For God so loved the world

Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

Until that time, travel was dangerous and limited. Caravans were the only safe way to go. Pirates were on the sea.

But after the establishment of the Roman Empire, then Roman legions marched, built roads all across the known world.

They maintained them, and kept them safe.

They maintained the Sea ways. Yes, under cruel mastery, but they were kept open.

(Why did not God send Jesus later…like during the industrial revolution when machines were being built? Or now when the internet makes spreading God’s word easy?

Because without the spread of Christianity; freedom and the education of people, would not have taken place. Christ brought forth the kindness and love for all people to the earth.

Beside, how many would not have been saved who were.)

So on the background of cruelty, power, and helplessness…

Then God sent forth His Son.

“Sent forth” on an errand of mercy and grace; to liberate and redeem His people. Jesus said…

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at Liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

“He was made of a woman”.

From the first prophecy of Christ’s coming, right after Adam had sinned: “her seed”.

Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee (the devil) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”

To the plain statement of fact in:

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Christ was to be made of a woman. The Holy Ghost would come upon her and implant within her the Son of God.

Luke 1:35 “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: Therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

Christ Jesus was made under the law, to show how honorable it was, if it was kept.

But, as sinners, we had no power to keep it; and therefore, even for those who knew it:

“The law made nothing perfect (complete), but the bringing in of a better Hope did: by the which we draw nigh to God.” Hebrew 7:19

And that “better hope” is Christ.

“To redeem them.” Christ Jesus, because He was the Son of God, and perfect; He was without sin; could and did pay the full price for us by His precious blood, to free us from our sins and the great penalty of death that was upon us.

Instead we are given adoption papers by the Holy Spirit within us, saying we are now children of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.

Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God:

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Galatians 4:6 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

God has again “sent forth”; this time He has sent the Holy Spirit to us, personally, with a message of great power and love.

God is Almighty, Holy, and ever Present; yet He has become our Father by Holy, Divine adoption!

(No, He is not Father to all, but Father only to those who receive His Son as Lord and Savior)

But here, Paul puts a darling name for Father…Abba.

It is like “Daddy”.

Like a little child glad to see the Father, runs to him crying, Daddy, Daddy.

So Paul says the Holy Spirit within us, gives us this access: this joy and affection as we come before the Throne of God in prayer.

1 Peter 1:18-20 “For as much as ye know that you are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition by your fathers;

But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you.”

God “sent forth” His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to free us from the bondage of sin, anoint us by His Holy Spirit in faith and love. Making us His children, and giving us unlimited access to our Abba, Father.

Christ is indeed:

Isaiah 9:6 “But unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

God is never late…He has everything in His control…and how wonderful that He has saved us, made us His, and given us His Spirit, so we are never alone.

Let us praise the Lord for His timetable….for we are included in it.

The call to discipleship

This call is from God.  We are called to set aside ourselves to the Lord, and HIs Will and Purpose for us….in the work that He gives us.

“Call” is an interesting term.   When I was little I had a godly Grandmother, and she would often talk about “calling”.   I had no idea what she meant (altho she was very patient with me, trying to explain about the Lord’ Will for our lives.)….until  I was born again. 

      Later,  when I received my call….

I heard the Lord plainly tell me what His plan for me was….and that I was to go to the altar to surrender to it…and follow Him.

The call of the fishermen was an amazing thing….who would have thought that ignorant fishermen would become the apostles of Christ!

(And aren’t we amazed when Jesus calls us to do something for Him!)

Matthew 4:18-21 “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw brethren,  Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea:  for they were fishers.

        And He saith unto them,   Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.

        And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him.

        And going on from thence,  He saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them.”

One set of sons were casting a net for fish….and called to be fishers of men.   The other set of sons were mending their nets….and John was called to mend the church, even in his life time.

There was the call of Matthew….a tax collector…another choice which would not seem right to do….but Jesus came and called him.

Matthew 9:9 “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, He saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He saith unto him,  Follow me.   And he arose, and followed Him.”

(I find Matthew’s call an amazing one….for he would have been hated and looked down upon because  of his job….yet Jesus called him to be a disciple…and chose him to be an apostle.  The first book in the New Testament is his…written by a converted tax collector.)

