EVEN AS

Beloved I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers. 

3 John 2

I can’t say this any stronger- our mental health is hinged on the value and priority we assign to the Word of God as the authority in our lives.  First and last, we hold His standard before our eyes and meditate on it to find right thoughts and right ways that lead us into life. 

Paul’s prayer for his beloveds’ well being is simply a human reflection of God’s heart for us as His children.  

The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.  John 10:10

Thessalonians reminds us that the will of God is for the sanctification of our life; spirit, soul and body.  

1 Thessalonians 5:23, NASB: "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

All facets of our being are to be subjected to the leading and direction of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This submission of spirit, soul and body keeps us in peace; complete and without blame at his coming.  

Ephesians chapter four talks about a futile mind …

17: Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.”

And  a renewal of the spirit of your mind ~ 

23: and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds”

Futile is strong word, meaning emptiness, unreality, purposelessness, ineffectiveness, frustration, aimless, I.e. all that lacks God for its true end.  

The spirit of your mind, we like to refer to as not what you think but rather how you think.  A healthy mind always see the glass half full, the unhealthy mind is like Winnie the Poohs Eeyoore, nothing is ever quite right.  All is suspect. 

Peter wrote in his first epistle, 2:25 “you were going astray but have now returned to the Shepherd and overseer of your soul”. And from 1:22… “having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth.  

It’s one thing to know what the word has to say, it is another to actually obey it’s instruction. 

Proverbs exhorts: “Attend to my word.”  Pay attention to the things I’ve written and said.  

It is health and healing to all your flesh. 

Jesus promised a restored soul, as we follow Him into green pastures and still waters.  

As the Shepherd and Overseer of our soul, He delights to renew our thinking processes and bring them into alignment with His.

The book of Revelation, reveals to the church at Pergamum, that there is hidden manna for those who overcome the false teaching that leads to  compromise.  Why so much emphasis on the word of God?  In these last days, the bible assures us of men having itching ears, being deceived, and false teachers leading many astray.  We strive to remind all, the foundation of  life and ministry is to preach and teach Jesus. 

Our lives are to be lived to the praise, glory and honour at the revelation we carry concerning Jesus Christ, as the word made flesh.  The Father, in these days, now speaks to us through His son Jesus.  Jesus now speaks to us through His written word highlighted and revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, who teaches us all things. Mysteries, yet to be revealed.  Treasures, to uncover.  Wisdom and knowledge, waiting for the one who desires and seeks after Him.  

Jesus said, “the words I speak are spirit and life”, and “he who feeds on me will live.” What a wonderful thing to have a book filled with the words of life.  

Life is hinged on the “even as” our soul propers.

Help!

“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help (boetheo) those who are being tempted.”

Hebrews 2:18 

Boetheo ~ Helps Word Study 

997 boēthéō (from 995/boē, "intense exclamation" and theō, "run") – properly, run to meet an urgent distress-call (cry for help); deliver help by quickly responding to an urgent need (intense distress).

997/boētheō ("supply urgently needed help") means to give immediate aid – in time for a pressing need, i.e. "to run, on a call to help" (TDNT, 1:628). 

[997 (boētheō) was originally a military word, responding to a critical, urgent need (MM). 997 (boētheō) is also used in Homeric Greek (800-900 bc) for responding to a war-cry.]

I love this word boetheo.   It seems, to me, to sum up the heart of our Father in His care for His children.  I don’t know about you but it brings me great comfort, knowing, that in my despair, fear, failure, sickness, lack, insecurity, etc. etc. etc., I can call and He will answer.  

Did you notice, this word doesn’t simply say He hears.  It tells us how He responds to the cry.  He does hear and He responds, by running.  As parents, you know your own natural responses to your child’s desperate, fearful or hurt cries.  You don’t ignore it, you move as quickly as you can to help!  We are nothing like God and yet this word Boetheo tells us that He responds quickly to our urgent need.  

The danger with this word is in our assumption about the kind of help we need.  We can be found guilty, many times, of mentally creating our own way of deliverance.  We have a way we believe God should help.  This belief removes our need for absolute dependency upon God and strengthens a trust in our own understandings.  

Jesus said, Ask (and keep on asking), seek (and keep on seeking), knock (and keep on knocking), and we are promised He responds!  He gives what is good to those who ask Him. (Matthew 7:7-11)  His ear isn’t deaf to our cries.

 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.  Psalm 34:15

He knows our frustrations and our weakness.  HE IS TOUCHED with the FEELING of our infirmities (weakness). Because He suffered when he was tempted, He is able to help us. Jesus has engaged in every conceivable, painful, emotional, experience we have ever had and will ever face. Jesus faced his own doubts, pride, desires, insecurity, rejection, betrayal, family dynamics, religious persecution, sickness and disease, sorrow and grief, jealousy, anger, bitterness.  You name it, whatever we are tempted in, the Bible assures us that Jesus too, has been tempted in all points.  He simply knows and understands every dynamic of our human soul and spirit.  He understands our flesh and He says He is able to Help!

Two points I want to consider, first ~  

John 14:16 Jesus says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,”.

This word, helper, is 3875 paráklētos (from 3844 /pará, "from close-beside" and 2564 /kaléō, "make a call") – properly, a legal advocate who makes the right judgment-call because close enough to the situation. 

Jesus has left us with “another” helper, another as in the same kind as Jesus.  Just as Jesus was the disciple’s Helper, so too, the Holy Spirit is now, forever, our Helper.

The second is from Hebrews 4:15~16

 “.. we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help (botheian) in time of need.” 

We draw near. We come to Him because He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  We cry out to our Father. Our first response should always be a turning to Him, at all times, for every need.  While it is much easier to ‘cry’ on someone else’s shoulder, to find a sympathetic ear, that action does not heal our infirmity and can not always save us. While we are told to comfort those with the same comfort we have received, our human ability to be touched with their infirmity hinges on our union with the suffering another is experiencing. Our human efforts are, at best, human. BUT GOD ~ at this throne of grace, does exceedingly abundantly above all we ask of think. He is supernatural in all His working.  Our cries bring His mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.  He doesn’t leave us as He finds us but strengthens our heart and restores our soul, while He works all things together for our good, because we love Him. 

May we all grow in an ever increasing awareness that He is a faithful and very present Help in time of need.  And when our help comes, let us be mindful to acknowledge Him as the source of that help and give Him thanks.   

