Let us…

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

“Let us”…there are many in Hebrews….for the writer is including himself in these exhortations.   “Let us” shows the heart of the writer….for though he is writing them….he is with them in heart and will…..”Come on, let us, keep after the Lord our Shepherd….and turn away from all that would hinder this.”

The writer had just spoken concerning unbelief…

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

       (And we should fear not only for ourselves, but for others….who seem to come short of it.)

Fear here is not terror,  but the attitude of working to stay away from something’s and holding onto other things.

Unbelief will keep us from every blessing God has for us.   

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

….first, we should have the hope of these things, by the assurance of the Holy Spirit.

       (You may be called to an altar,  or receive a promise in the Bible in answer to prayer…..but then you need to know the confident assurance that God will do it….in your spirit, by the Holy Spirit.)

Then,

Hebrews 4:2-3, 9 “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them;  but the word preached did not profit them,  not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

        For we, which have believed do enter into rest, as He has said…..

        There remained therefore a rest for the people of God.”

        Without the element of faith, there is nothing….for faith makes them real….

….first within….

….then by obedience,  in our lives…..we have these promises.

(I’m going to take us on a journey….the Israelites were “preached” to by Moses, often.

…..but also in the Red Sea crossing!    That should have shouted at them what a wonderful God they had….that would deliver them in such a way.

       The tree sweetening the waters should have “preached” that no matter the outward circumstances….God will provide.

       And so the preaching continued….with manna,  with water from a Rock, with Sinai,  with the Ark and Tabernacle.    If they had “heard” the preaching of these….and learned to deny themselves in these smaller lessons….trusting God…

….then,   When they were presented with the land of their promise….

….they would have denied their lives,  rather than deny their God.

        Their “rest” would have been in God…..till He had given them their “rest” in Canaan.

                    It is the same with us…..our “rest” is the promise He gives us now.   How do we enter into that rest?    Have faith in God….for this…..and He will lead us into future “rest”…..till our lives are full of faith in God.)

Therefore, the writer, ends this chapter with:

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

What is mercy?   It is God’s kindness to sinners.  

        Spiritual mercy are those kindnesses which come to us as HIs born again ones.      Forgiveness,     that gentle nudging of our spirits when we are going the wrong way,     help to pray aright….a lifting of our hearts when sad,  a touch of peace when weary.   How many mercies we receive.

What is grace?  It is the unmerited favor of power….this is power to believe and do.

  This sounds great!  But what is “in time of need”?

Every time we hesitate to believe.   Every time we want to “see” instead of walk by faith.  Every time we want to complain about the lessons along the way….

…”let us” come boldly to the throne of grace to get mercy…and grace to help us.

It is to the throne of grace we come…..God’s Throne made a throne of grace by Jesus.

Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then we have a great High Priest,  that is past into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

        For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

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

He knows our infirmities and has therefore a throne of grace where we may obtain mercy….and find grace.

        He understands what we are and how we are,….having made full provision for us….

        So come boldly to His throne to receive what you need.

When Saul met the Lord

Acts 9:3-5 “And as he journeyed,  he came near Damascus:  and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  

                     And he fell to the earth,  and heard a voice saying unto him,  Saul,  Saul,  why persecutest thou Me?   

                      And he said,   Who art thou,  Lord?   And the Lord said,   I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:  It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

Saul, a very religious Pharisee, had become enflamed against the followers of Jesus, after seeing Steven (the first martyr of the church) die.

Now here was the way a man who was true,  would die.  

Forgiving his killers, and asking God not to lay it to their charge.   

Steven saw the heaven’s open and Jesus sitting on the throne, high and lifted up. (Acts 7:55-60)

But Saul would not believe his  testimony.  

That would make his nation guilty of condemning and killing their own Messiah.

No, No,…he would not believe it.  

And the more Saul worked at not believing,  the madder he got.  

He devised a plan to destroy this belief.   

He would persecute Jesus followers, and cause them to be stoned, too.

He would get rid of this Jesus.

But when some of the disciples in Jerusalem fled to other cities (the apostles, and a lot of other disciples did not),  Saul determined to search them out and bring them back and stone them.

So off to Damascus he goes.  He has letters which entitles him to grab these believers and arrest them and take them to Jerusalem for judgement.

He is fully empowered:  first by hate;  and then by the established religious rulers which crucified Christ.

Going along,  quite sure nothing is going to stop him.