Our calling is not according to our abilities…..but according to HIs choice and grace.   He gives ability….we simply must trust and obey.   

(My husband, one  Sunday,  had just sang the song,…”Trust and Obey”, and sat down.   The preacher at that time, then gave his message, and the Lord called my husband to preach.   My husband thought, “Surely not me, Lord.  You would not call me to preach.”

      But the Lord told my husband,  “You sang it,….now do it”.   And he went forward to accept the call…to, in fact, ‘trust and obey’.)

It is also interesting that the testimony of John the Baptist was a call to Andrew….for when John said,  “Behold the Lamb of God!”  (John 1:36)…Andrew and another unnamed man followed after the Lord Jesus….calling Him, “ Rabbi” or Master.   

       Then Jesus called…”Come and see”.

But the bringing of others did not stop….Andrew went and got Simon Peter.

John 1:41 “He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him,  We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”

       The next day…

John 1:43 “The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him,  Follow Me.”

       And Philip went and got Nathanael…

John 1:45 “Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him,  We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write,  Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph”

       Though Nathanael hesitated, because Jesus was from Nazareth….yet the call was…”come and see” for yourself.   And when he did,….

John 1:49 “Nathanael answered and saith unto Him,  Rabbi,  Thou art the Son of God;  Thou art the KIng of Israel.”

When we have found Christ for ourselves….we should also witness to our family, and others of Him and His grace.

At first, the disciples calling…was to go around to Israel’s villages and preach….”the kingdom of God is at hand”.   Along with that,  they were given the power to heal…and cast out devils. (Luke 9:1-2)

Luke 9:10 “And the apostles, when they returned, told Him all that they had done.  And He took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.”

Luke 10:17 “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying,  Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name.”

It is easy, when the Lord gives you some success in your calling to feel elated….kind of wanting to pat yourself on the back….or jump up and down ….but thankfully….Jesus often calls us away from things…He reminds us  what we should really be praising Him for.

Luke 10:20 “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you;   but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

It is never what we do for Jesus Christ…in our calling.  But what He is to us.   For that is what we show forth….His life, His Word, and His character….through us.

       This,  the disciples had to learn….and for three years they followed Him…hearing HIs Words,….seeing Him heal and comfort the weak….and rebuke the callous and religious blind…..

….always following…

…even when others left Jesus.

John 6:60, 66 “Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said,   This is an hard saying;  who can hear it?

       From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.”

They had been offended by His blunt words…that He was the only way to God. 

       Even after all they had experienced….they refused to completely surrender to His Authority over themselves.

Then…for the remaining disciples….the choice to follow Him….on…was made.

John 6:67-69 “Then said Jesus unto the twelve,  Will ye also go away?

        Then Simon Peter answered Him,  Lord, to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life.

        And we believe and are sure that Thou are that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Discipleship is to place yourself under the authority and teaching of someone.   When you become a disciple of Christ, you surrender to Him…as Master, Teacher, and Lord…for He is the Son of God.

The call to discipleship can come at any time.  

       We can be working hard to get ahead….and Jesus calls us to “come, follow Me”.

       We can be sitting….hated by others….yet Jesus can call us to “Follow Me.”

       We can believe the testimony of other preachers…and “come and see” for ourselves that Jesus is Lord and Savior.

Jesus will speak bluntly to us….He always did, and always will.   He never sugar-coated His Words….but simply gave the truth….and called all of His, to walk in the Light of the Truth.

His call to discipleship is to “Follow Him”….into the work He has for us to do….wherever and with whomever He wills.

To Learn of Him

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

The first thing we must do is to come to Him…then we must give our attention to the lessons He gives by His Word and His Spirit.

We must learn of Christ;…..for He is both the Teacher and the lesson…

…He is both our Guide and our Way.

Ephesians 4:21 “If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus;”

This is what Jesus Christ teaches…..the truth….putting everything into right perspective.

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

Moses gave God’s people the law He was given….showed it to them and made them to know what they were to do…

But by Christ, we are given grace and truth….

Christ shows us the truth, for us….and when we submit to it…..He gives us grace to do something about it.

And what is the truth for each of us?

