Silas heard the Word and walked right into Jail….and led a Jailer and his household to Christ.)

How many people who would gladly hear about salvation…..do we come into contact with?

If we wait for “great days”….they may never come.

What of us?

Have we listened for His Voice to guide?

Have we heard the Word….yet not used it?

[ Pilgrims Progress:

Christian and Hopeful had just come from the Shepherds in the Delectable Mountains….a place of rest and security…about in the middle of their way to the Celestial City.

As they left, the Shepherds gave them three things:

A warning….beware of the Flatterer.

A map….if they came to a place that was confusing.

A Word….Godspeed. (This is a old English word meaning….Go with God…at His time and speed.)

As they went on, rejoicing in such a beautiful place that the Lord had made for the wayfarers….they came to a place of turning…

….but the turning was in a “Y” shape.

Which way to go?

(Now I want to say….they had a map….which they should have used….but it was nicely tucked away in their pocket….)

As they looked at this turn….a man…covered from head to toe in a bright garment came up….and asked, “Where are you going?”

They said to the Celestial City….trying not to look too confused about the turn….

…..he said….”I am too, follow me”….

…so they did,…..

…..without asking him who he was….or seeking to know how he knew…..they just followed…because it was easier….and this man did seem quite confident in what he knew!

Soon, they seemed to be twisting around….the way seemed to go from straight…to curved backward….but they kept following, thinking it would probably straighten back out….

….when suddenly they were caught in a net! And the man threw off his bright cloak….to reveal an enemy of the right Way!

This man left them there, stuck in the net……and there they continued, for several hours when….

…….a “shiny one”….one of God’s messengers came by….asking them why they were in the net…..

……they told him about following the brightly clothed man….

….and the messenger said, “He was the Flatterer”……and rescued them out of the net.

God’s messenger then took them back to the Way….the same place of turning….and then chastened them for listening and following the Flatterer.

Didn’t you get a warning and a map? He asked.

Yes, they said….their heads down, realizing they had been given all they needed….but did not use it.

The messenger warned them, from now on, to use what they had….and let them go on…in the Way.)

We often think of special enlightenment, when He has already told us.

Perhaps through a message, a Bible study,….a verse the Holy Spirit brings to mind….

….there is in our everyday paths the means of the fulfillment of God’s Way for us…..

….and we need to be faithful there…..in what we have in hand….

…and faithful to God in those we come into contact with.

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

When He is Lord, there should be no problem with your answer to any.

They may be able to find a way around what we say…..but they cannot get around what He says through us!

I know the first time I lead someone to the Lord, I was full of trembling and fear….(I had “not passed this way before”)…

…I was confident in the Lord….and His salvation….

…but fearful that I might make a mistake….and I told Him so…..

…He told me to follow in His Word, verse by verse, that she might be founded on what God’s Word said…..

…..and I followed His leading……and she became a child of God.

Joshua 3:3-4 “And they commanded the people saying, When we see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God,….then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

…..that ye may know the way by which you must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.”

There are many “side roads” which we come to, on our way to heaven…..and they must be seen for what they are. How?

Plainly we need to keep our eyes on our God…..and use the map of His Word….

….heeding every warning….and using every promise.

If we wait only on the Lord, in our everyday lives and walk….then…thine ear shall hear a word behind thee, this is the Way, Walk ye in it.

Song of Solomon 2:14 “O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs,  let Me see thy countenance, let Me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice,  and thy countenance is comely.”

Here is a call to one on One fellowship.  

    He is that Rock, that was cleft, and He would have us spend these precious times with Him…that we become so like Him, that we show Him forth.

   For we manifest Jesus most by what we are in our lives….not just what we say.

It is a demanding thing, for it requires that you set aside time for this fellowship…and that you allow nothing to interfere with it.

(When I was first born again, the pastor challenged each of us in the church to pray at least ½ hour a day.   

    Well,  I thought that would be easy….but I realized that beyond my confessions, and my  requests for people….there was still time.   So I began to just tell the Lord about my days….about how I felt about this thing that had happened and so on. 

    It became a way for the Lord and I….and He showed me that I could do this all through the day.    It might seem elementary, to take a minute and say,  “show me, Lord, about this”….or “help me say the right thing”….or “forgive me for my anger”…..but it opened up, and expanded my view of God’s Presence…and I became a lot more grateful for His grace.)

This is a time of honesty…where we come before Him, and talk to Him about our day….our life,  our plans,  our thoughts….

…for though He knows everything….it is in the sharing of these things, that fellowship becomes real.

Sometimes it is harder to be honest with ourselves, then with God….and this helps here, as well.  Sometimes, we just can not believe we could feel that way,  or act this way….but talking to the Lord shows us,….as us.   And then there is grace to change, or correct our attitude.

(But do we have this desire?