But one thing he could not be empowered for:  the meeting with Christ Jesus, Himself.

First, there is light:  “a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun…”(Acts 26:13)

God always gives light first…..so we are able to come out of the darkness.  

Then He gives His Word.

Acts 26:14 “When we were fallen to the earth,  I heard a voice speaking unto me,  and saying in the Hebrew tongue,    Saul,  Saul,  why persecutest thou Me?

It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

This got his attention!   Here was Someone he had been persecuting.  How could this be?

So he asks who this Person is.

Acts 26:15 “And I said,  Who art thou,  Lord?        And He said,   I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”

(Twice Jesus says how Saul had persecuted Him.   

But it was His believers Saul had beaten and stoned.

But when anyone hurts a child of God,…..He sees it as hurting Him….for we are one in Him.)

Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said,   Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?….”

Saul, empowered of man;  meets Jesus Christ the Almighty God……the God of Light….the God of the Word……and yields.

Jesus Christ was now Saul’s Lord;….and he declared Him to be so…..and that changed everything!     

And the first thing it changed was Saul’s Purpose:

Acts 26:16-18 “But rise and stand upon thy feet:  for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,  

               (Here it is,  his purpose from now on!)

to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things that thou hast seen,  and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

                           Delivering thee from the people,  and from the Gentiles,  unto whom now I send thee,  

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

As you read this,  it reads just like the experience he  had.

His eyes were open by light;  so he was to witness of Jesus Christ and give this Light all over the known world.

He was under the power of Satan when he refused to believe Steven’s witness, and instead gave himself over to hate, and viciousness.

So Saul/Paul was to turn others from the power of Satan unto God.

His Message:

There is forgiveness of sins by Christ Jesus, and an inheritance given us in Jesus.

Then we are set aside for our purpose,…..the moment we are born again by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 

When Saul met the Lord,  everything changed.    

And Paul’s ministry changed the world.  

He preached before kings, soldiers, religious rulers, and idolaters.

Everywhere, he preached Christ.

His own testimony was:

1 Corinthians 2:1-2, 4-5 “And I,  brethren,  when I came to you,  came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,  declaring unto you the testimony of God.

                        For I determined not to know anything among you,  save Jesus Christ,  and Him crucified.

                         And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom,  but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

                         That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,  but in the power of God.”

                         

When Saul/Paul met the Lord Jesus Christ for himself,  everything changed.

He went from hating the Lord,….to loving Him.

From trying to destroy Him, and the believers,….to building them up in the faith.

From just following religion….to following “the Lord”.

Have we met the Lord?

Justification and Sanctification.

Justification deals with our guilt as sinners by birth and choice.

And Sanctification deals with the problem of the power of sin in our lives,  as Christians.   

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith,  we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Romans 6:12-13 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,  that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

                               Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:  but yield yourselves unto God,  as those that are alive from the dead,  and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

We are justified when we are born again.    Justified is a legal term, and means to be made:  not guilty before God.

As lost sinners, we are only justified when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.   We have come to believe in Him,  Whom to know aright is to have Eternal Life (Romans 6:23).

As saved sinners,  we are  sanctified, or set aside for God’s use;  as He has more and more of us.

It is not:  “How much of God do I have in my life?”

It is:  “How much does He have of me,  or how much have I lost of my self-life?

You see the Holy Spirit indwells believers at new birth.  (Hallelujah)

But,  after that,  He empowers us,…..only as much as we let Him,…in all the areas of our life.

To do this,  we need to deny ourselves,  pick up our cross,  and follow Him. 

Matthew 16:24-25 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples,  If any man will come after Me,   let him deny himself,    and take up his cross,    and follow Me.

             For whosoever will save his life  shall lose it:  and whosoever will lose his life  for My sake  shall find it.”

Our “cross” is anything which goes against “our” will;  that we have a choice in:  it is not illness, or our relatives, or our looks;  it is what we can say “no” to.

For it is “if any man will”.

It is different for each of us:  what God requires at my hand,  He might not do to you. (And visa versa)

But the method is the same:  we need to say “no” to ourselves (that is denying yourself);  and do the thing required of us,  giving the Holy Spirit access to teach us,  implant within us,  or remove from us,  what He will.

As we do this,  the “power” of our will,  is made more and more joyfully willing to do His Will;  and we are little by little sanctified (made a force for God to use in our circumstances).

Justification is just the first part of our life in Christ,  for He wants us to go on from strength to strength in Him, in our lives.