….he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you,  So we can confidently say, The Lord is my Helper (boetheia)”  Hebrews 13:5-6

AND

AND

“ And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart AND with all your soul AND with all your strength AND with all your mind, AND your neighbour as yourself.”    Luke 10:27 ESV

We’ve been in quite the season of lockdown, with restrictions in-place for a year and I’m carrying this question in my Spirit, who will we be when we come out of this season?

We have been given space to get some things right. 

Have we been faithful with this time we have been given to grow in our personal intimacy with our Father?  Have we allowed His love for others to consume us in such a way that we are willing to lay down our lives?  Have we emptied ourselves and given Him first place in all things that allow Him to send us forth into new places, doing new things, new ways?

We, as the New Testament church, the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, have a two fold command ~

Love God AND love people.  

Love is a choice that reflects a commitment of our whole being, first and foremost to and for God and then to others.

…but they gave themselves first to the Lord AND then by the will of God to us.

2 Cor. 8:5

Jesus said, love “even as” I have loved you.  Again, this love is only made possible by the working of the Holy Spirit but to the child of God who has been born again by the Sprit, this is the love we have been given.  It is the Love of God shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit enabling us to love “even as” He loves. 

If anyone says, “I love God,” AND hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 

1 John 4:20 ESV

But whoso may have the world's substance, AND sees his brother having need, AND shut up his bowels from him, how abides the love of God in him? 

1 John 3:17 Darby 

Jesus has called us to a lifestyle of intimacy with Him, through a devotion that alters who we are, by His presence.

AND we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.    2 Cor. 3:18

Abiding in Him is an ongoing reality.  Moment by moment.  Oneness has no separation.  We don’t leave the place of intimacy.  We are the temple of the living God, His presence dwells within.  We carry His presence where ever we go. We live in dependency upon Him to lead and guide us.   We are His workmanship ordained for good works and Jesus said we are destined for greater works than He did.  

It is from our place of intimacy that we are sent out to be a blessing.  Jesus’ disciples were called to be with Him before He sent them out.  Jesus said I am the door of the sheep.  We go in AND come out, finding pasture, nourishment and refreshing and we come out to pour out..  We both live and work from this intimate union with Him and the fruit borne is the keeping of His commandment. 

We love God AND we love people.

Is there not a cause?

In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.   Ephesians 1:5

H.C.G. Houle, D.D., Wrote in his book ‘Ephesian Studies’ the following comments on this verse ~ 

“…for it is through the Son that we reach sonship, and so come to be related “unto” the Father in that wonderful position; His very own, to belong to Him, to know Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him fully for ever.” 

Ephesians, chapter one expresses our legal position as believers. Therefore, it behooves us to move on into this legal position and possess it vitally.  We want to move past a simple acknowledgement of these thoughts, into experience knowing them fully and intimately for ourselves.  

The Apostle John wrote in his first epistle, ‘we have come to know and believe the love God has for us.’ The Bible tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Created in the image of God as spirit beings, we know from the Bible He has not given us a Spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind.  In the heart of every man lies a desire for eternal truths.  God has put eternity into the heart of man, and from that place we have a desire to discover our Creator.  

Again quoting Houle’s commentary  “to belong to Him, to know Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him fully for ever.”

It is the Fathers good pleasure for us to enter into this knowledge.  Jesus said to know Him and His son was eternal life.  Those who hunger and thirst are filled.  We are commanded to seek first His Kingdom. I could go on but we all understand the invite to engage with Him on a deeper level. 

In this hour, I believe it is the working of the Spirit to draw the church into a greater communion with our Father.  There is today a spiritual wooing to come up higher, to lift up our eyes to behold, to set our affection on things above.  Just solely for the purpose of our well being?  No; not solely, rather to be able to see and hear the purposes of God that are being worked in heaven and display them on earth.  To rightly engage with Him so that we are able to hold discernment, wisdom, knowledge, counsel and might and live in the fear of the Lord.

“…the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 3:8-10

The manifold wisdom of God is to be made known to principalities and powers THROUGH the church.  The church is to carry and hold these truths.  She must be found holding fast to the head as she reveals and declares the unfathomable riches of Jesus Christ. 

 I feel like David on the battlefield when he asked, “Is there not a cause?”  

We are watching, in this hour, a universal work by the Spirit of a call to prayer that is supernatural and unto God’s own purpose. 

 “If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and turn…”

Jesus cried out, “My house shall be a house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves.”  

A proper alignment, a re-alignment, to the Head, a union with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This must take place before we can carry the weight of glory in these last days. If our eye is single our whole body is full of light.  There must be no darkness in us as we stand before forces of darkness.  

We must be His church, returned to the book of Acts, to operate in its power. Prayer was the position before power. 

God is restructuring.  He is creating new wineskins for a new wine.  Can we be ready?  Will we be receptive to the way He wants things done?

He is the potter we are the clay.  

Prayer invites us not only to enjoy and know Him, but to learn, to be molded and shaped for His purposes. 

For such a time as this we have come to the Kingdom. 

“…for it is through the Son that we reach sonship, and so come to be related “unto” the Father in that wonderful position; His very own, to belong to Him, to know Him, to serve Him, to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him fully for ever.” 

Sacrificies and Offerings

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

    but a body have you prepared for me;

in burnt offerings and sin offerings

    you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

    as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

Hebrews 10:6-7

What offering’s are we bringing before the Lord?

From the beginning, Genesis shows the offering that is acceptable to the Lord described as the first and best. Abel’s offering, in Hebrews,  is described as ‘a more acceptable sacrifice’ and in 1 John 3, it is called ‘a righteous deed’. 

Aaron’s sons, in the wilderness, offered up ‘strange fire” and were consumed by the Lord. Leviticus 10:1

Israel was defeated at Ai in Joshua 7 because the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things. 

Saul is rebuked by the prophet Samuel for sacrificing an offering instead of obeying the command of the Lord in 1 Samuel 15 :22-23:

“And Samuel said, ‘Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.’ “

The prophet Malachi challenges the nation of Israel over their offerings. They are bringing the sick, the lame and polluted food to offer unto the Lord.  Malachi calls it evil saying there is no honour, no fear of the Lord in their offering, but rather a despising of His table. Malachi 1.

There are times in our lives where we try to offer God ‘something’  other than what has been required of us.  For whatever excuse we may offer, the root lies in fear and must be overcome. These are always ‘heart issues’. 

From the New Testament we learn the Pharisees and Sadducees honoured the Lord with their lips but their hearts were far removed from Him.  Jesus said where your heart is there will be your treasure. 