Matthew 11:28 “….all ye that labor and are heavy laden….”

Jesus Christ says that we labor very hard, to “get”…….

……to be able to say….”I have”.

And it is weariness:

Ecclesiastes 10:15 “The labor of the foolish wearied every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go the the city.” (the city of God. Hebrews 11:9-10)

Before we come and learn of Christ…..we labor very hard to get satisfaction through many things…….even in religious things.

We work to be able to say…..”I did this….I have this…..I acquired this”.

The emphasis is on “I”.

But Jesus shows us, that this is weariness….for the moment we “get”….we look for more.

We burden ourselves with: ideas of what could have been,…..or might be.

We burden ourselves with: affections that will never be satisfied….that will eat us up…..grief, infatuation, the desire to protect, even those we can’t.

We burden ourselves with conversations to which there is no answer….

2 Timothy 2:23 “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.”

But Jesus says to “Come to Him,…and He will give us rest from these burdens”…….by the truth,…..and then give us grace, to deal with them.

Christ has left us an example:

Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:….”

“Yoke” here is a coupling…a bar put on more than one, so they will submit together to the work.

Christ is offering us a place next to Him, in the Will of God.

Will we take it?

“For I am meek…”. Christ was completely yielded to His Father’s Will, He was pliable to everything the Father wanted.

Hebrews 5:8-9 “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered:

And being made perfect (complete), He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him;”

As the Son of Man, He learned in all His circumstances to obey His Father’s Will, there.

He said, “I do always those things which please Him.” (John 8:29)

He completed every obedience, and by His obedience….became the perfect sacrifice to atone for sin.

(A meek person, sees himself as he is before God…not letting other’s opinions or his own ideas interfere with what God shows him.)

“And lowly in heart:…”. Lowly means humiliated. His Way though this world was one of constant humiliation…..willing humiliation.

Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

This is the yoke that we are to take up,….with Him. To be meek, and lowly…taking everything that the Lord leads us into,….and being obedient.

We are to learn to adjust ourselves to every condition which comes to us….with Him beside us.

Philippians 4:11, 13 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

We are to adjust ourselves to an needy condition….to know how to be abased.

Christ did.

We are to learn to be full,….yet not be proud, or secure in what we have.

Christ did.

It is by Christ’s constant and renewing strength, that we learn….by experience…His enabling in all conditions.

Matthew 11:29-30 “……..And ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Again I ask, will we come to Christ and learn of Him?

And Having Done All, to Stand

Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

When it comes to our defense against the devil’s wiles, we are to stand.

Having done all we can, using the grace given, we are to stand with Jesus Christ our Lord.

But Jesus gives us protection by His Word, and through His faith. These come in the form told here: the armor.

Ephesians 6:14 “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;”

In the belt that goes around us, we see our subjection to Jesus Christ, for He is the Truth.

As we are subject to Him, His truth surrounds us, strengthening us in all our battles ahead.

When we see the truth, we have been given a great advantage over our enemy.

(Many people say, “There is your truth, and my truth.” No, there is Truth. And there are lies. God is Truth. The devil is the father of all lies. When we apply God’s truth to us; grace or the unmerited favor of power is given. John 1:17)

And His righteousness which, as born again ones, covers our hearts. His righteousness is applied to us (2 Corinthians 5:21), that we might stand before Him.

For we stand not in our own righteousness, but His.

Our hearts are so fickle, that He gives us a special covering to protect them, as we are obedient to His word. For the Adversary would seek to wound or trick our hearts, to turn them out of God’s way for us.

Ephesians 6:15 “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”

And the shoes of peace, or the knowledge that you stand here, now in His Name, and by His power! Here I stand for Jesus! What peace that gives your thoughts and actions.

Ephesians 6:16 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

And Faith, which is our shield, or extra protection wherever it is needed, against the accusations of the devil.

If our minds are being attacked by doubts, fears, or evil suggestions; up goes the shield of faith which removes the ground of accusation by belief, courage, and God’s purity (for faith sees God, as He is, in power to help, and to give the victory over).

Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

And the helmet of Salvation: plainly we need to “think saved”. It helps us to see the temptations of the world, and the tricks of the Adversary.