And that requires us to be sanctified.  Setting ourselves aside to God…in all things.

Keep Thy Heart  

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence;  for out of it are the issues of life.”

The heart in Scripture is the soul,  or personality of the individual.   It is what makes us,  us.

It is made up of mind or thoughts;  heart, or affections;  and will, or the limited power we have to do.

If we are born again (the Bible was written for God’s people), then we are warned to “keep our hearts”.

We are not to let it wander around into things it should not go near.

We are told to hold it close to God, by the exercise of willing love.

(If you say you can not will love;  I disagree.   

If you are talking about the affections which fly here and there; no you can not do much with them, until they are brought into subjection to Christ Jesus.     

But when we are born again, we are given power to exercise our will for God in a new way.    The will becomes the holder of all precious materials for God.   One of these is love.    And as such,  we will to love,  what God loves.)

Then we will to stay close to the Altogether Lovely One,  Jesus Christ.  

We have become so surrounded by the World’s terms and definitions about them;  that we have forgotten the reality of the power of God in our lives.

The world says love is an emotional response to someone or something.

God says love comes from Him, into our hearts, and is returned to Him by an act of our will.

1 John 4:16,19 “And we have known and believed the love God hath to us.   God is love;  and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God,  and God in him.

                          We love him,  because He first loved us.”

Believe is another word, the World has misused.   It says it is a action of the mind, which grasps the concept of something that has proved itself.

But God says it is an action of the will, whereby we place our whole being on Him, and His Word.

Mark 9:24 “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears,  Lord, I believe;  help thou mine unbelief.”

This father willed to believe.  Even praying Jesus to help his unbelief.  

To believe is the action of faith.   

And faith is placed within us by the Holy Spirit, when we come to Christ.

It works in us to believe:  place our whole selves on Christ. 

That is the action part, where we do His Will.

So we are told to “Keep our hearts” and we are to do this “with all diligence”.

It takes a lot of effort to keep our hearts close to Christ.

We have a tendency to “slide” away from Him.  There are many temptations in this world.

Jeremiah 3:14 “Turn, O backsliding children,  saith the Lord;…”

Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray;  we have turned everyone to his own way;  and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

But, as we love Him, we grow stronger and stronger in that love.  We are never out of danger, till we reach our home in heaven, but He has made a way of escape, even in the temptation:

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

For out of it (our hearts- our souls) are the issues of life. 

Issues,  or the source of life.

When we are saved, we are given eternal life, which is a condition of life.  

(It is not just to live forever.    Everyone will live forever, someplace.   The born again ones, in Heaven with God, in bliss.  The lost, in the Lake of Fire, in torment.)

This condition of life is Christ’s Life within us by the Holy Spirit.

We are to hang on to Him.  Steady ourselves with His Arm. (We need a lot of steadying)

And we are to use all the grace that He gives us, to keep hanging on to Him.

He never leaves us,  but we often leave Him. 

That is why hanging on,  keeping our hearts for Him, is so important.

Love Him,  for He loved you with an Everlasting Love.  

Trust Him, for He is Faithful.

Believe, and Obey Him,  for He leads us in the best way to go.

Whom shall He teach knowledge?   

Isaiah 28:9-10 “ Whom shall He teach knowledge?  And whom shall He make to understand doctrine?  Them that are weaned from the milk,  and drawn from the breast.

                              For precept must be upon precept,  precept upon precept;  line upon line,  line upon line;  here a little, and there a little.”

If we would go on to maturity in the faith of Christ,  this is the way we will go.

1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes,  desire the sincere milk of the word,  that ye may grow thereby:”

The Lord Jesus would teach us knowledge:  about Himself,  and about ourselves (who can really see the way we are without His truth?), and about the world around us (the snares, and phonies there).

Teach means to point out;  like the Lord saying,   “Look,  this is the way things really are.”

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

And the Lord “shall make us to understand doctrine”.  

In other words,  what we hear, we will understand with our minds:……we will not be confused about what He is saying to us.  

The Holy Spirit will give us understanding.

For precept must be upon precept;  line upon line.

[precepts in the Bible, are God’s prescriptions.  They are like medicine which He gives us for our spiritual health.]

Growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord,  is by steps.   

Putting one foot in front of the other.   

A little victory here,  a larger one next.     

There are falls,  but He is ever ready to pick us up.

And at every forward step, He celebrates with us, giving us joy and peace;……..giving us His grace for the next step.