King David wrote in the Psalms ‘ Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord… but he who has a pure heart.’  Moses was told to come up to the mountain with tablets that the Lord would write upon. Today, for us, the Spirit of the living God, writes not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Our fellowship with the Lord must be in spirit and in truth as we present to Him, not only our bodies, but our minds and hearts for Him to teach us His way’s and write them upon the tablets of our hearts. The priests of the OT wore a head dress with a frontlet inscribed “holiness to the Lord”. A constant reminder of whose they were and who they served.

Shall our offering be any less than a whole hearted devotion that includes all of us; spirit, soul and body? 

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired but a body you have prepared for me, In burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will O God, 

But By My Spirit

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Who are you O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone and amid shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”

Zechariah 4:5-7

My question today is ~ 

How do you respond to temptation? 

We were never designed or intended to conquer life issues by ourselves and yet we strive to do so daily.  The arm of the flesh simply strengths flesh.  Discipline is profitable and has the ability to modify our behaviour with the establishment of some good habits, but God has called us to transformation where we live from a heart that desires godliness which profits us in all things. 

Will worship is defined from Colossians 2:20 ~ 

“Do not handle, Do not taste. Do not touch (referring to things that all perish as they are used) according to human precepts and teachings. These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion (KJV: will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body) but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.  

As we consider Zechariah’s instruction from the angel of the Lord, let us remember that while some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we are to remember the name of the Lord our God.   

Hebrews 4:16 exhorts, as we consider Jesus, touched with our weaknesses, tempted as we are yet without sin…..

“Come boldly to the throne of Grace where we are able to find mercy and receive grace to help in the time of need.” 

We find in these two scriptures today, our ‘how to’ to handle each temptation we face. 

James identifies the process of temptations; they gain entrance through our ungodly desires, embraced, they birth sin, sin brings forth death.  Temptations are not sin.  Sin is the result of yielding to the temptation.  There was no sin in the garden until Adam and Eve ate what was forbidden.  

Jesus highlighted to us that temptations are in this world.  We will never escape them here on this earth, yet, He does remind us that he overcame the world and we find IN HIM, both legally and vitally, the same overcoming grace. 

So Zechariah reminds us we do not overcome by the power of our own hand, might or  strength, but by the Spirit of God and it is with shouts of grace mountains are destroyed. 

It is His throne of Grace that we must come to; where sin abounds, grace does much more abound, but, we must come to His throne.  I need Him!   I need His power and His might to strengthen me to overcome and move away from the temptation.

We receive mercy and we find grace to help.   He remembers our frame.  He knows the desires of the flesh.  He is touched with what we are thinking and feeling.  It is in the coming to Him that we acknowledge our need for God.  

I find grace in this place of acknowledging need for His help.   

 Paul wrote from 2 Corinthians 12: 8. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me, But he said to me “ My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

As Paul wrote Timothy, “ be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”   

We don’t have to meet the temptations alone, but we do have to find our help in Him.

He comes by His Spirit and strengthens us in our inner man and we are able to stand and resist the snares, the lies, the traps, set before us!

He makes a way for us to escape at His throne of grace. 

Watch Yourself

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon your suddenly like a trap,  For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth, but stay awake at all times praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”  

Luke 21:34-36 ESV

We have had several weeks of study to consider the “how to’s” necessary to endure the season we are now living in.  We keep coming back to the reality of our “eyes on Jesus” being a must.  While there will be unprecedented occurrences naturally, politically and socially, we as the body of Christ, are not to be caught unaware of times and seasons.  The greater the pressure in life the greater our need for Gods presence.  Pressure gives us opportunity to move deeper into God.  It demands a greater separation from all things that dull our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.  Without this separation and seeking, bitterness can be the fruit borne of painful experiences.   

Jesus give a the warning, watch yourself!. NASB says ‘Be on guard’. The book of Proverbs tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence for all the issues of life flow from them. The Epistle to the Hebrews tells us that the evil heart of unbelief removes us from God and anything that removes us from this vital union with the Father, His Word and the Holy Sprit must be pruned and purged.

 TPT reads” be careful that you never allow your hearts to grow cold.”  Take no thought, be careful for nothing, cast your cares over onto the Lord, do not be anxious for your life, we are told over and over, yet it is this very condition that causes mens hearts to faint, lawlessness to abound and the love of many to grow cold.  The overwhelming pressure of cares causes hearts to be weighed down, ears to be dulled and appetites to be satisfied with the world. In the last days men’s hearts will fail them for fear, but by our endurance we will gain our lives.  

The weights we carry are burdens we were never meant to bear. We turn to the worlds ways of coping ~ ‘dissipation and drunkenness’.  These things are just doping mechanisms to escape our cares.  Yet it is these very cares Jesus said will be our snare in the last days.

Endurance is hinged on our ability to stay alert, focused and connected.  We can not escape the temptations that we are sure to find in the world, but, by staying connected to Jesus, we are assured to overcome, as He did.  Jesus tells us how to avoid the trap. Stay awake, stay alert and pray.  Pray that we may have strength.  Does this mean without prayer we have no strength or does it mean ask for strength to escape the temptations?  Jesus disciples, sleeping for sorrow, failed in the hour of trial. I think we can safely say it includes both.  

We are to be a people who have eyes set upon heavenly things, ears that hear what the spirit is saying so we will find ourselves, with lamps, full of oil, burning brightly, watching and waiting for our Lord’s return.  

The enduring are found in Luke twelve, dressed for action with lamps burning, waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he knocks.  Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. 

Blessed because we are not left behind!

Continue

‘…continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.’ 

1 Peter 2:23 KJV

We’ve seen that endurance requires the ability to remain under while we are going from God’s point A to God’s point B. In this process we are learning and growing in God. We are conforming to the image of Jesus.  We are putting off  in order to put on.  We are submitting to the disciplines that come so we can become a partaker of His holiness.  Our end goal is to bring Him the glory in everything that is said and done through our lives. 

We have discovered that this simply cannot be done without abiding in His love; without looking unto Jesus and considering Him, while we trust Him, whose judgement is righteous.  

We begin with fundamentals when we find ourselves tempted.  We check our foundations.  We examine our hearts and we commit ourselves to Him.  Let this always be our plumb line ~ God is always right.  Our ability to depend on Him is because He is always truth.  It is impossible for God to lie.  