It keeps in clear vision God’s plan for us; for things can get pretty confused in our minds, if we listen to the world’s version of what is going on.

And the Word of God as our sword. This is a saying of the Word; you need not quote the verse exactly, but as a portion of the Word comes to mind, you say it, and the Holy Spirit is the One who enforces it against the Adversary.

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereinto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

And of course, all prayer. It is His will we seek, His will we ask done.

Prayer is simply talking to God about everything. All the irritations, frustrations, and temptations which come to us.

And praying for others.

Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

The wiles of the Adversary are his tricks. He knows us well; we once belonged to him, before we were born again. So he knows what we like, what we wish for, and what makes us angry.

If you could think of the biggest scammer you have heard of; that would not even come close to the scams the devil runs, for he is the father of all lies.

The devil hates God, and seeks to get us to get mad at God.

The devil wants us to think of God in a bad light, or God’s way of doing things, as hard.

When we think that way, the devil has taken joy from us.

And he will just keep attacking us, trying to take the enjoyment of walking with God from us.

That is why it is so important to know God’s Word,…….and Trust and Obey it.

Then we can stand covered in the protection God has for us.

Elisha and the cruse of Salt.

2 Kings 2:19 “And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is nought, and the ground barren.”

The city of Jericho was situated near the Jordan River; it was a beautiful city, but the spring water that watered the land was bitter and caused the crops to fail.

Jericho was rebuilt under a curse. (Joshua 6:26). I am only mentioning this because the world system we live in, is also under a curse.

One day there will be a new heaven and earth, but now we are called to live here for Christ Jesus.

To “build” here,……as though this was our final home, and not keep our hearts for Heaven,……will cause any Christian to be barren, and not produce the fruit of joy and peace in the soul.

The men of Jericho, hearing that Elisha had been anointed by the Holy Spirit to be prophet after Elijah,……so they came to him, and asked that he would seek God for help, to heal the waters.

2 Kings 2:20 “And he said, Bring me a new cruse (jar) and put salt therein, and they brought it to him.”

Salt, we know is a preservative. It keeps bacteria and decay away.

[We, as Christians, are to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13).

We are to “preserve” it from evil…….the part we have influence in…..in our everyday circumstances,…..by manifesting the Lord Jesus’ character in the world.

We are to honor the Holy Spirit within us, and witness of Christ’s life.]

Elisha had agreed to ask God what He wanted done about Jericho’s water….

And he had received what to do…..using a jar full of salt.

But the healing of the waters, was not to cost the men of the city, nothing.

They were to buy a new cruse (jar) and the salt, and bring it to him.

It would have cost them little,….but they were to do it,…..willingly being obedient to God’s requirements.

When they did this, Elisha was instructed to:

2 Kings 2:21-22 “And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.

So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.”

The salt, itself, was not the healer. Nor was Elisha. But the Lord healed them.

The salt was the means God wanted used, and Elisha was the instrument the Lord used, for that time.

This is a picture of how we, as Christians, can be fruitful in this barren world.

The world looks good, the situation seems “pleasant”…….but without the “living water” of Christ….this world is barren….not bringing forth the fruit unto holiness….but only supplying death.

The Lord requires new, clean vessels;…..by being born again. (John 3:3)

And we need to be salt; the preserving power of the Holy Spirit working through us to a sad world. (Matthew 5:16)

That is simply doing what were told by God, and showing His character to those around us.

Then we can be the means and the instruments for “healing” in this world.

The waters were healed, not just for a day or two….but from then on.

They could have harvests of plenty.

God wants that for each life He saves: To bring forth the fruits of the Holy Spirit within (to have His joy and peace, even in this world); and to manifest His gospel without.

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Let us seek the Lord’s direction…and be clean vessels, meet for the Master’s use….giving the salt of the Holy Spirit to all around us.

The Good Ground Hearer

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.”

“If we walk in the light”. We know that “light” means knowledge and understanding from the Holy Spirit, by the Word of God.

We are to walk in that light, that the Holy Spirit gives us; to be obedient to the light we have received.

Does that mean sinless perfection? No, it does not!

What it does mean, is: that you get honest with God, in all your dealings with Him.