We can go on till our affections have reached maturity.  For the walk of a Christian comes down to:   Lord,  what is next?

1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child,  I spake as a child,  I understood as a child,  I thought as a child:  but when I became a man,  I put away childish things.”

Paul is talking about charity, or love here.  Putting away our natural anger, and jealousy, and fear;  we are to go on and yield to the love God puts in our hearts.   Love to Him and others.     The more we love Him, the more we trust and obey Him.

Obedience does not save us;  the Lord Jesus Christ does that.  But we will never know Him in power, till we obey Him.

1 John 3:18 “Little children,  let us not love in word,  neither in tongue;  but in deed and in truth.”

1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth His word,  in him verily is the love of God perfected:  hereby know we that we are in Him.”

We are to be children of light, and shine that light:

1 Thessalonians 5:5, 8 “Ye are all the children of light,  and the children of the day:  we are not of the night,  nor of darkness.

                                          But let us,  who are of the day,  be sober (serious about doing God’s Will),   putting on the breastplate of faith and of love;  and for a helmet,  the hope of salvation.”

The Lord teaches us little by little; pointing out to us:   

the way to go,  

how to use the means of grace He gives us,  

and giving us His light and love all along the way with Him.

A more excellent Way.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

          It would be just so much noise.    

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guard your Heart 

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence;  for out of it are the issues of life.”

Above all that you guard…..guard your heart;  for out of it comes all the ups and  downs….all the joys and griefs,….all the issues of life.

(Our natural hearts are spoken of in Mark 7:20-23, and in:

Ephesians 2:3 “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh,  fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;  and were by nature the children of wrath,  even as others.”

But God has plans for our hearts…..they are to be filled with Him…..His joy and peace;  His love and kindness….so we are warned:

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

Jude 21 “Keep yourselves in the love of God,  looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”)

The “issues of life”  are those things that count for eternity….for real life has it’s foundation in fellowship with God.

Our action concerning the Will of God, comes from our will….but our hearts either move our wills to run after God…..or after the world.

So God looks to see:  Who or what do we love?

Proverbs 4:20-22 “My son, attend to My Words;  incline thine ear unto My sayings.

               Let them not depart from thine eyes;  keep them in the midst of thine heart,  

               For they are life unto those that find them,  and health to all their flesh.”

Proverbs 4:11-13 “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom;  I have led thee in right paths.

                When thou goest,  thy steps shall not be straitened;   and when thou runnest,  thou shalt not stumble.

                 Take fast hold of instruction;  let her not go:  keep her;  for she is thy life.”

Most believe that love is a whimsical emotion that comes unbidden.

But “agape”,  is that love of God that comes from our yielding to the Holy Spirit within….for it “rejoices in the truth, bears all things, never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:6-8)

1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth His Word,  in him verily is the love of God perfected:  hereby know we  that we are in Him.”

Guarding our hearts for God, is our duty to Him.   He claims our whole being…..for He redeemed all of us.

He then asks us to guard it for Him….and it is a “guard” or wall of separation from the world.

(In the Song of Solomon the believer is seen as a “enclosed” garden (Song of Solomon 4:12)…..one which is for the pleasure of the Lord.    

“Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.” (Song of Solomon 4:16).  

 

But if we guard it not….then the things of this world can enter into it….and stay there, influencing our willed actions:

lust (I want it and I want it now), 

and pride (the arrogance and lifting up of self interests, over God)

1 John 2:15-16 “Love not the world,  neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world,  the love of the Father is not in him.

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

So, we are to guard our hearts……but how?

We are to have that wall of separation from the world…..a wall made of:

Prayer, praise, and peace….

Philippians 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing;  but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

                   And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,  shall keep (garrison) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

At the gate of our hearts,  we will ask the Holy Spirit to place faith and grace as guards…..

Faith sees God….and helps establish us…

Colossians 2:6-7 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord,  so walk ye in Him:

                     Rooted and built up in Him,  and stablished in the faith,  as ye have been taught,  abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Grace is our support and help….

2 Timothy 2:1, 3 “Now therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

                     Now therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

Let us guard our hearts….for Him;  keeping ourselves in His love……and learning to: (1 Corinthians 13)

“Suffer long, and be kind”

“Envy not”

“be not puffed up”

“Thinks no evil”

“Rejoices in the truth”

“Bears all things”

“Believes all things”

“Hopes all things”

“Endures all things”

“Never fails”

These are all the things which can come from our hearts…..when it is separated to Jesus Christ., and guarded.