 Proverbs 8:6-9

  Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.  All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.  They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

Our scripture from 1 Peter addresses who we allow to be in control of our lives. We can say Biblical believing involves commitment and commitment reflects trust.  God is a safe refuge, a strong tower, a very present help in time of need.  Trust is defined as an assured reliance on the character, strength or truth of a person, or thing, and is always a matter of the heart.  It is with the heart that one believes. 

The NASB reflects a more accurate sense of the verse by showing the ongoing tense of the verb…..BUT KEPT ENTRUSTING HIMSELF TO HIM WHO JUDGES RIGHTEOUSLY ~ this simply means my trust in God must exceed my understanding of right.

Entrusting, is the Greek word paradídōmi  Strong’s number 3860 (from 3844/pará, "from close-beside" and 1325/dídōmi, "give") – properly, to give by turning over ("hand over from"), i.e. deliver over with a sense of close (personal) involvement.

Believing can be general, trust must be specific. We can believe God is a healer but not trust Him to heal us. We can believe God is a provider but not trust Him to provide for us.  We know God can heal but will he heal me?  We know God can provide but will he provide for me?  General to specific involves trust and who you trust, you will commit yourself to. 

This point A of God to point B of God is a narrow path and with all the ups and downs, the highs and lows, this path offers many opportunities to learn God in ways we have yet to know Him.  It is as we keep entrusting ourselves to Him He is able to reveal Himself to us.  Abraham would not have known God as Jehovah Jireh without trusting God to provide for himself a lamb.  It was in the place of his commitment that He was to see and learn God as provider.  

We want to be a people that endure well. I’m mindful of verse nineteen in 1 Peter chapter two ~ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.  Notice here “gracious” and “mindful of God”, tell us grace is always present when we are mindful of God and it is His grace which enables us to endure any and all sorrows we might suffer through life’s seeming injustices.   We have been called to this world, at this time, in our generation, to display at all times, a righteous life.  Jesus left us the “how to” so we can follow in His footsteps.  

Jesus endured all things because he continued entrusting himself to the Father.  Being mindful of God, we come to His Throne of Grace to receive mercy.  By faith we access His grace, for where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.   We receive, knowing He is a rewarder, a Father, that gives us good things. Grace abounds.  Grace helps us in the time of need, gives us all sufficiency, and we are not only able to stand, but abound, mindful of Him.  Rooted and grounded in his love, enduring all things.

Our salvation will be in the continuing, the abiding, the daily dependence upon our union with Him. That Union is the one needful thing that sustains us. 

Love Endures

Love endures all things ..1 Corinthians 13: 7

In our conversations around the word endure, we have looked at and considered Jesus from Hebrews chapter twelve; this week we want to consider our verse from Corinthians.  

I want to remind you, from Helps Word Studies, the Greek on endurance ~ 

“5281 hypomonē ““(from 5259/hypó, "under" and 3306/ménō, "remain, endure") – properly, remaining under, i.e. endurance; steadfastness, especially of God enabling believers to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots for them.”“

For the believer, 5281 (hypomonē) is "Christ-empowered endurance" which enables them to get from "God's point A" to "God's point B."

Examples:

Hebrews 12:1,2,Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance (5281/hypomonē) the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (NASB).

James 1:3: "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance (5281/hypomonē)" (NASB).

Life is about moving from God’s point A to God’s point B facing every circumstance  through His grace providing every thing we need, and perhaps love, since it is who God is, is the foundation for all enduring. “

Love must be the soil we are rooted and grounded in; His love for us and our love for Him. This love is not a feeling, but a determination, a choice to engage with the Holy Spirit and allow the love He pours into our hearts to reign in and through every situation we find ourselves facing.    

From  Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

“In respect of agapao  (love) as used of God, it expresses the deep and constant “love” and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects, producing and fostering a reverential “love” in them towards the Giver, and a practical “love” towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver.”

Endurance, by necessity, will always involve a struggle to resist sin. Life is a series of choices to be faced; my way versus His way, my will versus His will.  We find our endurance is only as great as our obedience.  Just as Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered, we too must be found in a place of willing obedience to a loving Father. This requires a humility and submission that knows and believes in His love for us.  

Love endures because it is rooted in trust. We have an assured reliance on the character, the truth and the strength of God. Trust can only be learned through our experiences. Every experience we face can teach and reveal to us the nature of our Father.  Seeing Him rightly, knowing Him righteously, enables us to endure.

It is a wise child who understands the Father does not remove pressure and hardships from his life but faithfully watches over him enduring the growth process….consider Jesus. 

It is for discipline that you must endure.  God is treating you as sons.  For what son is there whom his father does not discipline…..Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of Spirits and live…He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.  Hebrews 12:7-10

We are able to endure all things, as long as we can keep our eyes on Jesus and are mindful of our Fathers love.  Alongside the temptation, He also makes the way of escape. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure.

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound in any and every circumstance.   I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, and abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  Phil. 4:11-13

Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief but His having borne them for us does not mean our lives are left untouched by grief and sorrow.  It means that Jesus has become our way of escaping the snare set before us.  Our confidence must always be rooted in His love for us, then our submission will enable us to rightly endure.

These days require a purposeful diligence from each of us. A stedfast gaze. A focused heart and mind.  An undivided devotion, because only in this position are we continually aware of His love to us, then through our love for Him are enabled to endure whatever we may find along our path of life.  

Consider Him who Endured

“…consider HIM who endured”…..

Hebrews 12:3

Helps Word Study: consider 

357 analogízomai (from 303/aná, "up, completing a process" intensifying 3049/logízomai, "reckon, reason") – properly, reasoning up to a conclusion, i.e. moving through the needed thought-process (analysis) to "add things up" – reckoning from "premise to conclusion" especially by repeated (nuanced) reflection (advancing up the "levels of truth").

357 (analogizomai) only occurs in Heb 12:3 (as a command, Gk aorist imperative) which literally calls us to "reason from down to up" about what Christ went through at the cross – which by comparison keeps us from growing weary (weak)!

Hebrews chapter twelve sets before us our course for endurance.  Last week we saw how looking to Jesus keeps our perspective in order.  Today, we find as we ‘consider’ Him who endured, our strength, to do the same, endure.      

Endurance again simply means to ‘remain under’ rather that there is a right way to endure effectively and righteously.  Can we position ourselves in humble submission and patiently wait upon the Lord to work in His timing without being moved, or do we find ourselves frustrated and striving to take control?   These would be the fruit of growing weary: impatience and wavering.