      Before in the Song,  the believer has said,  “Draw me,”  to the Lord.  How she longs for that personal relationship….and that relationship with the king,…her king!

Song of Solomon 1:4 “Draw me, we will run after Thee:  the king hath brought me into His chambers:  we will be glad and rejoice in Thee, we will remember Thy love more than wine:  the upright love Thee.”

The lack of desire is the ill of all ills

Many thousands, through it, the dark pathway have trod.

      The Balsams, the wine of predestinate wills;

      Is the jubilant pining and longing for God.

God loves to be longed for, He loves to be sought.

For He sought us Himself, with such longing and love;

      He died for desire of us, marvelous thought

,     And He longs for us now to be with Him above.)

Song of Solomon 2:15 “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”

It is not big foxes,….for they are kept out, by fences.  But little foxes, which creep in unawares, and nip off the “tender grapes”…or the grapes which have not completely matured.

     The fruit is coming on….but if the little foxes nip them off…the whole cluster of fruit, that could have been,  will be ruined.

These little foxes are little self-sins…between us and the Lord.

A certain way we do things….our way, not what the Lord wants now.

Some of these things are unimportant….they mean nothing at all….yet, if we will not let go of them….the influence of the Adversary, the devil, can “spring up”….just at the right time to exert influence in our actions or conversation.

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;”

     All through the book of Hebrews, the writer is exhorting the Hebrew Christians to let go of the past traditions….for the veil was rent….the way to come to God was opened in Christ [Hebrews 10:19-20]. 

    But, because at this time the Temple was still there, and because of the persecution they were going through….many were looking backward.   This caused much distress, and unneeded worry.

   But faith and grace was there for them….Christ Jesus was standing before God for them….

…and the writer exhorts them to “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for He is faithful that promised;)” Hebrews 10:23

   The answer was keep looking to Christ, and grow in grace.   They were “failing in grace”, because they were not using the grace….but letting the little foxes of troubles, destroy the fruit they could have had.

“..lest any root of bitterness spinging up trouble you….”

Here is a little fox that turned into a roaring lion, if not attended to.   Every root of bitterness needs to be “rooted out”….so it can be clearly seen.

    And then cast aside….to go on with Christ!   

It is “take us the little foxes”…..Christ and you, together.

And as we deal with all the things that come between the Lord and us….we get to know Him better….we grow in the grace to do….we diligently learn to rely wholly upon Christ Jesus…

…and that gives us great help in all our times of need, trouble, or distress.

The call is, “Come, let us fellowship together…..for together, we can meet all the obstacles that come up.

Song of Solomon 2:14 “O my dove, that art in  the cleft of the Rock, in the secret places of the staris,  let Me see thy countenance, let Me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and they countenance is comely.”

The Lord calls, will we anwer?

Fear of God and fear of man

In Moses final address to Israel,  Moses spoke of the fear of man….and the fear of God

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage,  fear not, nor be afraid of them:  for the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee;  He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

With the nations they were going to fight….naturally, there was much to fear.   They were warlike people….who had been fighting among themselves for years.   They had chariots and armies…

…whereas Israel, though they had fought a few battles….was not equipped or taught as they were.

But they had their God.

Later in this address, Moses talks of Who they should fear….

Deuteronomy 31:12-13 “Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the word of this law:

      And that their children, which have not known anything, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.”

Fear of man is natural.   When we look at their intelligence, or learning, or ability.                        When we think of how often we have failed the Lord…..this type of fear, brings torment.

1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love;  but perfect love casteth out fear:  because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

We know that the fear of the Lord….which is reverence and awe of HIs person and works….is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10)

We begin to understand and become wise when we see everything in it’s right place before God.    Him first,  and everything else in our lives….only in relation to Him.

(When I was first born again,  I lived mostly in my emotions.   Good days and bad days.   But when I was given the way to stability in my Christian life…..by denying myself, picking up my cross and following (not my emotions) but Christ…

…then, during good days, my focus was not on how I felt….but the Lord’s Will.

And on my bad days,  my focus was not on how I felt….but maintaining and doing the Lord’s Will, no matter what was going on.)

When you live in fear of man, you become ashamed of Christ….or HIs Word, and become tormented because you are not living the life of Christ as you should.

     Isaiah 51:7 “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law;  fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.”

     Matthew 10:25, 28 “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord.  If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of His household?

     And fear not them which kill the body,  but are not able to kill the soul:  but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

But when you learn the fear of the Lord, and when you are bowed before Him…

….then you are not bowed before the emotions and actions of others.

Proverbs 10:27 “The fear of the Lord prolongeth days:….”

       Stress is going,…gone,  when our awe of God is covering us in all our days.   Work, trials,  sickness, and troubles…all are seen as the Way of the Lord….and He will see us through.  (Isaiah 41:10)

Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence:  and His children shall have a place of refuge.”