How much He has for us…..will we begin to learn?

Song of Solomon 6:10 “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning? Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?”

What is set forth in this verse is our life in the Lord Jesus, and just how it should be seen. The Holy Spirit should be able to use us to create a hunger in the hearts of others for God, and His workings in a soul that has continued to go on with Him. This is not by what we do….but by what we are.

Mature believers are:
“She that looketh forth as the morning”
This believer has “come to the light”….and there are no more “shadows” between her and her Lord.
The believer has come to live the life of nothing between. A constant maintaining of a life of fellowship with Christ.
We are no longer shut up, trying to examine ourselves, but are open to and receptive to Him at all times.
(And He has this for each believer….constant fellowship….even for us in Laodicea Rev. 3:20)

Revelation 21:7 “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.”
This overcoming deals with the everyday things of our everyday lives. It is in these things that we overcome….and “look forth as the morning”.
We walk in the light, seeing things clearly….as they really are.
The world often puts on a “show” for us….but this believer has come to see things for just what they are, and how they are, and also, just what they mean for our relationship with our Lord.
By this, we bring light to others.

The single most important thing is…”Lord, what would you have me to do?
For with God, nothing shall be impossible.
I can do nothing myself. Yet I can do all things through Christ Who strengthenth me.

We must keep in mind, in our everyday things…..The God before Whom I stand. He is Able…and I am His servant, and simply do, and stand where He has put me.
By this, we become as a morning light to those around us.

“Fair as the moon”
The moon reflects the light of the Sun, but it is a soft, gentle, light shining in the darkness. So we should realize that we are to reflect Christ…..He is our everything in these dark days….
….and when we do, He should be seen through us.

“Clear as the Sun”
This is absence of gloom.
(My husband had a message once on “Miserable Christians”. They were born again, yet had not left the trappings of the world, and therefore were torn between two masters.
Real joy is the Presence of God in my life. The more we know His presence by fellowship, the more joyful we are.
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.”
And we know that this cleansing is a present blessing, one which should be constantly sought.)
If we are to dispel gloom…..for the Joy of the Lord is our strength….it is in His Presence…constantly.
Psalm 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy Presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Joyful Christians manifest Jesus wherever they go.
(just a reminder: joy is not in circumstances. Joy is in the Lord. Circumstances may be “bad”…but our real joy is in the Lord.)

“Terrible as a army with banners”.
This deals with the enemy that opposes us.
Such an army….displaying all their banners….was a Victorious army. (otherwise they would be rolled up and hidden)

He is Victor in the field….and we should be identified with Him.
We must yield to the Holy Spirit and then exercise our wills for Him. There is a spiritual force in the will….and that force must be conquered and then led of the Holy Spirit. (Ro. 8:14)

From our position in Christ’s Victory, we should show forth a Victorious Christ. And as He has had the victory over us, we should radiate Him to a lost and dying world.
Not that we go forth to conqueror…but that we magnify and honor in love the One who has conquered us.

And it is in our personal lives that this will be done. It is not super-saints that God makes….but just willing, love-slaves of Christ.
It is in our personal set of circumstances….as He is Lord of them, first because He rules all things….but also because we have given them over to Him to do as He pleases….we will soon see the Victory through them.

Not that He necessarily changes our circumstances. But that…He changes us through our circumstances.
For He looks to an end result.
And that end result is that we might live victoriously as we become HIs Will….in our own little corner of the world.

We are a morning of light to others….we are reflecting the light of Christ in this world’s darkness….we are not miserable, but joyful, in the Lord…..and we are becoming victorious in the faith, showing forth our Christ Jesus as Victor.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Let us go on with Christ, for that is what a mature believer does…..that is, in fact what makes a mature believer. Not staying the same….but going on with the Lord.

The Voice of God:    in Wisdom 

Proverbs 1:20-21 

“Wisdom crieth without;  she uttered her voice in the streets:  

      She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,”

God is saying here that He had sent His Wisdom in the city,  into the minds of His People.

And  what did  Wisdom say?

Proverbs 1:23 “Turn you at My reproof:  Behold,  I will pour out My Spirit unto you,  I will make known My words unto you.”

God’s Wisdom wants us to not only hear the words;  but to “turn”.