We all carry expectations about how our personal environment should look.  We have promises from God and we paint our picture.  As we move forward with the seed of promises sown, we know Satan comes immediately to steal the word sown.  Adversity arrives, storms come, obstacles show up and we are TEMPTED to yield to their voices.  Jesus’ greatest endured hostility came from his interaction with people.  

No matter who or what the conditions are, IF we consider HIM, we do not grow weary or faint in our souls (literal Greek).  Jesus said, ‘he who endures to the end....  he who carries it to completion,  full production..  shall be saved’.  The word sown is designed to bring forth its fruit, in its time, to the glory of God; IF we do not faint in doing right.

For the one who sows to his own flesh will, from the flesh, reap corruption but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  Galatians 6:9 

From Revelation chapter 14, we have this one little verse that is a call for endurance of the saints, for those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.  

This call for endurance is to be a mark of every true believer.  A placement of our lives into the hands and timing of God while we trust He is at work, perfecting all things that concern us is truth that must be embraced.   We have learned how to be still and wait through our practiced spiritual disciplines and while in their midst, we are to look to Jesus. 

Consider HIM ~ Tempted as we are, yet without sin, able to be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses. 

Consider Him. ~ who endured hostility. 

Consider Him ~ who had no form or beauty that man was naturally drawn to him.  

Consider Him ~ rejected by family, church and community, betrayed, wrongfully accused, denied and finally deserted by all.

Consider Him ~ a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

Consider Him ~ who endured lest we become weary and faint in our souls. 

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

And finally, Hebrews reminds us of this one, great, undeniable truth ~ we have not yet resisted sin, to the point of shedding our blood.  Let us be found faithful and resolute to endure to the end so that in all things Jesus holds our affection and attention.    

JOYFUL Endurance

“...For the joy set before him endured...”

Hebrews 12.2

The instructions from Hebrews 12:1-3 offer strength and encouragement to sustain us through days which demand endurance.  Chapter eleven rehearses circumstances and choices made by others, who now offer their witness as a source of encouragement in our race.

Jesus, when talking about end times, asks will the son of man find faith on the earth when he returns and He says the one who endures to the end shall be saved.  Our life, as you know, is made up of daily choices that either move us along this path of growth or side line us and our futures. 

These first three verses found in Hebrews chapter twelve set our course for running well and enduring. We find practical instructions …….. 

• lay aside every weight

• and the easily entangling sin

• Look to Jesus

• Find the jouy

• Endure our cross

• Despise the shame

• Consider Him

Endurance is key to our daily walk.  Cambridge Commentary states, “Endurance was one of the most needful Christian virtues in times of waiting and of trial.”  Endurance can only be kept as we ‘look to Jesus’ and ‘consider Him’.  How easy it is to quit when life gets hard.  Endurance remains stedfast having committed our lives to the one who judges righteously.  Submitted to His will and timing we are able to, by love, endure all things and endure with joy.  Endurance holds a joyful and confident expectation, knowing God is at work and all things work together for good! 

Reflection from Helps Word Study: While temporal happiness is external and fleeting, true joy is internal and eternal.  Biblical joy will even thrive in suffering.

Joy (5479/xará) is completely grace-dependent and therefore circumstance-independent; earthly happiness however is circumstance-dependent.  "Happiness" depends on favorable circumstances ("happenings"); joy depends only on knowing God's favor (grace).

Our salvation experience should be one of joy unspeakable and full of glory. 

1 Peter 2:8 Weymouth Translation ~ 

Him you love, though your eyes have never looked on him.  In Him, though at present you cannot see him, you nevertheless trust, and triumphant with a joy which is unspeakable and is crowned with glory, while you are securing as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.   

Joyful endurance requires ‘looking’ at something above and beyond our circumstances.  We must hear and see from a heavenly perspective.  We are invited to come up higher to see things that must take place and we are promised the Holy Spirit will show us things to come. If we lack wisdom, we are instructed to ASK GOD, who gives to all men liberally without scolding or accusing.  

Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. Colossians 3.2 Amplified

Seeing Him who is invisible fills us with joy and enables us to endure. 

Next week we shall consider Him... 

ENDURANCE

It is for discipline that you have to endure. 

Hebrews 12:7

Helps Word Study on Endure ~ 

5281 hypomonē ““(from 5259/hypó, "under" and 3306/ménō, "remain, endure") – properly, remaining under, i.e. endurance; steadfastness, especially of God enabling believers to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots for them.”“

For the believer, 5281 (hypomonē) is "Christ-empowered endurance" which enables them to get from "God's point A" to "God's point B."

Examples:

Hebrews 12:1,2,Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance (5281/hypomonē) the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (NASB).

James 1:3: "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance (5281/hypomonē)" (NASB).

[Note also Rev 3:10, "The word of My endurance (5281/hypomonē)" bringing Christ's direction in the believer – revealing the how, what, and when of faith.]

Sometimes we feel like discipline is just a bad word, yet without this being a practical part of our lives we will not engage faithfully in our circumstances. Enduring requires discipline.  As James wrote, we can not grow up and be made perfect, complete, lacking nothing, without endurance.  Left to the dictates of our flesh, we would eat too much, sleep too much, whine too much, talk too much; you get the idea ~ the casting off of restraints.  

The writer of Hebrews tells us if we are left without discipline we are not true sons.  The purpose of all discipline is to learn how to discipline ourselves.  The ability to set boundaries and keep within them is part of what we consider mature behaviour.  Hebrews continues when we have been trained through disciplines, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

So, we must learn how to “endure” the uncomfortable situations of life.  In every circumstance favourable or unfavourable, God is at work.  There are lessons to be learned and character to be forged.  Without disciplining ourselves to “remain in and under” the direction of the Holy Spirit, yielded to the Father, we will try to escape.  You know, “the problem with a living sacrifice is that it’s always trying to slip off the altar”.  

Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered.  An unwillingness to engage in the tough stuff will not grow us up.  We are to learn how to count it all joy, rejoice in our sufferings; knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character…. because we are leaning into a dependency of the Holy Spirit to help us overcome.  We have committed ourselves to Him who judges righteously.  We are assured that with the temptation, God has made the way of escape that we may bear it. 

These will be the days that call for the endurance of the saints.  2020 might be over but the season we are in isn’t.  God has realigned His church with purpose for this hour.  It isn’t a sleeping giant, rather a well toned solider knowing how to endure hardness. His church is alive, ready, willing and engaged, seizing every moment to extend His Kingdom and show forth His glory. 