Prayer, Bible Study, witness, and worship. You get honest with Him.

You, in fact, become a “good ground hearer”.

Matthew 13:23 “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

All that have the seed sown unto them, “hear” it. It is what we do when we hear, that separates us in Christ’s sight.

“And understandeth it”. The good ground hearer, understands the right of those claims made on his life by Christ; and answers them with a life that is open to and receptive to Christ.

(If you think Christ has not made any claims to your life, then you have not heard aright. And you have not understood His claim as Lord and Savior.)

Mark 4:20 “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

The good ground hearers are those individuals which: when they hear the Word given to them, they receive the Word.

They do not reject it, or say, “that is for someone else”.

To receive is to do what that Word requires of them.

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.”

Here we see the reason behind the good ground: honesty.

Our hearts are never good, in themselves:

Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

(In other words, our hearts [feelings and thoughts] lie to us. They tell us that we are alright. When the Bible and our conscience tell us something else.)

But in Luke it says: “honest and good heart”. That is the only way it is good. We get honest with God and allow Him to search us and show us if there is anything we need to get straight with Him.

Then we can bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, and the fruit of the Christian; which is another Christian. (We are all called as witnesses of Christ’s life in our life)

This honest heart, “keeps” the word.

It obeys, and perseveres in that obedience.

And in keeping it, we are changed into His character: His lovingkindness we can show.

His truth we can share.

His prayer for all, we can follow.

When we keep the Word,…..we show that God is true,…..and we stay with Him in all the trials that come up.

To understand the Word is to see Who speaks to me. It is to know the reality of the creature before the Creator. We understand that God is God, and does command me to follow Him, wherever He leads.

This is the first agreement in walking together in the light with Him.

Then we receive the Word, that we might be changed into “a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21). In other words, bringing forth fruit…some thirtyfold, some sixty, some a hundred.

Then,….

(and in the Christian life, there is always a “then”. We are never to be stagnant; but always going on to more mature things.)

Then, we “keep” the word. As creature before the Creator, because we have learned that He does all things well…..

….so I’ll keep His Word, and with patience, waiting on Him to bring things to pass; I’ll stand.

Doing what He says, bringing forth fruit….maybe not a hundredfold, but I will bring forth fruit to His glory.

Thank you Heavenly Sower, the Lord Jesus Christ, for allowing Your Word to come to me.

May it bring forth fruit, abundantly to You….in me.

God’s Correction of the First Church

Revelation 2:4 “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”

This verse was written toward the end of the Apostolic Age of the church.

The apostles had gone forth into the world, preaching the good news of Christ.

Their hearts were so full of love to Him;….many suffered persecution and death, to show forth Christ, to a dying world.

But time had past. Some believe the Apostolic Age to have lasted only 100 years, before it was plunged into the persecution of the the ten Caesar’s, where thousands of Christians were beaten and fed to lions, to please the bloodthirsty crowds of Rome.

But before the persecution, there was the error of putting work, for Christ,….of putting service in the place of devotion to Christ.

(Now we all need to work for Christ…..there is a work for each of us. But we easily get “wrapped up” in what we are doing…..and lose sight of Who we work for. Service becomes doing…..when Christ says, Obedience to Me, is love service.)

The Apostle Paul had warned this Church about such men that would come in and lead them away, from what was really important: devotion and obedience to Christ, Himself.

Acts 20:28-30 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

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

Notice, it is “take heed” unto yourselves…..we are responsible to grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ Jesus.

If you love Christ; what wouldn’t you do for Him?

But if you are doing a work for Christ without great love to Him, what good does it do?

The value of any work, is that it is done out of love to Him: to please and honor Him, as it says in Corinthians…..”….it profits me nothing.”

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 (love to Christ), it profiteth me nothing.”

The Problem:

Like all of us,…….that church had become focused on one part of our lives. (It is so easy to do)

Revelation 2:2-3 “I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear with them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My Name sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.”

This is all really great stuff! But…..

…they had become so busy in their responsibilities to others (so they thought), that they had set Christ aside.

He was no longer first…..He was no longer the goal to which they “reached forth”

Philippians 3:7-8 “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”

(This is not for Salvation,….but for a relationship which draws me nearer, nearer still, My Beloved Lord. And we do need to “hang on” in this; for so many things try and lead us away from Him.)