When God reproves His people,  He is trying to get their attention away from the world’s traps,  and to turn it on their great calling in Christ Jesus.

He promises great power for our lives, in the promise of the Spirit;  “I will pour out My Spirit unto you”.  

and in understanding His Word for our lives,  today.

Jeremiah 10:23 “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself:  It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”

We were formed from the dust of the ground;  and the Lord breathed into man, the breath of life, and we became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

Then we were placed upright, on our feet, to walk after God.

But we turned every one to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6)

So God has spoken in a clear voice of Wisdom:

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,  and when ye turn to the left.”

That is pretty detailed direction, for our everyday life.  He knows, and we can know for today what His will is.

God has it for us: if we will walk with Him.

And if we get out of the Way?

The He will send Wisdom to correct us:

Proverbs 1:22 “How long,  ye simple ones, will ye love your simplicity?  And the scorners  delight in their scorning,  and fools hate knowledge?”

The simple ones here, are those who are not taught in the Word of God.   They can not prove all things.

We think simplicity is good,  but it is not,…..if we are simply refusing further instruction from Him, wanting to stay where we are because of fear, or lack of trust.

But the scriptures are given for our instruction:

2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God,  and is profitable for doctrine,  for reproof,  for correction,  for instruction in righteousness:”

And the scriptures are given for examples for us:

1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for admonition,  upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

Maybe we think that God would never make that happen for me;  what is the use of trying, or of praying?

 He has promised a lot to those who want His wisdom.  Shall we not believe Him?

Proverbs 1:23 “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you,  I will make known My Words unto you.”

Proverbs 2:10-11 “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul:  

      Discretion shall preserve thee,  understanding shall keep thee:”

Proverbs 3:21b-23 “…keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life unto thy soul,  and grace to thy neck.

      Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely,  and thy foot shall not stumble.”

God is still sending His Wisdom to the streets, the place people gather, to the entering of cities,  and in the city, itself.

He is sending it by His Word, His preachers, and by the testimony of His people.

He will not stop…His Voice will go forth.

Will we turn and walk after Him,  today?

Will we become a voice of wisdom to others?

1 Peter 1:2 “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

This is a message for the Elect. And how do you know that you are of the Elect?

According to Peter, you make your election sure by your calling.

2 Peter 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”

Notice calling is first…..we prove our election by our calling. And it is all done by the sanctification of the Spirit…unto obedience.
As our spirit yields to the Holy Spirit within, He is then able to do through us.
Bringing us into the obedience of subjection, first.
This Victory within makes a change in our souls, transforming our inner character and attitudes….as well as our outward words and actions.

This is God working in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil.2:13). But He will not so work without you yielding to the Holy Spirit.

He has made us even as we are for a Purpose. For all the called according to HIs Purpose….have a purpose for their lives.

Purpose is an interesting term. When we think of “purpose”…we think of the goal to which we are moving….or the Way in which we are walking.
And God’s Purpose includes both….but God’s purpose is primarily that we become His….in everything, through everything, in spite of everything.

If we see to our calling…..our Purpose in Christ to be His, in heart, word and deed….we will assuredly prove our election.

Ephesians 2:8-10 “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.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Here again Paul is stating plainly….that we claim our salvation in Christ Jesus as we show that we are walking in the good works that God has put before us.

Grace, faith and obedience are never separate….but a flowing stream of living water that flows through us by the Holy Spirit within, as we yield to Him.

Every good work that God requires at our hand has been completely seen to…..in Christ Jesus. We have grace….let us use it, and fulfill our purpose to be completely His.
Let not unbelief or fear hinder our calling….

We may seem totally insufficient…..and, yes, we are….but God is able to make all grace abound unto us.
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:”

And Peter says (2 Peter 1:4-8)… that by the precious promises….we will become partners of the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is prevalent in the world…
….and if we give all diligence using what we have….the ”faith” given….we will add to it many of Christ’s characteristics.
2 Peter 1:8 “For it these things be in you, and abound (remember God is going to make grace abound toward us!), they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”
….to be less of us, and more of Him.

Then Peter, stating these blessed promises….calls all who will, to give diligence to prove their election in God, by doing their calling.

The greatest proof we give….is our devoted love to the Lord Jesus Christ. Which is followed by our diligent obedience to His Word,….doing what He has called us to do.
And whatever He has called you to,…if we are diligent….He will give fruit, the fruit of the Spirit within, and the fruit of a Christian without,…which is another Christian.