Onward, Christian Soldiers…..

GOD IS LOVE

“...God is love ...”  1 john 4:16 

While we are all so very familiar with this scripture, we can always find a greater place for its expression to us and through us.  Christmas brings many memories for all and the one that should be highlighted first and foremost is ~ How great is His love for us in that he has given us his only begotten son and with Him freely gives us all things. 

This entrance into family, the privilege of calling Him Father God, gives us a whole new Kingdom to explore.  It is filled with New.  We begin our exploration with a heightened expectation of great change, old things passed away, all things become new and now, they are of GOD, who IS Love.  We enter with wide eyed wonder, as we begin to experience new ideals and new ways.  Mesmerized by the beauty we behold, we are overwhelmed by the love and value extended to us.  We don’t know much at the beginning, but our hearts are impacted by this vast sense of acceptance.  There is now no condemnation.  I found myself praying this last season, “may I know the fullness of love before I know judgment.”

His abundant wealth and gifts are set before us to freely receive.  Best Christmas ever!  To become a partaken of this divine nature, to become so deeply rooted and grounded in Him that we are perfectly one, yields such a freedom of heart and soul, we sing, O come let us Adore Him.  How unfathomable the length, the depth, the height, the breadth of His love.  What can I bring Him? Hearts swell and knees bow, as we confess His Lordship and Mastery over our yielded lives.

My prayer for us this season, is to come to know and experience the security of His love enabling us to freely give as we have freely received.  

May this be a Christmas that once again fills you with the wonder of Jesus, the joy of family and the peace that holds your heart and mind. 

Merry Christmas with much love,

Jeanne...

 until the New Year......

A CHILD IS BORN

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given...”

Isaiah 9:6

As a young girl growing up in the Lutheran church we celebrated Advent.  Once again, in this Christmas Season, the Advent celebration has come to my attention. Originally Advent focused on two truths : 

It celebrated Jesus having come as a gift to redeem mankind and Jesus’ soon, coming again.

On the foundation of these two truths, Advent celebrates God’s attributes that come to us in His gift, Jesus Christ.  They are, Peace, Hope, Joy and Love.  

Christmas and our traditions should always draw our attention to the ONE it is all about.  How great God’s desire for us to know Him is seen in the gift and the revealing of His son.  Jesus is THE hope of glory, THE joy unspeakable, THE peace that passes all understanding and THE love that never fails or forsakes us.  They all begin with the personal reception of His gift. 

“Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given”

An invitation to believe and receive has been extended to all men that they might know Him, the Author and Giver of life.  To know the Father, the only true God, and His son, Jesus Christ is eternal life.  The Father is unwilling for any to perish, yet many do because they refuse to accept the gift He has given.  

“Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”

God proves His love for us in the life and death of Jesus Christ.  God so loved that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Salvation is freely given when the gift is received. 

“Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given”

As we make preparations for Christmas, in the midst of all our world sets before us, may we be mindful to lift up our heads and gaze upon THE ONE who has richly blessed us and give Him thanks for the precious gift of His son, Jesus Christ.  For, unto us a child is born and unto us a son has been given. 

Learn of me

Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart...”

Matthew 11:29

HELPS WORD STUDY ~ “gentle”

4236 praótēs– properly, temperance achieved by displaying the right blend of force and reserve (gentleness).  4236/praótēs ("strength in gentleness") avoids unnecessary harshness – yet without compromising, or being slow to use necessary force.

4236/praotēs ("Spirit-balanced gentleness") upholds the true spirit (purpose) of a situation, and hence is not petty nor vindictive.  4236 (praotēs) often requires laying aside "personal rights."  Accordingly, Paul entreats the Corinthians "by the meekness (4236/praótēs) and gentleness (1932/epieíkeia) given by Christ" (2 Cor 10:1).

Note: In classical Greek, this root (pra-) denotes people with "a calm and soothing disposition" with a "submission to reason (De cohib. ira 1.453 b-c), moderation of the passions (praotēs pathōn, De prof. in virt. 83 e; cf. 78 b; 80 b-c), and self-mastery (Fab. 17.7).  In the NT 4239 (praýs) specifically expresses equanimity according to God's revelation and empowerment (WS, 29).  It exemplifies true moderation (Aristotle, Eth. Nic. 1125 b) and therefore easily reconciles" (Chilon, in Stobaeus 4.7.24; vol. 4, 255)

Summary:

4236/praotēs ("gentle-force") refers to temperate behavior – divinely-balanced (regulated by the Lord) which avoids two problems: negative (personal) anger, and the sin of angerlessness.

(praotēs) includes showing necessary force – at the right time for what is "right" before God.  This "power under control" then acts by the Lord's power, under His direction. (praotēs) avoids the sin of lacking righteous-anger (cf. Eph 4:26), and over-acting. /praotēs ("meekness") is not weakness (timidity) but rather strength exercised under God's control!  It insists on only what is necessary.

My greatest conflicts in life are the wrestling’s that occur where I am unwilling to align with God.  They create all manner of ‘unrest’ within and left unchecked, that disharmony of spirit and soul  ultimately impacts the physical man.  Yet, Jesus tells us, it is in this place of meekness and humility that we find the rest for our souls.    

How can we contend with God and win?  Only by yielding.  Yielding many times seems like a loss but is truly the way to life.  Death yields resurrection.  Paul’s desire, in the book of Philippians to know Christ, came with his willingness to share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death that by any means possible he could attain unto the resurrection from the dead.  

Oh, how we long to bypass this process!  We want to live in the power of resurrected life but there can never be resurrection without first a death. Paul chose to die daily.  I choose to die occasionally, as it suits me.  I don’t think it’s what Jesus had in mind.  Moses is described as the meekest man in all the earth with Hebrews chapter eleven telling us of the choices he had to make to become that man.

Humility shows the condition of heart and mind that reflects acknowledgement of our need for God.  An inner lowliness that displays absolute dependency upon God.  Does meekness then becomes the action that accords with humility?  Jesus, only doing and saying that which the Father had directed; living his life in such a position that first he submitted, heard, then obeyed.  He was quick to hear, slow to speak, and when He did speak and act, achieved the very purposes of God.  It was his humility and meekness that cleansed a temple in one instance and then stood before Pilate and answered not a word in another.  In both scenes, expressing the characters of humility and meekness.  