Sadly, for this church, He was no longer the reason they did what they did.

They had fallen short in the loving fellowship and devotion to Christ, Himself,……for themselves.

And there is no bigger step out of the Way of God, than this.

Revelation 2:4 “Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”

Jesus warns them to repent: To turn around and remember their first love;……the warmness and sweetness of clinging to Christ,…..for themselves in everything.

If we do this, we won’t forget others; but they will be in their proper place.

Behind Christ.

Christ first, everything else next.

How sweet our lives are, as we are walking hand in hand, arm in arm with the “Someone” we love.

Christ calls them to repent. To stop placing their personal relationship with Him after others,…..and do “the first works”.

The very first “work” we do, is to look to Jesus, and Believe and Trust Him; opening our hearts to Him, and our lives to Him.

A life open to and receptive to Him.

All our lives should be an expression of love for Christ. Whatever we are, think or do; it should be out of love to Jesus.

Then He promises them to eat of the Tree of Life.

Revelation 2:7 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

Life is personal; you can not eat for someone else. You can only have it for yourself.

This is what Jesus is saying:

Come and have as much of Me as you want. This is My personal invitation and promise……for I will not take second place, in your life.

When God takes our lives and puts them into His balance:

He puts in one side, our love to Him,

And in the other, what we do for Him.

The balance only comes out even, if the love we have to Christ is the reason we do what we do.

John, the Beloved Apostle, wrote to warn the church about anything which should take Christ’s place in our hearts. It is short, and inclusive:

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

The Brazen Laver

Fellowship is a word of intimacy. It means: partnership, participation, or social sharing between close companions.

What does this have to do with the brazen laver?

Because it was at the Laver, that the priests washed their hands and their feet before going into the Holy Place….the place which spoke of fellowship with God.

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

In the Holy Place the priests ministered at the altar of incense (picturing our prayers ascending to God) or the table of shewbread (picturing our feeding on the Bread of Life—Christ Jesus).

All those things, were things of partnership, participation or sharing with God….in other words they pictured the fellowship we should have with God in prayer and communion.

Fellowship, which could only be entered into by washing outside the Holy Place…..at the Laver.

(It is interesting to note, that at the beginning of their ministry as priests, they were to be given a complete bath, and given the garments for their work. This was not to be repeated! It was a picture of our regeneration….being born again. Exodus 29:4-5)

In our daily walk, as Christians, in this world, we come into contact with trespasses and sins…..in our lives and in the lives of others….and we are in need of cleansing.

Exodus 30:18-19 “Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and it’s foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the Tabernacle of the congregation and the Altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:”

So the Laver was put between the Altar, dealing with sin; and the Holy Place, speaking of fellowship.

The blood and sacrifice of the Altar deals with sin, and the water of the Laver cleanses from defilements which working and walking in this world, brings us into contact with.

Their hands—their service; and their feet—their walk; was to be cleansed before fellowship with God could happen.

1 John 1:7, 9 “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.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Ephesians 5:25-26 “….Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;

That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word.”

The Brazen Laver represents Christ’s ability to meet every need we have…..for our continual cleansing.

The Laver was not silver or gold….but brass, which represents judgement.

(The Lord judges His people according to the Word He has given them, and what they did with it. Jesus is seen in Revelation 1:13-16 as having brass feet….judging the walk of His church.)

The Lord tells us, now, to judge ourselves in the water of the Word, that we might have fellowship with Him….in all our days through this world.

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

The priests were to wash their own hands and feet in the provision of the Laver and the water….that they might enter into the Holy Place and have the fellowship provided by the bread and in prayer.

Remember, fellowship is intimate partnership, participation, and social sharing between close companions.

Amen

Are we having this for ourselves?

Do we see ourselves as “with Christ” in all His works?

Peter learned a great lesson about this when Jesus was washing the disciples feet at the Last Supper:

“Lord, doest Thou wash my feet?” Peter asked.

Jesus explained that this was one of those things that Peter might not understand now, but would afterward…”

But Peter often jumped in, where he did not need to….