       A sure knowledge that the Lord is there to help you, wherever you are, and with whomever you are with…..gives confidence to your speech and peace like a garrison to your heart.   This comes as we reverence our Lord in everything.

Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,  to depart from the snares  of death”

       “Satisfaction” in life….is a thing the world is always tempting us with.   

You need more…more….more.

Whereas,  the awe of God….brings things into focus.   When we can come to Christ, and not only know HIs peace,….but also HIs joy in things…as they are….

…this is true contentment.    For our satisfaction is not in things or events  or even people….but in the Lord and HIs Will for me.   I see Jesus…and know, He sees me.

Paul said, when thinking of the things he suffered for Christ and His gospel’s sake:

     2 Timothy 1:11-12 “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

     For the which cause I also suffer these things:…

…nevertheless I am not ashamed:   for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”

Proverbs 22:4 “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.”

     Not that you will be rich in this world’s goods, necessarily….

….but as Jesus said:

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness;  and all these things shall be added unto you.”   

     (What things?   Matthew 6:31-32 “Therefore take no thought, saying,  What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink?  Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?….for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”)

But why is it that, as Christians, we are not fearing the Lord as we should?

Isaiah 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said,  Forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor Me,  but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men:”

      (Jesus quoted this in Matthew 15:7-9)

The fear of the Lord is something of the heart.  

       It comes from the personal knowledge that God knows me…..me, personal, intimate, every thought and every wish…me;…and yet loves me.

Definitions give us what the fear of the Lord means….

….but the deep horror that God knows every bit of me…my sin, anger, resentment, or plans……followed by the deep joy that God loves me (amazing!)….is the beginning of wisdom.  And true wisdom leads to Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus,  Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and  righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

     That, according as it is written,   He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

God’s Way  is first to lead us to awe of Himself….which takes our eyes off of others and ourselves…and onto Him.

Then God’s Way is to lead us to reverence…a loving humbling of ourselves before Him….a holy fear lest we hurt Him….a joyful placing of ourselves in the hand of His Almightiness and Love,  wherever they take us.

Let us fear the Lord.

Psalm 34:9 “O fear the Lord, ye HIs saints:  for there is no want to them that fear Him.”

For He becomes all in all to us.

Paul’s Practical Preaching

Paul had begun this last bit of Romans, not with more doctrine, but with the practical.

How we are to live in this world, as Christians; belonging to Christ.

In Romans 12:1-2, Paul shows that presenting your bodies to God, and refusing to be conformed to the world, will strengthen you to find and do the will of God in your life.

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

Paul was saying that God has given every man, by His Holy Spirit, a “measure” of faith and grace.

(We can, as Peter said in 2 Peter 1:5 “…add to your faith…”. This will increase our measure, so we “grow in grace”. We learn to use what we have, by the Holy Spirit’s instruction, and are given more.)

Our “measure” is given to us; so we should not be proud that we know something, but instead, we should use that measure of faith to:

Romans 12:6-18: “…according to the grace that is given…” we are to do the work God has given us to do.

Let love be true, and not phony:….turn away from evil……love the good.

Be kind to one another,…..preferring the fellowship of believers.

Working hard to do our job, because we serve the Lord in it.

Yield to the joy of the Spirit, and be steadfast in the trials of the day.

Pray always.

Minister to the needs of others, as you are told: both spiritual and temporal.

Bless those who seek our hurt. Do not seek revenge.

Be honest. And try and live at peace with all men.

How can we do these things?

They seem impossible!

And in our own strength, they are.

But God has given, with the measure of our faith….a Leader to show us how and when to do….but also to give us the grace and inclination to do….He has given us His Holy Spirit.

We must go back to:

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

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

You see, it all starts with giving ourselves to God. It says “bodies”, here; to illustrate how we need to yield to the Holy Spirit, completely.

The Lord Jesus was given a body to come to earth and suffer and die, and be raised again…..in His body.

But the Holy Ghost, the Comforter,…..has come to earth, without a body….but instead to indwell and empower our bodies (which include our spirit, soul, and body).

Paul is saying here, that we are to “present”…..which in the Greek means to “stand by, to be at hand, to offer something intangible (our friendship, ourselves)” to God the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will then take our offering, and work with us to perform the will of God, and to mold us into the likeness of Christ’s character.

Our hands need to be His; not doing things which they should not.

Our feet need to be His; not going places we should stay out of.

Our mouths need to be His; not saying unkind things or lying.

We could go on,……but you see the reason Paul said this.

We need to give ourselves, inside and out, to the Holy Spirit; so we are no longer under our own management….but fully yielded to Him.

But thankfully when we do: we are “transformed” (changed) in motive ,…..in the inner most thoughts and attitudes of my being.

And then given power to “prove” His Will…..by doing it, in the circumstances of my life, day by day.

How good and acceptable it is in our lives!