As God moves in this next season releasing voices and displaying His acts, may we ever be mindful of these two qualities and characters that must be learned to display His righteousness.  It is only in our pride that we form opinions that bring forth judgments, words and actions which run contrary to His purposes. 

To everything under the sun there is a purpose, so while God works, may we hold steady, come to him, learn of HIM meekness and humility and find rest for our souls.

Eager to maintain

“......eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...” 

Ephesians 4:2

HELPS WORD STUDY -  “eager”

Cognate: 4704 spoudázō – properly, be swift (go fast, speedy); (figuratively) move speedily, showing full diligence (fully applying oneself); "do your best" (concentrate on, give priority to).  See 4710 (spoudē).

1. 4704/spoudazō ("act with full diligence") conveys fervency ("speedy commitment") to accomplish all God assigns through faith

2. spoudazō) means being "eager to do something, with the implication of readiness to expend energy and effort – 'to be eager, eagerness, devotion'" "to do something with intense effort and motivation".

2 Pet 3:14: "Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be speedily diligent (4704/spoudázō) to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless" (NASB).

4704/spoudazō ("act with zeal") is accomplishing what God deems "best" and doing so quickly which speedily elevates the better over the good ("mediocre").

Reflection: 4704/spoudázō ("carefully attend to duty") shows intense desire to do "our utmost for His highest."  

To keep Paul’s letter in context, he has just put forth the prayer for the church to be strengthen with might through the Holy Spirit infused into our inner being SO THAT Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. Infused with strength, rooted and grounded in love, filled with the fullness of God, Paul exhorts the church to ‘a walk worthy of our calling, being found eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit’.

Do you see how prayer from chapter three leads into this ability to maintain unity? Unity flows from a heart filled with love and honour.  Paul goes on in chapter four to remind us there is just one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one God AND CHRIST IS NOT DIVIDED.  May I remind all of us, that Jesus himself said a kingdom divided cannot stand.  Without the love and honour, we tend to bite and devour.  

We must be diligent on our part individually to eagerly maintain, be diligent to preserve, the place of unity in our midst.  Paul wrote, it is with humility, gentleness, patience, in love, that we are capable of holding unity in the bond of peace.  Where I value my opinion, my judgments above another’s, I must be careful not to allow my heart to shift from Jesus’ place of Lordship and despise another.   

Graciousness flows from standing in the grace of God and as we are strengthened with dunamis: miracle working power, (which is miraculous when I don’t want to obey) through the Holy Spirit I allow His fruit to manifest through my life.  We will never maintain a place of unity if we continually focus on, and hold to our differences and dismiss others.

These are days of great distractions, highlighted by the wiles and deception of the evil one. We  could be drawn away from looking at the one who is to hold our heart and gaze.  May we, as His church be filled with such a spirit of wisdom and understanding that we are not drawn away into narratives that bring UNRIGHTEOUS divisions holding fast to the head able to walk in a manner worthy of our calling.  

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  For there is only one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

A MATTER OF FAITH

Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.

Philippians 4:4

I want to use as the basis of this “good word” the notes taken from the Helps Word Studies and integrate my thoughts throughout.  I’ve italicized the remarks from Helps to differentiate my thoughts.  As well, I’ve added a link at the end to a limited offer that Discovery Bible (creators of Helps word Study) is offering).  This does not benefit me, but I thought some of you may enjoy the resource.  

On to our thought for the day ~

From Helps Word Study - ‘Rejoice’

5463 xaírō (from the root xar-, "favorably disposed, leaning towards" and cognate with 5485/xáris, "grace") – properly, to delight in God's grace ("rejoice") – literally, to experience God's grace (favor), be conscious (glad) for His grace.

The Apostle Paul writes from Romans, ‘it is by faith we access this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that...but we rejoice in our sufferings..’ I think as you study this out, you will find, like myself, that a lack of rejoicing frustrates the grace that could be ours.  Every situation we face comes down to a matter of faith.  He who comes to God MUST BELIEVE.  Jesus, in Mark chapter nine rebukes the disciples, the crowd, and a father over the unbelief calling them a ‘faithless generation’.  The correction Jesus brought into that circumstance was ‘If you can believe!  All things are possible to Him who believes...’  

We find from Romans 5 this grace must be accessed by faith and by faith we must ‘stand’ in it.  Paul went on to write in this same chapter ~ where sin abounds grace does much more abound.  Can you see why Paul exhorts ‘not to receive the grace in vain’?  We all must, like Paul, face the hardship and endure the sufferings to experience grace; for His grace is sufficient.  When I am weak, then is He strong.  Rejoicing leans into the grace and as you follow the exhortation in this portion of Philippians, it is the rejoicing, the leaning into grace, that brings the dismembered, separated, anxious thoughts back into His wholeness (peace). What is prayer, but our communication and realignment to the thoughts and will of our Father.  Rejoicing puts us in remembrance of Him, His ways and His will.  

5463/xairō ("glad by grace") has a direct "etymological connection with xaris (grace)" (DNTT, 2, 356).  S. Zodhiates (Dict, 1467) likewise comments that 5479/xará ("joy") and 5485/xáris ("grace") are cognates of 5463/xaírō ("to rejoice") – i.e. all share the same root and therefore the same core (fundamental) meaning.

1. 5463/xairō ("rejoice") is also cognate with 2168/euxaristéō ("give thanks for grace").  Both literally mean "grateful."  ("Grateful" is an old English term, derived from the even older term, "grace-ful" – which literally means "fullness of grace.")

3.  The core-idea of "rejoice" (5463/xaírō, "grateful") in its NT sense is "personally knowing God's grace at work."  5463/xaírō ("glad for God's grace") conveys rejoicing because knowing Him – affirming the Lord's grace is working out His eternal purpose regardless of circumstances.

Phil 4:4: "Continuously rejoice (5463/xaírō) always!  Again I will say, continuously rejoice (5463/xaírō)!"

1 Thes 5:16,17: "16Continuously rejoice (5463/xaírō) always!  [3842/pántote, i.e. "no matter what comes next"].  17Continuously pray! – without ceasing (letting up)."

"Happiness" requires things going "our way."  Rejoicing (5463/xaírō, "grace gladness") is simply being conscious of Christ's triumph and His unbounding grace.  Accordingly, biblical rejoicing (5463/xaírō) is circumstance-independent – a continuous "defiant, 'nevertheless'" (K. Barth, The Epistle to the Philippians, 1962, 120; cf. Phil 2:17, 4:4).