John 13:8 “Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”

Jesus did not say, “in Me”, but “with Me”. “In Christ” has to do with Salvation…..”with Christ” has to do with fellowship and communion with Him.

Peter was saved….all he needed was his feet washed by Jesus….to have the fellowship and instruction which they had as they went to the garden of Gethsemane. (John 14-17 amazing chapters for Christians)

But again Peter jumped in….

John 13:9-11 “Simon Peter saith unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

Jesus saith unto him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

For He knew who should betray Him; therefore said He, Ye are not all clean.”

Christ Jesus washed the disciples feet to show that fellowship with Him requires His cleansing….the cleansing of our walk before Him.

Again, I ask, are we having this fellowship—this partnership, participation, and social sharing between Jesus and us?

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;”.

“Given us in Christ Jesus…..before the world began”.

You were considered in the first act of creation…..

…..for the first act of creation, was the Everlasting covenant, made by God the Father and God the Son, that set up our salvation (Hebrews 13:20-21)

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.”

What does everlasting mean? It means from eternity past….to eternity future…

God’s desire was toward the time when we would be with Him…..first “in Christ”…and then in heaven.

“In Christ”….sets forth our work and ministry….here.

We are not with Him in heaven (although, we are in Him, and He is in us by His Holy Spirit)………yet we are raised to newness of life….His life in us.

This is our time of growing in the grace and knowledge of God……our time of trial of faith.

1 Peter 1:7-9 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing , ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

Our Salvation is all of God…..in Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-9. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

But once we are saved…..we are given a Purpose…..an eternal Purpose which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

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.”

Titus 2:14 “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Here, then is the Purpose of our salvation: That we might be taken from the slavery of sin…..”all iniquity” (Hebrews 7:25)…

….and “purified”….which simply means that our direction of life is one way…we have decided that we are choosing God and His Way….we not doubleminded (James 1:8)…..or fence setting….but obedient to His Word to us.

Matthew 6:22 “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.”

Then, as we are purified, we can show and give to others…..what we have received from the Lord, ourselves…

…this is our outward invitation to others….to join us to follow our Lord: some are called to preach, teach,…..but we are all called to witness….with our lives, and with our words.

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

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:”

Our salvation was a free gift (Romans 6:23)…..but then we are called to join the great Purpose of the saints….to manifest Christ Jesus to a lost and dying world….with our individual callings….

….”a holy calling”…..and “holy” means set aside in everything to God.

Our holy calling is to be first in me….in all the areas of my life…

….then…out from me to…..my church, my home, my job, and ever onward…

….to all we meet.

He has 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 to us….in Christ Jesus….before the world began.

His eyes have been toward us…..let us turn our eyes toward Him….and finish our course.

Luke 21:28 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

What things? The things that will happen before…..”the end times”. (Matthew 24:33-42)

Everyday we see these things happening.

And what are we, as Christians, told to do?

To grow sad, as though our hope was in this world….no!

But we are to “look up”……..we are to look above the circumstances and see the Lord working behind everything that He is allowing.

We are to “lift up our heads”…..we should rejoice in the scriptures being fulfilled right before our eyes….

….don’t let our head (thoughts) hang down,….but we should be praying,…

…”Even so, come Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

And loving His appearing…for there is a crown of righteousness laid up for those who love His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).

But in order for us to “love His appearing”….we must be watching and praying….ready for His return…….not fainting under the weight of the Adversary’s attacks.

He might send darkness….but we are given Light….pray for light.

He might send hatred….but we are given joy and peace in believing….pray for that peace to fortify your heart.

We are not to faint….and Jesus gave us a parable to show us the Way we are to handle the enemies attacks….especially in our prayer life….which is so important now.

To this world….we are not important….but we are His child….and He hears us, and has already given us HIs Word for our case.

Luke 18:1 “And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint:”

Here, we see plainly, that to be ready for Christ’s return:…..we must be a praying people.

Praying for His Will done….Praying for His kingdom come….within us and His church…..and on the earth….soon.

For Jesus speaks, here, of the closing days of the church age….just before He returns to Rapture the church….

….and how these times will be…….we will have enemies….those that think we are helpless and seek to ruin us…..and those that seek to take our blessings…….