He wants us to get “our measure” of all we need,…..to live the life He has for us.

A life of goodness and power.

Will we present our bodies to Him?

Thorns and thistles

Luke 8:14 “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard go forth, and are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”

“The Sower went out to sow his seed…”.

The seed is the Word of God…but it is the ground which it falls into we are talking about.

This Word falls in a heart full of thorns. Thorns represent the curse of the fall….or our “old man”…the old nature which is always present.

Jesus said, that these thorns were:

“cares”…..burdens of grief, fear, protection, supply.

“Riches”….a supply of money, houses, or lands….to make us independent of God….or so we think.

“Pleasure of this life”….we think of food, sex, drink, or drugs….but there is also putting our “fun times”, first.

I believe Jesus Christ is able to save to the uttermost,…. all who will come to Him. (Hebrews 7:25)

Therefore these thorns represent that which keeps us from completely giving ourselves to the Lord Jesus.

Something that claims this part of our life,…first.

Jeremiah 4:3 “For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.”

We are to prepare our hearts to hear His Word, when we read it….when we hear it….when it is preached.

And when it is heard….because our hearts are prepared…it will bring forth fruit….not thorns.

But where did the thorns originally come from?

There were no thorns and thistles in the garden of Eden.

But when Adam and Eve fell…

Genesis 3:17-18 “And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it:

cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field:”

Thorns are actually aborted branches. Both are prickly and injurious. Both can cause infections….

…..both can only be put away…..by effort.

But thorns and thistles shall it “bring forth” unto us. They just pop up….with no effort….for they are of this world….they are of the curse of sin.

We are in a world of sin….and thorns and thistles abound…..in us, by habit or temptation…

….and around us.

They often spring up before the good seed…and if we are not careful to remove or cut them down…..they will choke the new good plant.

Hebrews 6:7-8 “For the earth which drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon if, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, recieveth blessing from God:

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned.”

We are to keep our hearts and lives for God….and use every blessing from God (the rain) to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But if we are careless….then thorns and thistles (the things under the curse…sin)….will definitely spring up in our life…and they are not so easy to deal with then.

Numbers 33:55 “But if you will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.”

We must deal with all the things of our old man….of cares, riches, and pleasures of this life……because if we leave them, as the Israelites did the cursed inhabitants…they will be thorns in our side….giving us trouble, till we do.

(My brother bought a small plot of land….about fifteen acres…from a neighbor.

Now the neighbor told him to watch for Canadian thistles.

They have a very strong root….so cutting them down will not do any good….they will just spring back up…you have to keep at it.

He told my brother that he had had trouble with them, and if you let them flower….you have let them go too long….for the flowers will dry and spread them all over.

My brother used the ground for pasture for some special cows….so he did not want to spray it.

You guessed it,…..my brother saw them coming up….and was busy….and the next thing you know it they were grown and flowering.

Let me tell you how hard it was to deal with something that was almost as tall as I was…

Chopping them out, without getting “bit” by the prickly nettles….was a very hard job.)

So it is with us….if we are careless…

Proverbs 22:5 “Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.”

Froward means twisted, perverted, crooked. And how many crooked paths are put before us everyday….to lead us astray?

A little twist of the way…..what will it hurt?

But the thorns come up and the thistles grow large….before you know it.

Watch ye….is not just good advice for times of trouble….but times of prosperity….and…any time. We need Christ’s guiding hand to lead us away from thorns…..and to lead us in to His fruit of the Spirit.

Isaiah 32:11,13 “Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones…..gird sackcloth upon your loins.

Upon the land of My people shall come up thorns and briers;….”

To be careless….. is to put our desire for now….what ever it is over the will of the Lord….as though it was not that important.

The answer? To continue to receive the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 32:15-17 “Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high….

Then judgement shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.”

Some believe this is a prophesy concerning the giving of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost….but…

……whenever the Spirit is manifested….there is righteousness and peace…

…not thorns of self will.

Matthew 7:16 “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”

Nothing we can do, without the Holy Spirit’s blessing will yield any good fruit.

The best that human nature can produce for God….is thorns.

Only when we continue to receive the Holy Spirit’s fullness, will we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)

And, of course, I would be remiss, if I did not mention the worst day for the manifesting of man’s the attitude toward God….

….. when our blessed Lord had a crown of thorns pushed into HIs head….when they mocked Him as a king…

….totally unaware that He is the King of kings.

John 19:2-3 “And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe,

And said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote Him with their hands.”

He bore all the curse for us.

Thorns and briers, thorns and thistles…..all are under the curse.

They spring up, unless you cut them out.

They spread out, and interfere with the good plants.

They are strong….not easily removed….unless you get them early.

But by watching,…..and receiving all the Holy Spirit has for us, we can cut out all that is “thorns”,….or of our old man……and bring forth fruit to Christ Jesus our Lord, in blessing.