1. Wanting more than we should brings discontentment, which overlooks rejoicing (5463/xaírō, "grace gladness").  True rejoicing however affirms the "slice" (scene) of life God has apportioned – embracing His way out (of the difficult circumstances).  This strategy is defined only by the Lord's impartation of faith which brings His victory – regardless of the earthly outcome (cf. 1 Jn 5:4, Gk text).

Working it out . .The four terms derived from the xar- ("divine favor") enable the believer to always live in God's victory – who has already won the day!

5479/xara/"joy" ("conscious of God's grace") is the basis of 5463/xaírō ("delighted through grace").  The joy of knowing God's grace includes giving thanks (2168/euxaristéō) for it.  All four terms form one essential semantic-unit, as all share the same root idea (xar-, i.e. God's favor, grace).

5463 (xairō) is the activity of acknowledging God's grace; 2168/euxaristéō ("giving thanks") is more reflective, looking back at what God's grace has done "good"; 5479/xará ("joy") is simply being "conscious of God's grace."

All these definitions bring new understanding and thoughts to the idea of joy and rejoicing.  They bring a whole new meaning to “do all things without murmuring and complaining”. Don’t you think the fussing we do frustrates the grace that could be ours, or could the Father see it as despising  the Spirit of grace?  Count the number of times Paul has used these words throughout this book. It was the murmurs and complainers that God overthrew in the wilderness. If the “joy” of the Lord is our strength we so need to get this beyond, I know, and let it be our very nature to do!   

At the beginning of 2020 we had an exhortation by the spirit of God to “guard thankfulness”.  As we have progressed through this year, we had found many opportunities to guard that instruction.  As we live in the world, we find much darkness and chaos, and I continually find myself searching the scriptures daily to know how to live in the midst of all the fear, confusion, unrest, mental anxieties, doubt and unbelief and, I believe, a personal discipline of ‘rejoicing’ is key.  We can’t always change what goes on around us, but we can control what is happening within us.  

The promised link:

https://thediscoverybible.com/landing-pages/thanksgiving-2020/

Do Good

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”  

Galatians 6:10

Helps Word Studies “opportunity”

2540 kairós – time viewed as opportunity.  2540/kairós ("opportune time") derives from kara ("head") which refers to things "coming to a head" (to take full-advantage).  "2540 (kairos) is the suitable time, the right moment (e.g. Soph., El. 1292), a favorable moment" (DNTT, 3, 833). Kairos expresses time in terms of its eternal potential – qualitatively, rather than quantitatively (as with 5550/xrónos).  Indeed, every scene of life then is a "karios moment" (eternal opportunity) because the Lord has arranged all of them (Eph 1:11; Ps 118:24, Heb text).

I like the phrase HELPS use “expressing time in terms of its eternal potential”.  If we view our moments eternally how much more would we live with open hearts that extend open hands.  

To see our brother in need and close our heart to him... how does the love of God abide in Him?  The Kairos is lost and the moment which has been given for eternity, gone. 

Eph 5:16: "Making the most of your time (2540/kairós), because the days are evil" (NASB).

Because we do live in the midst of evil, we have so many kairos moments to make the most of.  Our exhortation from Galatians today is to do good to all.  Here in Victoria, you can not be out on the streets without coming into contact with our vast homeless population.  A closed heart refuses to see.  Where we refuse to see, we cannot sow for eternity.  Luke’s story of Jesus going to Zacchaeus’ house, tells us Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost.  The word ‘seek’ is highlighted in my mind today.  How often do we go live with that awareness?  Seeking that opportunity which may be ripe for sowing? 

We are to consider our life here and now as seed, unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it remains just a single seed.    We spend and are spent for the benefit of others.  This is why Paul said, let us not grow weary in well doing, while you have the opportunity do good!  To grow weary is an evil we can not afford.  I’m continually reminded in these days of the question the Lord poses to Jeremiah in chapter twelve, if you’ve run with the footmen and they’ve wearied you, how then can you contend with the horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein you trusted, they wearied you! Then how will you do in the swelling of Jordan?

If doing good is a burden to us now, and helping others wearies us, how could we ever endure true hardships and times of trouble, that will eventually present the greatest needs of mankind, ever.

Col 4:5: "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity (2540/kairós)" (NASB).

David and I have always lived with the awareness that if we see it- it is our kairos moment.  Not to be passed off to another, not to be ignored, but to hold the wisdom of God in ourselves, to meet it righteously.  The man laid daily at the temple, in the book of Acts, begging alms, is met by Peter and John.  He asks for money, Peter and John, have none but give him what they do have, “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Rise up and walk.”  We always have the name to use and bring life to another.

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”  

Representing Jesus

But if you can do anything have compassion on us and help us.

Mark 9:23

Most will be familiar with this story from Marks’s Gospel.  The disciples have found themselves with a Father and son who they have been unable to help.  Jesus comes down from the ‘mount of transfiguration’ to a crowd surrounding this scene.  This father is desperately seeking deliverance for his son and the nine disciples are unable to cast out the demon, so as he meets Jesus, he seems both hopeful and unsure..

We see this expressed in the words, but... and if....

My thought today revolves around the awesome responsibility we have been given to accurately and faithfully represent Jesus.  

These disciples were not born again, not baptized with the Holy Spirit, but given the authority to preach, heal, and cast out devils in the name of Jesus (representing Jesus). This always gives me pause to consider my personal activities and judge my work extending the Kingdom as a Spirit filled believer.   

My thought doesn’t focus on the unbelief of the father, or of Jesus saying “if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes”, or even the crowd as the “faithless and perverse generation” but rather the inability of the nine to do the assigned works.

Privately, Jesus addresses their question of why they could not cast him out.  It wasn’t for their lack of obedience, rather a need for growth and development of spiritual capacity which could only be developed through prayer and fasting ~

‘This kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting’.

When John’s disciples asked Jesus the reason of His disciples lack of prayer and fasting, Jesus answered basically, this isn’t the time or season for fasting. 

Jesus answered, “how can the guest of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast.”  Mt. 9:16

With greater works assigned to the church and the command from Mark 16, how much more today, should his disciples exercise a discipline of prayer and fasting?.  The flesh and its desires must be kept in subjection in order for faith to dominate. There must be a real sense of dependence on God of which prayer is the continual expression.  

I don’t want to be found lacking, unable to righteously express Him in any facet of need I may meet, when I preach Jesus, the need for my dependence upon God grows daily in this hour.