…..and He says, what we should be doing about them.

Luke 18:2-3 “There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:

And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary.”

This was probably a Roman judge (for Jewish judges were in three’s)….so he would not care about the needs of a Jew….especially a widow…

….she was not someone important,….she was not rich…..she did not have important friends…..she was a nothing, a nobody to him….

….but she kept coming back.

This judge did not fear God, nor man….he was appointed by Rome.

So anything he would do, was on a personal level…..only for what affected him….or for his gain.

“Avenge me of my adversary”….was the widows cry….again and again. “She kept coming back”.

This is not a request for punishment for her enemy (she had an enemy which persecuted her….sought to take things from her…..so do we.)

……but this cry was for a decree issued from that judge……that would give her protection from her enemy’s injustice…..

…..and to keep him, from harming her…..like a restraining order, today.

She wanted protection…..not vengeance…..so she kept coming back, to someone who could give it to her…..

…..but he thought nothing of her….and ignored her….for a while.

Luke 18:4-5. “And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, though I fear not God, nor regard man

Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest, by her continually coming she weary me.”

Because this widow kept crying unto this unjust judge….”I will avenge her”.

The reason? “Lest by her continual coming she weary me.”

The Greek, “she weary me”….literally means….”she give me a black eye”.

That means, that her continually coming there, might ruin his reputation…..

…..something he cared about….though he did not care about anything else.

People might get the wrong impression about him…….so he gave her that “restraining order” against her enemy…..just to be rid of her.

Luke 18:6 “And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.”

Jesus says to listen,…..to really see what that unjust judge says…..

….”I will do it, just to get rid of her, for my reputation is on the line.”

See his motives….selfish, and proud….yet the widow got her request…

Luke 18:7 “And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?”

Then, Jesus said…..look to God…..cry unto God, Who loves you.

God is just….He will issue such degrees for us, against our Adversary…

…”Heavenly Father, Avenge me of my Adversary”.

Shall not the Judge of all the earth…..and our Heavenly Father….surely do right?

(Sometimes we act as if God was unjust…..in His dealings with us, and the men of the world.

They prosper,….and we just get by.

They lie and steal and cheat….and yet are not, seemingly, chastened…..but if we try and use these means….we are rebuked.

Why? Their rebuke is coming…..for all eternity, if they do not turn and repent.

But our rebukes….are for our good, that we might grow thereby.)

Yet Jesus uses this parable…..especially for these last days….because we are not to look to our enemies…..but to God in prayer.

We are not to look for “justice”, here, in the world’s system……but to God, the Judge of all the earth.

And we are to look to God, crying….…..”Avenge me of my Adversary”.

“Though He bear long with them”….we are not what we ought to be in this age…

His church has Him outside the door in Laodicea….this last of the church age. (Revelation 3:20)

….He is loving, rebuking, and chastening….that we might become all He has for us….to have the victory He has for us, in our circumstances…even in these days.

He is “bearing long” with us….to bring us to one day stand before His throne, hearing….”Well done, My good and faithful servant”.

We should always cry unto the Lord for such restraining decrees against our Adversary.

“Heavenly Father, avenge me of my adversary”….

…this is especially helpful in prayer….when our thoughts roam, or as we are praying we suddenly become angry, or depressed…..

“Lord, Avenge me of my Adversary”

Luke 18:8 “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?”

Faith gives us victory. (1 John 5:4)

Our faith is increased as we pray, going before the throne of grace….the Father’s throne….and receiving from His hand mercy and grace, especially in the face of our adversaries.

Remember this began with:

Luke 18:1. “And He (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint;”

“Faint” means to weaken in our purpose, to languish, to give up.

Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

When we pray, we ought to believe that our Heavenly Father….the Just God of all the earth…. is going to hear,….

….and keep at it until He does…..and gives us these restraining orders against our Adversary……..

…..for He will avenge us speedily.

And “speedily” means that God gives Himself to our request with all His Wisdom and Might…..He answers our cry’s.

“And when these things begin to come to pass”……do not faint….but cry to the Just Judge of all the earth….He hears…and will “avenge” us speedily.

“Heavenly Father, Avenge me of my Adversary”